Habitats.

Part six life in a beech woodland.

In spring, bluebells and anemones splash beech woods with colour, but in summer the woods are dark and relatively colourless places. Bluebells and wood anemones come up before the beech leaves have fully opened, while enough light is still available for growth. They will continue to grow in heavy shade, while bird`s-nest orchid, which feeds on dead organic matter such as beech leaves, needs no light at all. Beech leaves let little light through the canopy to encourage anything to grow. The leaves are so arranged that all will get some light, but very little filters between them. In the same way, the leaves intercept most of the rain that falls. This lies on the leaves, to be evaporated again after a shower, and does not reach the soil beneath. But the woodland floor, though dry, does provide food for fungi along with small birds and mammals. Wood mice and grey squirrels prize open the beech nuts from the woodland floor. The roots of the beech tree thrive in shallow but fertile soil, spreading laterally just below the surface. Jays are among some of the birds that frequent beech woods to seek fallen beech nuts. Bramblings ,chaffinches and nuthatches are three other birds that take advantage of a beech woodland along with badgers that are looking for a tasty treat, the beech nut.

Summer Solstice.

Happy solstice to everyone, i have just got back from avebury after celebrating the summer solstice. The sun is at its highest northenly point now in the northern hemerphere. There are twenty four hours of sunshine at the artic circle.This is a turning point from now on as the cosmic wheel starts to slow down.In all of nature the rampant growth period of the year has reached its peak. The natural world is in total manifestation. The trees are in full leaf and blossom,herbs and flowers are flourishing. There begins to be an abundance of vegetables and the fruit and grain are ripening. All over there is a sense of completeness and abundance. The summer solstice is our peak of our expansive and expressive selves. Celebrate what you have achieved and manifested. It is the festival of attaintment and the fulfilment of the individual. It is time to enjoy what you have and who you are. Add the strength and power of the sun to enhance and activate. Abandon yourself to expressive dance, song, joy and a sense of your own uniqueness. Celebrate the death and re-birth of the great cycle of the year. As the power of the outer realms wane, the power of the inner realms expand, and we are made whole.

Favourite garden birds.

I would like to compile a survey of our favourite garden birds. I also want to know how many different species of birds we get in our gardens. When did you first see fledgelings? Are adult birds feeding on your feeders all year round? or do they move away from the feeders when the hedgerows come alive with berries and nuts. Please let me know.

The cervidae family.

Part one the red deer.

Red deer`s are Britain's largest land mammal, with the male measuring up to one point two meters at their shoulders. Females measure up to one meter. Red deer`s have hollow hairs, which is important for insulation when they move into the season of winter. They mainly live in grassland, woodland or moors. They will be seen and heard coming down from hillsides during the rutting season.The males make a long barking noise, especially during the rut when they are calling out. They are warning off other males and they are also declaring that this is their territory. Males are called stags and females are called hinds, their young are called fawns. The males rut during October and November, the dominant male will try and hold on to a harem. As the females come into season for a very short period the dominant male will try to mate with as many as he can. But their will be competition from other males. Other red deer males will try and take the high ground so they can become the dominant males and mate with all of the hinds. The hinds will normally stay in a group eating lots of grass. The males will fight together in tremendous battles that will sometimes end in death for one of the males involved. Their will also be lots of parallel walking and thrashing about in all of the grass. The red deer will mark his territory by urinating at certain points of his harem. Only the males have antlers, which are cast every year. This normally happens in winter or early spring, the new antlers start growing again in late spring or early summer. Antlers are made of bone and have a soft covering called velvet which helps to protect the antlers in spring. The points on the antlers are known as tines, these stay the same after the first year. Red deers are ruminants, which means they have a even number of toes. The red deer has a four chambered stomach. Males red deers will weigh up to two hundred and twenty five kilograms. After the rut, the deer will eat as much grass as possible to prepare them for the long winter ahead. The stags don`t eat during the rut, so it is vital for them to gain as many pounds as possible afterwards. The fawns are born singly in late May or early June. The native red deer takes its name from its lovely shining red summer coat,which will go duller and thicker during the winter. The red deer has a short tale, which is normally held close to its buff coloured rump. They feed on heather,grass and lichens and may live for up to fifteen years in the wild.