Reflections

Sherborne Hare about to be surprised by me

Mike in Scotland but I still managed a visit to both Sherborne and the Barrington estate with some interesting Hare encounters although the Sherborne badgers were unwilling to put in an appearance for me.

Brassey looking healthy

Brassey mire together with explorer Will

View from the top, shame about the fencing!

Lots of Banded Demoiselle

Good numbers of orchids

Beautiful Demoiselle in even bigger numbers

Friday was spent with the Wildlife Trust on a 'selective' tour of some of the riverside areas worked by volunteers and contractors this year in support of the living landscape programme.  It was an opportunity for reflection on the programme of work carried out this year, in particular, on the riverside environments covering the rivers Windrush, Eye and Dickler {including the Sherborne brook}. Connectivity is a key theme throughout the work and its importance can't be stressed enough. Also a strength of this work has been the collaboration between various organisations {including Cotswold rivers, Wildlife Trust, National Trust, Fishing clubs, Landowners} ably co-ordinated by Wildlife Trust & 'underpinned' by volunteer power. Essential though is achieving the right environment outcomes and sustaining them. So the shrub and invasive plant clearing , river/water management using deflectors, hurdles/faggots to return river width to original boundaries, gravelling to return rivers to natural depths after historic dredging operations,  all need to make a positive difference. The signs look good with for example increasing wildlife numbers {eg.  water voles, otters , fish, birds} , healthy plant life, gradual control over invasive species. Enough of the theory, the day was also about enjoying the fantastic Cotswold environments especially with paddling through the cool water where possible on what proved to be a very hot summers day. Where better to start the tour than Brassey and led by Will & John, with a healthy number of us volunteers, the tour began.  Lots of 'environmental' clearing, removal of invasive plant species and erection of fencing to protect river Windrush banks are all making the right kind of difference. Great area to be in not just for us but a number of heron we accidentally disturbed.

John, testing a deflector on Slaughter farm Windrush

Slaughter farm, good example of  'managing' river course

Slaughter farm Windrush, good work benefits all

Second port of call was at Slaughter Farm by the Windrush where excellent work shrub clearing alongside the Windrush and the 'Oxbow lake' area plus implementation  of deflectors, hurdles for bank reshaping, dipper & kingfisher boxes has been effectively carried out.

Sherborne water meadows, much improved cattle water hole

Final stopping point was at the Sherborne water meadows where its been a busy year on water management and this too was clearly evident with previously dried out water channels with healthy water levels and the river Windrush flows looking healthier with the addition of the 2000 tons of gravel. As a bonus we discovered that one of the owl boxes in the 'tin' barn was occupied by a barn owl. Overall an enjoyable day with John in fine form as 'information' officer with Will in a more relaxed role armed with camera. Only downside on the day were the biting flies, I'm still scratching! and the long hot climb back out of the water meadows.

How many more opportunities can be missed too help support our fragile environment before its too late, lots of responses to Defra's £11B handout to farmers with no 'green' strings attached. Wildlife Trust response pretty representative.