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 Ten Green Gymmers met at the entrance to Lashford Lane Reserve on this lovely sunny day. The Sandford Brook flows through the reserve, which is managed by BBOWT.

We made our encampment in the meadow next to the fen.

 One task was to dig up sprouting hawthorn in the meadow area. David and Susan stayed to do this.

The rest of us made our way down to the fen. We had to pick our way carefully, as much of it was very soggy, but, after all, it is a fen. 


The vegetation we had to scythe
Moving it on to a heap

There was a very big fallen willow on the other side of the brook. We had been asked to cut off the smaller branches and pile them along the fence line as a dead hedge. BBOWT will send in a chain saw in the next few days to cut up the rest. Lesley, Rosie and Eleanor volunteered to do this. It was tricky finding a suitable place to cross the brook where we wouldn't sink in.


 
Lesley & Rosie
Adrian & Jim scything

We all met back in the meadow for our break, then it was back to work. The cowslips were at their best and coltsfoot were starting to come out. There were a number of orange tip butterflies around and a Brimstone, You can see a photo of a female orange tip, but I didn't manage to get a photo of the male, which actually has the orange tips to its wings.



We had cut and sawn as much as we could of the willow. Adrian, who was leading, came to help us make a very good dead hedge with the cut branches.

After the cut

Then it was time to collect up our tools and take the long walk back to the car park.

 

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