tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3547728858685882602024-02-19T05:48:21.535-08:00The Wicken Fen Rangers' BlogVicki Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07920272424361812262noreply@blogger.comBlogger127125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-354772885868588260.post-41412340875082005292016-07-08T08:03:00.001-07:002016-07-08T08:03:15.719-07:00Reach 24 Bioblitz<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Last Saturday evening, anyone passing Reach 24 Acres may
have been slightly confused by all the activity on the site. At 8 o’clock we
started to track down as many different species as possible on the site before
lunch time on Sunday. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Reach 24 Acres is a parcel of land on the edge of the
village of Reach. The National Trust purchased it as part of the Wicken Fen
Vision Project in 2011. The front 12 acres is being leased to the Reach community,
who have created a steering group to drive the village’s ideas for the site.
The aim is that the area will be used by local people as an area to enjoy being
outdoors. They have already established a cricket pitch which they use for
matches against other local village teams, planted an orchard made up of old
native apple, pear and plum breeds, and have also planted a woodland that
should develop nicely over the next few years. There is also a horse ménage
being planned for riders to be able to stop at on other routes towards Reach
Lode. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The Bioblitz was an exciting opportunity to get some
baseline species data for this site, as well as getting people out looking for
wildlife on their local patch. Saturday evening started off with setting out small
mammal traps in the orchard and down some of the paths ready to be checked the
next morning. Then John Rawle arrived to help us track down some bats. We had
to waiting a little while and wander down closer to the village to hear
anything on our bat detectors, but we saw a good amount of pipistrelles and
then by the time we got back to Reach 24 we managed to hear one on site so it
could be recorded as our first mammal species. By this time, Bill Mansfield had
set up some moth traps and they were coming in thick and fast. By the end of
the night, and after a few close encounters with the macro moths, we had
recorded 48 moth species, including a Reed Lepoard Moth (<em>Phragmataecia castaneae</em>) which are nationally scarce. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">We were then up early to check the mammal traps, and we found
3 common shrews (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sorex araneus)</i>, one
of which was a very pregnant female shrew. There was no rest from then on as we
hunted down birds, bugs and butterflies through the morning. We then finished
with a wander around the site checking off all the plant species we could
identify. By Sunday lunch time, the species count had reached 231. Some more results
have come in since, as some of the experts took some insects away to have a
closer look at and we are now at 291 species! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Thank you to all the experts who came and shared their
knowledge, and to everyone who came along to have a good time too. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3cICBAef0NtYqFy9qCgDxBmjqa0cJ9Gn2vEbHTUEgL9OAQSupEm49a1q1luVHX9Sjwy33IZ-vsd1VUfTx7TWqwyiQiSexBGcoN51fRPqBcfodwk7GLoHoyDNT0eRfihUFPG0FuEwVg-m9/s1600/mammal+trapping.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3cICBAef0NtYqFy9qCgDxBmjqa0cJ9Gn2vEbHTUEgL9OAQSupEm49a1q1luVHX9Sjwy33IZ-vsd1VUfTx7TWqwyiQiSexBGcoN51fRPqBcfodwk7GLoHoyDNT0eRfihUFPG0FuEwVg-m9/s400/mammal+trapping.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Filling up the Longworth traps with food and bedding</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Setting out the mammal traps in the Orchard</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcofk6IzOBfOJi-ND_D4AR1W_jfvAH4M3isw5KASyFNo5S7E1pniXFb_EdvwbjjJ_jpN4KlCGBzbuWSD4WSuH8DceDfMDtS_6IIfhSmgYxbWAD6EHcR3aIRI06nhcNFdSxEB6-69NY0iwL/s1600/WP_20160702_008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcofk6IzOBfOJi-ND_D4AR1W_jfvAH4M3isw5KASyFNo5S7E1pniXFb_EdvwbjjJ_jpN4KlCGBzbuWSD4WSuH8DceDfMDtS_6IIfhSmgYxbWAD6EHcR3aIRI06nhcNFdSxEB6-69NY0iwL/s400/WP_20160702_008.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Listening out for bats at sunset</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSTWyXgwj4dotwJ71IdnU4Gb1sSg9JfffxwygejBxW3GUkWBp1MybeNqZ5KMUSXabberBUj6q5oD3mt7E6-fpMJC5Ne-6rSEGtSaX-LDMFzAITBF-aK-11sky3mo4yiX7CIKCE7o7K-TQn/s1600/WP_20160702_009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSTWyXgwj4dotwJ71IdnU4Gb1sSg9JfffxwygejBxW3GUkWBp1MybeNqZ5KMUSXabberBUj6q5oD3mt7E6-fpMJC5Ne-6rSEGtSaX-LDMFzAITBF-aK-11sky3mo4yiX7CIKCE7o7K-TQn/s400/WP_20160702_009.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Watching for moths</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYNzOw9rZMDfgX5CXJKX0zEGJUavCke8Z2ChyphenhyphenS56d9iMV_2L8g4HhzBncueRx3yY3QfbqXlAPdO3TpIT1d6XiCEZJ3OeBrM67iN8gQYwl9nGsGEtQa2jM7sEWVTR54-bCfzfT2N7gMZQka/s1600/WP_20160702_032.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYNzOw9rZMDfgX5CXJKX0zEGJUavCke8Z2ChyphenhyphenS56d9iMV_2L8g4HhzBncueRx3yY3QfbqXlAPdO3TpIT1d6XiCEZJ3OeBrM67iN8gQYwl9nGsGEtQa2jM7sEWVTR54-bCfzfT2N7gMZQka/s400/WP_20160702_032.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Small Magpie moth (<em>Anania hortulata)</em></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVhBA8Z_peCkM-DK4BRRN6ypqYt5CAyPWa-a__9T7sQuNjAREHhlEa6D9Q9jMRvNvgze-cfiPu2r0BY6BpR175Vn4V1PS1fJlprV4Wejmxcvll6O373SMw_gRZUwngr7gonpuWXSLUt9pC/s1600/WP_20160702_028.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVhBA8Z_peCkM-DK4BRRN6ypqYt5CAyPWa-a__9T7sQuNjAREHhlEa6D9Q9jMRvNvgze-cfiPu2r0BY6BpR175Vn4V1PS1fJlprV4Wejmxcvll6O373SMw_gRZUwngr7gonpuWXSLUt9pC/s400/WP_20160702_028.jpg" width="224" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A grumpy looking Ghost moth (<em>Hepialus humuli)</em></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9s65NoIk59MWFqdgWRQR9cvFTBASEDG5gqXuggUTtNXSCCZeTaDkG-A6RbunE06eUxOyC2UxF4l50Tz_QqXMnXHnN0c6zXWTeOlAZIamCNrf4RXEjuW3G1d3YqDZqRvJDRjmDajGrRp-9/s1600/WP_20160702_019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9s65NoIk59MWFqdgWRQR9cvFTBASEDG5gqXuggUTtNXSCCZeTaDkG-A6RbunE06eUxOyC2UxF4l50Tz_QqXMnXHnN0c6zXWTeOlAZIamCNrf4RXEjuW3G1d3YqDZqRvJDRjmDajGrRp-9/s400/WP_20160702_019.jpg" width="224" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sometimes the wildlife was just begging to be counted, like this brown slug (<em>Deroceras reticulatum</em>) found on someone's boot! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiME-KSBzULq_RLNo49doj9tU1fbSGSshdQf5GjEwnaIrkqeo9RzXIPpR3VSWGrDAn4yj8YkURbYQMMsLNzRov2_MPnw2KXZF1E565HVTMCTSxTmAwMgHPovXunSgnzRVrCcQTUcaRzaa0f/s1600/WP_20160703_005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiME-KSBzULq_RLNo49doj9tU1fbSGSshdQf5GjEwnaIrkqeo9RzXIPpR3VSWGrDAn4yj8YkURbYQMMsLNzRov2_MPnw2KXZF1E565HVTMCTSxTmAwMgHPovXunSgnzRVrCcQTUcaRzaa0f/s400/WP_20160703_005.jpg" width="224" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the Shrews (<em>Sorex</em> <em>araneus</em>) caught in the Longworths</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnBJqJ_0Vi-kBHaTo_FnVa8iYO2siAjW3JcA_DlMSVRXOHjl07Mu4peCsr0h07QtJchMu3eT-63NNywdT3sy61Q1pvKpNW8kWJvVaHC_EROhPsf97W3VQMd4_yM6ed6aDX-7dmbV2Dec6Q/s1600/WP_20160703_006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnBJqJ_0Vi-kBHaTo_FnVa8iYO2siAjW3JcA_DlMSVRXOHjl07Mu4peCsr0h07QtJchMu3eT-63NNywdT3sy61Q1pvKpNW8kWJvVaHC_EROhPsf97W3VQMd4_yM6ed6aDX-7dmbV2Dec6Q/s400/WP_20160703_006.jpg" width="223" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bug hunting</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbypwx3fbaE1c2awCJD4Wx0eVrnVEtz7R6V_ezYI9j6GS_atp8dITrJqjOVYgQBpRaDNeYDRMpKvUQo0DjAPlr_Q2vdpqJRG2lYZxb98NovLdFZilFoG-Q3QY76xfhVhetdqNZHEBfVCYT/s1600/WP_20160703_012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbypwx3fbaE1c2awCJD4Wx0eVrnVEtz7R6V_ezYI9j6GS_atp8dITrJqjOVYgQBpRaDNeYDRMpKvUQo0DjAPlr_Q2vdpqJRG2lYZxb98NovLdFZilFoG-Q3QY76xfhVhetdqNZHEBfVCYT/s400/WP_20160703_012.jpg" width="224" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How ever big or small we were counting it!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgEE8PBCxLzBOZkwQGYaokvP0tGvkTeWNcJuz6ufFQmdzTeDOtgIZpajpaKmB_BX6LldzqFtO3Wc6_WTSD3Ue2H12WYHOqLNc6wUOSsTFsmDrLZcGOy5A7-5F2AJxNC4GlGvIzWWEAoMWP/s1600/Agapanthia+villosoviridescens.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgEE8PBCxLzBOZkwQGYaokvP0tGvkTeWNcJuz6ufFQmdzTeDOtgIZpajpaKmB_BX6LldzqFtO3Wc6_WTSD3Ue2H12WYHOqLNc6wUOSsTFsmDrLZcGOy5A7-5F2AJxNC4GlGvIzWWEAoMWP/s400/Agapanthia+villosoviridescens.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">A <span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">golden-bloomed grey longhorn beetle (<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;">
</span><span style="background: white; color: #222222;"><em>Agapanthia villosoviridescens)</em></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv3SnwIS9sN5oR0bljXPQpkHpQMVHrbMeiaMlfo53myIl6QYuRWIHrwfoFWyYrTDM1BBl8l_qicbZXz78AkZEEL0Q4kFI8WWvEzM0Rx7UJ7okba-8PpGczRXD2tCudfZW0t5qEujeBkF9t/s1600/WP_20160703_13_00_21_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv3SnwIS9sN5oR0bljXPQpkHpQMVHrbMeiaMlfo53myIl6QYuRWIHrwfoFWyYrTDM1BBl8l_qicbZXz78AkZEEL0Q4kFI8WWvEzM0Rx7UJ7okba-8PpGczRXD2tCudfZW0t5qEujeBkF9t/s400/WP_20160703_13_00_21_Pro.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Basecamp where all findings were recorded</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvz8PrIkt_lyZrXW0YUC84eciJ5U0pqTX5ibViHsxZK_GVezeBfWG6EwplV8PAiJM1TpnJcvbu6cIMBJbnQQb0B4ZKNZtIKZyHNv5rcWo_5-e6AuR5JHJSXVmEedppRPzD0FzyfAGcNhyphenhyphenA/s1600/WP_20160703_016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvz8PrIkt_lyZrXW0YUC84eciJ5U0pqTX5ibViHsxZK_GVezeBfWG6EwplV8PAiJM1TpnJcvbu6cIMBJbnQQb0B4ZKNZtIKZyHNv5rcWo_5-e6AuR5JHJSXVmEedppRPzD0FzyfAGcNhyphenhyphenA/s400/WP_20160703_016.jpg" width="224" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sweeping for butterflies</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZgSiEhwwsNN0G_bNFeQmVZenl6lW8e4W_2Fq_KqzCrh7fWelVXH8bN_D_w_-HAmUwQFh8FS9EY8Fc1vc9OYJLs21Cu4ArSxA3NBTsYgMobdQiYg8JogJ7zr7VaOmhYuX0nP87l5gRTldt/s1600/WP_20160703_017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZgSiEhwwsNN0G_bNFeQmVZenl6lW8e4W_2Fq_KqzCrh7fWelVXH8bN_D_w_-HAmUwQFh8FS9EY8Fc1vc9OYJLs21Cu4ArSxA3NBTsYgMobdQiYg8JogJ7zr7VaOmhYuX0nP87l5gRTldt/s400/WP_20160703_017.jpg" width="224" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There were lots of Meadow Browns (<em>Miniola jurtina)</em></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTqvVMJ8hJ5lKz6wOQhZGwJmqr3N3fDjhIrsN9HARCFDOasCeMtIrgRtTpZRjjlsNPTiNjjAq2G6WXkRWP3lQt8rpEiNnI8Ne3NQudfxicDp3DZUoT-cSxNJfZGidnp4-Ofw5Va8axqj2l/s1600/WP_20160703_020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTqvVMJ8hJ5lKz6wOQhZGwJmqr3N3fDjhIrsN9HARCFDOasCeMtIrgRtTpZRjjlsNPTiNjjAq2G6WXkRWP3lQt8rpEiNnI8Ne3NQudfxicDp3DZUoT-cSxNJfZGidnp4-Ofw5Va8axqj2l/s400/WP_20160703_020.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And a Comma (<em>Polygonum c-album)</em></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGZ8LwdFxbzyS8wOzG4eGF7OIgY_7RVYJrCMv-2P-F237eODAY5yOtT2TmORgvfNjnB-07vw_vi2_ZVYicbqe4ehiTuVh1ikXpy7MMXjHgK3rTLO2i7d3WIYnDW_A1K1ZFuZPEpMqd18mq/s1600/WP_20160703_019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGZ8LwdFxbzyS8wOzG4eGF7OIgY_7RVYJrCMv-2P-F237eODAY5yOtT2TmORgvfNjnB-07vw_vi2_ZVYicbqe4ehiTuVh1ikXpy7MMXjHgK3rTLO2i7d3WIYnDW_A1K1ZFuZPEpMqd18mq/s400/WP_20160703_019.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And this fuzzy fella is a Ruby Tiger (<em>Phragmatobia fuliginosa)</em></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKZNCZm8pw4WOONOiP-0z5z2SSzMopB5eAGzr1IDOR3_01TT1kWktjEu-oOPMr7AQuzewhF1VG9Crna24DkLBBPN5ckGoIGN0TeRn66zvH-IRikbLY9j4D-HDiTIpa7LQTXdmhXT-O-ELj/s1600/WP_20160703_025.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKZNCZm8pw4WOONOiP-0z5z2SSzMopB5eAGzr1IDOR3_01TT1kWktjEu-oOPMr7AQuzewhF1VG9Crna24DkLBBPN5ckGoIGN0TeRn66zvH-IRikbLY9j4D-HDiTIpa7LQTXdmhXT-O-ELj/s400/WP_20160703_025.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scarlet Pipernel (<em>Anagallis arvensis)</em></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcqsgEgNh9B_JWhSpTqnkhpwLLUCdnUdeyg6qRAORZRIYX3IjXw787QDnUjMtGIMWkl0koqBdvPoxw3jJ74QMQ00LPsV88_aBv8Bw64QNshxNM4PTT7sRi4ZFiFj4fWBBNG4cgRqvnylaN/s1600/WP_20160703_027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcqsgEgNh9B_JWhSpTqnkhpwLLUCdnUdeyg6qRAORZRIYX3IjXw787QDnUjMtGIMWkl0koqBdvPoxw3jJ74QMQ00LPsV88_aBv8Bw64QNshxNM4PTT7sRi4ZFiFj4fWBBNG4cgRqvnylaN/s400/WP_20160703_027.jpg" width="224" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And I can't remember what plant this was but it had a nifty trick of its leaves following the sun as the day went on. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe2jfFAtEzyG2teXXdXgWtEWoVtNncCTHgo4buUwR5MFajpcSUR9shMafCcbnxcDCDFTwvUbvS5l8Cbl4qOStukzFsuC32L4dzQEW0q8kMl9A6LYsfqvhL-wYFt83RUvAJJQkC_oSw3F3S/s1600/WP_20160703_030.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe2jfFAtEzyG2teXXdXgWtEWoVtNncCTHgo4buUwR5MFajpcSUR9shMafCcbnxcDCDFTwvUbvS5l8Cbl4qOStukzFsuC32L4dzQEW0q8kMl9A6LYsfqvhL-wYFt83RUvAJJQkC_oSw3F3S/s400/WP_20160703_030.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The total at the end of the day, which has now exceeded 290. </td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09776296193079829062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-354772885868588260.post-24476494694734464962016-04-08T07:52:00.000-07:002016-04-08T07:52:46.829-07:00Spring ArrivalsAs the weather warms up and the clocks go forwards we're all starting to see and hear the signs of spring around Wicken Fen. The flowering plants are just starting to peak out, braving some of the early morning frosts we've been having recently. Primroses are popping up in Gutter Bridge Wood, while celandines are appearing all over the paths at the Fen. the hedgerows are also coming into blossom as the hawthorn as their little white flowers come into bloom. <br />
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These early flowering plants are an important food source for many of the first pollinators that are also starting to appear. I saw my first butterfly of the year last Saturday, a Peacock out on Burwell Fen, and as I've been writing this blog a male Brimestone has fluttered past our office window. My first Bumblebee sighting beat the butterflies by a matter of days, again on Burwell Fen, but as I was driving a tractor at the time I couldn't watch it for long enough to identify the species. <br />
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The annual Ranger bird spotting competition has started, seeing who can spot the migrating bird species first. Carol already has Chiff Chaffs and Grasshopper Warblers under her belt, while Alan spotted the first Swallows this morning. I don't like this game, mostly because I'm no good at it, but it does get you thinking about looking up and listening out while out doing work around the fen. Sedge and Reed warblers have also been heard but the rules state that you have to see it to claim first spotted so we'll all be watching the ditches carefully over the next week. <br />
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We're also expecting the arrival of some cuckoos imminently. We have started to follow the BTO's tracked cuckoos on their <a href="http://www.bto.org/science/migration/tracking-studies/cuckoo-tracking" target="_blank">website</a>. It an exciting race to see which of the seven will make it to Britain first, two having taken the lead by crossing the Sahara first. I'm rooting for Stanley who appears to be the only one who spent anytime in East Anglia last year. <br />
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Our resident birds are also gearing up for spring. The bitterns can be heard booming from the reedbed, and the males will continue to boom until they find a mate for the summer. Snipe can also be heard drumming at the moment, a very weird wound when you first hear it, but one you'll never forget once you know what it is. <br />
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Not to be out done by the rest of the wildlife the Koniks and Highlands have also been getting in on the spring action. We've had three new foals in the last few weeks, all girls call Bela, Hinny and Merrylegs. Our foal naming theme for the year is horses from books, though some of them are slightly obscure! They have all been born into the same family group to experienced mums, Nanja, Kaluna and Yara. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJv3Ciw9lUicwMbcVaSfUrg0Sw2FyMoEUyWrTG1VIkSQ6-1heo_wVYEv7SttbjmGA9_S0TW7-nnhqkdfmUhOt-rnxdub1bp6Y8FaPj-PbWapIBOzDCUEKS2deXAaGddHEUG-lC-LQBwICD/s1600/Nanja%2526Kaluna.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJv3Ciw9lUicwMbcVaSfUrg0Sw2FyMoEUyWrTG1VIkSQ6-1heo_wVYEv7SttbjmGA9_S0TW7-nnhqkdfmUhOt-rnxdub1bp6Y8FaPj-PbWapIBOzDCUEKS2deXAaGddHEUG-lC-LQBwICD/s400/Nanja%2526Kaluna.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hinny and Bela with mums Kaluna and Nanja</td></tr>
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Gale is the first cow to calf this year, and has had a little boy. He's her first bull calf, though she has had two little girls in the last two years. As cows tend to do, she is keeping him away from the herd until he's a little surer on his legs, but Apple and Raven, Gale's previous calves, have joined her. They make a lovely family picture on the fen looking after little bro while mum has a bite to eat. <br />
