Blog and photos by Sally
Avid followers will recall that we did not manage to complete the autumn cut and rake of Two Pine Fen in September and by arrangement with Jamie, the Sustainability Officer at Frilford Heath Golf Club, we were able to return on Tuesday, 3 November to do this, working on the Green course side of the Fen, which involved closure of the 4th tee so that we could work safely. The Green Keepers compound, where we normally park with ease, was a hive of activity as the Golf Club had specialist contractors in who were improving the irrigation system to avoid water wastage in future. Eleven volunteers turned out, including Dr Judy Webb, who is a consultant ecologist working with Rod d'Ayala, and has been monitoring this Fen for a number of years. It was a bright sunny autumn day with a fresh chilly breeze.
Two Pines Fen - so-named after the two Scot's pines - at the start of the day.
Looking across to the Red 16th tee at the start of the session
The patch of common cotton grass is spreading - turning red in the autumn
Work in progress
Six of the group were trained scythers and it was their job to cut the tall vegetation. The area we were focussing on was seed-rich with Devil's Bit Scabious and Marsh Lousewort. The seeds were bagged up as these were intended for spreading on Boundary House Fen, the big sister to Two Pines Fen, whilst the other vegetation was raked up into heaps by the side of the fen for subsequent collection by the Green Keeping team.
We found evidence of field voles and Eleanor is showing one of the old nests that we found
Working under a clear blue sky. The red bush at the back is one of two Guelder Roses - both were looking resplendent.
It was a quiet day on the Golf Course, so we were even able to work on the Red course side to finish up there, but here (on the Green course side in the foreground) work is focused around cutting the grassy area to keep it short, which favours the orchids and the common cotton grass. We also want to encourage the Grass of Parnassus and Devil's Bit Scabious to spread here, too, and they like the grass to be kept short.
After harvesting some of the Guelder Rose berries for growing on, Judy tramples the cut vegetation that we'd put in the stream. The stream acts as a ditch, draining the fen, and by doing this, the rotting vegetation is gradually raising the bottom of the stream, encouraging the water to spread outwards and help re-wet the Fen.
Adrian and Simon with the bag full of seeds on their way to Boundary House Fen for spreading when Green Gym is there on Saturday, 7th November
Fei was able to take this day as a Volunteer Day from her work and here she is trampling down the heap of cut vegetation in the stream.
The heaps of vegetation in an area of Fen which has dried out in recent years and we are trying to get it back in condition. This has necessitated removing scrub on successive visits and keeping the vegetation cut short and raked up afterwards to prevent thatching (which blocks out light for germinating seeds) and also nutrient build-up, as the Fen and other wildflowers prefer less fertile soil.
After the cut and rake
The cotton grass area after the cut and rake
Simon does the final trample of the cut vegetation in the stream ...
... and after the trample
Two Pines Fen in all its glory after our efforts
We disturbed this lovely female toad, which was taken to an area of safety
Sulphur tufts (Hypholoma fasciculare)
A Blue Roundhead fungus (Stropharia caerulea)
Leaf from the Meadow Thistle (Cirsium dissectum), which used to be a very common plant, but is now found in very few places in Oxfordshire. It's more bristly than thistly! It bears a single pinky-purple flower in June-August that looks a bit like a Knapweed flower. We were encouraged to see a number of tiny rosettes forming, so hopefully there will be a good show of these next spring/summer.
Fly on a tiny wild angelica - possibly a flesh fly (Sacrophagidae spp)
We also found lots and lots of golf balls, which passing golfers checked to see if any of them were theirs and they managed to pocket a few, with one golfer who collected a number for young members to use for practice. It was great to receive a lot of thanks for our work and to hear how much the orchids are appreciated in this precious calcareous fen. Jamie also stopped by to thank us. We did enjoy our customary break for elevenses and also a break for lunch for those who could stay all day. Grateful thanks to all the volunteers who gave up their time to carry out this good work on the Fen.
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