It looks like Network Rail have listened to councillors and users of the path over the footbridge to Wapley Bushes. They have put in an application to divert the path via a temporary footbridge while they raise the bridge to get clearance for the overhead cables for electrifying the line.

Clearance work has recently started on site and we are now waiting for Network Rail to sort out the details of the paths to make sure that the slope isn’t too steep.

A very busy work morning, as nine of us tackled some major jobs. Tree planting, fruit tree pruning, litter picking, cutting up fallen trees, and hydrological engineering!

We cleared some fallen trees and then tackled the blocked outlet from the Top Pond. To find the blockage we first had to hack our way up through the middle of a hedge:

I think we’ve found the source of the Nile – Dr Livingstone I presume?

The blockage which was making the Top Pond too deep turned out to be fallen tree branches under the water. Some of them were so rotten they looked like been spare parts for the Mary Rose. Eventually we were rewarded with success as the stream started to flow rapidly – we calculated the flow rate as about at around a tonne of water a minute. The pond was already several inches lower when we left – objective achieved.

The stream is now flowing healthily again

Meanwhile our other work parties were pruning back the small fruit trees in the Orchard for the Future and generally tidying up the Nature Reserve. A good morning’s work!

Dodington Parish Council has generously agreed to finance repairing the worst parts of the weather damage on the Nature Reserve. Stone will be put on the mud patches on either side of the bridge between the two meadows, and the worn steps at the bottom of the Lower Path in the main woods are being rebuilt.

Meanwhile the Conservation Group is looking for finance to restore the more extensive lengths of paths within the woods.

This is your chance to burn off some of those Christmas and New Year calories by joining us for our first workday of the new year. We shall be undertaking general management tasks that will help to enhance the
biodiversity of this precious nature reserve. Please wear walking or wellington boots and bring some gloves.

Meet at the Shire Way entrance to the woodland, south Yate, BS37 8US, 10.00am.

Here’s a local resident (Chipping Sodbury actually) to go with our recent sound recording (repeated below) of one of his Shire Way cousins, a short distance from Wapley. The sound recording was made at 11.30 pm. Apparently robins can see well enough to catch insects by street lighting, so they stay up late and only shut up when the street lamps go off. A local friend reports that her neighbourhood robin starts singing at 3.00 am, so either they don’t need much sleep, or they operate a shift system…

This workday will be a morning of general maintenance work and tidying up in the reserve prior to the winter season. Please wear walking or wellington boots and bring some gloves.

Meet at the Shire Way entrance to the woodland, south Yate, BS37 8US, 10.00am.

We had a great owl prowl at Wapley Bushes this evening with Ian McGuire. We saw three tawny owls near the Lower Path, one on its own and a pair. One sat on a branch 20 feet up calling to us, and we also saw them in flight. Thanks for a great event, Ian!

Rather soggy but happy nevertheless – Ian McGuire, his tame owl and the owl prowlers.

The owl prowl was part of South Gloucestershire Council’s Discover Festival. If you missed the Wapley prowl, there’s another one tomorrow (Tuesday 29 October) at Ridge Woods. Meet 7 pm at the Quarry Road entrance. Please wear warm clothes and boots, and bring a torch.

Ian is also running owl prowls on Wednesday at Willsbridge Mill, and on Friday at Coniston Community Centre, Patchway, with a 7 pm start in each case.

We shall undertaking maintenance of this important amphibian site including the cutting back of vegetatio n. Please wear gloves and wellington boots.

Meet at the Scott Way entrance to Kingsgate Park, Scott Way, Yate, BS37 4NW, 10.00am (parking is available at the entrance of Shackleton Avenue).

We shall be carrying out general management works on the reserve including vegetation clearance at this local wildlife haven.

Meet at the Kennedy Way Pond, Link Road, Yate Shopping Centre, 10.00am (parking is available at the Yate overflow car park also on the eastern side of Link Road, BS37 4AY).