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Yet another wood

Writer's picture: CroneCrone

Another trot - but in a place that I haven't visited for quite some time. Maybe for well over a year.


They've done some drainage work by the footpaths, which are still muddy but rather less perilous. And are clearly used by other pedestrians.

Roe deer. I think I mentioned reading Deer Man: Seven Years in the Forest by Geoffroy Delorme. He spent, well, seven years living with roe deer - whom he regarded as friends. It is a rather strange book in that you can't help wondering if it's true. You can read an edited extract here. In the review I have linked to, Melanie Challenger suggests that he avoids circling back to the human and deliberately tells the life of the deer and little of himself. Yet he is still a human. And, with integrity, perhaps, he refuses to suggest that he truly felt what roe deer feel. It's a contrast to Barbara Smuts who felt she was becoming baboon after years spent with them - picking up on their experiential nature, somehow. I think I wanted Delorme to bridge that divide more... maybe he is more honest or maybe he wasn't able to let go of himself as much as Smuts could.


Anyway, while I was in a very small wooded area - not much more than a windbreak - looking for things to examine with the microscope I started to wonder where the deer hide. The farmland has various woody patches like this. One is deer fenced - to protect the pheasant chicks, not the wildlife, despite the signage.

The fence may even be across a badger sett - I could see entrances on the open side of the fence. as far as the badgers are concerned, they can still get out on both sides, but this fenced are is very small.


The windbreak is in an area classified as 'conservation land' - there are pheasant feeders all over the place - but also a few nest boxes.

I looked inside to see if they - like Mischa - clear out the previous year's nesting material. Yes, but one was still full of a huge variety of creepy crawlies!

Anyway, despite the 'conservation' status I couldn't see that there was much real space for wild animals to live. And everywhere, thanks be, there are footpaths - where people walk dogs... and that made me think as well... We humans just passing through an area can create a 'landscape of fear' and what of the dogs, snuffling about and following scents?


As I was thinking this, and off the path - thus trespassing - I heard dogs barking. I froze. Turned in that direction and stood looking into the low sun.

Nowhere to hide. Nowhere to run to.


I climbed through a hedge and hurried back to the footpath.


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2 Comments


maplekey4
Jan 19, 2023

Looks like there could be some Sow Bugs! They like damp places. (ps this Bug Guide is a site that I've often come across/ used) https://bugguide.net/node/view/145709


Some kind of Isopod - either sowbug or pill bug ?

https://crawford.tardigrade.net/bugs/BugofMonth17.html

https://islandnature.ca/2011/03/whats-that-woodlouse/


There's a critter in the middle top which looks different from the others that I think are Isopods. Or maybe it's a sowbug upside down. Dunno. But not enough legs?

Pill bugs apparently roll up when disturbed. Don't think they are as common. I've certainly come across what I'd call sowbugs.

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Crone
Crone
Jan 19, 2023
Replying to

Oh... I don't know the difference... I think we call them woodlice https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woodlouse

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