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The complete sections of fence
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Chamfered cornering
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Weasel at the traps
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Weasel at the Trap Grounds (photo by Nicola Divine, Friends of the Trap Grounds)
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Frogs mating in the big pond (Photo courtesy of the Friends of the Trap Grounds)
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Rebuilding the vandalised bird hide
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Photo by Nicola Devine (Friends of the Trap Grounds)
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Treecreeper at the Trap Grounds. Photo by Nicola Devine (thanks to The Friends of Trap Grounds)
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Kingfisher at the Trap Grounds. Photo by Nicola Devine (thanks to The Friends of Trap Grounds)
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Path dug out and lined, ready for gravel.
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Finished path - much better access to this lovely reserve.
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Another completed section.
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Rightly proud fencers.
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At the end of the day - digging holes ready trees to be planted.
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A local resident tweets their approval.
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Planting an assortment of saplings: oak, alder, birch, holly, black poplar, cherry
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A kingfisher perch and the waders used to install it
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Discussing Chomsky whilst eating lunch
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Discussing Chomsky, a different point of view
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Clearing junk and digging holes for saplings
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Mary's bonfire
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The dismembered willow
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The newly dug channel in the red bed
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(Thanks to Allan Allport)
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One of the three bonfires (Thanks to Alan Allport)
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Building a temporary bridge (Photo courtesy of Alan Allport, Friends of the Trap Grounds)
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Removing a rusting chassis from Heron Swamp
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Building a barricade by the bird hide
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The plan is to divert the footpath...
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...so that birds have a space to nest close to the pond
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Tea break
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The bird hide becomes a temporary kitchen.
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The finished repair to the bird hide
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Planting shrubs to help protect the Kingfisher bank (Courtesy of Alan Allport, Friends of The Trap Grounds)
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Tea break (Courtesy of Alan Allport, Friends of The Trap Grounds)
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Today we're helping the Friends of the Trap Grounds once again.
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The main lake is in danger of filling entirely with reeds, so we're clearing some out.
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Testing the waters.
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It's a bit deep, we're going to need a boat.
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Work starts on dredging the shallower areas.
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The aim is to drag the reed rhizomes from the lake bottom.
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The piles of reed make great hibernacula for reptile, amphibians and invertebrates.
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Borrowing a useful little boat makes it easier ...
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... to dredge the centre of the lake ...
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... and to dredge from the far bank.
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A boat load of reeds.
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The chest waders were a great help.
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After a lot of dredging ...
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... the lake now has a better chance of surviving, with a substantial area of clear water.
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Since our last visit the Kingfisher bank shuttering has been backfilled with earth...
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... and an attractive pond excavated by digger.
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The sides of the pond are however a bit regular and steep ...
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... so we're helping the Friends in landscaping the pond's perimeter.
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We start digging a shallow bay at the north end of the pond.
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Elsewhere on the site two intrepid volunteers disappear into the undergrowth ...
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... in order to clear the stream that feeds the main lake.
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The stream has become clogged with silt and sticks and needs dredging ...
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... using long-handled forks called cromes.
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Back at the pond the landscaping continues.
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There's a lot of heavy clay to shift ...
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... but the pond's edges are gradually transformed ...
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.. the sides of the pond are now terraced ...
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... and once the water level has risen, the north end will have a shallow inlet ...
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... and a perch, with space for several Kingfishers.
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We're helping the Friends build a Kingfisher bank
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Area in front will be dug out to make a deep pond, the soil will be used to make a near vertical bank
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Today's task is to put up temporary shuttering to support the soil until it has stabilised
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Shuttering to be supported by long posts
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Temporary shuttering made from recycled pallets
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Local resident, a sparrowhawk fledgling, looks on with interest. Do sparrowhawks eat kingfishers?
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Driving in the posts
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Adjusting the angle, the bank is designed to have a slight backwards slope
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Adding supporting struts and preparing turfs
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The shuttering is taking shape
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The turfs, kindly donated by Mobbs of Wheatley, are cut into thinner strips
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The turfs, stacked behind the shuttering, will form the front of the bank, and help to begin the stabilisation
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Tea break
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Close to completion
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A few more turfs to be cut ...
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... a few more turfs to be barrowed ...
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... and a few more turfs to be stacked
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Temporary shuttering from the soon to be deep pond
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Nearly ready for the digger to pile up the soil and make a Kingfisher bank
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Measuring up our little bridge
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A beautifully warm sunny lunch just before the heavens opened
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Banging in the posts for the hand rail
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Stapling down the chicken wire for good grip
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The finished article.
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Bird hide construction
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View from the new bird hide
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The finished bird hide
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View from the bird hide
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The new OCV mini bus
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Magpie
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Bench 1
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Bench 2
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Digging up brambles is fun!
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Taking a moment to contemplate the brambles
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Yes of course I can keep holding this for another 5 mins....hurry up!
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OCV carries out owl maintenance
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Catherine from the Friends of the Trap Grounds
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Tidying up the tools at the end of the day
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Humph... not sure what this is?!?
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Our amazing habitat piles!
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The council van ready to go with mountains of rubbish
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The incredible pile of rubbish
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The council trailer fully loaded with rubbish and ready to go
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Tools talk
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Tea break
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Mike is proudly wearing his new ocv tshirt and has discovered a new way to make tea
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OCV volunteers are attacking the brambles!
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OCV volunteers building a habitat pile
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Council van
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