After only eight months the pond is now full, thanks to the old clay field drains helping to fill it up. It will take time to clear and for the edges to fill with plantlife, but it’s a start.
It’s full
Author: tiptonscroft
The Restoration: after
Three years later and the wildflower meadow is taking shape, with successful growth of native seeds that we planted the previous autumn.
Water!
It might not look like much but gushing out of the pipe is water from our new borehole. We now have an unlimited supply of free cool crystal clear fresh water!
What a difference eight months makes
Some spoil from the lake used to landscape a low hill at end end of the field. Seeded with a mixture of native English wildflowers and grasses, it has now blended in seamlessly with its surroundings.
October 2018 
June 2019
Water, mud, meadow
We used some of the spoil from the lake to improve the drainage at one end of the field, with a new ditch and wildflower meadow seeding. Here’s before, during and after.
March 2016 
October 2018 
June 2019
Digging…
The creation of a traditional Shropshire wildlife pond, naturally clay-lined, nothing brought in to the site, nothing removed from the site. All we now need is water. Lots of water.
Hooty compilation
A compilation of video clips of our barn owls from the past two years.
Water, mud, meadow
Some work on improving the drainage in one part of the field using muck dug out of the old pond.
April 2018 
August 2018 
September 2019
Owl on a post
One of the last sightings of the owls before they dispersed and the field became empty for over a year.
Hootlets
First sighting of one, two, three new Barn Owl hatchlings.
Hooty’s hunting
Pondlife
A few months of work have paid off and the pond is looking a lot better, and thriving with life.
New robins
A nest in the old shelter full of robin chicks (five, we think!).
Snow, lots of snow
Milky soup
Dead oak
But we’ve decided to leave it where it is.
Hare today
Above the clouds
A brief flight up through a break in the low cloud above the field.
Poor ash
It looked perfectly healthy, but a storm brought down this 200 year old ash tree. At least we’re not short of firewood for the next few winters.
Freezing fog
A frozen owl and a Garden Orb-Weaver in its web.
