|
Tuesday 21st January 2025 We had a good turnout for our first work party of the year with 8 volunteers (including a 'first-timer'), warden Nick and assistant, and our new services manager Eddie Leung, who has taken over from Frank Street. It was a cold day, but no frost or rain and hardly any wind, which was a relief given the recent weather. We split up into our various tasks - a section of the encroaching scrub around the back of the storage container was cleared away, there was plenty of strimming, some cutting back of side-growth along the paths, and we had a comprehensive litter-pick. The ponds are doing well, with the exception of Fox Pond which still hasn't fully recovered from almost drying up in late Autumn, The invasive least duckweed (Lemna minuta) flourished last year covering the surfaces of most of the ponds, and is already back and looks like doing the same in 2025. However it's probably best tolerated rather than removed. It certainly doesn't put off the frogs, and as far as is known should have no ill-effects on our damselfly and dragonfly populations. The far end of the East Meadow is again water-logged despite the rest of the Reserve being relatively dry. If this continues we can expect to see more rushes sedges and reeds there, to add to the sea club-rush first recorded in June 2024. Tuesday 18th February 2025 The sun shone brightly but it was very cold, with a thin layer of ice on at least two of the ponds. Our eight volunteers arrived to find Warden Nick and an assistant from Countryside Services already hard at work clearing the shrubbery around the 'bridge'. Next month we hope to remove the accumulated waste that has been caught by the grill where the small stream emerges at the end of Plotlands Way. There was little for us to do except some litter-picking and a bit of cutting back, though we managed to drag a bottle and a couple of empty cigar tins out of Puckles Pond using the Society's new 8 foot litter-picker. Nick mentioned the possibility of doing some projects in the coming months, including putting up bird and bat boxes, making more bee hotels to add to those on the side wall of the storage container, and building hibernacula for hibernating reptiles and invertebrates. (We are still waiting for Ed, the new Superviser, to let us know his plans for the Reserve.) Nearly everything seemed dormant with no flowers and little wildlife to be seen. The biggest change from January is the extent of the water on the far side of East Meadow. Last month it was water-logged, but it now looks like a largish pond. If this area continues to be flooded regularly we might lose the flowers there (mainly fleabane and willow-herb) but as compensation we could have a fine display of rushes and sedges! Tuesday 18th March 2025 Despite the sun shining brightly there was a chilly wind to greet this month's six volunteers. We arrived to find Supervisor Eddie hard at work clearing the accumulated rubbish from where the stream emerges under the small bridge in the centre of the Reserve. Although the water is now flowing more easily, its way is partly blocked by a tree growing sideways out of the bank - possibly a job for the next work party. We also did the usual cutting back along the sides of the paths, and of course some litter-picking, but there wasn't a lot to do of either, probably because of the recent cold weather and sporadic rain. Most of the ponds look healthy apart from Fox Pond, where the water-level is still low. Given the number of frogs sighted it's surprising how little frogspawn has been seen over the years. If anyone sees any on the Reserve, and manages to take some photos, it'd be great to have them on the Facebook page. Spring has got off to a slow start - the cherry blossom is starting to appear and we have our first primrose, but the daffs and other spring flowers seem behind those elsewhere. Similarly there have been few butterflies so far, only brimstone and comma being recorded. With some warmer dryer weather forecast for the next couple of weeks there should be some orange tips about (whose caterpillars feed on hedge parsley, which we have growing in abundance) and maybe a few peacocks. Tuesday 15th April 2025 The day started mild and rainy, but by midday it had cleared up, though the sky remained cloudy until late on. Despite some cancellations, we had five volunteers who were met by Countryside Services Supervisor Eddie, again on his own because of a temporary staff shortage. There was the usual litter-pick and cutting back of side-growth along the paths, and a couple of overhanging branches were removed. Meanwhile Eddie continued with the work he'd started in March, clearing the area where the small stream emerges from under the bridge, using a chainsaw to cut back tree growth that was impeding the water flow. For the first time in a decade it's