This week five volunteers concluded the scything of Bowsland Meadow. Inevitably we have only addressed a fraction of the meadow but nevertheless with fewer people and definitely fewer scythes we have cleared the same area as last year. We now have a well oiled practiced machine of scythers, rakers and wheellbarrowers working in unison. As an aside, or maybe because of the work done in the past the wild flowers are thriving. We know that in the spring cowslips and Ox Eyed Daisies were plentiful and now we have St John’s Wort, Scabious, cornflower, cranesbill, toad flax, fleabane and unfortunately Ragwort growing in quantity.
Next weeks GG is performing a pre-cursor to the main group’s Saturday exercise. We will clear the existing irrigation channels on the marsh (shouldn’t take long ‘cos we did them earlier this year). We will clear a path to the farthest sump, the point at which the new effort is to beign (the group is to dig a new sump and irrigation channel(s) into the drier regions, and to use the excavated soil to dam off current access to Stoke Brook). Secondary job for the physically impaired or aged (that would be me then) -you guessed it - Himalyan Balsam clearing and litter picking.
Meet at the site at 10. a.m.
Special thanks to those who have been involved in the scything. I think a spendid job has been done.
Today five volunteers braved the threatening skies to continue the hay cut at Bowsland Meadow. In the event the rain was not a problem and the skies soon cleared up and the sun came out. We have one more week at this location and by the end of that session we should have cleared the same area as last year, even with only two scythes - you can’t beat quality workmen (and women).
Today five volunteers scythed Bowsland Meadow (well a part of it). We concentrated on areas around wild flower plantings and cleared a good area. We shared the meadow with BTCV’s NVQ group who were working on the fence around the new pond. We visited the pond and caught a couple of fish. Sara has teken them home to try and identify them. They are some species of carp but whether local of chinese (goldfish) we do not yet know. Sara made a point of asking Pual Humphries if he was fitting a gate but unfortunately he has had his tools stolen again so the gate is in doubt.
We will be here again next week but progress will be slower since Paul has reclaimed his scythes.
Today we visited the lower newt pond (should really be the lower snail pond) There five volunteers repaired the wire fence, tidied up the willow arbor and cut the grass and rushes obscuring the edges of the pond and thus creating a potential hazard to the public, particularly whilst the gate remains missing and the site is wide open.
It started sunny but once again degenerated into rain.
Next week we start in on the annual haymaking on Bowsland Meadow, GG usually spends about three weeks in this task.
Whilst walking around the lake earlier today we saw the following which we haven’t noticed before:
a pair of house martins flying above;
a pair of coots with 2 young swimming on the lake (they also had a nest in the lake);
2 dab chicks with their parents;
a single swan
We also saw the 2 Aylesbury ducks which have been there for a few weeks now.
Between showers we cut the grass in the Community Orchard. You can see some pictures of the day below:
Cutting the grass
A local resident
Collecting the grass
Collecting some more grass
A well deserved rest
