The Weeks Ahead

Over the coming weeks I have a few meetings, which will definitely keep me busy!

I am soon to meet with the Forestry Commission to work out the best plan of action regarding the wild boar. I'm not expecting them to implement my suggestions, but I do hope they will listen. The wild boar require management, but only when absolutely necessary and this is something I am hoping to help them with, to get a better understanding of boar numbers throughout the area, so that a more accurate guess can be made when a cull is imminent.

I will also be attending a talk on ash die back, to hopefully better understand what is going on within our forests. Huge amounts of larch has been felled and is still being felled throughout the UK and the sooner we get on top of these issues the better.

Then a meeting with Forest of Dean District Council regarding Northern United (Northern Area Action Plan).

As I have been surveying and monitoring this area for wildlife for many years, I have been invited to a meeting to discuss the area and the wildlife. I welcome this invitation as it is local people with local knowledge who can really help, not people pulled in from far and wide that do not know the area and the wildlife present.
I have never approved of the development of this area, but if Northern is to get the green light, I am not going to sit on my hands, or bury my head in the sand as a defeatist. I will work with them to make sure the wildlife comes first and that sensitive and unique areas are maintained, preserved and protected.

Then... It's off to one of my favourite areas in the Forest of Dean to work with Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust on a project to manage reptile habitat.
Really looking forward to this as it is where I excel and the excitement of knowing that you will one day find an adder basking in an area that you have helped create is amazing!

Spring is around the corner and I am looking forward to warmer days and lighter evenings, so I can get out with the camera more often.

I leave you with some photographs of wildlife 

All photographed in the magnificent Forest of Dean

Roe Buck

Wild Boar Sow and her Piglet 2012

Red Fox

Baby Grey Squirrel

Wood Mouse Nicking the Bird Food!

Me, Photographing Wild Boar

Portrait of a Wild Boar Sow; From Encounter Above

Male Great Spotted Woodpecker Searching for Bugs

Cinnabar Larvae on Ragwort and Cinnabar Moths on Thistle

Male Adder Basking in Bracken

Wild Boar Sow, Checking Me Out!

Female Adder Photographed From a Distance of a Few Inches

And Finally, a Guard Hornet Guarding the Nest

Rob

The Sun Brings Them Out!

Its been a scorcher over the Bank Holiday so I got out there and covered a lot of ground. Too hot and too busy for the majority of our wildlife and by going deeper into the forest to find them would have just invaded their safe space!
I spent a lot of time searching new areas for the adder and grass snake (to see dedicated blog) Click Here


I found a couple of blue flowers, don't know what they were so I thought I had better take a snap in case they were rare! :-)




Than I found this fella sitting on a stinging nettle leaf!




And this lady - I followed her up the blade of grass and waited patiently for the right moment!




I know they are invasive, destructive and the reason why our native red squirrel is absent from many parts of the UK, but they are cute when they are babies!



Rob

A Mixed Bag

Gave the birds a feast earlier as we have some cold weather on the way. All the recent species, which were absent the last time I fed them turned up. All apart from the Great Spotted Woodpecker, Grey Wagtail and Tree Creeper.
The conditions were poor with a grey sky and not much light, but it was still good to get out and help them. Even a grey squirrel turned up!


Pied Wagtail



Dunnock



Cole Tit


Male Chaffinch


Grey Squirrel


Rob