October 2008
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Saturday 20th September, 2008. report by AB.
Fungi have prospered in the woodland thanks to the continued wet and warm weather... /September 2008
(PHOTO: AB)
Rain and mild conditions continued this week as the first signs of autumn continue to unfolded across Hollybank Woods. The evenings are drawing in earlier by the day and the nights becoming chillier. The owls are active now before dusk, hunting throughout the woodland in search of prey to guard against the long cold nights of winter that fast approach.
The fungi in Hollybank Woods are also doing very well this year, with impressive displays of variety and form. More pictures and round up of observations on Friday 3rd October, from when the regular weekly diary will return as Autumn unfolds across Hollybank Woods.
Sunday 17th August, 2008. report by AB.
The wet and windy summer continues, and whilst we should be languishing in the late hazy lazy days of high summer, there is a distinct autumn feel to the woodland. The seed heads have set on many of the woodland flowers, and the berries are providing rich pickings for the the wildlife and human visitors alike ..especialy the blackberry crop which is in full swing now!
The Friends of Hollybank Woods will as usual have a stand at the annual Emsworth Show this coming Bank Holiday Monday (25th August) so be sure drop by and say hello if you are there. Regular updates to the diary will begin again in mid September as the autumn season unfolds across Hollybank Woods and the wildlife and plant life prepare for the onset of winter.
New pictures:
Female Broad-bodied Chaser dragonfly in the former Hollybank Lodge clearing... /end of May
(PHOTO: AB)
Bee on Garlic mustard flower head. Also the larval food plant of the Orange Tip butterfly ... /end of May
(PHOTO: AB)
Every 3rd mouth full of food consumed by the worlds population has been pollinated by bees... Bee populations are in heavy decline, not good news given how important they are!
Sunday 11th May, Tree Walk. report by Jane Brook.
(First sighting of the year in Hollybank Woods of White Admiral Butterfly.)
On a glorious May morning, we joined Jonathan Huet on a ramble through Hollybank Woods. Jonathan is our local tree expert and he explained how the trees in any woodland would have been used by our ancestors.
He told us how the trees would have been "worked" cut down, coppiced and planted to create a valuable and useable resource. Trees were a source of fuel, building materials and were the raw materials for making household utensils such as spoons, as well having a herbal and medicinal use.
Jonathan explained the importance of some of the different types of trees to be found in Hollybank Woods and how they were used giving us a fascinating insight into how our ancestors worked with the annual yearly cycle of each of the trees.
Diary updates. (20th / 14th April Brian Fellows / 8th April Ralph Hollins)
Report by Brian Fellows on Sunday 20th April, 2008.
It was a fine morning for the "Bird Song and Spring Flowers" walk which I led for the Friends of Hollybank Woods. I went at a deliberately slow pace with lots of stops to listen for bird song.
Birds
We heard most of the common woodland birds and caught sight of some of them. Of the summer migrants, Chiffchaff and Blackcap were singing well, though we did not find the Willow Warbler which I heard on previous visits during the week.
Plants
I took time to point out the various wild flowers, including the fine displays of Bluebells in the eastern section of the woods. We did not go onto Longcopse Hill.
I also noticed Wild Strawberry (by the interpretation board at the south entrance) and Barren Strawberry (on the track at the top of Hollybank Lane) in flower which I had missed on my previous visits.
Butterflies
We saw 3 Brimstones and 2 Peacocks during the walk.
Catch up with Brian Fellows personal diary by clicking here.
Report by Brian Fellows on Monday 14th April, 2008.
This morning I did a recce for next Sunday's "Birdsong and Wild Flowers" walk that I am supposed to be leading for the Friends of Hollybank Woods, if I am well enough. I took it easy and did not go too far. I did part of the western section and the eastern section, but I did not attempt to go onto Longcopse Hill (where I might have met Ralph Hollins).
