Mega Fascines!

Windrush river improvements underway

Super size Fascines, ready to be rolled down to the river 

New river bank creation 

Mega fascine floated into place

Posts driven into place to secure fascine

Out with the Wildlife Trust today, at Lower Slaughter farm by the Windrush, and together with the EA & local Fishing club. This was to continue the good work carried out on this important stretch of the Windrush to improve the habitat for fish , voles and other wildlife. Whilst the EA and Fishing club teams concentrated on building the new river banks to 'narrow the river' to its original width, the rest of us Wildlife trust volunteers, led by John, attacked the various areas of overgrown river bank to reduce  shading and increase growth of sedge/grasses important to wildlife especially water voles.

Earlier on this week I was able to resume work at Sherborne with the NT after my knee injury. This was a welcome change for me but not early enough for the February Bat count. The count of lesser horseshoes was ~156, down on last months January total, with only one bat found outside the 'bat cave'.

In spite of my reduced mobility over the this winter season I have been fortunate enough to see some varied wildlife. This includes  foxes and deer around my local Leckhampton patch together with goldfinch, green & greater spotted woodpeckers, siskin, redwing and green finch. I was also lucky enough to spot a Great Grey Shrike on Cleeve Common this week.