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We've called him Winfrid, after Sir Norman Winfrid Moore, who died at the end of last year. He was on the Wicken Fen committee for many years and was an incredibly valuable source of knowledge. He had a huge impact on the ecological science, most notably discovering the impact of DDT pesticides on food chains and top predators.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnN9BAkcYY-uAOnR89J_YnoJiBpBZMRhvyRh3GLBn6x-Qvsac8iwLXkwp5YjSEaROTccsJTLAHgXFwLTadB8GSfBdPWSNFcYDF-F8ODUGi5Ae-N0Lo6ZoE6t0_S3xBIofdWY37GqMFhco1/s1600/1-4-2016gale_calf+%25289%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnN9BAkcYY-uAOnR89J_YnoJiBpBZMRhvyRh3GLBn6x-Qvsac8iwLXkwp5YjSEaROTccsJTLAHgXFwLTadB8GSfBdPWSNFcYDF-F8ODUGi5Ae-N0Lo6ZoE6t0_S3xBIofdWY37GqMFhco1/s400/1-4-2016gale_calf+%25289%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baby Winfrid soon after birth</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyAvICJGEQIpo8w5Ku8AWc6ISh6-vMH_qrIPHdAWkUewMCLnDrFO0ZfNhOg0Yn3dErfbC9A36oiXeueFCWQ9lZi6I049QOvugCnJGuPcPCiLatn4Ox7wwGLT9Awqhiz_v_3lCJfMXEddIc/s1600/WP_20160402_006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyAvICJGEQIpo8w5Ku8AWc6ISh6-vMH_qrIPHdAWkUewMCLnDrFO0ZfNhOg0Yn3dErfbC9A36oiXeueFCWQ9lZi6I049QOvugCnJGuPcPCiLatn4Ox7wwGLT9Awqhiz_v_3lCJfMXEddIc/s400/WP_20160402_006.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">and with mum Gale the next day</td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09776296193079829062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-354772885868588260.post-51852098990965779172016-02-03T04:35:00.001-08:002016-02-03T04:46:21.745-08:00Wicken Winter Highlights<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span 12pt="" inherit="" quot="" serif="" style="font-family: inherit;">Since the start of the year, the Rangers
have been cracking on with lots of odd jobs around the Fen. We've carried
on pollarding in North Field, which we started before Christmas, and we've
started lots of fence repairs that need to happen before the Livestock come
back to Tubney, Hurdle Hall and Oily Hall in the Spring. </span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span><br />
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span 12pt="" inherit="" quot="" serif="" style="font-family: inherit;">While we've been out all over the reserve, we have
been enjoying all the wildlife that can only be seen in the winter. Of
particular note are the Short Eared Owls (<i>Asio flammeus</i>) on Burwell Fen.
The rangers who check the livestock are usually lucky enough to see these
lovely birds every time they go to Burwell at this time of year. These owls can
be found in the UK all year round, but only come to the Fen in the winter.
Though some Short Eared Owls breed in Northern England and Scotland, the birds
in East Anglia have probably migrated here from Scandinavia, Russia and
Iceland. They are most often seen hunting during the day at Burwell Fen,
looking for small mammals to have for supper, most probably field voles. If you
pop over to Burwell for a look, also keep an eye out for Brown Hares <i>(Lepus
europaeus</i>. Hares are on Burwell all year round, it's just slightly
easier to see them at this time of the year when the grass sward is slightly
lower. They don't burrow like rabbits, instead they hunker down in the longer
grass tussocks, relying on their speed to escape from predators if they're
flushed up. Its also coming up to Hare boxing season. It's the time of year
when males get particularly frisky and the females literally have to bat them
away, stand up on their hinds legs batting at their amorous opponent with their
front legs. This behaviour is normally seen around March time, hence the
expression "mad as a march hare". </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span><br />
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span 12pt="" inherit="" quot="" serif="" style="font-family: inherit;">If your headed for a day out from the
Visitor's Centre don't worry, not all the wildlife action is on Burwell
Fen. Field fares (<i>Turdus pilaris)</i> can often be seen in the hedges and
scrub around the boardwalk, and look out for Redwings (<i>Turdus iliacus</i>)
also hiding away in those flocks. If you hang around the Visitor Centre at
sunset you may also see Hen Harriers (<i>Circus cyaneus)</i> coming into
roost for the night. Hen Harriers only spend the winter at Wicken Fen,
preferring to go to the Northern parts of the UK to breed on upland heather
moorland. These harriers are very rare in the UK, and in 2014 there were only 4
breeding pairs. We are very lucky to see at least three at the Fen every
evening. The grey males are a beautiful sight to see soaring over the sedge fen
scoping out a good place to bed down for the night. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">
</span><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span><br />
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span 12pt="" inherit="" quot="" serif="" style="font-family: inherit;">Our two long term Ranger Volunteers have been
taking advantage on their on site accommodation to go out wildlife watching
during the dusky hours. Below is Alex's account of the Burwell Fen Starling
murmuration they witnessed a week or so ago:</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span><br />
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">That season has arrived again. It is time for the
starlings (<i><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: border-box; background-image: none; background-origin: padding-box; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat; background-size: auto;">Sturnus vulgaris)</span></i></span><span style="font-size: 18pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">to start collecting together and roosting on the
fen. Over the past few weeks an estimated 20,000 to 35,000 starlings have been
providing a stunning murmuration spectacle over Burwell fen. A few days ago two
of our long term volunteer rangers headed down to the reed bed by the concrete
bridge in an attempt to experience the fantastic display. Widespread and
resident in the UK throughout the year, starlings are still considered one of
the commonest garden birds feeding on insects and fruit. The reason for the
mass aerial stunt is widely speculated. Many believe starlings group<span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: border-box; background-image: none; background-origin: padding-box; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat; background-size: auto;"> together as it offers safety in numbers against
predators such as peregrine falcons <i>Falco peregrines</i>. </span>Starlings
gather at their roosting site to keep warm at night and to swap knowledge, such
as good feeding sites. </span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span><br />
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span 12pt="" inherit="" quot="" serif=""><span style="font-family: inherit;">Other wildlife sightings that night included Mute
Swan <i><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: border-box; background-image: none; background-origin: padding-box; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat; background-size: auto;">Cygnus olor</span></i>, Marsh harrier <i><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: border-box; background-image: none; background-origin: padding-box; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat; background-size: auto;">Circus aeruginosus</span></i>, Cormorant <i><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: border-box; background-image: none; background-origin: padding-box; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat; background-size: auto;">Phalacrocorax carbo</span></i>, c200 Lapwing <i><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: border-box; background-image: none; background-origin: padding-box; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat; background-size: auto;">Vanellus vanellus</span></i>, Roe Deer <i><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: border-box; background-image: none; background-origin: padding-box; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat; background-size: auto;">Capreolus capreolus</span></i>, c50 Jackdaw <i><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: border-box; background-image: none; background-origin: padding-box; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat; background-size: auto;">Corvus monedula</span></i>, Barn owl <i>Tyto alba</i>,
Short eared Owl <i><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: border-box; background-image: none; background-origin: padding-box; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat; background-size: auto;">Asio flammeus</span></i><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: border-box; background-image: none; background-origin: padding-box; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat; background-size: auto;">.</span></span> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09776296193079829062noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-354772885868588260.post-19729328633208145532015-12-18T07:54:00.002-08:002015-12-18T07:56:36.727-08:00Mostly Pollarding with some added CranesAs the festive season draws nearer and everyone at Wicken is getting into the Christmas spirit, the Fen outside is feeling unseasonably warm.We had to mow the grass around the picnic tables near the cafe last week, a job we're normally finished with at the end of October. The odd queen wasp has been spotted, very sleepy and confused having been woken up by the warm weather. We have even spotted a snowdrop in bloom, which doesn't normally happen until late January to February time.<br />
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The warmer weather does mean that we Rangers have no excuse to not head out to work on the Fen. We have been working at getting a small area of scruby woodland back into a four year pollarding rotation. Pollarding is when you cut the branches off the a tree, normally at around shoulder height, which will stop livestock or deer eating the new shoots as they grow. By cutting one section every year, we are hoping to create structural diversity within the wooded area, the more diversity in the structure, the more habitats we create and the more species that can live there. By implementing this management scheme there should always be a variety of tree ages within the wood, which will be used by different species. When the section has just been pollarded, the canopy will be opened up to let more light in, helping flowering plants to grow in the glades and along the rides. By having plants such ox eye daisies, birds-foot trefoil and white clover there's lots of food plants for insects, bees and butterflies including Common Blues (<i>Polyommatus icarus</i>). There's also plenty of butterflies that will enjoy the long grasses in these areas, such as Gate Keepers (<i>Pyronia tithonus</i>), Small Skippers (<i>Thymelicus sylvestris)</i> and Speckled Woods (<i>Pararge aegeria</i>) whose catterpillars all feed on grasses such as Yorkshire Fog and False Brome. Brimstones ( <i>Gonepteryx rhamni</i>) will then use the Buckthorn trees for their caterpillars. Once the trees have grown again from the stumps they form a canopy again, which provides lots of places for birds to nest. It also makes lots of aerial runways for small mammals to travel along, particularly when bramble has also grown up as this also provides a good food source for the mammals and birds.<br />
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There was great excitement around the fen on Wednesday morning when 16 cranes flew over the visitor's centre. There are estimated to be around 75 cranes (<i>Grus grus)</i> resident in the UK, with 9-14 breeding pairs and then a few more visiting from the continent in the winter. Breeding cranes are thought to have become extinct in this country around 400 years ago, with some still visiting over the winter since. In the 70s some of these visitors decided to stay and breed one summer in the Norfolk Broads. The population has been growing slowly since then, and the cranes have been spreading their territories, including two breeding pairs fledging young at Lakenheath Fen this year. There is also a breeding program in Somerset called the Great Crane Project, that has been very successful at releasing hand reared birds to create a stable population in the South West. All our native cranes are watched and monitored closely, and they can all be individually identified by the colour and size of their bustles (the long feathers that look like a tail, but are actually the tertial feathers on the wings). The Cambridge Bird Group website (<a href="http://www.cambridgebirdclub.org.uk/research.html">http://www.cambridgebirdclub.org.uk/research.html</a>) has lots of interesting info about which birds have been seen where, and where they think they've come from. <br />
John managed to get a quick video of the 16 cranes flying over which can be seen here:<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPKtckaRQ2M">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPKtckaRQ2M</a><br />
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I hope you all have a lovely Christmas and a fabulous New Year! <br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09776296193079829062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-354772885868588260.post-28976439128002633612015-11-27T08:00:00.001-08:002015-11-27T08:00:32.140-08:00Scrub Clearance and Winter's ArrivalAs winter has arrived, the Rangers have been donning their chainsaw kits and heading out onto the fen. We're clearing a section of scrub along Spinney Bank, the path along the west side of the Sedge fen. This section of the Nature Trail has scrub on both sides of the path, leaving it in shadow for most of the day all year round. We've been having some troubles with how wet the nature trail gets and this spot in particular becomes impassable much quicker than the rest of the trail. We have been combating that by putting out movable duck boards. This serves to protect not only our visitors shoes, but the peat they are walking over too. <br />
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By clearing the scrub from one side of the path we're hoping to open it up to the sun a bit more, so that it may stay drier for longer, and we wont have to use duck boards for the whole of the summer again, like we had to this year. The side we're clearing is also the side closest to the ditch, which is also a good thing as we're clearing some of the potential blockages from this ditch.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Luke and Phil after clearing their section in the scrub</td></tr>
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On the first day of work four Rangers qualified to use a chainsaw went down to the site, with a team of volunteers to drag away and pile up the trees we cut down. We couldn't, however, start on the scrub on the ditch side of the path as we had nowhere to put the downed trees. So we set about making some hidden holes in the scrub on the other side of the path. We created narrow entrances of about 2m, to allow members of the team to gain entry to the area and then swept out to create a wide mushroom shaped space to fill with the cut down scrub. We then piled the trees from this space around the edges of the wide areas to make room for the rest.<br />
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Once this was finished the clearing on the ditch side of the path could begin. It has taken the team about 5 days to cut down and drag away all the scrub from this section. It can be a fun job, seeing how much you can plough through in a day and with a few of you on a team there's lots of people to talk to. At other times. though, with rain howling down and having to wear ear defenders while the chainsaws are running, it can be hard work. The volunteers, lead by Luke have done a fantastic job, and there's only some stumps left to be sorted, but the trees are all gone.<br />
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Elsewhere on the fen, we're starting to get ready for Christmas. The cycle path along from the Visitor's Centre to Norman's Bridge has had new drainage installed, so it shouldn't flood as quickly in the rain. Its also had a new surface rolled on top so it's looking ideal for a crisp winter bike ride.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New Drainage being put next to the cycle path</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The lovely looking new cycle path</td></tr>
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The Education team are getting things ready for Father Christmas' arrival at Fen Cottage. The Ranger team help out by bringing back any silver birch trees we've felled during scrub clearance as they make very pretty Christmas trees.<br />
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The winter migrant birds are coming in thick and fast now as well. Short Eared Owls are back on Burwell, Fieldfares and the odd Red Wing can be seen from the back of the Visitor's Centre. Our last WeBS count on Burwell Fen (wetland birds survey) recorded 2468 birds of 17 different species in just over an hour. Over 1000 Lawings, 850 Golden Plovers, around 100 Shovellers and 136 Wigeon. And they're just the big numbers! The Hen Harriers have also made a return to the Fen, with four seen regularly over the Sedge Fen just before sunset.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09776296193079829062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-354772885868588260.post-74846617040949654292015-10-07T03:52:00.000-07:002015-10-07T03:52:41.596-07:00The Cutting Season StartsIf you follow the Wicken Fen Twitter account (@WickenFenNT) you will have noticed a lot of pictures of tractors. We have started the annual cut of the droves over the last couple of weeks. Where the ground is dry enough, this means a team of three tractors heading out onto the droves.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clearing the end of Gardiner's Drove next to the Wind pump</td></tr>
