FLORA & FAUNA (... & FENCING)
Those who have only visited the Museum site on Operating Days may not have appreciated that one of the attractions of the site is the peace and quiet of the countryside. Unless someone starts a bus it is usually tranquil and attracts a lot of wildlife. In recent months bird feeders have been provided just outside the mess room and these have provided mealtime entertainment with a good variety of visiting species. This has also provided a new insight in to our membership; we now know that Mike Jordan hates squirrels. Quite apart from the birds that visit the feeding station the site is used by several other birds, including robins which have successfully raised broods inside the Scania Hall (and set off the burglar alarm in the process). Herons, mallards and green woodpeckers are regularly observed and it has been suggested the buzzards often seen circling over the site are looking for an easy meal on our site. Sparrowhawks have been seen to reduce the local wood pigeon population by at least two. Other than birds, rabbits are being seen increasingly often and a hedgehog has recently had to be rescued from the pit.
Between making observations on the wildlife some work does get done. Cliff has finished off the block paving outside the Shire Hall and also provided shelving and hooks in what was previously the ladies' loo to store bus washing equipment. He has also landscaped the strip between the new ramp to the Scania Hall and our boundary so it can be seeded with grass.
Although not quite of Forth Bridge proportions, the job of fence painting seems never ending. Geoff Hodkinson has recently completed a section by the staff car park and Maurice Collignon continues another section near the EMES clubhouse.
As always, routine site maintenance takes a lot of effort, with Mick Doolan and Mick Green in particular often seen sweeping up. Our colleagues in EMES have continued their good work in keeping the grass under control. To this end a new lawn mower was purchased by the Museum for their use at the start of the season, replacing two mowers of differing degrees of decrepitude.
Phil Ireland
Chapel Lane, Wythall, Worcs B47 6JX
Tel : 01564 826471 e-mail us
A registered educational charity no 507191
