Bluebell Photoshoot
Please enjoy a few photos taken on April 29th in our own Fox Hill woods…
Bluebells will grow in many light conditions, from deep shade to full sun.
The beautiful effect of bluebells and ferns mixed together.
Bluebells are struggling to establish in the areas that were densely covered in Rhododendron. We’re hoping that growing from seed will have more success in the long term.
We’re already looking forward to seeing what next year brings.
Tip: if you want to grow bluebells in your garden and want to be sure they’re native species only, grow them in a pot for the first year, then plant out if they’re not hybridised or Spanish bluebells.
Birds of Fox Hill: Common Chiffchaff
An infrequent series introducing some of the bird-life you will find in our woodland.
If you’re wandering through the woods and hear a rhythmic “chiff-chaff-chiff-chaff,” you’ve just heard one of our summer residents! The Common Chiffchaff is a tiny, 10cm bird that is heard far more frequently than seen. They are one of the UK’s most abundant warblers and you shouldn’t have to wait long to hear one in Fox Hill.
Traditionally, these birds are summer migrants, arriving from Africa or the Mediterranean in March and staying until October. However, because our winters are getting milder, some are choosing to stay all year round. We even get “winter tourists” visiting us from Scandinavia, so keep your eyes peeled and your ears open in the colder months, too!
Their Latin name, Phylloscopus collybita, basically means “leaf-explorer,” which is the perfect description. They spend their days hunting down minibeasts hidden deep in amongst the leaves, sometimes even snapping them right out of the air.
Unlike many birds that head for the mid to upper canopy, Chiffchaffs like to stay low. They build domed nests right on or near the ground, tucked away in thick grass, brambles or bracken.
The female usually lays six eggs and handles the 13-day incubation alone. Once the chicks hatch, the female does the heavy lifting with feeding, while the male takes on the role of “security guard,” fiercely defending their territory until the young are ready to fly (usually after about 14 days).
The next time you are out walking in Fox Hill listen out for the cheery metronome call of the little leaf exploring Chiffchaff.
Fun Fact!
Chiffchaff’s look so similar to their cousin, the Willow Warbler that experts didn’t even realize they were two different species until 1817!
Look out for the first signs of Spring!
The Lesser Celandine (Ficaria verna) is currently flowering in the woodland.
Look out for it as you enter Fox Hill from Dorset Way on the right of the pathway close to our information
board.This is a native British wild flower that favours damp and shady areas.
It is one of the earliest spring flowers which can be spotted anytime between January and April. Because of this It is an important source of nectar and pollen for emerging queen bumble bees and other pollinators coming out of hibernation.
The Lesser Celandine is part of the Buttercup family and spreads quickly making it unpopular with some gardeners.
It was once thought that you could use Lesser Celandine to predict the weather as they close their petals before raindrops. The leaves are high in vitamin C and have been used to prevent scurvy. Another common name for the plant is Pilewort from its use as a treatment for haemorrhoids!
Scout Tree Planting
On Sunday 8th March 1st Woosehill Scouts, in conjunction with Friends of Fox Hill and Wokingham Borough Council Countryside Services team, returned to Fox Hill Woods for a day of tree planting.
Over 20 Scouts, siblings and parents turned out to plant around 75 saplings of under-storey trees which were provided by the Woodland Trust as part of their community planting programme.
The species planted by the scouts were:
- Hazel
- Blackthorn
- Rowan
- Elder
This year the trees have been planted in small groups of a similar species in areas where we have finished clearing the rhododendron. Each sapling was given a guard to prevent deer and other animals from feeding on the tender shoots.
As previously the roots of each sapling were given a dose of a mycorrhizal dip. This beneficial fungal treatment should help re-establish the “wood-wide-web” which has been disrupted by the rhododendron.
As expected some of the saplings planted last year have not survived. We hope that repeated topping up and extension of the under storey vegetation will in time create a more diverse, lush native woodland in amongst the birch and sweet chestnut.
Spring – The Wood Awakens
Many cultures have historically seen spring as the rebirth of nature. And while there are earlier signs of life in our gardens and countryside, nature certainly ups the tempo in spring!
While most people would regard Spring as the period from the spring equinox to the summer solstice, meteorologists define it as March to May, which is probably a better reflection of the reality created by our warming climate.
Small mammals come out of hibernation, enticed by rising temperatures and lengthening days. Some insects do too, and others hatch from last year’s eggs. Birds take advantage of increasing food supplies to produce the next generation, and plants break their winter dormancy.
