Mid Sussex Times June 4th 1982

NEW ENGLAND WOOD

Cuckfield, has now been preserved for all time as a nature reserve by the dedicated work of the Beech Farm Preservation Society, the Cuckfield Society and other residents of the community.

One of them, Mr Stan Hallett, who visited the wood regularly throughout 1981, has produced a 54,000 word diary about it, which the Mid Sussex Times is serialising.

Earlier in the year it surprised me that I did not come across any blackthorn in flower, but there are some small bushes in the wood. Sloe or blackthorn,

Prunus spinosa, is a common native shrub. It is interesting to know that modern plum trees have been bred by crossing the sloe with the cherry plum. The blueberries are extremely acid to taste but are used to make a pleasant jelly. Soaked in gin they make slow gin, which is bright pink.

Common Hawthorn, Crataegus monogyna, is present in the wood both as a tree and shrub and is attractive to look at and for its aroma.

It is native to Europe including Britain and has ancient associations with Mayday festivities and superstitions. It has one style and one stone in the fruit, whereas Midland Hawthorn, Crataegus exyacantha, which is smaller, has fewer thorns, but two, sometimes three styles, and two or three stones in the fruit. The leaves are less lobed than on monogyna. Examination of many Hawthorns in the wood lead to me to the conclusion that hybrids exist for leaves sometimes appear to be of Midland Hawthorn and then only one style appears in the flower.

Marsh tits, Parus palusiris have been fascinating me recently. The only small tits with black crown, nape and chin are the marsh and Willow tits and they are very similar to each other in plumage, but quite different in song.

The marsh tit appears to be badly named for it is not a marsh bird but favours rich habitats such as oak Ash, woods and decaying soft wooded trees like silver birch. From the ground he goes up the tree like a wood pep woodpecker looking into every crevice, his little beak packing at hidden insects, then he goes farther up the trunk, then descends a few steps sideways, then hops headfirst down the tree. It is quite extraordinary to watch because his tail doesn’t touch the tree. Then he flies to the ground and the procedure starts again.

Another surprise has been been to look across the ghyll and realise that we have some copper beech, Fagus purpurea, in the wood. The brownish pink leaves add colour and contrast. Soon they will turn to a heavy dark blackish purple colour. In this early stage, I think they are particularly attractive, which is probably more pronounced because of the many fresh greens at this time of the year.