If you’ve visited the pond recently have you noticed the Moorhen family? It’s nice to see that the pond renovation hasn’t put them off and they’ve still set up home again. How cute are these little guys? 😃
An adult Moorhen with 4 of its chicks foraging for food
We saw 5 chicks with the 2 adults.
Moorhen chicks by the water’s edge on Yelverton pond
Moorhens can have two or three lots of eggs each year, and the “teenage” kids from the first clutch help out with feeding and looking after the chicks in the second clutch, and so on. It’s pretty unusual.
A moorhen nest on Yelverton pond
The nest is in quite an obvious visible place near the edge, and if we can see it easily then we would imagine it’s visible to predators as well, so our fingers are crossed for the little guys. Maybe it’s far enough from the edge.
We don’t actually know how easily disturbed Moorhens are by people getting close, but they are next to a road after all, so they can’t be too nervous about noise.
Do have a look if you go past, definitely show your kids for example, as it’s really interesting, but we’d hope of course that everyone keeps a respectful distance, just in case they get spooked.
One of our parish councillors John Lain sorts out our litter bins ahead of south Norfolk council collections. He said he can tell that a number of residents have been taking it upon themselves to pick up litter from our streets, hedgerows, and banks.
What a lovely thing to do.
The parish council and this community website would like to sincerely thank everyone who has been doing this.
Every time someone picks up a piece of litter that isn’t theirs, it not only cleans that one piece up, it makes it less likely that other people will drop litter. It’s a known phenomenon. So each piece cleaned up has a bigger impact than you might think. And it’s also known that tidy environments make people happier. All of that added together means that there’s a small group of people in the village that is having a large effect on all of our general happiness, without realising it.
Of course, if you are doing this voluntarily we hope you take care and do it safely.
In normal years, the village holds a litter picking event which is sponsored by South Norfolk Council. For obvious reasons this did not happen last year, but it will be restarted when restrictions allow.
The start of April 2021 looks to be a little cooler than the last week of March but it will still be a Spring month and many of us will be busy in our gardens preparing for the Summer months ahead. It is also a transitional month, bringing unpredictable weather, so it is often the case of getting out to do something whenever the weather permits.
Mowing and edging
We can start mowing our lawns on a high cut if the grass is dry and frost-free and can tidy up the edges by re-cutting them with a half-moon or spade to give a neat edge to the flowerbeds or patio areas. Lawns will also benefit from a dose of lawn feed now.
Clearing up
There may still be some leaves lurking under shrubs so these can be raked out and flowerbeds tidied up, cutting back any perennials which may still have the old growth from last summer.
Sowing Vegetable Seeds
If you are planning to grow some vegetables, now is the time to sow tomatoes, runner beans, green peppers and courgettes which can then be planted on in due course.
Planting up pots and baskets
This is the best time for creating new container displays. If you have the space, pot your plug plants into larger pots as this will be cheaper than buying bigger pot plants later on. Plant up summer baskets and store undercover for putting out in the garden in late May. We can also sow half-hardy bedding plants in seed trays in the greenhouse or indoors by a sunny window.
Maintaining water butts and water features
If you have a pond or water feature, now is the time to give it a little post-winter maintenance. Clear out ponds: lift put any planting baskets and fish, keep in buckets of old pond water, bail out the water, remove sludge and refill with collected rainwater is possible (if you use tap water, let it stand for a week before putting any fish back in).
Check that your water butts are collecting water effectively, that the downpipes are clear and that the taps are working (they sometimes become blocked or sludgy with old leaves).
Protect from frost and wind
April can still bring frosty nights, so be ready to protect tender flowers and vegetables from frosts. Young, upright-growing plants may need some form of support, so stake tall plants to prevent them being damaged.
April can be the most positive month, full of gardening promises. It is wonderful to see the trees and shrubs awaken from their winter dormancy and burst into life. Let’s hope for some warm weather too.
Our post last week about the new birds at the pond got quite a bit of interest, so we thought we’d see what you thought of another one!
After that previous post, a resident (who I now definitely owe a beer when all this is over) contacted us to say that we also get oystercatchers in the fields to the east of the village in spring, and that you can often hear them before you see them. They’ve got a high pitched sort of whistling sound that carries quite far.
No way, we thought. But he was not wrong! The next day we went to have a look, and amazingly we heard and saw a couple and managed to get a picture. Very lucky.
They are a coastal bird that typically would be combing a beach for muscles and other snacks like that, so we wouldn’t have expected to see one on our doorstep. Apparently they can come inland to feed on worms that they can get to in the soil with their long beak.
Ok, what on earth is an Oystercatcher??
Well, here’s what one looks like in Yelverton near the solar panels:
And here’s a couple of photos that are actually good:
Stock photo of an oystercatcher. Image creditIf you see one flying away you’ll notice the white bars across the wing. Image credit
And here’s some more info if you really want to geek up on it, and also to hear what they sound like:
So next time you’re walking round that footpath that goes from the back of avenue farm, north across the fields, coming out at the top of Dranes Lane, keep your ears open for that sound and you might spot one.
What else might I see?
Find out what other wildlife you can see around the village on our wildlife page
Below is a message from Norfolk Constabulary through the Police Connect scheme, passed on through our Parish Council to us:
We are aware of concerns and rumours circulating on social media about dogs being stolen or men in a van, including a van allegedly marked with the RSPC logo, acting suspiciously around people out walking with their dogs.
Please know there haven’t been any crimes recorded this week that relate to dog thefts
nor have we received any reports of dogs being stolen from a property or while out walking with their owners over the last week.