In woodlands, ground cover perennials burst into life to flower and set seed before the tree canopy leafs up and reduces the light levels reaching the ground. Likewise, the shrubs of the understorey aren’t far behind, before the leaf canopy closes.
In Fox Hill, the dominance of non-native rhododendron in the shrub understorey has over time reduced the diversity and vigour of the ground cover perennials. We are aiming to reverse that by removing the alien species and encouraging the return of native ground cover through selective planting of understorey shrubby species and bluebells.
So, this spring, take a walk in Fox Hill and see what progress we’ve made, or maybe even join one of our conservation sessions to get a closer look at the wood waking up from winter!
Fox Hill Photos 2025
It has been another successful year of conservation at Fox Hill. We have removed lots more Rhododendron, planted trees, added public right of ways, and much more.
Here’s a great example of the before and after Rhodi removal, showing just a fraction of the woods cleared this year. Clearing this invasive species will give way to the next generation of trees, ensuring the future of the woodland.
Each December, we add some mulled wine and sweet treats to the task list (with alcohol free option) for some warmth on a chilly day.
We’re all very lucky to have Fox Hill Woods on our doorsteps, and hope that you get the most out of it in the years to come.
Many thanks for your support,
Fox Hill Committee
“Oh The Holly and The Ivy…”
What two plants capture the spirit of winter better than the classic pairing of Holly and Ivy?
They seem to be everywhere at this time of year—on cards, wreaths and in our carols — but these two heroes of the woods are far more than just winter decoration. They provide huge value to our woodland wildlife all year round!
The deep green prickly tangled foliage of Holly (Ilex aquifolium) and the dense twining creeping Common Ivy (Hedera helix) define the winter woodland landscape. You don’t need to travel very far to find these two in Fox Hill woods. They both provide shelter and protection to small birds, mammals and insects all year round. The Ivy flowers later in the summer into autumn, providing end of season nectar for bees,wasps and butterflies before they hibernate.
Alongside the Holly’s familiar red berries, Ivy’s black berries can normally be hard to spot, but together they provide important winter sustenance for birds when other plants are shut down and bare. This year there is a very impressive ivy bush absolutely loaded with black berries just at the start of the path up from Dorset Way opposite Heron Park.
“When they are both full grown…”
But did you know that these two plants share a remarkable, biological trait: they are both heterophyllous, meaning they change their leaf form and structure as they age or in response to their environment.
Look closely on a mature holly bush and you may well find two different sorts of leaf:
- Prickly Leaves: These spiky, defensive leaves are grown on the lower branches and on young plants to deter browsing herbivores like deer. This energy-intensive defense is critical where the plant is vulnerable.
- Smoother Leaves: On the upper canopy of mature trees, where the leaves are safely out of reach, holly produces smooth-edged, spineless foliage. By switching to this less-defensive, simpler structure, the plant conserves the energy needed for reproduction.
On established ivy growing up a tree or wall you will also see two sorts of leaves:
- Lobed Leaves: On the younger climbing shoots you will see the familiar deeply lobed leaves. In this phase, ivy focuses solely on climbing towards the light and does not flower or fruit.
- Smooth almost diamond shaped-leaves: Once the plant reaches sufficient light, it transforms. It develops stiff, shrubby branches, and its leaves become smooth and unlobed. Only this adult form can produce the critical late-season flowers and fruit.
So, this December, as you admire the festive decorations, take a moment to appreciate the true ecological gift these plants are to our woods. The ecological strategies of holly and ivy with their leaf adaptations, late flowers and following late fruit make them indispensable to the health and survival of the woodland ecosystem. Perhaps we should change the last line of the carol…
“Of all the trees that are in the wood the Holly and Ivy share the crown!”
Identifying Woodland Fungi
October is an ideal time to take a slow wander through the woods looking down rather than up in order to spot the fruiting bodies of fungi (toadstools and mushrooms) poking up through the leaves and grass.
Last year’s fungi walk revealed that Fox Hill contains many different fungi and these last few weeks they have started to make their presence obvious as they shoot up out of the ground or rotting stumps.
Whilst freshly sprouted specimens can look like the images in a fungi guide, once ravaged by slugs and snails or knocked about, getting a solid identification can be tricky.
Here are some tips to help with identification:
- Note where the fungi is growing – is it from the ground, on dead or rotting wood or sprouting from an apparently healthy tree?
