Hunting Woodland Bluebells

Last year I missed the bluebell season by a week or so and ended up little left to shoot. This year I wanted to make sure I didn't make the same mistake twice.  I have been wanting to capture the Bluebells for some time and having found myself with an hour or so to spare before Sunday lunch and with the morning weather being glorious I went for a stroll around Tiddesley Wood, just outskirts of Pershore, on the hunch that there might well be some bluebells in full bloom ready to be photographed!

For those who don't know, or who are not local to the Pershore and Worcestershire, Tiddesley Wood is a large woodland area that was once an an enclosed deer park and was previously owned by the Abbots of Pershore Abbey and local nobility as well as the Forestry Commission. During the 1950's Forestry Commission managed much of the wood as a commercial forestry plantation, In recent times Worcestershire Wildlife Trust  bought the wood because of its outstanding importance as an ancient woodland with the aim of restoring it to its former condition and status. 

It is open from Dawn till Dusk and enjoys some splendid tracks and trails throughout, the woodland is also a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and welcomes families and walkers from around the area, dogs are also welcome must be kept on leads at all times due to the various animals that the woods provide a home for as well as some livestock like sheep who can be found on the edge of the reserve.

• Image Title: The Big Bluebell Hunt
• Pentax K-1 Camera used:
• Pentax DFA 28-105mm f/3.5-5.6 Lens used:
• 48mm Focal length:
• f/4.5 Aperture:
• 1/500 Exposure time:
• 100 ISO:

The Importance of the ancient Wood

The dying and decaying trees that make up an ancient woodland are an important habitat for the nationally rare noble chafer beetle which has been recorded at Tiddesley. The larvae live in the rotting heartwood of the trees and their presence is often discovered through their droppings (frass) in hollow tree trunks. Eagle eyed visitors may even be able to spot the adults feeding on hogweed on the edges of the wood during July and August. If you do spot these splendid little beetles please don't try to catch them or pick them up! 

The wide tracks and walked paths through the woodland are bordered by herbs and shrubs that provide a hunting ground for club-tailed dragonflies and white-legged damselflies. And the broken canopy of tress, and more open areas particularly on the east side are fantastic growing ground for the infamous Bluebells, the main reason form my visit!  If you are a regular or a repeat visitor to the woods, you should spot white admiral butterflies feeding on honeysuckle or peacock and gatekeeper butterflies feeding on nettles and grasses. Several species of Butterflies, bees, hoverflies and beetles can all be found amongst the teasels, thistles and dog roses that line the main pathways through the woodland. In recent years the sights and sound of raptors can be heard screeching in the skies above as they ride the thermals.

• Image Title: Fairies Corner
• Pentax K-1 Camera used:
• Pentax DFA 28-105mm f/3.5-5.6 Lens used:
• 80mm Focal length:
• f/5.6 Aperture:
• 1/160 Exposure time:
• 100 ISO:

Back to the Bluebells & how to photograph them

Bluebells transform the UK woodlands in springtime. The carpet of intense blue under the opening tree canopy is one of our greatest woodland spectacles. It's not surprising that bluebell is one of the UK's best-loved wild flowers. This early flowering makes the most of the sunlight that reaches the woodland floor before the full woodland canopy casts its shade. Millions of bulbs may grow closely together in one wood, creating one of nature’s most stunning display however it is short lived and such if you want to see it at its best you need to make sure you visit between the middle of April and the end of May.

According to Folklore: One who hears a bluebell ring will soon die!  Legend also says that a field of bluebells is intricately woven with fairy enchantments.

Having sure a wealth nature on our doorstep in Pershore, I highly recommend a visit if your local, The woods offer a great walk, The sights, sounds and smells are splendid no matter the season of the weather and there is always something to investigate and explore, perfect for the children too, more information on the Nature reserve can be found here.

www.worcswildlifetrust.co.uk/reserves/tiddesley-wood

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