|
|
|
|
 Weasel at the Trap Grounds (photo by Nicola Divine, Friends of the Trap Grounds)
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Frogs mating in the big pond (Photo courtesy of the Friends of the Trap Grounds)
|
| |
|
 Rebuilding the vandalised bird hide
|
|
|
|
|
 Photo by Nicola Devine (Friends of the Trap Grounds)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
 Treecreeper at the Trap Grounds. Photo by Nicola Devine (thanks to The Friends of Trap Grounds)
|
 Kingfisher at the Trap Grounds. Photo by Nicola Devine (thanks to The Friends of Trap Grounds)
|
|
|
 Path dug out and lined, ready for gravel.
|
 Finished path - much better access to this lovely reserve.
|
|
 Another completed section.
|
 Rightly proud fencers.
|
 At the end of the day - digging holes ready trees to be planted.
|
 A local resident tweets their approval.
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
 Planting an assortment of saplings: oak, alder, birch, holly, black poplar, cherry
|
 A kingfisher perch and the waders used to install it
|
|
|
 Discussing Chomsky whilst eating lunch
|
 Discussing Chomsky, a different point of view
|
 Clearing junk and digging holes for saplings
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Mary's bonfire
|
|
|
 The dismembered willow
|
|
|
 The newly dug channel in the red bed
|
|
|
|
 (Thanks to Allan Allport)
|
 One of the three bonfires (Thanks to Alan Allport)
|
| |
|
 Building a temporary bridge (Photo courtesy of Alan Allport, Friends of the Trap Grounds)
|
 Removing a rusting chassis from Heron Swamp
|
|
|
 Building a barricade by the bird hide
|
 The plan is to divert the footpath...
|
 ...so that birds have a space to nest close to the pond
|
 Tea break
|
 The bird hide becomes a temporary kitchen.
|
|
|
|
|
 The finished repair to the bird hide
|
|
| |
|
 Planting shrubs to help protect the Kingfisher bank (Courtesy of Alan Allport, Friends of The Trap Grounds)
|
 Tea break (Courtesy of Alan Allport, Friends of The Trap Grounds)
|
|
|
 Today we're helping the Friends of the Trap Grounds once again.
|
 The main lake is in danger of filling entirely with reeds, so we're clearing some out.
|
 Testing the waters.
|
 It's a bit deep, we're going to need a boat.
|
 Work starts on dredging the shallower areas.
|
 The aim is to drag the reed rhizomes from the lake bottom.
|
 The piles of reed make great hibernacula for reptile, amphibians and invertebrates.
|
 Borrowing a useful little boat makes it easier ...
|
 ... to dredge the centre of the lake ...
|
 ... and to dredge from the far bank.
|
 A boat load of reeds.
|
 The chest waders were a great help.
|
 After a lot of dredging ...
|
 ... the lake now has a better chance of surviving, with a substantial area of clear water.
|
|
|
 Since our last visit the Kingfisher bank shuttering has been backfilled with earth...
|
 ... and an attractive pond excavated by digger.
|
 The sides of the pond are however a bit regular and steep ...
|
 ... so we're helping the Friends in landscaping the pond's perimeter.
|
 We start digging a shallow bay at the north end of the pond.
|
 Elsewhere on the site two intrepid volunteers disappear into the undergrowth ...
|
 ... in order to clear the stream that feeds the main lake.
|
 The stream has become clogged with silt and sticks and needs dredging ...
|
 ... using long-handled forks called cromes.
|
 Back at the pond the landscaping continues.
|
 There's a lot of heavy clay to shift ...
|
 ... but the pond's edges are gradually transformed ...
|
 .. the sides of the pond are now terraced ...
|
 ... and once the water level has risen, the north end will have a shallow inlet ...
|
 ... and a perch, with space for several Kingfishers.
|
|
 We're helping the Friends build a Kingfisher bank
|
 Area in front will be dug out to make a deep pond, the soil will be used to make a near vertical bank
|
 Today's task is to put up temporary shuttering to support the soil until it has stabilised
|
 Shuttering to be supported by long posts
|
 Temporary shuttering made from recycled pallets
|
 Local resident, a sparrowhawk fledgling, looks on with interest. Do sparrowhawks eat kingfishers?
|
 Driving in the posts
|
 Adjusting the angle, the bank is designed to have a slight backwards slope
|
 Adding supporting struts and preparing turfs
|
 The shuttering is taking shape
|
 The turfs, kindly donated by Mobbs of Wheatley, are cut into thinner strips
|
 The turfs, stacked behind the shuttering, will form the front of the bank, and help to begin the stabilisation
|
 Tea break
|
 Close to completion
|
 A few more turfs to be cut ...
|
 ... a few more turfs to be barrowed ...
|
 ... and a few more turfs to be stacked
|
 Temporary shuttering from the soon to be deep pond
|
 Nearly ready for the digger to pile up the soil and make a Kingfisher bank
|
| |
|
 Measuring up our little bridge
|
 A beautifully warm sunny lunch just before the heavens opened
|
 Banging in the posts for the hand rail
|
 Stapling down the chicken wire for good grip
|
 The finished article.
|
|
|
 Bird hide construction
|
|
|
 View from the new bird hide
|
 The finished bird hide
|
 View from the bird hide
|
|
 The new OCV mini bus
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
 Magpie
|
|
|
| |
|
|
 Bench 1
|
 Bench 2
|
|
|
|
 Digging up brambles is fun!
|
 Taking a moment to contemplate the brambles
|
|
 Yes of course I can keep holding this for another 5 mins....hurry up!
|
 OCV carries out owl maintenance
|
| |
|
 Catherine from the Friends of the Trap Grounds
|
 Tidying up the tools at the end of the day
|
 Humph... not sure what this is?!?
|
 Our amazing habitat piles!
|
 The council van ready to go with mountains of rubbish
|
 The incredible pile of rubbish
|
 The council trailer fully loaded with rubbish and ready to go
|
 Tools talk
|
 Tea break
|
 Mike is proudly wearing his new ocv tshirt and has discovered a new way to make tea
|
 OCV volunteers are attacking the brambles!
|
 OCV volunteers building a habitat pile
|
 Council van
|
| |
