Sciryuda (Fractured). This is a sequence of images concentrating on a particular ancient oak in the Birklands area of Sherwood Forest. The first image was made in January 2021 which shows the large branch on the right hand side intact. Those that follow have been made exactly two years later, early 2023, the tree now displaying a rather different appearance. Fractured, the branch has fallen to the ground, collecting a mature Silver Birch along the way. On the one hand its new state is sad, but this oak is already well into the last third of its life. It will of course never return to its former glory as a leviathan of the forest but despite the fracture, the rest of the tree appears healthy considering its old age and state, and at the time these later images were made, next years leaf-buds were well developed and new leaves did start to appear in the springtime. The fallen branch provided a haven for insects and for these images I spent over an hour just a short distance away quietly listening and observing. Wildlife has already adapted, the process continues. A Robin appeared, a Buzzard glid through the rough then rising rapidly, calling and screeching, circled overhead surveying the changes to its hunting ground followed by the gift of a happy Blackbird flying into and out of the Fractured fallen branch and extensions.
Perhaps everything is normal, and the forest was alive . . . . .
Ancient Oak - 2021 -The Birklands (South)
Sciryuda, Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire.
Sciryuda Fractured: ( 1 ) -The Birklands, South.
Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire.
Sciryuda Fractured: ( 2 ) -The Birklands, South.
Sciryuda, Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire.
Sciryuda Fractured: ( 3 ) -The Birklands, South.
Sciryuda, Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire.
Sciryuda Fractured: ( 4 ) -The Birklands, South.
Sciryuda, Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire.
Sciryuda Fractured: ( 5 ) -The Birklands, South.
Sciryuda, Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire.
Sciryuda Fractured: ( 6 ) -The Birklands, South.
Sciryuda, Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire.
Sciryuda Fractured: ( 7 ) -The Birklands, South.
Sciryuda, Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire.
Sciryuda Fractured: ( 8 ) -The Birklands, South.
Sciryuda, Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire.
Sciryuda Fractured: ( 9 ) -The Birklands, South.
Sciryuda, Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire.
Sciryuda Fractured: ( 10 ) -The Birklands, South.
Sciryuda, Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire.
Sciryuda Fractured: ( 11 ) -The Birklands, South.
Sciryuda, Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire.
Sciryuda Fractured: ( 12 ) -The Birklands, South.
Sciryuda, Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire.
Sciryuda Fractured: ( 13 ) -The Birklands, South.
Sciryuda, Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire.
Sciryuda Fractured: ( 14 ) -The Birklands, South.
Sciryuda, Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire.
Sciryuda Fractured: ( 15 ) -The Birklands, South.
Sciryuda, Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire.
Sciryuda Fractured: ( 16 ) -The Birklands, South.
Sciryuda, Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire.
Sciryuda Fractured: ( 17 ) -The Birklands, South.
Sciryuda, Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire.
Sciryuda Fractured: ( 18 ) -The Birklands, South.
Sciryuda, Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire.
Sciryuda Fractured: ( 19 ) -The Birklands, South.
Sciryuda, Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire.
Sciryuda Fractured: ( 20 ) -The Birklands, South.
Sciryuda, Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire.
Sciryuda Fractured: ( 21 ) -The Birklands, South.
Sciryuda, Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire.
Sciryuda Fractured: ( 22 ) -The Birklands, South.
Sciryuda, Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire.
Sciryuda Fractured: ( 23 ) -The Birklands, South.
Sciryuda, Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire.
Sciryuda Fractured: ( 24 ) -The Birklands, South.
Sciryuda, Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire.
Sciryuda Fractured: ( 25 ) -The Birklands, South.
Sciryuda, Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire.
Sciryuda Fractured: ( 26 ) -The Birklands, South.
Sciryuda, Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire.
Sciryuda Fractured: ( 27 ) -The Birklands, South.
Sciryuda, Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire.
Sciryuda Fractured: ( 28 ) -The Birklands, South.
Sciryuda, Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire.
Sciryuda Fractured: ( 29 ) -The Birklands, South.
Sciryuda, Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire.
Sciryuda Fractured: ( 30 ) -The Birklands, South.
Sciryuda, Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire.