A welcome return to Area A

It is clear from the tractor-drawn trailers whizzing up and down our “quiet” lanes that potatoes are being harvested at the moment. Referring to my trusty Ladybird book What to Look for in Autumn, it appears that back in 1960 when it was published, the process was still rather more back-breakingly manual:

Speaking of manual labour, a round dozen volunteers turned up today to start to clear the vegetation cut down for us by Adam, a Cley-based colleague of NWT warden George. This was to finish the cutting of Area A…

… and the top of Area B

These are the two sections on either side of the boardwalk on the Warren Road side of Fox’s Beck. It was Area A’s turn to be cut according to the schedule laid down by Natural England as part of the requirement to manage this important SSSI, and the top part of Area B is getting overrun by reeds, which need annually rebuking in that particular location, as they crowd out the many other plant species that otherwise thrive there. Today’s task was to deal with at least some of the stuff on Area A – the section nearest Lower Street. As usual, setting out the drag sheets is a drag, but essential as carrying all the cut material by hand is not all that efficient.

An important consideration here was to avoid the wasps’ nest that had made its presence all too clear to Kevin whilst brush cutting a few days earlier. There was one in much the same place the last time we were there, a couple of years ago. Perhaps the stripey-jumpered blighters are fond of it there; it’s all about location for them too it seems!

The cut material has been left lying for a little while, but there has not been much rain, so it remained mercifully dry and light – despite appearances.

Before long the crack winch team members were hard at work, tidying the impressive heap started by NWT, ready for our additions to it.

That was possible by creating impressive piles (ahem – we’ve been there before haven’t we?) on the drag sheets.

Many years back we had amongst our number Fiona, but she deserted us for the joys of splashing about in a wet (or dry) suit, the better to study marine life forms. Well, to our delight she joined us this morning for a guest appearance, so naturally we put her to work, which we hope won’t stop her coming again.

Back to the dump site. This was promising to be one of our larger efforts. With the material relatively light, we were able to heave the laden sheets to the top of the mound. The trick then was to not get yourself buried, despite the efforts of the humorous drag sheet draggers, who get no end of fun trying to do just that. Here Team Leader Kevin is lending half-buried Dave some muffled solicitous advice.

Amongst the humorous comments there was the priceless “pillock on a hillock” directed at your much put-upon correspondent, who bears no ill-will. And inevitably, the music references flowed: picking up on a recent theme we had Unchained melody which the Righteous Brothers had had an earlier crack at; we had Tina Turner’s classic River deep mountain high to which I don’t think we gave full justice. As we began to long for the half-time break, my contribution was Dylan’s One more cup of coffee which didn’t get the acclaim I was expecting.

That half-time break was very welcome on an unexpectedly warm, muggy morning; the more so thanks again to Nina’s splendid apple cake. Nina incidentally was on frog patrol; there were many there, they were very active, and in need of rescuing from the dragging sheets. We tried to photograph at least one, but it hopped off.

By the end we reckoned we’d cleared about half of the material we’d been left with, and the looming dark clouds made the decision to stop all the easier.

Surely nobody could fail to be impressed by our massive pile.

Here is Team Leader Margaret’s message of thanks:

A huge thank you to the 12 who turned up today, we were very grateful to see you as we knew that some of our regulars were unable to make it. It was particularly nice to welcome back an old friend of the common so no matter how long you have been away a warm welcome is guaranteed. It was a daunting task for such a small number but you rose to the occasion, and made short work of the thankfully dry material although the uncut bits made the task challenging in places. Not to mention the wasps who insisted we change the dumping site!  We trust that those of you who were under the weather have speedy recoveries and those with much better things to do had a most enjoyable time. We will be returning to the same place  in two weeks’ time and we hope to see some of you then. Not me, as John and I will be the absentees on that occasion.

Thank you again

Margaret (for the team leaders)

A few days ago I got chatting to a couple of men who had just arrived at the car park for a walk, starting across the boardwalk. They were fully kitted out for a significant expedition, and they told me that they hoped to fit in at least some of the villages in the old rhyme that I had never before encountered. No doubt it is well known to at least some of the people who surprise me by continuing to read this blog. It goes:

“Gimingham, Trimingham, Knapton, Trunch,

Northrepps, Southrepps, lie all in a bunch.”

Having traversed the boardwalk, those chaps will no doubt have gone up through Warren Woods on their way to Trunch, for lunch. The transformation of those woods from a previously, and perhaps foolishly planned commercial conifer timber plantation into a biologically rich coppiced broad-leafed woodland was the subject of a fascinating talk later that day. It was at a meeting of the Southrepps Society and given by the wood’s owner, Dr. Tim Willey – a great friend and neighbour of the Common and many of us volunteers. He described and showed us how he has, with the permission of the Forestry Commission and every council covering the place, clear-felled a section of the wood and then planted hundreds of deciduous saplings – which in just a couple of years have shot up, alongside a wealth of other fauna and flora. It was done not without some quite bruising criticism from a few people, but the results are already vindicating the approach. Tim held out the enticing prospect of a hands-on session there, perhaps next Spring, to have a go at some of the crafts that he employs to make use of the materials the wood produces. As he explained, the wood is an ecosystem, and managed in this way it can be both sustainable and productive – even if not according to the narrow definitions of those words imposed by mainstream current economic practice. The products are beautiful objects such as the baskets Tim showed us; the wellbeing for humans who walk through it; and the huge boost to the area’s biodiversity, including of course our Common. One of the most exciting arrivals, as previously reported here is the Green Tiger Beetle, which Tim had been hoping to find for years.

