Latest News from Kirkstead Old Mill Cottage Woodhall Spa

Well! What Happened to October?

Here's the competition that you can still enter:

 I intended to invite you to name the species of bumblebee that is obviously finding its meal inside this pretty yellow lantern BUT this is the reply I got from the Bumblebee Conservation Trust that I have supported now for many years:

Dear Barbara,

Thank you for contacting Bumblebee Conservation Trust and sharing your photos. It’s great to hear about your garden providing food for bees throughout the year, and also how you promote bumblebees and their conservation to your guests.

Bumblebee identification can be especially tricky at this time of year, when the bumblebees are starting to look quite old and tatty. As the season progresses, bumblebees can become sun-bleached causing their colours to fade. They also begin to go bald, and their shiny black exoskeleton shows through. To find out more about what happens when bumblebees get old and lots of other interesting things please see our website: https://www.bumblebeeconservation.org/old-bumblebees/   

The bees in your photos all look like Common carder bees (Bombus pascuorum). This species is quite variable and comes in lighter and darker forms. You can find out more about common carder bumblebees on our website here: https://www.bumblebeeconservation.org/ginger-yellow-bumblebees/common-carder-bee/

This year, Bumblebee Conservation Trust launched our own campaign called Bee the Change which gives people lots of quick, simple ways to make their local areas more bumblebee-friendly, from planting flowers to spreading the word about bumblebees and why they are important. There are lots of free resources on our Bee the Change hub, including a ‘Big 8: Common UK bumblebees’ spotter sheet to help with basic identification, and several gardening guides.

For example:

https://www.bumblebeeconservation.org/beethechange/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Big-8-Common-Bumblebees.pdf

https://www.bumblebeeconservation.org/beethechange/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Gardening-Bumblebees-Getting-Started.pdf

https://www.bumblebeeconservation.org/beethechange/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/October-Bumblebee-Menu.pdf

You are very welcome to download, print and share any of the free downloads with your guests. You can find lots of resources and information on our Bee the Change page here: https://www.bumblebeeconservation.org/beethechange

I hope that this helps,

Best wishes,

Annie Ives

Information Officer

01786 594 128

Working days: 9am-5pm, Mon - Fri

Bumblebee Conservation Trust

Charity Number 1115634 (England & Wales) SC042830 (Scotland)

www.bumblebeeconservation.org

 2021 is the year to ‘Bee The Change’! Pledge your support and discover lots of FREE resources to help bumblebees in your local area.

So - now all you need to do is name the climbing plant that is on the front wall of the Cottage.  And here is another clue to help you:

The competition will be closing at the end of November, please email your answers to [email protected].

Thank you, 

Barbara

Competition Results! [September Draw]

Thank you to all of you who considered entering the September competition. 

Here are the results.

Please stay tuned for more competitions.  The October one will feature one of the

bee-friendly climbers that is currently blooming on the front of the Cottage,

plus a reply from the Bee Conservation Trust that I support.

Barbara

 

Peacock Butterfly [Inachis io]                                  Clouded Border Moth [Lomaspilis marginata]

     

Speckled Wood [Pararge aegeria]                                      Blue-tailed Dragonfly [Ischnura eleganas]

     

Orange-tip [Anthocharis cardamines]                                Peacock Butterfly [Inachis io]

     

 

I've congratulated Jackie, who sent me the only entry, for getting 5 correct, and she

has chosen a selection of cheeses from Lyme Bank Farm here in lovely Lincolnshire.

September Insect Competition

These are the 6 images from my latest newsletter featured in the Mailchimp banner, can you identify them? 

To enter this competition, please email [email protected] with your answers no later than midnight on Thursday the 30th of September 2021

If you, or someone you know, would like to join my Mailchimp newsletter list, please click here to sign up. I will not share any email addresses with 3rd party companies. 

