Nothing planned
martin
Friday, January 4, 2019
Tuesday, 18 December 2018 ... weekly volunteers
Present:
Keith, Pat, Allan, Mike m, Jonathan, Stuart, David w, Terry, Paul, Mark, Ray, Bernard, Ian, and Martin
Activities:
- bonfire of gorse, Heather and birch pollarding on south Heath. Heather is getting too dense and high, and we will now be cutting and burning patches as a regular item.
- put up two nest boxes, one repaired and one new ( tree creeper). One nest box repaired out in the field
- looked the ponies
- finished repairing the wheelbarrow
- cut some wood
- continued the fence repairs, and have now got half way back along the m1. Rotten posts brought back for firewood
- cleared the alternative path at the car park, to avoid the mud on the main track
- pruned the chestnut near the crossroads. Ponies had left rather ragged and a nuisance
Observations:
- rather windier than expected and fire had to be in a sheltered position. Rain later. Not particularly cold
- mulled wine and numerous goodies at coffee and lunch
- crossbills
- stonechat
- Ray had a couple of bandages for a cut
Martin
Keith, Pat, Allan, Mike m, Jonathan, Stuart, David w, Terry, Paul, Mark, Ray, Bernard, Ian, and Martin
Activities:
- bonfire of gorse, Heather and birch pollarding on south Heath. Heather is getting too dense and high, and we will now be cutting and burning patches as a regular item.
- put up two nest boxes, one repaired and one new ( tree creeper). One nest box repaired out in the field
- looked the ponies
- finished repairing the wheelbarrow
- cut some wood
- continued the fence repairs, and have now got half way back along the m1. Rotten posts brought back for firewood
- cleared the alternative path at the car park, to avoid the mud on the main track
- pruned the chestnut near the crossroads. Ponies had left rather ragged and a nuisance
Observations:
- rather windier than expected and fire had to be in a sheltered position. Rain later. Not particularly cold
- mulled wine and numerous goodies at coffee and lunch
- crossbills
- stonechat
- Ray had a couple of bandages for a cut
Martin
Tuesday, 11 December 2018 ... weekly volunteers
Present:
Keith, Bob, Ian, Mike m, Mike p. Pat, Alan, Ray, Mark, Jonathan, Neil, David w, John, and Martin. Andrew from Swt joined us
Activities:
- looked the ponies
- pony lick was put near the cottages
- bonfire of gorse and Heather just down the slope from behind the shed. The gorse was cut there, and the Heather came from the slit trenches
- small amount of pollarding of the birches near the fire
- helped Andrew with mowing on the reserve
- exposed the slit trenches on south Heath for safety. 6 along the top and 1 near the bonfire. There was another structure near the fire, not sure what it was
- wheel Barrow tyre taken away for a remend
- some log cutting in the shed
- penultimate bit of fence mending. The military road bit is finished
- volunteer Xmas trees cut and transported away
- some dirt track work in front of the shed done
Observations:
- 2 Dartford reported
- meadow pipits, dunnock
- probable Merlin. small falcon which did a stoop.
- crossbills
- fieldfares
- brambling
- fire went out, and restarted while keith was elsewhere.
- weather dry and just OK
Martin
Keith, Bob, Ian, Mike m, Mike p. Pat, Alan, Ray, Mark, Jonathan, Neil, David w, John, and Martin. Andrew from Swt joined us
Activities:
- looked the ponies
- pony lick was put near the cottages
- bonfire of gorse and Heather just down the slope from behind the shed. The gorse was cut there, and the Heather came from the slit trenches
- small amount of pollarding of the birches near the fire
- helped Andrew with mowing on the reserve
- exposed the slit trenches on south Heath for safety. 6 along the top and 1 near the bonfire. There was another structure near the fire, not sure what it was
- wheel Barrow tyre taken away for a remend
- some log cutting in the shed
- penultimate bit of fence mending. The military road bit is finished
- volunteer Xmas trees cut and transported away
- some dirt track work in front of the shed done
Observations:
- 2 Dartford reported
- meadow pipits, dunnock
- probable Merlin. small falcon which did a stoop.
- crossbills
- fieldfares
- brambling
- fire went out, and restarted while keith was elsewhere.