When the world is suffering the extinction of countless species, traditional skills and cultures, here in Tim’s patch of paradise some of the harm is being held at bay. Well done Tim, and more power to your elbow!

Jiminy Cricket!

As Bob Dylan says it so well in his Idiot Wind, springtime has turned slowly into autumn, so obviously it’s time to dig out my Ladybird book What to Look for in Autumn. Since it was published in 1960 mechanisation and chemistry have changed agriculture out of all recognition. Even as recently as then (1960 is still recent isn’t it?), people were still spending their summer holidays picking hops, in a very Darling Buds of May kind of way.

This ties in very nicely with the fact that someone had excitedly written “HOPS!”  on the sightings whiteboard, and true enough, a short way along the boardwalk I found these.

In order to get that far, I had to use the splendid replacement bridge that NWT warden George and his colleagues have made.

Today 16 incomparable volunteers also crossed that bridge in order to continue work on the central part of The Common; this time on the southern side of the boardwalk. There having been an hour’s worth of preparation earlier in the week, here’s how the area looked before we began work on it.

Soon the drag sheets were laid out (no, we didn’t pinch them from any lamp posts!) and then the pitchforking could begin.

Team Leader Kevin enjoys a spot of brush cutting. Once he’d trimmed the edges of the boardwalk, he set about fine tuning the sward where we were hard at work. I believe Southrepps Bowls Club will be playing there next week.

We’ve mentioned the pride we take in our piles before; this time we may have exceeded even our high standards for their neatness.

Speaking of double entendres, the air around the winch site was thick with them, enough to bring a blush to the cheeks of the roughest and toughest rugby players – but they were all busy knocking seven belles (see what I did there?) out of each other in the World Cup quarter finals. As a taster, much was made of whether this was a particular individual’s first time, and could any of us elderly blokes remember theirs. We’ve been winching a while, so no.

Here’s a classic action shot of the sort you’ve seen many times before, showing two finely honed gentlemen escorting a sheet to its flipping tipping point.

Careful examination of that photo reveals the black rope leading back to the winch. Your correspondent, when asking a colleague about where we had to go with the next sheet was gratified to hear that all I had to do was follow the black rope. Good advice Ken!

Half time came, predictably half-way through the session, and none too soon for it was warm work. The weather forecast was full of some doom and a lot of gloom for later in the day, but we were treated to another fine morning. Greatly invigorated by Nina’s most welcome apple cake, we eventually tottered back to work with a will.

What of the community singing? Perhaps it was a feeling of inhibition following the fabulous rendition of Bohemian Rhapsody at last night’s Last Night of the Proms, but our acclaimed male voice choir was this time entirely silent. Even the most optimistic will have to agree that it can’t last.

Absent any singing, the gripping interest for a few tea-break idlers was the quality of each other’s boots. This was brought on by your correspondent noticing Linda’s fetching and expensive looking blue wellies, at the right of this picture. Curiously, even after yesterday’s heavy showers, none of these have attracted any mud.

At the end of the session the job was declared a good ‘un, and we all cleared off, leaving that portion of Area G looking like this.

Back at the storage container it was great to see our old friend Grizzly back in its place of honour, having been used on the pre-cut and by Team Leader George and his colleagues from Cley on Area A earlier in the week.

Here is Team Leader Margaret’s message of thanks:

Once again I am in awe at how many of you turn out week after week to help look after the commons. We are so lucky to have you all. Another beautiful morning which made our task easier. Thank you to Nina for the superb apple cake which helped us on our way.  Next time we will be across the stream on either area  A or B depending on what George would like us to do. We look forward to seeing some of you then. Happy holidays to those who are gallivanting.

Thank you again

Margaret for the team leaders.

So far as I know, neither the said Margaret nor her otherwise splendid husband John are particularly fond of cricket, in the sporting sense. Crickets in the entomological sense however, appear to have a fondness for them, with now a second species gracing their home to their delight. First it was a Roesel’s Bush Cricket. You first read about it here. This time, discovered indoors one morning a week ago was what appears to be a Long-winged Conehead. (I didn’t know such a thing existed either, since you’re asking.) Here is a photo of it ensconced in the house, and another of it apparently tucking into a tasty nettle post-eviction.

In other insect news, I found a pristine Comma butterfly on the footpath above Pit Common. It had the decency to stay still long enough to allow me to snap its diagnostic white comma marking on the underside of its wing.

The part of Area G that we worked on last month is now sporting a glorious crop of Grassof Parnassus – one of our most treasured plants here. They’re a pretty flower (not a grass at all) and well worth looking out for.

It has also been a good week for bird sightings in the area: two days ago I had the thrill of watching a Hobby hunting piedwagtails flocking on a field near the Suffield Arms. I don’t think it was successful, but it could certainly put on a great turn of speed, as you would expect from this lovely little falcon.