Monthly Archives: February 2020

We were meant to work on the Hospice Woodland last Sunday, but adjourned the work party to today due to the anticipated wind and rain from Storm Dennis. In fact, last Sunday morning turned out to very pleasant weatherwise in Alwoodley – despite havoc created by the storm in other parts of the country.

Last night, your correspondent wondered whether he should adjourn again in the light of continued heavy rain and the promise of very high winds and further downpours in the next week, but decided to make a decision at 8 am this morning.

When the blinds were raised this morning, there was little wind and no rain, and so the decision was made to load up and make for the woods.

Actually, nine of us turned up to work on the Hospice Woodland – which is a sign of the dedication, commitment and enthusiasm of our amazing volunteers.

The task was to clear the brambles which are growing over the trees. This is something we have been doing for a number of years, and the woodland is looking a lot better for it.

It turned out to be a lovely morning. The sun came out and there wasn’t a drop of rain, or a gust of wind.

On the way back to the carpark, one of our volunteers was heard to say that coming out in the woods makes her feel insanely happy! One cannot ask for much more in life!

I am delighted to record this report of a sighting of a barn owl near Adel Church, sent to me by Alan Yarker.

“Just coming back from checking the cows at 9.45am this morning, back via Adel church, and there was a Barn Owl, hunting / quartering across the field just in front of the church. No doubt hungry after the few awful days of weather. 

“It eventually flew off in the direction of Adel Mill down to the stream.
Ironically those fields, left fallow as they argue over what is to be built, are providing some good hunting habitat.

“The barn owl was still hunting at the field 3pm. This time I took my camera. Quite a distance away, but got some reasonable shots. Bit of a scrap with a Buzzard.

“With that bad weather passing, raptors were everywhere, within the fields around the church – sparrow hawks, kites, buzzards, kestrel and barn owl. They must be really hungry. Those fields set aside for building have proved a magnet.“

When we surveyed the nest boxes on 19th January, we found that the nest box by the bridge over Nanny Beck near Adel Pond was missing. The nail on which it hung was still there, but there was no trace of the wood crete nest box.

This next box site is a special one because nuthatches have nested there several times in the last ten years.

Steve mentioned that we could replace the missing box with one of our spare wooden boxes (each year we take away the nest boxes which are beyond repair and replace them with a refurbished one). However, we forgot to do it. Actually, a more honest reason in my case was that I was desperate for my lunch and deliberately did not remind Steve that we needed to put one more nest box up.

Yesterday, it was a beautiful day and David agreed to help me and we returned to Nanny Beck and put up our wooden nest box.

It should be numbered 38, but it is identified by the name “Louisa D” painted on the side – this being the name of a young lady who helped to make some nest boxes 22 January 2011. This particular nest box used to hang in a tree to the left of the Slabbering Baby.