THE LINCOLNSHIRE NATURALISTS’ UNION AND A FIELD MEETING TO KIRKSTEAD OLD MILL

The LNU was founded in 1893 and members study the wildlife and geology of Lincolnshire by holding indoor and outdoor meetings, supply information, publish books, exhibit and provide learning opportunities. Many of the members have a specialist interest in areas such as insects, mammals, birds, botany and fungi and they strive to ensure that the distribution of these species groups are well known in the county. Over 840 field meetings have been held around the county and the visit to Kirkstead Old Mill, courtesy of Barbara Hodgkinson, was the latest one to be held.

The field meeting to Kirkstead Old Mill took place on 15^th August 2021 and it was a completely new location for the LNU. Thirteen LNU stalwarts attended who were led by Brian Hedley on a dry, warm and sunny day and we even had refreshments provided at the end of the meeting including cake!  Areas looked at included the large wildlife-friendly garden plus additional areas of grassland and woodland alongside the River Witham.  Permission was also given to look at some adjacent arable land for plants.

At least 160 plant species were recorded in the different habitats and included Common Cudweed, Frogbit, Greater Duckweed, Marsh Woundwort, Smith's Pepperwort, Common Fiddleneck and Field Madder.  Four plant specimens were collected for the LoveLincsPlants herbarium project comprising two plants each of Field Madder (see photograph below) and Bugloss.

Thirty-six bird species were heard or seen including Little Egret, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, Kingfisher, Yellow Wagtail, Yellowhammer and Bullfinch. The River Witham will be a migration route for many birds.

Butterflies were abundant (helped by the profusion of Buddleia around) with 16 species noted including Purple Hairstreak, Painted Lady, Essex Skipper and Brown Argus.  Moths included Dingy Footman, Silver Y, Latticed Heath, Straw Dot and caterpillars of both Cinnabar and Buff-tip.  Ten species of dragonflies and damselflies were noted including at least 15 Willow Emerald Damselflies (another new Lincs site for this recent colonist, see photograph below) plus Brown Hawkers and Ruddy Darters. 

Other insects included the ichneumon wasp Hepiopelmus variegatorius (8th record for Lincolnshire) and also the parasitic wasp Gasteruption jaculata. A good selection of weevils were noted including Isochnus sequensi which feeds on willow and Nanophyes marmoratus which feeds on purple loosestrife. Both the longhorn beetle Strangalia quadrifasciata and the tortoise beetle Cassida vibex were also found.  At least seven different plant galls were noted including those on Germander Speedwell caused by the gall fly Jaapiella veronicae. 

           

Willow Emerald Damselfly at Kirkstead Old Mill                     Field Madder (online image by Valter Jacinto)

(photo by Hugh Middleton)

LNU website: The Lincolnshire Naturalists' Union – The Natural History Society for Lincolnshire (lnu.org)

Information about the LoveLincsPlants herbarium project: Love Lincolnshire Plants - Sir Joseph Banks Society (joseph-banks.org.uk)

Something New Has Happened In My Wild Garden

I think it's time I told you about some changes you will be able to see for yourself next time you pop in to see me, or come to stay.

If you are familiar with this image you will know that this footpath is actually a bridge into my Wild Garden that is to the south (The right-hand side of the disused railway track). This area of railway embankment, has been left pretty much as it was after Tony and Reg cut their way into it about twenty years ago, by clearing away brambles.  This area has been kept mown and we have added just a few native daffodils and primroses.

Well, during one of the periods of "lockdown" in 2020 when Reg wasn't able to undertake his usual task of mowing the grass, I was fortunate to be able to welcome Robert of "The Good Life Gardeners" in to keep it controlled.  Then his wife Mandy also arrived and tackled some of the weeds for me, whilst I continued with the daily task of watering. After a few visits, Mandy mentioned to me that she knew of a young lady who was hoping to find a suitable place in which to establish pre release enclosures for her registered charity Wild Things Rescue, and she suggested that my garden might fit the bill.  I invited Lucy Steele to come and have a look around, and when I met her it reminded me of the "the 34-year-old" that was delighted when she first saw what is now the Kirkstead Old Mill Cottage that you know.  I have often wondered what it was about my family that led the Clerk of The Witham Third District Internal Drainage Board to choose us from over one hundred others who put in open bids.  Anyway, that is history, and now I am now pleased to be seeing the next phase of development in this special little corner of a field, tucked in by the river, and the beck that flows down from the stunning Lincolnshire Wolds, because I have obviously extended a welcome, and invited Lucy to tell you about some of the owlets in the photo below that she eventually hopes to place here.

