I visited Manor farm on Tuesday 21st, but have only just got around to writing up.

Much to my surprise, Inert have continued work on restoring Manor farm. In fact, one of the Moor Green Lakes Group members told me they had made forays onto the western part of the site, but were told to hold off as there were still ground nesting birds i.e. Lapwing and Little Ringed Plover. Concentrating restoration on the central part of the site (aka what is left of Cormorant lake) was fine, as nothing was nesting there.

It appears that Inert have done just that. There appears to be signs that they have continued to infill and upfill what little remains of Cormorant lake, and landscaping the area into the eastern part of the site; which was restored some decade or two ago.

To this end, Inert appear to be using spoil from the massive mound they created around the pump station. I watched them build this mound over a period of months, in a most inefficient manner. And now, I watch them, on and off, flatten the mound.

The tasks I observed on Tuesday appear to concentrate of filling the stretch of water leading adjacent to the pump station.  This curious ria or inlet bit of water has hung around for decades, now its days appear number.

I've often commented on how haphazard I find the restoration process, and how Inert seem to flit about all over the site, performing rather odd bits of restoration. Tuesday offered another, baffling example. A digger was smoothing the road/track ways around pump station mound. The driver was skilled, using the smooth side of his shovel to gently scrape and flatten the track way. 

Why, I ask myself? Heavy plant, trundling over the bailey bridge will tear up the track way in five minutes flat; sooner if there is a heavy thunder storm or rainfall. Barmiest bit of restoration I've witnessed so far.

Sods law dictates that in the three weeks I do not pay Manor farm a visit (due to lack of action) is precisely the time Inert choose to return to a little bit of restoration. Sods law also dictates that the week I do pay a mid week site visit is the week that Inert do not do any restoration - instead returning to Chandlers farm.

What have Inert been up to during my hiatus? As far as I can make out they have 

a) Taken a large chunk out of the pump station mighty mound.

b) Used the spoil from the mighty mound up infill/upfill the northern edge of Cormorant lake south. They have extended the upfill further eastward.

c) Inert appear to have also built up the land bridges further.

I haven't gone on to the site to see precisely what they have done as it is the breeding season. If Inert resume work, therefore creating a disturbance, I will feel justified in visiting the bits they have been working on.

Well, here's hoping that come July Inert will return to Manor farm in force to finish off the restoration by the latest completion date of sometime in 2023.  Seven years after I started this blog - and the projected finish date of 2016!