Aaron, Marcus, Reece, Dave and myself got back to basics this week at the bird-feeder clearing.
We cleared out all the encroaching scrub and plants that had gone over from the summer. We’re a bit late in the year to be doing this but hey-ho! When it’s a little drier we just need to mow the grass short and rake-off.
Things to take away from this year? We need a bit more sun hitting the ground, we need to weed out the encroaching scrub during the summer (easier said than done) and we need to be collecting the seeds from the flowers already present and sow them into the ground bared from scrub removal.
Hopefully, we can extend this clearing with a new scallop at each end.
We have had some lovely photos of birds, and the cheeky squirrels, from our observation bench over the summer. Next year I want to spend more time observing and recording, and less time working!!
Lastly, a log-pile that we put down eight or so years ago…
Whenever we cut back we always seem to come across it and marvel at the fungi and lichen.
We are back in the same place on the next workday to keep pushing the scrub back.
This side of Christmas we are working south of the underpass, on our four picnic bench areas, and installing a couple of basic perch benches in the area where the Cawston Bridleway crosses the greenway. After Christmas we will be working north of the underpass, just scalloping, tidying up and putting in a perch bench or two at Berrybanks. And then in March, we can seed the newly cleared areas around the picnic benches with a colourful wildflower seed mix.
Paul
