Lowt’s Wood In June
butterflies, dragonflies, kit, photography June 21st, 2009I went to Lowt’s wood for the first time in eight months. I haven’t been there before now because it’s quite a walk in and most of the wood is accessible only by climbing a steep slope. Having said that, it’s one of my favourite woods. It’s very quiet and despite being unmanaged, it looks nice.
I crept into the wood in case there was some Fallow deer about, but on this occasion there wasn’t. I meandered my way along the lower level and then climbed the steep slope to the higher parts of the wood. I stopped on the west side for a bit of lunch.
It was quiet with only a few birds and the distant mewing of a Buzzard. My lunch was bacon and eggs with beans cooked in the primus frying pan on my Optimus crux stove amongst the seeding heads of the spent Bluebells.
I took the opportunity to sort out my utility bag. I’m now carrying it in a drop bag so I can just put it any one of my rucksacks I take out with me.
After a bit of lunch I went to the south side of the wood and out into the field. The sun had come out and I was immediately attracted to the hedgerow where numerous insects had settled in the blazing heat.
Despite wanting to do a small carving project, I was kept fascinated by the comings and goings of the various insects, dragonfly and butterflies.
I spotted this Painted-lady speeding it’s way across the field and eventually it settled on the hedgerow. These come all the way from Africa. Apparently, they arrived in their thousands in May.
The dragonflies were represented by a single Common blue.
I spotted two types of caterpillar, the peacock butterfly (above) and large white butterfly.
The day ended with the usual snooze amongst the leaf litter back on the lower part of the wood before I headed home.
Thanks for the visit.
Pablo.
June 21st, 2009 at 9:23 pm
Sounds like a great day. Now you have me hankering to get out as soon as possible. Looking forward to the carving project when you get around to it, im working on a ball in cage at the mo. Catch you later
June 22nd, 2009 at 9:38 am
Seems like a great day out!
Say, with spending so much time on the forest floor on litter and leaves, is there no problems with ticks?
Here, I have to be very careful since the little blighters carry nasty diseases. I even decided to get inoculations.
/ Karl
June 24th, 2009 at 3:21 am
Hi Pablo,
I really enjoy reading your posts, thanks. I have couple of questions for you; 1. How did you transport your eggs into the woods?
The other question is a bit more serious; You say in you post “and despite being unmanaged, it looks nice.”. I’m just wondering what it is that looks nice about a “managed” woodland vs. an “unmanaged” woodland? I guess what I’m really asking is is what do they do to manage a woodland, who manages it, and what guide lines does this manager follow to manage the woods?
My “go-to” wood here is conservation area and aside from a bi-annual path clearing by the local boy scouts nothing is done to it. These woods were cleared and converted in to farmland somewhere in the early 1700’s but has since been abandoned and the forest has re-concurred its ground. Large areas are swamp land, there are lots and lots of briars and the whole forest is infested with large, heat seeking, precision guided mosquitoes with a very painful sting, but I Love it! Best part is; hardly anybody else ever visits these woods and even less venture into the swampy parts.
But anyway, I really like to know what is being managed, is it the removal of dead wood or is it the non-native species they try to get rid of, or is it some kind of wilderness gardening they’re doing, or has it to do with wildlife management?
I’m writing here from the USA as a Dutch immigrant so I just want to make sure that I’m not sounding like an ass (donkey), these are honest questions not critiques…
Thanks again Pablo,
Jacob V.
June 24th, 2009 at 7:11 am
Hi Jacob – I think a well managed woodland provides enoough light and open space amongst the trees so that the sun can reach the floor. NOn native secies are kept at bay and undergrowth is kept in check. Most managed areas are managed for recreation but more so for wood produce. Thanks for your great comment. By the way, the eggs are carried in a plastic container.
Karl – Yes ticks can be a problem, but I now know what areas are worse than others. Thanks for the comment.
June 26th, 2009 at 5:28 pm
Thanks for another inspiring post
Looking forward to some quiet time this weekend – weather looking good and the woods are bursting with life.
All the best
Chris