CROW (Conserve Reading on Wednesdays)
Wednesday, 10th March 2010
Lower Southcote Allotments ~ Hedge planting and building and installing nest boxes

This was our first visit to this site, a triangular area of land at the eastern end of the allotments bounded by the Holy Brook, railway line and the allotments. Because of winter flooding the land is unsuitable for allotments and is therefore to be managed as a wildlife area.

The main aim of the task on a bitterly cold day with a biting north easterly wind blowing across the site, was to plant a hedge along the boundary dividing the allotments from the wildlife area. We had also obtained five nest boxes from Breathing Places to assemble and install on the site.

By the end of the day about three quarters of the hedge had been planted and the nest boxes were in place.

One of the most depressing features of the site is the quantity of detritus from modern living that is to be found scattered around, much half buried. On the other hand within twenty minutes of arriving, a kestrel, buzzard, red kite and possibly a sparrow hawk or merlin had been seen.