After preparing the last Sherwood post I realised I didn’t have a very good selection of trees. This was partly because I hadn’t taken enough pictures, partly because I needed to visit more trees and (to be honest) because I’ve mislaid some photos.
I can’t do much about the last point, apart from a lot of boring searching, so I short-circuited that by making another visit and taking more photos.
It was an admin day today so we’d lost the best of the light by the time we started, but there was enough to get a good selection of photos. Many of them look like they are dead, and some are, but many of them will have leaves when spring comes, despite being hollow. Hollow trees are often quite vigorous as the material from the middle rots down and feeds the remaining parts of the tree.
Smaller holes are good too – providing nest holes for various birds and roosts for bats. The population of Great Spotted Woodpeckers has increased 400% since the late 60s due to a number of factors, including more available nest sites. Nest sites are important to hole dwelling birds. In Sweden half of their Red Listed birds are hole-nesters who are declining due to a lack of tree holes. Meanwhile, Swifts, House Martins and Sparrows are all finding it difficult in the UK as people close holes in buildings.
My family were sheriffs of nottingham,and an oak tree marks dead center on England morton!
We’re not short of oak trees! 🙂
________________________________
🙂
Pingback: Birds in Sherwood Forest | quercuscommunity
Beautiful trees, Quercus! I can see the face in the tree. It looks like a bull’s face to me.
Yes, it does have that sort of look about it, depends what you focus on first.
Beautiful post. These are incredible trees, so majestic. Its interesting how nature feeds nature.
Thank you. Yes, nature hassurprising ways of supporting itself.
Magnficent!
Thank you!
Gorgeous post, Quercus. I like the face
I must have walked past that face a dozen times and never seen it – just goes to show the benefit of looking for photographic subjects. 🙂
Absolutely
You found some beauties to photograph and what a lovely day you had! We had murk, fog and drizzle all day.
We have the murk today, but as I’m in hospital this afternoon I’m not going to worry about it. 🙂
I hope all is going well with you. Best wishes, Clare 🙂
According to the hospital I’m at Death’s door with my list of ailments. I’m tempted to utter an expletive here as I’m perfectly fine, with just few things to sort out. However, it’s always nice to get good wishes, so thank you. 🙂
My pleasure! 🙂 I think hospital staff like to scare you into doing what they want. Once you start to toe the line things get easier.
Toe the line? I’m too old and crochety to toe the line!
😀