"Hello!

Two of the Tawny Owlets were taken into a vets in Lincoln by a member of the public after she found them on a path. The third joined us from a farm in Scopwick after he was also found out of the nest. All three were too young to be out of the nest and they weren’t able to be put back. They’re doing really well and will hopefully be released back to the wild on the land at Kirkstead Old Mill Cottage once they gain their adult feathers and are able to fly strongly. We estimate they’ll be with us for another month or so!

Many thanks

Lucy"

Choose from these little prizes from Lincolnshire

Hello, and thank you for looking again for my BLOG which has been missing whilst I have been caring for the Cottage, all alone, during these months of lockdown.   

There were just a few entries in response to my recent competition, and every one was correct so they all deserve a prize.  The huge catkin was on the weeping willow tree that can be seen just across the beck from the front of the Cottage, and to the left of the mini orchard, which is now full of apple blossom.                                        I wish to thank Les Binns for venturing into my garden on "the wild side" to take these photographs for me, because I had worn my orthotic boots to destruction whilst carrying water to the raised beds during the spring and summer of 2020.

A new competition will be ready for YOU to enter on 1st June, plus a new tasty prize option from Hawkens Gingerbread of Grantham.

 

If you would like more details for these prizes from our friends at Lymn Bank Cheese, please click on the links below. 

• Box 1
  • https://postacheese.com/product/wine-and-cheese-box/
• Box 2
  • https://postacheese.com/product/just-jane-mini-pack/
• Box 3
  • https://postacheese.com/product/classic-3-cheese-gift-box/
• Box 4
  • https://www.birdfood.co.uk/dublin-peanut-butter-feeder-pack
• Box 5
  • https://www.birdfood.co.uk/singingfriend-evie-light-green-wood
• Box 6
  • https://www.hawkensgingerbread.com/products/self-isolating-gift-hamper

1	2	3
4	5	6

 

Competition for June 2021 - Updated RESULT

COMPETITION for JUNE 2021

Here is another image for you to comment on.  This panoramic view was captured for me recently, again with thanks to Les Binns, as I still have no suitable footwear for use in the Wild Garden.

If you know what has happened to those trees in the centre, featuring yellow twigs, please send your suggestion to me by email, and if your answer is correct you will be entered into a draw on 15th June for a small prize, which the winner can select from a few Lincolnshire companies .

Sadly, there wasn't a single suggestion as to the answer to the above question, so here is the answer:  This row of young willow saplings was probably introduced to the Wild Garden about 20 years ago, soon after we moved here permanently in 2000.  There is a land drainage stream the length of the section of railway embankment, so willows would have been an obvious species for us to introduce but the trees can rapidly get out of control.  One solution is to "pollard" them annually, and as a result one gets fine yellow-coloured twigs which look attractive to us, and also stop the trees outgrowing their space.

This recently happened to a tree that was growing in the River Witham just to the side of the bridge across the beck, and the appropriate Authority employed a couple of chaps to remove a beautiful weeping willow tree that was forcing its growth against the stones of the bridge that is now over 180 years old.  The men kindly moved the logs on to my land beside the old Workshop which originally housed the steam engine prior to the updating of drainage to electricity, and in due course this timber will heat the water in my cottage.

Welcome back in 2021

If you had been able to come and stay in Kirkstead Old Mill Cottage during this cold, but beautiful springtime, these daffodils would have greeted you.  And if you'd walked on past my home and up towards the bank of the river Witham, this is the view of the land drain - behind the Pumping Station.

Carry on over the disused railway bridge and walk down the path of bark chippings, through the mini orchard, into the Wild Garden and relax for a while under the first Oak tree.

