Trip reports
BROOK MEADOW
Friday, 8 February 2008
The rat problem appears to be under control so the vermin control contract will not be renewed, but we shall keep a regular check on the meadow to monitor vermin activity.
The Forestry Commission (FC) now has a small mowing machine that can both cut and lift the grass cuttings. They used it to cut a swathe of grass between the brook and the hide, depositing the cuttings in the north-east corner of BM by Roves Farm. This pile of cuttings will not only help fertilise the local vegetation as it rots down but also provide a place where invertebrates and small mammals can hibernate through the winter.
The FC cut the vegetation along the south side of the brook going east from the bridge towards Roves Farm this is to help the water voles. This was a deviation from the 5-year plan, which required six-metre squares to be cut making a checker-board effect that would have resulted in areas of new growth and areas of old growth.
More bad news is that the FC cleared vegetation from the wrong scrape. The one that we wanted them to clear was the balancing pond/scrape situated to the east of the mound. The scrape that was cleared is the one where jack snipe over-winter. Again, the 5-year plan called for only a third of the scrape to be cleared at any one time to minimise any disturbance to the snipe. As there are only a small number of these birds recorded in the UK as a whole, this means that not only are they very important to Wiltshire but to BM in particular. The FC have been asked to suspend all work at BM until it's been established where the jack snipe are - if they have returned.
Due to the bad weather and other unforeseen factors the area that was designated for the winter bird cover was not sprayed by FC. With this in mind Derek sowed the areas of bare-ground left after SS completed the cut. Seeds used included yellow rattle, field scabious, mugwort, fumitory, centaury, field forget-me-not, wild basil and fat hen.
John Ball's wildflower planting programme is also active at the meadow and has produced some good results around the scrapes.
We are now ready to survey both Nightingale Wood and Brook Meadow.
We would like members who use the wood to identify what they see and where, both birds and other wildlife, using the friendly format. The idea is to carry out regular surveys throughout the year thus building a picture of where all the various wildlife can be found.
Completed log-sheets should be given/sent to me (Ray Thatcher). Log-sheets can be sent by email. To obtain log-sheets please contact me.
Volunteer work to maintain the hide and create a muddy shore to the scrape in front of the hide has also continued, but we are now down to just two of us. So others would be very welcome. This is also a good way to get a little bit fitter and benefit local wildlife. If you are interested please contact me. Ray Thatcher