Spalting

We were up before dawn today to do our monthly Wetlands Bird Survey at our local Reservoir. The target birds don't vary a great deal in species, but the numbers ebb and flow. I also record the other birds we see, and today they were highly visible, dashing around and singing. One of the waterside trees had come down a couple of months ago, and has been chopped so it doesn't obstruct the path. This has made it possible to see the beautiful map-like spalting - caused by fungi infecting the heartwood - in this case of a beech tree. Spalted wood is much prized by wood-turners for the markings and colours it produces.