Sticklebacks and bees

Today we had a visit from a couple of men from the Environment Agency, as part of their ongoing survey of the quality of water in streams and rivers, and the fish that those watercourses support. They came armed with lots of nets and buckets, and the equipment necessary to stun fish by giving them a mild electric shock. Here they are at work in the Beck:

Their first sweep of a stretch of the Beck leading from the bridge in the centre of the Common yielded 13 three spined sticklebacks, and one ten spined stickleback.

All that were caught were measured before being returned to the stream: this was one of the larger specimens at around 6 centimetres.

While we were out in the area we spotted one of our large nestboxes, which had fallen from the tree it had been tied to. Last time I had checked it I had discovered that it had been occupied by bees, and in fact some honey had dribbled down the front to the box. Looking into the entrance hole we could see the honeycomb, and even some bees; not very active of course, but certainly moving.

Working parties back on track

After a delay waiting for the right part to arrive from Germany, Grizzly has finally been repaired and we have been able to resume work on the cutting programme for the Common. On Saturday six of us managed to finish off the cutting and clearing away on area G (the bit where the cotton grass and most of the orchids grow), and on Sunday another magnificent turnout of 17 volunteers got about half of area A (Warren Road) done. The weather on Saturday was beautiful; Sunday started out wet, but by the time we started work the rain stopped, and we ended up getting pretty warm in the unseasonably mild conditions.

Here's Dr. Tim pretending to haul the cart; the winch was actually doing the real work!

Lots of small froglets about, a shrew and a vole, and we were serenaded by a song thrush. Great spotted woodpecker also drumming nearby - spring almost here!

Here is Chairman John's message of thanks:

Hello All

 

Many thanks to everybody who  helped on The Common yesterday (Sunday) morning.  All who use and enjoy the place deeply appreciate your work, even if they don’t exactly realise the level of commitment you displayed by ignoring the truly grim weather early on.  But I told you the rain would stop, the sun would shine, and suddenly there was no place you’d rather be.  Together with what was achieved by a few of us on Saturday morning, I think we have made up time and are in a good position to complete this season’s work. 

 

My thanks and greetings go out to Mike, another newcomer who joined us yesterday all the way from Norwich, introduced by Liz.  Also, Brian came along in a blind act of faith despite having dropped of my address list since early December, unbeknown to me.  This happens from time to time because my computer sits brooding in the office thinking up ever more ingenious ways of messing up my life.  So if you don’t hear from me between working parties, please enquire by email or telephone (01263 833001) to make sure you haven’t missed anything.

 

We shall resume the good work on Sunday 2nd February at 10:00am and I hope to see you then.

 

Kind regards and appreciation

John

Barn owl hunting

After several years of hoping, today at last my visit to the Common coincided with a barn owl's visit. Better still, I had my camera with me, and at about 3.00 p.m. the light was pretty good. I took 15 photos in the minute or so that the owl hunted over areas A & B (i.e. the Warren Road side if the Beck). The best of them, even if still far from perfect, is this:

So far, 2014 is looking good!

Good start to 2014

Although New Year's Day was horrible, 2nd January was glorious, and the Common looked in excellent order. This is the view across the area where the main populations of orchids, cotton grass and bogbean grow.

On my brief walk across the Common to take my monthly record photographs I managed to find 16 species. Some have started to sing already, including robin, wren, great tit and song thrush. I was also pleased to find a tree creeper and coal tit on Jubilee Boardwalk, and on the main Common there was a female kestrel. In the sky in the distance a buzzard was soaring.

Not bad for a start! Let's hope for a good working party season, so we get all the necessary maintenance work completed.

Another great turnout and a good day with the winch

Once again we were blessed with a great turnout of volunteers, who were also lucky with a fine, mild morning. The new winch is really coming into its own: here's what it looks like.

And here's an example of what it can pull with ease. The two people holding ropes are merely keeping the leading edge of the tarpaulin tight - not actually pulling the load.

Unfortunately a mechanical failure on the mower prevented us from finishing the area we had wanted to cut completely, so there may be a smaller working party to finish it once the mower has been repaired. Here is Chairman John's traditional message:

Hello All

 

Thank you and congratulations everyone for a job well done this morning. 

