When you are privileged, as I am, to live in the heart of a New Forest enclosure, the urge to travel to far off places is seldom felt. However, after many years of being contented with my lot and never leaving The Forest for more than the odd day or two, I was persuaded to take a three week holiday, and a thoroughly enjoyable time I had too.

It was apparent, on my return, that my reluctance to leave the Forest for any prolonged period of time, has made me less aware of just how quickly it changes at this time of the year. During my relatively short absence the transformation has been quite dramatic. The oaks and the beeches have pushed forth their fresh green leaves and their increased weight has lowered the branches to form a canopy over the previously bare driveway. Whilst alongside the track, the bracken fronds have leapt up at an alarming rate and spread their mantles to hide the drab winter floor.

The house sitters have kindly cut the grass in my absence, but sadly an incredible number of weeds have invaded and engulfed the kitchen garden and I don’t look forward to the effort that will be required to evict them.

All over the house the climbing plants are running amok and really should be cut-back, but several species of birds have taken up residence and consequently this job will have to wait. A pair of Pied Wagtails are busy nesting in the Golden Ivy close to the bathroom window and their close cousins the Grey Wagtails are secretly nesting elsewhere on the house. They can be seen in their bright yellow vests bobbing on the ridge tiles, their beaks crammed with food, but they are reluctant to reveal the location of their brood and refuse to go near their nest while I’m watching. Several pairs of blackbirds are busily searching the lawns and flower borders for tasty worms and may well be on their second or even third brood by now. Any good intentions I may have had with regard to pruning the climbers have been quashed by a Spotted Flycatcher that has built a nest on the extension ladder, which is hanging in the tractor shed, and I’m grateful to it for providing a further excuse for me to postpone an unpleasant task. The four species of Tits that normally swarm over the various feeders and fat balls are conspicuous by their absence. They too are feeding their huge broods and have forsaken my easy pickings and are busily foraging in the Forest for juicy caterpillars which are the preferred diet of their offspring. They have been replaced however, by quarrelsome Greenfinches and the more colourful but equally aggressive Siskins, but both give way to the enumerable Great Spotted Wood peckers and their red-crested young that regularly swoop down and hammer away at the peanuts.

It’s not only the birds and plants that have been busy, the Fallow Bucks have cast their antlers and already sport the velvet knobs that will rapidly develop into magnificent heads, and at the same time the common coloured variety are changing their coats into the rich chestnut pelage with its cream coloured spots, that is so typical of the species.

A walk through Windy Wood reveals a most unexpected but welcome find, several of the fallen Beeches are covered in layers of delicious Oyster mushrooms and these, together with an even bigger surprise in the shape of two early but nice-sized Ceps or Penny Buns that I espied under the bracken, will make a tasty wild mushroom risotto for supper.

I enjoyed my travels in foreign parts and no doubt will do it again if prompted, but is marvellous to be back in this lovely Forest of ours, especially at this vibrant time of the year.

Next Tuesday’s article is about Fungi Hunting. When this article was written it was an acceptable hobby. How things have changed and who would have thought then, that we would now be staying at home, to protect the NHS and save lives.