Ellington Banks: 20-02-2017

"Pancake Tuesday is a happy day

If you don't give us a holiday we'll all run away."

But, of course, we are NCVs - so would do no such thing. We don't need holidays. Every Tuesday is a happy day - pancakes or not.

This week a band of 15 NCVs met at the MOD training area of Ellington Banks on a beautiful sunny day. Here we were having a second go at helping ecologist John Black reveal and open up the newly discovered pond at the edge of the SINC site that, we hope, will become a residence for Great Crested Newts. The photos below tell the tale.... 

All's quiet on the western front.

And then the NCVs arrived for their briefing.

Now, before I get started, let me just adjust my hat.

Graham the Fire-starter got busy on the most important job....

...and soon had a blaze hot enough to make the tree trunks foam.

The pond was just visible at the start of the day.

By 2pm it was easy to spot....

....especially from this angle. 
Hopefully the newts will notice it.

Graham the fire builder was kept busy 
feeding it with the oncoming fuel.

Now THAT is a bit of a tall fire.

In fact it's taller than a 6' tall Will.

James - the fastest chainsaw in the West.

Coffee time for the troops - everyone enjoying the sun together.

By lunchtime these two were outcasts.

Osian and Ros E.