A blustery and overcast day for #biggardenbirdwatch 2016. We were pleased the long-tailed tit showed up for the count. After the hour was out the count stood at:
We finally found a local source for hazel peasticks. A big THANK YOU to the Epping Forest Centres Officer: Heritage and Lifelong Learning who arranged for them to be bundled for us to pick up from the View for a donation. We're plucking up the courage to ask if they cut rods for bean poles too.
If you haven't walked Epping Forest, or visted the Queen Elizabeth Hunting Lodge or the High Beach visitor centre - what's keeping you?
Our hippeastrum Papilio turning it's beauty inside out.
We purposely start our Hippeastrum late so the blooms cheer us over the post Christmas tree slump.
Waiting for their turn at the feeder (the squirrels, magpies and wood pigeon get first dabs).
This hungry ♀ Great Spotted Woodpecker arrived 20 days earlier than our first sighting (of a ♂) in our garden last year January.
We wonder if there is a route from one wooded area to another used by these birds at this time of year and that they are attracted by the activity of the squirrels. Perhaps it is the lure of overwintering invertebrates hunkered in the fissured bark of the old 28ft pear tree which they pick clean before leaving.
Our Heritage Seed Library parcel arrived today: Blue Coco climbing french bean, Long scarlet radish (relished by Peter Rabbit), Geurnsey parsnip, Red Elephant carrot, Perfection cucumber, Kaskinaurus turnip, aren't we lucky.
We attended a fascinating Natural History Museum talk on earthworms where we were gladdened to learn there is an Earthworm Society Of Britain.
We'd wondered that there seemed to be more types of earthworm than the brandling and the blackbird's early worm, how many UK species are there? We were pointed in the direction of the free pdf earthworm identification guide available for download, published by the Open Air Laboratories (OPAL) network to identify presumably the 13 most common of the 27 UK species of earthworm. A more comprehensive guide to identifying all 27 species is published by the Field Studies Council. We've set ourselves a challenge to identify the Plot57b species we come across in 2016.
05/04/16 Update: It is now possible to survey your garden or allotment worms for the Earthworm Watch citizen science project.
A serious read & heady debate for today's tea time. Christmas cake was needed.
We look forward greatly to the annual Heritage Seed Library "lottery" of Garden Organic's collection of open pollinated land-race, heirloom varieties and other seed that has been dropped by popular seed-sellers.
This, like all powerful fables, starts with an impelling maxim "For a human character to reveal truly exceptional qualities, one must have the good fortune to be able to observe its performance over many years." The tale is a time-travel odyssey marked by the cumulative effect of a self-appointed man's quiet, determined propagation and planting of trees.
First published in 1954 the book establishes Giono as a futuristic seer. The protagonist, Elzéard Bouffier's evening ritual of sorting out a hundred viable acorns to plant each day whilst shepherding his sheep is a runic charm. It counters the present bleak, desolate discontinuity of a landscape and ecosystem denuded of trees due to historical clearance for agriculture and fuel. In the mystery of these acorn kernels lies the future promise of restoration of natural systems that will support life - flora, fauna and people.
Though set in a valley in the foothills of the Alps in France our own wooded lands have followed a similar historical trajectory as discussed in this article British Forest Landscapes, The Legacy of Woodland Fragmentation' by Kevin Watts, @Watts_km. Trees colonised Britain after the Ice Age, and approximately 6000 years ago 75 % of the landscape was forested. Systematic clearance of the trees began in Neolithic times and by the beginning of the Iron Age, 2500BP, the woodlands had been reduced by 50%. Domesday records, 900BP, show that only 15% of woodland remained. It is currently estimated that there is 13% woodland cover, however this is in main due to afforestation, plantations of exotic conifers, which accounts for over half. Ancient, semi-natural woodland (that which has a continual history from at least the 1600s) which counts for the highest diversity value is extremely fragmented, unfortunately these woods are very small and isolated from each other.
The slim book richly illustrated with wood engravings by Michael McCurdy and printed on heavy stock, held in hand evokes an immediacy to our relationship with trees and wood despite our home environments becoming more and more veneered in man-made materials and distanced from the natural world.
This enchanting allegory should be a prescribed story for primary school pupils. Its a compelling political creed and manifesto that should inform our actions as gardeners and citizens. It is our targeted, determined efforts that will contribute to the cumulative, joined-up effect of planting mixed hedgerows along garden boundaries and at the very least a well-considered tree in each and every garden (even if it is on dwarf rooting stock). We could be more aware of how our councils manage our street trees and planting of public spaces. We could take proactive measures to protect our existing woods against development. We could contribute our time and money to forest restoration projects. We could spend time exploring and experiencing our woodlands.
The Man Who Planted Trees Jean Giono Wood engravings by Michael McCurdy ISBN: 978 07206 1334 6 Peter Owen Publishers<
We chose our no-dig raised veg beds and a flowerbed as sites of different garden management for the Plot57b @EarthwormWatch survey.
We felt a little guilty for hauling out these unsuspecting critters on a cold, soggy morning; the deeper dwelling earthworms promptly removed themselves to depths deeper than the 10cm control depth of the pit. We are interested to find out how the numbers of our earthworms population compare to other gardens and national baselines.
05/04/16 Update: It is now possible to survey your garden or allotment worms for the Earthworm Watch citizen science project.
We signed up the Plot57b garden earthworms for @EarthwormWatch,"A new #CitizenScience project to improve knowledge of how humans affect #earthworms and soil health in the UK." The kit* landed on our doormat today, when the rain abates we'll venture into the mire that is Plot57b and administer the science.
*On reading the destructions it seems the sachets of vinegar and mustard condiments are NOT for wormy spaghetti alla Roald Dahl.
05/04/16 Update: It is now possible to survey your garden or allotment worms for the Earthworm Watch citizen science project.
