November Nature Notes

by David Tidmarsh - 20:19 on 17 November 2013

  
Kens Nature Notes

Leaves, leaves and more leaves, wonderful colour can be seen in every leaf that’s left.
The next cold snap which will have probably hit us by the time you read these notes will have almost cleared off the remaining foliage allowing the resting period needed to ensure a fresh flush of green leaves to delight us in the spring, however this is a few months away at the moment.
There are plenty of things waiting in line before spring hits us. Tree clearance is foremost on my mind at the allotments. Trees that seemed to be ok till next year, had overtaken my ability to remove and replant. Finding time when the weather is suitable can be a great gamble. You try to plan a mornings planting, people are available, then suddenly you have a severe frost, jobs cancelled. Planting in the wet is ok but not very pleasant, waterproofs on and get stuck in, hoping someone turns up to help, can’t blame anyone not wanting to work in the wet.
So chainsaw at the ready time to bring these trees under control, the large willow that is well out of control will be used to strengthen the bank sides of the Lumley Park burn. Stumps that are too big for posts will be used as back fill, these will root just lying on their sides, just need some posts to stop them being swept away till they get time to root, all good clean fun.
Still plenty of fungi about in the woods, little colonies growing happily away, feeding on the rotting trees and undergrowth. There are amazing colours to be seen in the hundreds of varieties in just a short space in the woods, from bright yellows to browns and the more natural whites that I associate with fungi. I treat them all as poisonous that way I won’t be regretting eating them. It is nice to let everyone enjoy seeing these fascinating additions to our woods. It all adds to the delights of a woodland stroll.
I will never forget when I was a lad growing up on the Lambton Estate, finding these huge fungi as big as pumpkins in a young wood near to the farm, these would be your usual white when growing but turning brown when they were ready to cast their spores. We used to kick them like footballs and the spores that came out well it’s a wonder we were not taken ill by the brown clouds from these giants.
I am a little saddened by the removal of most of the privet hedges on our estate, I can readily understand the necessity of tidying up the gardens as very few people seen to be able to keep their hedges trimmed, there can be lots of reasons that they are neglected either people are getting too old or haven’t got the equipment. However it is the lack of nesting and roosting area that we have lost through these removals. So I am determined to get some bird boxes built and erected nearby probably in New Lambton plantation to try and rectify this housing crisis that the birds are having thrust upon them.
If you need any plans to build a box for your garden please get in touch and I will supply you with a plan, now I had better make a start.
Keep warm, Ken.    
  
 

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