Surveys

May - Eeeegs!

To appreciate fully and enunciate correctly the title of this month’ s Blog post, Clare and John refer you to the instructional video below, made on Easter Sunday 2019. Mathilda, a theatre practitioner suggests readers pay particular attention to the demonstration of the pantomime leg.

2nd May

A female blackbird is sitting on a nest in the old pony shelter. The nest is next to the one used last year and is bigger. There is a heap of unused nest material on the ground under the nest. The trail camera has just about captured the bird on the nest in spite of the poor light.

John began constructing a bridge over the stream from the spring in order to create a route for quad bike and trailer when removing wood from the Pit Wood.

John and Clare planted several trays of wildflower plugs grown from seeds given out at Juno’s third birthday party. They had grown the seeds at home and then preserved the resulting plants/seeds. The plugs were planted round the shepherd’s hut and on the Meadow.

The 2021 Blackbird nest dwarfing the 2020 prototype

3rd May

Although yesterday was International Dawn Chorus Day, Clare rose early this morning for a Liddells’ dawn chorus as her choir have traditionally sung in the Hexham bandstand on the morning of the first May Bank Holiday every year. The Thrushes nearly drowned out all the other birdsong. Most striking was the roe doe which seemed to be commenting on Clare’s early morning adventure. Clare was rewarded for her efforts with a view of a male Redpoll, a female Siskin and a Goldfinch of indeterminate sex, sharing a nyjer seed feeder.

5th - 9th May

Clare discovered a patch of Marsh Marigold in flower by the Alphabet bridge and Lady’s Smock out on the Wetland. Two Redpolls appeared on the nyjer seed feeder. Clare and John planted some English bluebells in the Pit Wood.

John completed the new bridge in the Pit Wood. Clare was quick to name it the Quadrilateral Bridge.

The trail camera has captured a roe buck in the act of anointing and scraping to mark his territory, and does in the process of losing their winter coats for the more richly red-brown summer coat.

The Scrub is also part of a badger’s territory. Occasionally something will trigger the trail camera but is too quick to appear in footage, however delightful snatches of birdsong are recorded. In the clip below you can hear Blackcap and Willow Warbler.

Molly-blobs (Marsh marigold) (OED Word of the Day 20.11.20)

Lady’s smock, aka Cuckoo flower, Mayflower or Milkmaids

The Quadrilateral Bridge

10th May

John decided to mark his birthday, as last year, with a nest box survey. He and Clare saw two hares and a Tawny Owl during this activity. Two Greylag geese were flying over the Wetland. More boxes have been used than in previous years with signs of activity in 18 of the 33 boxes. Two appear to have wrens’ nests. Eight boxes have eggs/birds sitting. Not all the started nests will be used as males will make or start building several nests from which the female will choose one in which to lay. The Barn owl seems to have decided against the box on the Wetland.

Clare noticed Stitchwort and Forget-me-not out in the Top Strip.

11th - 15th May

It’s never anything other than a delight to see a hare. This one pauses for refreshment in the Scrub. Clare heard then saw a Whitethroat singing in the Scrub. This is a first for Liddells. John and Clare hope it will stay as they are faithful to their territory.

Clare found Wood rush in flower on the Top Grazing.

As does the Thrush (Chiffchaff and Chaffinch singing in the background).

Field Wood-rush: luzula campestris, also known as Good Friday Grass and Sweep’s Broom

15th May

Another bird first - after several visits to the feeders from a male Greenfinch this Spring, John and Clare were delighted to see a pair today. The male was ringed though not with a ring that could be read with binoculars.

16th May

Keith (HWKNEAN) generously offered another annual breeding bird survey. Numbers/species proved to be pretty consistent with previous years with the delightful addition of a male Redstart in an Oak below the bee hives, quite close to where Keith, John and Clare had seen a family of Redstarts on the same survey a few years ago. Keith also noticed Hairy Wood-rush: luzula pilosa, in flower in the Top Strip. The survey can only give a partial assessment of bird numbers. This year, for example, Coal tits were noticeable by their absence during the survey, however many appear regularly at the feeders. A summary of the numbers appears on the Surveys page of the website.

The trail camera shows the deer losing yet more of their winter coats.

17th

The trail camera has revealed not a new kid, but a new buck on the block. John says it is likely to be a yearling displaced by its mother. The mother will be concentrating on this year’s offspring, due any day, and won’t want last year’s youngsters to be hanging around.

18th May

The Thrush in the Scrub has foraged with success.

19th May

There is a deer call that John has known about but never heard in the field. He even has an artificial call that replicates the sound. The squeak is the sound made by a newly born kid to highlight its whereabouts to its mother. No kid has yet been seen on Liddells this year. The deer in the footage below is a buck, but not the animal making the sound, which is offstage but close by. John and Clare look forward to seeing the source of the squeak.

