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Alder Coppice: Correspondences with wet-wood-land
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Alder Coppice, described as a semi-natural wet woodland in Sedgley, West Midlands is an ancient place. It is an unfixed, transient, ever changing landscape, seasonally wet, sometimes waterlogged and boggy and at other times dried out, dusty and cracked.  Alder, willow and birch trees grow well here accompanied by sedges, ferns and mosses which flourish in the shady, damp conditions. Bluebells and Wild garlic abound in spring and early summer, woodpeckers drill their neat holes in deadwood and Muntjac tracks can be seen, impressed into the deeply muddied paths.

Correspondences is a term we borrow from Tim Ingold and his book of the same name (2021). For us it is a process of engagement with the wet-wood-land, of spending time with, going behind the scenes, coming to know, conversing and mingling with the materials, textures and forces of this watery-earthy-airy place.

We join with The Friends of Alder Coppice in our correspondences, a long-standing group of people who have a care for these woods... who knows where we will be taken...

Dawn Chorus in May

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One of the wonders of Alder Coppice at this time of year is the dawn chorus. A group of us met in the woods at 4am in the hope of hearing and recording its birdlife awaken and seeing the skies gradually lighten to a new day.  

 

As we walked along the path a lone Robin sang outs its early morning song, closely followed by a whole host  of other musical pipings. By 4.30am everyone was in full voice, including one of the local Muntjac deer.

Listening, as the trees themselves seemed to be emanating a vast array of sound was an amazing experience, with the whole woodland sending out vibrant messages of spring.

 

You can listen here: 

Alder Coppice Dawn Chorus & MuntjacBill Laybourne
00:00 / 01:39
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