moth hunt med

TCHT stall at the Ludlow Green Fair tomorrow. Drop by and learn more about TCHT, the heritage and landscape of Titterstone Clee and the Novers Forest  Project. Novers Cookbook 2011 available for sale on the TCHT stall at £4, all proceeds to the Novers Fund.

Meeting tonight regarding the fate and future protection of the Clee Hill Peregrines that had nested in the incline quarry despite being persecuted for many years. 2009 and 2010 they were poisoned 2011 their persecuters no doubt were happy as they did not return. R.I.P. the incline quarry peregrine family. No longer will they grace the skies over Titterstone.

In life and in death, RIP

The large poster at the top of Caynham road went up today, see picture. Interesting use of a five bar gate. Meeting in the evening of volunteers to help out on the third. Thanks to all.

Be here 3rd of Sept

Its been over a week since I last updated this diary. A pretty full week one way and another. John and I finished the north entrance gate at the Novers on Friday. Saturday was all pretty traumatic.  Pippin one of out two Jack Russells was suffering from a sore foot. Damage occured while pursuing rabbit under the wood pile (rabbit RIP). Through the week the foot getting worse as he increasingly struggled to keep up on his favourite waks until he couldnt go any further. Not like our Pip so to vet on Saturday a week ago. Vet gave him shots of antibiotic and anti inflamatory. Came trotting out and jumped into car. Then Anaphylaxic shock upside down on the rear seat in convolsions. Back to vet who instantly recognised it as a massive allergic reaction, anaphylaxis is a life-threatening type of allergic reaction. Symptoms develop rapidly, often within seconds or minutes. They may include the following: Abdominal pain or cramping; Abnormal (high-pitched) breathing sounds;… YUP all of those and a final collapse in Sue’s arms. We thought he was gone. But Jacks are big dogs in little skins and they dont give in. Oxygen and adrenalin and he stabilised and through the day and evening he hung on and fought back. Rushed to Bridgnorth for 24 hours drip and monitoring. At 7 in the evening a phone call from vet. Almost too scared to pick up but the news was good he was through the worst and in another hour back home on his favourite chair. Next day he was back to his old ebuilient little self and his foot was no longer painful.

Such trauma out of a moderatly blue sky!

Sunday Mike took his tractor up to the Novers and topped the main ride and a large area of bracken. So a good time to have a walk around the Novers and see our two new gates. No photos of Mike and his little red tractor as camera missing.

This Sunday the TCHT went to the Chorley Show, Sara, Darren, Fish and I. Flying the flag with a TCHT display tent. Weather was good and as the day progressed and it warmed up a good crowd of visitors. Well done Chorley for a great show well organised. I hope we can do the same on the 3rd of Sept at the TCHT Show (see web site for details) roadside posters should be appearing this next week so look out for them around the hill.

Bad news from the Shropshire Rural Challege Fund. They turned down our bid for support towards the purchase of a shiny new alpine tractor that would have been such a valuable tool to manage the bracken in the Novers and on the wider hill. Back to back breaking strimming I guess. RIP little yellow tractor (better that than Pip). Though the sunset over the hill last night was spectacular.

Hot humid Wednesday threatening a storm. You see some stange sites on the Clee. Came across this crazed duck attempting chickenicide on a cockerel up at Darren’s forge. You can see Darren and his Duck at Burwarton show tomorrow. Probably in the rain.

Darren the Duck

Lovely warm summer evening walked my Jack Russells Merry and Pippin along the east edge of the hill. Always a pleasant breeze on a warm evening with a view to the distant Welsh Hills. Favourite place for Merry, lots of rabbits in the old mine spoil mounds. Merry sees rabbits as food on the hoof. Good to see a small herd of cattle grazing near Barn Pit. In the past always cattle on the hill which gave a good mixed grazing regime. On a recent trip to Cornwall talking to NT manager they are using Galloway cattle to manage the gorse and bracken on the Lizard. Hope the cattle are back for good on the hill.