Tuesday, 12 June 2018 ... weekly volunteers

Description:Present: John new, Paul, Mike m, Ray, Pat, Alan, Bernard, John, Anna, Keith, Neil, Stuart, Terry and Martin Activities: - looked the two ponies - bracken pulling along beeches avenue, up onto the plateau and down to the stream. Then some work either side of the path up to the bench - survey of the reptile tins - nestbox survey to the crossroads and back to the bench - watered the whips near the shed and also on the Forester's cottage boundary - pruned back some of the low branches on edge of the cricket pitch to allow vehicular access into ol2 - John did some Rhody work along Pippingford boundary Observations: - adder, slow worms and lizard under tins, and a very spectacular black grass snake near stoney pond - a sizable flock of crossbills, probably twenty odd - raven - sparrow hawk - woodcock - hen pheasant on nest out in the open - good show off bog cotton - still some bog beacon - weather cooler which made it ok for hard work - 2 Mallard, probably make and female flying over - more honey sold for a froe - tree creeper, siskin, redpoll, bullfinch, whitethroat, woodlark, tree pipits, blackcap, willow warblers, chiffchaff, Stonechat - possible spotted flycatcher - Alan picked up a tick, which he later found and photoed - large number of orchids out - no further info about gunfire - cross leaved and bell heather flowering Martin