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Firstly a small light tractor heads out with a disk mower, slicing through the vegetation at the bottom of their stems. Unlike a flail mower, or a garden lawn mower, it doesn't mulch the cuttings so we can leave them to dry on ground over night. Then, the next morning the second tractor heads out. this could either be our old Massey Ferguson 35 with an acrobat on the back, or a slightly more modern Kubota tractor with a PTO driven hay-bob on. These do the same job of turning the cuttings. This knocks a lot of the seeds out, creating a good seed bank for next spring, and also pulls the cuttings into rows ready for the next stage of clearing. The final tractor then comes along and pushes all the cuttings into a large pile called a Duffy pile.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The hay-bob</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Hay-bob in action, rowing up the cuttings</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A tractor-eye view</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One cleared drove, with the last pile waiting to be taken away</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The rows get pushed away by the buck rake</td></tr>
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We cut the full width (5-10m) of the droves once a year. This is for two reasons. Firstly to keep access to the fen open, and secondly to maintain the high biodiversity of the drove edges, with some species that only occur in these areas. The orchids that grow around the nature trail most commonly Early Marsh and Common Spotted (and hybrids of these) are mostly found down the droves. There are also a wide range of flowering plants that get out competed in the denser sedge fields. Such plants as Ragged Robin (<i>Lychnis flos-cuculi</i>), Water Mint (<i>Mentha aquatica</i>) and Yellow Rattle (<i>Rhynanthous minor) </i>are a common sight over the spring and summer, which creates and large bank of food plants for a wide variety of insect life.<br />
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This week, however, it has started to rain. This has made things a bit trickier. One of the most important considerations we have while doing the tractor work, is whether we are causing too much ground damage while working. Wet ground conditions caused by the recent weather makes damaging the ground more likely, so we have had to stop taking the tractors out to do the work. This is where some of our hard working volunteers come in. We have been using brush-cutters and a ride-on mower to cut some parts of the drove, then raking the cuttings into piles, which are moved by hand into the scrub boundaries. The team have been great at really motivating themselves to get out onto the fen and get the job done, and it is a good job to really see the progress you've made in a day.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The wettest sections are being cleared by hand. </td></tr>
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All the hard work pays off though. We were reminded how lucky we are to work at such a fabulous site last week when we could pop out if the office to watch a large flock of Bearded Tits feeding in the reeds along the board walk right next to the visitor centre.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE6deaP7tiXG5ZYrsgia9cZhbIukzgLANSrNzHR4Xr4gm0MUgqupBe-MZdDR_T5uYyaiTwQ09bMCdn6ZQ09MzY2nerzXV8yL8AO2CwyN_TKXd-8-jwP9KrCERGfVJhfj74d0J-VMxbEiPf/s1600/11227391_946047988802187_2186402026115717468_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE6deaP7tiXG5ZYrsgia9cZhbIukzgLANSrNzHR4Xr4gm0MUgqupBe-MZdDR_T5uYyaiTwQ09bMCdn6ZQ09MzY2nerzXV8yL8AO2CwyN_TKXd-8-jwP9KrCERGfVJhfj74d0J-VMxbEiPf/s640/11227391_946047988802187_2186402026115717468_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joan Childs managed to snap this lovely photo of them. </td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09776296193079829062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-354772885868588260.post-67107415086988764542015-08-20T07:44:00.000-07:002015-08-20T07:44:04.108-07:00Buzz and Lark go off to ScotlandOne early morning in the middle of August, a team of bleary eyed rangers waved off two of our Konik Ponies as they set off on a journey up to Scotland.<br />
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Buzzard (Buzz for short) and Lark are two yearling, male Koniks that were born at Wicken Fen. They started life out on Baker's Fen, and were part of the herd that were moved over to Burwell Fen last summer. All of the other males in that group were either castrated or vasectomised, to stop any further breeding in that herd. Buzz and Lark were too young to have this done however as their testicles had not yet descended. This meant that this summer they started to show interest in the mares in the herd, which presented the rangers with a situation. We had two choices to keep the herd non-breeding, either castrate these two boys, or move them out of the herd.<br />
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Luckily we had been contacted by the Wardens from the RSPB at the Loch of Strathberg asking whether we could sell them some Konik Ponies to help with their breeding herd of horses. Buzz and Lark were ideal, young enough that them leaving our herd wouldn't affect the hierarchy and social dynamics to much, but old enough to be able to stand their ground and earn a new position in a new herd in Scotland.<br />
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We then had to prepare Buzz and Lark for the journey. Once Stan and his little herd had vacated the hospital paddock near the Visitor's Centre, we moved Buzz and Lark in, about a month before they were due to leave. The vet came in to help with this move, sedating them to keep them clam for the short journey from Burwell Fen. Once they were at the paddock we could spend more time with them, getting them used to people being around more often than they saw on Burwell Fen. We also introduced them to a new food, a minty lick, so we could use it as a tasty treat to tempt them to go where we wanted. Our herds don't recognise many foods that domestic horses go wild for as they have never experience anything but grass so it can take a while for them to work up the courage to try new foods. As young boys though, Buzz and Lark are particularly curious, so soon discovered how yummy the licks were. This meant we could call them over to a corral every morning, getting them used to walking in and out of the structure, where they got a little treat.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdPEumU6z2f-a1RA0P5lmt1jkB5N-6tIzK8QcQCQVeYDv8GN-UzoNRR8-a8qeThG59jgCRNzNRd2VmxGAMUfDVvZkjY_QoJQafAU-tM-5vbKP4aagCvyqC7_8UL1yTI08-rnRgoMoJPKKY/s1600/WP_20150812_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdPEumU6z2f-a1RA0P5lmt1jkB5N-6tIzK8QcQCQVeYDv8GN-UzoNRR8-a8qeThG59jgCRNzNRd2VmxGAMUfDVvZkjY_QoJQafAU-tM-5vbKP4aagCvyqC7_8UL1yTI08-rnRgoMoJPKKY/s400/WP_20150812_001.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Using the minty licks to try and convince the boys trailers aren't all that bad</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHvnZz9Gn4r8nM2uuQrhKQjtzI788FugXdCsDWWEp1duN-OEXihqSBsxsYv0JJoCgVN0fL5FG4AYeerG7Hn7grNeKFa3FrIJOhUM6c_eCY-7rUrLOwQseRrImQqSv24TFAChLHItWT2_Eg/s1600/WP_20150812_002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHvnZz9Gn4r8nM2uuQrhKQjtzI788FugXdCsDWWEp1duN-OEXihqSBsxsYv0JJoCgVN0fL5FG4AYeerG7Hn7grNeKFa3FrIJOhUM6c_eCY-7rUrLOwQseRrImQqSv24TFAChLHItWT2_Eg/s400/WP_20150812_002.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Buzz was convinced, but lark not so much. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5_mHfn6Muot9TcLWSYvd5YlTh0Cnc09ZIPOtfHztHHS7_2h6-EP1Rst3FdFKn2BsFVh_naPz9VFS9wn3v_D_QtyO0RrFn3a5zxVZUNbEEVsb7g2f92T2sL4Tfhe0E-B2QS1weh-xOGy9M/s1600/WP_20150812_003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5_mHfn6Muot9TcLWSYvd5YlTh0Cnc09ZIPOtfHztHHS7_2h6-EP1Rst3FdFKn2BsFVh_naPz9VFS9wn3v_D_QtyO0RrFn3a5zxVZUNbEEVsb7g2f92T2sL4Tfhe0E-B2QS1weh-xOGy9M/s400/WP_20150812_003.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sometimes you can have the head in the trailer, but the back legs are not moving any closer!</td></tr>
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The morning of the big move arrived and as the horses were being picked up at 7am, the rangers had to be at work even earlier to get them ready to go. This meant calling them over to the corral, shutting all the doors behind them before they noticed and then loading them into our trailer ready to be transferred to the larger transport vehicle. The work over the past month must have paid off as we managed to get his all done in about an hour and we pulled up into the car park with the horses, at the same time as the transport guys pulled up. After some fiddly reversing to get our trailers bum to bum, we opened up the doors and pushed Buzz and Lark over into the more comfortable trailer for the long journey.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlPx1cg-CbL4wOwbcmbJ2GvCAerNMg_FwbP-mHIntXYAxgKgpRCO_PTKhi1-wmEMNbT43MuQG4ga-ofxcrlyX60K0DrekT5OW8-SNu7RhV3AnfSrXLVjaMxHMlNZGOBErYlyknULa5nFkA/s1600/WP_20150812_004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlPx1cg-CbL4wOwbcmbJ2GvCAerNMg_FwbP-mHIntXYAxgKgpRCO_PTKhi1-wmEMNbT43MuQG4ga-ofxcrlyX60K0DrekT5OW8-SNu7RhV3AnfSrXLVjaMxHMlNZGOBErYlyknULa5nFkA/s400/WP_20150812_004.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Peering out for his last look at Wicken. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY3E5mnWoJ1KKO9hDXYcuVIU6mCHm5Y7eBn4LT1wUd4cm41vvNxpNV8AkYPlIxLx6p-Ehl08vL7lDtXkfMm0CMAw5KauIW-wSUFj_ZgmZr_Jg2g86jUb1kN3TxjB9WiYFMW58POYl3FeuT/s1600/WP_20150812_005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY3E5mnWoJ1KKO9hDXYcuVIU6mCHm5Y7eBn4LT1wUd4cm41vvNxpNV8AkYPlIxLx6p-Ehl08vL7lDtXkfMm0CMAw5KauIW-wSUFj_ZgmZr_Jg2g86jUb1kN3TxjB9WiYFMW58POYl3FeuT/s400/WP_20150812_005.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sussing out the new trailer</td></tr>
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Buzz and Lark had an over night stop on the way up to Scotland and arrived the next evening at the Loch of Strathberg. They are doing well and are getting used to their new home before being introduced to the mares in a few weeks.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglYZi4pBqI9D0qxje8Wf0-6xw2iREla-EivjpP0YBdkaIE34C8Ukt-wwkCp1LxDmkUIAsgmuapcroqQVyEhanjY85FNpbbffyN9ykDQ1zR5S9WOwWp50pJhrQRZFz0E__fu3W4g4Dxz7mE/s1600/WP_20150812_007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglYZi4pBqI9D0qxje8Wf0-6xw2iREla-EivjpP0YBdkaIE34C8Ukt-wwkCp1LxDmkUIAsgmuapcroqQVyEhanjY85FNpbbffyN9ykDQ1zR5S9WOwWp50pJhrQRZFz0E__fu3W4g4Dxz7mE/s400/WP_20150812_007.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bye bye boys!</td></tr>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09776296193079829062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-354772885868588260.post-12791287316586820612015-07-07T04:39:00.000-07:002015-07-07T04:39:51.886-07:00Stan rejoins the herd.If you’ve visited Wicken Fen in the last six months you
might have stopped to say hello to the three cows in the fields next to the car
park. If you’ve then visited in the last two weeks, you’ll have noticed that
they have gone. All three cows are now back out on Burwell Fen, and have joined
up with the breeding herd of cows out there. <br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
We had them in the paddocks because Stan, the black calf,
was orphaned at Christmas. Before he was born the Grazing Rangers noticed that his
mum, Wendy was looking in poor condition out on Burwell Fen, but was also
looking very pregnant. We decided to moved her up to the paddock so we could
give her some extra feed and mineral licks, knowing the winter would only get
harder for her once she’d had a calf. The hope was that we could fatten her up
a bit ready to go back out to the herd in the spring with her new calf. She
gave birth to Stan, in mid-December and for two weeks they both seemed to be getting
along fine. One morning, however, she was found lying down, unable to stand,
and we had her put down. It was a very sad day as Wendy was one of the original
cows that first came to Wicken from Scotland way back in 2005, and she had a
reputation of being particularly friendly. I remember when I first met her
thinking she was the most dog like cow I had ever met, as she used to wag her
tail while she was getting a good scratch. She reached the grand old age of 13,
which is pretty good for a cow, our oldest is currently 19 and she isn’t
breeding. We couldn’t wallow in our sadness for long though, as we had a two
week old calf relying on us for everything from this moment on. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicKkkyQBJTXNnh6soKGHdSRTOOn8LfwIuoCBXlr-FWFkB1r9b3QykwpFSr8RMq2WdGOWhyphenhyphen0-bu2oILZwqF4rBp9D-9CRP79A_o9TxxBYoEuYfxfntEN7BGJq6Twg6vGmSDJIAnMorE7oFE/s1600/1418836712600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicKkkyQBJTXNnh6soKGHdSRTOOn8LfwIuoCBXlr-FWFkB1r9b3QykwpFSr8RMq2WdGOWhyphenhyphen0-bu2oILZwqF4rBp9D-9CRP79A_o9TxxBYoEuYfxfntEN7BGJq6Twg6vGmSDJIAnMorE7oFE/s400/1418836712600.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wendy and Stan after Stan's Ear Tagging. He wasn't that small for long</td></tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
We built him a small pen with straw and shelter, and set
about trying to convince him that the bottle of milk we were offering was as
good as his mum’s udder. A lot of time was spent sitting with him in his pen,
getting him used to us and eventually he trusted us enough to start sucking on
our fingers. Calves have a strong natural instinct to suckle so once they are
sucking your fingers it’s not too tricky to swap your fingers for the teat of a
bottle. Once he was feeding regularly, with feeds four times a day, he grew,
and grew quickly into a very sturdy little fella. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitTnIuAi-GGWl2zIyBsXtflDUK6aAbWs5HY08BJqzE6v6laXpaJoX8FZct192j7Z_XEy3pIU8FFBqR6PEECrTOFCiZ0WeQ8fgzY8B587BJU28kpahDSLAsnWvAJi-GnjYM0_DwQJfqj0nm/s1600/20150221_160103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitTnIuAi-GGWl2zIyBsXtflDUK6aAbWs5HY08BJqzE6v6laXpaJoX8FZct192j7Z_XEy3pIU8FFBqR6PEECrTOFCiZ0WeQ8fgzY8B587BJU28kpahDSLAsnWvAJi-GnjYM0_DwQJfqj0nm/s400/20150221_160103.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stan enjoying a milk feed</td></tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
While the Rangers could provide him with food, water,
warmth, shelter and company, we couldn’t teach him how to be a cow, he needed
some cow friends. For this reason, we rounded up Bramble and her calf Ennion,
and brought them up to the paddock to help teach Stan what cows do. Ennion was
only 10 days older than Stan, so we were hoping that they would make friends,
giving Stan someone to tag along with when he joined the rest of the herd. It
wasn’t plain sailing. Stan was used to people giving him lots of fuss,
attention and milk and generally being the center of attention. He had a bit of
a shock when he went bumbling up to a fully grown cow who had very little
interest in him, and who quickly became irritated by the little black calf
trying to play games with her. He got a few tellings off, a few taps on the bum
with her horns, but he learnt quickly to stay out of her way. He and Ennion did
make friends though. They were tentative at first, Ennion being quite shy, but
they soon started grazing next to each other, exploring the fields together and
could often be seen sunbathing side by side. Ennion, with the support of his
mum, quickly gained in confidence, and was seen winning a lot of the play fights
he and Stan were having. They were quite the attraction along Lode Lane as the
visitor numbers rose with the good weather. They managed to convince a lot of people
they were looking hungry and the rangers spent some time talking to visitors to
explain that they were well fed, and feeding them grass through the fence would
only encourage them to approach people when they were fully grown bulls. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhClDQo33AsepeL-H2E4ZJSePCq621qgH_8Jl_M0ibw-JeV1W0L4xa0MNpDPbOJbn0f7dZPH4zoqDgPqRqT4VGjXdQV0jJMuKMLashYAZlVnw2tnEv9DaY273KL44G1FcoaEU-ITOZueM9/s1600/WP_20150128_021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhClDQo33AsepeL-H2E4ZJSePCq621qgH_8Jl_M0ibw-JeV1W0L4xa0MNpDPbOJbn0f7dZPH4zoqDgPqRqT4VGjXdQV0jJMuKMLashYAZlVnw2tnEv9DaY273KL44G1FcoaEU-ITOZueM9/s400/WP_20150128_021.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bramble, Ennion and Stan once they had all made friends</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOT2acWjSLH4Y3dJ0BYs_IFPu1Ws4JELAB-Qom-k3tlWguGYbdgbOH2wOSkD1vqg5Lmp8bHvqbX-iHpsY_8qIoVB2Vq-yK0qFi57sHRbnJASklYqQO7TyQ9dVQnrnbpSZuPHMZDTENHjJs/s1600/WP_20150218_016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOT2acWjSLH4Y3dJ0BYs_IFPu1Ws4JELAB-Qom-k3tlWguGYbdgbOH2wOSkD1vqg5Lmp8bHvqbX-iHpsY_8qIoVB2Vq-yK0qFi57sHRbnJASklYqQO7TyQ9dVQnrnbpSZuPHMZDTENHjJs/s400/WP_20150218_016.jpg" width="223" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We gave them a little bit of extra hay when the grazing got very low at the end of winter</td></tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
In June the day came when Stan was weaned off his milk, and
looking strong enough to join the rest of the herd on Burwell Fen. We put him,
Bramble and Ennion in a field where the rest of the herd could peer over the
fence to look at them and smell them. the herd were called over to the field to make sure they got to see each other. This gave all three of them a safer
introduction back into the herd, as having 15 cows all interested in one cow at
the same time can result in a few arguments. After a few days in this field we
let Parsley and Mulda 1 into the field with them and they soon settled down
which was the signal to let them into the main area with the whole herd. Even
with the soft introduction Ennion got himself into quite a few tussles,
possibly because he was used to being boss over Stan and hadn’t realised that
these bigger cows wouldn’t stand for that. He had a sore leg for a few days,
but has now learnt his place and settled down. His mum was no help, as she was
so exciting about seeing bulls again that she was spending all her time
flirting with them. Stan did a fantastic job of staying on the edge of the
herd, not pushing his luck and just saying hello to a few of the younger cows.
