This week five volunteers checked the bird boxes in the Northern Plantation and Bowsland Wood (where there wasn’t supposed to be any). We marked all boxes that were not already numbered starting at No 60 which should give us a bit of clearance. We logged content, condition of box etc. and earmarked those that require replacement (from stock or via the Alzheimer’s Society exercise).
The plan, of finding the boxes and marking them on a grid before monitoring, worked.
Nearly
One box I had marked down twice, once in a fictitious location, and even a quite tight grid reference still doesn’t mean the box is clearly visible. But in general it was of benefit.
Next week we do Savages where there are some 13 boxes. I will try again to make an advance visit and locate all the boxes ‘cos it’s easier when you are not lugging a wheelbarrow and a ladder around.
Today seven volunteers laid wood chip along a section of the footpath through Bowsland Wood. The path is now wood chipped for it’s entire length. A small group detached and surveyed the Northern Plantation (Primrose Wood) and Bowsland Wood for nest box location. We successfully (I think) found all the boxes listed on the 3BNCG list PLUS several more unlisted (and un numbered) boxes. Locations have been marked on the gid map and will ease next weeks survey work. During the course of which we will number the unmarked boxes.
We really must develop a system whereby anyone hanging new boxes must get a list of available numbers from 3BNCG and inform us as to the location of new boxes once hung. Otherwise we will be forever scanning entire areas for new boxes.
Today four volunteers played away at Ram Hill Colliery. We cleared vegetation from the dram line track, exposing some of the orignal rail clamps. We were visited by a big chief of Green Gyms for our annual assessment.For some reason he seemed to think we were doing O.K. (apart from warm ups and downs) and we passed with flying colours.
Next week we will probably be starting the annual bird box check. This year as well as inspecting existing boxes we will be looking out for more suitable trees and it seems everyone and his neighbour wants to stick nest boxes up.
Today five volunteers took a leisurely stroll around the northern end of the reserve cutting back growth intruding on footpaths and tidying up damage to various shrubs on the Primrose to Tank bridge surfaced path caused by council workmen’s mechanical aids.
That’s it really, lovely and sunny, very peaceful, more a relaxing then energising session.
Today six volunteers finished ‘brambling’ the micro corridors adjacent to Savages Wood and the Community Orchard. We cleared a number of the flower beds and apple plantings. This may have been a good year for bramble fruiting but it’s not been so good for bramble growing the new overgrowth was much lighter than usual. So we finished early and moved on to clearing Himalayan Balsam alongside the Patchway Brook. Finally we used a metal detector to sweep the old bomb craters cleared last week to make sure they were O.K. to stand in. We found three new pence, not exactly a Saxon Hoard but there you go. Obviously we would have made no attempt at serious digging even if we had picked up any signals.
Next week we are checking all the northern footpaths for bramble overgrowth and since this is expected to be light (see above) we will then attack a major obstruction in the Patchway Brook.