Whetsted Wood in Early Spring

On a sunny Sunday morning on 10^th April I paid a springtime visit to Whetsted Wood, to view the early spring flowers.

The cold wind, which first appeared in late February ,was playing out its last throws on Sunday and slowly the strength of the sun has started to warm the woodland floor. The half of the wood nearest to the Tudeley Brook was covered in wood anemones & bluebells, both in flower, although the bluebells were a bit early to be honest. I also found a few patches of wild garlic (ramsomes) plants, but they were not in flower.  The western half of the wood has a less open aspect with the trees blocking out the light and so had little in the way of ground flora on show. The paths were also wet and muddy.

The Tudeley brook had a steady flow and signs of the winter floods in December could still be seen. 

The south east facing edge of the wood, which follows the course of the brook was bathed in sunshine and being the warmest part of the wood had many more flowers in bloom than other parts of the wood. Insects, such as bumble bees were easy to find and birdsong could readily be heard in this area (great tit, chiff chaff, black cap, song thrush , blackbird). The rest of the wood was remarkably lacking in birdsong and general bird activity.

Evidence of human activity was however easy to see with camp fires, drinks cans , painted trees, an old shelter spotted. 

Whetsted Wood shows little sign of management and is visited frequently by people from the local estates and whilst superficially a woodland seems to lack the biodiversity which is more evident in Foal Hurst Wood.  The most picturesque & wildlife rich part of the woodland appears to be  near to the Tudely Brook. Perhaps as spring flows into summer I will find more wildlife interest in the wood, time will tell.