I arrived about 10 with a good list of things to do, probably far too much for one day, but actually it turned into a very productive day.
Helen extended her training range and walked up to Rais from home, arriving about 1:30 which is a good speed, and in the meantime I cleared the last stumps by the hive, they were all much more difficult to get out than their size suggested, I see why Flee left them! Then I pulled some bracken, in passing, and strimmed, fairly gently, by the yardarm and the paths in anticipation of potential visitors next weekend when we are camping. Next was installing the pallet for our tent doorstep and then lunch!
Helen had arrived by now and started to move some primroses on the bank Ant has now cleared over by our tent and I carried on by clearing brambles and stumps by the shower. An hour or so of that made some progress so we called it a day
On the wildlife side there was again no sign of the rat, looks like he has moved on and the Great Tit nest box by the yardarm has hatchlings in. I've realised I've not seen or heard the buzzards for several weeks. One of the doves which I think are nesting in the owl box was behaving oddly, he was sitting on the ground and while he would fly away, it was only if you got very close.
(update Monday lunchtime: he is clearly sick, still on the ground and now falling over if walking too fast and not able to fly away)
Update: Tuesday Lunchtime: he's come to a sticky end!
A survey of the oak saplings showed most are looking very healthy although there is one casualty by at the top of the wood. By the Hive one has been quite badly eaten, so I closed off the top of the cover (interesting that something could get in there) one is a bit sad looking but it is probably the most shaded and one is very feeble but that is the natural seeded one that we put a cover around.
