Category: Water Meadows Chronicles

One of our biodiversity recorders said to me recently that not much seems to happen in the Water Meadows in the winter months. I responded saying that is true in a way. We have our “house” bird population which is magpies, other corvids, pigeons, robins etc and it seems rather dull and familiar. I try… Continue reading The Water Meadow Chronicles, part 22

Writing Chronicle 21 at the beginning of the New Year 2002, I am thinking about the events that have been notable over the last two months. My thoughts go straight to the weather we have experienced. There seems to have been a lot of overcast, grey and cold days. And yet the photo of a… Continue reading The Water Meadow Chronicles, part 21

These last few weeks have been strange days. The weather has been very variable; sometimes it has felt more like a mild winter’s day. Occasionally there has been a glimpse of something brighter. There’s been days with no rain ; it’s been overcast and felt a little oppressive. And we’ve had quite a lot of… Continue reading The Water Meadow Chronicles, part 20

Strange days. We have had a mixed bag of weather these last few weeks. We’ve had cold, wet and windy weather like winter and we’ve had really hot and sunny days. Some have put their central heating on and many have put extra layers on. Many men, including myself, have been torn between which trousers… Continue reading The Water Meadow Chronicles, part 19

Several people have said to me that they have become more attuned with and appreciative of our natural world this year. They “blame” the pandemic and say that, along with their appreciation of the commitment, care and effort that NHS staff have shown and the quick rollout of the vaccination programme, this may be one… Continue reading The Water Meadows Chronicles, part 18

I am writing this Chronicle at the beginning of April (2021). During this week we have had huge temperature variations. At the beginning of the week we had “summer”. People were out strolling and enjoying the sun. T-shirts, shorts and sandals were in plentiful evidence. There were smiles on everyone’s faces and yet three days… Continue reading The Water Meadow Chronicles, part 17

In the last couple of weeks a terrific transition has occurred; we had snow and freezing temperatures. There was a wonderful austere atmosphere and the lockdown was twofold. We had the legal obligation of staying inside because of Covid and we had the freezing wind and snow that found its way through every self protective… Continue reading The Water Meadows Chronicles, part 16

When walking Luna the other morning I bumped into Libby who is a fellow dog walker and, more importantly, a fellow trustee of the BWMG. She told me she had been walking around No Mans Meadow the previous day and seen several egrets and two herons. So far in our biodiversity surveying in the Water… Continue reading The Water Meadows Chronicles, part 15

As we slide into autumn I walked the dog on a wonderful sunny morning (01/09/20) and enjoyed the dew on the grass and the smell of decomposing leaves. It was one of those “good to be alive” mornings and almost all of the people I met along the way had a greeting. What a welcome… Continue reading The Water Meadows Chronicles, part 14

Iain Carruthers-Jones is back on the case reporting his experiences as a Bury Water Meadows Group volunteer.  See previous Chronicles here. This seems a good time to restart the Chronicle. It’s one of the very hottest days of the year (07/08/20) and the Water Meadows has lots of plants growing as high as head height,… Continue reading The Water Meadows Chronicles part 13 (August 2020)