He has been learning where he sits on the hierarchy running away from the big
cows, but sparing with the younger ones so he’s not bottom of the pile. All
three of them are doing well, though all the cows have been looking very warm
over the last week, its hot weather at the moment if you’re made with an in
built woolly coat! <o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh60aOTxV4I6wXQTxe5TaQ9SWe5AKQnomzm3wFYoOwsamQSiwqf2qCitjTQpCbT9LnA59CaHyeCuznUR_Sp-lHdczL_POpX5FEw2I-XvfrN29nzXeiVR8pYrB3JlimhVCwVOOEWnFJIG16g/s1600/IMG_0005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh60aOTxV4I6wXQTxe5TaQ9SWe5AKQnomzm3wFYoOwsamQSiwqf2qCitjTQpCbT9LnA59CaHyeCuznUR_Sp-lHdczL_POpX5FEw2I-XvfrN29nzXeiVR8pYrB3JlimhVCwVOOEWnFJIG16g/s400/IMG_0005.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The boys were a bit wary of their new home on Burwell Fen</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgswdE_J2MOmJPnZ28p8ydN1xD6NYjWQRDkWtHH06G5Sp94TEVSHvnNSKKNhBW6gCvsbd8pyR7dsmNdeXw54tVhlM5Ea5ZI0shxhlkqMh8LXHrBhpHQBlEUpRBLqHHfemS2F-QbcLDlDOQL/s1600/IMG_0038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgswdE_J2MOmJPnZ28p8ydN1xD6NYjWQRDkWtHH06G5Sp94TEVSHvnNSKKNhBW6gCvsbd8pyR7dsmNdeXw54tVhlM5Ea5ZI0shxhlkqMh8LXHrBhpHQBlEUpRBLqHHfemS2F-QbcLDlDOQL/s400/IMG_0038.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The rest of the herd having a good look at old and new friends</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg97xXw9tIGsqiy8FfmPnF3Nqz5pDFJj7ADcB90HaPm_w1vv5_tPbn_SMBHgQsmOTdieJGKSqwK6k-bGbfdleldyFvmIZgCzWqvqT4msuCMCrhsgVGf0-KWrbmiBG3prQ9dS-naxI3KXbSd/s1600/WP_20150703_006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg97xXw9tIGsqiy8FfmPnF3Nqz5pDFJj7ADcB90HaPm_w1vv5_tPbn_SMBHgQsmOTdieJGKSqwK6k-bGbfdleldyFvmIZgCzWqvqT4msuCMCrhsgVGf0-KWrbmiBG3prQ9dS-naxI3KXbSd/s400/WP_20150703_006.jpg" width="223" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stan is loving life with his new herd</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgunqyXef6vY-ZMyFoZFHOJ8xREYrzhC4WI-yhBFa7Vv6hyou5xprsnshAHcB6YKc8z6-DUkFA-AlqjA27hGo4v5QsIKmr_KUpTU-StLMPy5eGvdcchLYxORNRDog6K5mI2Bww5iHGC7ldE/s1600/WP_20150703_002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgunqyXef6vY-ZMyFoZFHOJ8xREYrzhC4WI-yhBFa7Vv6hyou5xprsnshAHcB6YKc8z6-DUkFA-AlqjA27hGo4v5QsIKmr_KUpTU-StLMPy5eGvdcchLYxORNRDog6K5mI2Bww5iHGC7ldE/s400/WP_20150703_002.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The whole herd is using the ponds as good ways to cool down in the warm July weather. </td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09776296193079829062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-354772885868588260.post-23511377088640744222015-06-18T08:17:00.000-07:002015-06-18T08:17:01.796-07:00Wicken Fen meets Ennerdale Valley<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Last week, a few members of the Ranger team piled into two
cars and drove a long way north. We were off to visit Wild Ennerdale, a similar
landscape scale project to the Wicken Fen Vision Project, where they are
allowing natural processes to shape the valley. After the initial stunned awe at the fantastic scenery on our arrival, and once we recovered from the shock that we may actually have to walk up a hill, we settled in to the cosy Ennerdale youth hostel ready for a full day of walking, looking and learning the next day. </span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb7ocZL1LwpxwiDrnAMJiZNvJhgDWOFb8krWWzkGhbhP9SmHA_cOf0rWKNRO8qC-uww8muouAA_EMAAJrnvPIrLZaZLJkgjIy7ig72JmkapTcXRK-omoF5yw6K02DV0Z7tFHLxQJR2zK5v/s1600/WP_20150609_004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb7ocZL1LwpxwiDrnAMJiZNvJhgDWOFb8krWWzkGhbhP9SmHA_cOf0rWKNRO8qC-uww8muouAA_EMAAJrnvPIrLZaZLJkgjIy7ig72JmkapTcXRK-omoF5yw6K02DV0Z7tFHLxQJR2zK5v/s400/WP_20150609_004.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Howard was excited to arrive at Ennerdale</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis8NHlvLvaaXpbJv5dpXlFFOc9F66XrYjJW__z9ZvwcuB_9fII_ctcmzHac2wHg5NXy_SazH_F_kdcfsZqTgqOu7YJ5yRrSa1dfgklry-YgcONeNqsCiHDBmzo_OANGvaeWrBICpabPhC0/s1600/DSC_0042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis8NHlvLvaaXpbJv5dpXlFFOc9F66XrYjJW__z9ZvwcuB_9fII_ctcmzHac2wHg5NXy_SazH_F_kdcfsZqTgqOu7YJ5yRrSa1dfgklry-YgcONeNqsCiHDBmzo_OANGvaeWrBICpabPhC0/s400/DSC_0042.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We were very pleased with our home for the two nights</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Ennerdale Valley is located in the north west of the Lake
District National Park. Wild Ennerdale is a project run in partnership with
National Trust, Forestry Commission, and United Utilities, aiming to let the
4000ha valley evolve<span style="color: #212021;"> <span lang="EN-US">as a wild space for the benefit of
people, relying more on natural processes to shape its landscape and ecology</span></span>.
The Wicken Fen Rangers and the Wild Ennerdale team met up to see the valley and
discuss our project’s similarities, differences and share ideas on how to take
both projects forward in the future. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic_labe2YyFhnCcXck2iwv6zy2qd7oTMURwGnYH_hpmaj7BP2QlEL99ahFu0aDJHb0cWj8srp8jTx4NQ7ePPY1e9hk0Cby2ny5qEQ6uHdzMW3hVhQSR8Ar6WTibu8hGr-_DWfPUGwnKP-x/s1600/WP_20150610_008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic_labe2YyFhnCcXck2iwv6zy2qd7oTMURwGnYH_hpmaj7BP2QlEL99ahFu0aDJHb0cWj8srp8jTx4NQ7ePPY1e9hk0Cby2ny5qEQ6uHdzMW3hVhQSR8Ar6WTibu8hGr-_DWfPUGwnKP-x/s400/WP_20150610_008.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Views up the River Liza</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhfyOaZd-VEoE5Bg4HZW6553b4HvH5f6LFQWpy-cnI8oMkrggB7PQ0m-EJzd48ruIRJFfogLuBQbnMAq9xx7Y7jLH8kPSQo3sqxmJ-FqTEl-c8VPq3T2HxTy9Q15v-bmJFWJ8wMaaobh23/s1600/DSC_0022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhfyOaZd-VEoE5Bg4HZW6553b4HvH5f6LFQWpy-cnI8oMkrggB7PQ0m-EJzd48ruIRJFfogLuBQbnMAq9xx7Y7jLH8kPSQo3sqxmJ-FqTEl-c8VPq3T2HxTy9Q15v-bmJFWJ8wMaaobh23/s400/DSC_0022.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our lunchtime views!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Even though Ennerdale has very different habitats, being a
mixture of forest, river, mountain and lake, it is remarkable the similarities
the project has with the Vision Project. The most notable is the use of large
grazing animals to create an ever changing landscape. In the Valley they are
limiting the number of sheep on the fells and have introduced a herd of
Galloway cattle, owned and managed by one of their tenant farmers and, like our
Highlands cattle, they are left to grazing all year round with no routine vet
treatments such as worming or hoof trimming. They do, however, have more
control over when the cows calve as they don’t have a bull with them the whole
year around, ensuring that they calve in the early summer when the grazing is
richer. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH-eyAMETrStXbls1QSLOZPrrSCDLXPnKI_fmtyLXTxLUR4kaLxFunRXKIFNmuNrVMf2Li72pTByKRwh_SjuFnAZ2Ne36DIExSpDPpLK9OSNIGoSxHfKB9_QDlb1XUcKMViZ-EUgeiMTnR/s1600/WP_20150610_022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH-eyAMETrStXbls1QSLOZPrrSCDLXPnKI_fmtyLXTxLUR4kaLxFunRXKIFNmuNrVMf2Li72pTByKRwh_SjuFnAZ2Ne36DIExSpDPpLK9OSNIGoSxHfKB9_QDlb1XUcKMViZ-EUgeiMTnR/s400/WP_20150610_022.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Galloways heard the food call!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIPB8ODL-OA78-_XmoX5-L4rYBFf1n811JNtD7R0ZhbmW0uwOq1fonra-h2_G9vDXBp95dph54o5XFjp4gJDerxCNDn3BJQcXCJxvpwLZooJkSbLAE_U9QpunUGD5vy2uZLiMuhVyHDt1X/s1600/WP_20150609_017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIPB8ODL-OA78-_XmoX5-L4rYBFf1n811JNtD7R0ZhbmW0uwOq1fonra-h2_G9vDXBp95dph54o5XFjp4gJDerxCNDn3BJQcXCJxvpwLZooJkSbLAE_U9QpunUGD5vy2uZLiMuhVyHDt1X/s400/WP_20150609_017.jpg" width="222" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of their lovely Galloway ladies</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Both projects have a big focus on engaging with the community. Community
surveys and liaison groups are used on both sites to help people enjoy the
countryside, while limiting the impact they have on the wildlife in these
areas. Both projects also have the support of dedicated volunteers that do
essential work to manage the sites. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7fpuRsBtcPgSQJI6ua5SZQyYaT8mAJ3sNIhbHsBi1OczDHLrS33pqHB1SDaG7OOMNlT1RRyWmorEECazJwggmON6otS83KFTfryF0d71E7khX_38r7iXhpo78XFlllm1jHSz3_nLiXmrP/s1600/DSC_0030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7fpuRsBtcPgSQJI6ua5SZQyYaT8mAJ3sNIhbHsBi1OczDHLrS33pqHB1SDaG7OOMNlT1RRyWmorEECazJwggmON6otS83KFTfryF0d71E7khX_38r7iXhpo78XFlllm1jHSz3_nLiXmrP/s400/DSC_0030.JPG" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Both teams enjoying the sunshine</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijPkHP7inI7whzGXHdhLHaLnOZIhsxsAsFG1BpvrHEXRnvbyp7OZ35kK_mb4scSLHjL8gbM2qqRuJEiYBoLaUlBvaGjB8Mdu9JHMfzeI7jdpwYN4qwk1TYFfOxJ8aTxRvMB08DW_71hxJw/s1600/WP_20150610_036.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijPkHP7inI7whzGXHdhLHaLnOZIhsxsAsFG1BpvrHEXRnvbyp7OZ35kK_mb4scSLHjL8gbM2qqRuJEiYBoLaUlBvaGjB8Mdu9JHMfzeI7jdpwYN4qwk1TYFfOxJ8aTxRvMB08DW_71hxJw/s400/WP_20150610_036.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">John getting to know one of the locals!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Wild Ennerdale was set up around the Millennium and has
already shown great progress and has some success stories. By replacing parts of the
conifer woodland with native broad leaved trees they are securing habitat for a
variety of birds including spotted fly catcher, tree pipits and greater spotted
woodpeckers. Some of the larch reduction has been forced by the appearance of a
damaging pathogen called <i>Phytophtora
ramorum. </i>It is a fungus, whose spores can spread through the air and on the surface
of tools, footwear and animals. It creates large lesions down the trunk,
killing the inner bark and eventually killing the entire tree. When a tree is
diagnosed with being infected with <i>P.
