11th May 2010 ... weekly volunteers

Present:  John, Ron, Mike and Martin

Activities:

- first half of the nest box survey done.  Mostly 'adults on nest', but some restart eggs.
- fencing around the South Heath Cess pit checked and renovated
- birch and Pine seedlings lopper'ed opposite foresters cottage. partially tidied away under trees.
- 2 replacement nest boxes installed, and the old ones returned to the tool store
- Some ditch work around stony pond to make sure the water flows into the pond and does not short circuit
- tidying up the birches that were felled last week
- gps of the nest box route recorded.
- lookered the ponies, with 11 + 1 foal on the main reserve, and 3 on OL1
- 2 pine branches intruding onto the path near the bench were cut back

Observations:

crossbills, plenty of redstarts, stonechats, whitethroats, swallow
Almost no butterflies, as is still pretty cold for the time of year
Did not hear any ravens

Future work

- finish nest boxes
- mend nest-boxes
- improve ground at kissing gate
- bracken
- coppicing gorse after the nesting season
- get rid of more saplings
- bird count this Thursday