Parasites and birds

Now the trees are bare of leaves, you may have noticed some funny looking lumps and bumps growing on the branches.
These are called 'galls' and are the trees' response to attack by parasitic wasps, mites and fungi.
The most common galls are the marble galls on oak trees, which look like globular, brown nuts.
Last year's galls will have a tiny hole in them, where the larvae of wasps emerge.
Bare branches mean it is also a good time to view garden birds. Coal Tits are more likely to be spotted in your garden – especially if you leave out black sunflower seeds - as there are few insects for them to eat in the woods.
These colourful little birds have a black head with white patches on the nape of the neck, and a lovely peachy blush on their under parts.
Along with bats and dormice, hedgehogs are the only other mammal to truly hibernate in Britain.
They find a safe location to create a winter home (hibernacula) from leaves, and maintain a temperature in the hibernacula of between 0 and 5°C.
In periods where the weather is mild (10+°C), and there is chance of a meal, hedgehogs can occasionally be seen before their March 'awakening'.
But in spite of their winter survival strategies, up to 60 percent of bats and hedgehogs do not make it through to spring.