18th July 2017 ... weekly volunteers

Present:

John, Mike p, Anda, Ian, Stuart, Keith, Steve, Alan, Bernard, Jonathan and Martin

Activities:

- looked ponies and cattle
- clear paths of bracken and checked for stumps on route to log piles in ol2
- pulled bracken on south Heath,
- a few ragwort pulled up on cricket pitch
- big sweeps of bracken pulling on far side of reserve based around bridge
- checked the fallen beech tree on boundary with foresters cottage
- Mike scythed some bracken along the path through the wood to the bench. Marked some trees as well.


Observations:

- butterflies! Gatekeepers, holly blue, common blue, brimstone, meadow brown, commas, l skippers, small heaths, peacock, small copper. No sign of recent silver washed fritillary.

- dragonflies! Golden ringed, broad bodied chaser, keeled skimmer, Azures, black darter, brown chasers, emperors

- weather hot

- an old patch of dodder rediscovered after a couple of years non appearances. On the left at beginning of bend. Quite big and flowers pretty obvious. None the other side of path.

- cyst pony still looking pregnant, though probably just wind



Martin