20th May

Readers may remember John’s learned comments on footage of the buck on Liddells in last month’s Blog explaining how a young buck holds its head higher than an older one, and has a thinner neck, suggesting the buck in question is young, the footage below seems to suggest the buck has aged rather quickly. The buck’s neck appears thickset and it is certainly holding its head quite low.

John has given himself more time with his camera and is now hoping to photograph wildflowers as they come into bloom on Liddells. Birds remain photogenic.

Perennial cornflower

Cow parsley

Bugle

Redpolls

Yellowhammer…

…singing

21st May

John has provided more evidence of the popularity of Clare’s peanut butter bird paste among the Liddells avian community.

Long-tailed tit with peanut

22nd May

John and Clare freed a well-established donated Oak from its cage. They also planted two newly donated Oaks from Sue D, one of which has been grown by a friend of hers from an acorn from the Major Oak in Sherwood Forest. The wire caging somewhat compromises the photographs, however readers can be assured the saplings are well protected.

Clare cut Yellow Rattle turves to give to Keith and to plant round the shepherd’s hut. John made a bird feeders post for the shepherd’s hut enclosure.

Lady’s mantle is in flower near the hives. Clare noticed a single lady’s smock in flower on the island in the Big Pond. Eyebright has flowered on the Top Grazing.

Lady’s mantle

Eyebright

23rd May

John and Clare carried out the second nest box survey. This time 13 boxes had either birds sitting or hatched chicks. The Blackbird is still sitting on the nest in the shed. You can see a summary of both of this year’s surveys here.

Shuna, Peter and family visited Liddells. Eliot and Nicholas enjoyed seeing how the trees they had helped to plant last year had grown. Clare found Garlic mustard growing in the Pit Wood, a plant she cannot recall seeing on Liddells before. Sweet woodruff is out on the far north-west corner of the Pit Wood.

Garlic mustard

Sweet woodruff

24th May

John saw swallows over the Top Grazing for the first time this year. They have returned about a month later than last year.

John and Clare left the trail camera focussed on a nest box where Blue tits had chicks. The footage showed that between 08.20 and 18.52, the adult birds made 357 visits to the box. Visits lasted approximately 10 seconds. The time between visits was usually between 2-3 minutes, although there were 12 gaps that varied between 5 and 14 minutes. Presumably this was when the adult birds were taking a breather and foraging for their own food.

25-26th May

Mel has kindly donated another Field Maple that he had grown. John and Clare planted near the first one on the Top Grazing, reusing the fencing from the uncaged Oak in the Top Strip.

John and Clare are used to finding smashed Pheasants’ eggs on Liddells, however there have been more broken eggs from different nest, pointing to raids by corvids.

One of three broken duck eggs found in the Scrub and near the Spoil Heaps.. Maybe the Mallards had nested on the Wetland after all. John saw a pair fly off from near the Big Pond today

Pheasant nest on the Wetland with far fewer eggs than is usual

Song thrush egg (found on the ground and placed on a fence post for a better photograph. It is 2.5-3 cms)

Pigeon egg (3.4 cms)

27th May

It is time for the annual attempt to unmake mountains out of all the molehills on the Top Grazing. John and Clare worked hard at this and were able to use some of the soil to fill the craters made by removing boulders earlier this year.

Clare replaced the warning signs near the Aconites in the Pit Wood and was rather pleased with the effect of the canes marking each plant.

More wildflowers are coming into flower.

Tim met John while he was doing his weekly butterfly survey and suggested that John keep his eyes open for Pearl-bordered fritillaries. Sure enough, John saw one on a stone in the Top Grazing. No camera to hand.

Ribwort plantain

Wild garlic

Water crowfoot with Broad-leaved pondweed below

28th May

Clare heard a Mistle thrush singing in the Top Strip. It sounded very close however remained out of sight.

29th May

Oak-apple Day. ‘Oak apple’ is today’s OED Word of the Day : ‘A roughly spherical type of oak gall; spec. the reddish spongy gall formed in leaf-buds by the developing larvae of a gall wasp (family Cynipidae: in Europe Biorhiza pallida; in America Amphibolips confluenta).’

30th May

Chris B arrived with a digger to help make a couple of tracks safer for quad bike use. The path near the spring was particularly difficult as it is almost permanently wet. Even Hal, who has years of experience driving up muddy hills in Classic Trials and winning many awards for so doing, found this one tough. The trick to his success - “You just have to commit!” Chris may have solved the problem by digging out a ditch that should take the water away from the track.

Chris also made short shrift of moving the boulders off the Top Grazing. John said he could have spent all day watching Chris manipulate the boulders with such apparent delicacy.

