Wom Brook Blog

Many would be forgiven for identifying the season depicted in the above photograph, showing leaf litter collecting on part of the old Wombourne Railway Station platform, as Autumn. Not so.

The prolonged period of dry, hot weather has had a severe effect on some of the younger trees growing along the Railway Walk. Unlike the older and taller trees, which have much longer roots that reach further underground to more moist earth, the younger trees are forced to shed some leaves in order to reduce their overall demand for water.

If you know of a tree near to you that is shedding leaves at the moment, and you are able to spare some of your waste vegetable water (not water containing detergents), then please give them some much-needed water.

Nettles provide a pretty unpleasant sting should you accidentally brush a bare arm or leg against them-when you quickly experience discomfort and considerable irritation-which in turn makes you want to scratch and rub the affected part of your skin.

As mentioned in this blog in previous years, the �__traditional�__ remedy for a nettle sting is to rub the affected area with a dock leaf. These are large, broad-leafed plants that often grow close to a group of nettles.

This particular nettle stood out due to its �__cloaking�__ in a spider�__s web. Butterfly and moth larvae often feed on nettles, but smaller flying insects would quickly become ensnared in this deadly decoration, and provide the next meal for a hungry spider!

Memories of the recent commemoration of the World War I Battle of the Somme were rekindled recently one sunny morning walk last week, along the rising path that leads away from the Brook and on to the Railway Walk. The vivid red flowers belonging to a cluster of poppies were strikingly evident against a backdrop of greens, yellows and browns. (See photo above).

Many of us associate poppies with the red paper ones traditionally worn by many of us here in the United Kingdom as an act of remembrance, to commemorate those who died originally in the Great War, or World War I. Remembrance Day is November the 11th, when at the 11th hour, in 1918, the guns of war fell silent. Since then, all subsequent wars and conflicts are recalled on Remembrance Day.

The deliberate policy to leave a triangular section of ground between the northern bank of the Brook and the Railway Walk has permitted the return of a number of wild flowers that would normally not reach maturity, due to the regular grass-cutting schedule. This forward-thinking policy has enabled small eco-systems to re-establish during the warmer months of the year, resulting in an increase and in some cases a welcome return for some species of flora and fauna.

On Tuesday this week, the Wom Brook was the setting for the BBC Midlands Today weather forecast. Weather presenter and Wombourne resident Simon Keeling presented his forecast from the Gravel Hill section of the Brook, following an interesting feature on one of the Brook�__s more elusive creatures, the water vole. He even found evidence of their presence, from recently chewed plants.

Simon confirmed the numerous sightings of the water voles by the Friends of Wom Brook

Nearly a year has elapsed since the Friends of Wom Brook invited a wider circle of participation in their conservation activities. One of the most successful age groups to join in has come from amongst some of the young people of the village.

Although the above photograph was taken earlier in the year, it represents the popularity of the periodic Saturday morning sessions down by the Brook. In addition to conducting searches for different species of insects and other invertebrates, as well as conducting stream-based surveys of wildlife, young members of the group have been involved in bank clearance and other conservation work. Plans are in hand to organise visits to other wildlife habitats of special interest locally.

A bi-product of the present spell of dry weather has been the recent appearance of the above wrapped bales-this scene was photographed early this morning about half a kilometre north of the old Wombourne Railway station, looking north-west.
Farmers certainly subscribe to the saying, �__make hay while the sun shines�__- I have vivid recollections of years gone by, when wet summers would limit farmers to baling hay on a rare dry day, only for them to be forced to wait days for bales to dry out following intervening thunderstorms. Wrapping bales in this way protects them from the rain. (Heavy, thundery rain likely tomorrow).

Modern-day farming techniques can involve utilising bale-wrapping equipment �__ this almost mimics introducing a supermarket concept of encasing the freshness of the newly harvested hay!
Just a reminder-confirming that
there will be a committee meeting in the Wombourne Council Chambers tonight at
7:30 pm.

This photograph will hopefully be the first of several to show different views and perspectives of the landscape that borders the Wom Brook during its journey east to west through Wombourne in South Staffordshire.

This scene was taken looking west from Mill Lane, and for those familiar with this particular location, you will know that the civic centre is located to the right of the picture.

The large Hawthorn tree in the left of the scene shades the Brook, and provides a sheltered habitat where many species of plant and animal life are sustained by the flowing stream, while the dense undergrowth along with the abundance of trees deters the attention of most people!