Low Moor and Oakenshaw Wildlife

Since 2016 in a damp area at Toad Holes Beck there has been a good population of Southern Marsh orchids peaking at 8 during 2017. However, I have noticed over the years that this area has become overgrown with Brambles, Nettles and Himalayan balsam and in 2019 none of these beautiful orchids could be found.

So on Saturday it was our group’s work day and we teamed up with Peter Gurney and Tia from YWT to tackle the problem. The first phase carried out by Peter was to strim the area of Bramble etc and then we all got to work raking away all the cuttings.

Naturally wildlife was never far away with Tia observing a possible Field Vole, then a Queen bee ( possible Buff -tailed ) was found, observed and put back quickly followed by a calling Great Spotted Woodpecker.

A special thank you to our friends from the YWT for their help and equipment and the tea and biscuits!!!

So in spring we will monitor the area and cut if required and fingers crossed the southern’s will return.

It was certainly wellington weather today as I walked the patch. Caldene fields were soaked with water and mud which attracted 2 feeding Pied Wagtails. The path into Raw Nook NR was totally flooded but unfortunately the storm had brought down a Goat Willow tree.

However, there was good news and bad news as the pond is back to it’s fullest….just like the old days. But sadly I know that because of the leak in the pond it will soon dry out. This will be devastating news for spawning frog this spring if that happens….

At Toad Holes Beck there is to be a new wildlife hedge planted on land which is owned by the Woodlands cricket club just off the footpath leading to Dyehouse road.

Today I met Stuart Tordoff groundsman at Woodlands on the site and gave him a hand digging over the soil. Stuart was telling me that there is about 150 sapling to be planted. These will consist of Hawthorn, Field Maple and Blackthorn. All of these trees/shrubs will be excellent for increasing bio-diversity in the area…

Also in the autumn our group could under plant the hedge with spring bulb and wild flowers to enhance the hedge further….So well done Stuart and a big thank you to Woodlands cricket club!

On Saturday our group cleared over growing vegetation from a footpath at Toad Holes Beck that runs at the back of the pond. It was a lovely but cold morning but we all soon got warm as some tackled the Bramble and other started litter picking.

The path was given a good make over and is now ready for Spring.

We all had a nice treat when a low skein of Pink-footed geese flew over to the S/W. Also I noticed in an area that we had cleared of Himalayan balsam in the summer a nice patch of new Rushes that had appeared. I have checked them out and believe they maybe Jointed Rush Juncus articulatus However, I have contacted Peter Gurney from YWT who is more botanically minded than me for his opinion.

Our friends at the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust have been busy recently installing sign and rubbing posts at Raw Nook Nr.

You can find a number of these posts around the site all depicting wildlife that can be found at the site including Brown Hawker dragonfly and six-spot Burnet moth.