Bang and the alders gone - 17/12/09

Every one else had thursday off apart from me so i did a number of smaller tasks.

The day started with making sure the feeding point was stocked up, with nuts and grains.

Grey squirrel has some peanuts, with a pheasant in the background

 

Woodpecker on the feeder

 Swans eating grain

  

Rat coming out for some feed

 

Old mans beard

There was an area of scrub clearance that had started to regenerate along the mother drain.  I was left the task of removing this alder regrowth with loppers.  Whilst clearing the area the wind suddenly picked up and a heavy snow shower started, fortunately most of the area had been cleared and I retreated into the warmth.

 

Alder regeneration before clearance

 

Bang and the alders gone

 

Cold coffee any one?

Delayed from 15/12/2009

We were back on the old embankment that resulted to the bruised ribs.  Again we were removing willow and silver birch trees and leaving the oak and thorn bushes to allow more light onto the grass land at the side of the embankment.  As it was volunteer day we managed to get a fair amount done.

An example of willow carr

In the afternoon I had to check on the sheep and ensure no lameness and all accounted for, as well as cutting out the bits required to make a hanging bird feeding platform.  They were to be assembled at a later date as part of an activity day.

Old set of railway wheels at the base of the embankment

Feeding time

The morning started dry and was pleasant enough to eat outside.  Whilst having lunch a yellow lady bird landed on me.  Thos is a sign of how mild the autumn has been if things like this are still awake and active.  Though this did not last and after lunch the heavens opened and a prolonged downpour ensued.

loaded trailer awaiting emptying

The day started with me showing one of the new deal workers how to go about feeding the birds in front of the activity centre hide.  Though the task its self is as simple as putting peanuts and seed out on feeding platforms and on the ground there are also holes drilled into the support legs that fat balls are rubbed into, as well as the etiquette of first checking the hide for visitors before walking in front and possibly scaring off a sighting.

Log pile awaiting to be chipped for path laying

The task for the reminder of the day was taking down a few willow trees and then loading the branches into the back of the tractor trailer and taking back to the compound for chipping later.  The smaller twiggy branches were piled up to rot close to where the trees were felled.

A couple of branches and a few trees also came down near to the activity centre as they were in a position that was making it difficult to get the tractor though.

A wet day in a wet meadow

After a drizzly start to the day the Sunday volunteers headed out to rake up grass cuttings. 
while unlocking for the day I had the luck to view a stoat at under 10 meters.
By the time we arrived in the wet meadow the day had brightened up and the rain had eased off. But this turned out to be the low before the storm, after we had racked up and pilled the biomass up out the way on the side of a hill to root the heavens opened.  Out of nowhere a black cloud came over and dumped a huge amount of water that quickly caused gloved to have to be wrung out.   

A heavy shower

After a break for lunch and the majority of volunteers heading home, the afternoon entailed visiting the hides and putting up event posters and drilling birch logs to make fat ball feeders for sale in the shop.

 Feeder logs