Inert continue slog to fill in current Manor lake. Weather gets serious about being winter. 4th December 2022

I am resigned to the current Manor lake being filled in to make reed beds. This process should take several months. I had hoped Inert would finish restoration of Manor farm before Christmas.  Early spring, just before the breeding season seems more likely.

I have also realised that what is being built on Manor farm is an environment that resembles RSPB Leighton Moss - or at least the land locked part. A large expanse of reed beds. We once visited Leighton Moss, quite accidentally. Our walking route ran right through the middle of it. I recall a wall of reeds, higher than our heads, along either side of a path through the reserve, making it impossible to see any wildlife.  There was a hide, which overlooked a medium sized lake, which provided some viewing of birds.

I popped down to Manor farm, arriving just after sunrise, on a cold, dismal, dingy, manky, overcast morning. As I headed east, along the Blackwater footpath, I spied, from the sewage works, lights from a heavy earth mover, trundling westward on the south vehicle track. The air turned blue, as I cursed my luck that the one Saturday that I make it to the site, Inert decide to work overtime.

I decided to plough on, as I figured Inert would not have done much since my Wednesday stomp, and even then, it would be largely continuing their infill of Manor lake. I reached the yellow bridge but could not see any signs that the earth mover had dumped stuff. Indeed, all it seemed to have was do a three point turn at the bridge, and head back to the bailey bridge.

On reaching said bridge, I noticed that the gates were closed and padlocked tight against vehicle traffic! Inert were not working on site. Yippee! Though another conundrum presents itself. What was the heavy earth mover up to? Seems like its operator took it for a spin along the south vehicle track. Very strange.

Back to our regular schedule. Inert continued their herculean task of filling in Manor lake. They appear to have doubled the amount of infill since they last worked on Manor farm. All their carefully sculpted banking has been demolished, whilst the huge banking north of the infill has almost been removed. Though this could, just could be gravel for paths - fairly weak assumption, I feel.

Inert also had a brief foray to clear vegetation from some existing banking running along the north edge of Manor lake. I'm not sure why. I've walked this piece of banking, about three years ago. It was quite fine and distinct. Shrubs must have grown up considerably in that time - plus the banking might not be clear enough for vehicles and restoration work.

Water levels in Manor lake were very low. A combination of no rain, and the (now silent) pump draining the area.

I still feel it is a shame the current Manor lake will be filled in to make reed beds. I was looking forward to seeing loads of birds from the peninsular. More importantly, photographing them. You can get some fantastic BIF (Bird In Flight) photos, as birds fly east-west along the length of the site.

Weebly support have fixed whatever problem was stopping me uploading images. You can see them all now.

Firstly, before slideshow, an image of what Inert have been doing. It's very approximate as I haven't been trained in map making.