More from the forest.

You'll remember I spent two days in the forest this last week, monday and wednesday. I chased around looking at all my favourite spots. I saw quite a lot of things, some big some small.

Start with Dor beetles (Geotrupes stercorarius). A dung beetle. I saw literally hundreds of these in the woods near Soudley. It was quite spooky actually seeing so many black critters all over the forest floor. This first picture is a very close up photo of a group of them doing what they do, I have used this blurred one cos the in focus one was more disgusting. There must have been thirty in this small pile of excrement. I have researched the internet and this beetle is often referred as the tor beetle too. I believe it is one and the same but the internet can often be very confusing. I think I got this right.

At this time of the year there are hundreds of these squirrels scurrying around burying their nuts.

A secretive visitor to the arboretum. The Stock dove.

This was the biggest bird I saw was the Raven. There were two of them around the arboretum.

A lot smaller but no less welcome were these tits, firstly the Coal tit.

and secondly the Blue tit.

I miss the forest, especially at this time of the year.