News update

It seems my last general news update was around the end of June and there is a lot to catch up on.Summer holidays are partly to blame for the lack of posts plus lots of other jobs on the "to do" list!
Here in chronological order are brief references to wildlife related activities.
All references to "field log" relate to a local private nature reserve for which I help in the management.

05.09.07:Field Log:Reported fly tipping in lane adjacent to field.

24.08.07:Field Log:As arranged hay cut and left on ground for a few days.This also cuts back any hedge suckers at the edge of the field. The hay was baled and removed a few days later.

23.08.07:Contact other Area Group Chairs re informal meeting


21.08.07:Field Log: another ragwort check prior to hay cut, some 15 plants removed. now virtually clear.

19.08.07:Field Log:walk about with visitors.

16.08.07:Field Log:reported fly tipping near by.

12.08.07:joined butterfly group walk. inspected moths caught in previous nights activity.

11.08.07:National moth night. somerset moth group with several lamps in local woods for major count. for more detail go their web site . click here


06.08.07:Field Log: visit by friends who keep rare breed sheep locally for discussion about introducing sheep grazing for field. very informative but my conclusion is that the problems for us outweigh the benefits so we will not be using sheep.

03.08.07:Field Log: write up log to cover last couple of weeks activities and conditions on field.

02.08.07:Field Log: visit to local bird expert to collect report on a survey he carried out on our field. contains thoughts on how to attract more bird activity. includes planting native trees and adding a pond. there are grants available for tree planting.

31.07.07:Field Log: visit to remove one or two large thistles and pull ragwort.checked marked position of bee orchids and inspected pyramidals which are nearly all finished flowering.

27.07.07:Field Log: problem of miniature motor bikes being run round field. made contact with youngster involved and asked for them to stop. good result so far.

24.07.07:Field Log: checked introduced wildflowers, some OK others seem to have perished. marbled white not so numerous this year it seems. weather not good. other butterflies seem OK. plenty of grass hoppers. pulled ragwort.

23.07.07:Field Log:reported local fly tipping to council.

22.07.07:Field Log:adjacent similar sized field hay baled and removed. talked to farmer and contractor for need to do same on our field.

18.07.07:Field Log:adjacent field hay cut. they had to spend an hour or so pulling ragwort first. good for us as it stops seed transfer to our field.

13.07.07:Field Log: report of small motor bikes on adjacent field.

12.07.07:Field Log: meeting of the management committee. general agreement on progress and planned actions.

11.07.07: Had to miss a workshop event run by SWT to review and debate the 2008-2012 strategy document but sent email comments instead.

09.07.07:Field Log:had organised a visit to our field of local councillors. Important to us to keep them informed about our aims for our field as a private nature reserve and our concerns about the future of the adjacent field. successful visit I think.

08.07.07:Field Log: organised team effort to walk over the field to remove ragwort.

07.07.07:Field Log: took small group of visitors to inspect field. had to avoid local miniature motor bikes again on adjacent field.

05.07.07:Field Log:attended parish council meeting to hear news of adjacent field. no news!

04.07.07: attended a meeting of local climate change group to hear talk about recycling well attended.

03.07.07:Field Log: telephone call to local councillors to invite visit to field.

02.07.07:Field Log: general inspection of field. some bee orchids still flowering.plenty of pyramidals in flower and looking good.
scabious,knapweed, bedstraw, alium and yellow rattle seen. seed collected from the latter to spread around later in the year. perimeter path now being well used.