November

There is good news for the bird watchers who come to Warley Place.  The North Hide now has two Perspex windows so that it is possible to watch the pond without having to open the shutters, although they can be opened if required.  This will be warmer in the winter and may cause less disturbance to the birds.  I believe the South Hide will soon be fitted out in the same way.  Thank you Richard for installing these, it will be so much safer than blundering around in the darkened hide.    Looking at the pond by the north hide really demonstrates how short of water the reserve is.  The rainfall over the last month has been very low and one little beech tree near the gorge has died in the drought.    The last week has shown a real change in the leaf colours and suddenly copper brown is to be seen everywhere.  The walk along by the Spanish Chestnuts is covered in russet brown leaves which are lovely to crunch through.  Get there before the volunteers sweep them up.   Tree surgeons have been working in the reserve and have reduced the weight at the top of a beech tree near the Terrace and taken out some sycamores with split trunks that were in danger of falling down suddenly.  Once they are cleared the view of the daffodil bank will open up further improving the view from the top of the slope.   This time of year is good for getting at those long rooted docs and dandelions that like to grow in the walled garden.  We are able to work on these beds briefly before the bulbs start to develop for the spring.  It will be a battle to get this huge task finished before any possible snow, thinking back to last winter.  We have also been working hard to clear the east meadow of ragwort.  We thought we had cleared it last year but what with seeds already in the ground and also blowing from the field on the other side of the main road we really didn't stand a chance.  Still, maybe next year?   This topsy turvy season got me looking for flowers around the reserve and my attention was drawn to a little shiny lesser celandine blossoming near the conservatory.  Many of the flowers are on plants that are just extending their flowering time, but it was very strange to see the confetti of white holly flowers below one of the trees in the drive.  What will happen next year, will it flower again in the spring and will it have berries next autumn?   There is another group of cows with their calves grazing the fields briefly.  Do be careful where you tread when coming through the field (cowpats) and remember to shut all gates.