Six bird boxes have been positioned around the vegetable garden and orchard. Some with a 28mm hole are for Great tits and tree sparrows. The others with a 25mm hole are for blue tits and coal tits. Within an hour of the first one being put up blue tits were inspecting the new accomodation.
Archive for February, 2010
bird box siting
Sunday, February 28th, 2010snowdrops
Sunday, February 28th, 2010
This year, snowdrops were quite late to appear but have given a spectacular show and have flowered over a long period of time.
coppicing continues
Sunday, February 28th, 2010
Coppicing work with BTCV is continuing in one of our wooded areas. Most of the trees being felled will re-grow from their stump but some like this Scots pine will not. They provide rapid growth and as evergreens are good windbreaks but they shade out other trees and suppress the growth of many flower species. Not all are taken out in any one area.
The main trunks and thicker branches become firewood whilst the smaller branches and twigs, or brashwood, is piled into compact heaps to provide wildlife habitats.
Additional volunteers came from Lancaster University and Lancaster Royal Grammar School sixth form to help out which enabled us to clear a larger area.
Getting to grips with my new camera.
Saturday, February 27th, 2010
These pictures have been taken at various stages throughout today. The early morning mist and little bit of snow were followed by birds on the feeders, but what made my day was the first of our lambs to be born . Just waiting now for Harron Clarissa our pedigree dexter cow to give birth to her seventh calf due anytime now. As you can see she doesn't seem to be in any hurry!
Parkfoot Holiday and Park Homes 2010-02-26 15:08:00
Friday, February 26th, 2010
Winter Wildlife
Friday, February 26th, 2010
bird boxes
Sunday, February 21st, 2010
This weekend, we have been making nest boxes for blue tits, great tits and coal tits to be sited in and around our vegetable plot and orchard. This is to encourage the birds to eat sawfly and codling moth caterpillars that damage our soft fruit bushes and apple trees. Pressure is on as blue tits are regularly seen now inspecting our existing boxes so the new ones need to be put up this week.
The boxes make use of offcuts of timber, waterproof roofing membrane and ECOS paint sample pots from our resource centre work.
resource centre update
Sunday, February 21st, 2010
Our window and door frames, made by local Galgate joiner Andrew Corless, were delivered this week. The frames are now being painted using ECOS organic paints based in Heysham which are solvent-free and give off no fumes.
Work continues on the towers of the resource centre including making 20-30 swift boxes. These have been constructed behind the stone work, then the plastic pipe removed and the entrance slit finished to the correct size.
Slits have also been left to allow bats access to the centre of the tower to roost or breed.
grazing deer
Sunday, February 21st, 2010
We saw these deer grazing whilst walking at Bashall Eaves yesterday. Trying to get the camera out without making any noise was quite difficult, but just managed to get a couple of pics before they bolted.
Friday, February 19th, 2010
Woke up to light snowfall and thick fog, thats gradually thinning as the sun tries to shine through. Just received my starter pack from http://www.naturescalendar.org/, who want people to record their first sightings of UK flora and fauna so they can see if there are any changes, perhaps due to global warming. Looks like fun, but I think I might be a fairweather recorder and wait till it looks a bit more inviting outside! Went for a walk around Stocks Reservoir , clear blue skies and bright sunshine though a strong cold wind was blowing, looked beautiful though and it was lovely to get out again. Alder catkins are almost out and some Hazel catkins were even releasing their yellow pollen when I tapped them. Saturday 20/02/10 - Stocks Reservoir was to re-open for fly fishing, but just had an email saying its 80% iced over after the freeze last night and the wind dropping, a big disappointment for all and a blow for Ben and his staff after all their hard work getting ready to open.
FEBRUARY 2010
Thursday, February 18th, 2010
6th February - Around 7.45 am wonderful view of a mother OTTER and her two kits swimming in the mere at Lower hide on Leighton Moss. Red Deer sighted in field near farm around 8 am. Birds busy feeding on Bird feeding station by dining room window with Nuthatch and Great Spotted Woodpecker making numerous visits.
7th February - Tawny Owl sighted from Lower Hide.
10th February - Several Red Deer Hinds with last years calves seen around 2 pm in field next to road between Leighton Hall and Farm.
17th February - Dog Otter seen walking along causeway around 8 am.
18th February - Snowdrops nearly at their best in the Orchard. My girls (the hens) are starting to produce more eggs again and really enjoying basking in the sun again.
7th February - Tawny Owl sighted from Lower Hide.
10th February - Several Red Deer Hinds with last years calves seen around 2 pm in field next to road between Leighton Hall and Farm.
17th February - Dog Otter seen walking along causeway around 8 am.
18th February - Snowdrops nearly at their best in the Orchard. My girls (the hens) are starting to produce more eggs again and really enjoying basking in the sun again.
Spring
Wednesday, February 17th, 2010Well at last the snowdrops are through. We have just finished cleaning all the bird boxes out and soaked them in jeyes fluid. They've been dried and put back up. By the way some of the birds are acting not a moment to soon!
We've been getting all the raised beds ready for planting and the hens are laying again, yippee.
I couldn't believe my eyes yesterday there was a Sparrow Hawk on the bird table it hadn,t caught a bird but as soon as I went for the camera it flew away
Is there light at the end of the tunnel ?
Tuesday, February 16th, 2010Our Forest of Bowland Holiday Cottages One of the animals that has not only survived but positively thrived in the extreme winter weather is the mole. Mole hills seem to be popping up every way you look. On Saturday I could put it off no longer and the traps were retrieved from the depths of the garage and with more gritted teeth than enthusiasm I set out to set them. By Monday the population was five down. Tuesday morning was misty and cold and as my fingers tingled with cold delving into the sodden soil I was wishing I had chosen a warmer job when out of the mist a lapwing got up and flew to the next field__ the first tewit call of the year !And if that didn't manage to warm me through five minutes later I was glowing, seeing and hearing a pair of curlew. So even though the morning began looking bleak, there is light at the end of the tunnel and Spring will soon be here.
http://www.bleasdalecottages.co.uk/
GTBS
Monday, February 15th, 2010
On Friday we are been inspected for the Green Tourism and working hard to try and keep our Gold Award. The mist is down over Pendle and its a damp day but we are checking to bird boxes, filling the feeders, repairing the bird table after all that snow,tidying the ...
Spring Maintenance
Monday, February 15th, 2010
With Spring just around the corner, we have started our Spring maintenance. Hedges are getting a trim, ditches are being cleaned out and new fences erected. This should encourage even more wildlife and hopefully guest will see a variety of wildlife when then come and stay.
water rail
Sunday, February 14th, 2010
- Photo by Tarja Wilson Bowland Countryside officer
There have been a few sightings recently by our lodge customers of a water rail. One managed to take this photo of it feeding in the shallow margins of the fishing lake.
Parkfoot Holiday and Park Homes 2010-02-08 13:49:00
Monday, February 8th, 2010
What a winter we have had! Beautiful but very cold - the temperature dropped to -18 here at Parkfoot and was still -12 at lunch time!
Parkfoot Holiday and Park Homes 2010-02-08 13:02:00
Monday, February 8th, 2010
coppicing with BTCV
Sunday, February 7th, 2010
BTCV’s work has now moved onto coppicing in one of the areas of woodland planted on the golf course around 1997. This ash (Fraxinus excelsior) tree stump clearly shows its growth rings.
A part of the woodland has been cleared. This provides timber fuel for next year and lets in more light to allow the stumps to regrow and encourage wildlife diversity.
