Journal of a volunteer
July 2009
| Wed 8th |
Jim and I drove up to Carey Park along with Alan G, and Maria. We parked by the Ladybird Gates and followed Peter's tractor into the field. The cattle were initially very curious but they left us to our task of pulling Ragwort and Spear thistles. We came across a few Cinnabar moth caterpillars, which we gave refuge on isolated plants. After an hour we transferred our efforts to the field nearest Marbury Lane on Dairy House Meadows. It was getting warmer as it got nearer to lunchtime and we were glad to have finished and take a rest.
Chris wanted to prevent any more stones being lobbed at the boats on the mere. I barrowed sand into the yard, where Ian was operating the cement mixer. John and Alan barrowed the mix down to the boathouse, where Chris was waiting to cement in some of the retaining stones on the edge of the mere.
Alan, Ian and I used the log splitter on the remaining timber in the yard. Jon, on work experience, made a tidy log stack with our tossed logs.
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| Thur 9th |
Frances, Alan R and I helped Chris fix the fences between the two Marbury fields after the antics of a couple of the bullocks. The task involved looking first for evidence of their movements along the dividing track. Slack wire needed re-stapling once it was taut. We travelled to and fro in Chris' van, but when we got back to the caravan field, the three of us transferred to the trailer, for me not the most dignified act. As Chris drove around the field with regular pauses, Frances and I grabbed the heavily laden cherry plum branches, so that Alan could do the cutting back We soon had crunchy plums and branches beneath our feet. My descent from the trailer was initially achieved with more agility, but then I caught my foot amongst the twigs and couldn't move, mostly because tears of laughter clouded my vision.
After lunch we got the call to move cattle on Dairy House Meadows. Peter led the convoy of vehicles. He and Chris tried to coax the 14 bullocks towards the gate, while Steph and six volunteers stood by to prevent their escape along the track. No amount of calling enticed the cattle within twenty yards of the gate. Chris called for Pip and me to tempt their curiosity. With Pip on a short lead, I walked slowly through the gate and gently to the right. As they began to show interest I turned back and hoped that they would follow. Fortunately the ruse was successful and they followed us through the gate and across the track with a short deviation deflected by those people standing guard on the path.
Back to the yard and then Maria, Jon, Frances and I removed ragwort from the two wildflower areas near the mere hide and the site of Marbury Hall. It was interesting to see the variety of species that had become established. We joined up with Chris, Ian and Alan again and walked down to the mereside path to choose a site for a new bench. We settled on a spot with a view across the mere. We needed to excavate into the bank and construct a revetment. It was getting close to teatime, so we didn't complete the task, but we left the site safe, ready to finish next week.
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| Thurs 16th |
Jim, John, Elna, Jon and I went to Haydn's Pool to do some cutting back with loppers, sickles bow saws and a slasher, a very useful tool looking like a long handled bill hook. We split up, Elna and I going along Witton Brook to Carden's Ferry Bridge to prune nettles, brambles and, unfortunately, a few teasels that were beginning to encroach on the path, threatening to scratch passers by. After lunch Jon, Jim and I did a tour of Neumann's Flash to clear the bird hides of half a sackful of litter before continuing with the cutting back. Unfortunately it clouded over and began to rain late in the afternoon, but that didn't prevent us making the loop by the lime bed more accessible. We also took the opportunity to introduce Jon to wild strawberries.
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| Wed 29th |
The forecast was for heavy rain, so Jim and I set off for Marbury wondering what we were going to be doing. Dave came back home with us to load the 300 paper sacks (for charcoal) into the car and then stored them in the shed at Marbury. It still wasn't raining when we followed Dave and Jim M down the lane to drive through to Marshall's Wood. Dave and I did some cutting back between the wood and the top of the rifle range steps, before joining the Jims pulling Ragwort and topping Creeping thistles in the glades and stowing them away in the shade of the trees. We spotted and smelled the first of the Pennyroyal flowers alongside the less desirable weeds. We were still awaiting the rain at one o'clock. Six of us got ready to clear more ragwort where it threatened to take over on the wildflower meadow by the Dragonfly Pond. When it started to rain soon afterwards, it was certainly heavy and we spent the next hour getting soaked from the clouds above and the wet vegetation below. We created a three foot pile of Ragwort in the dense shade of a sycamore and then looked forward to a hot shower and some dry clothes.
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| Thur 30th |
The forecast was a little better, but there was still the risk of heavy showers. Dave inevitably thought of me for the business of sorting, riddling and bagging the latest burn of charcoal. For most volunteers Ragwort pulling suddenly became the preferred option and Jim was left to work with me. We got off to a good start, but then the heavens opened. We rushed to get the first four bags into the shed and cover the remaining charcoal with a tarpaulin. We took shelter under the barn for a while before resuming our dirty job. By lunchtime we had 17 bags ready for sale. Jim's face resembled that of a coal merchant; I probably didn't look much better, judging by Diana's mirth.
Steph wanted volunteers in the afternoon on Ashton's Flash, for Ragwort pulling. Alan G, Jim and I decided it was our turn. Steph declared break-time at 2.30pm and we took the opportunity to straighten up and go for a stroll viewing flora and fauna. Water mint was particularly aromatic and butterflies were taking advantage of the warm sunshine as the rain clouds passed us by. I was lucky to snap a Common blue on a patch of toadflax. The cosy atmosphere was spoiled by a phone call with news that No 1 Hide on Neumann's Flash had been vandalised. We loaded up Steph's van with our bags of Ragwort and went to survey the damage. We tidied up a bit, but it was teatime, so there is a repair job for Steph tomorrow.
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Mary - Volunteer
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Cinnabar caterpillar
6-spot Burnett on Ragwort
Completed revetment and bench
Look out for the strawberries
Common blue on toadflax
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