We spent yesterday evening at Potteric Carr, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust's flagship reserve near Doncaster. We were there, as N,E & W Yorkshire ARG volunteers, to deliver amphibian survey training as part of the National Amphibian and Reptile Recording Scheme (NARRS) which started in 2007 with the aim of monitoring widespread amphibians and reptiles across the UK by training and coordinating hundreds of volunteer surveyors.
After working our way through the classroom session, we had a great evening of egg searching, netting and torching, on account of the fact that the ponds at Potteric are simply excellent habitats, particularly for great crested newt. There was even a tasty buffet laid on courtesy of Bev at the Potteric Carr café (highly recommended!).
Thanks to everyone who attended as well as Kat (YWT's Inspiring People Assistant) and of course Bev!
Ecologists, conservationists and habitat managers; our most interesting antics will be posted here:
Monday, 22 April 2013
Tuesday, 16 April 2013
Feeling hot......well, warm(ish)
What a difference a few degrees makes!
At last some spring-like weather to tempt the plants and animals out of hibernation. At this time of year we're usually well into the amphibian survey season but the cold start to 2013 has pressed the pause button on our usually frisky herptiles..... until now.
With professional surveys on hold due to the weather, we've been monitoring a local great crested newt population for the past few weeks, in an effort to detect when activity picks up. After poor results as recently as last Thursday, we were pleasantly surprised last night (Monday) to find dozens of GCN going about the business of mating and egg laying.
The temporary postponement of amphibian surveys has however made room for some woodland activities. A trip to the coppice coupe at Sprotbrough plantation to collect some sycamore logs allowed us the opportunity to examine the emerging ground flora. In the coupe itself there was plenty of dog's mercury and bluebells (although none yet in flower) and in the northern part of the coupe and the adjacent grazing land a flurry of primroses had made an appearance.
On our way out of the wood we also noticed plenty of lesser celandine enjoying the long awaited sunshine!
The sycamore logs we collected will primarily be used for pole-lathe turning. There's a range of products now available at Chirpy including garden products and unique wooden signs, why not drop in and have a look? We've got several other products in the design stages as well, so watch this space!
At last some spring-like weather to tempt the plants and animals out of hibernation. At this time of year we're usually well into the amphibian survey season but the cold start to 2013 has pressed the pause button on our usually frisky herptiles..... until now.
With professional surveys on hold due to the weather, we've been monitoring a local great crested newt population for the past few weeks, in an effort to detect when activity picks up. After poor results as recently as last Thursday, we were pleasantly surprised last night (Monday) to find dozens of GCN going about the business of mating and egg laying.
The temporary postponement of amphibian surveys has however made room for some woodland activities. A trip to the coppice coupe at Sprotbrough plantation to collect some sycamore logs allowed us the opportunity to examine the emerging ground flora. In the coupe itself there was plenty of dog's mercury and bluebells (although none yet in flower) and in the northern part of the coupe and the adjacent grazing land a flurry of primroses had made an appearance.
 |
| Dog's mercury adjacent to the recently coppiced hazel stool |
 |
| Primroses brighten up the day |
On our way out of the wood we also noticed plenty of lesser celandine enjoying the long awaited sunshine!
 |
| The sun is out and so is the celandine! |
The sycamore logs we collected will primarily be used for pole-lathe turning. There's a range of products now available at Chirpy including garden products and unique wooden signs, why not drop in and have a look? We've got several other products in the design stages as well, so watch this space!
Tuesday, 19 March 2013
Turning out nice
We’ve had a busy and productive March so far; including a
weekend spent green woodworking in Easingwold on a course run by York Wood Crafts.
Gareth made a very impressive pole lathe and Maria made a three-legged stool using the shave-horse and froe. We’re hoping to put the pole lathe to good use by turning some lovely new green wood craft products for our good friend Chirpy. Watch this space!
We’ve also been busy weaving and made some miniature baskets especially for kiddie’s Easter egg hunts which will shortly be on sale at Chirpy.
The ecology season will soon be back in full swing and so we'll be fitting our wood crafting in between newt surveys. We're looking forward to getting out and about herptile hunting again!
Gareth made a very impressive pole lathe and Maria made a three-legged stool using the shave-horse and froe. We’re hoping to put the pole lathe to good use by turning some lovely new green wood craft products for our good friend Chirpy. Watch this space!
We’ve also been busy weaving and made some miniature baskets especially for kiddie’s Easter egg hunts which will shortly be on sale at Chirpy.
The ecology season will soon be back in full swing and so we'll be fitting our wood crafting in between newt surveys. We're looking forward to getting out and about herptile hunting again!
Tuesday, 5 March 2013
Thats a rack
It was our last day in the woods at Sprotbrough today, for this winter anyway. We again joined the Don Gorge Conservation Volunteers for a day of tidying up in the coupe. The chaps made an excellent job with the brash fence around the boundary as well as tending to the fire, whilst we concentrated on stacking logs and racking up the smaller roundwood:
We intend to return to the woods later in the summer with a small kiln to turn this rack into BBQ charcoal.
The coupe is looking great after everyone's hard work. Bluebells and dog's mercury are already poking through. Who knows what will spring up as the light reaches this part of the woodland floor after years in the shadow of the trees we've now coppiced? We look forward to visiting later in the spring to find out!
The coupe is looking great after everyone's hard work. Bluebells and dog's mercury are already poking through. Who knows what will spring up as the light reaches this part of the woodland floor after years in the shadow of the trees we've now coppiced? We look forward to visiting later in the spring to find out!
Friday, 1 March 2013
Sap rising!
The past week has seen us getting seriously stuck into some coppicing at Sprotbrough, a SSSI YWT nature reserve near Doncaster. We've certainly put our newly acquired chainsaw skills to work!
"Wildlife treat of the week" was the sight of 3 buzzard soaring on the thermal above our brash bonfire!
We've only got one more day coppicing this season, before the breeding birds get into full swing. The sight of sap pouring from the stumps of our cut sycamores reminding us that spring is just around the corner!
Thursday, 3 January 2013
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)