Matthew Arnold

Will get some shots of before and after. The trees have developed a lot since you took the pics in 2009.

And me:thumbup:

The tree you speak of has been reduced due to the dryadeus n fistulina. As for the two in the background. The one with serious die back is going to be reduced to a pollard. The council tree boys are doing the work and are going to fracture prune and coronet where possible.

Just the exhaust side and using 3mm on a quad auto cut head. We use metal heads for the much heavier stuff but dont rag them to death when on metal heads as that can cause the damage to the piston.

A lacewing sheltering from the rain.

Taken 5/7/2010 Pics 1+2 - Developing Dryad's Saddle (Polyporus squamosus) Pics 3+4 - Multi tiered Dryad's Saddle(Polyporus squamosus) Pics 5+6 - Jelly Ear (Auricularia auricula-judae)

Going to be busy this evening posting my other fungi shots from the archive so forgive me for the massive amount of posts.

Here are pics of both of our FS 400 and 450. Both have oil build up around the exhaust. No running problems except the 450 can be a bit of a pain to start first thing. The 450 also leaks fuel out of the carb/air filter but only when it is being stored. The first 6 pics are of the FS400. The other 3 pics are of the FS450.

Local lads from a nearby estate. Havent caught anyone yet but last two are very similar. Set fire under or near elecy pylons.

We were stuck behind a young lad in a Saxo VTR at a notorious accident black spot on Friday. The junction is a minor road meeting a main road, which is used heavily by HGV's and motorbikes. The young lad was revving his engine to show off to his then girlfriend. He had never heard of "Think Bike!!". He looked either direction and then just pulled out infront of an unsuspecting biker on a Triumph 1400 V4. The biker was flung atleast 100 metres down the road into a large Goat Willow narrowly missing a road sign. He had extensive injuries all over (mostly broken bones and soft tissue injuries). As my dad is a paramedic and was on duty that day i called him direct and was luckily on the way to said crash. I told him what had gone down there and requested air ambulance and what to do as i waited for him. The biker had a collapsed and punctured lung which required me to do a chest drain or else he would have been in a very bad way when the ambulance arrived. My dad was very proud of me as although i only have a first aid certificate (3 day) he had shown me how to perform a chest drain. I pretty much saved the mans life. I visited the biker this evening and he is well on the road to recovery and my dad was there saying that i was the one who saved his life. He (the biker) told me that when he is well enough we shall go for a pint as a way of saying thanks. My dad has already given me an award of commendation for the job. Incase your wondering what happened to the driver of the Saxo he was only suffering from shock and was left with members of the public. His girlfriend dumped him on the spot for driving like an idiot all the way back from the shops. Good Karma i think.

We have a fairly old (pre 2002) FS400. I have recently noticed that there is a build up of oil (even though its a 2 stroke) around the base of the exhaust. It is covering the base of the plastic cover that covers the exhaust. I will be stripping the plastic covers off to find where the leak is. I think its the exhaust gasket but won't be certain until i strip it down.

And another bit. BBC News - Dudmore Heath heath fire threatens Dorset power lines

It is a cracking example of a hazard beam that has failed but healed and continue to grow. i shall get more shots of them as i go around the woods. There are so many little runs and cut throughs.

Baled hay at lunchtime. Lost 5 bales to oiks setting fire to them. Still got 46 out of the field.

Some pics of a few Oaks in a local FC wood. Good set of Stazi ears in the first 3 pics.

Comma Butterfly

Another chunk of heath gone. This time Canford Heath. BBC News - New Dorset heath fire suspected 'arson'

Buttefly pics were taken in our "butterfly" area. We brushcut it every year to keep on top of the woody vegetation. The plan this winter is to clear fell the Ash to a point known as "the bowl". We have 4 dodgy Ash to fell (honey fungus and dryads saddle in bases) in the bowl. We have a nice amount of Common Twayblade orchids mixed in with the dogwood regen growth. A young crow keeping a close eye on my spaniels. And a Honey bee having a feed on bramble flowers.

Here are some before and after shots of a nature reserve we have just taken on. It hasnt been cleared for atleast 3 years. We had two Stihl FS 450's with triblade heads cutting the material. We left the patch behind the trees and the Hemlock patch for invertebrates to go to as we had taken about 2/3 of the grass and nettles out. We also put two tins down on the cut grass to see if we have any more reptiles.

A nice sized Grass Snake found under one of the tins on a dry chalk grassland site we manage. Was going to get a closer shot of its head but was warm enough and angry enough to hiss loudly at me as it left into the brambles.

Prunus spinosa Blackthorn aka Sloe bush

Will do. We have suspected that where the tree becomes two stems there is a cavity there. But no other fruiting bodies have come up at any time of the year. Will keep an eye on it when Honey Fungus starts appearing elsewhere on the site.

Would you say the tree needs to be reduced asap or monitor. It is a twin stem from about 12ft onwards. No signs of die back but our TO said that the Coprinus is just feeding off the leaf mulch and moss around the base of the tree but there are atleast 3 feeding points.

Forgot about this beauty. Small Copper feeding on Ragwort.

Yep it was located into the shrubbery on the edge