Wednesday 11th June 2025 - Naturezones, Blackwater GG #1034

 Terry's photos

Ox-eye daisies

Meadow cranesbill

Moorhen

Apologies for the quality of this photo (not Terry's) a cheeky red squirrel fancied a Hobnob!

This week we returned to Blackwater, but this time we were at Naturezones Wildlife Education Trust, which is a wildlife field study centre.  The main task was to move two extra long railway sleepers from one end of the site to the other.  A mighty muscle gang was formed and the wood was carried, one sleeper at a time, through the meadow.  The sleepers were to form the supports for the bridge which crosses the stream at the end of the site.  The existing supports had become rotten, and the planks removed.  The sleepers were slightly longer than anticipated so the bank on either side had to be dug out, along with other banked up soil.  The bridge planks will be replaced shortly once the sleepers have been treated with preservative.

For those of the team not on bridge detail, the paths around the site were cleared of encroaching shrubs and bramble. 

The wildflower meadow was quite a sight.  Flowers identified included meadow cranesbill, black knapweed, smooth tare, grass vetchling, birdsfoot trefoil, lesser stitchwort, ox-eye daisy, bugle, orchids and masses of yellow rattle.

Naturezones is holding a Red Squirrel Day on Sunday 15^th June – see link –

https://naturezones.co.uk/Events.htm

Thank you to Terry for the photos.

Wednesday 4th June 2025 - Stone Farm, Blackwater GG #1033

 Terry's photos

Sometimes things just don’t work as originally planned so we were back to Himalayan Balsam pulling this week.  However, this time we were based at Stone Farm in Blackwater, north of where we were last week.  Waders and wellies were donned.  Sticks to support us in the terrain and to bash nettles with were selected and off we went.  The team split up into small groups to target several areas and the hunt for HB was on.  Some of the stands of HB were surprisingly tall for the time of year, and yet other areas had very tiny plants.  The upside of HB pulling is that it is a convivial task and there is a lot of chat!

Thanks to Terry for the photos.

Wednesday 28th May 2025 - Merstone Stream, Blackwater GG #1032

 

Just a few HB plants

A variety of ladybirds enjoyed the nettles

Mark's photo of a few of the local residents

Today we returned to an old ‘favourite’ – the Merstone Stream in Blackwater for our first Himalayan Balsam pulling session of the year.  We are all delighted to be back to this perennial task!  The HB is not in flower yet so it is not immediately obvious where it is, but once spotted we found a considerable amount.  The majority of the HB was found along the steep banks of the stream, so access was difficult.  GG-er Graham donned waders and, with support, worked along the stream.  Adjoining fields along the NE bank of the stream were also cleared.

Himalayan Balsam was introduced to the UK by Victorian plant hunters and is a very successful plant due mainly to its method of dispersing its seeds, usually along watercourses.  Our usual description of the seed dispersal is that the seed pods explode, ping, pop or burst. However, the following link, via GG-er Ken (and his Dad), has a more scientific explanation:

Seed dispersal - Wikipedia

‘Ballochory is a type of dispersal where the seed is forcefully ejected by explosive dehiscence of the fruit. Often the force that generates the explosion results from turgor pressure within the fruit or due to internal hygroscopic tensions within the fruit.’

Fabulous - every day is a school day!

Wednesday 21st May 2025 - The Duver, St Helens GG #1031

 Terry's photos

A few examples of local flora

Photo from Brighstone Landscaping who estimated we collected a total of 40kg of rubbish

This week we returned to The Duver at St Helens for our annual litter pick of the Duver and the beach as far north as Horestone Point.  We spent the first hour of the session on the Duver. 

During tea break Mark explained that he had had to register the beach clean with the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) in order that all our rubbish could be collected (by Brighstone Landscaping).  We were also required to complete a survey of the litter collected on the beach.  Following our tea break, we conducted a survey of two 100m  sections of St Helens beach.  This information will be returned to the MCS and shared with St Helens Parish Council. 

When the surveys had been completed we continued further along the beach.  For the first time in quite a few weeks waterproofs were required as it rained on and off for most of the morning.  

Thank you to Terry for the photos.