Deer, Hedges, Orchids and Ponds
Tuesday 2nd March 2024
This time last year we were in the process of building an 8 foot high fence to keep our local fallow deer out of Bat Park. Deer are partial to the leaves of trees, especially those small enough and young enough to provide a snack at a convenient height. Our poor beleaguered nascent hedge, planted back in 2020, had spent 3 years being little more than a fast-food outlet.
Visiting today I am beside myself with joy as I take in the spectacle of fresh growth, even on the most badly ravaged specimens. They are still small and are 'not out of the woods yet' but without Bambi and co they now have a chance.
Field Maple (left) and Guelder Rose (right) have suddenly come into leaf without deer browsing
Easter is upon us and the weather is improving, other than last Thursday when it blew a gale and the wind chill was down at 3 degrees C. Our thirty visiting Icelandic teachers must have felt at home in it, although their mood surprisingly brightened significantly once we moved inside to do craft activities.
Orchids
It is early days for our resident Twayblade and Common-spotted Orchids, whose leaves are just emerging, but it will be a month or two before they will be in full flower. Did you know? - in ancient Greek culture, orchids were thought to have emerged from the spilled blood of an attractive youth named Orchis, who committed a grave sin and was punished by the gods. Sadly our twayblades are being punished by slugs, so poor old Orchis is still under the cosh thousands of years later.
Orchid Glade (top), Common Spotted Orchid (left) and Twayblade Orchid (right). I suspect there may still be too much shade for the orchids and too many slugs for the poor twayblades!
Walking down the Cross Ride I am delighted to hear my first Chiff-chaff of the year. The RSPB tell us that between 500 and 1000 individuals overwinter in the UK (they didn’t used too but climate change is favouring them and removes the need to commute to work). Their numbers are swelled to 1,200,000 in the summer. As I am listening I bump into one of our members out walking and can't help pointing out the distinctive call of this tiny migrant warbler “Chiff-chaff, Chiff-chaff”.
She looks suitably impressed when I tell her “It's the only warbler which sings it's own name” (it's a great icebreaker at parties, but be warned – don't try it on a 'twitcher', otherwise you might never get away from them!).
In the course of my walk I also hear Robin and Blackbird, as well as spotting a Wren hunting for insects to eat down by the new bridge, or possibly collecting cobwebs to add to its nest. By late summer they will all be struck dumb, probably worn out after raising a brood or three of chicks.
I decide to pop down to check the ponds out in the lower wood. Here I discover a few whirligig beetles, but am surprised to find the tadpoles are no longer massing in the black wriggling ball they formed last week. I suspect they have dissipated throughout the ponds, hiding amongst the mass of floating Water Starwort.
The Upper Pond (left 2022 - before digging), (upper 2023), (bottom 2024 - Water Starwort)
As I am heading back for my lunch I get into conversation with a visitor keen to know how the wood survives as a business and what we are doing for conservation. It is always enjoyable talking about the wood to interested parties, so please don't be afraid to ask any questions you may have.
Over lunch I have a meeting with Dan and Emily about our plans to extend the wetland and ponds installed in the lower wood over the last 18 months. They are both bursting with excitement about it, whereas last year we were mired in bureacracy and obfuscation chasing government funding for it. The change in mood is the result of abandoning the original grand design and scaling things down so that we can do it all in-house. Simple and appropriate wins every time.
Next Stewardship Saturday I'll be working on the rabbit fence around Bat Park. Do join me if you fancy a couple of hours of conservation labour (as usual, other tasks are also on offer with other group leaders).
David Horne