S
ome of the wildlife I photographed on a visit to the Orchard on Friday.
Month: July 2013
Eels in alder pond
There appear to be two eels in the remnants of the water in Alder pond. Although we had rain yesterday and more is forecast there is very little there. Does anyone have any ideas as to what could be done?
In Flower in the Orchard
A walk around the Orchard and Pads footpath this afternoon and noted the following in flower:
Honeysuckle, red dead nettle, great rosebay, herb robert, cranes bill, nipple wort, angelica, bramble, common vetch, brown knapweed, burdock, meadowsweet, loosestrife, self heal (over the fence in the Big Meadow), chamomile, greater plantain, foxglove, cow parsley, ragwort, red campion.
Volunteer session 13th July 2013
Only five volunteers attended the monthly volunteer session on a hot and sunny morning.
- We mowed all the grass paths in the Orchard.
- We strimmed the area in front of the fruit hedge to allow access to the fruit bushes.
- We also strimmed around the log slices as a party of children are coming next week.
- Graffiti was sanded from a bench on the Fauna path but unfortunately the battery ran out before the job was complete. I hope this means it was not fully charged but we will have to experiment.
- Overhanging branches were pruned back on the lane to Edenbreck Cottage and throughout the Orchard
- Grass around the stumps was trimmed.
- Ragwort was g dug out from the Paddock, not nearly as much as I had hoped.
So a productive morning despite shortage of people.
Ken’s little helpers
Here is ken ragworting in the Big Meadow bog with assistance
Hay time in the new field
More photos of todays outing with the camera on the Picasa site.
Great to hear that the Dagonfly are around hoping to photograph some tomorrow when I visit the area.. great photo of the Linnet by the way….
Linnet and Housemartins
Couple of recent sightings from Philip:
Linnet seen nesting with young, in hedgerow on path leading to Orchard:
Also, very large flock of Housemartins seen in Flora last week in June.
Thanks Philip!
Here be dragons
In dragonfly news: there was a black-tailed skimmer on the reserve today and a brown hawker was hunting around the Orchard.
Volunteering 13th July and MORE!
Hello Orchardeers
First of all an apology. Jonathan is on holiday and has not been available to enhance the rather sparse outline I send to him of what we plan for volunteering. So for one month only (I hope) a bare bones appeal for you to come and help
On Saturday 13th July there will be a volunteer session in the Fairfield Orchard, Fauna and Flora starting at 10am and finishing around 1pm. If three hours seems a bit daunting come along for as long as you wish. Help from all abilities is valued and we will try to find something just for you. Our main tasks are:
a) Mow the grass
b) Strim around a section of the fruit trees and in front of the fruit hedge
c) Cutting and slashing long grass around the fruit trees
d) Digging out ragwort along the Pads footpath, the Fauna path and in the Paddock
e) Another goat willow has cast one its major boughs which needs clearing
f) A quince shrub is being enveloped and needs the ground around it clearing.
As well as this regular session we need to turn to ragwort control once more. I will be organising ragwort working parties from week beginning Monday the 8th of July. These will involve some spot spraying and rather a lot of digging out in the hay meadows and rush areas. The sessions will be both day and evening and weekday / weekend. So if you can lend a hand please let me know your availability on the address / number below.
Finally, on Thursday July 25th we have a group of international students coming along with Green Lancaster, I am not sure of the timing yet but if anyone can help out co-ordinating their efforts I will appreciate. Again please let me know on:
or
07811970595
Many thanks
Ian Procter