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The recent dry days have had a marked impact on the reserve and at last it is drying and firming up after a horrendous wet winter. The first bluebells are beginning to flower and give it another week and there should be carpets of bluebells to be seen. The first butterfly transect of this year was walked, but on too cold a day, when only three were seen. Just a little more sun with warmer days and they will be there to be seen, and counted.
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What a good day Tuesday turned out to be. Seven of us working, for once, in the dry and with a warm sun, when the wind wasnt blowing! Ok the ground was still very very wet and soft underfoot. But when you are cutting down sapling willow and birch that didnt seem to matter. Judging by the four big piles of brash we created there was a lot of work done. All in good humour, collaboratively working together. Then the satisfaction of looking back to see the area re-opened up, expanding the rich open habitat and knowing you have done something worthwhile. Made a difference.
Never seen the reserve so wet, so much standing water so many new streams flowing. On Tuesday 12th March, despite this wet and a slight drizzle during most of the day, undeterred, the primary task of raking up the windrows was more or less completed. This proved to be relatively easy and worthwhile doing. Under a thick mat of decayed bracken the spring flowers were struggling to find the light. Meanwhile other hands were cutting down birch and willows saplings that were encroaching on what should be open ground. Looking back so satisfying to see the spaces opened up. All that is needed now is a chainsaw to trim down some of the thick stems that defied the bow-saws.
Just a small group of us endured a day of light drizzle on Tuesday 13th. Having previously dried out and was firming up nicely, the reserve reverted to wet and soft going as I have ever experienced.
Despite that we cleared beside the bridge so the ponies could use the stream crossing rather than the narrow bridge the grazier was concerned about. Then back to "drier" ground to complete the haloing around two splendid veteran, edging to ancient, oak trees. Down by the track it was a very slippery mudbath. So tired, wet, very muddy but with the glow of satisfaction of a job well done and completed! A small group turned out on Tuesday 9th Jan, the weather was dry all day, made a nice change! There was an icy cold wind blowing but once we got working we quickly warmed up, helped by the bonefire after teabreak. Taking down the two twinned stemmed silver birch proved to be an all day task. Yet there was time to remove the last small clumps of bramble and get stuck into the reed clumps. So long as you didnt cut too deep they responded easily to the scythe. Wasnt able to clear all the area. Time now to watch how it responds to cutting and whether the ponies will enjoy the fresh young growth.
Last Tuesday was great having 6 pairs of hands all lent to the task. Despite a couple of showers the day went well, tiring, damp and the work was harder than first looked. The bramble was low but all entangled which made it hard going. Surprising what a little determination can get you through. All the available brash and cut wood was cold and wet so it was a struggle to get the fire started. Again determination won through and after a late start all the brash was burnt even though it meant staying on a tad after then 'official' end of day. Looking back at the cleared area was as ever very rewarding. So a big thanks to those willing hands!
On November 29th the NCV work party came to the same part to carry on clearing the dense patches of bramble in those immediate surrounds. They also used a 2man saw to take down the stems that had to be left and then finished of clearing the tangled bramble/branch clumps. It was not easy work with the bracken and huge piles of brash resulted. Eventually the fire got going and in a surprisingly short time the brash was all burnt. The, now four, ponies found it irresistible to watch and taste whatever was going on! Well done to all the NCV volunteers that made a huge difference to this special area. Regarded by Natural England as "outstanding neutral grassland".
The Task Day on the 14th November was challenging in all respects. Frequent showers, some heavy with just fleeting glimpses of sun to cheer us up. The entwined tree stems tangled up in very old bramble were very difficult to get into to cut and then remove. The high gusty winds meant we couldn't burn as was planned. Then there were the two ponies that just wouldn't leave us, our bags, our tools alone! Our new volunteer for the day was undeterred and got stuck in. We cut, dragged, trimmed then stacked locally and by the end of a sodden day we had largely completed the task. During the next NCV workday here on the 29th, I expect to be able to tidy-up and finish off this task.
Six of us met up on Saturday 11th November in Shutes to look for Brown Hairstreak eggs on the young blackthorn. The egg Anna had found was gone, presumably eaten. The search was wide ranging, encouraged that with one egg there must surely be more to be found. By the end of the morning five other eggs were seen spread around in various locations. This is encouraging that we are providing the right blackthorn habitat for them.
Tuesday 14th November is our next task day where we will meet up again at Shutes Farmhouse, far end of Underhill Lane for 9:30. We are excited because this year we have already found one Brown Hairstreak egg, unlike the last two years. There will be an egg hunt, weather permitting, shortly, when we hope we might find more of these eggs. The task for the day is to cutdown an old Blackthorn tree which is tangled in bramble. Not an easy task, but with snips here and there it will yield. This butterfly, which we want to encourage, prefers young new blackthorn shoots for its eggs. So this work is important. We hope to burn whatever is cut down.
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AuthorHon Warden of the Butterfly Reserve Archives
April 2024
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