Bats 2016

Sweet Chestnut Avenue, Dovers Hill

Ancient Oaks by Sherborne Broadwater

Willows in the water meadows 

First Bat count of 2016 at Sherborne today, a bit of a soggy start but weather improved for the count, led as usual by Mike and Maurice. The mild winter weather was still holding with temperature outside the bat cave an almost sultry 12 degrees and inside a balmy 11 degrees. The total number of lesser horseshoes were 143 in the bat cave, 7 in the kennels, 16 in the bothy and 12 in the cellar amounting to a healthy grand total of 178. This compares well with last years January total of 157 and last months 146. Once more we had a good exchange on possible improvements to the Sherborne bat roosts plus the potential to reveal more bats hidden in some of these roosts with the aid of a ladder. Maurice enthusiastic and as ever not short on news of bat activities around the North Cotswolds. He must get round to recording his almost infinite knowledge on experiences and habitats in the Cotswolds.

To add to the enjoyable afternoon on the Sherborne estate,  was observing the springlike displays of snowdrops, aconites, primroses and crocuses plus a brief play session with Pepper!

Thought I might start the year with a thumbs up for an NT web release on one of my favourite subjects {and Ollies} our Trees.

Still life in the old dog yet...

View from a trailer, at Windrush end of Sherborne

The 'old dog' {not me} still doing the job!

A frosty,  fresh start to the morning at Sherborne, could the winter have finally arrived. James was away at Newark Park so I was back driving the 4x4 with trailer and Mike on the tractor. Task for the morning was to deliver wood supplies to customers in Sherborne village. The location of both customers required driving through a picturesque pasture to gain access to the properties to unload much needed wood into their rear gardens. Nothing too challenging here except to be wary of the still saturated ground which fortunately was fairly flat.  The first drop went fine and we even secured a nice cup of tea from a caring local. Unfortunately on the return trip across the pasture the 4x4 got stuck and it was time for the old faithful tractor to pull it out of the mire. After guiding the 4x4 back to the estate offices my job was done and the tractor was left to deliver the final load across the surprisingly challenging terrain. Mixed feelings from Mike possibly as the heroic tractor is to be replaced by the end of February by the one Mike trialled early this year.

January 'clearance' in the water meadows

Willow blocking main track down to water meadows

Track cleared, Mike 'pruning' further down track

Tractor trailer filling up with brash

Misty start to the day at Sherborne where I discovered Anna hard at work in the workshop on a developing 'cottage industry' making bird boxes. Task for the morning was to clear a fallen willow down in the water meadows and this needed Mike +tractor and James with myself to hopefully clear the willow by lunch time. Pole saw, chainsaw and 'Silki' saw were all needed to reduce the willow to manageable parts for placing in the tractor trailer. As the willow was gradually reduced to its component parts Mike left us, armed with the pole saw,  to wander further down the track to begin cutting back other willow tree branches potentially threatening to block the track in the future. This led to more brash piles and work so by lunch although we had cleared the fallen willow more work would be needed in the afternoon to clear the extra brash piles. The weather certainly improved during the morning session to remind us all what a great spot on the estate this was inspite of the fact the wildlife was conspicuous by its absence.

Good reminder from Martin Harper on the sensible approach to 'managing' the land wrt to high rainfall and downstream water levels.