Present:
John, Ron, Neil, Keith, Mike and martin
Activities:
- bonfire at the site behind the cottages, of gorse that had been cut nearby and last week's on South heath
- Road swept after moving the gorse across the road
- coppiced gorse at the bottom of the hill on south heath, and burnt it, creating a new bonfire site just above it.
- considered a further place to have a bonfire site below this belt of gorse for further cutting work. It would be too much work dragging up hill to the new site. Will need a north west wind for this to work.
- rain descended after lunch, and we went outr ways
- Mike took away some of the large bags that his horse manure came in.
Observations:
- Fieldfares and Redwings
- 2 Ravens
- Nail Fungus
- Longtail Tit nest in Gorse
Occasional Notes:
- the mobile phone/camera has been returned to owner, and we all shared some of the thank-you box of chocolates. The remaining chocolates ( as it is a big tin) are in the tractor shed awaiting the Sunday group and another helping for ourselves.
martin
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Monday, October 25, 2010
Historic Photos of Old Lodge Reserve
Nick has provided me some historic photos of old lodge, so that interested people can see the differences from how the reserve is today. These cover roughly 4 different years, and typically show the reserve in two views. Click on the links below to get them.
1947 West 1947 East
1962 West 1962 East
1984 West 1984 East
1999 West 1999 East
Please consult Nick if you want to make serious use of them.
martin
1947 West 1947 East
1962 West 1962 East
1984 West 1984 East
1999 West 1999 East
Please consult Nick if you want to make serious use of them.
martin
24th October 2010 --- occasional note
- Noticed that Don has taken all the silver birch from the log pile. Some of this has gone via the road, as opposed to across the reserve. The Forwarder is no longer on site. Most of the Pine is still there.
- ponies on Pippinford all there, groups of 29 and 2 !
- Nail fungus still showing well. Some moved to better positions.
martin
- ponies on Pippinford all there, groups of 29 and 2 !
- Nail fungus still showing well. Some moved to better positions.
martin
5th October 2010 --- weekly volunteers
Present:
John, Ron and Martin
Activities:
- weather forecast awful, and rain threatening most of the time. Worked near the tool store.
- cut down some remaining silver birch near where we have been doing the gorse coppicing
- did more gorse coppicing there
- brash to the fire-site
- pollarding of the copse to the west of the tool store. The Hollies and birch were taking off again. This included lowering the height along the fence onto south heath.
- brought some logs into the tractor shed ot dry
- cut up some of the dry logs in the tractor shed, which were taken by Ron.
Observations:
- siskins
- lesser redpolls
- raven
- kestrel
Martin
John, Ron and Martin
Activities:
- weather forecast awful, and rain threatening most of the time. Worked near the tool store.
- cut down some remaining silver birch near where we have been doing the gorse coppicing
- did more gorse coppicing there
- brash to the fire-site
- pollarding of the copse to the west of the tool store. The Hollies and birch were taking off again. This included lowering the height along the fence onto south heath.
- brought some logs into the tractor shed ot dry
- cut up some of the dry logs in the tractor shed, which were taken by Ron.
Observations:
- siskins
- lesser redpolls
- raven
- kestrel
Martin
12th October 2010 --- weekly volunteers
Present:
John, Ron, Neil, and Martin
Activities:
- pond work on Lake pond. A large amount cut out and dragged to make a bigger dam bank.
- pollarding of some nearby alders which were dominating some of the smaller alder-buckthorns
- ring barked a big silver birch that was shading the lake pond
- went to the sphagnum heath and experimented with making some berms from dead pine logs, with the intention of making the area retain a little more water, and stopping the erosion and outflow.
- turned off the water for the troughs.
- more gorse cutting near the five bar gate.
Observations:
- at least 6 common darters
- Raven
- siskin
- some of logs have been taken
- don's 'new' forwarder parked in the wood below the main trough.
martin
John, Ron, Neil, and Martin
Activities:
- pond work on Lake pond. A large amount cut out and dragged to make a bigger dam bank.