One person in North Walsham reported an incident on Saturday in which a man in a transit van asked questions about their dog while out walking. We asked them to report any further sightings to us and we haven’t received any further reports of this happening.
In addition, the RSPCA has told us that a number of incidents circulating on social media claiming people are impersonating their inspectors do not appear to have been actual cases of people trying to pass as bogus officials.
It’s important to know there are very few incidents whereby an RSPCA officer will approach someone in public, unless they witness animal cruelty or see an animal in immediate danger. Officers will also wear RSPCA brand clothing and always carry RSPCA identification. RSPCA officers do not have power of entry or seizure unless accompanied by a police officer.
If you’re approached by someone who makes you feel concerned about you or your dog’s safety or believe someone is posing as an RSPCA officer, tell us on 101.
Try to give us as much detail about the person or the vehicle they were in as you can. And do not hesitate to call us on 999 if a crime is happening and you need our help.
Mill Road, Alpington, (the road with Green Pastures on) will be closed for 3 days 14th-16th April.
From reading the notice below it says 200m south of the a146, so my guess is that you’ll only be able to access the farm shop and garden centre from the a146 during those 3 days.
Below is a copy and paste from a document sent out by Garry Whiting, Heathgate Medical Practice & Lead Manager for the Poringland Centre:
Update – Covid 19 Vaccinations Message from Heathgate Medical Practice and Old Mill and Millgates Surgery
I have been asked where we are with second doses.
We have our last first dose clinic this Friday afternoon and then next week (29th March) we are due to start second vaccines at 11 to 12 weeks, to those we have already seen for vaccination.
Yes it’s 11 weeks since we started and locally we have vaccinated 22,000 people out of the Centre.
Your surgery will contact you as the timing of your second dose comes around. This contact will be made when we have confirmed vaccine delivery dates from NHS England.
Those still requiring first doses in the agreed cohorts 1 to 9 (above 50 or those under 50 with a specific underlying health condition) are being asked nationally to contact the national booking line via 119 or book online with the booking references from letters they have received.
There are no national invitations as yet for those aged 18 to 49 (without an underlying health condition).
Ever seen an Egyptian goose? How about a Grey Wagtail? Have a walk down to the pond! It seems that the Yelverton pond renovation has perhaps created a home for some new wildlife.
Grey Wagtail
These are actually relatively rare in general, but a few times over the last few weeks we’ve seen a Grey Wagtail hanging around the pond.
A grey wagtail next to the puddle over the back of Yelverton pond. Can you see it? 🙂 No? Look a bit closer I promise it’s there.
There’s only about 70000 in the UK, so we’re quite lucky to have one in the village. In contrast there are roughly 7 million blue tits in the UK.
It might have always been there and we didn’t notice, but if it’s the pond renovation that’s attracted it then it’s a really good sign.
A grey wagtailA grey wagtail facing away
It’s a bit tricky to see in real life, let alone in my photos, but it has a bath in the pond sometimes and seems to like the puddle in the field behind the pond, just at the top of the embankment and over the barrier.
And if you’re wondering how it got its name “wagtail”:
A short video of the grey wagtail wagging it’s tail!
Egyptian Goose
There’s one or two on or around the pond pretty much every day at the moment, I don’t remember seeing one here before.
A few photos of an Egyptian Goose on Yelverton pond
Anyone know what a baby Egyptian goose looks like? Maybe we’ll find out soon!
The Moorhens and Ducks
Nice to see that neither of our usual moorhens have deserted the pond while the works were carried out. But since the Egyptian Geese arrived we haven’t seen the usual pair of ducks around, have they been bullied off their patch? We’ll have to see if they come back… If not then we’ll leave it to you to decide if having the geese is a good trade!
What else can I see?
Find out what other wildlife you can see around the village on our wildlife page
Healthwatch Norfolk we are launching a project to find out how people affected by cancer have accessed their appointments during the pandemic, with the overall aim of informing the wider rollout of digital services within the NHS.
Given that there are families in our community affected by cancer, and sadly there will undoubtedly be more in future, we thought it would be helpful to publicise this to residents, who may also wish to share this with friends and relatives to ensure that the survey reaches the widest possible audience.
From Healthwatch Norfolk themselves:
At Healthwatch Norfolk we are launching a project alongside Healthwatch Suffolk to find out how people affected by cancer have accessed their appointments during the pandemic.
We are working with the people in charge of cancer services in Norfolk and Suffolk to help shape the way appointments are accessed in the future, so it is vital that we get as much feedback as possible to get an authentic sense of patient opinion.
If you live in Norfolk or Waveney and have had a cancer diagnosis, referral or treatment since March 2020, Healthwatch Norfolk and Suffolk would love to hear from you.
Whether you have had virtual appointments (by phone or video call, for example), in-person appointments, or a combination of both your experiences could help shape future provisions.
If you would like to participate, please contact Healthwatch Norfolk by calling 0808 1689669, or emailing enquiries@healthwatchnorfolk.co.uk. Alternatively, the survey can be completed online by visiting www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/cancerappointments/
We are also asking our audience to forward the information to as many people as possible, to help us with this important piece of work. We would be extremely grateful for any support you can offer.
Healthwatch Norfolk and Healthwatch Suffolk are the independent voices for patients and service users in our counties. We gather your views of health and social care services to ensure they are heard by the people in charge. For more information about what we do, visit our websites www.healthwatchnorfolk.co.uk and www.healthwatchsuffolk.co.uk.”
