Our next children's activity is Scarecrow Building on Monday the 10th August at Thornham Walks. The event is from 2pm to 4pm and the cost is £3 for children with accompanying adults free. Scarecrows can either be taken home or will be put up around Thornham. Please bring some old clothes to dress the scarecrow. For more information call 01379 788345.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Build a Scarecrow
Our next children's activity is Scarecrow Building on Monday the 10th August at Thornham Walks. The event is from 2pm to 4pm and the cost is £3 for children with accompanying adults free. Scarecrows can either be taken home or will be put up around Thornham. Please bring some old clothes to dress the scarecrow. For more information call 01379 788345.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Kingfisher Awards
A reporter and photographer from The Diss Express came along and we got some good publicity in the paper.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
The Secret Castle Walk
This is an exciting time of year with migrant birds arriving from Africa and early butterflies feeding on newly opened flowers. On Saturday I saw my first Swallow, followed by Willow Warblers and Blackcaps the next day. Cuckoos should be arriving in the next few days.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Black Poplars
Monday, March 16, 2009
Working with Local Communities
Our volunteers have also helped manage churchyards for wildlife, for example at Scole and Thorpe Abbotts. And we have opened up neglected areas in parishes for the benefit of local people and wildlife. Here are some of our volunteers mowing and raking Scole Bridge picnic site.
If your community is interested in working with us on an environmental scheme please give me, Mark Timms a call on 01379 788008.Warm weather over the weekend has tempted several butterflies out. I saw my first Comma and Brimstone butterflies on Sunday and heard my first Chiffchaff singing on Saturday.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Woodlands Spring to Life
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Volunteers
Or it could be creating or managing wildlife ponds:
If you are interested in joining the Wednesday team please give my colleague Tim Page a call on 01379 788008. He will be able to give you a lot more information on future tasks and would be delighted to hear from you.
Birds seem to be singing everywhere now that we have some milder weather. At Thornham the Great Spotted Woodpeckers are busy drumming away and Nuthatches are singing from the tops of oak trees.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Homes for Bats
Monday, January 19, 2009
Waveney Willows
We found many old willows that were collapsing and dying because they were top heavy like this one:
It is possible to prolong the life of willows and other trees by pollarding them. We do this by cutting the tree about 10 feet above the ground and allowing it to grow back. Cutting at this height means that cattle cannot nibble the new growth and kill the tree. Once a pollard is formed it can be cut again every 10 to 15 years so that it never becomes top-heavy. Pollarding continually rejuvenates the tree so it will live for much longer. Here is a pollard with a years' growth:
Our 1996 survey discovered over 250 pollards along the Upper Waveney. Several had not been pollarded for a long time and needed swift management if they were to survive. We re-pollarded the most urgent cases with funding from the Environment Agency, Here are two old but healthy willow pollards:
This year we are carrying out another survey to see how the willows are faring. Old willow pollards are important habitats for our wildlife. The trunks are usually hollow so they make good nesting places for Barn Owls - and Egyptian Geese that are spreading along the Valley. They also make good summer roosting sites for bats.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Hedgerows
More soon.