John Bailey – The Kingfisher Diaries
June 5th 2010
The Kingfisher Stream Reborn!
I think we're all totally delighted with the work done on the Kingfisher Stream between the Lobster Pot and the apartments. This is the most sensitive of areas, home as it is to literally thousands of small roach and chub. The Stream though, was totally clogged and has been so for many years. This was also proving a problem to our drainage systems, preventing water running off during times of flood.
In the bad old days of the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s, the Inland Drainage Board would have come in and absolutely massacred our precious little Stream. Today, thankfully, it's all different. So thanks to Steve Lane from the Environment Agency who came, inspected and suggested a way forward.
Thanks to Caroline and to Adrian from the Inland Drainage Board itself for all the care and consideration they showed towards us and their understanding of this exquisite little haven for wildlife.
And thanks to Ben Goose for his painstaking work and supreme artistry. What we have now, thanks to all these guys, is a picturesque, meandering Stream right through the heart of our site. And, let's not forget the Trojan efforts of Mick Moore, dumper-trucking away all the spoil as Ben scooped the stream clear.
With luck, our Kingfisher Stream will now be a haven for small fish, kingfishers, herons and even grebes, perhaps, for a long time to come. It was nice that within hours, the swan was
taking her cygnets on an exploratory tour.
And a last word...to Ben many congratulations on your new arrival. Let's hope little Ben grows up as skilful and understanding as his dad!