The last few days have seen quite an emergence of butterflies.
I have seen
- the silver washed Fritillary again
- Peacock
- small tortoiseshell
- large white
- small white
- gatekeeper
- small heath
- holly blue
- small copper
- meadow brown
- red admiral
- large skippers
More surprising, I saw a mouse near the tool store. Maybe it has been pushed out of the cottage while it is being refurbished.
martin
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Thursday 14th July 2011 ... bracken spraying
I noted that the bracken spraying was being done on Thursday. This probably was the end of it for the year.
The areas covered included
- respraying much that was done last year
- the back along Reynard's way
- the edge of the wood near Gilly's house
- the new scrapes
- a bit along the east side of the stream near the bridge
They were all togged up in protective clothing, driving two landrovers.
The ponies are on South Heath which is good timing.
The weather was dry for sufficiently long, but maybe a little windy.
Martin
The areas covered included
- respraying much that was done last year
- the back along Reynard's way
- the edge of the wood near Gilly's house
- the new scrapes
- a bit along the east side of the stream near the bridge
They were all togged up in protective clothing, driving two landrovers.
The ponies are on South Heath which is good timing.
The weather was dry for sufficiently long, but maybe a little windy.
Martin
Friday, July 8, 2011
5th July 2011 ... weekly volunteers
Present:
John, Alan, Mike, David, Neil, Ron, Anthony, Keith and Martin
Activities:
- we were going to move the Ponies, but Monty cried off at the last moment because of transport problems. To be rearranged in two weeks time.
- basically bracken pulling and digging all the time, mostly along the top, and then down to the Island, and back along the path along the stream
- but dug out some reasonably sized birch and pine saplings as well.
- collected some more stones on Reynard's way for the road building on the M1. These are bagged up and left by the side of the path to be collected by car.
- Neil cleared the gutters on the tool store
- could not find the ponies :-(
Observations:
- Hobby flying above the bench
- Turtle dove heard calling again in the normal place.
- crossbills, redpolls and siskins
- swallows, gliding pheasant(?),
- emerald, emperors, brown chaser, azures and large reds
- cattle must now have gone. The corral has gone and there are signs of animals having been penned up for a bit. John saw them on the previous Sunday.
martin
John, Alan, Mike, David, Neil, Ron, Anthony, Keith and Martin
Activities:
- we were going to move the Ponies, but Monty cried off at the last moment because of transport problems. To be rearranged in two weeks time.
- basically bracken pulling and digging all the time, mostly along the top, and then down to the Island, and back along the path along the stream
- but dug out some reasonably sized birch and pine saplings as well.
- collected some more stones on Reynard's way for the road building on the M1. These are bagged up and left by the side of the path to be collected by car.
- Neil cleared the gutters on the tool store
- could not find the ponies :-(
Observations:
- Hobby flying above the bench
- Turtle dove heard calling again in the normal place.
- crossbills, redpolls and siskins
- swallows, gliding pheasant(?),
- emerald, emperors, brown chaser, azures and large reds
- cattle must now have gone. The corral has gone and there are signs of animals having been penned up for a bit. John saw them on the previous Sunday.
martin
Broad Bodies Chasers at Stony Pond
Keith has provided is photo of a pair of BB Chasers, which we saw on the bird count in June at Stony pond.
click on it to see it in Picasa and larger
martin
click on it to see it in Picasa and larger
martin
Monday, July 4, 2011
Large Emerald Moth .. July 1st 2011
Hi,
I was walking around the tool store, when I happened to notice a strange colour of green on some of the grass. Just a very small bit, say an inch by half an inch. It looked a little like the green fungus that can affect pine wood.
On closer inspection it was one of the front wings of a large emerald moth. Or should I say late moth.
Ah well.
There do seem to be plenty of butterflies emerging. Masses of Meadow browns, still some small heaths, green veined white, comma, red admiral, plenty of large skippers.
