HIGH AND MIGHTY

Acorns make the perfect store food for jays’ larders

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“Mighty oaks from little acorns grow” (14th century proverb), though it takes around 150 years before the tree is big enough to harvest. Oak timber is very hard and durable, its high tannin content rendering it resistant to insect and fungal attack. Famously used to build British naval ships, the oak has long been prized as a symbol of strength and survival. Kings and emperors were crowned in oak leaves, sacred to many gods. ‘Gospel oaks’ marked parish boundaries and were the site of annual religious ceremonies, even in Christian times.