Fantastic work down by the Tuesday work party crew.
Dont forgot the next work party at the Flashes is this coming Sunday (2nd October).
Ye, The gang of 4 don't forget, but are you really going to come back (from?) the Shetlands8-P
The scheduled Tuesday Moors work party was going to be somewhat curtailed as our Leader Paul M and several other Lads were skiving (sorry on holiday):-O.
So at the last minute we decided to move to the Flashes. Whatever the task was, it was going to be pretty warm. The grass, reeds and sedge in the southern 2nd flash periphery had been mowed a few weeks ago. In order to limit the nutrient build up from the cuttings we had to move it. So today this was our mission, 9 of us set about raking up what appeared to be tonnes of thick, endless vegetation. At first we raked it into piles probably 70 in all and then it was collected in large canvas sacks and dragged to the rough areas. Here it will hopefully encourage small mammals and hibernating grass snakes. The resultant raked areas will attract feeding waders mostly snipe and jack snipe, when we finally get water into the area that is.
pics1 How it looked before
2 - 4 self explanatory
5. After the work
B
many thanks to everyone today , a hard slog but worth it.:t:
Phil
Talking to one regular on monday afternoon (26.09.11.) said that he had seen 2 Sedge Warblers in front of the west hide (on Moors) earlier in the day .(Sorry,but did not catch the chaps name !)
JTB
Your last post and photos are very interesting... and I'm only playing devil's advocate - not disagreeing with you.
In Para 1, you allude to the water table being only 'not more than a spade's depth' from the muddy surface... and in Para 5 you cite 'several wet muddy pools' in the second Flash. These pools appear to be in depressions; well they would be wouldn't they! I agree, they could be evidence of a 2nd Flash-sited spring(s).
But, how deep (at its deepest) is the 3rd Flash? I can't help thinking that a more significant source of water (bigger spring?) lies therein (given the 3rd Flashes almost constant water depth, even in this driest of periods). You summed it up nicely in your first sentence though matey... 'not all of which we fully understand'!
To be honest Sy I don't really know the answers its all conjecture. But it would be interesting to know what is going on under ground.JTB
Your last post and photos are very interesting... and I'm only playing devil's advocate - not disagreeing with you.
In Para 1, you allude to the water table being only 'not more than a spade's depth' from the muddy surface... and in Para 5 you cite 'several wet muddy pools' in the second Flash. These pools appear to be in depressions; well they would be wouldn't they! I agree, they could be evidence of a 2nd Flash-sited spring(s).
But, how deep (at its deepest) is the 3rd Flash? I can't help thinking that a more significant source of water (bigger spring?) lies therein (given the 3rd Flashes almost constant water depth, even in this driest of periods). You summed it up nicely in your first sentence though matey... 'not all of which we fully understand'!
There are some strange happens going on around the Flashes, not all of which we fully understand.
1.The new 2nd Flash island, Mark on the left gives you an idea of the size of it. (ps Mark isn't one of those strange happenings - just strange :-O)
it can also be seen just in front of the support slabs is a strip of water, this ditch was dug out on Sunday and the spoil put on to the island. This shows that the water table is not more than a spades depth below the surface. It might be easier to wait for the rains , rather than dig up the whole place. :smoke:
2. The salt deposit on the dried out 2nd flash. look out for sandgrouse8-P
3.The 3rd flash shore line (not visible from the hides). Here the saline water is killing the grass along the shoreline. 'Flamingo' nests are forming as the grassland erodes. In time the flamingo nests will collapse being replaced by bare earth will - ideal for waders. The salt plants will advance into the remaining grassland, ahead of the saline water. However at present phragmites reed is also advancing in the opposite direction. There will be only one winner (phragmites),this will be detrimental to not only the salt plants but also to the feeding and breeding waders.
4. The whole of the southern shore of the 2nd Flash is covered by a narrow strip of wet mud (quite deep in places) and very small patches of open water. It would appear that waders are feeding there - judging by the footprints. Adding weight to our 'spring' theory.
5. Small obvious patches of wet muddy pools along the southern end of the 2nd Flash.
and I found it Mark, only, 229 to go :-CLooks like i have droped a quid:-O
No weve got a work party8-POff topic, but anyone heading down to slimbridge on the weekend??
MB