Saturday 8th October 2005- Sage Boundary Brook Work Party. This year's autumn work party found us attending to a young hazel hedge in the newer area of the Nature Park. To protect the hedge from any keen weeds that might think about taking over, it had been planted through a fibrous membrane, which will also allow rain through but keep moisture in the soil from evaporating, and we spent a couple of hours cutting back bramble and mulching over the top with a couple of inches of chipped wood (provided by various local sources) making sure that any growing tips on the hazels weren't smothered. We had various discussions about the pros/cons of wheelbarrows vs 4 wheel trolley for transporting said chippings over allotment terrain (great load in trolley but can't beat satisfying `tippability' of a wheelbarrow); the cause of the few gaps in the hedge already (had the plants died or been pulled out by local muntjak deer?) and the pleasing look of earth ground into boots and new gloves, proving what hard work one had done…. Tea and apple cake, brewed in the education hut, was much welcomed, then in the drizzle we did a little weed digging to renovate a path, before the rain really got the better of us.

The park is really beginning to show its lovely autumn colours and produce - crimson and scarlet leaves & berries of the guelder rose as if racing to be first to show off its colours; the deep black buckthorn berries, a few blackberries still looking tempting, the hawthorns dotted with dark red fruits, and the always slightly outrageous pink and orange of the spindle seed pods. Some of the less obvious seeders also caught my eye - the delicate dandelion-like Hawkweed seeds patiently waiting to be blown away, and the trumpet seed pods of the not-so-glamorous Rosebay Willowherb (or Fireweed) announcing its seeds to the world.

During the afternoon we met frogs a-plenty of various sizes and had to take care when weeding and digging that they were jumping away from, rather than into, the danger zones. The autumn spiders were in evidence (they may not be everyone's favourite bit of wildlife, but their webs and body-paint have to be admired, if you can get that close!) There was also excitement as a cry of `was that a parrot?' went up (not such a daft question as there have been sightings of the local East Oxford Parakeet) - Spider

but as we peered into the thicket after it, there flew out the green-yellow-red flash of a green wood-pecker. Well spotted Elaine!

Our next work party will be in the New Year - opportunity for warming-up mid-winter. The Oxford Urban Wildlife Group also hold their work parties on alternate Sundays, and the next Boundary Brook Open Day is on Sunday 30th October 2-4pm. Do visit to explore the area, with guided walks, pond-dipping, and plant & book-stalls.