present:
John, Bernard, Keith, David a, David p, Mike m, Mike p, Alan, Ray, Neil, Stuart and Martin
activities:
- finished the nest-box survey from last week
- pulled pine and gorse from near the ride
junction to the pillow mound. some larger ones cut.
- pulled and scythed bracken on south Heath
- looked the ponies
observations:
- small copper and green hairstreak on south Heath
- turtle dove heard
- nice weather, with ground getting dry. this made pulling increasingly difficult
- one mattock handle broken
Martin
Sunday, May 29, 2016
17th May 2016 ... weekly volunteers
present:
Alan, Bernard, Jonathan, Ray, Mike p, Mike m, David a, Stuart and Martin. Lucie joined us for the day
activities:
- looked the ponies
- did repair work and strengthening work on the fence bordering foresters cottage, after the 'heat' problem
- did most of the nest box circuit
- did some experimenting with levering out the gorse. failed because the ground was to hard
- did some tweeking of the kissing gate to make it easier to open
observations:
- had good session with Lucie about volunteering
Martin
Alan, Bernard, Jonathan, Ray, Mike p, Mike m, David a, Stuart and Martin. Lucie joined us for the day
activities:
- looked the ponies
- did repair work and strengthening work on the fence bordering foresters cottage, after the 'heat' problem
- did most of the nest box circuit
- did some experimenting with levering out the gorse. failed because the ground was to hard
- did some tweeking of the kissing gate to make it easier to open
observations:
- had good session with Lucie about volunteering
Martin
10th May 2016 ... weekly volunteers
present:
John, Jonathan, David a, Mike m, Mike p, Alan, Ray, Keith, Stuart, Bernard and Martin
activities:
- looked the ponies
- cut a lot of firewood
- cut some bramble behind tool store
- put down some hardcore on muddy start to path up to the car park
- demonstrated various tensioning and pulling implements we have in the tool store
- split some tree stumps for firewood
- pulled some pine and gorse near the ryde junction
- experimented with alternative ways of pulling gorse
- tamped down some of the hardcore in front of the tool store
- recovered the original a-frame
observations:
- horrid wet weather
- saw the leucidic blackbird
Martin
John, Jonathan, David a, Mike m, Mike p, Alan, Ray, Keith, Stuart, Bernard and Martin
activities:
- looked the ponies
- cut a lot of firewood
- cut some bramble behind tool store
- put down some hardcore on muddy start to path up to the car park
- demonstrated various tensioning and pulling implements we have in the tool store
- split some tree stumps for firewood
- pulled some pine and gorse near the ryde junction
- experimented with alternative ways of pulling gorse
- tamped down some of the hardcore in front of the tool store
- recovered the original a-frame
observations:
- horrid wet weather
- saw the leucidic blackbird
Martin
3rd May 2016 ... weekly volunteers
present:
John, Jonathan, Mike m, Mike p, Bernard, Keith and Martin
activities:
- looked the ponies
- mending the fire beater post at the top of Reynard's way
- inspected fire beaters at bench and cricket pitch
- pulled pine near Reynard's way
- completed the first round of the nest box survey
- some gorse work along the road
observations:
- lots of redstarts
- slow worm under tin
- beautiful weather for once
- need to think about pulling up gorse in the same area
- bracken starting to emerge
Martin
John, Jonathan, Mike m, Mike p, Bernard, Keith and Martin
activities:
- looked the ponies
- mending the fire beater post at the top of Reynard's way
- inspected fire beaters at bench and cricket pitch
- pulled pine near Reynard's way
- completed the first round of the nest box survey
- some gorse work along the road
observations:
- lots of redstarts
- slow worm under tin
- beautiful weather for once
- need to think about pulling up gorse in the same area
- bracken starting to emerge
Martin
26th april 2016 ... weekly volunteers
present:
John, Keith, Alan, David p, Mike m, Mike p, Bernard, Neil, Jonathan and Martin
activities:
- more work on the beeches avenue track, with John providing stone
- pine and birch pulling above the crossroads and beeches avenue
- mending the brochure box
- digging up more three cornered leek in the car park and leaving exposed to dry out and die
