A sunny spell in Goytre House Wood

 

Goytre House Wood

I have continued to pay regular visits to Goytre House Wood. Spring has brought an abundance of vibrant colours. The trees are now coming into leaf and its so nice to see the change from bare branches to verdant canopy's. 

During this visit the sun had finally come out for a change. The year so far has been very wet with rarely a break in the clouds. It was like someone had cast a magic spell and put a spotlight on the wood. I walked through the wood listening to the calls of Chiff Chaffs, Blackcaps, Wrens and Chaffinches blasting their songs out. 

Information Sign

Carpets of Bluebells

I walked along the paths admiring the carpets of Bluebells that covered large parts of the woodland floor. I watched Speckled Wood Butterflies flutter through the sunny glades. I was on the look out for Pied Flycatchers. For several years I have photographed these spring migrants that travel all the way from distant Africa to breed in this small wood that is owned by Gwent Ornithological Society.

A male Pied Flycatcher singing in the wood.

The society has planted over a 100 tree saplings on the side of the wood nearest to the road. I have been checking in on their progress on a regular basis. The field that the sampling are planted has become quite overgrown with some form of plantain type plant and on first glance its difficult to see the saplings. If you look more closely you will find them. They have been marked out with bamboo canes and protective plastic sheathing. Some of them have done better than others. I think the area will need a bit of maintenance in the coming year by the society to perhaps mulch the areas around the trees to stop other plants competing with them.

The saplings are still there - honest!

I was really pleased to see that a number of the saplings were growing well and I hope this continues and one day maybe I will see them grow to stand taller than myself.

Deeper in the wood I paused and sat on a log and just enjoyed being somewhere quiet with just nature for company.

Later I used my drone to get some pictorial records of how the saplings are growing and the rest of the wood.

The wood is located in a wonderful part of Gwent. Bordered by the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal and surrounded by farmland. With a birds eye view you can see the Blorenge, Sugarloaf, Skirrid and the Pontypool Folly.

Whilst leaving the wood near its entrance from the road I saw a lovely clump of Greater Stitchwort growing. This flower is real beauty and often found along country lanes in sunny spots during this time of year.

Greater Stitchwort