Working Party 19 February

The Southrepps A Team proved again that nothing stands in its way.  Those who secretly hoped the dire predictions of the doom-mongers known as weather forecasters would come true were dissappointed on waking to a dry Saturday morning;  no time-off today.  Despite being one of those unfortunate days when several of our most loyal members couldn't join in, nevertheless great things were acheived and a lot of progress made.  I am pleased to report that, given a good turn-out on March 6th., it's on the cards to complete this year's programme with 1 session still in hand. 

 

So, thankyou to the stalwarts who did such good work yesterday and to everybody for your on-going contribution.  The day on which The Trust would like to formally say, "Thankyou" for all your hard work, which is an occasion for getting-together in slightly more civilised conditions, is Sunday May 8th.  Please note your diary accordingly.

 

Regards from John

Much more progress made

Having a bad back at the moment has meant that I could not take part in yesterday's working party. I promise the threat of rain had nothing to do with it, although I'm sure damp conditions are very bad for sciatica! Anyway, a gentle walk across the boardwalk today reveals that great progress was obviously made on the grassland area near Warren Road. It looks as though about half of the area to be cut this year was finished, so it bodes well for completion next time.

Meanwhile, on Thursday, the wonderful crew from BTCV were here again, cutting back scrub at the eastern boundary of the site, again near Warren Road. This work should enable us to qualify for a further grant from Defra.

My walk today was far from exciting, with such dull grey weather, but I did at least mange to flush a woodcock on School Common. Even though it didn't much feel it, the birds are obviously convinced that spring is upon us, with quite a few species in song now.

Watch this space for news of the wildlife survey that the Trust is going to be conducting this year, as our contribution to the Norfolk Wildlife Trust's overall monitoring of species in the county. Work is being finalised on the forms to be used, both paper-based and online, and we hope to launch the survey soon. Jeannette, our wonderful web master, is doing great work on the website, so we hope it will be easy for everyone who wants to join in to send us records of their sightings of the species we will be concentrating on this year.

Spring is springing

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.

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.

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

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.

Year's end

I had my final walk of the year on the common this morning. Now that the bitterly cold weather has eased there were more birds to be seen than has been the case recently, and apart from the last few vestiges of ice grimly clinging on in parts of the boardwalk, the conditions were fairly good. Both Scouts' Pond and the Pit were still largely covered in ice, but the thaw is clearly well advanced, for now at least.

It was still quite misty however; so much so that when some Pink Footed Geese flew overhead, they were invisiblet. Their calls, for all the world like an aerial pack of puppies, was the only evidence of their fleeting presence. Apart from them, I was also pleased to have a good view of a goldcrest at Scouts' Pond, and a solitary coal tit on School Common. A male kestrel on the telephone wires near Warren Road kept the smaller birds agitated, and I was pleased to find my first fieldfares of the year near Pit Common.

Thanks to everyone who has told me of their bird sightings on the common, and I hope you'll keep it up next year. Each year we seem to get at least one uncommon visitor, and the highlight for 2010 was the pair of bearded reedlings. Sadly they did not decide to stay for the winter, but now they know about our reedbed, perhaps they'll return.

The bad weather in November and December means that we are slightly behind schedule for the reed cutting programme, but if we can get a good run at it now we should soon catch up. On top of that there is a significant programme of work to keep the commons in good order, so if you're not already a volunteer we've got plenty of activities to keep you occupied.

All the best for 2011!