The cheerful and purposeful atmosphere which characterises our working parties these days is a joy to be part of. 

You have all helped develop new ways of working which make best use of the winch whilst not leaving us all completely exhausted and wrung out, as so often happened before.

It was a shame that something as small as a broken clutch cable meant the cutting had to stop as we were on course to finish the whole area, which would have been some achievement and a first.

 

We always build in a good long break over Christmas and New Year in recognition of all the commitments people have at this time of year.  Consequently, the next Working Party is scheduled for Sunday 5th January.  But several people today suggested we have an extra unscheduled session when Grizzly is repaired, just to complete what we couldn’t do this morning.  This makes sense as otherwise we will have to relocate everything to the other side of The Beck mid session which will be an inefficient and awkward exercise.

 

So if I don’t see you before Christmas, let me wish you all the compliments of The Season and look forward to your pleasant company and energetic labour when we reconvene.  I will arrange an ad-hoc working party as soon as Grizzly is mended.

 

Kind regards and many thanks

 

John

First outing for the new winch

Today's working party was the first one to use our wonderful new winch, purchased for us by the Edith Murphy Foundation. We had a great turnout of 19 volunteers, most of whom are in this picture showing the Health & Safety briefing before getting stuck in (and I got well and truly stuck in some very gloopy mud!)

The winch itself is a fairly small petrol engine, but once it is attached to a tree has enormous pulling power.

With all this power, and the ground being so soft, we reverted to using our old tarpaulins rather than the cart. With just a couple of people required to stop the front edge of the tarpaulin from closing up, it meant that everyone else could concentrate on loading the cut reeds onto the second sheet.

So strong was the winch in fact that whilst it was quite capable of pulling very heavy loads, it discovered a weakness with some of the webbing straps attached to one of the tarpaulins, and on the very last load these snapped. We therefore need to repair them before the next working party on 1st December, so as can be seen in John's comments below, we are looking for help from anyone with an industrial sewing machine.

With Grizzlie keeping a steady supply of cut material, everyone had plenty to do.

This short video clip gives an idea of how easily a large load slid across the ground, with just a couple of people helping keep the front edge tight.

Here is Chairman John's message:

Hello All

 

If the old hands were dismayed at the thought of dragging tarpaulins again, imagine how I feel about our fine, even iconic, cart being made obsolete. It seems we’ve gone full circle as we would have truly struggled with the cart in today’s conditions; and you thought I was joking when I said no weight was too much for the new winch. 

 

The day was undoubtedly a success on two counts, not just the winch but the record turn-out of nineteen volunteers, marking a real upturn of our fortunes.  Thank you everybody for your hard work and the way you all recognised what needed to be done without being told.  We simply worked out new ways of working as if by magic in a way that was a joy to see.  This is why SCT won the Queen’s Award.

 

I have two weeks to get the sewing needle working on the tarpaulins.  Whilst I turn my hand to many things (if it can be done with wood or rope, it will be!) sewing is NOT my forte, so if anyone feels able to help, perhaps with access to an industrial sewing machine, I would be more than grateful.  I just want some webbing loops sewn so that hauling ropes can be attached.

 

Thanks again to every one of you.  Next working party will resume on Sunday 1st December at 10:00am where we left off.   

 

Kind regards

John

Working party 3rd November

A great turnout today: 17 volunteers, including four very welcome newcomers to our happy band. The weather was kind, and we got through an impressive amount of work.

Towards the end of the session we treated to a brief prospecting fly-over by a wonderful red kite, though sadly it wasn't in view for long enough to get a photo.

Here's Chairman John's message:

Dear All

If “The Big Society” has gone out of fashion in Westminster, it certainly hasn’t here in Southrepps.   I think what we are achieving on The Common this year is impressive by the standards of any community, and this morning was yet more of the same.  I extend a very warm welcome to our more recent friends who are making such a difference, whilst the old hands are no less appreciated. 

It always amazes me to see how work seems easier and output increases as more people join in.  This proves that everybody makes a valuable contribution.  Thank you very much.

 

Kind regards

John