Coppicing

Now we are into March it is time to stop coppicing for fear of destroying birds' nests.

We finished cutting in the coppice coupe near post 2 in the New Plantation on 10th February. 

Through the winter, students from the Sheiling School have been coppicing in the Paddock near post 12.  This is excellent because we haven't had time to do any management work here for several years.

This photo was taken on 14th December

More recently we had a group of ten occupational therapy students from UWE, who came for two sunny days at the end of February.  They worked up near post 8 felling the hazels, trimming, cutting to size, and sharpening the stakes.

Firsts for Filnore this year

Today, 3rd April, I saw the first bluebells in flower at Filnore Woods .. .. ..  

  

.. .. .. and buttercups in the skateboard/allotment field (sorry - grim photo)

And heard for the first time this year, but not seen, were a blackcap .. .. ..

and a Yaffle or Green Woodpecker

Bird photos not mine.

Rakes' Progress

Following the cutting of the cowshed field (see 'Grassland Restoration' posting of 10th March), we have had a few raking sessions with help on 10th March from Rotary

and even more help from BT volunteers on 27th March 

Many thanks to all these extra helpers as well as our regular volunteers.

We have now done about three quarters of the field.  Just a bit to go.

A gateway into Filnore

 The Jubilee Way passes through Filnore Woods.

This kissing gate appeared in  early February -  surprisingly, 

with the fence to either side neatly restored. 

The key to its sudden appearance was on the notice 

on the right-hand gatepost.

So thank you to the Ramblers and the South Glos Public Rights of Way Team. (PROWT).

Since then the whole fence has been cleared of the bramble thicket and is apparently due for replacement.

In fact the whole area of brambles has been cleared, revealing our nine beech trees 

donated by Brett Harrison and Ruth Piolle.

Now they can breathe, whereas previously they were being engulfed by brambles.

We'll have to keep on top of those brambles for a few years now.

Black thorn, white flowers

A solid bank of blackthorn flowers looking from the hilltop meadow towards the viewpoint.

The flowers come before the leaves and the blackthorn is at its peak now, 

so hurry along to see it.

There's a lot of it about.

Clues on the path

Although we are encouraged to lift our eyes to see more, sometimes looking at the floor can tell you things.  If you come across little furry items like these, it tells you that you are passing under a male pussy willow tree.

You know it's male for two reasons: 

(a) a close look will show you lots of tiny stamens, which produced pollen and 

(b) the female flowers don't drop off - they develop into seeds.

Such is the fate of the male.

Violets

Violets are blooming at Filnore Woods.
These were at the top of Vilner Lane.

And there were more on the steps leading out of the Valley Woodland 
between post 9 and post 8

The whiskery bits in the middle of the flower always put me in mind of a moustache, 
or the face of a schnauzer dog