But no gatekeepers or second batch of blues yet.
martin
I was walking around the tool store, when I happened to notice a strange colour of green on some of the grass. Just a very small bit, say an inch by half an inch. It looked a little like the green fungus that can affect pine wood.
On closer inspection it was one of the front wings of a large emerald moth. Or should I say late moth.
Ah well.
There do seem to be plenty of butterflies emerging. Masses of Meadow browns, still some small heaths, green veined white, comma, red admiral, plenty of large skippers.
But no gatekeepers or second batch of blues yet.
martin
28th June 2011 ... weekly volunteers
Present:
John, Alan, Keith, Mike, Pat, Neil and Martin
Activities:
- went to the valley near the bridge, and pulled bracken, and dug up saplings, particularly in the stream itself.
- lookered the ponies sw of stream.
- after lunch did some more work on the terrible patch of birch opposite foresters cottage.
- shortly after thunder made us go the shortest route back to the tool store
Observations:
- very hot and sweaty in the morning
- just got back before the heavens opened
- woodlark singing again
- crossbills, siskins, redpolls
- turtle dove seen
- discussed collapsing pillow mounds, and wish to have archaeologist show us the finds on the reserve.
- Keith has mended the small 'pick axe. and martin a ragfork.
- Emerald dragon fly, plus azures, common darter and large reds
- john saw cattle on Sunday. Corral still there.
martin
John, Alan, Keith, Mike, Pat, Neil and Martin
Activities:
- went to the valley near the bridge, and pulled bracken, and dug up saplings, particularly in the stream itself.
- lookered the ponies sw of stream.
- after lunch did some more work on the terrible patch of birch opposite foresters cottage.
- shortly after thunder made us go the shortest route back to the tool store
Observations:
- very hot and sweaty in the morning
- just got back before the heavens opened
- woodlark singing again
- crossbills, siskins, redpolls
- turtle dove seen
- discussed collapsing pillow mounds, and wish to have archaeologist show us the finds on the reserve.
- Keith has mended the small 'pick axe. and martin a ragfork.
- Emerald dragon fly, plus azures, common darter and large reds
- john saw cattle on Sunday. Corral still there.
martin
21st June 2011 ... weekly volunteers
Present:
John, Neil, Pat, Lee, Alan, Anthony, Keith, Mike, David and Martin
Activities:
- started near the tool store as rain threatened.
- ragwort and saplings in the area of the tool store dug up
- more bracken digging on south heath
- moved a lot of north most wood pile into the tractor shed
- tried out the new two handed saws. The asymmetric one needs the points set further apart.
- split into two groups after coffee
- one went to the m1 to inspect how the road works are operating. Tings look fine, and we did a little more work at various places. Then joined the others.
- lookered the ponies near reynard's way.
- The others went to the area near the bench, clearing bracken, saplings, including any regrowth of birch that had been loppered.
- After lunch continued same.
observations:
- corral at the roller stand makes it look as if the cattle may be moving
- extra padlock on the gate, which is potentially a security worry
- had a look at the sundews, bog-asphodel, and bog cotton.
Martin
John, Neil, Pat, Lee, Alan, Anthony, Keith, Mike, David and Martin
Activities:
- started near the tool store as rain threatened.
- ragwort and saplings in the area of the tool store dug up
- more bracken digging on south heath
- moved a lot of north most wood pile into the tractor shed
- tried out the new two handed saws. The asymmetric one needs the points set further apart.
- split into two groups after coffee
- one went to the m1 to inspect how the road works are operating. Tings look fine, and we did a little more work at various places. Then joined the others.
- lookered the ponies near reynard's way.
- The others went to the area near the bench, clearing bracken, saplings, including any regrowth of birch that had been loppered.
- After lunch continued same.
observations:
- corral at the roller stand makes it look as if the cattle may be moving
- extra padlock on the gate, which is potentially a security worry
- had a look at the sundews, bog-asphodel, and bog cotton.
Martin
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