Ice crystals

Ice crystal a
Originally uploaded by bowsawblogger

Teasel frosted seed head

Teasel frosted seed head
Originally uploaded by bowsawblogger

Today we continued to clear loversall bank and open up the area to let in more light

We had a new starter in the form of another new deal person. Only one volunteer came out for volunteer day, but there had been a hard frost on top of the snow as well as the time of year. In the early evening we set to bagging up birdseed as the cold spell had resulted in a run on it and the shop had run out.

Smile

Smile
Originally uploaded by bowsawblogger

some one left this on a gate, so i snapped it

Snow on the ground and fewer volunteer s’ are to be found

Ok so the title might be seen as a bit harsh.  It is a few day before Christmas and the there also happens to be snow on the ground.

Iced over pond in the morning 

The morning started clear and bright, after scrapping off the snow from the car and sliding onto the road from the drive and heading down a empty motorway and fun long walk down a black ice capped access road to the mess room. 

The icy access road

The path outside the café was also equally iced over and with a limited amount of rock salt, spades were first used to chip off the ice layer before salting.

Frozen seed head

It then turned out that the access road needed to be taken on again this time armed with tools to clear up and make tidy piles the lower branches of trees lining the mother drain, to allow the internal drainage board access to dredge.   

Iced over pond in the afternoon, covered in fresh snow

 With most of the job completed ( a little was saved for the jobs fund people to do tomorrow) it was time for a late lunch and the volunteers Christmas party.  As party time drew near i made my excuses and left as a heavy snow fall started and after checking on the status at home I decided to make tracks in the falling snow and get home.

Boats locked in ice on Selby canal

After the coldest night in 20 years in the area

Icicles behind the café

After taking off a few inches of snow from the car and breaking through the ice holding the locks shut, it was a nice sunny drive to Doncaster.

Frozen for freshness

Swans on the ice by the reserve entrance

The night had been the coldest in over 20 years for the area and the day did not warm above zero degrees Celsius.   Due to the cold I was wrapped up in salopettes and a ski jacket to keep out the cold.  Due to the cold nature of the day i put out extra rations at the feeding station and watched as a pair of swans slide over the ice to try and get some grain.

Snow caped thistle

After trying to complete a tool shed inventory check, but disbanding due to the cold affecting the lighting and making it to dark to see inside the container it was time to check on the sheep.  They were in the furthest section of the field and to ensure their welfare it meant jumping the fence and walking round to that section of the field.  A head count and ensuring no lameness later I continued my walk round the site. 

Dear Santa Chinese lantern

 

Oak tree

It was a very scenic if cold day for walking as all the ponds had iced over during the night and though this limited the amount of life on the ponds it did provide a different backdrop and some interesting ice patterns to look at.  Whilst walking round I chatted with visitors and checked for any vandalism to the hides.

There was no further progress on the removal of the regeneration today as I did not fancy being on my knees on a sub zero day, that had resulted in all the access points to the compound freezing shut and needing forcing to gain entry.

 

Mighty oak

Mighty oak
Originally uploaded by bowsawblogger

Swans ice skating

Swans ice skating
Originally uploaded by bowsawblogger

On a cold saterday morning, swans making their way to the feeding station

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 16/12/09

Counting sheep out in the rain

 

Candle Snuff Fungus - Xylaria hypoxylon 

We once again set to work clearing the embankment of scrub (so no long waffle update). 

Yellow Brain Fungus - Tremella mesenterica 

 

Rain streaming off a tree trunk

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

Delayed update from 10th December

Rush seed head

It turned out that on the 8^th when i slipped on the old railway embankment we were working on, i managed to sustain a injury to my ribs.  As the days went on and the pain grew I decided it was time to find out what I had done.  After a visit to the doctor on the 11^th it turned out I had sustained bad bruising to my ribs and it was going to take some time to heal.  For the day or so after the fall there was nothing, then suddenly the pain started and as it turns out with rib trauma the pain continued to get worse for a number of days.

Before the reeds were cleared      

 After clearing

The day was spent cutting back the phragmites reed beds that lined two channel in front of a hide.  The idea is to cut back a margin, so as to improve the habitat for bitterns.   Any regeneration of willow that could be observed was cut back to ground level with loppers and the phragmites reeds cut with a strimmer.  The cut reed was discreetly pilled up out of sight in a number of heaps to rot down.

Oak tree

ice on the spout in the garden

photo.jpg
Originally uploaded by bowsawblogger

Three blind mice

The forecasted rain did not show up and the day was warm enough to work in tee shirts and to eat lunch sat outside.

Volunteers working hard

The morning started with having to help offload a chest freezer from a wagon and put it into the back of the café.  Then followed a day with the volunteer’s scrub bashing with a strimmer and taking larger trees out with a chainsaw and smaller branches with bow saws to open up a path area to let in more light.  The management plan for the area sets out that each year 10% of tree growth is removed to keep the area open and a good butterfly habitat.  The felled timber and strimmed scrub was piled up down the side of the old railway embankment to root down.

Oak galls

As the light started to fail it was time to be taught how to set up the tractor to cut grass with the mower adapter for the back.   When the container where the mower is kept was opened up three field mice that had set up home in their gingerly made their way out after the door had been opened.

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.

Tractor school

The day started off very wet with heavy rain, by the time the days volunteers had gathered at the mess room it was decided that we would carry out the monthly hide inspection and tidy up.

A Robin

All the hides on the reserve had to be checked for the correct signage, any vandalism and any rubbish removed.

Web in a hide

After lunch when the volunteers had left it was time for me to undergo some tractor training.  This involved learning how to carry out the pre checks, basic maintenance and then onto the driving. 

The tractor

Once the basic operating the thing forwards and backwards at the various speeds had been carried out it was time to hook up a trailer and learn to trailer reverse.  The lesson ended by learning how to operate the front bucket and load and then tip the trailer.

Sundown over the reeds

A mixed bag to pass the day

The day started nice and sunny and soon warmed up to tee shirt temperature.

The long access road to the mess room

Once the feeders outside the feeding station hide had been topped up, the next task was to ensure the hebridean sheep were ok and not stuck in the brambles. 

Railway lines cross the site at many points

On the Sunday there is a planned event for children that require willow stems to be used to make Christmas shapes.  So with a pair of loppers in hand it was off to the far side of the reserve where some willows had been cut the previous year and would provide a suitable size and number of stems for use by the education team.  A peanut sack of stems later it was off back to the mess room.  On the way back i found a pair of lost binoculars at the side of the path and chatted with a chap that had just taken some very good bittern snaps. 

The mother drain that provides water for the ponds

 

Peanut sack of willow cuttings

After a quick lunch break it was onto tidying up some more of the weeks vista opening site and placing the cut stems into a pile and selecting larger stems to at a later date chip for path material.

A very tidy scrub heap

Vista

Today was another wet drizzly start to the day. The rain had soon cleared by the time we got to the work site that was close by where we had work for the last few days. The morning was spent removing willow and elderberry trees to open up a view onto a pond and let light onto the meadow grass. All thorn bushes were left behind to provide a site for nesting birds as well as the winter berries.

Drizzle caught in a silver birch

The wood was graded into that suitable to be chipped and turned into path material and the rest was piled up to rot in piles and provide a beneficial habitat. The wood for chipping was loaded into the tractor trailer and returned to the compound for chipping at a later date.

The three amigos

The afternoon was dedicated to a staff meeting, of which the highlight was working out the staffing level for the remainder of December and into the New Year.