West Harling Woods, 5 February 2022

We'd not been to West Harling Woods for a long time so decided it was to be our Saturday walk destination. Parking up by the church as usual we embarrked on a long clockwise walk returning by the River Thet. The only birds of interest were a small flock of Siskins by the bridge over the river and noisy Rooks setting up territories around their rookeries but there were a few plants to see on the way round. A peculiar tall grass growing in clumps in a large clearing caught my eye and turned out to be Wood Small-reed which was a new one for me and according to Suffolk Flora the Brecks is it's local stronghold. Also seen were plenty of flowering Box, a nice clump of Spurge-laurel, several clumps of Stinking Hellebore near to the Dower House and a few patches of Snowdrops.  

                                                                                                                               Wood Small-reed

                                                                                                                                       Spurge-laurel

                                                                                                                                        Box