Sightings update

The last posting introduced our new whiteboard for visitors to The Commons to tell the rest of us what they have found. We have been really surprised and delighted at how well this has been received, and have already had to replace the pen; no, not because of theft, but it just wore out! The main difficulty is to ensure that there is always space on the board for new sightings, but we have been caught out a little by how quickly it has been filled up.

As mentioned last time, before anything is wiped off the board it is photogrpahed, so that everything people have taken the trouble to note is recorded for posterity. Here is the board as I found it yesterday; what is so charming about it is that it is clear that some youngsters have also added their sightings. I particularly love the comment on 1st June: "I saw an amazing bird which was gliding gracefully." We don't know the species, but never mind, it captures the joy of being out in Nature wonderfully.

At the other extreme, there is a very precise identification of a flowering Opposite Leaved Golden Saxifrage. Some 490 plant species have been identified here, but this one is not on our list, so that makes it particularly interesting. If you are reading this and are the person who found the plant, we would be very grateful for further details, particularly precisely where you found it.

There is a photo and information about this plant on the Wildlife Trusts website: Opposite-leaved Golden Saxifrage

Recent visitors will have noticed that Spring has done its work, and the plant life has had something of a growth spurt. The half of the reedbed that was cut last winter is rapidly gaining height again, and has attracted definitely breeding Reed Buntings and at least one singing Reed Warbler. A cuckoo has been heard frequently, but whether any unfortunate small bird has been selected as a foster parent is not known.

A particular problem with the rampant growth is that reeds tend to fall across the boardwalk, especially after rain, so it is important to keep a margin alongside the boardwalk trimmed back. This has been done recently, and NWT traning in the use of brush cutters is also in hand. Visitors will also notice that the boardwalk is ageing, and marshland is not conducive to the preservation of timber, so from time to time boards break. We repair them as quickly as we can, but it is always as well to take care on your walk in case you are the first person to discover a new break.