Hard graft and Kingfishers

All of our volunteer groups have done some hard graft this week. North Notts have been hedge-laying and helping fill the sandpit, Wild Sherwood have been working down the wetland and relaying paths in the play area and our Conservation volunteers have also been working in the play area getting it ready for the onslaught of kids in the holidays. 
We can not emphasise enough the importance of all these groups.



And to top off the week a resident photographer sent in these images of courting Kingfishers.
The male has a solid black beak and the female has a pinkish orange lower beak

There have been multiple sightings on the lake of Kingfisher with one person seeing five at the same time!!!

Build a bird box success

SOLD OUT!!!

Needless to say the build a bird box event was that much of a success that we had to turn people away at 11.30. There was suppose to be a 10-12 session followed by a 1-3 session but boxes allocated for both sessions went in the morning session.

The ages participating were 4 years old to a very enthusiastic 80 year old granny.

Fun was had by all, both Tit boxes like the picture above and open fronted Robin boxes were made. 

Whilst many were hammering away we also made pine cone feeders for the birds, these are simple to make an consist of cramming lard and bird seed into a pine cone, which you then tie in a tree.

Like a duck to water

Today saw the second half of the team undertake their boat training, the picture below shows the different boats used, from a simple small outboard motor to a more powerful multi-vessel.

The course included knot skills, maintenance, 3 point turns, mooring, man overboard amongst others. As previously stated we are currently unable to reach some of our islands that need some management doing to them. With this qualification we will be able to venture out and clear some of the islands, and uncover overgrown relics such as a stone bridge.

Hedging their bets.

North Notts College were in last week laying part of Millennium hedge which is an ideal age for laying (15 years), it it a mixture of Hazel, Hawthorn, Silver Birch, Cherry and a couple of others. All the stakes were made from Hazel coppiced on site and the binding will be harvested from Willow on site too. Watch this space for updates.

Training Day

Last week a few of us were booked on the Power Boat Level 2 training at a nearby reservoir, and it was great. Having water on site is another factor affecting what management we can do. For example with islands which have been unmanaged for quite a few years, it is now noticeable that they are overgrown and becoming an eye sore. So this training means we can take a boat with tools or volunteers and successfully start some management of the islands. They are currently covered in trees, coppice and scrub.
The other half of the team are doing there training next week so hopefully have pics to follow.

We have a simple flat bottomed boat with a small outboard motor which is all we need on a site like Rufford, we did get to go in slightly faster vessels which were great to sample too.