possible to get a good view of the stream, which in the past has had sticklebacks in it! Also some of the damaged anti-slip wire mesh on the Puckles Pond platform was removed, to be replaced soon by contractors. (If you use the platform, take care because when wet it is slippery!) The Reserve is looking lovely with the blackthorn now in full blossom. Greater stitchwort and dog-violets can be seen along the walks and the daffs are up again in the East Meadow - somehow they don't seem to mind it being regularly water-logged during the winter months. Most of the ponds look well except for Fox Pond where the water is still lower than expected, though it's the only place that frogs have been seen so far this year. Blackcaps and chiffchaffs were singing merrily throughout the afternoon, and we also heard jay, green woodpecker and buzzard calls. Most of the common spring butterflies can be found in the Reserve (brimstones, commas, orange tips, peacocks, red admirals, small and large whites) but numbers are still low following last year's big fall in butterfly populations caused by all the rain we had. Tuesday 20th May 2025 Despite being a gloriously sunny day, we only had five volunteers this month, and no one from the Council! So we did the usual litter-pick and cutting back of side-growth. It was all very leisurely, giving us more time to observe the wildlife, especially the insects - sightings included a holly blue and small heath (butterflies), lots of cardinal and soldier beetles in the cleared scrubland, and azure and large red damselflies around Meadow Pond. Most of our usual Spring flowers are now out. The hedgerows and woodland borders are still full of white blossom, with cow parsley and hawthorn replacing the greater stitchwort and blackthorn. It used to be that the dominant summer plant was one of the larger vetches (either fodder or bush vetch) but over the last ten years it's been almost completely replaced by the more robust goat's rue), and to a lesser extent fleabane. However it could be that the vetches are staging a comeback in the form of common and tufted vetch, which appear to be spreading out from the central area of the Reserve. Watch this space! Tuesday 17th June 2025 Despite the lovely day, only three volunteers turned up. Eddie, the Countryside Services Supervisor, was there for the first hour and informed us that repairs to one of the benches on the Reserve were in hand. Litter was minimal, except in the area of a 'camp' where we tidied up, copllecting various cans and other rubbish. Rosebay Pond is completely dry now, as usual at this time of year, Willow Pond was still quite full but with a slightly scummy surface. Puckles Pond is covered with duckweed and there were newts observed but not identified. Meadow Pond is quite low but not alarmingly dry, and there was a fair bit of activity from large red damselflies and common blues. Fox Pond, on the other hand is even lower and there was no visible life apart from duckweed. Around the site it's quite lush, and the flowering plants were predominately buttercups and a couple of vetch variants. Tuesday 15th July 2025 The afternoon alternated between sunny and cloudy. However the rain held off and our five volunteers plus Eddie and an assistant from Countryside Services managed to get a fair amount of work done. The main job was cutting back and strimming along the sides of the boardwalks which were being encroached by brambles and goats rue. We also cut back side-growth along the woodland walks, litter-picked, and did a butterfly count! All the ponds have suffered from the recent heatwave. Puckles and Willow still have some water in them but Rosebay and Fox are completely dry. Meadow Pond is covered in typha (great reedmace, commonly known as 'bull-rush'), and though this is something we periodically try and remove, it seems to help prevent evaporation from the pond's surface. The platform at Meadow Pond is damaged - contractors have been notified and should be along to fix it soon. In the meantime please take care! The meadow areas remain colourful, with the goats rue and vetch now being replaced by fleabane, ragwort and knapweed. One of the prettiest features of the Reserve is the large patch of Canadian goldenrod by Prewers Pond, which is probably a relic of Plotland times. This year is turning out to be much better for butterflies than 2024. July is a good month for gatekeepers, speckled woods, small whites and large whites. The last three species usually have two broods a year, so we should be seeing plenty more of them in August. Tuesday 19th August 2025 Six volunteers turned up for our late summer work party, on a day which was pleasantly warm with a light wind and more sun than clouds. Supervisor Eddie was only able to stay a short time as he was en route to a meeting. So we carried on with our usual tasks - litter-picking and cutting back side-growth along the paths. We also cleared up the area in front of the storage container and did another butterfly count (as part of the UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme). The platform at Meadow Pond has now been repaired by contractors, but apparently the boardwalks are going to need replacing soon because their foundations are starting to rot. All the ponds are either dry or reduced to little more than large puddles. Some light rain is forecast for the end of the month, but with September looking to be mostly dry it's unlikely the ponds will start to fill until October. The recent hot weather is probably responsible for the early ripening of fruits and berries this year, which are adding lots of colour to the hedgerows. (Fruit trees surviving from the Plotland era include crab apples, plums and pears.) The summer flowers are beginning to fade, though the willowherb and fleabane are still putting on a fine display. However plant sighting of the month goes to the goji berry (also known as the Duke of Argyle's tea tree) which hasn't been recorded in the Reserve before. Tuesday 16th September 2025 We had a mild cloudy day with a bit of sunshine for this month's work party. Four volunteers turned up to find two workers from Countryside Services already busy trimming the edges of the meadow areas in the centre of the Reserve and cutting back branches around the small bridge over the stream (which eventually runs into the River Crouch). The main task of the day was repairing the railings at Meadow Pond, but we also managed a litter-pick, a bit of cutting back of side-growth, and a butterfly count. Only Willow Pond seems to have benefitted from the recent rain, and though still not full, at least it's continuous rather than divided into two separate stretches of water. Meadow Pond is chock full of bullrushes (great reedmace, also known as typha). Perhaps the time is approaching when it needs to be dug out again? (I think it was last cleared in October 2020). We still have dragonflies skimming over East Meadow, but apart from the occasional large white and speckled wood there are few butterflies to be seen. The last 'flower display' of the year is by Prewers Pond, where a large patch of Michaelmas daisies are starting to blossom. (Prewers Pond is hidden away behind the bench walking westwards along the path from the storage container). Somehow, between themselves and the goldenrod they have managed to keep the blackthorn at bay for many years as well as holding off the surrounding thistles, dock and nettles. Tuesday 21st October 2025 We had four volunteers turn up on a mild but cloudy afternoon to be met by Supervisor Eddie, whose task was to officially assess the Reserve's ponds. (Apparently this is supposed to be done every two years.) The recent rain has done little to refill them and we will probably have to wait until November, when the forecast is for wetter weather. We did the usual litter-pick, and took advantage of the low water level to clear around the back of Willow Pond. There was also some spilled paint to be cleared by the Spanish Steps. Most of the larger insects have now disappeared, apart from a few bees harvesting nectar from the late Autumn blossom. Plants still in flower include bramble, common knapweed, common mallow, smooth sow thistle, black horehound, groundsel, Michaelmas daisies, oxeye daisies, red dead nettle, white campion, white dead nettle and yarrow. (Photos have been posted to our new Instagram account - see link in comment below). Fungi are starting to appear along the woodland edges -- look out for parasols and fly agaric! Tuesday 18th November 2025 There was a good turnout for our last work party of the year - seven volunteers plus Supervisor Eddie and an assistant from Countryside Services. For most of the afternoon it was cold and cloudy, though the sun started peeping out towards the end. A very thorough litter-pick was done as well as some significant cutting back along the West woodland walk, making it more accessible to vehicles. This is necessary because it's hoped that work will soon begin on taking up the boardwalks (currently fenced off) and replacing them with a different type of path. Earlier this month the East Meadow was cut, something which is done periodically to prevent it turning into shrubbery. It's a 'wet meadow' for much of the year, especially the far side, which is gradually being taken over by sea club-rush (a type of sedge). Only Willow Pond still contains water, and with little rain expected during the next month the other ponds are unlikely to fill up again before mid-December. However it's been damp enough for fungi to start springing up along the sides of the paths (especially Plotlands Way), though probably not in sufficient numbers to justify holding a fungus foray. |