ramorum</i>, it has to be felled or killed immediately, to help stop the spread
of the disease. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSc2zU3K_Q10KZn3L1NChWYjEYaYn5R5X9LLNIrtEimzZ39qzTRCO8-fl_OvpOpqn-nZurAQjnsiNlYcLPi-kK3IgEGeocPjKBi_9cqjjlJEFXUafX-RjUpUZQjzWLp__I1N2bYPCucSJf/s1600/WP_20150610_021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSc2zU3K_Q10KZn3L1NChWYjEYaYn5R5X9LLNIrtEimzZ39qzTRCO8-fl_OvpOpqn-nZurAQjnsiNlYcLPi-kK3IgEGeocPjKBi_9cqjjlJEFXUafX-RjUpUZQjzWLp__I1N2bYPCucSJf/s400/WP_20150610_021.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here it could be seen where the broad leaf trees were starting to make head way into the conifer woodland</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">On a more positive note Marsh Fritillary butterflies, <i>Euphydryas aurina,</i> have been
successfully reintroduced in to the valley over the past two years. They were
originally introduced into a small nature reserve nearby, where they
flourished. After it was established that the conditions were correct for the butterflies
to be introduced into Ennerdale, and that there was plenty of their larval food
plant, Devil’s-Bit Scabious, <i>Succisa
pratensis, </i>they were released into the western end of the valley. They have
been making their way slowly up the valley ever since. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1_91LRKN2k3KSa0z4es-CQLrsf3iosL0d_yEgRL49dIw_xTwSjI1lWqaQ_3zpenYkkkz4NZ3ZoHxNqAb3oJT1jgKsriCSuTLD14IEn73ROwPh5liP4NKG6R0XTxdM4oWacGt4vonCjwQG/s1600/WP_20150610_009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1_91LRKN2k3KSa0z4es-CQLrsf3iosL0d_yEgRL49dIw_xTwSjI1lWqaQ_3zpenYkkkz4NZ3ZoHxNqAb3oJT1jgKsriCSuTLD14IEn73ROwPh5liP4NKG6R0XTxdM4oWacGt4vonCjwQG/s400/WP_20150610_009.jpg" width="223" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We had a little time to explore all the nooks and crannies</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Gng_3_FB8lcGvSLHjlK-uO6I1SeAdaVAeo9IovnfvCpzOOHbd_b4_acKFG3WgtcpufSndnF9j1uAifGLvJ35zht1Cj5WD5mif8B5J-NYYkh6BMscVqbq2dqYTBdozVs3KGHzqXom43AU/s1600/WP_20150609_026.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Gng_3_FB8lcGvSLHjlK-uO6I1SeAdaVAeo9IovnfvCpzOOHbd_b4_acKFG3WgtcpufSndnF9j1uAifGLvJ35zht1Cj5WD5mif8B5J-NYYkh6BMscVqbq2dqYTBdozVs3KGHzqXom43AU/s400/WP_20150609_026.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And staying in the valley meant we got to see at all times of the day</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The Wicken Fen team came back from this trip truly inspired
and energised. To see the results and successes of Wild Ennerdale has reminded
us of our own successes and encouraged us to push on with the Vision Project,
as there are many more success stories to come. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWspeH5WSW9KfMjZeY-De5BB-_cuusl_tcDZv59Ed1i5Jnb3piH0U08wBbzkpdcED3AQV1BbSkfLWwydShTlQu642cMxYaBLjobs0wVzJfyCyb9213gnGI8vxLCD-_LSt7sNVVmlUMbFxP/s1600/Ennerdale2+10.6.15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWspeH5WSW9KfMjZeY-De5BB-_cuusl_tcDZv59Ed1i5Jnb3piH0U08wBbzkpdcED3AQV1BbSkfLWwydShTlQu642cMxYaBLjobs0wVzJfyCyb9213gnGI8vxLCD-_LSt7sNVVmlUMbFxP/s400/Ennerdale2+10.6.15.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Wicken Team had a fab time, thank you to everyone at Ennerdale!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We had such a good time we didn't really want to go home. </td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09776296193079829062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-354772885868588260.post-76180184767406266482015-05-16T08:11:00.002-07:002015-05-16T08:11:32.632-07:00Konik Sponsorship <span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Last weekend saw the launch of Wicken Fen's new Konik Pony Sponsorship scheme. Organised by one of our dedicated volunteers, the scheme aims to generate extra funding to support the Konik herds that live here at Wicken.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfrwXAfX7i7MvI0eVRCaegKgqX_df4Gaxjbwdr2H6ogOpIlVizE1VfcrdeBjEljswVgfhlOh7oPeuHB3UpMrZKVpf6Yn1cADEA-3eiMtmrCR01RdjWxhSymgoOPqGbgJoJkXEk72kCxCv3/s1600/20150221_094904.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfrwXAfX7i7MvI0eVRCaegKgqX_df4Gaxjbwdr2H6ogOpIlVizE1VfcrdeBjEljswVgfhlOh7oPeuHB3UpMrZKVpf6Yn1cADEA-3eiMtmrCR01RdjWxhSymgoOPqGbgJoJkXEk72kCxCv3/s640/20150221_094904.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">One of last years foals enjoying some winter sun back in February</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The Konik Ponies, along with the Highland Cattle, are an essential part of the management of the wider nature reserve. The Wicken Fen Vision Projects aims to create a 53km<sup>2</sup> nature reserve. This large an area would be impossible to manage using only manpower and machinery so the livestock do the work for us. Their grazing creates a mosaic of habitats, stopping any one plant out competing the others. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Cheeky Chelsea investigating the ruins on Guinea Hall</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The herds are managed in a very hands off way, we leave them to express as many natural behaviours as possible. This means we don't castrate the stallions or bulls, we don't worm them and we don't supplementary feed them. By allowing them to behave naturally, they shape the landscape by more than just grazing it. The stallions will display to each other to win their right to breed with the mares, and part of this displaying involves creating very large piles of dung. Each of the stallions will contribute to this pile, using it as a sort of notice board to let other stallions know who they are and how recently they've been there. These dung piles have been surveyed for beetles (Coleoptera) and 120 species were identified to be associated with them. In 2013 15 species of beetle new to the fen were found on these dung piles, one of them being incredibly rare, and classified as endangered in the International Union for Conservation of Nature's (IUCN) Red Data Book. <i style="line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">Margarinotus obscurus </i><span style="line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">is</span><span style="line-height: 18.2000007629395px;"> a carnivorous species that predates on dung beetles that congregate on the stallions dung piles. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY2PeQNmR0oWrIYQZNCk3lyD4egCUjQUsHj7K2XvY0kVE5JmoPEoVH-rlsUgY05e3rj4VpFwd12TqJYwHIMu6PmVplC7u5C_4qzZbEdUQufWDHEUpGOEHY7ZPhKV1_HuR4_iWvr-7xaqBb/s1600/20150425_114158.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY2PeQNmR0oWrIYQZNCk3lyD4egCUjQUsHj7K2XvY0kVE5JmoPEoVH-rlsUgY05e3rj4VpFwd12TqJYwHIMu6PmVplC7u5C_4qzZbEdUQufWDHEUpGOEHY7ZPhKV1_HuR4_iWvr-7xaqBb/s640/20150425_114158.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Peanut, one of this year's foals</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The Koniks were chosen as the best breed to graze this area for several reasons. They are a hardy primitive breed, closely related to the now extinct Tarpan horse, the native wild European horse. This means they can cope in the extremes of weather, and don't need routine medical treatment such as worming. This hardiness also gives them an incredible ability to recover from injuries without veterinary treatment. They also have a proven ability to cope in wetlands without getting any hoof problems. Importantly they have a friendly temperament which means they will tolerate people near them even with minimal interference. This is important for the way we manage them as it means we can get close enough to get a good look at any injuries and makes any treatments necessary less stressful for both them and us.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaEgCO1M2DIwVBKAmsA7bFLNiNOYwzvFhME7Xxg95sQ3l2Luhp1VT43-Xdjhfqup15OwiDeO2I1MMWLl7nxDrKXM-SlWgkaDAcRa2_3j7O-ygGJwJggPDmLTv23ipqTHIirzWb3An5qEv2/s1600/20150425_113255.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaEgCO1M2DIwVBKAmsA7bFLNiNOYwzvFhME7Xxg95sQ3l2Luhp1VT43-Xdjhfqup15OwiDeO2I1MMWLl7nxDrKXM-SlWgkaDAcRa2_3j7O-ygGJwJggPDmLTv23ipqTHIirzWb3An5qEv2/s640/20150425_113255.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Egg, currently the only colt born this year on Adventurer's Fen</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7KaVvkNFd3Pqb6Nn0tpD00uF58bz2I1Dh_9mn8nupnE_bWir3y3Yzr0sgtQyf2Bq4ANJTLQh_AMisIPB4e4Nea1JbRdScY__-9z8oz7zilx7IT93mpSZPnV-IClKP3IP-Xx4AXHIczX0g/s1600/1429955443902.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7KaVvkNFd3Pqb6Nn0tpD00uF58bz2I1Dh_9mn8nupnE_bWir3y3Yzr0sgtQyf2Bq4ANJTLQh_AMisIPB4e4Nea1JbRdScY__-9z8oz7zilx7IT93mpSZPnV-IClKP3IP-Xx4AXHIczX0g/s640/1429955443902.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The ponies can play tricks on you while you're checking them. It took me a minute to figure out where one pony started and the other ended with these two sisters!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">While the ponies are left to their own devices as much as possible, there is work involved in managing them. They are checked on every single day of the year to identify and monitor any injuries or illnesses. The vet will be called out in cases when the animal's welfare is in jeopardy. There are miles of fences to be checked, built and maintained every year. We are researching their DNA profiles to get a better idea of the way their social and family structures work. We test their poo 4 times a year so we have a clear idea of their worm burden and when we need to step in. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0XHcpabomEKq7esdf3MfJC_zFa01Im6GTv31X1sKvpK6MjFAGkE1PlkzlezwcsDPwBZ64H-II7y9oXVu_wMoq1v_Td0qsnRczBMablIF-XaGIXsqY0t6FzvdtR8-snnMEvIxrfHG5QtPM/s1600/WP_20150509_011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0XHcpabomEKq7esdf3MfJC_zFa01Im6GTv31X1sKvpK6MjFAGkE1PlkzlezwcsDPwBZ64H-II7y9oXVu_wMoq1v_Td0qsnRczBMablIF-XaGIXsqY0t6FzvdtR8-snnMEvIxrfHG5QtPM/s640/WP_20150509_011.jpg" width="358" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Galaxy is doing well with first time mum Lottie</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This is where the sponsorship scheme comes in. To support the Koniks and the vital work they are doing, we are asking for a £25 donation to sponsor the herd for a year. To see thank you, the sponsors will receive a welcome pack (containing a photo of the Koniks, a certificate of sponsorship and a fact sheet about the ponies), three newsletters through the year to keep them updated with the herds' goings on, an invite to an exclusive guided walk and the chance to enter a name the foal competition. For more information and to download an sponsorship form, please visit </span><a href="http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/wicken-fen/our-work/article-1355895871014/" style="line-height: 18.2000007629395px;" target="_blank">http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/wicken-fen/our-work/article-1355895871014/</a><span style="line-height: 18.2000007629395px;"> or by emailing </span><a href="mailto:wicken.konik@nationaltrust.org.uk" style="line-height: 18.2000007629395px;" target="_blank">wicken.konik@nationaltrust.org.uk</a><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Out newest addition. A little boy on Burwell Fen. </span></td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09776296193079829062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-354772885868588260.post-29534384528880859712015-04-25T07:36:00.001-07:002015-04-25T07:36:33.584-07:00Calf ear taggingOn Wednesday morning there was a call to the office to say that the first calf of the year had been born to Mulda 2. Then it was to battle stations. When we find a new calf, by law we have to have it ear tagged within 20 days. Plenty of time you may think! Not within an extensive grazing program. So Carol and I piled into a truck and headed out to Burwell Fen to meet Hannah and Julie who had spotted the calf.<br />
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Within the first 24 hours of giving birth a mother cow will stash her calf. This is an evolutionary adaptation to keep the calf safe from predators. After cleaning them up and giving them their first good drink of milk, the calf will hide away, while the mother goes and grazes far enough away not to give away the calf's location, but close enough to hear it if it gets into trouble. The mother will regularly go back to feed the calf, but more often than not when we're doing the checks the calf is hidden away. They generally stash the calve for about a week, but it can be 2 by which time they have a good set of legs under them! So we need to ear tag as soon as possible to stand a good chance of finding and catching it. If we can do it quickly after its been born, it is also less suspicious of people making it easier to catch and the whole thing a lot less stressful.<br />
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The general procedure for us is to distract mum with a bucket of food while we lift the calf into the back of a vehicle. This give us a bit of protection from mum while we're doing the tagging. Then we have to straddle the calf to restrain them, and quickly get the first tag in. Up until this point the calves are normally quite obliging, but it's almost guaranteed they will moo as the first ear tag goes in, attracting mums attention if they didn't already have it. So we then have to quickly get the second ear tag in the other ear, take a hair sample for our DNA data, and get little one out of the truck and back to mum. Some mums will then be content to finish the bucket of food, this also gives her a bit of a boost after pushing a calf out, but Mulda 2 only had a couple more mouthfuls before deciding she wanted to take her son far away from us.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The young man with his first ear tag</td></tr>
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Calf and mum have been seen together since, and both seem to be doing OK, though she still likes us to keep a healthy distance at the moment!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And him about to be returned to mum. </td></tr>
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We have also got 6 new foals so far on the fen, and this week I've seen Greylag goslings, baby coots and herons feeding their young in the nest, so spring is well under way at Wicken Fen.<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09776296193079829062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-354772885868588260.post-59312230800755314632015-03-26T08:50:00.000-07:002015-03-26T08:50:20.782-07:00Bits and Bobs in the run up to Easter. We've been busy doing lots of things to get the Fen looking tip top ready for the Easter Holidays.<br />
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John and Luke have been watching the Nature Trail carefully while the weather can't decide what it wants to do. When it's wet the compaction cause by people walking over the path can damage the peat along these areas. There is also damaged caused to the delicate plant communities along the edges of the paths when people skirt around the edge of the puddles, making the track wider and wider. These areas are where we get many of our spectacular flowers in the spring and summer, including early marsh and spotted orchids, marsh pea, devil's bit scabious, purple and yellow loosestrife as well as a variety of sedges. Luke and John, therefore, are watching to see if how much the paths are drying during the warm sunny periods we're getting. Hopefully, weather permitting, we'll be able to open the trail for the start of the Easter holidays, and we'll have to monitor it closely if we get any wet weather.<br />
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Lois had the help of a couple of our Wicken Fen Ambassadors on Monday when they came in to paint the new sign boards that a couple of other volunteers have made. These are our temporary, portable sign boards that go up all over the sedge fen during the spring, summer and autumn, with lots of information about butterflies, plants, dragonflies and berries. <br />
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The grazing team are waiting with baited breath for the first babies of the year. We've normally had a couple of foals by now and the mares tend to run on a yearly cycle, with an 11 month gestation meaning they tend to conceive about a month after after they have given birth. Yara had Swift in February last year and then Nanja and Kaluna had Merlin and Monty in April. There's also a handful of young mares, like Chelsea and Lottie who could foal at any time. We're also keeping a close eye on the cattle, particularly Mulda 2, Morag, Isle and Hedwig, but none of them are showing any signs yet. The cattle are slightly easier to predict when they are close to calving as they sometimes show a series of signs; looking low and heavy in the belly, their udders swelling and their behinds looking swollen and red.<br />
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The whole team at Wicken got very excited about the eclipse last Friday. We had pinhole cameras, glass lenses and binoculars ready to project the image of the moon moving across the Sunday, and then the clouds came! It did get darker and colder which was slightly spooky, but unfortunately that's all we got to experience. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09776296193079829062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-354772885868588260.post-33182379772910989682015-02-25T05:21:00.000-08:002015-02-25T05:21:07.676-08:00The Ambassadors are back. The Wicken Fen Ambassadors were on top form last Thursday when they came to Wicken to thin out some scrub in the Bog Oak field. They did a fantastic job and even kept smiling during the rain. The Bog Oak field is grazed for a short time in early summer so we were making the patch of trees more accessible to the cows. This will give the girls a bit more space to find some shade and to find some good scratching points. It also has the added bonus of opening the canopy up and letting more light in to the lower levels. We're hoping this will encourage more flora growth around the base of the trees, increasing the diversity in the field. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCr_8Fg4l7r4XICM9vFMdYQjovVkI3X6n0r0ZGhQEwNOwR1doIP6lSs8n42FlUeUJFvxyJcEgwnYaiIfkMxQl5OSTbfD4nB9o8iRMTK6zSA221WLV5DaGCUeMsOuHE0a2Q-eVCpAhwNwsN/s1600/2015-02-19+10.31.23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCr_8Fg4l7r4XICM9vFMdYQjovVkI3X6n0r0ZGhQEwNOwR1doIP6lSs8n42FlUeUJFvxyJcEgwnYaiIfkMxQl5OSTbfD4nB9o8iRMTK6zSA221WLV5DaGCUeMsOuHE0a2Q-eVCpAhwNwsN/s1600/2015-02-19+10.31.23.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ambassadors hard at work</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBO0encYf9HYKxvOrLvMANn_JmZNo26m-H3X1wFoAIsZYwnrN8u8V5SvmqeDmuuOKENjQGg-2gLvhKD2Yj00JTZFALJEZySYSQBS3EKLGvuEUKKmFjg9ZvedAcp_0nw44XqRyvH1Aix3TL/s1600/2015-02-19+10.31.57.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBO0encYf9HYKxvOrLvMANn_JmZNo26m-H3X1wFoAIsZYwnrN8u8V5SvmqeDmuuOKENjQGg-2gLvhKD2Yj00JTZFALJEZySYSQBS3EKLGvuEUKKmFjg9ZvedAcp_0nw44XqRyvH1Aix3TL/s1600/2015-02-19+10.31.57.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An action shot of one of the trees putting up a fight</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-MHXeKJTh-MuMvEBilbjBFGgkhzVCFgGOHrqpC33XcNliuU0EilofP8t6jdNkXT9BixYT0iZLVqOHa_YpmdB3j1eEmjf-MyAhfDPtzZ4R4C_8IOvk8HysOSLp3GFTITqqVMqied3R2Nc-/s1600/2015-02-19+12.50.38.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-MHXeKJTh-MuMvEBilbjBFGgkhzVCFgGOHrqpC33XcNliuU0EilofP8t6jdNkXT9BixYT0iZLVqOHa_YpmdB3j1eEmjf-MyAhfDPtzZ4R4C_8IOvk8HysOSLp3GFTITqqVMqied3R2Nc-/s1600/2015-02-19+12.50.38.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All still smiling at the end of the day, always a good result</td></tr>
