ABtrees

I only ever shot 1 (not that it is a competition). I was so taken aback by the beauty of the bird when i picked it up, I swore there and then to never shoot another - haven't and won't and that was 1981 !!!!!

You might want to try this one - some useful bits and pieces but you won't learn all of it by the weekend !!! Game Shots Vade Mecum by Michael Brander - AbeBooks WWW.ABEBOOKS.CO.UK The Game Shot's - Vade Mecum by BRANDER, Michael and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at AbeBooks.co.uk.

Here's a few more

Hi 42 Sorry for the delay. Here's a few pics of some of my lapsed pollard Hornbeams. Tell me if / when you get fed up - maybe I'll start just post a few ! Obviously some of these are past it / best left alone, but i would love to hear suggestions as to whether (and how) to restart the pollarding without killing the tree ! Some of them are seriously top heavy, have rot pockets from the pollard and subsequently shed or fall over. Others are just too crowded out . All suggestions welcome.

Here's some more - not sure that they are all even fungi !!!

Found this on my walk today. Have to say I've never seen anything like it - so someone please enlighten me ??? It's spherical, hard and about 3-4 inches across (keyring for reference). Tree is Goat Willow My only thought is that it is some sort of gall - but if there's a wasp in there, I definitely don't want to be around when it emerges !!!!!

It was amazing. I'm in France. The lake is 4 miles away from our house and I drive past it on the school run. I've had a picture like this in mind for ages but 'right place and right time' etc. Today was the day ! The only regret was that i didn't have my big camera and 500mm lens with me - there was apair of Great-crested Grebes about 1/2 way across the lake right in the middle of the deepest orange bit . Maybe next time - eh ?!!!!

I know it's supposed to be a sunset but ........Really happy with this pic from this morning - certainly one of my better ones.

Hi. I am certainly NOT 'landed gentry' - just very lucky ! 20 years ago I bought an old mill house in central France and Hornbeam was a necessity for the mill. We still have the mill gear but sadly no millstream ! When it was working, one of the gears on the mechanism is made of cast iron whilst the teeth on the corresponding cog were made of Hornbeam (as above - it's very hard). That way if for any reason there was a jam all the wooden teeth broke (rather than cast against cast). Replace all the teeth and it was up and running again in about 1/2 an hour with very little effort - genius eh? Very common round these parts. I can put some pictures up if you want ?

Agreed - definitely a lapsed Hornbeam pollard. I'm lucky enough to have lots (50+) of them (pictures if anyone wants some ?). Occasionally they fall over, at which point they do indeed make excellent firewood (more calorific than Oak, I think) and it dries relatively quickly but .... it is notoriously hard especially when dried. I always make sure it's ringed up asap.

Ok, you guys will need to cut me some slack here but ............ With my ignorance and simpleton's view (of life) can someone explain to me why a longer bar/chain reduces chain/ cutting speed so much ? You have the same teeth spacing (?) and therefore the same number of teeth (cutting) in a given diameter of log/tree at any stage of the cut. You therefore have the same load on the engine and (presumably) therefore a similar engine rpm which on any given sprocket is driving the chain at the same speed ???? So am i right in thinking the 'killer' is just the additional friction of an extra 2 inches ?!!!!

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Wow - just WOW ! Got to be one of the best fungi ever.

Chestnuts,Sloes,Fungi, and Spindle tree - Just lots and lots

Thanks Mick - that looks to be bang on.