- weather dry and just OK
Martin
Tuesday, 4 December 2018 ... weekly volunteers
Present:
Terry, David w, Mike m, Mike p, Pat, Ray, Keith, Bob, Ian, Bernard, Neil, John, Stuart, Paul, Jonathan, and Martin
Activities:
- 2 gorse fires along the top towards the corner. A chunk of gorse was coppiced for the second fire, which being green, burnt very well for a bit before putting itself out with large holes. Restarted after coffee.
- some Xmas trees cut and taken
- more fencing work. The fence along the boundary was obviously in a poor state. The crew decided to remove the old rotten posts and bring back to the shed as firewood. There is still the m1 to do
- some bracken Pat was dug and removed
- Jonathan brought back patched inner tube for the wheelbarrow. Reassembled and tested.
- some wood cutting in the shed
- 5 ponies seen near the cricket pitch, but later only 3 were visible. Gary and Andrew took 2 off the site.
Observations:
- black headed gull !!!
- herring gulls circling, not birds of prey
- crossbills
- 2 ravens
- concrete rails donated for wood piles, stored round the back
- we did not manage to make contact with the tractor. Next week
- Jonathan loved the mended wheel Barrow
Martin
Terry, David w, Mike m, Mike p, Pat, Ray, Keith, Bob, Ian, Bernard, Neil, John, Stuart, Paul, Jonathan, and Martin
Activities:
- 2 gorse fires along the top towards the corner. A chunk of gorse was coppiced for the second fire, which being green, burnt very well for a bit before putting itself out with large holes. Restarted after coffee.
- some Xmas trees cut and taken
- more fencing work. The fence along the boundary was obviously in a poor state. The crew decided to remove the old rotten posts and bring back to the shed as firewood. There is still the m1 to do
- some bracken Pat was dug and removed
- Jonathan brought back patched inner tube for the wheelbarrow. Reassembled and tested.
- some wood cutting in the shed
- 5 ponies seen near the cricket pitch, but later only 3 were visible. Gary and Andrew took 2 off the site.
Observations:
- black headed gull !!!
- herring gulls circling, not birds of prey
- crossbills
- 2 ravens
- concrete rails donated for wood piles, stored round the back
- we did not manage to make contact with the tractor. Next week
- Jonathan loved the mended wheel Barrow
Martin
Tuesday, 27 November 2018 ... weekly volunteers
Present:
John, John h, Bernard, Stuart, Alan, Pat, Mike m, Mike p, Mark, Keith, Paul, David w, and Martin
Activities:
- looked the ponies and cattle. Could not find ponies first time round. Later they were with us at the bonfire
- checked the ponies for any eye trouble that had been reported last week. All seemed fine.
- gorse fire along the top just beyond the ride junction. Some gorse had previously been cut, and we did more in that area, and some in a new area near the other path for a future fire
- John pulled birch saplings in the area
- checked for the best sources of Xmas trees, and marked some as bagged
- mended and sharpened a long bow saw whose blade had snapped
- some log cutting in the shed after lunch
- Mike returned bolt from kissing gate that he had managed to partially repair/free up
- Mike m brought 2 tree creeper nest boxes, and put one up near the shed
- fencing work still along the boundary. Just the m1 to do now
Observations:
- Misty, calm and cold to start with, then nasty rain and wind from lunch time
- corral up for moving the cattle this week
- crossbills
- gsw, ltt, goldcrest, herring gull
Martin
John, John h, Bernard, Stuart, Alan, Pat, Mike m, Mike p, Mark, Keith, Paul, David w, and Martin
Activities:
- looked the ponies and cattle. Could not find ponies first time round. Later they were with us at the bonfire
- checked the ponies for any eye trouble that had been reported last week. All seemed fine.
- gorse fire along the top just beyond the ride junction. Some gorse had previously been cut, and we did more in that area, and some in a new area near the other path for a future fire
- John pulled birch saplings in the area
- checked for the best sources of Xmas trees, and marked some as bagged
- mended and sharpened a long bow saw whose blade had snapped
- some log cutting in the shed after lunch
- Mike returned bolt from kissing gate that he had managed to partially repair/free up
- Mike m brought 2 tree creeper nest boxes, and put one up near the shed
- fencing work still along the boundary. Just the m1 to do now
Observations:
- Misty, calm and cold to start with, then nasty rain and wind from lunch time
- corral up for moving the cattle this week
- crossbills
- gsw, ltt, goldcrest, herring gull
Martin
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