Saturday 4/2/23 Ryan changed the opaque end panel on the greenhouse for clear acrylic sheets so it gets more sun, he cut the panels to size and fitted them with a piece of wood at the bottom. Ryan then cleared soil away from the greenhouse doorway area which he took away to fill deep holes along the riverside track.
Ryan spotted a Hare and alerted me, it ran along the track behind the wagon, by the time I got my camera it had run right past me at incredible speed and disappeared into the field. A Red Kite flew directly overhead later which I did manage to photograph.
I brought my track saw and made a greenhouse door by splitting a plank of wood for the sides, cutting cross pieces and hardboard plates to hold the pieces together. Eddie’s old greenhouse panel and a piece of Corrolux were fitted into the door, plus hinges and a bolt, which completed the greenhouse.
We moved more bundles of sticks from the wildflower area and took them along the river bank, we moved nearly a complete pack, there are about four more so this will keep us busy. A lone Swan was in that part of the river all day.
Ryan split more firewood and kept the fire going. While eating lunch in the railway wagon, I switched on the nest cameras and watched birds eating peanuts from the new Squirrel proof feeder and suet balls.
In the afternoon we made a Kingfisher perch from a fallen dead tree we found. Ryan cut off the large end and fitted the tree in the bank so it sticks out over the river. A Swan and Cygnet were in the river beside us. Then we walked along the river bank and collected fallen Pine cones which we’ll use for making another wildlife habitat.
Many of Geoff’s tools which Eddie and I brought recently were used today including G clamps, square, axe and folding saw. On our way back along the river we saw an Egret in flight.
Thursday 9/2/23 Beryl, the site owner gave us a fat filled Coconut which I hung on the bird feeding station, I topped up the water and suet balls and Eddie filled the seed and peanut feeders.
Eddie and I pegged out a line of cotton between the ends of the bowed trench wall and Ryan measured the distance to the wall which has reduced by 5mm, we think due to the cold temperature. We are monitoring the wall to see if its still moving.
I put wide Sellotape over the holes in the greenhouse panels and Anne Marie cleaned the greenhouse shelves inside and washed dirt off the outside panels. The greenhouse is now ready for use.
Eddie and Ryan cut fallen branches and we put them around the Hedgehog boxes under the railway wagon, as Beryl told us Hedgehogs don’t like their boxes to be exposed. One of the boxes has a nest camera but it has not been occupied yet. Eddie straightened the insect hotels which were leaning over.
Eddie, Ryan and I continued clearing away the bundles of sticks left on the wildflower area, we put them in a clearing along the river bank. Ryan ended up moving most of them himself and there is now only one more pack to move. In Spring we’ll sow more wildflower seed in the patch where the sticks were.
Ryan lit the fire again, he and I heated up sausage rolls in the oven above the fire for our lunch. Ryan had the day off school again as he had a meeting at the college and had to leave at 2pm.
Anne Marie brought Snowdrops and planted them around the small Oak tree, then covered the area with grass seed. Ryan brought sticks with hanging CDs from the wildflower area to keep birds off the grass seed.
Anne Marie cleared soil away from the boiling house foundation as Moles had pushed soil up inside this feature again, the iron corner bracket can now be seen.
Eddie cleaned the glass panel over the brick floor with a bucket of water and a brush, he also took the chisels, axes and loppers home and sharpened them on his grinder.
Graham Bartlett
Interactive Plan Activity Green Grant Wildflower Meadow Volunteer Previous Next