- digging some drainage cuts across the path down to the stream
- mark could not make it with the truck
- looked the ponies
observations:
- nice sun out of a cold wind. some snow
- Raven, buzzard, siskin
- redstarts
Martin
John, Keith, Alan, David p, Mike m, Mike p, Bernard, Neil, Jonathan and Martin
activities:
- more work on the beeches avenue track, with John providing stone
- pine and birch pulling above the crossroads and beeches avenue
- mending the brochure box
- digging up more three cornered leek in the car park and leaving exposed to dry out and die
- digging some drainage cuts across the path down to the stream
- mark could not make it with the truck
- looked the ponies
observations:
- nice sun out of a cold wind. some snow
- Raven, buzzard, siskin
- redstarts
Martin
19th april 2016 ... weekly volunteers
present:
John, Jonathan, Ray, Bernard, Stuart, Mike m, Mike p, Keith and Martin
activities:
- pine sapling pulling on the plateau and surrounds
- mending the gate near the small wooden gate. this was attempted earlier when it was too wet, and needed redoing.
- filled the brochure box. we need new supplies of them now
- some pea sticks harvested from birch along the road for Mike m
- some bracken peat taken from mound near roller stand for Bernard
- lock moved from mended gate to be in series with old lock on roller stand gates, to help with wheelchair access
- filling in ruts in beeches avenue track with some more hardcore
observations:
- possible kite, though could have been a buzzard
- some crossbills
- siskins, redpolls, Willow warblers, Chiffchaff's, blackcap, tree pipit, woodlark, probably 4 ravens
- brimstones
- slow worm, adder
- remain/leave discussion
Martin
John, Jonathan, Ray, Bernard, Stuart, Mike m, Mike p, Keith and Martin
activities:
- pine sapling pulling on the plateau and surrounds
- mending the gate near the small wooden gate. this was attempted earlier when it was too wet, and needed redoing.
- filled the brochure box. we need new supplies of them now
- some pea sticks harvested from birch along the road for Mike m
- some bracken peat taken from mound near roller stand for Bernard
- lock moved from mended gate to be in series with old lock on roller stand gates, to help with wheelchair access
- filling in ruts in beeches avenue track with some more hardcore
observations:
- possible kite, though could have been a buzzard
- some crossbills
- siskins, redpolls, Willow warblers, Chiffchaff's, blackcap, tree pipit, woodlark, probably 4 ravens
- brimstones
- slow worm, adder
- remain/leave discussion
Martin
12th april 2016 ... weekly volunteers
present:
John, Bernard, Mike m, Keith, David a, David p, Stuart, Pat, Neil and Martin
Activities:
- dug up and took off site daffodils, three cornered leek and mombretia found variously at car park, back of the cottages and ol1
- replaced two posts and a strut at the roller stand
- David a took some bracken peat from the roller stand
- Bernard took one of the bags of tubes from ol2 for disposal at tw recycling centre
- nest box 62 put back up after repair the other side of the swamp
- the two new nest boxes Keith made from heavy duty water pipe/fitting put up in wood at side of the cottages
- pine sapling pulling continued from cricket pitch onto the plateau
observations:
- lots of redstarts, siskins, redpolls, tree pipits, ravens, 2 cuckoos at least, stonechats
martin
John, Bernard, Mike m, Keith, David a, David p, Stuart, Pat, Neil and Martin
Activities:
- dug up and took off site daffodils, three cornered leek and mombretia found variously at car park, back of the cottages and ol1
- replaced two posts and a strut at the roller stand
- David a took some bracken peat from the roller stand
- Bernard took one of the bags of tubes from ol2 for disposal at tw recycling centre
- nest box 62 put back up after repair the other side of the swamp
- the two new nest boxes Keith made from heavy duty water pipe/fitting put up in wood at side of the cottages
- pine sapling pulling continued from cricket pitch onto the plateau
observations:
- lots of redstarts, siskins, redpolls, tree pipits, ravens, 2 cuckoos at least, stonechats
martin
5th april 2016 ... weekly volunteers
present:
Keith, David a, Neil, Stuart, Mike p, Ray, Bernard and Martin
activities:
- continued from where we left off with pulling pine saplings, not quite reaching the plateau.
