Area B done already?

 Despite it still being the holiday season, keeping at least four of our regulars (including two team leaders) away, 18 of the finest Southrepps Commons Volunteers arrived at the almost pre-dawn hour of 09.00 this morning to tackle Area B. This is half of the species-rich grassy part of the Common between Warren Road and Fox’s Beck.

A fortnight ago a significant start had been made on this patch, and excellent further work had been done by the North East Norfolk Conservation Volunteers earlier in the week, so clearing the rest of the cut material was well within our grasp. (There had already been a two-hour pre-cut, so it really was just a case of picking the stuff up and dumping it at the periphery of the site.)

Hardened readers of this blog will recognise the bucolic scene that unfolded. Indeed, it was suggested to your usual correspondent that we could use any photo from the past couple of decades. Tempting though this was, I did feel that the participants would look suspiciously younger and even fitter than today’s happy crew.

This little video clip illustrates again the use of the winch to make light work of shifting a loaded drag sheet. It also shows an ironic point: the seemingly never-ending drought has created very dry and therefore very light material, which of course makes it easy to shift. However, as Bob is so ably demonstrating, the wretched stuff was so light it was difficult to get it to stay on the pitchfork. Rakes were found to be better suited to the task on this occasion.

Given the richly varied nature of the plant community here, it’s not surprising that we were dealing with more than just grass/hay. The many thistles added variety, and prickles capable of piercing at least my gloves uncomfortably often. Another perennial hazard with this part of the Common is the uneven nature of the ground, due to holes created by the removal of invasive alder saplings. On the positive side this time, at least falling over was not going to get you wet and muddy!

“Superman” Andrew, still fresh despite his recent long walk is seen here working with Louise. The said Andrew has boundless energy and great strength; that’s why I am rarely seen next to him – the temptation to keep up is exhausting!

Half-time (or “hydration break” as it is now known) came along at, well, half-time. Ken looks happy doesn’t he? That’s because he’d been trying to photo-bomb my pictures throughout.

Nina’s famous apple cake made a most welcome return at this point. Only once it was all gone did we feel justified in addressing the remainder of the task, but it’s fair to say that we set-to with a will, suitably re-invigorated.

As so often before, the murky area where the winch crew operates was the source of sauciness and musical references – sometimes the two are linked.

Team Leader Michelle was present in order to provide us with the necessary leadership, but was incapacitated and therefore unable to join in with the general rough and tumble. She did hang around that murky area however, apparently expecting to be in on the mucky jokes she had heard about. She was told only one.

As to music, Andrew B (not the superman Andrew) was moved to refer us to the song “Trapped" by American musician Colonel Abrams. This left the rest of us somewhat flummoxed, but I see from no less an authority than Wikipedia that it was “released in 1985 as the first single from his first album, Colonel Abrams. The song topped the US Billboard Dance/Disco Club Play and 12-inch Singles Sales charts and peaked at number 20 on the Hot Black Singles chart.” So now we know: if only we had paid more attention to disco tunes we would have been able to nod wisely when Andrew referenced it. He did so, because he WAS trapped, up against a young holly tree (the only reference to young available to us, sadly) while the rest of the merry crew was tipping a laden sheet out in the aforementioned murky area. For anyone concerned about his welfare, he escaped.

The other musical reference inevitably features Noel, who today was wearing a Clash tee-shirt. He revealed that he wore this very shirt in an Aberdeen bar, full of Scottish punks. The bar’s juke box apparently played only Clash songs, and so pleased were the assembled Aberdonians with him that on the strength of his shirt alone they bought him a pint. What a life he’s led!

In a remarkable case of perfect timing, the last load was dumped, the sheets folded up and the trolleys laden shortly before our scheduled end-time of 11.00. Here’s how the area looked as we left it. 

Here is Team :Leader Michelle's message of thanks:

Dear all

Thank you to the 18 that turned up bright and early today to clear the cut reeds on Area B, it was lovely to see you all. Being currently out of commission and so watching from the sidelines, it was so nice to see what a great hardworking team we have and  (with some help from our friends at NENCV who helped by clearing the top of Area B during the week),some great progress has been made.

Despite the slightly cooler weather it was still a warm one so your efforts are really appreciated and I hope that with the earlier start and finish means that you have all been able to get home and can actually enjoy the rest of the day rather than trying to avoid the heat!  

Finally, thanks to our cutters Kevin and David for getting the area ready for today. and to Nina for her baking - always well received.

Hopefully see you in 30th

Michelle (obo the Team leaders)

ps apologies  if you got this email twice

This being a quiet time of year for wildlife sightings here, there isn’t much to report, but some of today’s work party did catch a glimpse of what they thought was a grass snake. Great news if it was, as we never have reports of them, despite the heaps of cut vegetation we leave to rot being potential incubation places for their eggs.

The only other notable sighting took place, as so often before, in the famous “garden adjacent Common” inhabited by Team Leader Margaret and husband John. He it was, on a hot afternoon, sheltering beneath a parasol – no doubt with a soothing libation – who noticed a small creature in the nearby foliage. He was able to take this charming footage of the wee beastie.

There was much debate as to its identity, with harvest mouse or field mouse being the main contenders. We think on balance that it was a field mouse.