I did actually pay a site visit on a nice, sunny Friday morning. One of the rare few we have had of late.

Much crashing and banging coming from Chandlers farm, possibly around where the old processing plant used to be. I could hear the bulldozer reversing about the site.

Manor farm remains untouched, with no signs of any vehicles using the bailey bridge this past week.

Old faithful, the pump, was still pumping away. It needs to as a large amount of rain is due today, and possibly on certain days next week.

I took a wander down to Manor farm this Wednesday, strolling over from the MGL car park.

Nothing was happening on Manor farm, except for the pump. It was pumping pumpfully away. The Bailey bridge did exhibit minor signs that one vehicle may have ventured over it during the past week or so.

Plenty of banging and crashing coming from Chandlers farm, with the possibility of some fresh spoil heaps appearing.

Inert are missing a great opportunity to get on with the restoration. Rain has held off for a couple of weeks now. Ground conditions are firm to very firm. Soon, certain zealous members of MGLG will be demanding cessation of all work on Manor farm due to the breeding season; while simultaneously bemoaning continued delays in completing restoration work.

Talking of restoration work: the fencer man has completed a section of new fencing along the north east side of Manor farm. It runs from the transformer near the bridge next to Colebrook hide, northward to about the north shore of said lake. A very fine fence it is too...except

1. Dogs can still get onto Manor farm through the fence's horizontal wires. It needs a mesh to be fitted to it to stop this.

2. The idea of the fence is to keep people off the nascent reserve. Slight problem. All people do is wander down to the south footpath to gain access to Manor farm. Quite a lot of fencing is down, with one area exhibiting clearly a recently beaten path. Somebody hasn't thought this one through.

Fishermen are the biggest threat to the reserve. They are pretty brazen about breaking onto MGL, never mind Manor farm, and seem to feel they have a god given right to fish where they want, whilst making no contribution to saving our environment.

NB. I say fishermen, as I've yet to see a female fishing. Perhaps they have more sense than to sit on a river/lake bank for hours on end, watching a float. I've seen fisherwomen on tele - but they, at least, are doing something more dynamic i.e. fly fishing.