New Tree's

I suspect these have been planted to provide cover for pheasants as it's a major income earner around here.  Some of them are planted with holly which will definitely provide cover.  I've walked past here many times before and never been drawn to look more closely so I suspect it was a mixture of the light and the new track that drew my attention.  Though the pheasant shooting is a success and they're pretty stupid birds, well apart from the ones who occupy our garden for most of the winter, the introduction of duck shooting has not had the same success as these more wily birds resist the temptations to be flushed out by dogs and simply go to the far end of the pond.  We now have ducks all around the area.  I counted around twenty in the field I crossed over from Thurgoland Hall Lane, some of which were making do with any available marshy ground.  As we drove around Round Green Lane the other day the ducks outnumbered all the other animals in the Lord Lieutenants paddock.  (There's clearly lots of food around there.)  I wonder what will happen when they all start to breed.  Let's hope bird-flu doesn't break out in our area!  However, it was a lovely walk and it was good to be out under clear blue skies, especially as it's all back to miserable grey cloud today.