While the cats away...

Water meadows, working 1 field along to the right

Mike still on leave but surprisingly found myself back at Sherborne Water Meadows carrying out habitat improvements with the Wildlife Trust (note their CAP message) today.  Its my first outing with the 'living landscape programme' Cotswold rivers team {excellent video of what they are about}. We were to meet at the Northfield Barn car park and I was taken aback by the turn out. 16 volunteers and 3 Wildlife Trust officers {TIm - living landscapes, Richard - ecology, John - water voles} which I was told was a record and possibly influenced by the glorious weather, can't blame anyone for taking advantage.

The habitat work was a continuation of previous good work by the Wildlife Trust volunteers and   contractors {with heavyweight machine} down in the vicinity of the 'old' Sherborne Brook and a water course, by Birch copse, running parallel to the Windrush river. No power tools today but strictly manual cutting using large pruning saws and loppers clearing the fence lines and water course bank to allow more light exposure. It was muddy but the water levels back to normal so acceptable conditions. Its amazing how much can be done with so many people, so although not complete much progress made and some impressive piles of brash to add to the not inconsiderable piles already existing. Plan is when wildlife conditions permit to lay a new hedge down one of the fence lines.

Was good to see the local wildlife was out and about in spite of our small army and with so many eyes there wasn't too much that slipped by without notice. So Red Kites, Buzzards, 1 Cormorant, 1 fox and 5 Fallow Stags with impressive antlers starred at the lunch break.  No willow tits seen but it seems some of the specific willow tit boxes made & installed by Wildlife Trust volunteer have seen some activity.  Also spotted were 2 otter spraint, I refused the offer to smell either, but its good to know river otters are present in this area. The 'vole' officer John with us pointed out what may have been water vole tracks so quite a healthy sign for wildlife in general in these parts and overall a good first introduction to working with the Wildlife Trust. 

It must be spring

Pleasure Ground 

Ended the day by stopping off in Sherborne and viewing the spring flowers in the Pleasure Grounds, even spotted the local Heron back in its spot on Sherborne Brook.