Mylander - Issue 88

From inside the community Nature Notes On a warm sunny Saturday morning in June, we took a stroll to Chesterwell Wood to try the newly opened path and what a delight it was... The path is clean under-foot with broad swathes of regenerating growth either side before the fencing, which protects the conservation areas. One conservation area has the appearance of a thicket, more dense and a haven for nesting birds. In there we heard and saw a chiff chaff and a blackcap, both cheerful singers. From other areas we heard bluetits, long-tailed tits and a greater spotted woodpecker. Other conservation areas witness the re-growth of species such as hawthorn, bedecked in their small pretty flowers. Other winged species were spotted, a holly blue butterfly flitting across the broad swathes, a female orange tip and then a red admiral butterfly that came and rested close-by. By the old oak tree that stands beside the original seasonal pond, a muntjac deer stood and watched us before bounding off. Clearance of the old dense undergrowth has enabled some of the flowers that grow in the wild to be spotted more easily. White bryony, red and white campion, trailing and bulbous buttercup, forget-me-not, white deadnettle, stitchwort, cut-leaf geranium and green alkanet were all seen. 26