Dean Green Team

Wildlife Conservation Group in the

Forest of Dean

Gloucestershire

It is amazing what we can do in a day! The gorse and brambles have been cleared away and the late afternoon sun will warm up the ground.

03 November 2009

This shows the impenetrable gorse we were going to start clearing and there was a lot of bramble entwinned amongst it.

New Fancy View

Grid Ref SO627095

We had been requested to work at New Fancy View to create open spaces behind the gorse hedging on the track which leads up to the viewpoint. This was because the adders had taken to sunning themselves on the main track in the summer and this may be a small risk to children and dogs. The area we cleared is on a south facing bank which will, hopefully, appeal to the adders and is also exposed to the sunlight.

This old bird's nest was in a tree alongside our working area. We did not think it was a squirrels dray as those are more usually up against the main trunk of the tree. Could it be a crow's nest or, maybe even a goshawk's nest, as New Fancy View is a noted goshawk siting area.

Adder (Vipera berus)

This photograph was taken in April 2008 at the site at Milkwall.

Adders are relatively common in areas of rough, open countryside and are often associated with woodland edge habitats. They are less inclined to disappear into the surrounding undergrowth when disturbed and so are probably the most frequently seen of the three British snakes. The best time to see them is in early spring when they emerge from their hibernation dens. By mid April, the males have shed their dull winter skin and are ready to mate.