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In other news, Lois and I finished the livestock corral on Tubney Fen. We added rails to the culvert at the entrance, to make it more secure when pushing cows through. The Project has been a real group effort with UK Power Networks starting the whole thing off, Jason and John getting some of the poles installed over the new year, the Ambassadors helping us get the last rails on and then Lois and I adding all the finishing touches! Thank you to all involved and here's hoping the cows enjoy it. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijlzjVDDNQCUnCsa5A0FyWocRpI8HVuq-UeueeFmu0B4dvOhS4T-BV850EgzjYmxPBm4m_TvpgX-rk0KUNb7Jpj9aZCiTRaK_4wXxj26iUB9PjtEdSYpKBmUSbZAmoL2HChKODsxXqjkrv/s1600/2015-02-10+14.19.50.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijlzjVDDNQCUnCsa5A0FyWocRpI8HVuq-UeueeFmu0B4dvOhS4T-BV850EgzjYmxPBm4m_TvpgX-rk0KUNb7Jpj9aZCiTRaK_4wXxj26iUB9PjtEdSYpKBmUSbZAmoL2HChKODsxXqjkrv/s1600/2015-02-10+14.19.50.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Competed Corral</td></tr>
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Stu and I have been trying our hand at some chainsaw crafting! We bought some large oak logs to turn into new benches to replace the picnic benches next to the bridge. We borrowed Anglessey Abbey's large chainsaw, which has a 24" bar which Stu used to carve out a surprisingly comfortable sofa style bench. I had our smallest saw, with a modest 13" bar and started work on the second bench. Stu made a fine job of his sofa, which now just needs rearranging so people can relax and take in some lovely fen views. My bench needs a little more work, so I'll be heading back out there soon. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXSYSaDLxjy03AeUnHDKzCFWLzOm-VN5WfC2Whhwr4IbYhYAGfb1Qz5UMdS18Nye4ywcG7LB3LvB2W42mNsukj6cDfD5bubc8bQ0VCozkptY2Sm4VzPRcDd8OF1WV7hvpxsWs8vhKQlDWA/s1600/1423824807775.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXSYSaDLxjy03AeUnHDKzCFWLzOm-VN5WfC2Whhwr4IbYhYAGfb1Qz5UMdS18Nye4ywcG7LB3LvB2W42mNsukj6cDfD5bubc8bQ0VCozkptY2Sm4VzPRcDd8OF1WV7hvpxsWs8vhKQlDWA/s1600/1423824807775.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The large logs ready and waiting to be transformed</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT_zoYFKYXh_kbbFf60qqPwVH0KAmh_GcD9Q8ooRZfPCKzSSOwLmSLJ0v4Rs3oLjBeA9cyk5zc9WMBm88R_E1nz32qpjbTGTZimRe0hvOw09o1Hn-L_lEfTsMo8xy1UIJY0bf6T78qqol7/s1600/20150213_112642.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT_zoYFKYXh_kbbFf60qqPwVH0KAmh_GcD9Q8ooRZfPCKzSSOwLmSLJ0v4Rs3oLjBeA9cyk5zc9WMBm88R_E1nz32qpjbTGTZimRe0hvOw09o1Hn-L_lEfTsMo8xy1UIJY0bf6T78qqol7/s1600/20150213_112642.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The first chunk out</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUUXxdf79V_zTGXhkeFgs-A4sEB5qSC8vfuQYxAOGwRl2pydlSewxToZSyYIBqGHZ4fV1-sCekOuWeI7wPhSA1WEv0lXe8wmem9C2-GJHJ7XpWRQBLLtEkF44ccm-OlYTwzDO82r_Dzfz4/s1600/1423829836386.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUUXxdf79V_zTGXhkeFgs-A4sEB5qSC8vfuQYxAOGwRl2pydlSewxToZSyYIBqGHZ4fV1-sCekOuWeI7wPhSA1WEv0lXe8wmem9C2-GJHJ7XpWRQBLLtEkF44ccm-OlYTwzDO82r_Dzfz4/s1600/1423829836386.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stu racing through his bench</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhufpZNf2dzD-eI1nKXFonfipIPFD8-p5H-PM6ev-ECI_t7Rjk3gaxRI7stcH6lwkrAMcOkHP7Y9cSX9lOnZvxs4Mei_DaSS9WyEJPENpIVitneQP8zFMVXt9ojbygGz4AZ-T9vTsBmFdhh/s1600/20150213_150634.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhufpZNf2dzD-eI1nKXFonfipIPFD8-p5H-PM6ev-ECI_t7Rjk3gaxRI7stcH6lwkrAMcOkHP7Y9cSX9lOnZvxs4Mei_DaSS9WyEJPENpIVitneQP8zFMVXt9ojbygGz4AZ-T9vTsBmFdhh/s1600/20150213_150634.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The final result</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFMv3S9OJ7VSGGN6FPpulaHoN0rAMydvutFGC_kPJtCVfT0tYy6R2NmbC0I2C9z6jB8ljCTTCA0RRIUQUvuq45tOfdeidn9N8_FvIp5XkS08zv5cErwwRR8dJxMqSyVIfKFgqrHvPJehBt/s1600/20150213_150647.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFMv3S9OJ7VSGGN6FPpulaHoN0rAMydvutFGC_kPJtCVfT0tYy6R2NmbC0I2C9z6jB8ljCTTCA0RRIUQUvuq45tOfdeidn9N8_FvIp5XkS08zv5cErwwRR8dJxMqSyVIfKFgqrHvPJehBt/s1600/20150213_150647.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My bench is getting there!</td></tr>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09776296193079829062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-354772885868588260.post-11585737492732501102015-02-11T06:20:00.000-08:002015-02-11T06:20:07.095-08:00Introducing the Livestock to the Whole of Burwell FenThe end of January saw a new start for the livestock on Burwell Fen. On a blowy Friday lunch time the Ranger team opened the gates to the south side of Burwell Fen to allow the ponies and cattle full access. We have been building to this for a few years, building handling units, constructing fencing and moving the herds over from Adventurer's Fen, so it was very rewarding for us to finally see the animals being able to roam over the entire of Burwell Fen. We called the cattle over to the gate to show them where the new paths through were and to encourage them to explore the new area. They are all keen for a bucket of food so we managed to get most of the herd interested enough to come through the new gateway. We were particularly pleased with Apple, one of the youngest cows, who was very excited to see the new grazing, and completely ignored the food piles in favour of a big juicy patch of rush that she went head first into! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjscSE-mO5m1YXCJOPoVlkebU5YnIIPyau0F1QmxAmU7r74DkvTq3rQuPdUmfl7Hb-SDPWq9dPc4RuUI_ml63LCzEDM7j90TOK3N3WBRPZykFAms-gM4hvyZ4hBZIkvWdmkjHYMY6r3T9E8/s1600/coming+to+the+bucket.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjscSE-mO5m1YXCJOPoVlkebU5YnIIPyau0F1QmxAmU7r74DkvTq3rQuPdUmfl7Hb-SDPWq9dPc4RuUI_ml63LCzEDM7j90TOK3N3WBRPZykFAms-gM4hvyZ4hBZIkvWdmkjHYMY6r3T9E8/s1600/coming+to+the+bucket.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They heard the call and came plodding.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0p9AXDOPC8dA_LGi4NzFUm-Uyvh9JJxUFt6b9bF8ulfGSkRbUsbNJ19IhnPTIEl_yxuOuEA0JjydFB2TYZuDUfbl0pCbYRj93lPeYQDysqQILklSJF6rsa84_eyea5X3UKyv02K920XXM/s1600/First+ones.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0p9AXDOPC8dA_LGi4NzFUm-Uyvh9JJxUFt6b9bF8ulfGSkRbUsbNJ19IhnPTIEl_yxuOuEA0JjydFB2TYZuDUfbl0pCbYRj93lPeYQDysqQILklSJF6rsa84_eyea5X3UKyv02K920XXM/s1600/First+ones.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hannah leading the keenest through first</td></tr>
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As the horses move around more than the cows, we felt they would find their way through on their own. They seemed a bit tentative for the first few days, with only the more adventurous younger ponies taking the plunge. Once they were all through, however, they haven't looked back. It has certainly made the checks more interesting, finding new routes through the fen to where the animals have decided to graze that day. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr607o6gy0IH8voyasdYq1CiD_ZsrH89WFX9JqKIF33NS6epg6MpZsrp951_M45FzdALit_Polp_wwoBB9FccmoTprv8M3Vh_r9xpqMAgnU9N0Fc2hc_i3wwo4rfF8201xb56Wu6GaTSrQ/s1600/all+through.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First taste of new grass</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsKLWBr1PEwiFG0zLWlI2EksFbMkFAIaeJWXEBiBaTpnDiaf8CeTbps9mOUrbZrKLVZWeqf6qpnTbQagf0ZYCh_VQgupmuprjn4HfMNBBrEqjCswE28awGdHZ5Fb6mRtmgjXcGBAqZcbHW/s1600/Apple.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsKLWBr1PEwiFG0zLWlI2EksFbMkFAIaeJWXEBiBaTpnDiaf8CeTbps9mOUrbZrKLVZWeqf6qpnTbQagf0ZYCh_VQgupmuprjn4HfMNBBrEqjCswE28awGdHZ5Fb6mRtmgjXcGBAqZcbHW/s1600/Apple.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Apple's mad dash to fresh rush</td></tr>
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The animals seem to be enjoying their new range, having not ventured back into the north side since we let them through. It has also been interesting to watch some of the behaviours that access the new widespread area has brought out in the livestock. The bulls are re-asserting their hierarchy, deciding which patch of land they want as their patch, and there has been some posturing and shouting at each other to decide whose in charge. Some of the horses are spending time away from the main herd, the young "bachelor" herd, who are more inquisitive. The main herd, with the young foals, seem to be moving too slow for them, so they go out on their own to investigate the furthest reaches before coming back to the herd. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQyJY5xhmab7zhNHSJrMQLoiHvuzlRtgdN_Mt8UBWnVyt89LPTYUQrwBDNsVG8St9gNSA0HVIIHQsgOEjHwYThxT07Zz6p7_c57_ZA0F-Hc8z949IdgS6AgtxdWswjqngwaKya6RBc_Zhp/s1600/Ewan+and+red.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQyJY5xhmab7zhNHSJrMQLoiHvuzlRtgdN_Mt8UBWnVyt89LPTYUQrwBDNsVG8St9gNSA0HVIIHQsgOEjHwYThxT07Zz6p7_c57_ZA0F-Hc8z949IdgS6AgtxdWswjqngwaKya6RBc_Zhp/s1600/Ewan+and+red.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ewan and one of the girls venturing forth</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixRZ5HvRdUGTJhWENjCFJq8ueEvALZBbHnnVnrWm620uM8aqdJXhMfnePrhxpxvNRE_r8_3ERLLBxphgJzGmOuXGArVIERlT-4qGTpofzt93ZrEYTENspbGkJUW3ZMLjoS4F9TwsnkLHVD/s1600/finishing+food.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixRZ5HvRdUGTJhWENjCFJq8ueEvALZBbHnnVnrWm620uM8aqdJXhMfnePrhxpxvNRE_r8_3ERLLBxphgJzGmOuXGArVIERlT-4qGTpofzt93ZrEYTENspbGkJUW3ZMLjoS4F9TwsnkLHVD/s1600/finishing+food.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The rest of the herd exploring more slowly</td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09776296193079829062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-354772885868588260.post-61363051087581531042015-01-17T07:43:00.000-08:002015-01-17T07:43:12.493-08:00Looking after the health of our treesRuby and I have been going around the whole site doing the tree health survey this week. It's a process that takes a couple of days, but as we are a site that has relatively few trees this is quite quick! We walk all the popular routes and busy areas of the property, eying up all the trees, looking for any potential dangers. We will be working on a few small actions arising from the survey over the next few weeks. <br />
<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One tree was leaking sap from a wound</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJxhZJ_Hnp6Z2NdeQ3imyf5c6czREKAqaL65Y3BGKEWeXINrp5beHQeS8k7gj9voVqjbaQujseokHB6fzj2jSON1GXUDWow5c_KHB_aifgQqMOHkk-p8kdVIm8Clh6YHqXVJ-quScxlr0P/s1600/20150114_085223.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJxhZJ_Hnp6Z2NdeQ3imyf5c6czREKAqaL65Y3BGKEWeXINrp5beHQeS8k7gj9voVqjbaQujseokHB6fzj2jSON1GXUDWow5c_KHB_aifgQqMOHkk-p8kdVIm8Clh6YHqXVJ-quScxlr0P/s1600/20150114_085223.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This interesting willow has lots of good nooks and crannies which makes great habitats for bats and insects</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The first action we've taken was to reduce the height of the old hollow willow out the front of the visitor center. We were sad to have to take such drastic action on this iconic tree, lots of the staff and volunteers are very fond of it, but it was starting to become unsafe. All the new healthy growth was on the top of the tree, supported by a slowly rotting trunk, and with it being so close to a main path we didn't want it to crack and fall over the path.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The lovely looking but rather precarious old willow</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We borrowed a large chainsaw form Anglesey Abbey and John got to work on Friday morning. He reduced the height in stages, taking the weight off the top slowly, stopping the whole tree splitting longways down the middle while he was doing the work. As he was cutting we realised just how rotted the tree was as the saw passed through parts of it like butter.<br />
<br />
<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Going...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAjesdj1L6pzZhlY2Op-4OL_M8LgJNWnfHGYfEHSAWFUJKopuE7qboxUPMHlhMrN4klioPxB5bfvdVhRTJz5f2i5-2hNkKglL34dx_wE_erKBEls1Qko-u2H3HGxwyFWazuf6LXDMw1dzA/s1600/20150116_114113.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAjesdj1L6pzZhlY2Op-4OL_M8LgJNWnfHGYfEHSAWFUJKopuE7qboxUPMHlhMrN4klioPxB5bfvdVhRTJz5f2i5-2hNkKglL34dx_wE_erKBEls1Qko-u2H3HGxwyFWazuf6LXDMw1dzA/s1600/20150116_114113.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="center"><td class="tr-caption">...going...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhUJjp5bBVWjZc5ZRfpwqTm0eLw6C8ERcR3uCwJ1VOTqLtFCSqVJmh9RpNiEdEMzpRUZjh7fTE4pi_E7Lp9xaRq-Yh1C_KV_-jPYMcsp3szc0GirOdqrVBjOaWNxeTHrFMSYPOvj6yif_G/s1600/20150116_115942.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhUJjp5bBVWjZc5ZRfpwqTm0eLw6C8ERcR3uCwJ1VOTqLtFCSqVJmh9RpNiEdEMzpRUZjh7fTE4pi_E7Lp9xaRq-Yh1C_KV_-jPYMcsp3szc0GirOdqrVBjOaWNxeTHrFMSYPOvj6yif_G/s1600/20150116_115942.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...gone.</td></tr>
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John was able to push his hand through parts of the wood where brown rot had taken hold. Brown rot is one of the common methods of wood decaying. A fungus attacks the cellulose in the wood, leaving behind the lignin which creates part of the structure of the water transport system in the tree, the xylem vessels. As this drys out it gets a characteristic cubic appearance and the brown colour which gives this type of rot its name. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil_soCvCQnLSPVyOVkLkeFYrdf96oCUlakQ36ojg3LwK-QCnsCZHxiGniSwcLTxUV8sVagALg_J7064CxGPfbhqflVSm397T2moujLRhkxFvbgnpoHRfPQTPJepkuYnHg-ddzIFnNUM3GH/s1600/20150116_124019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil_soCvCQnLSPVyOVkLkeFYrdf96oCUlakQ36ojg3LwK-QCnsCZHxiGniSwcLTxUV8sVagALg_J7064CxGPfbhqflVSm397T2moujLRhkxFvbgnpoHRfPQTPJepkuYnHg-ddzIFnNUM3GH/s1600/20150116_124019.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The finished job.</td></tr>
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<br />
<br />
The willow is still home to lots of creatures, a confused lesser stag beetle was found emerging from the trunk this morning, the sunshine fooling him into thinking it was spring already. We also found this fella as we were chopping the tree, giving Ruby a fright as he was the size of a tennis ball!<br />
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<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A rather hansom spider</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09776296193079829062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-354772885868588260.post-20555130761627636022014-12-18T03:59:00.000-08:002014-12-18T03:59:15.015-08:00Wicken Fen Ambassadors<!--[if !mso]>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
A note from our Assistant Ranger Stu:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Last Tuesday I had
the pleasure of leading Wicken Fen’s first ambassador work party. Armed with
plenty of tools we headed off to the butterfly trail to help create the brand
new glade. The previous week, with some help from friends at the RSPB and their
<span class="st1"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">reciprocating mower,</span></span> we had cut all the Wood Small Reed (<span class="st1"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Calamagrostis epigeious</span></i></span><span class="st1"><span style="color: #545454; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">) </span></span>right the way to ground level and the
volunteers’ task was simple, to pick up the mess we had created! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As some important
butterfly species, such as Common Blue (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Polyommatus
Icarus</i>) and Holly Blue (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Celastrina
argiolus</i>), hibernate at the base of the Wood Small Reed or on the ground,
so we had to be careful to minimise the disturbance as much as possible, and
as such, using rakes was out of the question. With a pitch fork each we had to
carefully pick up the cuttings without disturbing the ground and carry it off
into the nearby scrub.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Careful "raking" to avoid dormant butterfly pupae</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whist not the most
glamorous job, the work party performed admirably and finished the work well
ahead of schedule. It is really starting to take shape now, and with the
addition of a wild flower seed mix to be planted in spring, the glade should
look fantastic by the end of 2015.</div>
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<span style="mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-no-proof: yes;"><br /></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg22NDB-WjQROC8OhCpNxi7jArM4mWN32hA9YUxBfUMH5lCfL6vHeS7esOHpWyDcroA41bmbuacHp22ZmW6prBmOey2JKoZt9lShVYMVuyxbnIc1zATWltB4YkqH85kS6t5xhhkI6rR-tMM/s1600/20141209_103643.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg22NDB-WjQROC8OhCpNxi7jArM4mWN32hA9YUxBfUMH5lCfL6vHeS7esOHpWyDcroA41bmbuacHp22ZmW6prBmOey2JKoZt9lShVYMVuyxbnIc1zATWltB4YkqH85kS6t5xhhkI6rR-tMM/s1600/20141209_103643.jpg" height="384" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wheeling the cuttings away into the scrub</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In addition to this
