Our guest blogger Paul tells us about his woodland wonderings through the reserve. If your wondering what's about at Coombes, read on...
What’s about at Coombes: A Wintery Wander
Just a quick walk through Coombes Valley to stretch my legs and get some fresh air in my lungs. It’s sometimes hard to motivate yourself to get out of a warm bed on a cold winters day and work off that Christmas turkey! Well not when you’re spending the day in one of England's loveliest semi-ancient oak woodlands.
It’s such an amazing time of year to visit the woods. The bare, leaf stricken branches of the woodland canopy looks amazing against the low winter sun. The stream of light shining down on dappled brooks and shimmering pools. Illuminating the chestnut and bronze oak leaf carpet.
My old perception of a dull and grey winter days have been transformed.
The baron branches give you great views of woodland birds, which will be hidden by green leaves and flowering shrubs in just a few months. I could forever watch the acrobatic blue tits and long tailed tits flitting from branch to branch. Dangling upside down, the wrong way up and constantly searching for food. But there’s so much more to spoil me here at Coombes Valley…
The hidden depths of the woodland might seem peaceful and at times you may feel all alone, but don’t be fooled! Across the woodland floor there are numerous signs of activity. Looking down I spot some scratched up mud and roots. What could have done that? Did a squirrel lose its nuts here? Or has a badger been rooting for worms? Maybe this was the end of the line for a wood mouse caught in the sights of a hunting fox.
I gaze upwards towards the chorus of corvids passing by, rooks and jackdaws cawing whilst moving from feeding grounds to roost. Magpies chatter to one another in the leafless canopy whilst jays flash their brilliant blue feathers through the treescape.
It’s a great time for spotting raptors too. If it wasn't for the winter skyline, I would have missed the passing sparrow hawk gliding right above me and disappearing behind the horizon. It’s always a pleasure to see such a magnificent bird.
I think this punk rocker silver birch will provide very good bug hunting for blue tits, robins and wrens come springtime.
The newly shaped winter woodland is great fun for people like me; people who like to explore. See if you can spot the weird and wonderful fungi hidden in the woods. Colonising log piles of silver birch or proudly spanning out from near the tops of trees like flags on flag poles.
It’s also a great time to search for new signs of life. Just kicking aside a few piles of leaves and you can start to see the green shoots of spring starting to push their way through the winter compost of wood, moss and leaves. Spring will soon be here!
It won’t be long until the snowdrops and bluebells are making an appearance. The marsh marigolds line boggy drains and the air is thick with the scent of wild garlic. It’s a great time of year to be outside; witnessing nature doing it’s very best to keep on going, no matter what. And with the birds singing, the plants emerging and the shady woodland alight with winter sunshine, it has inspired me to work even harder this year. To get outside at every opportunity, and to enjoy and share the countryside with everyone.
Will you join me?