Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Archive for the ‘Ponds and lakes’ Category

Chorlton Water Park’s willow groynes

Posted in Ponds and lakes, Reed beds, Willow structures, tagged , on March 1, 2020| 1 Comment »

Today we were back at Chorlton Water Park.  There was a good crowd of us so we were able to work on a couple of different things, but mainly some maintenance of the willow groynes at the edge of the lake which we have worked on several times over the years.  These groynes are important in preventing erosion of the lakeside and in providing a habitat for birds and for spawning fish.

We also cut encroaching saplings from among the reed beds and used some cut willow to strengthen and maintain the arch by the wildflower area.

Volunteers at work
Volunteers at work
Volunteers at work
Volunteers at work
Volunteers at work
Volunteers at work
Willow arch in progress
Cut willow
Loaded trailer

Read Full Post »

Back in a pond at Chorlton Meadows

Posted in Ponds and lakes, Reed beds, tagged , on October 7, 2019|

Yesterday we were back in a familiar pond in Chorlton Meadows and with familiar company: members of the Friends of Chorlton Meadows, of course!  We’ve worked here several times in the past, and once again were clearing reeds to maintain an important section of open water, in order to keep this habitat as diverse as possible.

Conservation volunteers preparing
Starting work
Conservation volunteers in action
Conservation volunteers in action
The expanded pond
The expanded pond

Read Full Post »

Willow groynes at Chorlton Water Park

Posted in Ponds and lakes, Willow structures, tagged , on March 3, 2019| 2 Comments »

Only a hardy few volunteers made it out in today’s rather dreary grey weather.  We were working at Chorlton Water Park on willow groynes at the edge of the lake.  These groynes provide an important wildlife habitat and help to prevent lakeside erosion.

We harvested willow from an existing groyne on one part of the bank and used that to create a couple more small groynes at the far end of the lake.  We also had a chance to see how the groyne we worked on a couple of years ago is now looking very established! 

Starting work on willow groyne
Work on willow groyne in progress
Completed willow groyne

Read Full Post »

Willow and snow at Tittesworth

Posted in Coppicing, Hedgelaying, Ponds and lakes, Residential weekends, Willow structures, tagged on February 4, 2019| 3 Comments »

For our first weekend away of 2019 we were treated to a a beautiful sunny and snowy landscape on the edge of Tittesworth Reservoir!  Working with the Peak Park Conservation Volunteers, on Saturday we were coppicing willow in an area being managed as an important habitat for willow tit.  Then, on Sunday, we returned to the willow hedge that we began in October 2018, and extended it further along the shore.  This barrier, created by a combination of dead hedging and the laying of living willow, is to discourage disturbance by walkers and dogs of an area of the shore important for ground-nesting birds.

Our hedge from October
Volunteers at work – coppicing willow
Coppicing willow
Tittesworth Reservoir by night
Extending our October hedge – getting started
Laying of willow in progress
Volunteers hedging
Volunteers at work
Volunteers at work on willow barrier
Volunteers at work on willow barrier
The extended hedge

Update, May 2019: Back in the area for another weekend, we were pleased to see our hedge thriving and sprouting well!

Sprouting on our previously laid hedge

 

Read Full Post »

Wildlife garden and grassland

Posted in Coppicing, Grassland, Meadows, Ponds and lakes, tagged , on December 16, 2018|

Well, our activities for 2018 are now over. Our last two outings have been with the Friends of Longford Park on 25th November and with the Friends of Chorlton Meadows on 9th December.

In Longford Park, we helped the Friends with a number of activities for the maintenance of the wildlife garden including seeding wood anemone, foxglove and yellow rattle; coppicing hazel; removing blackthorn which was invading the grassland area; and managing areas of dogwood, rose and flag iris near the pond.

Volunteers at work
Work in progress
Removing blackthorn root from grass
Tools
Coppiced hazel

At Chorlton Meadows, the Friends are currently in the process of trying to restore the only remaining area of old grassland. The aim is to re-introduce cattle grazing once the new fence has been completed. Sadly, many years of neglect has resulted in several species invading the field, not least bramble. The cattle will keep the invasive plant species down and allow the rarer plant species to thrive once again. SACV members spent the day working with the Friends in removing the bramble.

