Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Archive for the ‘Ponds and lakes’ Category

Bird-screen on Tittesworth Water

Posted in Bird-hide, Ponds and lakes, Residential weekends, tagged on September 22, 2014|

This weekend before last (Friday 12th to Sunday 14th September) a group of us did two days’ work with the Peak Park Conservation Volunteers, as our final residential weekend of the year.  We were working on the edge of Tittesworth Water, to re-enable the use of a bird-screen which ought to have given excellent views of birds on the water and the shore but had become completely overgrown with willow.  We were lucky enough to have pretty good (sometimes even hot!) autumn weather on both days and on the Saturday most of us also managed a walk once our work was done – heading to the Roaches and climbing Hen Cloud for a quick look at the view before getting back in time for our usual evening meal at The Lazy Trout!

The edge of Tittesworth Water 1
Volunteers at work by the hidden bird screen
The edge of Tittesworth Water 2
The bird screen, partially revealed
Volunteers at work
The edge of Tittesworth Water 3
Bonfire
Volunteer at work
Amphibious bistort
The bucket line
The revealed bird screen

Read Full Post »

“Giving Nature a Home” festival

Posted in Fencing, Ponds and lakes, Reed beds, tagged , , on September 7, 2014|

This weekend has been the RSPB‘s Giving Nature a Home Festival in the Mersey Valley.  As part of this, SACV volunteers were out in Chorlton Water Park yesterday to undertake a practical conservation task and help those attending the festival see the kind of useful work they can get involved in!  The work was to help manage the reed beds in the bay of the lake by cutting back some of the regenerating willow and also to carry out repairs to the chestnut paling which helps to provide the reed beds with some protection from passing dogs.

RSPB setting up tents
Gathering thinnings
Water’s edge
Fence repairs
Volunteer at work
Caterpillar
Before work
SACV blackboard
Cuttings
After work
Frog
Beetles

Read Full Post »

The pond at Priory Gardens

Posted in Ponds and lakes, tagged , on April 14, 2014|

Yesterday (Sunday 13th April) SACV volunteers were once again in action in Priory Gardens in Sale, on behalf of the Red Rose Forest. The day was spent continuing to open up the pond worked on a fortnight ago.  Another lovely sunny day for the work – and a pleasing encounter with a newt!

SACV volunteers in Priory Gardens
Newt
Newt
Pond in Priory Gardens
Work on the pond in Priory Gardens

Read Full Post »

Woodland and pond work at Priory Gardens

Posted in Ponds and lakes, Woodland management, tagged , on April 5, 2014|

Last Sunday (30th March) SACV volunteers were out in Priory Gardens in Sale. This woodland site is now managed by the Red Rose Forest. One task was to do some woodland management near the entrance to the site from Dane Road – in particular to carry out some thinning to allow more light through to parts of the wood. The second task was to start to do some clearing of reeds to try to open up a pond which is in danger of silting up. We were lucky to have a very warm spring day for the work – great to be outside!  We’ll be back at this site helping with further work on Sunday 13th April so come along then if you’d be interested in getting involved!

Woodland management at Priory Gardens
Woodland management at Priory Gardens 2
Volunteers at work – woodland at Priory Gardens
Volunteers at work – pond management
Pond clearance at Priory Gardens
Work in progress on pond

 

Read Full Post »

Willow groynes at Chorlton Water Park

Posted in Ponds and lakes, Willow structures, tagged , on January 12, 2014|

Today was a chilly January day, but nonetheless five volunteers and warden Richard turned out to paddle around at the edge of the lake in Chorlton Water Park and work on some of the willow groynes!  The groynes are intended to act as a living barrier, protecting the lake banks from erosion and providing a valuable wildlife habitat – as a fish refuge and as a site for nesting birds.  Many of the groynes have become very overgrown so work is needed to cut back the excess growth, with the cut willow then being used to re-weave and re-establish the groyne.

Weaving the willow groyne
Working on the willow groyne
Volunteers working on the willow groyne
The nearly complete willow groyne

Read Full Post »

Lakeside work at Chorlton Water Park

Posted in Ponds and lakes, tagged , on November 24, 2013|

Seven volunteers, a warden and a dog were out today to do some work at the edge of the lake in Chorlton Water Park.  We were removing some of the self-seeded trees – mainly alder – to increase the space and light to allow other waterside species to flourish.  A slightly grey day, but maybe that allowed some of the fine autumn colours to stand out and look their best!

Clearing self-seeded trees at lake edge
Clearing self-seeded trees at lake edge
After clearing self-seeded trees at lake edge
After clearing self-seeded trees at lake edge 2
Tools and autumn colours
Human and canine volunteers
Sign, tools and autumn colours
Conservation volunteers at work
Conservation volunteers at work
Management of an overgrown willow groyne
Willow groyne – letting in more light after maintenance

Read Full Post »

A pond in Chorlton Meadows

Posted in Ponds and lakes, tagged on October 21, 2013| 1 Comment »

The Sunday before last (13th October 2013) SACV volunteers joined members of the Friends of Chorlton Meadows to continue with some pond work which we first did around this time last year.  The aim was to clear some areas of the pond to maintain an important habitat balance between reed beds and open water.  Well done to everyone who was out and – especially – got into the water!

SACV and FoCM at Chorlton Meadows
SACV and FoCM at Chorlton Meadows
SACV and FoCM at Chorlton Meadows
SACV and FoCM at Chorlton Meadows
SACV and FoCM at Chorlton Meadows

Read Full Post »

Pond work at Chorlton Meadows

Posted in Invasive species, Ponds and lakes, tagged , on September 2, 2012| 1 Comment »

Today SACV worked with the Friends of Chorlton Meadows to help restore an important pond habitat.  The pond had become overgrown with reeds, and the banks with Himalayan balsam; the work was to clear some of this to restore some areas of open water.

Read Full Post »

« Newer Posts