Updates from Feckenham

This summer has been a good one for Feckenham Wylde Moor. In particular and probably most importantly we have had a hay cut. Yes I can hear you all gasping with amazement but it's true.

Half mown....

The long dry spells enabled us to make the cut on August 21st when the ground had been dry for some weeks. Those of you who remember last summer and the reserve will know how wet it was and we had to revert to plan B which was to blitz graze the un-cut meadows with 20 plus Herefords. They did good job considering but nowhere near as good as having the meadows mowed, baled and removed.

...full mown...

So, after the initial cut the hay was left to dry out for a few days over a hot weekend and then baled up and stacked on the drier part of the reserve adjoining Moors Lane.

...baled...

All we need now is to get the cattle onto the ground for a couple of months to munch through the new growth.

...and ready!

There is a slight problem there in as much that our grazier can only move cattle once TB testing has been done and no reactors found and the paperwork issued This takes a while and therefore we are still waiting but hope to see either Herefords back on or there is a chance of some hardy Jacobs sheep. Whichever it will be very welcome and will significantly benefit the reserve for next year and the future.

 On another note, we have had good numbers of butterflies, dragonflies and damselflies and Brown Hairstreak eggs have once again been found in reasonable numbers on the reserve so that bodes well for next year.

Paul, Feckenham Wylde Moor reserve warden