It was a crisp morning down at Batchmere, with the last of the night’s frost still lingering underfoot, topped with blue skies, as the MWHG volunteers set out to clear the banks of Haydon Pond.
This site is dominated by willows and brambles which, despite providing great food and habitat in their own right, are leaving little room for other species to grow. And so, in the name of biodiversity, we were cutting back the bramble and the willow. The cut branches were left at the site, forming a dead-hedge on the side of the bank.
Straight away we were treated with mallards flying overhead, their quacks bringing a smile to everyone’s faces. There seems to be a few happy ducks calling the pond home and we even saw a little egret flying overhead, perhaps unimpressed with our presence.
Last year the MWHG planted native trees along the pond and clearing the bramble has given the young trees a good chance of establishing into a healthy hedgerow.
In the pond itself was a gorgeous marsh-marigold flower in bloom, the exact plant that Jane planted last year! This happy-yellow flower provides early nectar for insects, playing an
important role in the ecosystem.
As always, we all tucked into Jane’s delicious cakes. My personal favourite is her lemon drizzle - with a layer of lemon curd inside! If local conservation (or local lemon drizzle) sound interesting to you, you can sign up to hear about the MWHG’s work parties on the “get involved” section of the website.