Clearing up after the floods

The students from Abingdon and Witney College set to with great enthusiam and goodwill as usual to help clear up the aftermath of the flooding around the reedbed. Rolls of wire that we had removed earlier in the winter were stacked up at the edge to make nesting habitat for small birds.  

 

 

 

 

Then they raked up a huge pile of reed debris that had been washed up by the water.

This area of grassland had a good showing of yellow rattle last summer

so, hopefully, now the debris has been removed it will be able to grow again this year. After lunch they collected several bags of plastic tree shelters, empty bottles and assorted plastic items, old shoes etc that had been dumped by the flood water. They were most fascinated by all the bones they found and thought they might recreate their own animal skeleton.

The Thursday gang also tackled clearing up jobs and had a surprisingly enjoyable and satisfying day. Ian and Colin creating a bit of extra parking space for when the group meets,

 

 

Ian carting all the bags of rubbish that the students had collected back to my car (anyone got a truck going spare?),

Ian putting up some nest boxes

and finding an old coconut, not you this time Ian!