Volunteers at work
Volunteer with brambles
Volunteer at work
Volunteer at work
Volunteers at work

Hard work, but well worth it and our efforts were rewarded with an early Christmas soirée after the task, kindly hosted (as in previous years) by Elaine. Thanks to Elaine for the perfect end to the day!

And of course big thanks to everyone who has come out to volunteer with us in 2018!

Read Full Post »

Reed and heather habitats

Posted in Heathland, Ponds and lakes, Reed beds, tagged , on November 18, 2018|

Our last two activities have been in Chorlton Meadows (Sunday 28th October) and Birch Moss Covert (Sunday 11th November). The first of these was to help the Friends of Chorlton Meadows with their work on the reed beds, maintaining an area of open water which is important for wildlife.

Reeds encroaching
Volunteers at work
Volunteers at work
Area for open water expanded

Next, at Birch Moss Covert, we worked with the Cheshire Wildlife Trust volunteers to prevent woodland encroaching on an important area of low heathland heather. 

Getting started clearing around heather
Getting started clearing around heather
Work in progress clearing around heather

For our next activity, we look forward to joining the Friends of Longford Park on Sunday 25th November!

Read Full Post »

Willow hedge and willow tits

Posted in Ponds and lakes, Willow structures, Woodland management, tagged on October 15, 2018| 2 Comments »

This past weekend was our final residential weekend of the year, working for the Peak Park Conservation Volunteers.  On Saturday we were on the shores of Tittesworth Reservoir, creating a willow hedge to prevent walkers and dogs from disturbing an area using by ground-nesting birds.  On a very wet Sunday we were at a different nearby site, this time enhancing the habitat for willow tits by creating standing deadwood.  An excellent trip – in spite of the rain and a recalcitrant fire alarm in our accommodation!

Update, February 2019: we returned to our willow hedge during our first weekend away of 2019, and extended it further along the shore.

 

Gap to be filled with willow hedge
Volunteers at work 1
Volunteers at work 2
Volunteers at work 3
A dog tests the barrier
The completed willow hedge
Creating willow tit habitats
Creating deadwood for willow tits, and habitat pile

Read Full Post »

A pond at Chorlton Meadows

Posted in Ponds and lakes, tagged on October 22, 2017| 1 Comment »

As in previous years we today worked with the Friends of Chorlton Meadows to maintain an area of open water in the reed bed here.  The reed bed and surrounding area continue to be one of the most diverse parts of the meadows: kingfisher, reed warbler, sedge warbler, water rail and the fastest declining British native species, willow tit, frequent the area. Throughout the summer large numbers of damselfly and dragonfly were hawking over the adjacent meadow.

Recently a local bird group ringed a sedge warbler. The same bird was caught again thirteen days later on the south coast having travelled over three hundred miles. Sedge warblers winter south of the Sahara desert.

Volunteers at work in the pond
A cleared area in the pond

Read Full Post »

Willow groynes at Chorlton Water Park

Posted in Ponds and lakes, Willow structures, tagged , , on January 8, 2017| 1 Comment »

Our first activity of 2017: some work on the willow groynes at Chorlton Water Park!  These groynes are important in protecting the banks from erosion and providing a valuable wildlife habitat.  There was only a small band of volunteers out today but a pleasant misty winter’s day and some good work done!

Willow groynes
Cut willow in trailer
Volunteers at work
Weaving new groynes

Update, March 2019: While back at Chorlton Water Park we’ve been able to see that the willow groyne is now looking well established!

Established willow groyne

Established willow groyne

Read Full Post »

A hibernaculum in Priory Gardens

Posted in Ponds and lakes, tagged , on November 20, 2016|

Today SACV were out in Priory Gardens on behalf of City of Trees. The main activity was the building of a hibernaculum – in this case, one close to a pond which it is hoped will provide a habitat for newts, frogs and slow worms!

Starting work on hibernaculum
Volunteers working on hibernaculum
Hibernaculum
The pond

Read Full Post »

Older Posts »