When you were rested, you could have looked to your left and seen the catkin below.  Les Binns, a friend that I met through meetings of the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust, captured the image, which I am able to recognise as belonging to a weeping ------ tree.  If you would like to fill in the dashes, I invite you to enter my first competition of 2021.  Leave me a text message, or send your entry by email to: [email protected].  I will close the competition when I have received 10 entries or on Friday 30th April.  The small prizes are examples of local produce, or a bird feeder from C J Wildlife, and if you are a winner, I will send you an updated list to select from.

Over the last 20+ years, I've lived in Kirkstead and since then we've added to the bulbs in our Wild Garden (which we created out of a bramble-covered, dis-used railway embankment) every year.  If you want to create drifts of daffodils like this, I can do no more than direct you to www.JParkers.co.uk. 

 

I'm back again, but only read this "post" if you've got nothing better to do!

I wish to apologise profusely for failing to publish the results of the Spring Competition during which I had planned to feature several orange coloured blooms BUT suddenly, just like the rest of you, my activities were in SHUTDOWN and I didn't see anyone for ten weeks.  For years I had appreciated some support on most days from a team of three helpers.  They helped me with the routine tasks of stocking up the bird feeders, reading the Gas and Electricity meters (because I have solar panels on one of the Cottage's roofs, I like to see on a sunny day whether I have harnessed more energy from the sun than I have used) and this happened quite often earlier this year.  Also, if we hadn't had any rain for a while they would also collect cans of water from one of the five rain water harvesting barrels or tanks and distribute it to wherever it was currently needed. Unfortunately, there are still no tanks on the south side of the garden, so I sadly have to rely on numerous taps connected to the mains water supply for the trees and shrubs near the track and on the front of the Cottage AND on the Monday in March before the sudden shutdown command, Reg had discovered that the stop tap under the sink had ceased up, seemingly permanently. 

RESULT: for ten weeks I was dragging heavy hoses or gallons of water up, down and around for most of every day.  If I wasn't doing this, I was gathering crates of flower pots, full of near to blooming spring flowering bulbs, nearer to the tanks or to one of the three functioning taps.  I was fortunate to have an offer of help for a few hours from Nick, my IT tutor, so he also brought his own mower and interfered with the rapid growth of grasses on the lawn, and then brought numerous pots nearer to the house.  Thanks so much, Nick.

Eventually, I managed to purchase a total of thirty plastic, gravel trays and two lightweight hoses via E bay and after a few weeks I also got Dyno Rod in to install a switch under the sink which replaces the tap that was also hard for me to reach. - A brilliant move which aids the independence of this disabled "writer".  One day I aim to get all of the 20-year-old stop taps replaced.

Back to the trays:  I gradually loaded them with the pots, that could now water themselves by using the shallow water-holding reservoirs which I could refill using the new hoses, and the trays are now in service again supporting hundreds of pots of summer-flowering bulbs.  I am obviously a "glutton for punishment" but truly excited to be now watching the emerging leaves of dahlias, and nerines, which I have tried to get to flourish for years - wish me luck this time.

Of course, the daffodils, irises and tulips opened as my reward for my efforts, but Reg who had spent hours potting them up missed the lot.  I was pleased to be able to offer a few to the much-appreciated volunteer helpers who brought me some essential items from the village when I heard belatedly about this excellent scheme that our Parish Council had introduced.  I've lost just a little weight, which I'm pleased about and I'm also thrilled to have nearly emptied two freezers.  During April, much of my daily diet consisted of fresh, purple-spouting Broccoli spears, successfully cropped by me for the first time.  (In 2019, the plants grew to over six foot without producing a single bloom!).

During May, I enjoyed very young Broad Beans as part of a daily stir fry meal - then I let the pods swell and so now I just have plenty of beans to plant for next year.  Fortunately, the runner bean seeds that I saved from last year, and poked quickly into some trays, have been reinstated by Reg near to some new strings on the raised bed.  Almost perfect timing, as I have just one plastic box of frozen beans left from last year's challenge to keep up with production.  Reg tells me I should harvest them when they are really young which might reduce the preparation time before the blanching and freezing processes.  I'll try it next month - if they crop well.

COMPETITION RESULTS for SPRING 2020