Thrupp Green - Saturday 28th September 2024

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 Blog by Eleanor, photos by David, Sally, Michele and Ursula

This session was a joint effort between Green Gym, the Abingdon Naturalists Green Team and Radley Lakes volunteers. The work site was one of the fly ash filled former gravel pits in an area not open to the public and the task was to scythe and rake up the grass to make the area suitable for ground nesting lapwings.

After the torrential rain of the past week, we had not been certain until Friday that the task could go ahead, but luckily there was enough dry ground to work on. After a long trek following the old railway track, carrying all the tools, we arrived at the site. The day had started off very cold, but the sun came out and the blue sky and warmth were very welcome.

The first task for some people was to cut back some overhanging willow branches to make access easier, but this did not take long. Meanwhile, the scythers began scything.


Work begins





Soon, there was plenty of grass to rake up and carry to the heaps in the woodland at the edge.


Loading a drag bag




Roger with pitchforkful






Working by the lake






More scything





Scything, raking, dragging, pitchforking






A welcome tea break






Back to work





Margaret scything






Sally with scythe




Michele and Graham




We had time to notice wildlife - a comma butterfly, perhaps the last of the season, a flock of house martins high overhead, probably preparing to migrate, swans and coots on the lake, (Michele was convinced that two swans were having a marital tiff!)




...and a small toad in the grass



By 12.30 we were ready to finish, especially as there was a long trek back with the tools. We will need at least one more session here to finish the whole task.



We got a lot done!




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