It's amazing just how much light reaches the woodland floor now - most of the leaves are down allowing the sun to reach the fungi and the fallen harvest. I didn't manage to get up there directly after the rains had been, which would have shown the fungi in full fruit, but there were still some colourful subjects to get soggy knees for (and test out my new waterproofs).
The chestnuts were also not large enough to eat, but a quick visit with Bob and Rita next door told me I missed the best ones which were on the Eastern border... better luck next year.
The new hide is actually pretty comfy and I spent a good couple of hours inside reading a book and watching the great spotted woodpeckers retrieve peanuts from among the leaves on the floor. I tested out noises; the odd cough and loudly turning pages and it seems they weren't too fussed which was good, but I didn't attempt to put my lens through the webbing just yet. If there's one thing I learnt about hide discipline in Brazil it's that you absolutely must get the wildlife believing it's safe to come down and eat before you start shooting at them with a noisy camera. The birds seemed to have worked out all but one of the feeders now and the ground feeders are a winner with the pheasants and squirrels. Work has taken me away quite a lot recently and so things are going to take a little longer than hoped in terms of getting hides in place for the winter months, but so far, the first one is definitely on the road to success. The birds know where it is and call to each other when I arrive and replenish. The blue tits are quite happy to perch in the bush above the hide whilst I fill the swinging containers a few feet away.
I took a walk around the cleared areas to see how the Rhodies had responded to their harsh "haircuts" and by god do they sprout! even in this damp dark weather they have put on a good few inches in new shoots at ground level. So by the time spring comes, they should be ready for a good session with the Round-Up sprayer... I feel I am going to enjoy that a little too much. whilst walking around the clearing in front of Rai, I kicked the ground by the fire and unearthed this jaw bone which I am assuming is from a deer with a row of massive teeth still in tact. Gruesome, but awesome at the same time. Couldn't find anything else around the area though but will keep a look out next time we are working in that space.
