Banks continued - progress

Looks like it was contractors working for Tesco; the Whitchurch store replied to me and I've been assured that the firm employed will be made aware of the special circumstances next time they come back to do any landscaping. I've also emailed Tesco's central maintenance department, just to make sure the message gets passed right around. Hoping for a positive response there, too.

A closer look at what's been done to the banks

You can see here how the cover's been removed - how can this work not have disturbed the burrows we know are along this stretch? And if this were to occur during the spring, summer or autumn, it would be disastrous.

I've not had a reply from Tesco yet, but I will keep trying.

The trolleys are back again.

Waymills

I went for a walk round the back of the estate this afternoon and looked at that stretch of the brook. In the section where I saw a vole last year there were a lot of burrows, but no other obvious signs; then again, it had been pouring down most of the day, so footprints and latrines would have been washed away.

It's a beautiful area, teeming with wildife. While I was walking I saw a charm of goldfinches, some long-tailed tits and a tree creeper. Oh, and that ubiquitous beast, a Tesco trolley.

Hmm

The trolleys have gone, but the banks between Tesco and the bridge have been, what, raked - I don't know how else to describe it. The litter's mostly gone, but so has a fair bit of the vegetation cover. At this time of year the effect isn't dramatic, but I'd hate to think this kind of management was going to go on during the spring and summer.

Who's behind it? I don't know. I'll start by asking Tesco, and report back here.

Same again

Stacks of prints on both sides of the brook, especially around the bridge.

The State of Play

The resurfacing work by the car park has finished and I'm pleased to report fresh prints on the bank by the pipe (see map). But the trolley is still in the water! How long has that been now?

I include this lovely feeding station I saw in Danson's Wood on Sunday, to cheer myself up. There are some mighty industrious voles round that pond.

Added later: now think this stripped reed is the work of a field vole!

Fingers crossed

A hopeful email from the manager of Tesco's about coin-release trolleys: I'm keeping my fingers crossed.