Devon SSSI nature reserve and eco lodges - Maggie's Blog
13 December
Winter robins, veteran tree?...
It's really winter now, and bright days are a treasure. Yesterday George himself suggested going out to brew up coffee and hot chocolate outdoors - turns out he had ulterior motives and wanted adult help building a new den. At six years old do you call that guile and cunning or just negotiating skills? But fair enough anyway!
The robins are more than usually inquisitive now, often puffed up against the cold. This one was interested in insects under the stones we turned over by the stream.
And even though my camera isn't really up to it, here's another tree collage. It's not an ancient tree, though it might be a 'veteran' as it is mature and has rotten boughs, 'old' shape etc. How to tell if your tree is ancient? Well, if you don't have a tape measure try hugging the tree...
Yes, seriously, here's a guide to hugging really old trees from the ancient tree hunt website...
Oak 3 adult hugs
Beech 2 adult hugs
Scots Pine 1 adult hug
Rowan one adult hug
Birch a wrist hug
Hawthorn an elbow hug
Cedar of Lebanon 4 adult hugs
Field Maple - 1 adult hug
Sweet Chestnut - 4 adult hugs
Ash - 2 adult hugs