Sunday 20 February 2011: And they all live in little boxes!

On his way to the picnic area, Ian captured this image of a blue tit examining one of the nest boxes which we put up last year on Crag Lane.  Nice one!

Saturday 12 February 2011: The Stairfoot Lane Steps.

The finished steps leading down from the Stairfoot Lane carpark to the stream.

 

Thank you BTCV, you have done a fantastic job!

Saturday 5 February 2011: The last nest box.

David and I popped out this afternoon to put up the last nest box which we made on 22 January.

This one was made to BTO dimensions and was not as deep as the the rest which we made to RSPB specifications.  In consequence the metal entrance hole plate did not go over the entrance hole and we had to redrill it.

It is just off the Meanwood Valley Trail, below the cricket ground.

Wednesday 2 February 2011: Thanks BTCV!

 

Thank you to BTCV for the fantastic work they are doing in putting some steps into the path down from Stairfoot Lane car park to the stream.  This is an established footpath which has fallen into disrepair over recent years.

This picture, taken at the beginning of a four day project,  does not really do justice to how steep this footpath is.

 

 

This work is being done at the request of FOAW and Leeds City Council is providing the materials and BTCV the labour.

 

This picture is taken at the beginning of day 2 of a four day project.

Tuesday 1 February 2011:

A big thank you to George who took the smaller TV’s to the tip today and other stolen property with them to the police station.

Saturday 29 January 2011: It’s litterpicking good!

An extraordinary 14 Friends – an extraordinary  number and 14 extraordinary people – took part in an ad hoc litterpick this morning and made a really good job picking up many bags of litter.  Thank you to everyone – the woods look a lot better than before, and I am sure that the hedgehogs, squirrels and other animals in the woods really appreciate the improvement!

Someone had generously dumped 3 old televisions at the side of Crag Lane which we decided to leave till a later date.

Saturday 22 January 2011: Nest boxes.

Seven of us spent the afternoon putting up 19 nest boxes along the Meanwood Valley Trail and a bat box (with the batboxes we put up last year).

We put up 1 robin box, 1 starling box and 17 titboxes – with a variety of sizes of entrance holes.

Saturday 22 January 2011: If I had a hammer!

An enjoyable morning making 19 tit boxes under the expert tutellage of Steve Joul!

A big thank you to Leeds City Council for providing the wood, to Andrew Jellings for cutting the planks to the correct size, and to Ian Hamilton for drilling all the holes.

But chiefly a big thank you to everyone who turned up and made the morning a great success.

Saturday 11 December 2010: He rocks in the tree tops all day long!

A very happy and enjoyable afternoon surveying the boxes which we put up in January.  Of twelve boxes inspected, eight had nests in them

Saturday 11 December 2010: Are you hanging out your garland on the wall? It’s the time when ev’ry Santa has a baw-aw-aw-all!

I know the lyrics are slightly wrong, but we had a great morning making Christmas garlands and yule logs under the tutellage of Steve Joul.  Even your reporter, who only managed to hammer in one nail when making bird boxes in January,  was able to complete a very presentable garland which is now hanging by the front door.

Thanks are due to Old Leo’s Rugby Club who gave us the use of their bar and tea and coffee making facilities.