Trees are growing well

The small trees donated by the Woodland Trust have nearly all survived the winter, despite some of the tree guards being knocked over by sheep.  On June 11th we went up to the Playing Fields to pull out some of the tall grasses and nettles growing around each tree.  We have plans for more tree planting this autumn on The Mound behind the Sports Centre.  Meanwhile volunteers will visit regularly to keep a space around each young tree free from weeds.

Here are some of our cheerful band of volunteers:

There is a large amount of Lady's Smock in flower at the moment, food plant for the Orange Tip butterfly.

We also found a mouse nest in the grass in April.  Could it be a harvest mouse?

We checked with someone who knows, and yes - it is a harvest mouse nest.  This is what she said:

"Hey, that is definitely a harvest mouse nest, so that is very good news!  The mice make several of these nests for sleeping, resting and rearing young.  They are usually 30 -60 cm above ground, attached to several grass stems.  Brilliant find!  I'm surprised any mice have survived the very cold winter we've had.  I think we just need to make sure there is plenty of long grass for them."

The website of the People's Trust for Endangered Species says that harvest mouse numbers have declined up to 70% in the past 30 years.

Harvest mice, or at least their distinctive round nests among tall grass were once a common sight in the British countryside. But in just 30 years, harvest mouse numbers appear to have decreased by as much as 70% - See more at: http://www.ptes.org/index.php?news=196#sthash.gx2FyrIn.dpuf

Harvest mice, or at least their distinctive round nests among tall grass were once a common sight in the British countryside. But in just 30 years, harvest mouse numbers appear to have decreased by as much as 70% - See more at: http://www.ptes.org/index.php?news=196#sthash.gx2FyrIn.dpuf

In April we also planted six Alder Buckthorn trees, which provide food for the caterpillars of the Brimstone butterfly.

Winter is ending...how are the trees?

This question is on our lips, as Spring is just around the corner.  So I went today to look at our tiny whips and check the rabbit spirals.  The ring of 8 silver birches by the Allotments are beginning to sprout green shoots.  The row of rowans by the tennis courts are still standing, but it looks like the sheep have escaped their enclosure at some point, by the dung on the ground.

The oak and cherry trees on the Mound are also still standing, but half the canes and spirals were not.  There have been sheep grazing up there, and either they knocked them over, or the wind blew them - or a combination of both.  We need to think about protecting them from sheep in future.  Thankfully, only one tree showed signs of damage from an opportunist rabbit.  The leaves on the Cherry are starting to open.

Here is a photograph of the vegetation on the Mound last May.  This reminds us that our trees will need to be kept well clear of competing growth.  So the next thing to organise is some weed-clearing to make sure they survive.

Newly Planted Trees in Winkleigh

The newly planted trees in the Memorial Playing Fields at Winkleigh are now protected by transparent rabbit spirals. Here is the clump of 8 silver birches planted over near the Allotments.

Tree Planting at Winkleigh Memorial Playing Fields

On Saturday 1st December a dozen people from the parish of Winkleigh met together to plant native trees given by the Woodland Trust.

Members of Winkleigh Biodiversity Group and Winkleigh Green Drinks joined other volunteers from the community to plant 36 whips (small rooted trees) into slots in the heavy clay soil.

It was a bright sunny frosty morning, so gloves and warm socks were needed and the volunteers kept warm by keeping active.

Families and groups will be invited to get involved in watering and weeding to ensure that these trees grow strong in the next few years.

The trees were quickly planted in the following sites:

14 Rowan trees in a row along the bank by the Tennis Courts

Demonstration of how to plant the whips

Each tree will be protected by a clear plastic rabbit spiral which is supported by a bamboo cane, until it is tall enough.

First row of rowans planted on the bank

Thanks to The Winkleigh Society for funding the canes and to Wheatland Farm for providing the transparent rabbit spirals.
 

7 Oaks and 7 Cherries in a clump on top of "The Mound"

Thanks to Spencer Hodgetts for his photographs

The pack of native trees were given to the community by the Woodland Trust as part of their celebration of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Year 2012.

Vigorous weeds will need to be kept down

 

...and 8 Birch trees to provide shade near the allotments

A number of these trees have also been passed to the Allotments Group so that they can plant them as a windbreak hedge.

First Work Party for the Wild Flower Project

Following a couple of meetings of people interested in supporting or participating in this project, we finally got our first work party underway on Saturday 4th August.

The task of managing the whole area (approximately 3/4 acre) will need the support of volunteers with appropriate machinery to cut down the rough growth on the top of the mound.

So we decided to start by tackling the area nearest to the Sports Centre, which is more grassy.
 

Seven volunteers spent an enjoyable morning pulling out Creeping Thistle (cirsium arvense), and some nettles.  Thistles are a good nectar source for bees and butterflies, but they are also an opportunistic weed, and spread by seed and by underground runners.  Our aim was to reduce the numbers in the grassy bank, rather than to eradicate them.  There are still thousands flowering on the mound itself.  Our next step is to cut the grass in September.  Any volunteers?

Winkleigh Wild Flower Project Begins

This area of our local village Playing Fields consists of a large mound of earth excavated when the Sports Centre was built in 2003.  For the past 9 years it has been left alone.  The top of the mound is covered in brambles, nettles, docks and thistles.  The area surrounding the mound is grass which has grown more rough and tussocky due to not being cut at all for this period.

The Winkleigh Memorial Playing Fields Committee has agreed that a group of volunteers can manage this area for the benefit of local people and for wildlife.

We started keeping a record of plants and creatures found on the site from April 2012.  On 1st May, I saw this caterpillar (Drinker Moth).

                         

                          Red Admiral butterfly caterpillar in a nettle tent

             Orange Tip butterfly eggs on Lady's Smock (or Cuckoo Flower)