Nature Notes

I guess that we have just experienced one of the wettest autumns for some time, but we must consider ourselves fortunate not to have been flooded out. A couple of years ago, under the guidance of B.T.C.V., some of us helped to clay-puddle the pond at The Outspan. Jean told me that the project has been largely successful, although she does wonder whether some of the plants growing in the pond may have ruptured the clay as the water-level did drop considerably in the summer, despite all the rain. Four carp were introduced, but have not been seen since. Heron's footprints have been observed in the mud at the water's edge. Could there be a connection?

The Oldmans' pond at Bunbury Common appears to have been an annexe for a young moorhen. A single chick was brought to the pond by a parent and a nest carefully constructed for its use among the irises growing in the water. The adult then departed, leaving the young bird to fend for itself, and there it stayed for some weeks until a wet spell caused the water to rise and flood the nest, whereupon the youngster departed, probably back to its original home on the Fishers' pond.

Perhaps after all the rain of early autumn, November will be full of sunny days!

Sue Netherton