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Coney Meadow and Adjoining Areas (10 Viewers)
- Thread starter Woodchat
- Start date
Woodchat
Cogito ergo sum
I feel like I've lost a best friend. :C
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Birder Gladys
Well-known member
Birder Gladys
Well-known member
just found this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNUqCv8daAw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNUqCv8daAw
Triturus
Triturus
April 2015 Fire
All
I attach my own estimate of the damage.
Though the effects of this are obvious upon fauna I have assessed the damage upon the vegetation. In essence it looks like around 75% of the reedbed has been affected and where there has been a burn it has removed all above ground biomass. It appears to have been a fast and hot burn (which is good for vegetation as it removed accumulated biomass but leaves the base of the plant for regeneration). I checked several areas of burnt ground and in all of these the soils were intact and though some new growing tips of Phragmites (Common reed) were burnt or scorched there are still abundant viable and undamaged rhizomes and shoots. The reedbed will recover in a few months (and will be pretty lush by the end of the year I suspect and will probably be better for it, the fauna will take a little bit longer however.
A similar event happened at Woolston Eyes (about 2 ha of reed canary grass went up and it recovered in less than 6 months and was better afterwards). Woolston is an interesting site, a SSSI originally for wintering birds based upon the deposit grounds for the Manchester ship canal dredgings. It sits either side of Thelwall viaduct.
Regards
Triturus.
All
I attach my own estimate of the damage.
Though the effects of this are obvious upon fauna I have assessed the damage upon the vegetation. In essence it looks like around 75% of the reedbed has been affected and where there has been a burn it has removed all above ground biomass. It appears to have been a fast and hot burn (which is good for vegetation as it removed accumulated biomass but leaves the base of the plant for regeneration). I checked several areas of burnt ground and in all of these the soils were intact and though some new growing tips of Phragmites (Common reed) were burnt or scorched there are still abundant viable and undamaged rhizomes and shoots. The reedbed will recover in a few months (and will be pretty lush by the end of the year I suspect and will probably be better for it, the fauna will take a little bit longer however.
A similar event happened at Woolston Eyes (about 2 ha of reed canary grass went up and it recovered in less than 6 months and was better afterwards). Woolston is an interesting site, a SSSI originally for wintering birds based upon the deposit grounds for the Manchester ship canal dredgings. It sits either side of Thelwall viaduct.
Regards
Triturus.
Mary
Well-known member
Simply speechless :-C
Is it known just where and how it started - intentional or fag end?
Woodchat
Cogito ergo sum
I had an email from the Canal + River Trust - they will be liaising with the fire service who attended to see if they can come up with any answers to these questions and whether there is anything that can be done to stop it happening again.
On the birding front:
Grasshopper Warbler singing again by the screen in Coney this morning.
A pair of Reed Buntings in the hedge - probably wondering what happened to their home!
A few Reed Warblers in the remaining patch of reeds.
2 Wheatears (male and female) in the cattle field at Middleton Bank - only 15 yards from the gate.
Common Whitethroat and Willow Warbler singing in the area.
Gadwall at Tapenhall.
3 Greylags, Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Swallows, Canadas, etc.
rollingthunder
Well-known member
Best of luck re CRT Dave - i've had my boat broken into twice, half of my portholes smashed and all my fuel stolen - all in the last year! They are about as much use as a chocolate fire-grate! The Patrol Officers exist only to harass the paying customers who do not have a mooring and as such are not fit for purpose IMHO.....
Laurie:t:
Laurie:t:
Woodchat
Cogito ergo sum
Hi Laurie,
My dealings with CRT have been largely positive - although I've only really had contact with their ecologists so I can't comment on the rest of their staff.
Obviously, their remit encompasses a variety of interest groups and sometimes there are potential conflicts when balancing wildlife and other leisure pursuits.
For instance, Coney Meadow was created to offset the losses of reed in the Droitwich canal when it was made navigable. The recent events have shown the vulnerability of this approach.
That said, I am sometimes concerned about the over-zealous cutting and removal of fringing reeds along the canal that takes place during the winter months. Standing reed (dead stems) are pretty vital for returning Acros and attendant Cuckoos during April and May (until fresh Phragmites growth is established). The situation that has evolved now, with the loss of 75% of Coney and reduced reed cover along the canals, is that a high percentage of returning birds will literally have no place to go. For Warblers, this is less of a problem because they can bounce back in a year or two. I am more concerned for the Cuckoos as they only have a narrow window of opportunity for breeding, are highly dependent on large populations of host species and the ones breeding locally are likely to be Acro-specialists. They are also in quite steep declines in many parts. We are / have been blessed with a relatively good, stable population of Cuckoos up to now - I do hope they bounce back from this latest setback.
rollingthunder
Well-known member
I am glad u have had more positive dealings, Dave, but that doesn't surprise me when liaising over anything but issues of boats and ownership etc.
CRT - I still call them British Waterways as i cannot use the word 'Charity' in association with them. They will bend over backwards to anything media biased, use of the canal, wildlife etc etc. When you attempt to engage them over issues of theft, anti-social behaviour, damage etc you get 2/10's of f#ck all i'm afraid. Try owning a boat.
The work is now, apart from endlessly mowing and painting dock gates, maybe if they applied the paint thick enuff it would stop them leaking? is now carried out by contractors. Dealing with them is nothing but emails or phone calls. They are an unbelievably top-heavy paper-shuffling organisation completetly out of touch with the people that pay their wages.
People like me.....
I rue the day i ever dipped my toe so, whatever you do, don't buy a boat unless you live on it, have a permanent (preferably offside) mooring or keep moving away from vandal hotspots.
Sorry to be negative but u might get more joy from people with a similiar interest i.e. ecologists.
