Ah! a Summer day at last

The Kings Wood at Trentham is part plantation and part ancient forest. The walk around the back of the wood has been close due to problems with dangerous trees for some time, but today we found the safety work complete.
On the steep rise is an old dead oak trunk which is hollow. Some years ago I took a photograph inside the trunk and I have not been able to find it, so I have repeated the image.
This photograph is looking upwards inside the tree trunk. The structure is away from the paths and quite fragile, and I was please that it had not been removed with the more dangerous frail branches on other trees.
There are many old trees and quite a lot of fallen old trees. This one has been down for as long as I have known the woods. It has a sculptural quality that is pleasing to the eye from many aspects. It was wonderful to be able to walk in dry sunny weather as the last week has been a dull and wet one.
The starling chicks are making progress. They are now able to perch and I have permitted them to run in the garage today. There is a fluttering of wings, but they are not able or strong enough to fly more than a few centimeters at present.
We placed the cat basket outside today for them to get a little sunshine and some fresh air. That went well until one of the neighbours cats started to show interest. Strangely, our own cats are not that fussed.