Back to the banks!!
This week the NCVs put in an extra day back at Ellington Banks to try to rid the area of as much encroaching scrub as possible before the nesting season really gets underway. If you remember, there were two 'rain stopped play' days to catch up on, so it was all hands to the pump - and the loppers. The pictures below give you a flavour of the day.
MOD ecologist, Karen, gave the usual safety briefing.
Today she added that 350 soldiers would be training
in the area - but not to worry as they would
only be firing blanks!!
Sure enough - a long line of them walked past once
we reached the work area; in full combat gear
and looking very serious. They were glimpsed
through the trees at various points in the day -
trying hard to imagine themselves in enemy territory.
This must have been difficult when the NCVs
started singing 'Happy Birthday' to Anita...
...who reached the grand old age of 21 this week.
Happy Birthday Anita!!
The ginger cake she brought was delicious ...
...and here is the recipe.
As for the task - here is the area before we started.
Before ........................After
Some of the brash was added to
a couple of old brash piles...
and some was added to an old dead hedge.
The rest was burnt on the bonfire which Graham
quickly ignited with a wave of his magic wand.
At first the smaller stuff was the focus....
...to reveal the numerous ponds.
Then the bigger stuff had to go.....
...which gave Liz a chance to try out
her new electric chain saw.
.As the big stems got removed so yet
more ponds were revealed.
Newts and frogspawn could be seen in some.
Work continued around the ponds...
...although Ken took time out for a crafty lean or two.
Phil was glad of his extending loppers when
it came to clearing this island. They
saved him getting his feet wet!
Talking about getting wet (it was an
extremely wet day by coffee time) -
.this tarpaulin shelter was well intentioned....
....but ended up depositing water onto anyone
sitting below a hole, or near
the edge when the wind got up.
By 2pm the area was looking much clearer.
If only it would stop growing!!
The fire was allowed to burn down and fire tender
Andy went home smelling like a piece
of smoked haddock.
Additionally....
Last Thursday Brenda and Liz joined the National Trusts's Skell Valley volunteers to finish planting trees at Marton House. Although it wasn't a huge team they managed to get 800 trees into the ground - an impressive rate of planting everyone!!
One Skell volunteer looked rather familiar,
in spite of the wrong coloured uniform!
Days
from a bygone age number 12
Did you see through this NCV's hairy disguise? It was, of course, Will, a long established NCV.
Then...
...and now. (NB The hat does not hide the curls!)
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