31st July 2012 ...weekly volunteers

Present:

John, Jonathan , Alan, David a, Pat, Keith, and Martin

Activities:

- mended pamphlet box with neoprene hinge
- dug a small ditch to soak away the excess rain from bottom of car park
- made some small channels to divert water as it comes down the car park
- recovered path to kissing gate with bark chips collected from roller stand
- pulled bracken along east bank (to burnt area) and strip on other side of path. On top heath, between pillow mound, Reynard's way and path behind cottages. And more work from bench down to stream.
- pulled ragwort from cess pit area, and on exit road.  Arisings taken for garden compost
- inspected honey bees in nest box near causeway, and started making contacts through Keith for their recovery.
- slashed the bracken back from path down and along stream.  More still to do.
- lookered the ponies.  They are not noticeably effecting quantity of grass on south heath yet.
- pollarded a birch on beeches avenue, where a branch was forcing visitors to detour around it.  Brash hauled towards bank.
- bramble along back of tool store given a scythe, and arising dumped in ditch

Observations:

- redstart
- redpoll
- raven
- poor showery, muggy day with wind
- tent finally given extra twist, and fitted into bag.  David a has taken for grandchild.
- the two small patches of dodder are flowering


Martin