Steve’s Blog – Page 3 – Orston Parish Council

A Tale of Three Weekends

Tuesday December 31st, 2019/in Steve's Blog /by Steve Grace

Saturday December 7th
A beautiful, clear blue morning. Unseasonably warm. Walking through the Millennium Green on my usual route along The Smite. Robin, Wren and Long Tailed Tits all extremely vocal for the time of year. As I exit the metal gate on Smite Lane and peer over the bridge (hoping for a glimpse of the Kingfisher!) I hear a sound that lifts my heart – the cascading song of a Skylark! It feels like a spring morning.

Saturday December 14th
Up before the sun. A cold, biting wind. As I walk to the end of The Row and enter the footpath, a lone Robin hops a few feet in front of me. Much to the amusement of my springer, Whisky! I follow it to the end of the path and it flits into the Hawthorn hedge at shoulder height. It sits there and allows me a clear view of it’s beautiful, red breast. I tip my hat and walk on. As I exit the footpath and enter the field I am hit by the force of the wind, charging across the field like an angry stampede. All leaves have been blown away. The oak beside Gibson’s Bridge stands strong, it’s silhouette etched into the clear blue sky.

Later the same day I head out for a run before the sun disappears. The wind is still strong and cold but it is a sunny afternoon. Heading back along The Smite the pale, pink sun lights up the wings of a flock of Fieldfares. There must be 200 or more of these Northern relatives of the Thrush. As the flock disappears an Egret takes flight in a slow, deliberate ascent. As it banks in front of me the sun catches it and it could be a phoenix rising! I follow its arc into the distance on my right and I then catch a ghostly image hunting in a copse of trees. The Barn Owl is out early, 3pm, it must have predicted the heavy rain that arrived later that evening- Barn Owls can’t hunt in the rain as their wings get waterlogged and they are unable to fly.

Saturday December 21st
Heavy rain yesterday. Mill Lane flooded again. Dry and cloudy, but bright. Entering the field I see the extent of the flooding. The fields, dykes and Smite become one. A truly awesome sight. The footpath is muddy but passable. Up on Gibson’s Bridge I’m surrounded by the pale chocolate coloured river. The footpath on the other side is under a few inches of water. As I enter the wooden gate I have to take a left into The Green as the path along The Smite is impassable – even in my wellies! I cut round to the right back onto the river path and it is a bit easier- but still within 2 inches of the top of my boots! I make it to the willow arch and exit the metal gate. The Smite has burst its banks 3 times in the past 5 years. It has now burst its banks 3 times this Autumn/Winter alone. I’ve spoken to other villagers and this appears to be the worst in 30 years. With this in mind we have decided to redesign the eco loo so that it sits up above ground level rather than have a pit dug down that would be a potential flood risk.

The Art of Doing Nothing

Saturday November 30th, 2019/in Steve's Blog /by Steve Grace

The Millennium Green is in good shape. It’s official. The data from this year’s campout shows an increase in numbers for all the wild creatures we monitored on our bat walk, butterfly count and bird identification session. Birds have flown from Africa to spend our summer at the Millennium Green and we’ve recorded five species of bat (one more than last year). I’d love to say that this was due to all the hard work we’ve put in at the organised work parties but in most cases it’s what we, and our neighbours, haven’t done that has made the difference.

Daubenton’s bat is a species that loves nesting in hollow, mature trees – due to the age of the trees on the green I know that they are not nesting on the immediate site but close by in the wooded area just over the Smite. This area was cleared recently but some of the older, dead trees have been left standing – these are now home to bats and I suspect the Tawny Owl that I hear on my evening dog walk. The clearing has also allowed light in so that the show of snowdrops and Aconites was the best I’ve ever seen. The felled trees that have been left lying around are now home to some weird and wonderful fungi too.

Elephant Hawk Moth lays its eggs on Rose Bay Willow Herb – this is missing from the green but a conscientious farmer has left a lovely stand of this impressive wild flower along the banks of the ditch in The Bean Field. These beautiful night-flying moths also visit my garden to feed on my overgrown Honeysuckle – I’m pretty sure they’ve come from this patch too. I’ve found mussel shells in The Smite and on the banks of the Millennium Green. These, and the Crayfish Zara and I spotted sheltering amongst the rocks in The Smite, are key indicator species that show that The Smite is super clean – they simply can’t survive in toxic water. We have to thank Flintham Farms for using less harmful chemicals on their crops, along with whoever made the decision to let the reeds grow further up-stream which helps filter the water as it makes it’s way to The Green.

Let this be an inspiration to you and rather than cut your lawns closely every weekend – let a bit grow long and see what appears. You might be treated to a few wild flowers that will in turn be visited by some mini beasts and butterflies. These will then get snapped up by the birds or used to feed their young. Leave a pile of bricks or logs in the corner and don’t rake up all of your leaves. All of these will help increase biodiversity and encourage more of the larger predators – birds, mammals and butterflies – into your gardens and give you a little bit of pride and a lot of joy.

