Found in the Fells – December

It has to be admitted that there isn’t so much to immediately delight the eye in the winter, not if we’re used to Technicolor. But there are compensations. The absence of much foliage means that one can see much further in all directions in the woods in the winter, whereas in summer our view gets often hemmed in to looking along the path ahead of us. If we’re quietly on foot and keep alert there is a better chance of seeing animal inhabitants of the Fells. In December ’04 I saw a very handsome, healthy-looking fox in Lawrence Woods.

It is also easier to spot the several evergreen plants that grow on the forest floor. From the Pyrola family are Striped Wintergreen, Pipsissewa and Round-leaved Pyrola. Other ground-cover wintergreens in the Fells are Teaberry, Bearberry and Partridgeberry. These latter all produce red berries but don’t expect to see too many berries later into winter – they have most likely been eaten by chipmunks and birds.

                  Ice crystals on Striped Wintergreen leaves       Frosted Teaberry leaves and berry

Then about half of all ferns and all clubmosses are evergreen and so late fall, and into December if we don't have snow yet, is a good time to see these attractive plants as they are easier to spot now that the competition has died back. 

Christmas Fern Polystichum acrostichoides                                  Prince's  Pine    Lycopodium hickeyi

An approximately nine inch tall clubmoss, related to ferns

And on Christmas Day 2018 I came across a Witch Hazel -  Hamamelis virginiana -  with one flower still blooming - a measure of the very mild winter so far.