I have been keeping a diary for Thistle Wood in County Durham since 2014, the year I bought it after it had been planted and then neglected. The diary records work I have done, such as planting new trees, fixing fences and monitoring rapacious deer; more importantly, perhaps, it records the arrival of new animals and flowers and the passing of the seasons, reflecting just how variable those seasons can be.
Taking the beginning of April in each year, I see looking back that in 2015 cherry, alder and rowan were just coming into leaf; but not hawthorn, which this year (2023) have been shooting green for weeks now, along with snowy white blackthorn blossom. This year, too, the pond is full of water (and wriggling tadpoles) after abundant March rain; last year it was already drying up by now. In 2018, after the infamous ‘Beast from the East’ in late February, there were almost no tree leaves out at Easter – Good Friday was ‘a filthy day’ after a very wet and cold winter. Until this year, we had three very dry springs in a row; and when I cut trees down in future the annual growth rings for those years are likely to be narrow; trees thrive on a wet and cloudy summer, while a drought can be disastrous for younger trees. Mostly, the weather evens out: young trees come into leaf and blossom as the days get longer and pay little attention to the odd sunny or snowy day. In future, longer growing seasons will have their effect…
A couple of weeks ago I moved a camera trap from the pond (lots of jackdaws visiting; not much else) to a Scots pine where there has been some digging and pooing: immediately, we have seen the activities of a night-time badger with a distinct eye strip, marking its boundary with scent, urine and faeces. Great to see, if not to smell. Meanwhile, the honey bees are making tentative forays for early pollen (hazel; willow) from our hive and young roe bucks are doing bad things with their itchy antlers…
