Riff Raff Diary – April 2016

Published on: 25 Apr, 2016
Updated on: 25 Apr, 2016

Riff Raff Cottage and Weir.

Riverbank tales from the local St Catherine’s lengthsman and weirkeeper

by Robert Craig

I have spent time finishing the last bit of hedging at Stonebridge Wharf, possibly a little late with nesting birds in mind but care was taken to check for any new nests.

Something else I am working on at the moment is identifying suitable sites along the length of the navigation for the siting of habitat boxes. These could be nesting boxes for small birds, larger ones for barn owls and kestrels, bat boxes or even a sheet of board or corrugated iron laid on the ground for snakes to nest under.

The project is in the planning stage at present but I’m hoping to start getting boxes out this winter.

Locally I have been delighted to see the return of the little owls in the oak trees near St Catherine’s Lock; once a common sight a few years ago, they just disappeared. Fingers crossed they’re back to stay.

Traditionally the Easter holiday is the time I aim to get the locks painted, weather permitting. This year I was lucky enough to have a perfect day to get St Catherine’s Lock painted – sunny, warm, and no strong wind.

At the beginning of April contractors carried out snagging work on the new footbridge at Millmead Lock.

The majority of my time at the end of March was taken up with weir keeping duties after experiencing the rain and high winds of storm Katie. Fortunately I only had one tree down on my length which was up on the Railway line walk at Peasmarsh and was easy to clear.

See you by the river.

robert.craig@nationaltrust.org.uk

07786703831