Feeding birds plus start of annual foliage clearance work..

Monday November 18th 2019

Arrived school 8am and headed to wildlife area…

First job as usual was refilling bird feeders plus brushing debris off seating and tables …after sorting bird food containers ready for next week I began some annual foliage clearance work…had filled 3 large garden waste bags by the time Colin arrived to help..

He went off to refill the water butts alas unable to do this as hose pipe  attachment on tap has gone missing!

Colin emptied the 3 bags of waste plus the wheelbarrow load I’d also pulled out then we both spent rest of work session pulling out nettles,grass and unwanted weeds from areas below the steps near the shed..

We must have between us filled 20+ large bags of green waste  which have now been added to various compost bins..however there is still lots more clearance work to do which we usually manage to complete before the school Christmas holidays!

Wildlife seen this morning included a robin and a large frog..

Chris unable to help this morning as had an appointment.

Chilly but sunny weather though ground became muddier the more greenery we removed !

 

Feeding birds,pruning,coppicing,sweeping and chopping back etc

• Monday November 11 th 2019

Rain and windy forecast for this morning nevertheless I made a flask of coffee and headed on  up to school ie 45 steps 👍🏻

On arrival I went through school to the wildlife area and had completed my usual first  few tasks ie refilling bird feeders,sweeping tables and seating and sorting bird food ready for next work session before Colin arrived just before 9am..

Colin swept the leaves off the boardwalk around the pond…we discovered 3 damaged boards which need replacing ASAP…he also took down the cotoneaster branches ( unnecessarily pruned by caretaker recently😡)  to the nearest wood pile and pruned the rest of the buddleia by the outdoor classroom seating area

Heavy rain shower resulted in us going back up steps to shelter and have early coffees in the shed!

Chris arrived to help us as the rain eased off …Chris pruned back a very tall plum or possibly greengage tree then coppiced  a nearby tall hazel …Colin was busy cutting up the tree prunings and  adding them to the woodpile..

I chopped back all the wild Michaelmas daisies alongside the steps and top path plus pulled out alexanders growing in the copse by the pond…green waste added to compost bin nearby

After another coffee and catch up we discussed possible  jobs for next few work sessions and then  left early for our homes 😇

 

Rain stopped work again…

Monday November 4th 2019

Light rain forecast so I thought it ok to go up to work at school earlier this morning…arriving just after 8am I headed through school to the wildlife area..

First job as usual was refilling all the bird feeders plus sweeping leaves and bird poo off all the seating and tables…

Back at the shed by the time the rain started..I refilled the bird food containers ready for next Monday then alas the rain became heavier so I sheltered in the shed..

As I was considering leaving for home Colin arrived so we managed to shelter together and have an early coffee….when rain eased off we had a walk around the pathways and were surprised when Chris arrived to join us…still drizzly and too wet underfoot to work so we headed to Chris’s covered seating near the wildlife pond for coffee and biscuits and a catch up!

Wildlife seen this morning included a robin,grey squirrel and a magpie which was feeding on one of our nearby birdfeeders

Hoping weather next Monday will be dry as there’s so much more of our annual autumn clearance work still to be done in the wildlife area and at the front of school

Feeding birds,pruninng buddleias,repairs etc

Monday October 28th 2019

Dry autumnal weather for our work session this morning..

On arrival around 8am I headed to the school wildlife area and began work by refilling the bird feeders plus mixing 6 tubs of bird food ready for next 6 weeks..I also swept all the seating and tables

When Chris arrived we moved around a dozen bags of leaves etc ..these have now been spread along the pathways in the wildlife area

Rest of works session spent pruning back the buddleias near our shed plus Chris also repaired one of the pallet compost bins

NB Discovered once again school caretaker has chopped back a lovely shrub and left cut branches for me to remove again ie it was growing by the playground steps…it was covered in berries and only needed light prune!

Feeding birds ,pruning and tidying…

Monday October 21st 2019

Dry,sunny morning though very wet underfoot following several  recent wet weather days..

Although half term school holidays Chris and I were both working at school this morning..

I arrived at school just before 8am…went to school wildlife area where I refilled the bird feeders and swept the outdoor seating and tables..after sorting bird food ready for next week I headed to the front of school to wait for Chris…..

We spent over an hour chopping back buddleias in the nursery outdoor area plus clearing away 2 lots of prunings chopped back and thrown onto bushes for school caretaker…..we also picked up a considerable amount of litter off the school field😡

Back in the wildlife area we stopped for well deserved coffee break before locking up and leaving early as Chris had kindly offered to help me with some tree pruning at my home👍🏻😇

 

Left early after soaking by heavy downpour….

Monday 14th October 2019

After last week’s work session being cancelled due to wet weather I had hoped this week we’d actually manage to get some gardening done..

Alas no …I arrived at school just after 8am,headed to the wildlife area where I refilled all the bird feeders and swept the seating and tables ..

Decided just before 9am to go to front of school in case any new volunteers ie parents were waiting for me ..no one around and as the sky was overcast and rain due I went back to the shed in the school wildlife area …messaged Chris to tell him not to come due to deteriorating weather …decided to prune back overhanging brambles along top path and tree saplings in far copse..

Unfortunately I got drenched in heavy downpour !!!

 

 

Lone volunteer today but promise of a new volunteer next week ..

Monday September 30th 2019

Just me working/ volunteering at school in wildlife area and also gardening planted beds at front of school this morning ..

Arrived school 8am began by refilling all the bird feeders around the school wildlife area…also brushed all the seating in and around the wildlife area

Gathered tools in wheelbarrow  and headed off to work on planted beds at front of school by 8.50am …spent 3 hours lone working ie clearing and pruning back on large bed just by front gate …again pulled out hundreds of field maple and blackthorn seedlings…3 large tubs of gardening waste added to compost heap on corner bed in car park

Also had brought wallflower and viola plants from home which were added to planters and pots at front of school plus to various pots in wildlife area near shed..

NB there are lots of bulbs and perennials on the front bed by gate so really need now to keep it as weed free as possible plus maybe add more planted pots ,perennials ,shrubs,daffodil bulbs,polyanthus etc

Met Sarah a parent and TCS Director …she is DBS checked and will be joining our volunteer team next Monday at 9 am 👍🏻 HOORAY🙂

Another parent also complemented me on the planted beds …said she might also be able to help….