30th August 2016 ... weekly volunteers

present:

John, Keith, Alan, Steve, Bernard, David a, Neil, Jonathan (briefly), Pat, Mike p and Martin

activities:

- pond work on amex and frog marsh ponds, including an extra bit of bank where water was overflowing between the two ponds.  an additional small pond has been constructed from the clay digging at the water outflow at the west end of amex pond.

- various bits of digging were done in the channel leading down to frog marsh pond, to create more diversity in the sphagnum cover

- Mike did some bracken scything in the area and the route back to the tool store

-new rhododendron growths were cleared at the corner sling the top, near the house and garden

- the drain under the path at the boundary with foresters cottage was cleared and the downstream channel dug out a bit

- the fencing across the cricket field was in a poor state and a lot of re-stapling and wiring was done

- several flowering ragworts were removed and taken of site for composting

- low hanging branches were cut down along most of the public tracks on the sw of the stream.  this is to open out the rides and also make vehicular access easier.  other half of reserve remains to be done

observations:

- sunny and hot
- Steve landed twice in the mud
- BlackBerry crop is good and delicious.  at least one crumble to be made
- young kestrel around
- 5 woodlands
- adder again under tin 4

Martin