February 2011

We certainly like to talk about the weather don't we and it's certainly one of the topics at Warley Place amongst the volunteers, knowing the impact this can have on the wildlife and the reserve it lives in. Thankfully, no matter what the elements are throwing at us, every Monday the volunteers turn up in the worst of it and are prepared to tough it out. However there is a limit for all of us and on the 17th Jan it was bucketing down with no sign of relenting for the nine foolhardy folk that did turn out in the hope that it might ease off. The consensus was that it probably wouldn't, so we called it a day before getting soaked through. But what dedication this represents, turning out in the coldest and wettest time of the year and still wanting to do their bit.  Hip Hop Hooray to all the volunteers whose help is greatly appreciated and relied upon to make and keep Warley Place as it is today. Recent visitors will have noticed that the tree work is ongoing in the 'Pleasance' (the open area south of the conservatory) with most of the thinning out now completed. Also, some improvement work to the safety railings around the old house cellar area is complete with more robust fencing now in place. Such work of course does cost money and it's through visitors contributions; firewood logs sale; the selling of leaf mould and other initiatives that such projects can be completed. Many thanks to all those who help support this ongoing work for the upkeep of the reserve. Once the snow had disappeared earlier in January the new splendour that Warley Place is well known for was evident in the early beginnings of snowdrops, daffodils and crocuses. Each is pushing shoots up fast all over the place and by the end of January the first snowdrops are now flowering. All being well we shall see a further spread of the crocuses in the East Meadow as has been the case in recent years.  No sign yet of the primroses though. Some of the most obvious wildlife at this time of year are the birds that frequent the reserve and wherever conservation work is being done you can expect a least one robin to be flitting about any turned over undergrowth or fallen branches looking for grubs and insects. Sometimes there are two or three and each will try to chase the other away to protect this potential new source of food. Very much 'I was here first, stay away'. They soon all come back and the survival game continues. Two pairs of mallard duck have been seen on each of the ponds overlooked by the bird hides and, hopefully, this year we will see ducklings as we have in past years. There is also what seems to be a resident pair of moorhens on the South Pond, they have been very successful in the past by raising a least two broods a year, fingers crossed for a repeat this year. A 'drumming' sound heard and which will continue into the spring is the Great Spotted Woodpecker at work; they are often seen on the old Sweet Chestnut trees and the drumming  is their statement "I am the master of this area, keep away from my breeding area". If we look and listen it doesn't take much to realise that spring is on its way and the time of plenty for the wildlife is just around the corner.  Stop Press The Big Cat of Warley Place, well someone saw it from the gorge bridge, looking down to the South Pond, or did they? No doubt a largish mammal was spotted, but was it a fox or a muntjac deer, which are reported as very shy animals, although they have been seen during the day on the reserve. Mmmm we shall have to wait and see for another confirmed sighting.