|   As
we enter the woods at Newmillerdam a flock of long-tailed
tits is making its way through the tree-tops. It's one woodland
species that hasn't shown up at our bird table recently.
There's a lush growth of moss on some stumps and tree-trunks;
patches of grey lichen on branches and bright green algae
streaked down the trunks of most of the sycamores and many of the birches.
Perennial Resolutions
  With
the party season over and the free hours (we hope) and ever-longer days
of the new year to look forward to, we're determined, as usual at this
time of year, to walk more and I find myself feeling that I'd like to
study some of the common but extraordinary woodland plants that I never
get to know as much as I'd like.
With my digital camera and sketchbook, I could soon survey the commonest
lichens, mosses and fungi of the wood and record them here in the diary
so that I can find them again at the click of a mouse.
 We've
come out for a walk this morning, but I'm sorry that I didn't put the
camera in my bag because there's a perfect example of ear fungus
(left) growing from a suitably picturesque mossy log at the edge
of the path through the old railway cutting. Perhaps I'll remember to
take the camera tomorrow.
|
A corner of Barbara's mum's kitchen  |
Richard Bell, richard@willowisland.co.uk
|
