MIKE DILGER’S WILDLIFE WATCHING

With towering tree trunks and a sense of space like no other woodland, it’s perhaps unsurprising that Britain’s beech woods are frequently compared to cathedrals. This overwhelming feeling of reverence is magnified by the near-permanent dusk created by the dense canopy, and the openness resulting from decaying leaves underfoot stifling much new growth.

But take the time to look carefully and