Tuesday, 17th September 2019 ... Weekly Volunteers

Present:

John b, John, Mike m, Mike p, Ray, Ian, David w, Paul, Keith, Bernard and Martin. Jonathan visited briefly with damsons.

Activities:

- Did some repair and maintenance work on the bridge
- lookered the cattle. 14 and 6
- put up the Mandarin nest box
- bracken pulling across centre and up to the corner
- some more birch cutting in ol2
- log splitting continued behind the shed
- John took some bracken peat

Observations:

- buzzard, kestrel
- 2 Dartford, 2 spotted flycatcher
- Bulfinch, greenfinch, grey wagtail, nuthatch
- tree creeper singing
- commas, speckled woods
- lizards
- ravens, jays, but no magpies
- freshly dead rabbit, with no apparent cause
- weather fine for work


Martin

Tuesday, 10th September 2019 ... Weekly Volunteers

Present:

Mike m, Ian, Martin, Bob, David w, John, Bernard, Mike p, and Jonathan.  Terry visited. Tom Parry moved cattle

Activities:

- bracken pulling along beeches avenue, and along Pippingford boundary
- moved cattle from south Heath to main reserve
- looked cattle
- looked for missing lock at the heave gate, no luck
- put back the posts and tubes on the cherries.  Most should survive although bashed about
- some more log splitting behind the shed


Observations:

- nice warm weather
- wheatear on south Heath
- 2 Dartford there
- stonechats, Bullfinch, Raven


Martin

Tuesday, 3rd September 2019 ... Weekly Volunteers

Present:

Stuart, Mike m, Mike p, Bernard, John, Ian, Keith, Mark, David a, Jonathan, John b, and Martin

Activities:

- looked the cows
- took down the electric tape around the badger sett, leaving the posts for next years spraying
- bracken pulling along beeches and over to ol2 for coffee
- cut birch in ol2, split some logs and partially stripped others.  Brash piles made for future bonfires

Observations:

- another sighting of a probable grasshopper warbler
- warm weather, but little sun
- small copper
- Dartford again
- Raven

Martin

Tuesday, 27th August 2019 ... Weekly Volunteers

Present:

Martin had to leave at coffee time.
John, Keith, Bob, Alan, David a, Mike p, Ian, Jonathan,  and David w

Activities:

- bracken pulling up to coffee
- some log splitting afterwards

Observations:

- basically too hot to do any work

Martin

Tuesday, 20th August 2019 ... Weekly Volunteers

Present:

Mike m, Ian, Mike p, Mark, Bernard, Ray, John, David w, David a, Keith, Alan, and Martin.

Activities:

- check Bernard report of archangel in the car park.  Cleared some bramble and bracken, but archangel seemed to have disappeared.  Maybe some helpful visitor, as while we were away, a dirty nappy disappeared!
- large sweep of bracken pulling along beeches avenue and down to the stream.
- checked state of the bridge.  Probably now needs to be formally checked by Swt.  Safe at the moment, but thought needs to be put as to it's future
- put up electric tape to protect saplings that the cows have taken a liking to.  Put back the tubes.  Heavily nibbled
- did some log splitting to speed up drying
- cleared the ragwort along the road up to the old lodge ornamental gates, and at the cricket pitch. Bags taken off site for composting
- investigated new site for old tawny owl nest box, with thought of it becoming a Mandarin duck box
- Mike did some scything along the path to the car park
- Looked the cows

Observations:

- nice working weather
- more painted ladies
- possible migrant hawker
- greenfinch again
- Bulfinch, Raven, Lt tits

Martin

Tuesday, 6th August 2019 ... Weekly Volunteers

Present:

John, Pat, Alan, Jonathan, Stuart, Mike p, Mike m, Ian, Keith, David a, David w, and Martin

Activities:

- looked the cattle
- piled up the logs that had been dumped behind the shed last week, and re-covered all the stacks
- did some splitting of roundels
- cut back some of the encroaching brambles around the shed
- moved the pile of machine cuttings from the path going up to the car park
- did a big sweep of bracken pulling across the reserve and up to the ne corner
- cut bracken on the track parallel with the m1 in ol2
- cut down and removed a dead leaning  pine from that track, and removed one lying across the track
- a dead birch near the bridge was threatening to shift part of a dam downstream of the bridge. It was cut to reduce these forces
- reptile count
- bagged up some bracken peat for perks

Observations:

- nice weather, but a bit windy
- adder under tin on south Heath
- 2 Dartford warblers on south Heath
- possible party of 12 ravens
- discussed pony situation
- plenty of slow worms
- David w taking a wedge for reducing the angle of attack


Martin

Tuesday, 30th July 2019 ... Weekly Volunteers

Present:

John, John b, Pat, Ray, Mike p, Jonathan, Keith, Bob, David w, Ian, and Martin

Mark mt was with us for log collecting

Activities:

- went to see the ex pregnant adder on south heath
- brought logs into the store to make space for new arrivals
- experimented with the new axe
- collected all birch and chestnut logs from the cross roads, and stacked up
- collected majority of birch by stony pond, and dumped as we were running out of time
- John and Pat did some bracken pulling
- Jonathan checked state of bracken in ol2
- Mike did various local tasks
- looked the cattle