John decided this was to be the flail mower’s first outing. He was really pleased with how much of the paths he was able to mow in a much less time than it would have taken with the strimmer.

Clare completed the molehill flattening. While working she noticed that there are more patches of Daisies and Common Field Speedwell and many more Lady’s smock plants than in previous years. It could be the effect of cutting for hay followed by grazing last year.

One man went to flail, went to flail a pathway

Flailed

Ditched

Red campion - the first of the plug plants from Juno’s third birthday seeds to come into flower

Rowan blossom

Water Avens

August - seven years on

Insect identification update:

Keith (wknean) has come up trumps, though did say I had set him a difficult task. The insect on the Scabious is a Dipteran (a true fly). There are 5500 species in the UK. At least that’s fewer than beetles. Clare wonders what an untrue fly might be; presumably a fly that suffers from impostor syndrome. The creature on the Spear Thistle is a Pine Weevil (congratulations to Barbara for suggesting Weevil), and the insect on the Sneezewort is a Solitary Wasp, possibly a Digger Wasp. According to Keith, Digger Wasps nest in the ground and feed their larvae with paralysed insects -nature yellow in tooth and sting.

1st August

A good start to the Liddells month - John and Clare went to view a second-hand quad bike having decided one would make a significant difference to working on Liddells. A deal was struck. On the way home they called in at Liddells and saw a Spotted Flycatcher on the fence near the big pond. Unfortunately neither Clare nor John had binoculars or camera to hand so decided to return later in the day with the necessary bird-watching and recording equipment. The Flycatcher, inconsiderately in Clare’s view, had not hung around and waited for them, although they could see one from the hide at a great distance high up in an Ash tree. The pursuit of a photograph has begun. Clare also found an addition to the Meadow plants - Agrimony. Clare thinks the name suggests a financial settlement after a particularly hostile divorce, a government subsidy for farmers or the profits from agribusiness.

2nd August

Mysterious holes have appeared in the Pit Wood. Unfortunately setting the trail camera here would result in scores of pictures of waving foliage. The holes look big enough to have been made by a badger. Perhaps an overnight stay in the Pit Wood is called for…

Probably not made by a Digger Wasp

3rd August

While John strimmed to keep paths under control, Clare went round with Mel on his monthly wildflower survey. They found several that had not yet appeared on Mel’s list, bringing the total to 148. Mel has set a challenge to bring the total to 150 before the surveying year is out. Since Mel is determined to identify more of the many grasses on site, he’ll probably get there. Clare learned a new variety of thistle, which she had noticed the day before but wasn’t confident in its difference from a Marsh Thistle. It is a Welted Thistle and clearly an option as a garden plant. Mel confirmed Clare’s identification of the Agrimony, and pointed out differences between Male Fern and Lady Fern. For some of the minute differences between species, a jeweller’s loupe or similar would be needed. Clare has such an object, provided at a conference on wildflower meadows, however she is not sure that she has the patience or the knees for the necessary close examinations. You can see Mel’s survey here.

Another Pit Wood mystery - the trail camera has captured the kid, the doe and…

Is it another kid or the buck?

John thinks the third deer was most likely the buck as another kid hasn’t appeared on any of the other footage. Here the doe is attending to the kid’s hygiene.

4th August

Dave took over strimming duties and worked his way through the Orchard and both paths down to the spring in the Pit Wood. Dave thinks the strimmer and harness make him feel like a rock star -Bruce Springsteen with air strimmer. Meanwhile, Clare and John, both having come a cropper on the muddy dip on the way into the hide, set about making the route safer.

Dave priming the air strimmer - just like a rock star

Assembling the materials

Joining up the pieces

Admiring the result

6th August

Clare’s niece and family came to visit. Tristan was very engaged with pond-dipping and bird-watching, Bron preferred the bridge to the hide. After they had left for Housesteads, John and Clare built the seat for the last Willow Arbour. John tried it out.

Look, there’s a bird

Look, there are baby newts

Look, there’s a bridge

Told you so

Look, here’s a seat

7th August

Stephen has very kindly donated a pair of binoculars to the hide. He was given them for his 21st birthday and they have obviously been treasured.

Tim and Jane had a stroll round Liddells and saw a female Common Darter in the damp part of the Meadow.

John decided to have a day out with his camera. Clare can’t decide whether he was in the pink, in a purple haze or feeling decidedly unwell.

And here’s the male resting on a stone near the big pond

Common Hemp-nettle, also known as Hemp Deadnettle, False Hemp, and because of its popularity with bees, Bee Nettle

Marsh Woundwort ‘has a long history of use in herbalism, and as its common name implies it was used for dressing cuts and other wounds, and it is reputed to cure aching joints when made into an ointment and to have antispasmodic and sedative properties when taken internally…Marsh Woundwort has only a slight smell; nevertheless bees and many other kinds of insects are attracted to the flowers, from which they obtain nectar.’

