After the bird ringing event on Friday I went home to load my car with our barrow and rakes ready for the work party next day. Saturday was rather murky and cold but at least it was dry and we finally managed to rake off the meadow, taking the cut vegetation to the compost heap which now reaches about 4 feet up the nearby tree! We then turned our attention to cutting back the brambles which, if left unchecked, would quickly swamp this meadow. While we did this Richard strimmed the meadow again paying particular attention to a few large tufts which had dodged the Decimator machine first time around. Another quick rake of the meadow afterwards and the job was finished for 2021.
With 9 of us on site there was even time to take out the brambles round the Hazel bushes on the path which runs parallel to the road.
Talk during our break was inevitably of Christmas, prompted perhaps by some seasonal refreshments. Angie had even brought us a Christmas present -some posh chocolates which we all enjoyed. Thank you Angie!
As we collected up our tools to leave, an opportunist Robin moved in to eat the insects disturbed by our raking.(SC208694) Earlier in the morning the Water Rail was also calling (SC209694)
The air rang with cries of "Merry Christmas" and "Have a lovely time" as we all went our separate ways at the end of the morning. No doubt we'll all have a tale to tell when we meet up again in the New Year.
Many thanks to all the volunteers today. With just a week to go until Christmas Day I'm sure everyone was very busy at home so I appreciate them sparing a morning to come and get these slightly over due tasks out of the way.
Here are a few photos of our efforts
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| we had removed a lot of hay earlier last month |
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| but much still remained |
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| we could have built a haystack! |
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| but instead it was taken to the compost heap |
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| first attack on the brambles |
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| Richard contemplates where to start |
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| how about here? |
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| meanwhile near the Hazel bushes the sack was almost full |
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| just one year's growth threatening to swamp the trees |
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| but by the end of the morning the tree was visible once more |
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| a well deserved break |
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| but at least our exertions had kept us warm |
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| a reviving hot drink |
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| enjoyed by all |
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| at the end of the morning the meadow looked well strimmed and raked |
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| and the compost heaps were groaning |
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| the birds welcome the fresh compost as it's full of insects |
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| plenty of brambles to rot down too. |
I am hoping to fit in one more recording visit before Christmas, weather permitting.
please click on photos to enlarge them
