29th june 2010 ... weekly volunteers

Present:  David, Neil, Ron, John, Keith, Mike and Martin

Activities:
- lookered ponies
- dug out west pond, which is almost dry.  Mostly removing old silt, but lowering the level of the old part a few inches as well.
- clearing bracken and saplings on the plateau above west pond
- clearing ragwort from both sides of the cricket pitch.  Not much , and hidden on OL2 part away from ponies
- odd bits of bracken clearing on route
- newly cut keys given to Neil and Ron, and tested
- technique for opening the tractor shed lock worked out.
- too hot finally and left early

Observations:
- woodlark singing over west pond
- patch of St john's wort on plateau above west pond
- lesser redpolls, tree creepers, nuthatch
- probable barn owl on the Pippingford side, disturbed by cadets
- Raven ( yesterday)
- Bournes have taken one or two loads recently. Finishing the one near the water trough, and starting the first one above sphagnum heath
- a couple of Does and Fawns

Other:
- discussed possible open day to attract new volunteers
- planning nightjar walk this thursday at 9.30



martin

22 june 2010 --- weekly volunteers

Present: John, Ron, David, Neil, Mike, Keith and Martin

Ron, David, Keith and Mike went after lunch

Activities:

- helping Monty round up and transport 2 of the 4 ponies on South Heath
- continuing the digging up of pine and birch saplings near the bench
- digging up some of the three cornered leaks in the car park
- gathering dung on SH
- digging bracken on the SH

martin

visit 17th june 2010 ... martin

- Greenhair streak or streaks behind tool store
- Buzzard being mobbed by Herring gull
- woodlark on SH
- Lots of stonechats, with young
- blackcaps near cottage
Mistle Thrush on SH
- Hobbies in the usual place, calling from nest site
- car park gate repaired, after the unwinding of the wire
- some three cornered leaks dead headed in the car park.  There are some bulbs that need taking up sometime
- lots of skippers.  Speckled wood, large white.

- some glass near pump house that still  needs removing.

martin

15th June 2010 --- weekly vounteers

Present:

John, Keith, Mike, Ron, Neil, David, and Martin

Activities:

- did the first part of the nestbox survey
- dug out Pine and birch saplings near the bench
- dug up bracken on the slope down from the roller stand and near cuckoo pond
- lookered the ponies

Observations:

- mike came across newly born fawn
- nuthatch whose nest box was cleared re-occupied and reared brood
- great tits near tool store succeeded, despite the torpid state of nestlings seen last time
- some pony dung taken as perk
- Monty may be taking 2 of the ponies off the south heath since Old Lodge is not contracting for their use
- brimstone
- 4 crossbills
- no ravens


martin

8th june 2010 --- weekly volunteers

Present:  Keith, David, Ron, Neil, John, and Martin.  Mike sent apologies, and will be here next week

Activities:

- weather not good to start with, and rain forecast
- did bracken digging on south heath
- lookered ponies on South heath and main reserve
- felled 4 silver birch behind cottages, piled up logs and brash
- took down a couple of old stumps, but will leave the new ones to rot
- discussed 'ripples' and will give to an Oxfam shop
- sawed up some of the wood stored in the tractor shed.  These are bagged up there for taking later.


everybody had commitments in the pm, and so left after lunch.

Observations:
- woodlark near stream
- nightjar and 4 woodcock at the weekend
- nuthatch young being fed
- ravens appear to have left the nest
- no sign of hobbies
- sundews starting to come out, Bog cotton.
- green hairstreak towards the car park
- green hairstreak behind tool store on Monday.

martin

June 1st 2010 --- weekly volunteers

present:  John, David, Neil, Ron, and Martin

Activities:

- bad weather was expected mid morning, so we concentrated on things close at hand
- dug up some Ragwort near the tool store
- dug up bracken on South Heath plus the odd birch away from the trough area.
- Tidied up the new inspection traps, which the ponies had messed up
- lookered the South Heath Ponies.  Ron and Martin Had checked the other ponies in the last two days.
- tidied up some of the mess / strange objects around the roller stand.  There were some new things.  needs watching.
- forced the locks ( easy) on the agricultural Pesticide container.  Contains some herbicide and some colourant.
- left photos for the Sunday group

Rain stopped play at coffee time, and appear set in for the day as forecast.  So we left.

Observations:
- stonechats on SH, tree pipit, cuckoo
- unlikely that John's rearranged hot air balloon flight would go ahead.
- discussed internet etc, bat fives on the river plate.

martin