Herb Robert - traditionally used as an antiseptic, as well as to treat stomach upset and nosebleeds. Its leaves are edible and used by some to make tea. They have also been used crushed and rubbed on the skin as an insect repellent.

Ragged Robin was used in the belief that it would alleviate jaundice and more common illnesses such as headaches and toothaches. The roots and petals were also used, boiled, to wash clothes and hair.

Knapweed was historically used to treat flesh wounds, sore throats, bleeding gums and catarrh. Some physicians mixed it with other herbs to create antidotes for snake bites. The flower head is edible and when taken with pepper, it's said to be a way of restoring lost appetite.

Purple Loosestrife ‘got its name for its similar insect-repelling actions to that of yellow loosestrife. Farmers used to hang the plants around the yokes of their oxen and workhorses to keep biting insects from agitating their animals. Traditionally, the leaves were used as a vulnerary to stop active bleeding either as a poultice or taken as a tea.’ (There is a monograph on this plant from which the quotation is taken.)

Self Heal has a long tradition of being used in herbal medicine for everything from stopping bleeding and healing wounds, to treating heart disease and sore throats; the young leaves and stems can be eaten raw in salads; the plant in whole can be boiled and eaten as a potherb; and the aerial parts of the plant can be powdered and brewed in a cold infusion to make a beverage.

Marsh Thistle - perhaps surprisingly eaves and young shoots an be eaten raw or cooked; the stems also, raw or cooked like asparagus or rhubarb. The flower stalks are peeled and eaten raw or cooked. The seed fluff is used as a tinder. The seed of all species of thistles yields a good oil by expression.

Meadow Cranesbill has stringent, styptic and antiseptic medical properties, Meadow Cranesbill and its close relatives were used to relieve a range of diseases including cholera, diarrhoea and dysentery; to treat nosebleeds, ulcers and haemorrhoids and to staunch bleeding wounds.

Teasel - the root is most known for its use in treating Lyme Disease. It is also used as a stomach aid, an analgesic for pain relief, an anti-inflamatory, and a stimulant for the nervous system.

Foxglove - ‘The Foxglove was employed by the old herbalists for various purposes in medicine, most of them wholly without reference to those valuable properties which render it useful as a remedy in the hands of modern physicians. Gerard recommends it to those 'who have fallen from high places,' and Parkinson speaks highly of the bruised herb or of its expressed juice for scrofulous swellings, when applied outwardly in the form of an ointment, and the bruised leaves for cleansing for old sores and ulcers. Dodoens (1554) prescribed it boiled in wine as an expectorant, and it seems to have been in frequent use in cases in which the practitioners of the present day would consider it highly dangerous. Culpepper says it is of: 'a gentle, cleansing nature and withal very friendly to nature. The Herb is familiarly and frequently used by the Italians to heal any fresh or green wound, the leaves being but bruised and bound thereon and the juice thereof is also used in old sores, to cleanse, dry and heal them. It has been found by experience to be available for the King's evil, the herb bruised and applied, or an ointment made with the juice thereof, and so used.... I am confident that an ointment of it is one of the best remedies for a scabby head that is.' Strangely enough, the Foxglove, so handsome and striking in our landscape, is not mentioned by Shakespeare, or by any of the old English poets. The earliest known descriptions of it are those given about the middle of the sixteenth century by Fuchs and Tragus in their Herbals. According to an old manuscript, the Welsh physicians of the thirteenth century appear to have frequently made use of it in the preparation of external medicines. Gerard and Parkinson advocate its use for a number of complaints, and later Salmon, in the New London Dispensatory, praised the plant. It was introduced into the London Pharmacopoeia in 1650, though it did not come into frequent use until a century later, and was first brought prominently under the notice of the medical profession by Dr. W. Withering, who in his Acount of the Foxglove, 1785, gave details of upwards of 200 cases, chiefly dropsical, in which it was used.’

Bittersweet or Bittersweet Nightshade - the stem is used to make medicine. The leaves and berries are poisonous. People take bittersweet nightshade for skin conditions including eczema, itchy skin, acne, boils, broken skin, and warts. They also take it for joint pain (rheumatism), other types of pain, and fluid retention; and as a calming agent (sedative).

This juvenile wren proved to be irresistible to the photographer. Medicinal uses undocumented but considered to be excellent for mental health

And the Robin is working on his colouration to be ready in time for Christmas

Further fliers - a pair of Emerald Damselflies mating

A sextet of Emerald Damselflies!