Observations:

- Yellow rattle is agrimony
- Swt pony strategy discussed


Martin

Tuesday, 23rd July 2019 ... Weekly Volunteers

Present:

John plus two grandsons, John b, Keith, Mark, Ray, Mike p, Pat, Alan, Bernard, David w, Ian, Jonathan and Martin

Activities:

- looked the ponies and cattle
- pond work on level and high ponds
- oiled various gates locks
- watered some of the cherries
- watered the hornbeam
- did a search for silver studded blues. Nothing
- took down the owl nest box along the m1
- exposed the 'tennis nets' around the badger sett
- checked the new barn owl nest box
- checked the car park for variegated archangel. Nothing.
- cleaned the main trough
- collected bags of dung from the cricket pitch
- checked and mended most of the problem fence posts on south Heath
- checked bracken in ol2
- pulled out some small ragwort behind the cottages


Observations:

- basically too hot to do any major work
- so mostly small easy jobs
- plenty of butterflies and dragon flies
- hobby
- j's grandsons had a great time.  No leeches found.
- exhibited the coachmaker's axe.  We are determined to try out for real soon
- frog and tadpole at level pond


Martin

Tuesday, 16th July 2019 ... Weekly Volunteers

Present:

John, Mike m, Mike p, Ray, Pat, Alan, Paul, Harvey ( friend of Paul), David a, Mark, Ian, Stuart, Jonathan, Bernard, Keith, Bob, and Martin

Activities:

- looked the ponies and the cattle
- GPS plotted the area for felling between the m1 and the slope, and cut bracken along its boundary
- checked the fencing on south Heath, and did some post replacements.  A little work still to be done
- watered the cherries, with ferrying containers from the south Heath water trough, which was also cleaned
- watered the hornbeams, and left the bucket in the stream for the future
- bracken pulling along the top and down
- put up the new barn owl nest box near the quarry


Observations:

- nice, but hot weather
- Dartford, whitethroat
- keeled skimmers
- Hobby
- coachmaker axe looking good
- Pat's birthday

Martin

Tuesday, 9th July 2019 ... Weekly Volunteers

Present:

Ian, Mike m, Mike p, Ray, Keith, John, Paul, Bernard, David a, David w, Stuart, and Martin

Activities:

- bracken pulling down stream side and then up to crossroads

- cut down the chestnut trunks that had twisted down to the ground, taking them off the fence and making safe.  Spread the smaller branches out for the cattle to nibble

- split some of the larger logs

- looked the cattle and ponies

- checked and mended the central fence, before closing all the gates and keeping the cattle and ponies on the cricket pitch side of the reserve.

- checked out the barn owl site for the new box Keith has made

- scythed the edges of the path up to the car park

Observations:

- quite hot weather

- one of the padlocks was stuck, and maybe all need some oil. Managed after some sweat

- 2 kestrels

- plenty of ringlets

- Ravens

- bullfinches

- Ray has new driver

- Keith has coachmaker's axe head for cleaning and sharpening

Martin

Tuesday, 2nd July 2019 ... Weekly Volunteers

Present:

John, John b, Ray, Mark, David w, Ian, Terry, Keith, Bob, Pat, Jonathan, Bernard, Mike p, Paul, David a and Martin

Activities:

- looked the ponies and 13 of the cattle.  The remaining 7 cattle were not spotted

- big sweep across the reserve for bracken, and down to the stream

- some pine pulling on triangle in front of chalet

- located a site for future owl nest box

- pulled bracken in the quarry

- watered the whips around the tool store

- mapped on gps the trees marked for this years cutting for the cut to the causeway and the cut across owl wood

- cut bracken on the first part of the ol1 bird count route

- put fence posts around hornbeams, to stop cattle knocking them over

Observations

- discussed if there was a problem with Mike P's blue tags

- good weather, perhaps a bit too hot

- Raven

- recovered dead dragonfly, killed by freak accident with sedge stem.  Nobody reporting safety issues

Martin

Tuesday, 25th June 2019 ... Weekly Volunteers

Present:

John, John b, Stuart, Ray, Ian, Mike m, Terry, David a, David w, Keith and Martin

Activities:

- looked the ponies and cattle

- bracken pulling along the top and down to stoney pond

- pine and birch pulling in the triangle in front of the chalet box

- putting up three mended nest boxes

- checked the reptile tins

- checked out fallen tree at the crossroads

- spoke to new estate manager at old lodge and got permissions for conservation work in ol1 and ol2

- rechecked the yellow variegated archangel in the car park, and had to dig out about ten newly spotted bits.

