Red Admiral on a bramble near the Orchid Meadow, 24 June 2020
A few years ago, our treasurer, Judith, was very excited to report that she had found a meadow in Adel Woods which was full of common spotted orchids. None of us knew about it – even though we had been working in the woods for about five years by that time!
Since then FOAW, Steve Joul and various corporate groups have done a lot of work on the meadow which was in danger of disappearing under trees, and himalayan balsam. This is what the meadow looked like in July 2016:
Removing trees from the orchid meadow, 17 July 2016
In September 2018, Steve and one of his volunteers mowed the meadow and I think you will agree that it looked somewhat different!
The orchid meadow, 1 September 2018
That work has paid off as I think that you will agree from the following pictures:
Common spotted orchids: Adel Woods 24 June 2020Adel Woods: 24 June 2020Common spotted orchids: Adel Woods, 24 June 2020Common spotted orchids: Adel Woods 24 June 2020
Your correspondent has never seen a yellowhammer – and quite frankly had no idea what one looked like – but was aware that the call is said to sound like “A little bit of bread and no (or some) cheese”. He was therefore really taken with two pictures of yellowhammers taken by, Diana, one of our volunteers, near her allotment on Eccup Moor Road. I think that you will agree that he or she is a very striking bird.
Here is what Diana says: “I saw it in the hedge on Eccup Moor Road. I am not sure what time of day, but we hear them down the plot singing away most afternoons into the evening. Yellow Hammers have a distinctive call described as sounding like a little bit of bread and some cheeeeese’ It has the rhythm of this phrase with a long whistling note at the end for the word cheese. We recognise their singing then see a flash of yellow of their bright heads speeding by.”
Yellowhammer: Eccup Moor Road, Leeds, 22 June 2020
If you would like to hear their distinctive song, click here to hear the song of the yellowhammer – on the website of british-birdsongs.uk – which is a great resource for learning birdsongs.
If you would like to find out more about yellowhammers, here is the link to the RSPB page.
Interpretational panel to be installed near Adel Crag, and on the path down to the Slabbering Baby
As part of the Meanwood Valley, Wilderness on your Doorstep project, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, three interpretation panels are going to be placed in Adel Woods – similar in style to the one by the Slabbering Baby.
Today, David Preston, the Meanwood Valley Ranger, met with FOAW committee members, Roger, Judith and Rob, to agree the siting of the new interpretation panels – which we are hoping will be installed in the next few weeks.
Pointing to the proposed siting of an interpretation panel by the path leading down to the Slabbering Baby
There are two designs of panel. The design shown at the head of this post will be placed on the path from Buckstone Road down to the Slabbering Baby and on Crag Lane near Adel (or Alwoodley) Crag. The other will be placed on Adel Moor.
The interpretation panel to be sited on Adel Moor
We agreed the panel on Adel Moor will be installed at the north eastern corner of the moor, where various paths converge.
Let’s put it there!
The moor is looking very good at the moment, and it hasn’t been abandoned during covid-19 lockdown. One of our committee members has been pulling bracken, and David Preston will be strimming areas where the bracken has suppressed all other plant life.
Choosing a position for the third panel. Who is that old codger on the extreme right? Oh, it’s me!
We agreed to place the final interpretation panel at the junction of Crag Lane with the path leading up to Adel Crag.
Adel (or Alwoodley) Crag 11th June 2020
We are looking forward to seeing the new interpretation panels in place in the next few weeks.
Friends of Adel Woods 