It has clouded over now but there is nothing like a bit of blue sky for lifting your spirits. It always makes me walk more slowly and see more. This morning it was a Great Spotted Woodpecker which I watched as it examined a couple of dead standing trees, foraging for invertebrates.

You might have to look closely as my main aim when I watch wildlife is not to disturb it, so I try to stay still and keep my distance.  These dead trees are out on a large area of heather which is better known for its wildlife value for heathland specialists, but the dead wood adds to the diversity of species found there. Without management, these areas would tend to scrub over and the important heathland habitat would be lost.  At this time of year the invasion by birch is really clear.

In the past, the Commoners' grazing animals would have kept the invading scrub under control.  When I first came here, the grazing animals roamed freely across the whole Forest but the increase in traffic here in the southeast has made that rather impractical. A large part of the Forest is fenced and smaller temporary enclosures are now used: these cows were hard at work on the other side of the firebreak this morning.

If you walk on the Forest, please do remember that there are grazing animals around and keep your dogs under control. There is a code of conduct for dog walkers which can be found here: https://www.midsussex.gov.uk/media/2170/ashdown-forest-code-of-conduct-for-dog-walkers-leaflet.pdf