Woodland
Oak
Ash
Hazel
Alder
Willow
Sallow
Mature woodland
Some of the public paths and tracks of the parish are studded with mature trees, especially oak, but the oldest and most natural woodland is at Brick-kiln Copse. It has footpaths on ancient lanes running along both sides although the wood itself is private. On the way you may see brown hares, and birds of prey, especially red kites and buzzards. The wood on the hill is mainly ancient ash-hazel woodland on chalky clay which was formerly managed to produce supplies of small timber, such as hazel whips for making hurdle fences and thatching spars. Along the edge you find a scrub of flowering bushes such as guelder rose and wayfaring tree, climbers like Clematis or traveller’s joy, and, in places carpets of scented herbs and delicious dewberries. Ancient woods are rich in plants.
Guelder rose (Viburnum opulus)
Dewberry
(Rubus caesius)
Wayfaring tree
(Viburnum lantana)
Traveller's joy
(Clematis vitalba)
Buzzard
Red kite
Brown hare
Wet woodland and scrub
Access to the wet woodland at Fairyland is currently restricted because of the danger from dying ash trees. Fortunately it can be appreciated from the path, a near-natural wet wood of alder and willows with other trees on the drier ground. One of the commonest birds is the wren, a tiny bundle of feathers which produces an astonishingly loud and fast song from March onwards. Other birds to listen for, and hopefully see, include song thrush, with its loud and repetitive but varied song from a high perch. In the spring, listen for warblers, including the melodious blackcap, the intense churring of sedge warbler, and the descending whistle of willow warbler, among others. The loud song of the rarely seen Cetti’s warbler is liable to make you jump! Though they keep a low profile, these woods are full of the trails left by herds of fallow deer, and also house the more solitary muntjac and roe deer. The catkins of the sallow scrub in the wettest parts of the wood are full of nectar and an important food source for moths and bees in early spring, as is ivy at the other end of the year. Towards the river end, look out in mid-summer for two beautiful insects easily mistaken for butterflies: the banded demoiselle dragonfly, with bright blue patches on their wings, and the day-flying scarlet tiger-moth, which flashes red, white and black in its slow flapping flight.
Scarlet
tiger-moth
Banded
demoiselle dragonfly
Wren
Song thrush
Blackcap
Sedge warbler
Willow warbler
Cetti's warbler