- did some ring barking of birches along the old track through ol2 to the cricket pitch, thinning out the wood edge, widening the track and creating some dead wood. probably about 15 in all
- created a hop-over, from the large rusty iron thing and some dead logs , over the boundary fence at the top of the incline along the m1
- collected 2 builder's bags of tubes and moved to roller stand for future removal. put another lot in a trench. the storm Katie had blown the tubes around a bit.
- set Stuart's bow saw
- wound all the electric fencing wire onto drums, awaiting collection.
observations:
- lady in mobility chair was a visitor, who seemed very pleased to have been given access
-woodlark, buzzards, ravens, chiffchaff, willow warblers, possible tree pipits, siskins, redpolls, adder
- lovely cakes from both Stuart and Bernard
martin
Keith, David a, Neil, Stuart, Mike p, Ray, Bernard and Martin
activities:
- continued from where we left off with pulling pine saplings, not quite reaching the plateau.
- did some ring barking of birches along the old track through ol2 to the cricket pitch, thinning out the wood edge, widening the track and creating some dead wood. probably about 15 in all
- created a hop-over, from the large rusty iron thing and some dead logs , over the boundary fence at the top of the incline along the m1
- collected 2 builder's bags of tubes and moved to roller stand for future removal. put another lot in a trench. the storm Katie had blown the tubes around a bit.
- set Stuart's bow saw
- wound all the electric fencing wire onto drums, awaiting collection.
observations:
- lady in mobility chair was a visitor, who seemed very pleased to have been given access
-woodlark, buzzards, ravens, chiffchaff, willow warblers, possible tree pipits, siskins, redpolls, adder
- lovely cakes from both Stuart and Bernard
martin
29th march 2016 ... weekly volunteers
present:
John, Jonathan, Bernard, Mike p, Mike m, David a, Pat, Keith, Stuart and Martin
activities:
- pulling pine sapling in the area opposite the cricket pitch and the m1 northwards
- small amount of ring barking and birch cutting in ol2 near cricket pitch. objective is the create dead standing wood (of which there is very little) and to free up some of the nicer trees such as oak
- redid the end post of the second fence across the quarry on the boundary with Pippingford, and started the process of making an Irish bridge where a stream runs across the path. the mud comes from up stream and makes the beginnings of a pond.
- went round the boundary to see what storm damage there was. almost none. one large dead tree toppled opposite the cricket pitch.
observations:
- raven, woodlark, siskins, buzzards, woodcock
- a book returned to mike p.
- weather just about bearable but not very nice
martin
John, Jonathan, Bernard, Mike p, Mike m, David a, Pat, Keith, Stuart and Martin
activities:
- pulling pine sapling in the area opposite the cricket pitch and the m1 northwards
- small amount of ring barking and birch cutting in ol2 near cricket pitch. objective is the create dead standing wood (of which there is very little) and to free up some of the nicer trees such as oak
- redid the end post of the second fence across the quarry on the boundary with Pippingford, and started the process of making an Irish bridge where a stream runs across the path. the mud comes from up stream and makes the beginnings of a pond.
- went round the boundary to see what storm damage there was. almost none. one large dead tree toppled opposite the cricket pitch.
observations:
- raven, woodlark, siskins, buzzards, woodcock
- a book returned to mike p.
- weather just about bearable but not very nice
martin
22nd march 2016 ... weekly volunteers
present:
John, Keith, Bernard, Mike m, Mike p, Pat, David a, Stuart, Alan, and Martin
activities:
- pulled and loppered pine saplings near the crossroads
- did some repair work on the rutted parts of beeches avenue
- finished the single strand of barb along the pippingford boundary. the barb got almost to the point where the road bends away from the boundary, before running out.
