There was a welcome break in the seemingly never ending rain today, so I was eager to get out into nature.
Todays job was to tackle hazel suckers. They seem to be sprouting out everywhere around the base of this hazel tree. Unfortunately, not only can I not get to the tree but the suckers are smothering out any other plant life and they have become quite unruly. Looking around I wondered where on earth to start, but I decided to just dive in their and start cutting.
Whilst cutting I was joined by a tame male blackbird who came to see what I was up to and probably to try and get any juicy insects from the exposed areas I was creating. I also heard a great spotted woodpecker in a fruit tree very near by and squarking and squabbling from a group of magpies that landed for a moment on top of a conifer tree. 
Carefully I cut back the suckers. I was aware that on some leaves there were ladybird larvae, flower bugs and sipders so each time I found them, I made sure I put them somewhere safe. I also saw toads and frogs too, so I made sure that I looked where I was cutting especially near to the ground.
After a few hours I decided to call it a day, as the weather was getting muggy and I was starting to get nipped by mosquitos. In just a few hours I was happy to see what a difference it made. I found plants and bulbs that had been hidden from sunlight and uncovered a little pond with a frog staring up at me from the waters edge.
I love being out in nature listening to bird song and getting my hands dirty in the soil. It’s nice to be able to make a difference and hopefully now I have opened up the pond, other wildlife will now benefit from it and enjoy it as much as the little frog.
ljaynature 