Todays exercise was the cleaning out of Davies Pond near the Jubilee Centre (See photos attached). Seven volunteers got very wet and quite muddy but we did clear the pond. This task was undertaken because of the availability of a skip as part of the BS Big Clean Up event. We filled the skip to overflowing.
Amongst the trophies were:
1 motorcycle - 1 pushbike - substantial elements of one or more chipboard cupboar/bookcase units - 3 Tesco’s shopping trolley and many bottles and cans.
Today’s GG was a walk around (in the event) the northern and middle sections of the reserve. Six volunteers assessed for potential GG projects whilst collecting litter at the same time. A number of possible projects have been identified and I will circulate that list after next weeks GG which will be to survey the southern section.
Several points of interest:
It was a lovely day.
There were bumblebees and butterflies all over the place, small whites, small tortoiseshell, orange tips, specked woods etc.
The lower newt pond, you know the new one, is full of juvenile fish, literally hundreds of them, fish not amphibians, although I did see a common newt in there. Possibly Rudd (lots of reddish fins) possibly Carp, probably Goldfish. So either we have two newt ponds and a fish pond or we have a serious amount of netting to do.
One project we looked at in some detail, the draining of the middle plantation. We have devised a coherent scheme which we would like to start A.S.A.P but John has asked that he survey the site first.
We also looked at the Patchway Brook along the same middle section. It is free of any major obstruction for (as far as we could tell) most of it’s length. But there is some rubbish there tho’ not on a massive scale. So when the 3BNCG clean one stresm we will do the other.
Next week we will survey the southern section meet at the Tool Store as usual
For this weeks GG six volunteers erected the TBNCG notice board adjacent to the Living Landmarks plaque for Webbs Wood. In this position the board faces the houses across the lake and this may deter vandals a little. The day was not without complication - we forgot the need for an electic drill (rescued that by fetching a hand drill) - we lost a nut (a metal one that is) (rescued by Steve going home and finding another). And then it absolutely poured down with rain. But there were some good things - Rachel valiently held the sign erect until the concrete set (fortunately not too long) - project leader Sara accosted every passerby and loaded them with leaflets especially the children with species recongnition leaflets -Quentin lit the fire first time - and the rain didn’t start until we were packing up.
This week’s Green Gym played away again this week at Ram Hill Colliery. Five volunteers managed to remove two medium (to us huge) tree stumps from the location of the proposed visitors path.
Next weeks GG will be at home - the installation of the 3BNCG notice board near to the lake. Meet at the lake or at the Tool Store, we will be shifting the tools, notice board and concrete by wheel barrow to the site.
The Three Brooks Birding Blog has been updated, click here to see the latest.
Today’s Green Gym was an away day. Four members of the group plus Jenny Darwin visited Rams Hill Colliery at Coalpit Heath. This is an archaeological site under reclamation. The task today was to remove a tree stump obstructing the course of the intended visitors footpath.
It was a big stump.
It is still not removed.
Next weeks Green Gym therefore is back at Rams Hill to complete the task and maybe remove a second smaller stump
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