- some posts left over, and left out for some future work to strengthen the first bit of fencing there around the quarry.
observations:
- saw Ron and a friend Howard for coffee. Howard may join us for work party
- ravens, woodlark
- chilly wind
martin
John, Keith, Bernard, Mike m, Mike p, Pat, David a, Stuart, Alan, and Martin
activities:
- pulled and loppered pine saplings near the crossroads
- did some repair work on the rutted parts of beeches avenue
- finished the single strand of barb along the pippingford boundary. the barb got almost to the point where the road bends away from the boundary, before running out.
- some posts left over, and left out for some future work to strengthen the first bit of fencing there around the quarry.
observations:
- saw Ron and a friend Howard for coffee. Howard may join us for work party
- ravens, woodlark
- chilly wind
martin
15th march 2016 ... weekly volunteers
present:
John, Jonathan, Alan, David a, Mike p, Mike m, Bernard, Keith, Pat, Ray, Neil and Martin
activities:
- pulling and lopping pine saplings above beeches avenue at the cross roads. arising just left in situ. still lots there.
- collected in the plastic posts and electric fencing tape along the boundary with pippingford. put up about 100 metres of chestnut posts and single strand barb as a more permanent fixture.
- Bernard took away a builder's bag full of plastic tubes from ol2 to be taken to recycling centre to be used for energy. this will be repeated a number of times to get rid of the piles of such things on ol2.
observations:
- siskins, redpolls, woodlark, 3 ravens, fieldfare, redwings.
- sunny, but nasty cold wind
- left Barrow, post thumper and barb hidden along the pippingford perimeter
martin
John, Jonathan, Alan, David a, Mike p, Mike m, Bernard, Keith, Pat, Ray, Neil and Martin
activities:
- pulling and lopping pine saplings above beeches avenue at the cross roads. arising just left in situ. still lots there.
- collected in the plastic posts and electric fencing tape along the boundary with pippingford. put up about 100 metres of chestnut posts and single strand barb as a more permanent fixture.
- Bernard took away a builder's bag full of plastic tubes from ol2 to be taken to recycling centre to be used for energy. this will be repeated a number of times to get rid of the piles of such things on ol2.
observations:
- siskins, redpolls, woodlark, 3 ravens, fieldfare, redwings.
- sunny, but nasty cold wind
- left Barrow, post thumper and barb hidden along the pippingford perimeter
martin
8th march 2016 ... weekly volunteers
present:
John, Pat, Neil, David a, Keith, Alan, Bernard, Mike m, and Martin
activities:
- collected some tree tubes in builder's bag and left near roller stand
- 3 bonfires in wood NE of sphagnum heath, where Jim had his training course
- mike m collected some logs and pony dung for his allotment
observations:
- ravens making a lot of noise. buzzards?
- siskins, tree creeper, woodlark singing
- man with dog and no lead. possibly deaf as did not hear calls
- Alan tripped and probably will have a bad bruise tomorrow
- spotted some more yellow dots on trees
- martin did hardly any work
martin
John, Pat, Neil, David a, Keith, Alan, Bernard, Mike m, and Martin
activities:
- collected some tree tubes in builder's bag and left near roller stand
- 3 bonfires in wood NE of sphagnum heath, where Jim had his training course
- mike m collected some logs and pony dung for his allotment
observations:
- ravens making a lot of noise. buzzards?
- siskins, tree creeper, woodlark singing
- man with dog and no lead. possibly deaf as did not hear calls
- Alan tripped and probably will have a bad bruise tomorrow
- spotted some more yellow dots on trees
- martin did hardly any work
martin
1st march 2016 ... weekly volunteers
present:
John, Jonathan, Mike m, Mike p, Stuart, Neil, David a, Alan, Bernard, and Martin
activities:
- horrid weather. rain and cold
- John did work on the drive
- fire wood sawing. bringing in more logs.
