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