News
The Christmas tree on Thistley Place is but a distant memory, the reindeer and Santa have been put to bed and, with Spring in the air and the summer to look forward to, the start to 2012 has been less traumatic than last year - when the dreadful winter of 2010/2011 held back the spring warmth and growth of plants. This year the snowdrops, daffodils, primroses and cowslips have been poking their heads above the soil well in advance of the natural start to spring. Let's hope this bodes well for the rest of 2012.
We have been in contact with Tim Brooks, of Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, who is putting together a bid to provide a professional environmental officer to help run, maintain and assist on educational and environmental matters for all green spaces in Lowland Derbyshire. If this grant application is successful, and the appointment is made, then the person appointed will be able to assist, on both
One very interesting fact was that you will not find hedgehogs where there are badgers - apparently, badgers are the only natural predator of the hedgehog!
Another interesting topic was Himalayan Balsam control - an invasive non-native species which is invading and overrunning our river banks, streams and waterways - which was first introduced as an ornamental garden plant from
To put the widespread problem on Balsam into context, the plants are Annual and can reach up to 3 metres in height. Each plant can produce between 2/20,000 seeds which are propelled from the seed heads into atmosphere and all seed is viable for 2 years. So, you can imagine the magnitude of the problem - without annual culling, whole areas will be denuded and eroded by the unwelcome foreigner!
On a lighter note, when it was reported in summer of 2011 that the footbridge over the Salt Brook (just beyond Thistley Place) had rotted due to age it was replaced by members of the DVCP. This seemed to have been well received by all walkers but, when we had the first very heavy rains in December the bridge was no more - it looked as though (we think) that the high and fast waters of the Dove lifted it like a natural raft and transported it down towards Marston on Dove (where we believe it was last seen quite high up a tree!). We are hoping it wasn't vandalism as, during the same week, a great many of the stiles between
However, upon contacting Nestlé, to see if they may have any suitable metal/wood to rebuild the bridge, they more than came to the rescue. Members of DVCP were met on site by one of Nestlé contractors (Jonathon Roden from T. Musk Engineering) and, along with Alpha Construction, they came up with a new metal, super-strong bridge, with steel supports concreted into the brook banks. which should, hopefully, last a life time. A big thank you to all concerned for swinging into action and providing such a wonderful structure for the whole community!
In 2011, the peregrines had continued to perch on the sign on an almost daily basis - however, as the cladding works to the top of the Nestlé factory were really too extensive to put the nesting box back in place and, if we had and the peregrines had laid eggs it would have been illegal to move them/disturb the birds, a decision had to be made to let nature take its course so, if they mated, they would have to raise their young somewhere else. However, at the end of August both birds were back (this date would have coincided with them having bred and fledged their young elsewhere!) The male was first back but when the female returned there was a battle royal for the 'prime roost' with the male dive bombing her from the sky. The female, in turn, seemed to treat this advance with disdain and, eventually, the male admitted defeat and left her the roost.
Although the Peregrine Falcon seemed to disappear towards the end of 2011 the female made her first appearance on 5th January, 2012, and has continued to roost on the Nestlé sign since. With the nesting box in situ, on the platform adjacent to the sign, we can only hope that this year they decide to stay here and raise there young which, if they do, they should be captured on CCTV via the cameras mounted on the nesting box by Nestlé. We shall have to wait and see what the late Spring and Summer bring. If you come down Peregrine spotting and can't see the birds on the main Nestlé sign, they may be perched on the right hand side (as you look at the sign) of the building - where the recladding has taken place, it has left a ledge and both birds seem to favour this position out of the prevailing winds and with panoramic views of their hunting territory!
I hope you will all come down and visit us on Thistley Place during the year and join us for our Car Boot sales and our Traditional Fête & Duck Race - this year we shall have even more ducks for sale than before both prior to the event and on the day - so, hopefully, there will be more than enough for everyone!!
Best wishes to you all for 2012 - Lynne Saul, Secretary to the Dove Valley Community Project
Please remember to keep an eye on our fundraising events – we need your support!