Inert build new land bridge on west side of land mass infill. 15th August 2021

'Curiouser and curiouser', said Alice.  Which basically sums up my feelings in trying to determine what Inert have been up to this week. I'm sure there is some technical explanation, probably involving surveyors.

This is a La Nina year. This means we can expect a coolish and damp summer. This meant it rained last weekend, and some. I did not expect to see Inert doing much this week, and I was right, to a certain extent.

Inert appear to have switched operations to the western side of the land mass, working between the ridge and copse. One obvious feature they have constructed is a new land bridge,  a spur of the existing, circular one. A sensible move, seeing as this side of the land mass is a little soft underfoot.

In comparison, the going on the north east side of what was Cormorant lake (south) is now quite hard. There are some tyre tracks here, a couple of lorries and van appear to have circled the end of one of the land bridges.

Apart from the new land bridge, it is difficult to ascertain what restoration has taken place. Inert appear to have simply scraped the top couple of inches or so off the ground, and sort of levelled it. Some stuff might have been dumped for infill, but I am not sure of this.

Shame that Inert have scraped off the vegetation. What was there (scrubby grass and low weeds) provided excellent food (seeds) and cover for wildlife, particularly Lapwings.

What was even more curious and obscure, was that Inert dug a beautiful ditch, from what is left of Finch pond up to a small pond near the ridge. There is no where for  the water to drain to. There is a considerable amount of infill from this small pond all the way over to the east side of the land mass. Not an impossible task to dig a drainage ditch to what is left of Cormorant lake (south), but a bit fruitless and wasteful. Mainly as the weather is set fair, for the next couple of weeks, with temperatures heading toward the mid twenties. Easily drying out the area.

Another curious piece of work, is that Inert have been asked to extend the scraping of the top of what was Finch pond, from the Longwater road entrance to the ridge. Now, I'm not complaining. This wide track (about two bulldozer widths wide) is brilliant to walk along. I don't have to fight my way through thigh high grass and weeds, which deposit their seed heads into my wellies. I just find it curious that Inert have carefully scraped the land surface. Not at all deeply, just surface, sufficient to scrape off weeds and grass, with hardly any soil.

I guess it must be a surveyor thing. However, the ground here is soft going. I was careful, in places, not wishing to sink into mud.  I'm probably over hyping the softness, but I know this area can trap the unwary. I don't wish to sink up to my knees in mud, again!

​Oh, I did not do a mid week visit.