The lead up to summer at Hill Court Farm

April and May have been busy, but very productive months for the Hill Court Farm Volunteer Work Party.

In April we spent a day at the main viewing point on the reserve, which is close to the scrape.  Our task was to collect willow on site and weave a screen to remove visitors from the birds’ eye line and prevent them ‘going up’.  It was a thoroughly enjoyable day as we had a brilliant view of the birds on the water as we worked.  We spotted coots, Canadian geese, mute swans, lapwing, little egrets and shelduck among others and at one point a skylark flew directly above our heads.   I’m pleased to say our screen does seem to be doing its job and we can look forward to completing the other side of the viewing point at a later date.

In May we returned to a woodland pond we have been busy creating over the period of two or three years now.  When we began the task the wooded area was pretty much just a smelly, boggy, tangled mess and it took quite some time just to clear a way in and decide where best to locate our pond.  By September 2013 we had managed to dig the pond out and we just had to hope that we had chosen the right spot and that it would fill with water.  Returning to it, we weren't quite sure what to expect as the wood had completely flooded in all the rain earlier in the year, but we were absolutely delighted by what we found.  Our pond was filled nicely with water and already it was teeming with life.  We spotted water beetles & smaller water fleas whirling about in the water, plus skaters skimming around on top.  In the earth mound next to the pond we found a female smooth newt.  We also spotted larvae in the water, and are hopeful that the pond will soon attract damselflies and dragonflies.

Our task for the day was to expand the pond and clear a wildlife corridor between it and a close by water channel.   Digging out the new pond was hard going, but we now have a smaller satellite pond that we’ll join up to the bigger one once it has filled and naturalised a little.  We also used some dead wood we had to clear away to create a log pile which we hope will provide a nice habitat for hibernating amphibians.

As we worked we were serenaded by a cuckoo and all around the yellow flags were flowering.  All in all it was a beautiful setting for a day’s work.

If all this sounds like something you’d like to get involved in, we are always happy to welcome new volunteers to the team.  We meet once a month on the last Saturday of each month (except December).  Whether you could spare just one Saturday every few months or would like to become a more regular volunteer, we would be delighted to have you along.  You don’t need any particular wildlife knowledge and tools for each task are provided.  For more information contact Naomi on Naomi@worcestershirewildlifetrust.org or 01905 754919.

June’s work party will be this Saturday 28 June and we plan to do some seed collecting and spreading to benefit the meadows on the reserve, which in turn will benefit our pollinators.

Sara, Hill Court Farm

Feckenham Update

The reserve is looking fabulous; after just a week or so of warm weather everything is growing fast. 

The area of new reed where we cleared the dead reed during the winter is progressing well and should be good and thick this year. There is already a sedge warbler dodging in and out of the old stand of last years reed so hopefully it is building a nest and will soon be bringing up a family; provided our resident cuckoo (who arrived on April 12th this year, a week earlier than usual) doesn't spot the nest. So far I have only heard the male cuckoo but that is not to say that there will be a mate somewhere around. 

I saw the first large red damselfly of the year on Monday and very splendid it was in it's fresh bright colours. 

I have also found good numbers of orange tip eggs on the lady's smock and there are plenty of females around alighting on the flower heads. Green veined whites are also abundant.

We have 3 new arrivals on the main pool which as far as I can recall have not been to FWM before. They are, of course, greylag geese, who have mixed in with the Canadas.  We've now got 13 of the latter in residence, which for me is 11 too many! 

I have noticed that the stonewort has started to fill the new dragonfly pond by the Mouch bridge. This is something which amazes me every time we dig a new pond. This plant lies dormant in the clay until the right water conditions prevail and then it colonises very quickly. It's good news as it provides excellent cover for inverts. 
 
The answer to last times quiz is still un-answered so I will give you all a little longer to have a guess. Go for it Roger if you have an idea. When this is solved I have another ready.

Paul, Feckenham Wylde Moor

Summer's just around the corner

Summer is finally looking as though it wants to come to Feckenham Wylde Moor reserve; after the hot spell there is a noticeable increase in life on the wing.

We have good numbers of common blue butterfly and green veined white, probably more of the latter than last year. Orange tip has also been on site in large number and many eggs have been found on the lady's smock. There have been some large white but to date not as many as I would have hoped.

Dragonfly numbers are increasing and also damselfly. Male broad bodied chasers are taking a keen interest in our newly dug pond at the southwestern end of the reserve and new common and azure damselfly are many. The males already bright blue and females in all sorts of variations. There has been a good number of newly emerged beautiful demoiselle as well.

Our reed warbler numbers have been good again this year and we have had lesser whitethroat, grasshopper and sedge Warblers on site. Reed buntings seem to be lower than previous years. Our bonus this year were three cuckoo all together in one place, best ever recorded.

Provided the warm sunny weather continues we should see ever increasing numbers of butterflies, dragonflies and damsels.

Paul, Feckenham Wylde Moor

All's good at Feckenham

Our cuckoo arrived on the 18th of this month and soon after there were two. We had two last year for the first time and so the fact that they are both back, assuming they are the same ones, is great news. I watched this one flying from post to post along the fence to the left of the main pool before it flew away across the reserve towards the Mouch.

Our first grass snake was seen on the 28th in the usual place and it stayed still for long enough to get some nice shots.

At least two of our brown hairstreak eggs have 'hatched'. I have spent some time searching for the larvae but to date nothing. It could be anywhere as apparently they can be quite mobile before they find a suitable leaf. The clever trick is to find a pupa - which if I do will be a huge bonus. The only problem is that only being on site once a week it is going to be pot luck.

Spring visitors have arrived and joining the chiff chaffs are reed warblers and a grasshopper warbler singing just above me in a large blackthorn on Wednesday. Later in the day there was a lesser whitethroat singing. A blackcap and house martin were seen the week before so things are certainly starting to happen now the warmer days are here.

There are great numbers of orange tip butterflies and the lady's smock is more abundant than last year. The ragged robin is well advanced and the spotted orchid leaves are showing now.

Everything is looking excellent!

Paul, Feckenham Wylde Moor