Green-veined whites looking rather Art Deco in their mating

10th August

Clare invited Juno to have a look at the bees with her. Juno accepted and was astonishingly calm during their visit. Clare opened one hive to show Juno a frame of brood. They had both been looking at grass seeds in the Wetland earlier so describing the eggs as like looking like grass seed (a commonly used analogy) made perfect sense. Clare was both delighted and a bit envious at how easily Juno saw the seeds! The rewards of bee-keeping are, of course, a taste of honey.

The best use of a hive tool

12th August

Exciting news - while John and friend Mike were out in a patch of woodland less than a mile from Liddells, Mike saw a red squirrel.

Clare added another plant to Mel’s list - Bittersweet is in flower in a Hawthorn in front of the hide.

14th August

Juno has been very keen for her cousins Charlie and Jonny to visit Liddells and today was the day. Juno helped initiate them into the art of bird pizza making.

Pizza triumph

15th - 21st August

Work in progress - strimming the sides of the Top Strip path, high pruning in the Pit Wood, bramble removal from south wall, weeding round tree planting in the Top Strip and the commencement of weed eradication (with Dave’s help) in the ponds. Work progress interruption - John learned that he will have to rethink the stove siting and installation in the shepherd’s hut. Further news when upset subsides. Clare has noticed some of the fungi appearing on the land and that this year the field mushrooms had migrated from the Top Grazing to inside the shelter.

Strimming in progress - please note creative repurposing of John’s homemade marquee for his and Clare’s wedding

Work completed

Stinkhorn or ‘Witch’s Egg’ (Phallus impudicus) ‘edible but not recommended’!

John has generously added his boot to this photograph to reveal just what a large specimen of Meadow Waxcap (Hygrocybe pratensis) this is

You can see the Waxcap gills here

Fly Agaric (Amanita musaria) - its common name is associated with its earlier use as a fly killer; the toadstool of illustrations to fairytales, probably because of its hallucinogenic properties. This one reminded Clare of the poisoned apple given to Sleeping Beauty

Slippery Jack Suillus luteus, apparently edible although ‘with no distinctive smell or taste’ - not a description that stimulates the appetite

22nd August

Dave’s digging has proved to be instantly effective. John and Clare went to see the results of his work and were treated to the sight of a Grey Wagtail feeding in the mud. This is a first for Liddells. Unfortunately John had decided only minutes before, to leave his camera in the car as the weather was poor. It was there again the next day but flew off the minute it saw John’s camera.

Pond waiting for water and Grey Wagtail

27th August

Mel arrived plus waders and set about the unwanted weed in the big pond. He pulled out several sackfuls of weed, including Bulrush and Branched Burr Weed, neither of which have been planted but simply arrived,

Mel contemplating the enormity of the task

Branched Bur-weed

Mel, as ever, has worked phenomenally hard and the pond is transformed

28th-30th August

While John reinstated the broken rainwater collection system, Clare made progress on her chosen task of tackling the bramble through the roadside wall, making a path inside the wall at the same time. It is hard going with opposition from brambles and gorse, however she has completed about thirty metres so far although there will be some wall repair to carry out - not as a result of her efforts. Eating the ripe blackberries helps as she works. She has found a Robin’s nest, a creative repurposing of a Soda Stream bottle, and an example of inosculation - two branches of a tree rub against each other so that their bark is worn away and they unite in a natural graft. The word derives from Latin osculari: to kiss.

Ready for the rain again

Inosculation in a Hawthorn

Should this be included in the social history of Liddells

Clare has down-tooled and left her gloves as an eerie reminder of her presence

Looking east, the path has nearly reached the Medieval cross base

29th August

John and Clare discovered the answer to the question posed by trail camera footage on 3rd August. The doe has had twins. After seeing the following footage, John lowered the camera in the hope of better footage with which to end the blog. Needless to say, the deer went nowhere near the camera. Maybe they will reappear for next month.

31st August

A Bank Holiday visit revealed that John is not the only person to enjoy his new motorised helper. Juno gets to grips with her new swing.

May and June 2017 - 3 surveys and a new trail camera

2nd May

Squirrel trap set in Pit Wood. Paul bucked John off twice. John knows this was his own fault, having disregarded advice that he was using an unsuitable saddle which was causing Paul discomfort. The resulting injuries, including to pride, and especially to the fingers of his right hand, meant wearing a splint for two months and a severe reduction in working capacity. Clare was not amused.

6th May

Wildflower survey, tawny owl out in Pit Wood. 

7th - 14th May

Time spent clearing spilt gravel from top grazing and setting up two new hive stands in apiary. 

15th May

Bird box survey: 13/33 in use. 

