August 2023

The Little Egret was still at the lake on 28th, when I did the bird count. There was also a lone Gadwall here.

The clean and tidy brigade had cleared the self-established plants below the Leylandii hedge around the athletics stadium, so taking away species that would provide a replacement once the conifers are removed and leaving the gaunt lower parts of the Leylandii in full view of those using the paths. At the same time the "wildflower" plots around the eastern sides of the Great Field were rich in perennial native plants: docks, thistles, Mugwort, Wild Carrot, Bristly Ox-tongue and Red Clover. These species flower somewhat earlier than the tall, exotic annuals that comprise the seed mix and compete with them to deplete their display. Whilst this might reflect a poor seed mix, I think it's just natural ecology. It would be interesting to rotovate new plots to see if a newly rotovated area allows the exotics to do better. In contrast with this, the northern mound by the Revelstoke Road car park was looking much as it should, with a good variety of exotics (and a few natives) beginning to flower well. The untidy flower plots around the Hornbeam whips beside the perimeter path were showing some of the seeds from the "meadow mix" there, in fact native cornfield annuals: Corn Marigold, Cornflower, Corn Chamomile, Corncockle, Poppy, and the odd one out: Verbena bonariensis. The Railway Poplars north of the Revelstoke Road car park were being trimmed, as is necessary to keep them safe. There were few native wildflowers showing. The ubiquitous Black Horehound was in flower, as were seveal other species in the veteran oak enclosure.

The gates of the park were opened at 06:50, allowing much recreational activity before the working day began. A welcome move.