Birds
There was plenty of bird song. I heard most of the usual woodland birds including Collared Dove, Woodpigeon, Stock Dove, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Coal Tit, Robin, Wren, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Dunnock and Chaffinch. I also heard Great Spotted Woodpecker, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Magpie, Pheasant and Buzzard, but surprisingly no Jay.
Of the migrants I heard 4 Chiffchaff, 3 Blackcap and a Willow Warbler - my first of the year. The Willow Warbler was singing from the Birches just north of the south eastern Bluebell area where I have never heard one before.
Flowers
The Yellow Archangel with white blotches on its leaves was flowering as usual by the gate at the Hollybank Lane entrance to the woods; this is the ssp argentatum which is a garden escape.
There is also a flowering of Spanish Bluebells close by which will provide a nice comparison with the native Bluebell. The Spanish Bluebell has tougher stems and erecter, not one-sided spikes of larger, flatter flowers, paler blue and often pale pink, purple or white. The flower tubes of the native species are noticeably longer than in the Spanish variety.
Wild Cherry.. (PHOTO: AB)
On the old Holly Lodge clearing I found the usual Common Stork's-bill along with the usual Primroses and Cowslips and bushes of Gorse and Japonica. Field Wood-rush was also showing in the south of the area. Common Dog-violets (with curved notched spurs) were flowering in the far NE of the open area.
Primroses in fading late afternoon sunlight.. (PHOTO: AB)
I found quite a lot of flowering Bittercress on the main centre path which I think was Hairy Bittercress, having 4 stamens. Wood Speedwell (with hairs all round the stems) and Common Field Speedwell were also flowering alongside the main track.
The Bluebells are flowering well in both the usual areas on the eastern section of the woods, along the north path near the Emsworth Common Road and along the south path near Hollybank Farm. Mixed in with the Bluebells were a few Wood Anemones.
Other observations: Lots of fresh Honeysuckle growth everywhere in the woods. The Wild Cherry (Gean) is in full flower near the southern Bluebell area. A couple of huge Beech trees were down since my last visit. Some superb areas of mosses, mainly Bank Haircap and the Feather mosses. Cherry Laurel was flowering and smeeling well, mainly on the track at the top of Hollybank Lane.
Butterflies
I saw 3 Peacocks and a Brimstone near the southern Bluebell area.
Catch up with Brian Fellows personal diary by clicking here.
Early Purple Orchids in flower
Report by Ralph Hollins on Tuesday 8th April, 2008.
This afternoon I visited the Hollybank Woods north of Emsworth to see how the Early Purple Orchids were coming on and found three flower spikes already up - one had its flowers already open, the second had its lower flowers at right angles to the stem but the flowers not open, and the third was merely showing purple colour in the base of a tightly close flowerhead, the top of which was still white.
Before reaching the orchid site I found flowers opening on a Crab Apple tree and saw a few flowers on wild Red Currant bushes. More colourful than these were the Wild Cherry trees in full flower and it was good to see Male Ferns uncurling and to see the fresh green of leaves on Larches.
Wood Anemones.. (PHOTO: AB)
In the orchid area the ground was covered with Celandines, Primroses and Wood Anemones with the blues of Common and Early Dog Violets scattered among them. Also near this area there was blossom on some trees which have puzzled me in previous years and which I still cannot name - this time I took some measurements and brought home a sample of blossom (clusters of small white-petalled flowers already going over with small, sharply toothed, leaves of a narrow eliptical shape but not yet fully expanded), all growing on a very thin stemmed tree less than three metres tall and with very thin branches that would be described as 'twigs' on a more substantial tree - I assume it to be a Prunus species but cannot track it down so far. One of the puzzles about it is the variability of the flower parts - the number of calyx segments varies from 5 to 9 and the number of stamens is equally variable.
Catch up with Ralph Hollins personal diary by clicking here.
Celandines.. (PHOTO: AB)
Violet.. (PHOTO: AB)
The importance of Bees...
Bees on ragwort in the Hollybank Lodge clearing. (PHOTO: AB)
Every 3rd mouth full of food consumed by the worlds population has been pollinated by bees. Hollybank's abundant flush of ragwort plays an important role in the ecology of our local bees during the spring, summer and autumn months.
