Friends of Thimblemill Brook are a group of volunteers who get together twice a month to carry out conservation and litter picks around the Brook which runs on the border of Oldbury and Smethwick.
This is a beautiful little flower I spotted yesterday that I didn't recognise and thought I would look up.
Common Mallow Malva sylvestris
Can be found along roadside verges, hedgerows and areas of waste ground
And this was spotted by one of our volunteers on the last conservation day hidden amongst some shady Elder trees.
May's Conservation day was very productive!
With few volunteers and little time the emphasis of the conservation days is not to over maintain the brook, but just to remove invasive species that unchecked would spread and take over. Create habitats for wildlife and safe areas for the wildlife to be viewed without intrusion.
Chest high vegetation was strimmed down around the bridge area of the brook to increase visibility, making it safer for pedestrians crossing the bridge.
Sycamore and Cherry Laurel was cut down along the bank of the brook and log piles and dead hedges created, great habitat for insects or mini beasts as they're called these days!
Mini beasts of the brook!
Some little beauties spotted whilst walking the dog
Polygonia c-album, known in the UK as the Comma is a species of butterfly common in the United Kingdom.
In the 19th century the British population of the Comma crashed, and by 1920 there were only two sightings. The cause for this decline is unknown, but from about 1930 the population recovered and it is now one of the more familiar butterflies.
Peacock butterflies are a much-loved and welcome sight in Britain, when over-wintering adults emerge from hibernation in February and March. They are immediately recognisable due to their vibrant red wings, punctuated by four unmistakable false 'eyes', positioned in the corner of each wing.
The Nettles and vegetation of the brook are ideal for butterflies.
Giant monsters literally came out of the woodwork over the last month along Thimblemill Brook.
I took this picture a couple of weeks ago of a mushroom almost the size of a dinner plate!
Unfortunatley I could not identify it, so couldn't tell you if it was edible which is a shame as this would probably feed a family of four for a week.
These Fungi were papped in a Willow tree along Broadmoor Ave, quite large again.
Again I couldn't find it in the book, If anyone knows their Fungi and has any ideas let us know.
This little beauty is the Scarlet Elf cup, which we found on one of our litter picks. Sarcoscypha coccinea grows on decaying sticks and branches in damp spots on forest floors, generally buried under leaf litter or in the soil. The cup-shaped fruit bodies are usually produced during the cooler months of winter and early spring.
There may be Fungi Identification walks at some point, I know Warley Woods have had them in the past.
Other walks that have been or coming up:
Weds 20th April - Health walk (part of Sandwell Stride) - starts at the library 10am, ends 11am with refreshments
Sat 30th April Guided wild flowers walk for all the family 10am - 12noon meeting at the library. Led by Emma a ranger from the Lickey Hills
Weds 18th May - Health walk meeting at the library 10am
Thursday 2nd June - Tree identification walk for all the family with Steve Hodgkinson from The Wildlife Trust 10.30am -12noon meeting at the library.
Weds 15th June - Health walk 10am -11am meeting at the library
Sat 16th July - Local History walk for all the family led by Mary Bodfish from Smethwick Local History Society, meeting at the entrance to Thimblemill Recreation Ground on Thimblemill Road 10.30am -12noon
Weds 20th July - Health Walk meeting at the library 10am -11am
Weds 17th August - bat walk 8.30pm
Four bird walks were undertaken with Abbey Juniors to Section 2 of the Brook as part of National Bird Box Week. These were then followed up with a further four walks (with the same classes) who now all have a bird box mounted on various trees along Broadmoor Ave.
Whilst walking round I heard the sound of baby birds coming from the tree and managed to capture these images of the parents entering the nest, amazing considering the boxes have only been in position for a matter of weeks!
Another box by Salop Road that has been there for a few years also has some residents.
Little balls of fluff (ducklings) are also swimming round Thimblemill Brook pool soon to be joined by Moorhen chicks when they hatch.
It's easy to miss the spring time blossoms as you wizz past to pick up the kids from school, but having a dog gives you an advantage especially when she's as old and slow as Tas.
So I thought I'd take a few pictures and share them.
Small-sized, round-headed tree with double pink flowers in May. Small red haws in autumn and dark green lobed leaves.
The Hawthorn (Crataegus mongyna), Whitethorn, Haegthorn, Quickthorn or May Tree, is one of the most wild, enchanted and sacred of our native trees. Known as the "faerie tree", this beautiful, often gnarled, thorny little tree can live to a great age, and can be found growing in the wildest and harshest of spots.
Voted Britain’s favourite flower, the bluebell captures the very spirit of springtime with its intensely coloured carpets appearing in many woodlands this time of year.
Ramsons, Allium ursinum. Widely distributed throughout the Birtish Isles, it often grows in wetter soils than bluebells and can form large colonies. It has a strong garlicky odour and is therefore sometimes known as 'wild garlic'.
They're all there if you stop and look, but they're not there for long.
After the long dry spell the Thimblemill brook has been not much more than a trickle and two of the three pools have really had their water level reduced, one almost to complete mud!
Anyone with a pair of wellies and a good sense of balance welcome to join in! we meet at the Community Centre on Hurst rd at 10am
Litter pickers bags and gloves provided.
We're a foolhardy bunch of folk who have took it upon ourselves to look after a sliver of wilderness in an urban sprawl.
Starting with monthly litter picks every second Saturday and the closely followed by volunteer conservation days, every fourth Saturday of the month. Busying ourselves cutting down fallen trees and invasive species such as Cherry Laurel, and using them to create log piles and dead hedges to provide homes for wildlife etc.
All good fun and exercise in what has so far been GLORIOUS sunshine! :)
All volunteers are welcome! More info avaliable through Thimblemill Library or Friends of Thimblemill Brook's Facebook group.
Tarar a bit!