14th May - 28th June

Paths strimmed in Top Strip, Orchard to Pit Wood and Orchard to meadow; Thistles cut on Top Grazing (27th June); 3 Willows planted (from Sylvia) on Wetland in area of main pond; Rush released by digger all removed from Top Grazing and holes filled; arena strimmed. 

19th May

Bird survey - John and Keith.

17th June

Rails for enclosing sheds area bought at Mart Sale. 

20th June

One of the bee colonies swarmed into the middle of a Hawthorn and Clare and Barry faced the challenge of collecting it. Happily the bees are enjoying their new home with Barry.

23rd June

Trail camera placed S edge of Pit Wood; deer filmed 4.31am. 

24th June

Violas and Scarlet Pimpernel planted on spoil heaps near Meadow; Field Poppy planted in Meadow.

John apparently enjoying the Bird Cherry blossom however that squirrel trap suggests he might have deadlier things in mind

The swarm is the dark patch in the top of the hawthorn

For your further education, these are roe deer droppings

April 2017 - the great (pony) escape

1st April

Electric fence activated, ponies moved down to Crag/Wetland/Scrub. Lots of chiffchaffs; long-tailed tits near Meadow; mallard drake on Wetland. A hare ran past us on the drive down from the bottom gate, heading west. Flower survey carried out. Tasks list compiled. 

2nd April

Drama last night! Holly (field neighbour) called at home to tell us the ponies had managed to get through the electric fence and were racing up and down the Orchard. By the time we arrived they were feeding peacefully on the spoil heaps. This morning we added a second strand of tape to the fence, retrieved the ponies and we wait to see what happens. 

First beehive inspection of the year and both hives queen right with eggs and larvae. Pat has given us some Holly seedlings. Mallard duck and drake on Wetland pond. 

3rd April

Massive planning session in which we listed all the jobs we could think of that needed doing all over the site - it was very long and daunting! Horse Chestnut planted S edge of Pit Wood; wildflower seeds from conference sown in Meadow; drainage pipe removed from below spring; survey of northern boundary to assess work needed; partial logging of Christmas tree ends in Pit Wood; Rhododendron removed from Pit Wood. 

12th April

Andrew came and harrowed the Top Grazing. 

13th April

Heron seen flying onto and off the Wetland by the centre pond. 

17th April

7 Crab Apple saplings planted in Orchard - all grown from local Crab Apple pips by Clare. 

19th April

Spindle Trees now protected. Small bank of Violets in Wetland near Pit Wood edge. Treecreeper and Barn Owl spotted in Pit Wood. Bullfinches still around willow warblers arrived. 

20th April

12 of Pat's Holly seedlings planted in Top Strip. Cowslips out in Top Strip and Violets in Wetland. 

22nd April

3 Oaks (grown by Clare from acorns) and a Yew sapling from Pat planted in Pit Wood and some Opposite-leaved Saxifrage. Bonfire in Orchard now built and Orchard dead wood tidied up. Definite nesting activity in box on Orchard, in 2 and 3 in Scrub and in boxes in the Top Strip.

24th April - 2nd May

Digger delivered - land drains put in across top entrance and 2 in arena. Rush dug out all over top grazing. 

Membrane and chip added to new section of path at west end of Top Strip and weeding completed. Heron on wetland middle pond. 

Spindle trees now as deer proof as possible

Violets on the Wetland

Delighted to see this visitor

Step carefully over this stile

A bonfire short of a party

More path work

March 2017 - night vision reveals a range of after-dark activity!

1st March

2 more Willows planted in triangle at east end of Pit Wood; bullfinch seen in front of Willow bower; woodcock in Pit Wood. 

2nd March

Yellow Rattle, White Campion, Field Poppy, Ox-eye Daisy, Chicory, Honesty seeds and Snowdrops and Campion plug plants into Wildflower Meadow. 

3rd March

More planting on Meadow - Honesty, Betony, Campion, Evening Primrose, St John's Wort. 

6th March

Bird and Flower survey. 

9th March

Bird boxes 29-33 put up in Scrub and Pit Wood. 

11th March

Preparations for bringing ponies down from Top Grazing (fencing off bird-watching Willow arbour, protecting new Willow saplings, preparing for electric fence from SW corner of Meadow to SE corner of Pit Wood); seeds from Grassland Conference (NWT) scattered on Top Grazing. 

21st March

Rushes dug out of pond at (W) base of crag - frog seen. Pond near bird hide site heaving with frog spawn!

20th March

Tim put up a motion sensor camera in the Orchard. 

23rd March

Camera moved to gate into Orchard. 

27th March

Camera reveals roebuck, roe-doe, badger, mouse, grey squirrel visiting at night, and pheasant and cat during the day!