Laurie:t:
CRT - I still call them British Waterways as i cannot use the word 'Charity' in association with them. They will bend over backwards to anything media biased, use of the canal, wildlife etc etc. When you attempt to engage them over issues of theft, anti-social behaviour, damage etc you get 2/10's of f#ck all i'm afraid. Try owning a boat.
The work is now, apart from endlessly mowing and painting dock gates, maybe if they applied the paint thick enuff it would stop them leaking? is now carried out by contractors. Dealing with them is nothing but emails or phone calls. They are an unbelievably top-heavy paper-shuffling organisation completetly out of touch with the people that pay their wages.
People like me.....
I rue the day i ever dipped my toe so, whatever you do, don't buy a boat unless you live on it, have a permanent (preferably offside) mooring or keep moving away from vandal hotspots.
Sorry to be negative but u might get more joy from people with a similiar interest i.e. ecologists.
Laurie:t:
Woodchat
Cogito ergo sum
2 Yellow Wagtails at Coney this evening.
Grasshopper Warbler singing along the canal. Earlier, it or another singing in the scrubby area of the meadow.
2 Cuckoos (1 showed well) plus another at Ladywood earlier.
6+ Swifts over Westwood and mixed hirundines
Pied Wagtails roosted
Common Whitethroats Coney and 2 along the canal towards Ladywood
Lesser Whitethroats at Coney (2) and one at Copcut.
4 Sedge Warblers in the Coney area and along the canal.
Ravens.
Visited Oakley Pool SSSI this afternoon - pretty quiet there - 12 Gadwall, 4+ Little Grebes, Tufted Ducks, Mute Swans, Mallards, hirundines, Reed and Sedge Warblers, Buzzards, Chiffchaffs and Common Whitethroat.
Pic below shows a view of Oakley Pool from the southern end.
Grasshopper Warbler singing along the canal. Earlier, it or another singing in the scrubby area of the meadow.
2 Cuckoos (1 showed well) plus another at Ladywood earlier.
6+ Swifts over Westwood and mixed hirundines
Pied Wagtails roosted
Common Whitethroats Coney and 2 along the canal towards Ladywood
Lesser Whitethroats at Coney (2) and one at Copcut.
4 Sedge Warblers in the Coney area and along the canal.
Ravens.
Visited Oakley Pool SSSI this afternoon - pretty quiet there - 12 Gadwall, 4+ Little Grebes, Tufted Ducks, Mute Swans, Mallards, hirundines, Reed and Sedge Warblers, Buzzards, Chiffchaffs and Common Whitethroat.
Pic below shows a view of Oakley Pool from the southern end.
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Woodchat
Cogito ergo sum
A Garden Warbler this morning singing and showing in the hedgerow along the canal between Salwarpe and Ladywood.
Grasshopper Warbler, 3 Sedge Warblers, Reed Warbler, Common and Lesser Whitethroats Coney.
Large flock of hirundines (c500) over Westwood at dawn.
More Lesser Whitethroats along the canal and 2 at Copcut Rise. Common whitethroats also.
Female Wheatear still at Copcut Rise.
Willow Warbler (mixed singer) still Gorsey Bank.
Grasshopper Warbler, 3 Sedge Warblers, Reed Warbler, Common and Lesser Whitethroats Coney.
Large flock of hirundines (c500) over Westwood at dawn.
More Lesser Whitethroats along the canal and 2 at Copcut Rise. Common whitethroats also.
Female Wheatear still at Copcut Rise.
Willow Warbler (mixed singer) still Gorsey Bank.
Last edited:
Woodchat
Cogito ergo sum
Little Owl showing well at Ladywood early morning.
Garden Warbler singing and showing well along the canal between Salwarpe and Droitwich this morning and again this afternoon.
Grasshopper Warbler singing on and off.
Lesser Whitethroats (2)
Common Whitethroats (3+)
Sedge Warblers (3)
Reed Warblers
Cuckoos at Porter's Mill and Coney
2 Gadwall Porter's Mill
2 Coot Porter's Mill
Kestrel
3 Swifts over Westwood
Grey Wagtails
Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs
Reed Buntings
Grey Herons
Ravens
Canada Geese
2 Black-headed Gulls
Goldcrests
20+ Linnets Copcut Rise
Skylarks
A field being ploughed along Copcut Lane this afternoon contained no less than 18 Common Buzzards - on the deck eating unearthed worms. Plenty of large Gulls too (mainly LLB just a few Herrings).
Just one Butterfly seen - a Speckled Wood.
My last post on here for a while as I'm off to Lesvos tomorrow.B
o
Garden Warbler singing and showing well along the canal between Salwarpe and Droitwich this morning and again this afternoon.
Grasshopper Warbler singing on and off.
Lesser Whitethroats (2)
Common Whitethroats (3+)
Sedge Warblers (3)
Reed Warblers
Cuckoos at Porter's Mill and Coney
2 Gadwall Porter's Mill
2 Coot Porter's Mill
Kestrel
3 Swifts over Westwood
Grey Wagtails
Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs
Reed Buntings
Grey Herons
Ravens
Canada Geese
2 Black-headed Gulls
Goldcrests
20+ Linnets Copcut Rise
Skylarks
A field being ploughed along Copcut Lane this afternoon contained no less than 18 Common Buzzards - on the deck eating unearthed worms. Plenty of large Gulls too (mainly LLB just a few Herrings).
Just one Butterfly seen - a Speckled Wood.
My last post on here for a while as I'm off to Lesvos tomorrow.B
o
Birder Gladys
Well-known member
Wheatear in horses field tonight, Gropper singing in coney reed bed also Cuckoo calling from east end of coney. Other interests Pied and Grey Wag, reed and sedge warbler.
Have a good time Dave will try and I will try and keep up reports,
Have a good time Dave will try and I will try and keep up reports,
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