Sycamore

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Our sycamore trees have lost their leaves but even in their skeletal state they have a recognisable shape. This is another tree that I had imagined was a native British tree. Not so ! Depending on which source you use they were either brought over by the Romans or in the 16th Century. I don't suppose it matters! These trees in the maple family can grow up to 35m high and some can live as long as 400 years. The leaves are typically maple like.

Sycamore is native to mainland Europe. The seeds are like little single blade helicopters and stay airborne long enough to fall away from the tree. The seeds are very fertile and the plant spreads quickly - growing well in shade and can displace other species over time.
These fruits have a special name "samaras" - new to me until today!
The trees are tolerant of pollution and are common in city parks and streets. Aphids are attracted to sycamore and cause a sticky deposit below the trees. Don't park your car under a sycamore tree!

Diary
I have seen a couple of large flocks( 80 + birds) of fieldfare. I have written about fieldfare earlier in the year. These birds arrive here in the winter from Scandinavia. Against a dark sky and in poor light it is hard to differentiate between fieldfare and redwing ( and some flocks will haver both) but having looked up the calls on my Collins Bird App I am confident that these were fieldfare. It's nice to welcome them back again.Camera traps revealed a red fox that I lured in from of the camera by baiting the area with dog biscuits. There are some ghostly eyes in the background of this clip. Another fox?







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