Wandering round the commons yesterday it was obvious that spring has really started. Birds were quite clearly pairing up, and the level of bird song increases each day. I was constantly accompanied by songs or calls from robins, great tits chaffinches and the inevitable collared doves (which don't seem to recognise the seasons anyway). The black headed gulls are beginning to develop their dark hoods, and the male blackbirds are starting to get that glossy sheen and bright yellow bills that indicate they are in breeding condition.
I was pleased to see that the offensive graffiti I had noticed on a tree next to the "forest schools" area on School Common has gone. Perhaps it washed off - it was written with ash - or perhaps someone wiped it off. If it was the latter - many thanks indeed.
Monday 31 January 2011
Sunday 23 January 2011
Working Party 22nd January
14 of us turned up on a dreary Saturday morning, but were immediately cheered to see the excellent progress the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers had made. 19 of these splendid people had come the previous Thursday, and had done sterling work to clear away the mounds of cut reed and sedge we had left for them. They also dealt with some invasive scrub, and then went on to clear reeds cut to form a track through to the area for our attention on 22nd. The pictures show how well the central area (where the orchids and cotton grass grow) have been cleared. The BTCV people are due to return in a month's time, and again a month after that. It's a great help to ease the pressure on the regular SCT volunteers, and we're suitable grateful.
John's cart again proved up to the wet conditions, provided we laid some cut reeds down on the wettest parts to stop it sinking. We're looking into alternative approaches to this problem, but even so, it is a great improvement on dragging heavy tarpaulins across boggy ground. It's a shame I was less able to cope with the wet conditions: there was one spot where I sank to my knees in a boggy area. That can happen to anyone of course, but the sad fact is it happened to me twice more, in exactly the same place! What a shame I don't seem capable of learning from experience.
Anyway, as usual, after the appointed two hours of hard labour we all dispersed, tired and muddy (some muddier than others), but pleased with what we'd achieved, having had good fun with excellent company.
Later that day I walked round School Common. I was sad to see graffitti daubed on a tree near the "Forest Schools" area. Perhasp it will wash off when it next rains, as it appears to have been written in ash. On a happier note, I discovered several chickens wandering about - either someone nearby is missing a few, or they just took themselves on a lttle excursion.
John's cart again proved up to the wet conditions, provided we laid some cut reeds down on the wettest parts to stop it sinking. We're looking into alternative approaches to this problem, but even so, it is a great improvement on dragging heavy tarpaulins across boggy ground. It's a shame I was less able to cope with the wet conditions: there was one spot where I sank to my knees in a boggy area. That can happen to anyone of course, but the sad fact is it happened to me twice more, in exactly the same place! What a shame I don't seem capable of learning from experience.
Anyway, as usual, after the appointed two hours of hard labour we all dispersed, tired and muddy (some muddier than others), but pleased with what we'd achieved, having had good fun with excellent company.
Later that day I walked round School Common. I was sad to see graffitti daubed on a tree near the "Forest Schools" area. Perhasp it will wash off when it next rains, as it appears to have been written in ash. On a happier note, I discovered several chickens wandering about - either someone nearby is missing a few, or they just took themselves on a lttle excursion.
Monday 10 January 2011
Thanks - from John Houlgate
Clearly, with yesterday's team on The Common anything is possible. Thank you everyone for a super effort which started the year off really well. The centre part is all but finished and we will set BTCV to work on the back section of reedbed. Judging by yesterday's achievement we might be able to finish what they start when we next meet which is Saturday 22nd, starting 9:00am. I am perfectly realistic about the cart's shortcomings but the fact that you all wanted to make it work and that in the end it was just more fun carried the day.
For absent friends reading this, you may be reassured that we stopped working at 11:30 as promised, and by using the new cart instead of dragging tarpaulins the worst excesses of the customary mudbath were avoided.
Hopefully this will encourage you to join us next time.
Regards from John
Sunday 9 January 2011
Working Party 9th January
A very successful working party in cold but sunny and pleasant conditions. 14 of us achieved a great deal, completing the cutting of the area where the cotton grass and orchids grow. The magnificent new cart was in use again and was once more a great success; it really does make life easier. Even the very boggy areas were negotiated successfully. We are lucky to have some help from the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers coming this week, so were able to cut everything that needed it in that area, without having to remove it all, since the BTCV volunteers will finish that off.
Walking across the common yesterday I saw that the middle of Scouts' Pond is still frozen. Someone has thrown some tree branches onto it, which isn't very helpful.
Walking across the common yesterday I saw that the middle of Scouts' Pond is still frozen. Someone has thrown some tree branches onto it, which isn't very helpful.
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