Churwell Urban Woodlands

I've managed a stroll through the woods before work a couple of times recently and also spent a morning exploring with my daughter.

Early morning visits mean it's very quiet and peaceful with only the odd dog walker around. Most of my time was spent down towards the Smools Lane end of the woods, it's my favourite place, you can almost imagine you're miles from anywhere (if you ignore the noise of the motorway traffic!).



The woods down by the beck are full of Wrens and Blackbirds. I also spotted Blue and Great Tits and fair few Woodpigeons. Both times I visited the sun was out which brought out the butterflies, Commas, Speckled Wood and Large Whites.

There were also lots of Hover Flies, Green Bottles and Soldier Beetles.

The flowers are everywhere. Along the beck i'm not sure what is natural and what has been planted (if anything) but it all looks good.

On the most recent visit we spent a bit of time exploring further down the field that runs along the motorway towards the bottom of Churwell.

It was full of flowers...................

..................and butterflies including some i've not seen in the Morley area before. Small Copper, Ringlet, Meadow Brown, Small White and the usual Speckled Wood and Large White.

In the beck a brown rat was having a bit of a bath and in the trees above a pair of squirrels were running across the branches.

As usual we saw Wrens, Blackbirds and Woodpigeons as we walked. It's difficult to get a decent photo of the Wrens with the trees in full leaf, i'm looking forward to what's around when Autumn arrives and the leaves start to fall!