The Millennium Green is a great place to share with family and friends

Sunday June 30th, 2019/in Steve's Blog /by Steve Grace

The Millennium Green is a great place to share with family and friends of all ages but I’ve been particularly amazed how the children of Orston Primary Forest School have incorporated themselves into their wild surroundings.

6 and 7 year olds have an amazing imagination and you give them a doll or a car and its incredible the scenarios they can come up with. However if they are presented with a stick, well, the potential is limitless. Yes, I have seen gun and sword battles on a weekly basis but I have also seen sticks transformed into a scanner at the local ‘hospital’; for securing the tarp roof of a makeshift shelter; and a tool for mining diamonds beneath the bark of a rotten log.

Den building was another area that I felt I knew all about – however, the structures – of different levels of sophistication – are truly inspiring. There is the aforementioned hospital; a café; a ninja combat base with it’s own time machine made from two hawthorn branches; and the Hollywood school from the Nativity films!

Getting out into the wild opens up, not only possibilities, but our field of vision. Too much of our time is spent indoors looking into a screen – a common complaint I hear from other parents and grandparents. We start to develop a narrow perspective on the world. Spend some time outside and the eyesight becomes keener and we spot things that would normally go unnoticed – from the fleeting glimpse of a passing bird to the miniature world of the ant.

Earlier in the month I was invited to join the 1st Bottesford Beavers to help them with their Environment badge – we had a great evening finding mini-beasts and collecting and identifying all the different leaves from the trees on the site – we finished the session off with a game of sticky wicket.

All of these activities are free and are totally lead by the children – just take them down to The Millennium Green, stand back and see what magical world you are transported to!

1st Bottesford Beavers would like to say thank you to Steve Grace from the MGT for spending a drizzly evening with them teaching them about the flora and fauna on the green.

Modern life is hard

Friday May 31st, 2019/in Steve's Blog /by Steve Grace

Modern life is hard. You wake up on Monday morning with the dread of another week pounding in your chest. Homework, school work, house work. Four missed calls before breakfast and a drive to work bumper to bumper or stuck behind a tractor or cyclist. A pile of emails, text or calls. Facebook notifications, PPI, the latest fashions, all geared up to waste the precious time you have allocated to the task ahead. A member of staff resigns, another calls in sick, the gas man is late or doesn’t even show. You drive home ruminating about the days events, contemplating the state of your life or the loss of a loved one. You arrive through the door to rushed ‘hellos’, dinner before a meeting down The Ox or pass the baton so your spouse can go to the gym. Oh, and the dog needs a walk. Grab the lead, put on your wellies and you’re off – the drive needs weeding, don’t forget the bins. Stomping down Lombard Street, heart beat 101. Slowly the sky opens up and you notice the sparrows chirping and the doves cooing. Turn into The Row and through the footpath. The light through the hedge and the birds flitting purposefully. Alarm calls – is it a warning about a fox or an owl? The footpath opens up and you’re in the field. You watch the clouds drift by and remember long lost childhood days. Over Gibson’s bridge – stop to look out for the kingfisher or maybe the pike, or the mink.

Through the gate and it’s like a trip through the wardrobe into Narnia. The cool of the shade under the arching trees. The river glistening in the low light and rippled by the breeze. The myriad greens and leaf shapes weaving a tapestry from the footpath, up and over your head. Stop by the river, get down low and every sound from outside is barred – only the laughing call of the green woodpecker or the tsee-tsee of the long-tailed tits. Maybe sit in the sunshine on a bench and feel the warmth penetrate your skin – the heat from the wooden seat soak into your legs. The smell of the cow parsley. I would be lost without the Millennium Green. If, like me, you find life a bit tough sometimes – re-wild yourself! Take a walk through the Millennium Green – you won’t be disappointed. It’s better without headphones. Maybe even leave the mobile at home. Get lost in the moment and really appreciate the wild world on our doorstep.

In like a lion and out like a lamb

Sunday March 31st, 2019/in Steve's Blog /by Steve Grace

In like a lion and out like a lamb says the old proverb and this March is no exception. We took the unprecedented decision to cancel the last Millennium Green work party due to high winds, hail and heavy rain – all interspersed by brilliant sunshine! Well the latter half of the month has seen a transformation with a haze of green shoots on the trees and hedges and the arrival of the first – and for me the easiest to recognise – of the warbler family- the chiffchaff.

Now as far as I’m concerned all of the warblers look the same with subtle variations in eye, head or collar markings that is a minefield for a ‘Bird Nerd’ like me. However the key identifying factor is it’s song- it literally sings it’s name – ‘chiff-chaff-chiff-chaff…’ – even my 6yr old daughter has learned to recognise it! Please share your wildlife stories with me and the readers of The Bulletin – we’d love to hear from you. Also, please remember to pick up your dog’s mess on the Millennium Green – I actually ran out of bags at the last Forest School session because I had to pick up so much dog poo! New posters are going up on the gates to remind dog owners that this is a multi-use space and to be considerate.

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