Observations:

- weather hot and humid.  Not nice working conditions

- plenty of dragonflies, including emperors, golden ringed, broad bodied, large red, azure

- plenty of orchids

- couple of adders

- missel thrushes, Stonechats, blackcaps, woodlarks, tree pipits, tree creepers, 

- painted ladies, meadow Brown's, large skippers, holly blue

- broad bodied chasers laying in south Heath pond

Martin

Tuesday, 18th June 2019 ... Weekly Volunteers

Present:

John, John b, Keith, Ian, Mike m, Mike p, Ray, Pat, Alan, Mark, David w, Terry and Martin

Activities:

- looked the ponies and cattle, with difficulty

- bracken pulling across the centre

- nestbox count at the beginning and end of the normal route

- trimming back bramble around the tool store, pulling ragwort along the road and around the cottages

- took down three nestboxes for repair

Observations:

- weather threatening rain, but really not a worry.  Had coffee and lunch at the tool store

- Ian and Mike produced goodies

- Bob has hurt his back

- lizard and colourful caterpillars near or on the common figwort

- no ticks last week

Martin

Tuesday, 11th June 2019 ... Weekly Volunteers

Present:

Mike m, David a, John, John b, Keith, Pat, Stuart, Paul, Terry, David w, and Martin

Activities:

- looked the ponies and cattle

- bracken pulling over large area both sides of the stream, including work on the plateau.  Some birch also pulled up

- put up markers for the bracken sprayers to keep the badger sett safe

- tried out splitting the birch logs near the crossroads, with little success

- inspected the state of the pond up the stream after the recent heavy rains. Mostly fine, but some work clearly necessary

Observations:

- dry, not much wind, but not very warm

- nightjar flushed during bracken work

- found barn owl feather near the quarry

- orchid out near the crossroads

- some dragonflies about

- is pied wagtail breeding at cottages?

- probably 16 odd longtail tits there as well

Martin

Tuesday, 4th June 2019 ... Weekly Volunteers

Present:

John, Jonathan, Pat, Alan, David a, Mike m, Mike p, Mark, Paul, Bernard, Keith, Terry and Martin

Activities:

- pulled bracken on south Heath

- cut bracken on path up to the car park

- looked the ponies and cattle

- watered the cherries and hornbeam

Observations:

- horrid wet and windy weather.  Just about OK up to coffee.  

- only the hardy stayed on to lunch and afternoon

- some plants exchanged

Martin

Tuesday, 28th May 2019 ... Weekly Volunteers

Present:

Jonathan, Mark,Ian, Mike p,Terry, Bernard,Pat, David a, Paul, John b, and Martin

Activities:

- looked ponies and cattle

- nestbox survey

- watered cherries

- mended odd stake on tubes

- watered hornbeams

- cut bracken along paths in ol2

- filled water containers from south heath trough

Observations:

- cattle being very difficult to find.  Eventually 8 by stoney pond and 12 near causeway

- reasonable weather.  Odd spot of rain after lunch

- helped visitor watch a redstart nest box

Martin

Tuesday, 21st May 2019 ... Weekly Volunteers

Present:

John b, Ian, Mike m, Mike p, Barnard, Ray, Pat, Alan, David a, Paul, David w, Stuart, Terry,  Bob, and Martin

Activities:

- looked the ponies and cows.  Cows difficult.

- did some rework at the crossroads gryppe and the pond at the bottom of South Heath. Filling in unneeded drainage channels.

- constructed new small berm at one point in stream to raise level of water in a naturally formed canyon

- tried to mend dam above thirteenth pond.  May need more attention

- final tidy up of arisings from the ditch work, making a pile at the new bonfire site near the nest box on south Heath nearest the road

- some bracken peat dig for perks

- some bracken cutting either side of central fence

- a little bit of pond weed dragging, piles left near edge and restricted to at most one third of edge.

- a small amount of bracken pulling along the top.  Very little to do.

- checked for three cornered leek.  Nothing.

Observations:

- pretty nice day

- redstarts, woodlarks, tree pipits

- adder on the road near small gate

- Two Dartford warblers on south Heath

- buzzards, Raven, cuckoo

- a hobby reported

- Ray had birthday binge of cakes

- discussed watering tubes

- green hairstreak, small copper, small Heath

- dragonflies about, including four spot chaser, 

Large red damsel fly

Martin

Tuesday, 14th May 2019 ... Weekly Volunteers

Present:

John b, Mike p, Mike m, Ian, David w, Paul, Stuart, Jonathan, Pat, Alan, Mark, Ray, Bernard, Terry, Keith, David a, and Martin

Activities:

- looked the ponies

- carefully cleared variegated yellow archangel from one spot in the car park.  Source was found to be a pile of garden waste that had been fly-tipped.  Three half buckets taken to tractor shed for long term storage until totally dry and dead.

- nest box survey

- final bout of ditch work. Mike has cleared up last piles on south Heath for future bonfire

- replaced stake on a hornbeam sapling tube

- partially filled in one grille, and dammed the outflow after the Irish bridge beneath the bench

- some bracken cutting along the top

Observations:

- Dartford on south Heath

- bog beacon everywhere

- weather OK

- another break in at the car park.  A van at lunch time.  Some correspondence since with Swt

- mark has left some feed for the ponies

- garden warbler in car park

- various young plants exchanged hands in the shop

Martin