28th March

Chiffchaffs heard and seen on Meadow and in Scrub; 3 deer beyond Meadow; plug plants into Meadow (St John's Wort, Great Mullein, Michaelmas Daisy, Sneezewort, Valerian, Poppy) and Mugworts planted near Beech by bottom gate.

Where did I put the tree?

Oh, there it is!

Playing cat and ...

mouse

February 2017 - marking the arrival of Juno

3rd February

John rode Paul again; John helped with path, sawing log edging/step edging. 

14th February

Bird box (27) put on oak at north west corner of NE Strip for Valentine's Day; flower survey carried out. 

17th February

Last of the Corsican Pines felled in Top Strip. 

19th February

20 Field Scabious and 10 Snake's Head Fritillary planted on Meadow to mark birth of Clare's first grandchild Juno, born 18th February!

20th - 27th February

Arena fenced off. Grey squirrel seen on wall at west end of Top Grazing. 

23rd February

Bundles of Willow cuttings collected from Wenda and Matthew at Codlaw. 

24th February

Willows planted in triangle at east end of Pit Wood, near ponds at west end of Wetland, south of bottom driveway and in bower for bird-watching. 

27th February

We were told that 7 woodcock had been seen flying out of Pit Wood on shoot day at the end of January.

Kissing's in fashion

January 2017 - Bluebells in memory of Heather Lindsay

6th January

Bird and flower survey. 

9th January

c60 Larches planted with Mel and Neil's help; mostly in the verge and top strip.

14th January

A pair of treecreepers on the Oak with the barn owl box. Yesterday and today we began making 12 more bird boxes with offcuts from the shed's construction. 

16th January

Woodpecker heard drumming in NE strip. 

23rd January

Remaining (c40) Larches planted in Pit Wood (S edge and western border) and 5 Horse Chestnuts (grown at home from conkers) in SW corner of Pit Wood. Path in Top Strip extended approx 2 metres eastwards over rock outcrop. 

27th January

3 more Corsican Pines felled in Top Strip; paths extended approx 3 more metres east. 

28th January

200 Bluebells planted at W end of Top Strip in memory of Heather Lindsay; 3 new open-fronted boxes erected in Top Strip and one moved from Corsican Pine to a Larch in Top Strip. 

29th January

3 more bird boxes put up - Elder at West end of Orchard (wren); Hawthorn near gate on W wall of Pit Wood (flycatcher); Sycamore on N side of glade near path down to spring (flycatcher). 

30th January

John rode Paul on the Top Grazing unaccompanied; Clare made several more metres of path in top strip - steps down.

It was cold!

Mike with a miniature John on his shoulder

Snippets makes sure Paul comes to no harm

August 2014 - one year anniversary and lots of Green Gym work!

7th August

One year as owners - breakfast at Liddells. 

8th August

Surveys evening - Gary and Jane, Tim and Jane, Mel and Cath, Keith and Rachel joined us for a thank you meal at home. 

10th August

Green Gym Day 2 cancelled because of forecast, which proved accurate, however we opened up the site to plant Rosemary T's Oak tree. 

14th August

Green Gym Day 3 - shredded all of bottom brash pile; tubes collected from Top Strip and Pit Wood; rushes dug out of Wildflower Meadow; much rain! Frog unearthed. Mel's wildflower survey.

20th August

We visited Little Sparta which prompted more ideas to be followed up. We felt challenged to think more about what we want from this project.

23rd August

Green Gym Day 4 - we were joined by Mel, Gary, Hal, Neil, Sally, Jane W, Tim and bagged 30 bags of shreddings, made 2 and started on a third dam on the Wetland, brashed in the Top Strip west of the spoil heaps. Once again we had to battle the rain, however everyone declared they had a great time!

24th August

We visited to see the effect of the damming - there was water holding in the potential pond at the west end of the bottom of the Crag and at the second site midway along the northern edge of the proposed Wetland. 

28th August

Work to protect the Oak (donated by Rosemary T) in the Top Strip. 11 Wood Anemone plugs planted in the Top Strip. 

29th August

Oak tree planting completed. Visit from Ian Everard to return English Woodland Grant Scheme application and discuss next moves. 

Tim and David rushing to remove the rush...

and finding this frog

Making friends

Damming in progress

Brashed area of Top Strip

Damming successful

Rosemary T's donated oak

June 2014 - more planting in the meadow

21st June

Restrimming path in Top Strip; path creation in Top Strip. 

26th June

Yellow Rattle seeds grubbed into wildflower meadow; work on high seat in NE Strip. 

27th June

John and I went round with Mel on a wildflower survey. 2 cuckoos heard nearby. 2 very large clusters of peacock butterfly caterpillars in Top Strip. 