Butterfly identification tips.
As spring approaches, the first of a few butterfly identification tips...
Gate keeper butterfly (PHOTO: AB)
The gate keeper is about the same size as the meadow brown butterfly, and they are often confused. The easiest way to tell the difference is to look at the black circle on the wing tip which both have. The gate keeper has two small white dots, the meadow brown only has one white dot.
diary reminder
October 2008
Events
Autumn diary dates.
..awaiting update
A list of Autumn diary dates will be online soon.
Meet at the top of Hollybank Lane, by the Friends of Hollybank Woods notice board, at 10am. Work groups will last approx 2 hours, finishing at midday. Suitable for all ages, children especially welcome but must be accompanied by a responsible adult.
Weekly walks in Hollybank Woods:
Walking To Health.
Every 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month. Short, free and safe guided walks in Hollybank Woods. Meet at 10.15am, SYRCH Centre, Cotton Drive, off Southliegh Road in north Emsworth. (SYRCH Centre is sign posted and there is a free car park).A great way to keep fit, all ages welcome! Improving your health whilst enjoying an autumn/winter walk in the woodland.
Organised by Walking to Health.
(Supported by the British Heart Foundation and the Countryside Agency.)
About Hollybank Woods
Hollybank Woods is an area of woodland to the north of Emsworth in Hampshire. The area was acquired by Havant Borough Council in 1996 (with a 999 year lease) and is designated a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC).
Major works completed with practical help
from the Friends of Hollybank Woods, during the last five years, have
included path clearance, formation of a new circular walk, a new
bridleway which is now in use and estate style fencing has now replaced
much of the old chain link at Dymoke Street and Spencer Road. Winter
2006 - 2007 saw further glade creation.
Work party days during early 2008 continue with further improvement to paths and glade creation. From April onwards, work days cease. This allows the nesting birds and breading animals the spring and summer months undisturbed.
During the summer months various walks and events take place in the woodland and then work parties start again as autumn unfolds over Hollybank Woods in October.
A look back to last summer.
Emsworth Show 2007
August Bank Holiday
Emsworth Show. (PHOTO: AB)
A fine and dry bank holiday Monday for the Emsworth Show again this year.
Temperatures climbed during the afternoon to complete the late summer feel to the day. As usual Hollybank Woods stand had a steady flow of visitors during the day to look at the displays.
Pauline Bond, Hollybank's publicity officer, did a superb job bringing together an impressive display including photographs and artifacts to represent the woodland year. A very successful and well attended show.
Two young Friends of Hollybank Woods
members checking out the stand. (PHOTO: AB)
The children's table also had a steady flow of visitors, colouring and making animal mobiles to adorn the stand with as the day progressed.
David Willetts, our local MP and member of the Friends of Hollybank Woods, dropped by during the afternoon to catch up with news on the current woodland projects. David's staunch support for Hollybank Woods, and other local conservation projects, is always much appreciated.
Robert and Jill with David Willetts. (PHOTO: AB)
Pauline, Gladys, Jane, Jill, John, Robert, Andy and ''Bo'' the black labrador represented Hollybank and were on hand to answer questions during the day. Many thanks to everyone for both their time and hard work.
Roe Deer
Roe deer in Hollybank. (PHOTO: AB)
Deer fact file:
The mating season, or rut, for fallow deer starts in late September and peaks in mid October. Usually, the doe gives birth to a single fawn between late May - mid June. The fawn is weaned by October.
The rut, for roe deer, comes in late July and August. Peculiarly among British deer, there is a delay in the implantation of the fertilised egg in the female. This is believed to be nature's way of postponing birth until favourable conditions exist for the kids. Kids are born in the May or June following the rut.
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(01.10.2008)Running in single page format. RSS and internal links not active at this time. Most of the technical issues related to the operation of the new web site have been attended to, and finally it should be possible to switch over from this temp page to the main site again in a few days.
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© 2008 | AB