Tree Down!

[StuartDH]

Just heard a bang out the front of the house, looked outside and there's a 40ft silver birch tree down over the road, the top of it is now in our garden.

Nobody hurt, so it's now just turned in a bit of a playground







The police have turned up and got a handsaw to it...so they might be there for some time, but doing a cracking job to get the road cleared.

[Boddie]

The owner of that car won't be too happy

[Hedgehoggy]

Thank goodness nobody was hurt!

These gales are reeeeeally scaring me. We’ve had some bad gale force winds over the years, but tonight’s gales are the worst I’ve experienced in the 10 years I’ve lived here. It reminds me of the storm of 1987 when I was living down south. Already had some large tree branches brought down in the gales yesterday and am not looking forward to inspecting any further damage tomorrow morning!

I have a lot of trees in my garden which are all being blown about violently, but worryingly there’s an oak tree just 6 metres from my backdoor (who the heck thought it would be good practice to build a house so close to an oak tree?) which is tilting in the direction of my house!

Hope everybody stays safe during these gales.

[Dorts]

We've just lost this fine old Spruce. It was about 110 years old and 80ft. tall. It had 3 bird boxes, 1 owl box and was a regular nesting tree for our resident Goldcrest's. Also had 2 of the grandchildren's favourite swings.
Very sad to see it come down, and even the firewood is not particularly good .



Dorts.

[Hedgehoggy]

Dorts, that's really sad to lose such a very old and fine looking specimen, with wildlife and grandchildren functionalities (?is that a word?) too .

I hope these gales abate soon.

[Dorts]

Originally Posted by Hedgehoggy

Dorts, that's really sad to lose such a very old and fine looking specimen, with wildlife and grandchildren functionalities (?is that a word?) too .
I hope these gales abate soon.

Yes it certainly was a shock. It's left a big gap. I think it was as much the rain that brought it down. It sat in a very wet spot and with all the rain we've had it lossened the soil around the roots and the wind did the rest. I'm thinking of planting a Swam Cypress in its place when we eventually get round to clearing it up, there's probably about 20 tons of wood to shift first!

[Dorts]

EDIT: That should have read 'Swamp Cypress'.
Dorts.

[PMG]

Originally Posted by StuartDH

Just heard a bang out the front of the house, looked outside and there's a 40ft silver birch tree down over the road, the top of it is now in our garden.

Nobody hurt, so it's now just turned in a bit of a playground







The police have turned up and got a handsaw to it...so they might be there for some time, but doing a cracking job to get the road cleared.

Ooh - ouch! Hopefully the car won;t be too bad?? Good job no-one was driving by at that minute .... it was wild here last night - when I went up to bed it sounded like the Tardis was taking off from the top landing the wind was moaning so loud thro Ians bedroom door - when I looked in he was asleep with the curtains billowing out above his head even tho the window was only open a crack the draught up to the loft was so bad I began to wonder if we had lost any slates and had a hole in the roof - I shall inspect when it comes light ........

PAuline

[Dorts]

Further to my earlier post.
We have a couple of holiday cottages up here. One has a family from America staying. We had a phone-call from them this-morning. This is what they found!



Wind was recorded here at 87mph last nght. Anyone want some wood?
Dorts.

[Paul mabbott]

Sympathies to those who have received tree-damage &c.

However, don't miss the opportunity to examine the tops of trees for wildlife - something we don't often get the chance to do! There are may insects which overwinter in the upper branches of trees, especially conifers - so have a little poke around if a tree comes down to your height!

Also try to ensure that fallen trees aren't carried off to landfill - start your own log-pile or organise a local one ... great reservoirs of wildlife ....