30th June

More Yellow Rattle seeds grubbed into western section of wildflower meadow. Pair of bullfinches on Meadow seen from high seat. 

Honeysuckle on the Wetland

Common Spotted Orchid in the Pit Wood

Ragged Robin on the Wetland

Peacock butterfly caterpillars on nettles

Early April 2014 - beaks and troughs

1st April

Pussy Willow in Scrub below Top Grazing; Larch in flower in Pit Wood. 

2nd April

Crab Apple moved from home to Orchard. 

4th April

Brashing and strimming on Wrigley Walk in Top Strip. Juliet Roger from the Moorland Mousie Trust visited to discuss the possibility of her Exmoor ponies grazing the land. All parties in agreement, they arrive the week after next!

6th April

Wrigley Walk now cleared along its length. A sparrowhawk flew out of the quarry area, a peacock butterfly was on the gorse near the gate. We saw swallows on the corner by Crag House on our way home. 

12th April

Fence on southern edge of Pit Wood repaired and hurdle into orchard. 

13th April

Brashing along southern edge of Pit Wood; water trough cleaned; 2 bumble bees on top pasture; moss in Nest Box 2. 

14th April

More brashing on southern edge of Pit Wood; bird boxes up in Pit Wood, verge and top strip; work on trough (much flooding!). Ladybirds everywhere, several bumblebees and peacock butterflies; hunting buzzard; Mel doing wildflower survey. 

15th April

More work on water trough; more bird boxes in Pit Wood; Wrigley butterfly survey; work started to clear southern tip of western boundary fence. Deer ran out of Pit Wood, across Wetland up Crag, over Top Grazing and jumped into top plantation. Wood Sorrell at west end of Top Strip. Butterflies (peacock). 

16th April

Wild Cherry blossom in plantation; trough finished; more work on western boundary fence (stapling complete); 5 bird boxes in top plantation. 

18th April

Moss in bird box 8; more moss in number 2; chiffchaff seen and heard in Pit Wood. 

Wood Sorrel emerging where brashing has let light in

Rainwater collection trough under construction (thanks Lynne & Richard for the photograph)

The leisurely position for fixing a bird box

Wild Cherry in blossom in the Top Strip

March 2014 - primrose premiere

3rd March

Mel came and helped John move a Damson tree from home to the orchard area. 

10th-12th March

John builds a stile into the roadside plantation, close to the entrance gate and we start clearing in that corner to create a path inside the fence for Tim to use on his butterfly surveys (Wrigley Walk?!). 

We plant Snowdrops round the cross base, Wild Garlic in the Pit Wood, 3 Speedwell plants in the wildflower meadow; hang 2 bird boxes in the scrub area and plant 2 Oak trees (from Keith and Rachel and Fran and Martin [Tynedale Community Choir]).

19th March

Wildflower survey number 3 - first Primroses are out in the Pit Wood. 

21-22nd March

More work on 'Wrigley Walk'.

25th March

Path through the scrub area cleared. 

26th March

Further work on Scrub path and 2 bags of Snowdrops from Fran and Martin planted on the land. 2 curlews flew over towards the south west corner. 

29th March

Jane K plans a transect walk for a bumble bee survey. 3 Honesty plants introduced to Wildflower Meadow. 

Preparing to replant the damson

Damson in it's new home

One of the oak saplings in the North-east Strip

Alder catkins

Kissing is in fashion when gorse is in flower

Pit Wood primroses

The first of what will be many stiles 

Wild Garlic 

February 2014 - birdboxes and snowdrops to mark Valentine's day

2nd February

Scarlet Elf-cap fungus identified. 

6th February

Brashing complete in NE Strip.

7th February

Brashings removed; Snowdrops seen at last!

9th February

John made a stile into the NE Strip.

10th February

North East plantation boundary fence repaired. 

14th February

We hang bird box number 1 for St Valentine's day and see the first of the Snowdrops we had planted last year.

19th February

Wild flower survey number 2. 

20th February

Clare saw a treecreeper, female bullfinch and heard a song thrush in the NE Strip; snowdrops on the road verge either side of the entrance gate. 

Scarlet Elf Cap Fungus

Snowdrops in the North-east Strip 

Our Valentine's Day bird box

January 2014 - blogging about logging

2nd January

More clearing and logging. 

3rd January

John started to clear SW corner of NE Strip for a high seat; clearing and logging. 

5th January

Neil came and started repairs on the wall by the hunt jump; clearing and logging.

10th January

Mel completes the first of the wildflower surveys. 

13th January

Fungus photos. 

13th - 31st January

3 days per week working in the North East Strip

Taking stock of the problem

Rebuilding

Spot the join

Yellow Brain Fungus

Jelly Ear

Can anyone help identify this one?

Or this?