- If it is on wood try to identify the type of tree as well – some fungi only grow on specific species.
- Get down and take a Selfie!
- Take photos from the side low to the ground as well as from the top to get as much detail as possible of size and overall shape.
- Use your phone camera in selfie-mode to take a picture under the cap.
For fungi on stalks the colour and shape of the gills and if there is a skirt (where the gills were attached to the stem as it came up through the ground) are important identifiers.
- If the fungi is already on the ground see if the flesh has bruised a different colour – another important differentiator between similar-looking species.
None of the common fungi found in Fox Hill are edible and some are very poisonous.
Look but do not touch is the safest policy!
Here are some of the fungi you might see around the woods over the coming weeks.
Brown Roll-Brim
(Paxillus involutus)
Found on the woodland floor in amongst the leaf litter.
A Deadly poisonous but very common UK fungus, it’s main habitat is broadleaved woodlands, especially those with birch trees like Fox Hill, but it is also found in parks and gardens
Sulphur Tuft
(Hypholoma fasciculare)
Often seen growing in clumps from rotting tree stumps.
It plays a significant role in the woodland ecosystem by decomposing lignin and cellulose in dead wood and recycling the nutrients back into the soil.
Common Earthball
(Scleroderma citrinum)
Bright yellow globes in amongst the leaf litter in the clearings.
Not to be confused with Puffballs which are paler.
Host to the rare parasitic bolete fungus that grows nowhere else.
Turkeytail
(Trametes versicolor)
A bracket fungus often growing in tiered layers from dead standing wood.
The colours of the stripes may vary.
Has been used in the past to decorate hats!
Birch Polypore / Razorstrop Fungus
(Piptoporus betulinus)
A long-lived bracket fungus of birch trees only.
Once used to sharpen tools & razor blades.
Oetzi, the Iceman found frozen in an Alpine glacier had some of this fungus with him probabaly due to its antibacterial properties.
Emerald/Turquoise Elf Cup
(Chlorociboria aeruginascens)
The tiny cups appear on rotting wood – this fungi is most easily spotted by the way the mycelium stains the wood greeny-blue.
The green pigment called is called xylindein coined the term “green oak”. This stained wood was highly valued by 18th and 19th-century woodworkers for its use in decorative inlays such as Tonbridgeware.
2025 Butterfly Count
The timing of the Big Butterfly Count didn’t coincide with bramble blossoms that are normally found along the edges and clearings of Fox Hill Woods this time. You may have noticed an early crop of yummy blackberries this year, or maybe you saw small shriveled berries. This is because “Spring 2025 was exceptional, going down as the UK’s warmest and sunniest on record” – Met office. Plants and animals emerged either early or out of sync with the eco system on which they depend.
As a Fox Hill newsletter subscriber, you’re likely already attuned to the rhythms of nature and have noticed the subtle shifts in your garden and surroundings. So rather than going into a climate crisis discussion, I’ll simply acknowledge the changes we’re witnessing together. I found that the small and large whites were in abundance in my garden, while a few others made less appearances. This lines up with the national observations recorded on the Big Butterfly Count Map. While we have no pictures from Fox Hill, here is a selection of Lepidoptera from my garden as compensation:
So, what can we do?
Here are a few ideas:
- Find more about what’s going on locally with sustainability and how you can get involved at the Wokingham People Planet Pint meetup. Pop down to The Rose on the first Thursday of each month at 6pm to meet like-minded locals.
- I often hear people wonder why they should make an effort when it seems like others don’t. But that’s when it matters most. The smallest actions can lead to meaningful change. Never underestimate the ripple effect of sharing the positive choices you’ve made for nature.
- As they say, knowledge is power. The study of seasonal changes in plants and animals from year to year is called Phenology. The Woodland Trust is collecting data for its Phenology studies through Citizen Science and by adding a record to their database.
Thank you for everything you do,
Claire
Signs of Success
With fantastic support from local residents, Friends of Fox Hill put in applications to have four well-loved paths in Fox Hill officially recognised as Public Rights of Way.
We’ve sent the Council our maps and evidence forms showing that these routes have been enjoyed by the community for over twenty years without interruption. The landowners have also been notified of our applications. On the map below, you can see the routes we’ve applied for, marked in purple:
These things can take time — in fact, our last application took five whole years before the popular route marked in red was officially recognised as a Public Right of Way. We’re hugely grateful to the Ramblers Association who, working with the local council, kindly provided and put up the smart new signposts to mark the way in June.
