Garston Woods 30th April

The weather was sunny. Highlights were Solomon’s Seal, Bluebells and Toothwort.

The woodland at Garston Woods does vary as you walk around it. Parts are coppiced, parts are scrubby, a few parts are plantation and some is old woodland with large Oaks. The flora over the whole wood is mixed, but fairly similar throughout, making a wonderfully colourful scene for the whole of our walk. Parts were white with Ramsons (Wild Garlic) and parts were deep blue with Bluebells, but many areas had a great mix of Bluebells, Yellow Archangel, Greater Stitchwort, Wood Spurge, Ramsons, Common Dog Violets, Bugle, Primroses and some Wood Anemone. Some areas had Early Purple Orchids and we saw a few White Helleborine that were almost out in flower. Other species that were not so abundant were Common-spotted Orchid, Cuckooflower, Goldilocks Buttercup, Wood Sorrel, Moschatel, Twayblade, Columbine and Woodruff. We were very pleased to see Solomon’s Seal and it was quite common in some parts of the wood and we were surprised and pleased to find the ghostly spikes of Toothwort growing in one or two spots.
Bird life was pretty quiet, but we heard Wren, Blackcap, Chiffchaff and Song Thrush singing and caught glimpses of Nuthatch and a couple of Marsh Tit.
Simon Curson