Trip reports

BROOK MEADOW

Thursday, 1 January 2009

Derek and I have been on site to check out the jobs that we need help with. Now that the Forestry Commission has restored the entrance paths by the hide the door must be repaired, and hopefully, repainted. We also want to alter the windows.

Wiltshire Probation Service will help us with several conservation projects but we shall have to turn to the Forestry Commission for some serious work at the Hide Scrape. It is near amazing how quickly the bulrushes can re-colonise the wetland.

The Deacons are still producing good results from their mist-net ringings and the species numbers remain buoyant with excellent numbers of lesser redpolls and siskins. We are particularly pleased to see that the jack snipe have returned for the winter.

A farmer who has taken part in the VFA programme has phoned to offer us some tailings. Some of these will be used to supplement the feeding station at Chippenham, but the rest will be kept at Brook Meadow. We would like to start regularly replenishing the hopper.

Late last summer local landowners reported a massive build-up of ragwort. It is certain that we shall be calling on group members to come out and do a bit of simple conservation management in August. You have been warned!!

Ray Thatcher