Easter Bunny Hunt - Sunday 16th April 2017

 The rain held off long enough this afternoon for an Easter bunny hunt in the woodland organised by Framsden Fundraisers. The children, and adults, enjoyed looking for the bunnies and collecting the stamps on their paper. A full house resulted in a chocolate prize.

While here, I was able to check on the progress of the little currants now forming and appreciate the apple and cherry blossom. It looks like we will get some raspberry flowers, and hopefully fruit, this year too. The woodland is really looking lovely, and very green now.

Blossom on the old apple tree

A more unusual visitor was also spotted!

Sunday 2nd April 2017 - Work Party

A much brighter day and a much greener woodland than last month. It was a lovely spring morning with birds singing, a woodpecker drumming and bees humming.
The fruit bushes, left over from when the site was an orchard and gradually increasing in number, were weeded gently so as not to become smothered by nettles. There is only one raspberry but several currant bushes which are now in flower so we might find out what colour this year.

Raspberry stem by Flossie

Currant flowers 

The oaks at the glade entrance were lightly pruned and various other small branches around the woodland  removed as necessary. A large multi-stemned sallow, also near the glade entrance, was coppiced.  It needs to be cut right down to control it's size and will soon shoot up again.

Pruning the oaks

Coppicing

As usual, coarse weeds were targeted in the path edges and some local primroses added around the plum trees. The top was taken off a large ash tree to allow more light to the den. Hopefully the hazel trees will get tall enough to create the den structure soon.

Plum blossom 

Red campion 

A productive morning was followed by very civilised refreshments in Neil's garden.