Hi all
Today seven hardy volunteers (nice to see Jenny again) went felling yellow dotted ash trees and coppicing a few willows in the ‘pump track’ plantation. Gill also cleared up a fair amount of litter and de-shooted(?) ash stumps. In contrast to last week the weather was beautiful, cold but clear and sunny.
Next week we finish off the nets box replacement programme visiting the ‘middle plantation‘ and Webbs Wood.
Meet at the tool store at ten or at the middle plantation a little later.
Daveb
Hi all
Today eight initially willing volunteers sallied forth to replace missing nest boxes in Savages Wood, Bowsland Wood and the Northern Plantations.
We had a lovely sunny day - until it started showering - until it started raining hard - until it dumped about a ton of hailstones on us. We were in a wood and still got soaked! Sara said she was nothing but one big drip. No one commented. Then the sun came out again. British weather eh.
We got off to a bad start in the Northern Plantation. Missing box No 27 turned out not to be missing. Missing box 26 was also not missing but was damaged so we put the new one up alongside so we now have two No 26’s albeit only a metre apart. Missing box 31 is a bat box and currently we done ain’t got any. However No’s 34 and 35 were replaced.
In Bowsland Wood Box 60 was replaced. Incidentally when I say replaced I don’t necessarily mean on the actual tree just near enough so as not to need redoing the location map. Finally boxes 6 and 7 in Savages Wood were replaced, this time high enough up the trees to avoid the vandals.
I’m forced to admit that the new patent adjustable next box fastening system did not meet with every bodies approval. Well nobodies approval actually, it was generally felt it would be easier to replace the entire fastening when tree growth demanded it. So it is back to the drawing board.
Next week we are felling/coppicing in the ‘Pump Track’ plantation. That is felling ash and coppicing willow. So there will be a tree size to suit all.
Meet at the tool store at ten or at the Pump Track.
Daveb
Today nine volunteers (welcome to Frank) completed this season’s coppicing of scrub willows etc. along the school playing field path. I believe this task, which we have been carrying out for the last three years is now substantially complete (John M. I will need to confirm this with you and the Tree Officer).
Next week we will be replacing the damaged/lost nest boxes in Savages Wood/Northern Plantations, some nine in total. This will give us an opportunity to try out the DAVEB patent nest box adjustable fastening system! If the system is unsuccessful then the following week we will be replacing the damaged/lost nest boxes in Savages Wood/Northern Plantations, some nine in total by some other method!
Daveb
Hi all
Today six volunteers paid the first of two visits to the path that runs down the side of the school playing field. Here we continued an ongoing task of coppicing hazel and goat willows growing alongside the path and casting the edge of Savages Wood in shade. We are coppicing a few trees every year spreading the work out over four or five years so as not to leave any sudden great ugly gaps. The problem with this job is that the trees grow along a deep and very clayey (?) ditch and there is a real possibility (and in my case actuality) of slipping down into the bottom of the ditch from whence it is difficult to get back up!
Nevertheless we will be back there next week so all meet at the tool store at ten.
Daveb
Hi All and a happy New Year
Today six volunteers remained at the Tool Store to complete some significant tasks and carry out a general tidy up.
We:
Sharpened all the SGCC bill hooks (say thank you John).
Added more fasteners to nest boxes
Treated all untreated boxes with wood preservative prior to fitting in Feb).
Tidied up the tool store making safe the rakes and pitch forks in particular.
Next week we will be coppicing the sallows etc. alongside the footpath by the school playing field so all meet at the tool store.
Daveb
Hi all
Today six volunteers turned up at the tool store. Sara overslept and was late but not so late that she could not plant a medlar tree in the Community Orchard with Quentin’s assistance. The rest of the team worked upon kitting out various nest boxes for installation next February. There were several mutinous mutterings about not being allowed to fix boxes with coach bolts but I ruthlessly stamped these out. Then they ran out of plastic covered cable so I said carry on fitting the nuts and bolts. Then they ran out of nuts. I don’t know it’s just one thing after another. Then we fitted lids to boxes and all we have to do now is paint them (week after xmas)and they will be ready. I explained it is taking some time now but it will save time later when one is up a tree but they are still not convinced. So I blamed you John M on the grounds that you have broad shoulders.
Next week we go on our traditional Xmas walk which is just an excuse for ending up in the Three Brooks pub where I somehow summon up enough determination to buy everyone a drink.
Anybody interested meet us at the tool store at ten, we should be in the pub by half past, well maybe a little later, unless the weather is bad in which case meet us in the pub at ten, let’s not mess about.
Daveb
Hi all
Today five volunteers set out to manicure the upper newt pond.
We cut back the sedge that is rampant in this are and cleared an area around the edge of the pond. We did not attempt to uproot any of the sedge, having carried out such an exercise on one of the local school nature ponds recently I can safely say actually removing the plants is a back breaking task and is probably now beyond our capability.
Next week we remain at the tool store where we will prepare replacement nest boxes for hanging early next year.
So obviously meet at the tool store!
Daveb
Hi all
Today eight enthusiastic volunteers ventured forth to teach the lower newt pond a lesson. We were pleased to welcome Sam to BSGG and to see Jenny and Udon. Udon seemed pleased to meet fully trained stick throwers. Quentin and Jenny refurbished the arbor to a high standard (John go and take a look). Next time we will refurbish the seat as well.
The rest of us cut back the sedge growing around and in the pond. We did not attempt to uproot anything (if you visit the upper pond where we did this last year you will see why). Instead we cut back the sedge to remove it from the area and prevent the dead growth from turning the pond into a meadow The pond now has much more open water visible. The sedges, of course, will put out new leaves next year which in the autumn we will remove again.
Next week same job - upper newt pond.
Daveb
Hi all
Today just three volunteers ventured forth. Fortunately this is the optimum number for box surveying. Myself, Quentin and our new recruit Ainsley finished the box survey season in Webbs Wood. This being one of the easier woods to survey we were soon finished. So we had coffee break at the lake admiring the rats as they went to and fro.
To finish with we visited the ‘pump track’ plantation to check upon the number of trees marked for felling and to look at the willows to be coppiced. So now we can say if the main conservation group wishes to continue in the northern plantations (which we will check for numbers next week), then GG will work in the ‘pump track’ plantation.
I will now ‘redo’ the survey spreadsheet and issue together with any interesting stats. We already know that there are now a significant number of boxes that require replacing for various reasons and time will be set aside in the New Year for this task.
Next week as mentioned we will walk the northern plantations to get numbers for marked trees, and maybe remove the sycamore scrub on Savages (larger sycamores may now be left unless John still needs them for another purpose).
Daveb
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