- pollarding of some nearby alders which were dominating some of the smaller alder-buckthorns
- ring barked a big silver birch that was shading the lake pond
- went to the sphagnum heath and experimented with making some berms from dead pine logs, with the intention of making the area retain a little more water, and stopping the erosion and outflow.
- turned off the water for the troughs.
- more gorse cutting near the five bar gate.
Observations:
- at least 6 common darters
- Raven
- siskin
- some of logs have been taken
- don's 'new' forwarder parked in the wood below the main trough.
martin
19 October 2010 --- Weekly Volunteers
Present:
Martin and Mike
Activities:
- coppicing gorse on the south heath. Breaking up some of the solid masses of tall gorse at the north east of the heath. The brash was moved up to the road, ready to be taken across to the traditional fire-site.
- pollarding of a few silver birch nearby which were tending to shoot off. Brash with the gorse brash.
Observations:
- nail fungus
- 2 crossbills
- flock of redwing
- 2 woodlark
- good flock of lesser redpoll
martin
Martin and Mike
Activities:
- coppicing gorse on the south heath. Breaking up some of the solid masses of tall gorse at the north east of the heath. The brash was moved up to the road, ready to be taken across to the traditional fire-site.
- pollarding of a few silver birch nearby which were tending to shoot off. Brash with the gorse brash.
Observations:
- nail fungus
- 2 crossbills
- flock of redwing
- 2 woodlark
- good flock of lesser redpoll
martin
Fungus Foray .. 8th October 2010 ... list of species
Ray led a successful foray on the 8th October 2010. Below is a link to the list of fungus species that she has provided for us.
The Nail fungus was in abundance in the usual place.
click here for list of species
martin
The Nail fungus was in abundance in the usual place.
click here for list of species
martin
Sunday, October 3, 2010
R E M I N D E R --- Fungus foray this coming Friday, 10.30 in car park
All welcome. October 8th,
bring lunch
martin
bring lunch
martin
28th September 2010 ... weekly volunteers
Present:
Monty, Liza, Michelle, Peter were there for the Pony round-up
John, Ron, Neil, Mike and Martin continued on afterwards
Activities:
- rounding up the Ponies, which went extremely well. Since Bob was meant to come with the lorry at 11 am, which was rather tight, and then appeared at 10 am !!! Anyway all signed sealed and delivered in time for us all to go back to the tractor shed for some coffee. Ponies to be stationed south of Falmer, at Woodingdean. The foal looked a bit squashed and hesitant, but should be OK.
- went along to the high beeches to dig some of the ponds, including Amex pond.
- cleared saplings near those ponds, adding brash to an existing wood pile. Pollarded a fallen Pine and Birch which were starting to get away.
- cleared saplings from the slope the the south of the Beeches on the slope down to the stream. This used to be an area for the silver studded blue.
Observations:
- still too dry for many bonfires. Every water source is pretty dry.
- couple of woodlarks above the High Beeches
- Raven seen and heard a few times
- Kestrel around
- siskins
martin
Monty, Liza, Michelle, Peter were there for the Pony round-up
John, Ron, Neil, Mike and Martin continued on afterwards
Activities:
- rounding up the Ponies, which went extremely well. Since Bob was meant to come with the lorry at 11 am, which was rather tight, and then appeared at 10 am !!! Anyway all signed sealed and delivered in time for us all to go back to the tractor shed for some coffee. Ponies to be stationed south of Falmer, at Woodingdean. The foal looked a bit squashed and hesitant, but should be OK.
- went along to the high beeches to dig some of the ponds, including Amex pond.
- cleared saplings near those ponds, adding brash to an existing wood pile. Pollarded a fallen Pine and Birch which were starting to get away.
- cleared saplings from the slope the the south of the Beeches on the slope down to the stream. This used to be an area for the silver studded blue.
Observations:
- still too dry for many bonfires. Every water source is pretty dry.
- couple of woodlarks above the High Beeches
- Raven seen and heard a few times
- Kestrel around
- siskins
martin
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