Moorland Birch

We seem to have escaped the snow in the latest wave, and although the track ice was frozen again, there were spells during the day when we enjoyed a warm late autumn light.

This is my home patch of Baildon Moor, and probably my most densely blipped spot, but I don't think I've featured this birch before. Perhaps an extra year's growth has brought it on show a bit more.

The moorland grasses and seges look particularly fine if you click the 'view large' option.

As I've written before, there is a very visible succession of young birch and rowan popping up all over the moor, but particularly at its edge. Since the last foot and mouth outbreak, when the moor was 'closed' (before we moved here), the sheep have gone, and young saplings have had a chance to establish themselves. I've enjoyed watching this ecological succesion take hold, but for some the arrival of the trees compromises the moor's status as a moor. Some want to see the saplings managed (removed), while others, like me, are intrigued to watch the developments. I'm sure there are ecological issues - in the patch in the picture there will be Skylarks and Meadow Pipits in the spring, and more trees would favour other species, but when we look at longer cycles though, the trees were here first.

in the last days ~ of autumn ~ a tree ~ with nothing left to give ~ but itself

PS - Thanks for all the stars yesterday, the most one of my blips has ever received. You helped me to sneak briefly onto the Spotlight page for the third successive Friday/Saturday :)