Around Ellingham Drove

 28th Oct 11.15 30 mins litter pick to road entrance and along Ellingham Drove going west, then through pedestrian entrance near A338 and back round Ellingham Pound.  Also visited Tern and Ivy N hides during the day, no litter found.

Nicky

Ponies off-site

All 6 NF ponies have been collected by the grazier and are off site for winter. They’ve done a marvellous job keeping the vegetation in check around Ibsley Water’s shoreline, and along with mowing and brushcutting works, allow sensitive flowers such as bee orchids to flourish, whilst providing grazing habitat for geese and ducks. The ponies will be back again in May next year. Thanks again to Lynn for helping with the lookering! 

 26/10/2024  9.00 - 13.00  Blashford North     Section of oak tree cut up by gate to north side had been moved into the parking area. Managed to shift it back closer to the other sections but not back into it's original position. May need further adjustment. Otherwise hides and paths seem OK except for puddles still on path to Goosander. Hampshire gate open onto shore north of Goosander hide - ?intentional.  No ponies seen in sections 2 and 3 from the hides. But did see a car and trailer inside the gate at the end of Ellingham Drove when I left  just after 13.00. ?They might have had a long walk to the top end of section 2!!!!!!

Ellingham loop

 Mon 21st Oct 11am 1 hr round Ellingham Lake.  No litter. Cut nettle and bramble esp near southern bench and on eastern path.

Nicky

 19/10/2024  9.00 - 13.00  Blashford North. Recommendation: service leaf blower!!! New season imminent!  Drainage ditches needed for puddles on path to Goosander. Black plastic trim and two extra perches at Goosander Hide still to do. 

6 ponies seen in section 1. Birders and photographers increasing - travelling from some distance. Female Ruddy duck and Red Crested Pochard x3 reported on Ibsley.

October 9th 2024 Centre to Ivy South, boardwalk, Ellingham west path, Pound, north side, Goosander. then Ivy North and Tern Hides.

Willow Hut inundated with everything except willow! Not sure what the policy is with the structure. Quite happy to spend a shift clearing bramble and nettles from it. Nothing else to report apart from a pair of Green Sandpipers at Goosander and a singleton at Tern Hide. Strongly suspect 3 birds. The windows in Goosander need easing. Opening them causes some bird disturbance.

 12/10/2024  9.00 - 13.00  Blashford North  Usual bramble and nettle trim. Much less growth at last. However nettle encroachment on paths to Lapwing hide need extra attention. Obvious signs of inappropriate use of hides. Probably Goosander. 10+ beer cans plus food /smoking waste?  left just before gate onto the road. Early visitors to the hide during the week reported 3 lads leaving and smoking/drug/vaping aromas in hide.

6 ponies seen moving between sections 2 and 1 on western shore. Gt Crested Grebe eating a large fish in front of Goosander, eventually managed it!! Bird numbers on Ibsley increasing.

 05/10/2024  9.30 - 13.15  Blashford North.  Usual trimming. Nettles on east and west paths to Lapwing will need a cut back fairly soon. Hides appear OK. 6 ponies seen in section 1 on western shore.           Great clearance in front of Lapwing Hide. ? On the eastern shore just the spit between Goosander and Lapwing to do now.  

Goosander Hide busy. Several regulars there who 'bombarded' me with requests!! I said I would pass them on.

1. Please could the black plastic along the top of the sand martin wall on the left side be trimmed. When it flaps in the wind it disturbs the perching kingfishers.

2. Please could we replace the two extra perches that have now gone. One on the right-hand side, 2-3 metres left of the new one that was replaced on Tuesday. And one on the left-hand side at the end of the wall.

Sightings of note: Several Fly Agaric along the verges on the eastern path to Lapwing hide. Two good sized flocks of Lapwing - one on Spit Island and one on the shore to the south of the island.

October 4th 2024 From Centre to Ivy South, thence via boardwalk to circle Ellingham Lake and Pound. Finishing at Tern Hide

All litter free and paths open. Plenty of fungi to be seen (including the pathogen fungus Chondrostereum purpureum. See pic) and a few Dragonflies around Ellingham. Willow Hut getting unindated with nettles and brambles. Off site at 12.30.

3rd of October To Tern, round Ellingham Lake and back via Ivy South and Woodland hides

 A visitor reported seeing a man and woman acting "suspiciously" near the main entrance so I went for a look which turned into a litter pick and a bit of cutting back. Good news first: nobody dodgy as far as I could tell and very little litter, bad news: none. Pleasant autumn afternoon.