work, we also had a go at pollarding some of the trees around the trail. We do
this to add a bit of diversity to the tree structure, and the fresh growth that
will pop up next spring is brilliant for a huge variety of different
insects.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Again, keeping up the hard
work, the ambassador party managed to achieve a huge amount of work in the
short amount of time given. It might look a little extreme at the moment, but
when the trees start growing the effect will be quite beautiful.</div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-no-proof: yes;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pollarding</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyone seemed to
have great fun, and we will hopefully see them next month for another work
party. Well done team, you did a brilliant job!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFLXEarw0gfvHu-9Af0xwSkij_ROS4SXjkJcDkR5NR331ZoxB1GF_MRhXIR9YbbSokPZERXpcbm3AwK1xyRoSeymV89QpkFcPH_FMdZRBlfD559WDhGDFFfy1rQeUupIjG7WG4Pv1weAQy/s1600/20141209_145238.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFLXEarw0gfvHu-9Af0xwSkij_ROS4SXjkJcDkR5NR331ZoxB1GF_MRhXIR9YbbSokPZERXpcbm3AwK1xyRoSeymV89QpkFcPH_FMdZRBlfD559WDhGDFFfy1rQeUupIjG7WG4Pv1weAQy/s1600/20141209_145238.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The happy team after a days work</td></tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-no-proof: yes;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you would like to join us as a Wicken Fen Ambassador then
please email <a href="mailto:maddie.downes@national.org.uk">maddie.downes@nationaltrust.org.uk</a>
for more information. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
To finish up:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We also had some Christmas calves over the last couple of
weeks. Bramble has had a red bull calf that will be called Enion, after the
naturalist Eric Enion who grew up in Burwell and wrote the book “Adventurer’s
Fen” about the changing ecology of Burwell Fen over the 40 years before it was
drained as part of the war effort in World War 2. </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnUvWLnQC_z5SvaqWNMGSn1716z4D1iOGntqHak0HrNBgcucVVyh__0vavNu0qmmmBawgxqi-V_4xrSYZSdksBSN64Ebo4TYhmQgKUmgop6KgS0YNliIc88zoa21N04kMs8cXhO7dkaI6F/s1600/2014-12-15+11.02.46.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnUvWLnQC_z5SvaqWNMGSn1716z4D1iOGntqHak0HrNBgcucVVyh__0vavNu0qmmmBawgxqi-V_4xrSYZSdksBSN64Ebo4TYhmQgKUmgop6KgS0YNliIc88zoa21N04kMs8cXhO7dkaI6F/s1600/2014-12-15+11.02.46.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enion hiding behind mum on Monday, it took me ages to find him!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Wendy also calved this week. She is the proud mum of another
bull calf called Stan. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy_ou6Ps569d3tLcsp1eTwaYbm5ypUlRizFHCh_vEKzPaxgLCzAPXMxa7NYsxdbjL0ZRYwO6JMxfscy_yAUvQ7ZrhI5f1BS-QTaPmOVT_I3Nf0CcxkfTX1-PTJoYVNkB67v_PtJ8RVWf10/s1600/1418836712600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy_ou6Ps569d3tLcsp1eTwaYbm5ypUlRizFHCh_vEKzPaxgLCzAPXMxa7NYsxdbjL0ZRYwO6JMxfscy_yAUvQ7ZrhI5f1BS-QTaPmOVT_I3Nf0CcxkfTX1-PTJoYVNkB67v_PtJ8RVWf10/s1600/1418836712600.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mum and Stan reunited after ear tagging</td></tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09776296193079829062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-354772885868588260.post-62175577029803673392014-12-05T03:25:00.003-08:002014-12-05T03:25:54.690-08:00New Corral on TubneyIn preparation for a work party last Friday, Stu, Lois and I moved some very large reels of old stock netting. We had to use the big tractor as the reels were so heavy and Stu managed to achieve the ultimate goal and get a reel onto each prong of the pallet forks. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbizT8umROS2s1z5ucJhYkBsSyOa8TNKilIxQkYvtWmryI-iOrl32kgIodeFoJ-eWR7nG9RTWtTJcA7QHrwhIE5t5Ia9Q04I76xmKxR8gszRMRx2QatlCg9qGuULhXYxF_RodxKSAzQLut/s1600/20141125_122513.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbizT8umROS2s1z5ucJhYkBsSyOa8TNKilIxQkYvtWmryI-iOrl32kgIodeFoJ-eWR7nG9RTWtTJcA7QHrwhIE5t5Ia9Q04I76xmKxR8gszRMRx2QatlCg9qGuULhXYxF_RodxKSAzQLut/s1600/20141125_122513.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stu with his "double pronging"!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So with the fencing out the way UK power networks were free to come in and help build a corral as part of their Helping Hands project. They've done a fantastic job and three quarters of the corral is fully built. The clay was so hard that even their massive auger was struggling to dig down to six foot deep, which is why we didn't quite get it finished on the day. They did do a great job though and we are very grateful for all their hard work. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy9rTQokwT2murP9NbnAln1kvRzXqQe4R3hOy3k7OM7qg-eMGMGQbfHluLKNmf54P_tSiF03O-9UPBd_LqKRa2fiCLbGUYw3rehSNPfsnBsZc4asS0suXYIdpm0zPJPHcG_jKVT_AivTbC/s1600/20141128_144036.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy9rTQokwT2murP9NbnAln1kvRzXqQe4R3hOy3k7OM7qg-eMGMGQbfHluLKNmf54P_tSiF03O-9UPBd_LqKRa2fiCLbGUYw3rehSNPfsnBsZc4asS0suXYIdpm0zPJPHcG_jKVT_AivTbC/s1600/20141128_144036.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Team photo at the end of the day, with the new corral in the background </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDvTZvnyZB5CBRZDvxBAbOSCnIGYCsH0LdC5iv-Rrj7eI54218-87IwqEImUYGM_fw2ads0cl9l05NGE9Jx-l16NiyAmwDK0Vn5OMpkMrR3KCfkjmB2cfSzk8uaxZATx2gIDfYKwGschpK/s1600/20141128_144307.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDvTZvnyZB5CBRZDvxBAbOSCnIGYCsH0LdC5iv-Rrj7eI54218-87IwqEImUYGM_fw2ads0cl9l05NGE9Jx-l16NiyAmwDK0Vn5OMpkMrR3KCfkjmB2cfSzk8uaxZATx2gIDfYKwGschpK/s1600/20141128_144307.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A close up of the corral</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Once finished the corral will help our tenant farmers get their cattle on and off the site. It will hopefully make things a lot easier as once penned up you can push the cows into a trailer. We're also putting a fancy gate system in the middle so that the herd can be split once in the corral.<br />
<br />
I had a couple of training session at Anglesey Abbey last week so ended up filling an hour in the evening between courses by wondering around the gardens. It was very atmospheric with the mist coming in and the sun setting behind the trees. I also got a sneak preview of some of the Winter Lights things that the Gardeners were putting up and testing. It looks like it will be another fantastic event and I hear the first weekend has already gone down a storm. <br />
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-uprmDSoeA1NuLdXjI9KIo8o457B0W6262vpYptGPX38QPgiU1lB1BKtr9fsuXw49HVuA3tko4rE8vCP4DoUodt_HqZMRDSizZKEhnC3R0e8MGg5iEsDrdQ_04FQNms5y1VMKTBfBNyV_/s1600/20141124_162601.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-uprmDSoeA1NuLdXjI9KIo8o457B0W6262vpYptGPX38QPgiU1lB1BKtr9fsuXw49HVuA3tko4rE8vCP4DoUodt_HqZMRDSizZKEhnC3R0e8MGg5iEsDrdQ_04FQNms5y1VMKTBfBNyV_/s1600/20141124_162601.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset over the Anglesey Abbey gardens</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09776296193079829062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-354772885868588260.post-36200309671145374162014-11-21T07:17:00.002-08:002014-11-21T07:17:59.420-08:00Winter Water Fun<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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The beginning of winter is the signal for a few jobs to be
done around the fen. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Firstly we start abstracting water onto the fen in November.
We have a few abstraction points dotted around, the most obvious being the wind
pump on the Sedge Fen side of Wicken Lode. I turned the water onto Burwell Fen
last week, filling up the scrapes next to Reach Lode. These areas create
excellent habitat for wildfowl and waders, we’re already seeing a lot of our
winter migrants, like widgeon, coming in. The abstraction mimics the winter
flooding that would occur naturally if the water ways weren’t so closely controlled.
Maintaining these water levels is important to the plant communities and, along
with the sedge cutting, is one of the most important management tools we use to
preserve fen conditions. </div>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtG91wVBt4SSxD0xMfRHGeIr9nPSmgt1VpTYAOFmQiMPQf9j2ufLnPJ3fQvNdopyeaQrJLp9hyjrTdBab6JfHqQsMtfDTxxURvtjVa9lHbG0AskM3DHKzlYNGElbluyc21KMHi7dYSfhp0/s1600/20141105_115330.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtG91wVBt4SSxD0xMfRHGeIr9nPSmgt1VpTYAOFmQiMPQf9j2ufLnPJ3fQvNdopyeaQrJLp9hyjrTdBab6JfHqQsMtfDTxxURvtjVa9lHbG0AskM3DHKzlYNGElbluyc21KMHi7dYSfhp0/s1600/20141105_115330.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Water turned on onto Burwell Fen</td></tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Ruby and I did another winter job this week and removed the
temporary pontoon from Wicken Lode. The pontoon is used over the summer for the
boat trips during the day. As it is up by the junction with Monk’s Lode it
reduces the amount of traffic going down the Wicken Lode spur, which has a
delicate balance of rare aquatic plants and invertebrates. Even though it is a
cold job having to submerge your arms in the water to unscrew the shackles, it
was fun riding on the pontoon, keeping it away from the banks, as Ruby towed it
down the lode. We then pulled it out of the lode with the tractor, and have
hidden it in the scrub ready to be pulled back out in the spring. </div>
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<br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWhrh6kDowvX4qa8qlJOU5M-rLx3ce8oBJTERE-bjXQh2sNyxvjvuoxj_L2ASJgV3NsYLCGxB1u5f1lMKR9TkbtLuLer99fcKVNlia7vKRM-s4ee6xHCbgdZC2mRhygMEGwv05BYkMP_gG/s1600/20141120_142902.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWhrh6kDowvX4qa8qlJOU5M-rLx3ce8oBJTERE-bjXQh2sNyxvjvuoxj_L2ASJgV3NsYLCGxB1u5f1lMKR9TkbtLuLer99fcKVNlia7vKRM-s4ee6xHCbgdZC2mRhygMEGwv05BYkMP_gG/s1600/20141120_142902.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The pontoon emerging from the Lode.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There are some beautiful sunsets occurring over the fen at
the moment, and some impressive starling murmurations. I’ve already seen lots
photographers out, and even I’ve managed to get some good pictures on my phone.
</div>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaBXbE4hEYw7CRScWEId8-Oq7p-aIAO6q8CIf-klfSNBID-OgQP4XycLrN_GH1v5FxeGAxIzrPPLNXFN0lm-wKwYzxqcdosawkYjEVi3floQuZpCkHFO3o9nJnm2CMGdtHGrImJON1T_aZ/s1600/20141119_153510.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaBXbE4hEYw7CRScWEId8-Oq7p-aIAO6q8CIf-klfSNBID-OgQP4XycLrN_GH1v5FxeGAxIzrPPLNXFN0lm-wKwYzxqcdosawkYjEVi3floQuZpCkHFO3o9nJnm2CMGdtHGrImJON1T_aZ/s1600/20141119_153510.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baker's Fen looking pretty in the sunset</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We had the grand opening of our newly refurbished docky hut
on Tuesday. It is looking superb, with fresh green walls, a new dishwasher and
fridge, and a fancy hot water dispenser. Well done to Ruby and her troops who
have done a fantastic job. </div>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsENLn3CX-Rq2BvQUCPwMR-4lZiU7aoVIcAcQlqYOmOTGSuE5d22lbwXa-oCYsa7C2xvi0MRQr5ZWrr4zHRK4cjwgrawnVhzk5BCtzHBCvnhE_WCJjhjFdR3aKRJ0cx1mt2Rv5lanjQEIj/s1600/20141118_160637.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsENLn3CX-Rq2BvQUCPwMR-4lZiU7aoVIcAcQlqYOmOTGSuE5d22lbwXa-oCYsa7C2xvi0MRQr5ZWrr4zHRK4cjwgrawnVhzk5BCtzHBCvnhE_WCJjhjFdR3aKRJ0cx1mt2Rv5lanjQEIj/s1600/20141118_160637.jpg" height="280" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The fancy new Docky Hut</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09776296193079829062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-354772885868588260.post-91577638499944010552014-11-12T14:16:00.000-08:002014-11-12T16:19:47.214-08:00A rave, cutting and slubbing<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial;">This time of year
we are quite busy down the fen, trying to get the cutting finished before the
water table rises, slubbing the ditches out, and getting ready for our winter tree
work. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial;">Rave at Burwell Fen<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial;">Over the first
weekend of November an rave took place on Burwell Fen, clearly this had a considerable impact on the wildlife present on site as well as
our ponies and cattle grazing the field next door. Dealing with it, the rubbish and
vandalism has taken the best part of a week so far to sort out and is costing a
considerable amount to repair. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial;">The good news is
that so far we have seen lots of signs that the wildlife is getting back to
normal, owl pellets in the barn as well as Barn Owls and Short Eared Owls in the
fields near by, kingfishers in the ditches, Marsh Harriers, and deer roaming
about. The bunded wetter area is also doing well, I haven’t spent any time
with the binoculars out but I have spotted Little Egrets, Kestrels and lots of
ducks and geese. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial;">We have filled a
big skip up with rubbish and bits of fence that were ripped down to gain access
in as well as out of the barn site. A huge amount of rubbish, mostly drinks
cans bottles and boxes along with zillions of small gas bottles, balloons and toilet
roll (shudder), the site also doubled as a toilet for the rave. Adding to the
frustration was the fact that quite a bit of the litter was stuck to the barn
floor and had to be pressure washed off, no tap or power on site so we had to
fill a bowser and hire a pressure washer in. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial;">I spent most of
Sunday at Burwell Fen, making sure that people didn’t accidentally let our
ponies and cattle out by attempting to leave the wrong way, chatting to people
down there to let them know that the site is a nature reserve so they might
have some inkling of the damage being caused and in general keeping an eye on
things. One thing that was evident was the complete ignorance to the level of
damage being caused, and the value of the countryside. Numerous people reassured
me that they would tidy the mess up, and that they do after such events. Some
apologised for the actions of others but were unable to rectify there impact as
over 1000 people were estimated to have attended, and others just didn’t really
seem to mind. An effort was made to tidy up by a small number of people,
I would think that about 30 bin bags were filled. Those 30 bags did make a
difference, and were collected in good spirits, I don’t want to completely
disregard this assistance but it was in effect a token effort. People might have
gone home thinking that they made good, that they cleared their mess and even
some of the mess of others, but the collective mess of the rave was still
strewn all over the place. No one should be under the illusion that the rave
left us to deal with anything but a massive mess, an orange poo was discovered, 11 medical
grade nitrogen oxide bottles were dumped on site, fences had to be rebuilt. If
you visited for the rave please come back and see what a fantastic place Burwell
Fen is and recognise the impact the rave had.</span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial;">Here are a few pics and a video from Burwell Fen, sometimes the video isn't showing so sorry if you have a big gap here.</span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dy2DhOYolP3o6wQJd9C5Y6ZXU_W20FwolVMFen3UaE9BQ4vKoqNbZaSWSVgp5x-sQskUggMq6uAJaPlX21h' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Looking forwards,
the fences are fixed locks have been replaced and we are now almost ready to let
our ponies and cattle have access to the whole of Burwell Fen.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial;">Slubbing</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial;">Slubbing is the
clearing out of ditches, in a conservation context it is usually carried out over varying intervals to promote diversity. At Wicken we have ditches cleared out from every 2 years
up to every 12 if my memory of the management plan serves me correctly. Some
ditches are also left to naturally succeed without being cleared at all. By
clearing the ditch out the process of succession where different species slowly
take over from one another over time is stopped and put back to the beginning. As different species
depend on the various stages of this succession the different slubbing
rotations provide as many species as possible the niches they require to thrive.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial;">Here Jason is
slubbing out the Wind Pump Ditch next to the boardwalk. The slubb is being put
in a dumper and moved into another field. Often there isn’t anywhere to move
the slubb to so it is spread out on the ground next to the ditch.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial;">Cutting</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial;">We have had a lot
of trouble cutting the fen this year as it has been too wet to get machinery on
to large areas of it. At the moment we are working on the two remaining areas waiting to be cut; the higher areas around the boardwalk and the Butterfly Trail. The
sides of the boardwalk get cut on similar rotations to the rest of the Sedge Fen
but just scaled down. The narrow bits next to the boardwalk are cut throughout
the year, level with the boardwalk to keep them from growing over and everyone
getting wet, at the end of the year they are then cut down to ground level and
the litter removed and piled up, similar to the droves on the fen. This reduces the
amount of nutrients being left on the ground and encourages a more diverse
growth in following years. There are a also few sections of the boardwalk that
run next to ditches, we can't get our tractors to these bits so they are cut with a brush cutter. As they are slightly higher than the rest of the fen most of them can be
cut slightly later in the year than the rest of the fen as they stay dry.
