"Almost spring-like"

By the session leader:

Not sure which saying had the most effect: 

“Rain at seven, fine by eleven”

or

“Rain, rain, go away, come again another day”

It doesn’t really matter which one worked its magic, for the overnight rain and dull damp start to the day indeed turned into a pleasant morning as the session progressed.  Maybe it was just the WGG’s magic dispensation that it should not rain on Tuesday mornings ;)

As today’s main task was raking after wildflower-meadow cut, we were pleased the grass was not too long or too heavy from the rain.  The team merrily set to, raking the cut grass over to the old tarpaulin to be dragged down to a growing compost heap:

The poor tarpaulin had seen better days with several holes in it.  Holes not big enough, fortunately, for the grass to drop through:

It was only when we had hauled the first load down to the composting site that we realised the accumulated grass was actually quite wet and heavy.  That first load needed four people to drag it to the heap, then a great effort to get it onto the heap.  After that we made sure the loads were rather smaller!

There was also music while we worked today.  You may be able to make out a little of the birdsong on this video clip:

The loudest songster we (the volunteers) could not identify.  A redbreast for sure, but the body shape did not look right for a robin:

It was a workforce strong in numbers today, so there were plenty of people raking and dragging.  Half the team could take the easier (?) option of knocking back the long hedge that was growing into the field:

Cutting back the hawthorn revealed a nest from the previous year.  Again, even with help from the site warden, we were unable to identify the species.  The warden inspected it closely, and announced that it was “made from moss, feathers, and spider-webs – normally I’d say ‘long-tailed tit’, but it was a bit low down for them.”

Or perhaps it was the remains of a bird that had been eaten by a fox?  [So speculated one Green-Gymmer, while the warden carefully packed the find into a bag, to add to her collection. – Ed.]

Both teams finished their tasks soon after coffee break.  So the hedge cutters were reassigned to tidy brambles that had been bashed down by the snow:  

In case you haven’t experienced it, some types of snow can remarkably heavy.  The session leader has personal experience of his hedge being toppled over by snow piled on top of it.

A few of the rakers had some strength left to start hammering in staples as an alternative to chickenwire on a bridge-footway at the side of the site.  Chickenwire makes for good anti-slip covering for walkways, but eventually frays, and then becomes a trip hazard.  Before the wire here gets to that point, and has to be removed, staples are being driven into the planks:

It was some relief for them when time was called.