The Wilderness

The Wilderness and Vermin Valley.

The Wilderness, owned and managed by the Woodland Trust, is located near Compton, Kinver. It is a 7.5 hectare site of Ancient Semi-Natural Woodland and an SSSI. Compton Brooke runs through it and it is bisected by a public footpath running from North-East to South-west.

The wood contains a variety of woodland types and habitats. There are two former pond sites that are now colonising with willow and alder. Oak and ash predominant the northern part with field maple, hazel and crack willow also present.

Ground flora is typical of woodland species with some uncommon plants such as thin-spiked wood-sedge, stinking helleborine and violet helleborine. The site has a problem with the invasive species, Himalayan Balsam.

Vermin Valley is attractive to raptors. Red kite, hen harrier, peregrine and goshawk have been recorded there. Ravens are a common sight as they fly over giving their deep croaking calls.

18 January, 2015

A male kestrel was hunting in Vermin Valley along with 20 meadow pipits.

The Wilderness didn't have much bird life, which can be expected this time of the year. There was, though, chaffinch calling and on the approach track a large flock of redwings and fieldfares could be seen in one of the adjacent fields.