Hell kettle woods

Of the approximately 75 observed bird species in the Helleketelbos, the great spotted woodpecker, black woodpecker, yellowhammer, and golden oriole are the most remarkable. You might also see or hear a nuthatch here. Its name reveals its way of moving and is also derived from its special nesting behavior. It sticks to the tree as it were and is the only European bird capable of descending the trunk headfirst and walking along the underside of horizontal branches. During the summer months, the wasp eagle or tree falcon can sometimes be found here.

In the spring, you can also find wild bluebells and white clover. The wild bluebell is not very common in Europe. It grows only in the oldest forests in western Belgium, in northern France up to the Seine, and in the southern British Isles. For this reason, we are globally responsible for the sustainable preservation of this type of forest, and therefore they are protected by Europe. The bluebell takes about five years to develop from the rather heavy round seeds into a flowering plant. It cannot spread its seeds much further than a blooming stem length of about 30 cm. So just imagine how old a bluebell carpet really is.

Agentschap voor Natuur en Bos