Wetland

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

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

August 2016 - the adventures of Clare and her flatpack scythe

2nd August

4 Willows planted on wetland and an existing Willow discovered.

5th August

2 huge brash heaps created ready for chipper. 

6th August

Green Gym Day. Mel, Jane E, John and Clare had chipped both piles by noon - 2 hours' very efficient work. Then more chip spread on path with Barry's help and steps started by Mel and Barry while John and John M felled 2 Larches. 

11th August

Nick started scything the Wildflower Meadow. 

12th August

Eggs in hive 1. 

13th August

Eggs and brood in hive 1. Barefoot trimmer came to Paul - both very good!

15th August

Clare assembled her flatpack scythe! Clare scythed while John strimmed and Barry came to help.

16th August

Barry lent us his topper and we finished cutting the whole meadow and started raking rows. 

17th August

All hay raked into rows and tedding. 

18th August

Some green hay spread on top grazing. Steps up path in top strip - section completed. Tedding hay. 

19th August

More green hay spread and tedding. 5 dumpies of hay in store. Capped brood in Hive 1. 

22nd August

Campions grown from seed planted in meadow and 1 x Musk Mallow; hay removed. 

23rd August

More Campions planted; all hay removed; Yellow Rattle seed sown on top area of Meadow. 

25th August

Eggs and capped brood in Hive 2 - both hives viable! More Campion plugs planted. 

28th August

John built cavaletti for Paul. Clare planted Evening Primrose, Meadow Cranesbill and St Johns Wort plugs in Meadow. 

Stylish scything style

Topping is topping!

The agricultural equivalent of IKEA

Paul trying out the newly cut Meadow

John M supervising John H

Mel and Barry making sure the Silver Birch doesn't fall down

Jane tackling Mount Brash with no sherpa

Jane tackling Mount Brash with no sherpa

March 2016 - little drummer bird

1st March

Roadside Beech trees trimmed by Mark. 

2nd - 5th March

Owl box made. 

6th March

Chip from top strip bagged; owl box put up on Oak overlooking wetland; first woodpecker heard drumming in Scrub. 

8th March

Barn owl seen hunting over Wetland, tantalisingly close to owl box!

13th March

Hal and Beth came to help - clearing, splitting and clearing Rowan logs from the quarry and pulling brash out; Beth planted Cinquefoil by the picnic stone on the meadow. Dead woodcock on meadow. Logs stored in Shed No. 3 (Shed No.1 repurposed as tool shed.)

19th March

John bought 50 posts from the Mart Sale to use for path edging (brought to Liddells 20th).

During March Clare worked to remake path east of Top Strip, laying membrane, relaying chip and edging with stones from Liddells. Beginning of construction of shed for apiary. Or, as acute observers will realise, Shed No. 4.

Wednesday 30th March

Pair of pied wagtails on the top grazing. 

Don't they look better

Ready for splitting

But who made the owl box's maker?

Gathered winter fu-u-el

Cinquefoil

December 2015 - ending the year preparing for a new resident

2nd December

John and Clare visit Paul the pony at Roadhead. 

3rd December

Hedge started - Blackthorn, Hawthorn, Guelder Rose, Dog Rose, Field Maple, Crab Apple and Hazel. 

9th - 11th December

Clare worked on hedge in adverse weather! Mole hills decapitated!

10th December

Torrential rain, spring burst its capping, 2 Ashes blown down in Pit Wood.

14th December

Hedge completed, Crab Apple planted in Orchard hedge line; Christmas tree cut for Tynedale Community Choir party. 

15th December

Christmas trees cut for John and Clare and for Hal and Beth. 

16th December

Paul vetted at Roadhead; he passed!

21st December

2 metres of hedging planted to screen bee hives from the west. 

27th December

Damson and Wild Cherry moved from Meadow to Orchard. Post tidying/topping on lower entrance. 

30th December

We dug a pond on the site of the old water trough on the wetland. 

31st December

Luke came to visit Liddells having not seen the land since before we bought it. Pond so full, the stepping stones are covered! John made 2 stiles along the new fence. Clare worked on taking humps and molehills off the Meadow. 

Hedging and mud - Bramble in her element

More mud

Stylish stile

IMG_0273.jpg

Paul's favourite trick is putting his hay net on his head. Clare also thinks he is punning. He clearly has a sense of humour.

July 2015 - a partridge on a boundary wall

2nd July

Grey partridge on south boundary wall. 

6th July

We lined and back-filled second and larger wet area in meadow and planted Yellow Iris, Mints, Monkey Flower, Ragged Robin, Purple Loosestrife. 

8th July

Brashing Meadow Hawthorns and brashing at east end of top strip; clearing at west end of Top Strip; completed rabbit proofing meadow. 

6th - 27th July

Work on Countryside Stewardship application. 

13th July

We built the bonfire for Lughnassa.

25th July

Green Gym Day - path at west end of top strip started, 30 metres completed, with Mel and Tim.

27th July

Brash hauled out of Top Strip and some clearing in quarry. 

Building bonfires is proving to be one of Clare's favourite activities. Here's one in progress...

May 2015 - evidence of a green woodpecker on the land

4th May

Bird box survey. 

4th - 29th May

More planting, majority in meadow. 

10th May

Jonathan made his first visit. 

14th May

Keith helped with this year's bird survey. 

14th, 15th and 21st May

Tim began helping us think about a website. 

18th May

Mel came to help with digging the pond/wet area.

21st May

We planted Willows for the bird-watching bower on the wetland.

23rd, 24th and 25th May

Much work in the Pit Wood - paths - strimmed and brashing started; re-strimming of path in top strip and brashing at west end. 

25th May

Nick visited and offered to help map the history of the land; we was of a mind that there might possibly have been ancient woodland here; we heard a green woodpecker in the Pit Wood. 

29th May

Andrew from Cottage Garden Flowers in Bingfield came to see the site; he has donated some Lady's Bedstraw plants. 

Please use your imagination to see this as a woven bower in years to come, encircling a binoculars-wielding Clare

Nick identified some of our trees as Red Oaks, pointing out the 'pins' or 'whiskers' on the tip of each lobe, and the red base of the stalk

February 2015 - bird box alterations

13th February

We realised we needed a gateway to give access to the lower part of the land. Hal helped with clearing this new entrance and completing removal of hunt jump and re-walling. 

14th February

Both above tasks completed. Bird box entrances altered. 

19th February

Snipe on Wetland; hare on Top Grazing.

Hunt jump before

Emboldened Emily meets emboldened Ganymede

Hunt jump gone

Where there was wall...

The cap is not a permanent fixture

...we now have a gate

December 2014 - time to deliver Christmas trees

2nd December

Keith came to advise us on the Wetland - he affirmed idea of digging out ponds where the water is backing up. 

3rd December

We met at The Rat with Robert Charlton to talk about the possible ways to pump overflow water from the spring. 

7th December

We planted 21 Willows on the wetland. 

15th December

We cut down and delivered Christmas trees. 

31st December

Juliet came to take 4 ponies away.

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