Foragers and fungi

Green woodpecker

Rook

Now that the meadows have been cut, medium to large birds are a common sight pecking their way through the meadows looking for insects or other food. Today a pair of green woodpeckers were active near the Top Pond, and other birds such as rooks and magpies were also foraging in the Top Meadow.

The haymaking hasn't totally driven away the butterflies. There are quite a few left, mainly feeding in the hedgerows.

If you know where to look in the main wood, there are bracket fungi larger than dinner plates:

Bracket fungi

... not to mention some interesting ground fungi:

Ground fungus

As summer goes on, our orchard trees are getting on well, but it's worth looking at the couple of very mature crab apple trees on the Reserve. The one on the edge of the wood looking over towards the Picnic Area is going to have a bumper crop this year.

Crab apples