- cleaning and oiling tools
observations:
- Stuart cooked an amazing cake on his return from foot surgery.
- Alan back from flu
- martin helped mike with his camera
- mike m took some wire and is borrowing fencing pliers, and logs to construct some raised beds
Martin
John, Jonathan, Mike m, Mike p, Stuart, Neil, David a, Alan, Bernard, and Martin
activities:
- horrid weather. rain and cold
- John did work on the drive
- fire wood sawing. bringing in more logs.
- cleaning and oiling tools
observations:
- Stuart cooked an amazing cake on his return from foot surgery.
- Alan back from flu
- martin helped mike with his camera
- mike m took some wire and is borrowing fencing pliers, and logs to construct some raised beds
Martin
23rd February 2016 ... weekly volunteers
present:
John, Jonathan, Pat, Mike m, Bernard, David a David p, Neil, Ron, Ray and Martin
activities:
- checking fencing from car park long way round to cricket pitch. mended staples and notes posts which will need extra support.
- noted that guy from frank's establishment was repairing some posts across the cricket field
- had a bonfire of brash in the first part of the track in ol2, cut a few more birch there and cleared the stumps and processed some felled trees from last week
- mike m took 3 bags of pony poo, and some 4ft logs for allotment.
observations:
- frank requested no more trees along the road be felled.
- gorgeous sunshine even if a little cold
- woodlark, ravens, green woodpecker, goldfinches
martin
John, Jonathan, Pat, Mike m, Bernard, David a David p, Neil, Ron, Ray and Martin
activities:
- checking fencing from car park long way round to cricket pitch. mended staples and notes posts which will need extra support.
- noted that guy from frank's establishment was repairing some posts across the cricket field
- had a bonfire of brash in the first part of the track in ol2, cut a few more birch there and cleared the stumps and processed some felled trees from last week
- mike m took 3 bags of pony poo, and some 4ft logs for allotment.
observations:
- frank requested no more trees along the road be felled.
- gorgeous sunshine even if a little cold
- woodlark, ravens, green woodpecker, goldfinches
martin
16th February 2016 ... weekly volunteers
present:
Jonathan, David a, Mike m, Mike p, Ray, Keith, Neil, Bernard and Martin
activities:
- looked the ponies, and feed them some nuts
- 2 bonfires of brash from last week's cutting and more new cutting
- cutting concentrated on the opening towards the road and the glade that Ray made. We opened up a new front the other side of the open space where a mass of birch were over-whelming a number of young oak trees. two new log piles created and multiple brash piles ready for bonfires
observations:
- woodlark, woodcock, ravens, and marsh tit
- Frank and one of his helpers came over to talk to us. we discussed what work we were doing. he perhaps was a bit nervous of any clear cutting, and wanted some cover left, which we are doing in this area with leaving the closely planted oak, pine and Rowan
- the helper was knowledgeable about the area and what we were trying to achieve.
- jack has replaced a condenser on the Iseki and refitted all the parts ready for a test
martin
Jonathan, David a, Mike m, Mike p, Ray, Keith, Neil, Bernard and Martin
activities:
- looked the ponies, and feed them some nuts
- 2 bonfires of brash from last week's cutting and more new cutting
- cutting concentrated on the opening towards the road and the glade that Ray made. We opened up a new front the other side of the open space where a mass of birch were over-whelming a number of young oak trees. two new log piles created and multiple brash piles ready for bonfires
observations:
- woodlark, woodcock, ravens, and marsh tit
- Frank and one of his helpers came over to talk to us. we discussed what work we were doing. he perhaps was a bit nervous of any clear cutting, and wanted some cover left, which we are doing in this area with leaving the closely planted oak, pine and Rowan
- the helper was knowledgeable about the area and what we were trying to achieve.
- jack has replaced a condenser on the Iseki and refitted all the parts ready for a test
martin
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