Cutting with a brush cutter and clearing by hand also means the ground doesn’t
get too churned up.These sections are cut on a three year rotation like the compartments on the Sedge Fen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial;">Once this is all
done, it is off to the Butterfly Trail. Plenty of care to protect the grass
tussocks where lots of larvae spend the winter. The plan is also for a good deal of chainsawing to create
a new glade and hopefully some stump grinding too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial;">Lots to do!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial;">As usual you can
follow us on Twitter @WickenFenNT @Vision_Warden or on Facebook.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-354772885868588260.post-3608106778208028812014-10-24T04:20:00.001-07:002014-10-24T04:20:52.257-07:00Godwin PlotsWe have been embarking on the massive rake-a-thon that occurs this time every year. When the fen is too wet to drive the tractors on to cut and clear the sedge, its back to good old fashioned elbow grease and large portion of the ranger team took their rakes and went across the fen to the Godwin plots last week. <br />
<br />
The Godwin Plots are a reminder of the scientific importance and history of the fen. Sir Harry Godwin set up the plots as part of an experiment in 1927. He was investigating the impact of cutting vegetation on plant communities. He split the experimental sites into 5 plots, each with a different cutting regime; the first was cut yearly, the next every two years, the next every three, and then four and the final one was never cut. His results showed that management alone could have a great impact on the flora, with the plots cut more regularly showing a decline in the sedge species <i>Cladium maricus</i> and an increase in Purple Moor Grass (<i>Molina caerulea</i>) and tall fen herbs such as marsh thistle (<i>Cirisium vulgare</i>) and yellow loosestrife (<i>Lysimachia vulgaris</i>). The plant communities could be changed from mixed sedge characteristics to herd rich litter communities just by changing the frequency of cutting. These were ground breaking findings at the time, and helped support the new theory of ecological succession of which Godwin was a supporter. Godwin finished his experiments in 1940, the but plots were revived in 1955 for Cambridge University students to study, by which time scrub species like alder buckthorn (<i>Frangula alnus</i>) and brambles (<i>Rubus fruticosus</i>) were also appearing in the plots that were cut less often.
To this day we continue to cut the plots at the same timings as first proposed by Godwin. We only had to cut the annual plot this year so, Ruby went up with a tractor earlier in the month, when the weather was a little drier, to do the cutting and then some of the other rangers went up to rake off the cuttings by hand last week.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhspomf8iEblDgbGVXUtNkochPCkaDiSmDC1Var1vmXmhp4fH1WC5VUrRGr4hhT6YP9pWBXX9zvjXxdzqkRR96QABpYQjlGTp9qyNTy19S2FEBiRY8KCqoLM5fhJpDHD_5nB6FGiwOx4wJs/s1600/IMG-20141017-WA0000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhspomf8iEblDgbGVXUtNkochPCkaDiSmDC1Var1vmXmhp4fH1WC5VUrRGr4hhT6YP9pWBXX9zvjXxdzqkRR96QABpYQjlGTp9qyNTy19S2FEBiRY8KCqoLM5fhJpDHD_5nB6FGiwOx4wJs/s1600/IMG-20141017-WA0000.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautifully raked Godwins</td></tr>
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It's not just the Godwin plots keeping us busy. We've also been raking up the cuttings along Wicken Lode, Drainer's Ditch and part of Sedge Fen Drove, as well as decorating the newly refurbished Docky Hut and supervising our contractors, JW Fencing, who are currently putting up some fantastic new fences for us. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More raking!</td></tr>
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Lois and I were happy to have a work party from BT back to help us spruce up the wild campsite. They’ve done a fantastic job fixing the toilet door, and have built some lovely new steps to make getting to the toilet slightly easier. So thank you guys and we look forward to having you again!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The BT chaps with their fantastic new steps and toilet door. </td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09776296193079829062noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-354772885868588260.post-30244646335421159002014-10-03T07:59:00.001-07:002014-10-03T07:59:31.821-07:00Let the Cutting Commence!Two weeks ago the rumble of tractors returned to the Sedge Fen as we started the cutting for this year. This is very exciting as this is the main management technique of the old fen, continuing a tradition that has been going since the 15th Century. We now have a very different method, using mostly tractors to cut, turn and clear the litter. <br />
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The fen is split into different areas, called either droves or compartments. The droves are the paths around the site and get cut annually, which is where we have started the cutting this year. The compartments are all the bits in between the droves. These are further divided into strips which we have colour coded. If your walking around the fen and see fence posts with red, green or yellow tops, they are marking the different strips. These strips are cut on a three year rotation, which allows the sedge to grow and develop, whilst stopping any small trees growing developing into scrub. In the past it was also found that a three year rotation was better for the sedge being used for thatching, any longer and the sedge was too brittle when dried, any shorter and there were negative ecological effects.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The little tractor with the disk mower attached</td></tr>
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We clear the fen using a three tractor rotation. Firstly we send our little tractor with the disk mower which cuts the litter at the base and leaves it all lying flat. We then leave it on the ground for a couple of days to allow for seed dispersal. This also gives time for it to dry a little making the next step easier. Next we send out our oldest tractor, with the acrobat on the back. The acrobat is made up of four wheels that have lots of thin tines sticking out. As you pull them quickly across the ground they move the litter into rows. Finally we send out another tractor with a buck rake on the back to scoop up these rows and put them into piles located within the scrub line. These piles are great for insects and we need to get the cut litter off the ground to allow new seeds germinate and grow.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvnu-OUYN-Tm3TBiNkbbaQFNSw8jTlssMNoxfjS4h5berOWhuExs42mn_CM5y4LUDkYSJTg526c42CKmwz3lA6dWM0ELwVzqnK_PQ5PwqqiwzabQpLryfuqybfW3nAs1zkAo-3gz_3XodO/s1600/2014-10-03+09.58.28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" closure_lm_298114="null" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvnu-OUYN-Tm3TBiNkbbaQFNSw8jTlssMNoxfjS4h5berOWhuExs42mn_CM5y4LUDkYSJTg526c42CKmwz3lA6dWM0ELwVzqnK_PQ5PwqqiwzabQpLryfuqybfW3nAs1zkAo-3gz_3XodO/s1600/2014-10-03+09.58.28.jpg" fua="true" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">Drainer's as I arrived this morning</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHratoIiuzxvhhYfYL-zp1JoazKgzgK64X1uaEhqslEY192igbOOzvKjzP1htJnag0ZfBWC-cfscvl1-uBQhYvQP3BksHI6mn7dJQ8Lbtia-yelp6fRCfEz12DvKazV83VCUi7znhWaMJ-/s1600/2014-10-03+10.49.51.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" closure_lm_298114="null" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHratoIiuzxvhhYfYL-zp1JoazKgzgK64X1uaEhqslEY192igbOOzvKjzP1htJnag0ZfBWC-cfscvl1-uBQhYvQP3BksHI6mn7dJQ8Lbtia-yelp6fRCfEz12DvKazV83VCUi7znhWaMJ-/s1600/2014-10-03+10.49.51.jpg" fua="true" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">Drainers after I was finished cutting</td></tr>
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At the moment we are focusing on the annual cut of the droves. These are cut more often than the compartments because we are trying to maintain a different flowering plant community. This is where we get the beautiful orchids earlier in the summer, and these flowering communities are one of the reasons we are designated a Special Area of Conservation.</div>
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In other news, Lois, Ruby and I have been at Ickworth for the past two days doing a Tree Health Surveying course. I am pleased to say we all passed, so can now help John do the surveys around the fen. <br />
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On Monday Lois and I went to Swaffham Prior School to install a very beautiful, but very heavy oak sign board in their outdoor area. To read more about it and see the finished article pop over to the Wicken and Anglesey Community Blog: <a href="http://wickenandangleseycommunity.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">http://wickenandangleseycommunity.blogspot.co.uk/</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09776296193079829062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-354772885868588260.post-45001681544450062482014-09-08T06:30:00.002-07:002014-09-08T06:31:36.248-07:00Wicken Welcomes some Old Residents<i>We have a guest contributor to the blog today, Stuart Warrington, our regional wildlife advisor:</i> <br />
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On Friday 6th September, we had one of those days that makes our job so varied and interesting. </div>
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150 former residents of Wicken Fen were brought down the A1(M) from York to try to get them re-established on the fen. These former residents were beetles, called Tansy beetles, and they travelled in two buckets in the boot of car! </div>
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The Tansy beetle (scientific name <i>Chrysolina graminis</i> from the 'leaf beetle' family) is a very rare species and it used to occur at Wicken but it was lost from the Fen more than 3 decades ago. We don't know exactly why it was lost, but at that time the fen was rather dry and scrubby. After all of our work clearing scrub and getting better control of the water levels, and creating new habitats too, we are much more hopeful that the conditions are right again for this rare beetle. </div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">The beautiful Tansy Beetle (</span></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;">Chrysolina graminis</span></i><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;">)</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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The project is a joint one between The National Trust, Buglife and the Tansy Beetle Action Group (TBAG), supported by Natural England. The beetle is currently known only in Britain from York and Woodwalton Fen, where a small number were rediscovered earlier this summer. The beetle’s only stronghold has been along a 30km stretch of the River Ouse, around York, where it mainly eats tansy (Tanacetum vulgare), a perennial herb which has given the beetle its name. It will also feed on water mint and gipsywort, which are both very abundant at Woodwalton and Wicken fens. <br />
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The tansy beetle had a bumper summer in York so there are many thousands of adults present. Thus a few have been released at Wicken Fen so they can feed up through September on their food plants and hopefully will emerge from hibernation next spring. We shall go and have a look next May. The re-introduction project, especially with a little insect, is partly an act of faith, as we really don't know if it will thrive at Wicken. But it is certainly worth trying to put the insect back into its former sites, to help bolster its population and reduce the risk of extinction. </div>
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The Tansy beetle is a very pretty iridescent green beetle, about 8-10mm in size. The project captured the interest of the media, and both Anglia TV and BBC East came along to film the release of the beetles. The camera-men were very pleased with how pretty the beetle looked in close-up, with the autumn sunshine bringing out the colours very nicely. The two presenters were also very happy to be out at Wicken doing a good news story, and they all stayed for tea and cakes in the café. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">TV crews getting excited about the beetle</td></tr>
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We tend to take the philosophy of the "Field of Dreams" in our habitat creation at Wicken, which is "if you built it they will come" (it's a 1989 Kevin Costner film). And many species have taken advantage of the extra space and wildlife habitats we have made south of our classic Sedge Fen. However, in this case, it is a very long way for a small rare beetle to get to Wicken Fen (especially as it is very reluctant to fly and tends to walk between its food plants), so it's been given a helping hand! </div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09776296193079829062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-354772885868588260.post-10446421530562425402014-08-29T08:14:00.000-07:002014-08-29T08:15:23.216-07:00More movements and an impressive CaterpillarWe've been finishing up the last of the animal movements for the end of August. This time we were taking four horses and three cows off Verrall's Fen to reduce the grazing pressure on this sensitive area. While they have been doing a good job at keeping some of the scrub down, but it has started to impact the tall herb fen flora. So in a last in first out manner, Percy, Tommy, Snotters and George were the chosen ponies and Isle and her two children Hedwig and Will were the cows. They have all headed to Harrisons farm to join the 5 ponies left behind from the last animal movements. Being made up of very soft and delicate peat we couldn't drive vehicles onto Verralls fen. This meant we had to give two of the ponies a standing sedation and walk them on head collars to the small corral. The other ponies then followed lead by their curiosity. Then we managed to persuade them all into trailers and shipped them around by road to Harrison's on Adventure's Fen. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Horse walking selfie!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">George helping Percy up the trailer ramp when Percy had a nap at an inappropriate moment.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snotters looking very attractive with his added reed</td></tr>
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In other news, we borrowed our neighbour's hydraulic log splitter. We, especially Luke and Tony, had a very enjoyable time splitting some old logs we had stored from cutting down a dangerous, for the fen cottage fires and some for the wild campsite at Oily Hall. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">Tony and Luke enjoying splitting logs a little too much!</td></tr>
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Congratulations to Ruby for passing her trailer test this week! Luke and I are also now qualified on the brush cutters as well after training this week. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ruby passed!</td></tr>
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This blog has taken me a while to write as I keep getting distracted on other jobs. On one of my trips out I met this little fella determinedly making his way towards the visitor centre along the boardwalk. While we welcome a wide range of visitors in the centre, we did put this chap out in the grass as we thought he'd be happier there. Issy informed me that he is a goat moth caterpillar. <br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09776296193079829062noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-354772885868588260.post-85370099329523252032014-08-14T07:04:00.000-07:002014-08-14T07:04:04.008-07:00Horses are Roaming on Burwell Fen<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
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As you may have noticed, if you have ventured out to Burwell Fen recently, the Koniks have now joined the Highland cattle. Two weeks ago, the Ranger Team, with assembled helpers, spent two days moving the horses from Harrison's over to Burwell. It was planned with military precision, with the order the horses were moved being very important. We had to get the family groups, or hareems, over as close together as possible. In our herd the hareems are usually made up of one or two stallions, who look after and get to mate with up to four mares, and then the mares foals and sometimes the foals from the year before. They need to be moved over at a similar time so as not to affect the hierarchy structure too much. All the males on Burwell have now been castrated or vasectomised so we can control the number of animals on Burwell a little easier. We vasectomised the stallions so that we didn't lose their dominance behaviour which helped to create new habitats on Adventure's Fen. Last year a species of Dung beetle was rediscovered at Wicken Fen on one of the dung piles the stallions create. All the stallions dung in the same spot, leaving a sort of olfactory calling card. So the other stallions will come along and smell who was there before and then add to the pile. This leaves large piles of dung about the place which are great for dung beetles. The new dung beetle that was found predates on the dung beetles feeding on the dung pile, meaning we have a very healthy population of dung beetles and the dung piles are the start of a long food chain! </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The vet and his nurse preparing one of teh stallions or the operation</td></tr>
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The actual process of moving the animals involved penning the horses with mobile hurdles, with the vet sedating any that were a bit feisty. The trailer was then reversed up to this pen, and the horses were encouraged into it by making the pen smaller and smaller until the horses decided trailer was the nicer option! It has to be done in this unusual way because the horses aren't trained to wear halters or come to food, so we have to use gentle persuasion instead. At the other end, on Burwell Fen, they were then released into a small holding pen to get their feet back under them, before being released into the fen. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">two horses penned and waiting to be transported</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the horses being pursuaded onto the trailer</td></tr>
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As I was on holiday when all this happened, I want to say well done to all the guys involved as they did it so efficiently they had a day spare at the end of the week! </div>
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I would also like to thank the team from Mathworks who came in for a work party at the end of July. They did a great job refreshing our education area, painting the shelters, fixing the roofs and creating a new log rolling area. And I know they had good fun doing it as well! </div>
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A welcome to Luke, our new long term volunteer, and a big thank you to Pete and Andy, our previous long term volunteers who both left us at the end of July for new jobs!</div>
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And finally, when I plugged the camera into the computer today to find the pictures of the horse movements, I was greated with this, clearly Ranger Jack very much enjoyed his day with the grazing team!<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09776296193079829062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-354772885868588260.post-38639421990883555682014-07-18T04:20:00.001-07:002014-07-18T04:21:54.949-07:00We're hitting the busy summer time. As you may have guessed from how little I'm blogging at the moment, we have hit the busy summer time. All of the rangers have lots going, from fencing and mowing to rounding up animals! <br />
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So the first big news is that there are now cows across the whole of Tubney Fen. All the fencing is now cow proof, and so far they seem to be really enjoying there new space. It also means that they will be able to do their full grazing job, keeping the vegetation at a good level to let flowering plants germinate, while not letting other plants take over and out compete all the rest. <br />
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We've been gearing up for big changes with our own livestock in the last week or so. The grazing team are putting together the grand plan for moving our Koniks over to Burwell Fen. This is quite a major operation, that is planned with military precision taking into account which family groups will be moved in which order, and which stallions are getting castrated. It is an exciting time also though, as it is the next step in expanding the extensive grazing system run at Wicken with both the Koniks and the Highland cattle. <br />
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Last week I went to Fen Ditton Primary School to help one of our volunteer's, Lesley, make an insect hotel in their wildlife area. Every child at the school helped, filling each layer with different things. We had a wood layer, a pine cone layer, a layer with bricks and broken terracotta pots and a layer with bamboo cans and twigs. The different layers create different habitats for a wide variety of insects, with leaf litter layers near the bottom for woodlice and bamboo canes near the top for hibernating solitary bees and ladybirds. We also found lots of insects around the wildlife area that were getting added to the hotel, including a Violet Ground Beetle. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fen Ditton's New Insect Hotel</td></tr>
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I had rather nice day on Tubney on Wednesday, strimming round the gates and mounting blocks at the entrances. The weather was superb and the wildlife was abundant! I stopped on top of Reach Lode Bridge for 10 minutes and watched the dragonflies and damselflies fighting for ladies and territory. Then I spent lunch in the hide by the mere accompanied by a swan family, a coot family and a canada goose family! Then a Hobby pop in to catch his lunch, terrifying the baby coots and the lapwings near by. They had nothing to fear though, as he was completely focused on the dragonflies that were right in front of the hide. Then to add to the wildlife spectacular, Martin and I counted up to 10 grey herons on Burwell Fen yesterday morning. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view from Reach Lode Bridge, looking towards Reach, with Tubney Fen on the right, and Hurdle Hall on the left</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tubney mere, with the swan family in the background</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The calves on Tubney were getting very interested in my strimming!</td></tr>
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