November - a concerted effort

1st - 11th November

Clare put her efforts into preparing the path in the Top Strip ready for new chip, This is another way of saying she was weeding the path. AGAIN. John worked on the interior of the shepherd’s hut, completing the fire surround.

John moved the trail camera back to a much used place in the Pit Wood, overlooking one of the main and much used paths. The trail camera often captures deer seemingly bemused by its small red light.

12th November

Dave arrived with his chain saw and set about the stack of branches that Hal had helped bring up to the shelter. In a concerted effort Dave and Clare worked their way almost through the whole pile and stacked the logs ready to dry for next winter. Clare started adding chip to the path.

13th November

Thanks to a gift from Pat, Clare has been reading John Lewis Stempel’s The Private Life of the Hare, a delightful compilation of history, mythology, religion, literature, science, anecdote and statistics. Clare has discovered that the Scottish ‘malkin’ or ‘mawkin’ means both cat and hare, and a common general name for the hare in England was ‘puss’. Apparently hares are interchangeable with cats when it comes to those who opt for broomstick travel. Maybe Clare and John should be more concerned about Pit Wood activities.

14th November

Clare continued working on the path. John constructed a hinged work top from one of a pair of benches he had made to go with a table he had also made for Hal and Beth.

The trail camera captured several deer movements in the Pit Wood. The three that follow show three different deer a few minutes apart. When John and Clare first saw the clips, they thought it was one deer and couldn’t understand how it had managed to keep going back to the same place. See if you can spot the differences.

17th November

Mel came to help and he and John turned their efforts to weeding round the trees in cages on the Top Grazing and in the Scrub.

18th November

Another mound of chip spread on to the path. Here is one photo to show Clare’s achievement, though she acknowledges it is very similar to several photographs over the years showing the freshly chipped path. For a variation she took a photo of the tarpaulin that she and John use as a base for both brash and chip. Some readers might recognise it. When John and Clare got married in July 2009, they decided to have a celebratory party in their garden at home. Mindful of the vagaries of British summer weather, John constructed magnificent roofs for both lawns. It was just as well he did. The rain began in the early hours of the morning and continued heavily, and without respite until well into the next day. Several guests arrived in wellies and one wag turned up in a snorkel. The tarpaulins in use at Liddells were the covers for the garden. They continue to give excellent service.

19th - 21st November

Dave finished sawing and stacking the last of the logs then John directed Dave’s efforts into digging up several boulders on the Top Grazing that are a hazard when it comes to cutting. Clare had noted the OED Word of the Day on 11th of this month - ‘earthfast’ (Especially of a stone: fixed in the ground). Today one became earthloose.

Although knowing that gorse can flower throughout the year, Clare has noticed more in flower this month than ever before. Presumably this is down to the mild weather.

John and Clare made a concerted effort to bag up chip and move it on to the path.

Birds are arriving in great numbers at the hide. John decided to see if he could tempt one to feed from his hand.

A pheasant tried to seduce the trail camera with some sweet sounds. Clare thinks it sounds like a cat purring - could this be another witchy transformation.

The doe on the trail camera displays a perfect example of what is called ‘being on alert’. You can see her lift her head and neck and stare intently at something which has grabbed her attention. She is also lifting one foreleg, which is also typical.

28th November

Jane E and Pat spent some time in the hide and Jane saw Redpolls - this is the first record of them this season.

29th November

John did some tidying up and planning in the shepherd’s hut, designing a table and benches. Also, he had spotted an imminent bit of wall collapse in the NE Strip so pre-empted disaster by taking a section down and rebuilding.

Clare hefted all the hives to check the bees had sufficient stores (they did) and left them with fondant in case supplies run low. With the mild weather, the bees are more active and eating more than usual at this time of year.

Meanwhile in the hide, Adele and Rachel put their concerted efforts into making music. They had asked recently if they could play at Liddells and John and Clare were delighted to make the space available. As well and nurturing wildlife, John and Clare wish to provide a space for the arts and the imagination. Clare enjoyed a private concert while she was attending to the bees. The recording shows the birds enjoying Adele and Rachel playing Telemann’s Sonata for Flute and Violin. Adele and Rachel played for about three hours and thoroughly enjoyed themselves. What an excellent ending to the month.