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| Dwarf Gorse |
After
a slow start because railway contractors had taken over most of the car park,
20 of us set off in an easterly direction towards Denny Inclosure. It was a
warm dry morning but overcast.
As
we crossed Shatterford Bottom we saw Swallows skimming over the bracken and Stonechats on the gorse, where some of us also saw a migrant Whinchat.
Denny Wood was very peaceful and still, the main bird
calls heard was that of Stock Doves. These were easily seen on the bare
branches of the elderly Oak and Beech which are a feature of this lovely
ancient wood. A single Marsh Tit was also seen along with Chaffinches. Southern
Bracket was growing in tiers on many of the elderly Beech and also Chicken of
the Woods on Oak. After crossing the the wood we came to the main track leading
to Denny Lodge.
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| Chicken-in-the-Woods |
Continuing
on we saw 2 Roe Deer and in the field behind Denny Cottage a group of five plus
Fallow Bucks were resting, their antlers giving their position away as they
were visible above the bracken. One fully visible buck was standing thrashing
his antlers in the bracken.
Our
return route was via a path along the edge of the wood before coming out again
onto the heath and across the mire of Shatterford Bottom. As it was now
brighter, on a small area of water we managed to see Keeled Skimmer, Common
Darter, Migrant Darter and Emerald Damselfly. Then finally in the distance we
saw two Kestrels on a small single dead tree positioned centrally in the bog,
probably a good vantage point for them.
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| Emerald Damselfly |