Babbling Beck

 

Team Leaders Julie and Margaret pulled some more Balsam on 22^nd June. To reach it they walked along Fox’s Beck at the bottom of Area B. Here’s what Julie reports: 

“The Beck was looking really good - the mini dam caused by the fallen branch seems to be having an effect in stopping the silt!

To prove the point, here’s a photo and a short video - such a gorgeous gurgling sound as the water goes over the branch!

We tackled the HB in Area A. It was more of an investigation into how much was there - you really can’t imagine how excited we were when we found it was very little!

We hammered this area last year when the plants were small to medium - I think we did around four work parties and shifted probably around 35-40 bags of HB. Today we got two bags and we had to hunt for those.

This would suggest that this method of pulling them up early is successful at not only controlling it but possibly even eradicating it in this area.”

Your usually absent correspondent being once again missing (I had a plumber to supervise, which beats the dog eating the homework as an excuse hands down), it fell to Team Leader Margaret, new Team Leader Michelle, Andrew, and NWT warden George with colleague Adam to venture back into the wilderness on the 1^st July in search of yet more Himalayan Balsam. Hoping that this was to be the last such session of the year, this time they forded the stream and climbed over fallen trees in order to eject the Balsam from its protective cover of stinging nettles.

Michelle has stepped into the Team Leader role following the decision by the legendary John Houlgate to step back, which after all the commitment he has put into the Commons over many years is entirely justifiable. When we refer to redoubtable and doughty volunteers, it’s John who exemplifies them. Happily, he is continuing to help out at working parties when possible.

Have you felt that this summer the insect population is much reduced? It feels like it to me, and if that is true it must be having an impact on the birds that rely on invertebrates for food for themselves and their young. At least with the fitful warm sunshine some butterflies are about, but it seems to me not in great numbers, and with only a few species represented. Dragonflies too seem in short supply, although I did get a good close-up view of what I think was a splendid male Emperor whilst walking along Craft Lane on Election Day. (I was doing the walking, by the way; the dragonfly was whizzing about, the way they do, and not intending to vote.)

 

Finally for now, the exciting news is that a new website devoted to the history of Southrepps has recently been launched, bringing an online presence to the History Hub, which has its physical home in the Village Hall. As you would expect, the history of our commons is included, including how our involvement has developed over the last three and a half decades. It can be found at https://southreppshistory.org.uk/places/southrepps-commons/ Why not check it and the rest of the site out?