POND WORKING WEEKEND
20/11/11 15:04 Filed in: Management
Over this weekend the Steyning Downland Scheme instigated a scheme of work designed to improve the habitat in & around the Upper Pond. This pond has been neglected for many years & has become overgrown with trees & scrub creating a rather dark environment. This pond, originally made to service the needs of Court Mill on the outskirts of Steyning, is fed by a unique and valuable chalk stream fed by numerous springs upstream. Our plan is leave this habitat untouched and concentrate our efforts on letting more air & light into the area immediately around the pond thus encouraging more vegetation & wildlife generally. This will be done over some time to enable us to monitor the results.(More information about the ponds can be found here)
Our intrepid & eager volunteers gathered together on a beautiful Saturday morning. Our success was dependent on the generosity of Nick Hall who gave up his weekend to perform heroic feats with his chainsaw creating huge amounts of wood & brash for the group to clear away, burn and tidy up. Obviously working around water meant that we all ended up damp & muddy, especially Nick, whose boots soon filled up!
Sunday morning dawned dull & misty & we did not see the sun all day, depriving us of the sight of sunlight streaming into our newly opened up pond. We did, however, spot a Grey Wagtail bobbing around the pond until it was frightened off by the roar of the saw! The Kelly Kettle was fired up, tea was brewed, cake was eaten and a grand time was had by all. We ended the day, as dusk fell, gathered around the remnants of the fire taking a well-earned rest before packing up and going home.
Many many thanks to Helen, Debbie, Ole, Tim, Rupert, Robin, Sally, Dave, Pete & Nick.
Our intrepid & eager volunteers gathered together on a beautiful Saturday morning. Our success was dependent on the generosity of Nick Hall who gave up his weekend to perform heroic feats with his chainsaw creating huge amounts of wood & brash for the group to clear away, burn and tidy up. Obviously working around water meant that we all ended up damp & muddy, especially Nick, whose boots soon filled up!
Sunday morning dawned dull & misty & we did not see the sun all day, depriving us of the sight of sunlight streaming into our newly opened up pond. We did, however, spot a Grey Wagtail bobbing around the pond until it was frightened off by the roar of the saw! The Kelly Kettle was fired up, tea was brewed, cake was eaten and a grand time was had by all. We ended the day, as dusk fell, gathered around the remnants of the fire taking a well-earned rest before packing up and going home.
Many many thanks to Helen, Debbie, Ole, Tim, Rupert, Robin, Sally, Dave, Pete & Nick.
Random Events
15/11/11 11:37 Filed in: Wildlife
Being in the right place at the right time is one of the wonderful things about observing wildlife. No matter how much research & planning you do, nature will always spring a surprise on you. This morning I was at the Upper Pond making some plans for our upcoming felling operations and spent some time there wandering around. I was standing by the dam, just about to leave when there was a terrific flapping in one of the overhanging trees. Down comes a bundle of feathers which turned out to be a Sparrowhawk chasing a Pigeon. The Pigeon managed to escape into some undergrowth just above the waterline & the Sparrowhawk sat on a branch just above, giving me great views. After a couple of minutes the obviously injured Pigeon made an escape attempt but was pounced on by the raptor who proceeded to grab it in its talons, get on top of it, and sit there, wings outstretched, calmly drowning it!
After a while, when it’s prey was dead, it attempted several times to extract the Pigeon from the water, but it was just too heavy so it just gave up and flew off leaving the bird floating in the pond. Incredible!
Poor Pigeon for enduring a dreadful death, or poor Sparrowhawk for having expended so much time & effort and failing to get a meal? Probably both….
PV
After a while, when it’s prey was dead, it attempted several times to extract the Pigeon from the water, but it was just too heavy so it just gave up and flew off leaving the bird floating in the pond. Incredible!
Poor Pigeon for enduring a dreadful death, or poor Sparrowhawk for having expended so much time & effort and failing to get a meal? Probably both….
PV
POND WORKS
14/11/11 16:13 Filed in: Management
Over next weekend, Saturday 19th & Sunday 20th, we shall be making a start on our pond management plan.
This will involve felling and removing some of the trees growing in and around the Upper Pond. The objective is to let some more light into the area which should have the result of encouraging more plant & animal life into & around the pond improving the general biodiversity of the area.
For safety reasons we shall have to close the footpath that goes past the pond while we are working there. Please keep your dogs under control if you walk nearby.
Thank you
.
This will involve felling and removing some of the trees growing in and around the Upper Pond. The objective is to let some more light into the area which should have the result of encouraging more plant & animal life into & around the pond improving the general biodiversity of the area.
For safety reasons we shall have to close the footpath that goes past the pond while we are working there. Please keep your dogs under control if you walk nearby.
Thank you
.
RANGERS
05/11/11 15:48 Filed in: Management
In spite of a poor weather forecast, we had a fantastic turnout of willing volunteers for our Ranger Day. Our plan was to make a start on the blackthorn management suggested by Neil Hulme of the Sussex Butterfly Conservation. The objective was to create a broad range of growth stages of the blackthorn & bullace on the Rifle Range and in our Brown Hairstreak Reserve. This will provide plenty of suitable places for these lovely & rare butterflies to lay their eggs.
We started by cutting the proscribed sections down to ground level, cleared the cuttings, and then gave the overgrown scrub a ‘haircut’ to prevent shading of younger growth.
We had a convivial lunch break with our new Kelly Kettles providing boiling water for tea, and plenty of biscuits provided by Nigel.
Thanks to everyone who helped and worked so hard during the day, & to Sarah for the photos. Job done!
Before
After
The Team
We started by cutting the proscribed sections down to ground level, cleared the cuttings, and then gave the overgrown scrub a ‘haircut’ to prevent shading of younger growth.
We had a convivial lunch break with our new Kelly Kettles providing boiling water for tea, and plenty of biscuits provided by Nigel.
Thanks to everyone who helped and worked so hard during the day, & to Sarah for the photos. Job done!
Before
After
The Team