Wom Brook Blog

Kate (Staffordshire Wildlife Fund) and Gemma (Carillion)
The work of the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust along the Wom in Wombourne has been very successful! A recent press release was headed-

‘Rare mammals doing well in Wombourne‘

Recent surveys have shown that endangered water voles are going strong on the Wom Brook in Wombourne. And wild life experts have also discovered another surprise visitor to the waterway.

Kate Dewey, co-ordinator of the Wom Brook Water vole Project run by Staffordshire Wildlife Trust, has been monitoring the vole population with local volunteers, and says that conservation work carried out by the project has paid off.

‘We have seen lots of signs of water voles including burrows and droppings, and even saw a young water vole. Tree thinning plus weed pulling and willow weaving by volunteers has made parts of the brook much better for voles - thanks to sponsorship by the Carillion Natural Habitats Fund’

But what has really surprised conservationists is the discovery that another larger mammal - the Otter - has been active right in the centre
of the village.

During the surveys, an otter ’spraint’ or dropping was found on the brook, just yards from Wombourne Civic centre.

‘We knew that otters were present downstream, where the Wom joins the Smestow Brook, but never thought they would venture this far up into the village’ said Kate.
‘Otters are very shy of people and especially dogs, and tend to travel in the early hours of the morning, so it’s unlikely any one will catch a glimpse of one. Luckily, water voles are less shy and can sometimes be seen about during the day.’

If anyone has any sightings of otters, water voles or other interesting wildlife around Wombourne, please contact:

Kate Dewey at Staffordshire Wildlife Trust on 01889 880100.

EDITOR’S NOTES
1. Carillion is a leading, business and construction services group, employing around 18,000 people in the UK and overseas. It is widely recognised as a sector leader in sustainability issues. It was a founder member of the FTSE4Good index and is one of the pioneers of an initiative by Business in the Community on corporate social responsibility.

2. The Carillion Natural Habitats Fund, which started in 2001, is a partnership with The Wildlife Trusts, enabling individual trusts close to Carillion projects or
offices to apply for grants to fund conservation projects. Carillion on-site and office-based staff are also encouraged to become involved in the projects.

3. The Wildlife Trusts is a partnership of 47 Wildlife Trusts, across the UK, caring for almost 2,500 nature reserves. The partnership campaigns for the protection of wildlife and invests in the future by helping people of all ages to gain a greater appreciation and understanding of nature. The Wildlife Trusts have a membership of over 550,000 people. Further information can be found on their website,
www.wildlifetrusts.org.

The local volunteer group of interested Wombourne residents met last week at the Civic Centre , in order to discuss a full agenda that included discussing forming a charitable trust that would eventually assume a general responsibility for the management of the Wom.

Please note that the group will be drafting a constitution, and holding a public meeting in order to elect a management committee. The date for the public meeting will be announced in both the local press and within this weblog.

Similar to the Yellow River in China, Wombourne_s brook, the Wom had assumed an orange tinge this morning! The direct cause of this was orange/red_flood_ water, stemming from a burst water main on Greenhill (see above photo).. Residents of Wombourne will know that red sand can be found in abundance beneath the ground in this part of the village, and the burst water main simply washed a considerable amount of the red sand down the hill towards the storm drains that empty into the Wom. (This photo was taken facing a southerly direction, with the narrow road bridge over the Wom directly behind the photographer).

Three photos hopefully capture the stages of the _willow weaving_ process employed along a stretch of the Wom.
The left-hand photo taken from the footpath shows two brave souls standing in the freezing Wom, actually constructing the structure.

The centre photo shows the completed effect (Feb/March2004)

Finally, the right-hand photo clearly shows the success of the work-the willow has taken , and is growing strongly against the bank. Hopefully this will now reduce the destructive work of the Wom, in its attempt to erode the southern bank at this point.

Amongst the wooded southern borders of Wombourne Park, where grasses and assorted wild plants have not been cut back by the South Staffordshire District Council, a veil of misty blue flowers stand prominent against the green background _these striking wild flowers are _Forget-me -nots_

The author of this online diary that seeks to record events and note down wildlife observations occurring within the vicinity of the Wom in Wombourne, South Staffordshire apologises for the break in contributions to this site.

These are due in the main to major faults with sustained access to the web provided by the author_s internet service provider (ISP). Hopefully these problems have now been resolved, so please expect a few more contributions!

Despite the unwelcome attention of local dogs, the mallards (as photographed) are back, and seem intent on nesting within the vicinity of the Brook! A male Restart was observed yesterday flying over the central / Wombourne Park area of the Brook, and another local has seen a kingfisher

Easter heralded the onset of Spring-although increased activity amongst birds and squirrels, and the emergence of buds and tree blossom (as illustrated by the Hawthorn blossom above, photographed just outside Wombourne Park on the Railway Walk) have acted as nature_s reminders that a new season was waiting in the wings

Sadly it is inevitable that litter and larger objects such as broken bikes, disused cylinders of gas and more worryingly empty black liquid chemical containers are discarded into the Brook. Before now well-meaning locals have removed plastic petrol cans from the water, but often by then fuel from the containers has already found its way into the Brook, thus polluting the water, and introducing dangerous substances to the water environment that will ultimately affect the wildlife within, often with fatal results.

Nick jokingly mentioned a few days ago that he didn_t believe that anything could survive in the water-in the past this may not have been the case, as I recall children catching small fish. in there some 10 years ago.

Hopefully the planned future survey of the Wom Brook_s local flora and fauna (to be conducted by the South Staffordshire District Council ) will provide an indicator of the _health_ of the Brook.

Apologies for the gap in contributions-I took some offical holiday last week, so no up-to date entries-please look out for one or two over the next week, in order to bring the blog up to date with the seasonal changes now being observed down by our brook!