Marshians spent two days on the marsh over the weekend, scything, stomping and planting.

Our first stop was Watermint bridge and the area either side of it. We scythed the grasses and piled them up in the ditch, adding to the little haystacks we made a little while ago. We added some willow cuttings to make an avenue alongside the bridge.

The first willow cuttings of the season. First of many!

They were soon planted.

It didn’t take us long so once we’d planted the willows, made the bridge stronger, and blocked the ditch a bit more we headed to the dam.

We completely covered the dam with more cut grass that we scythed from the fields either side.

We’ve already noticed more wildflowers growing in the areas we scythed last winter so hopefully all this work won’t just make haystacks and block ditches. It could improve the meadows, opening up areas for seed to germinate.

Then we stopped for an impromptu picnic before wandering home.

The following day was forecast to be wet, but we were looking forward to some rain!

We set about with scythes and rakes and piled up yet more hay, modifying one of the haystacks

It’s a good workout, cutting the reeds and sedges, raking it all up and carrying it off the marsh. It’s amazing how effective scythes and rakes and pitchforks can be, it’s hard work but I know of worse ways to get fit.

We very quickly built one huge heap.

We have plans for this, we’re going to make a lodge, somewhere cozy to sit deep in the marsh, hidden away inside a haystack.

The rain did come eventually and it rained heavily over the next day.

The marsh was soft and green, the first redwings and fieldfares appeared in the treetops.

And the Guelder rose was the most amazing colours.

I spent the next day in the pouring rain watching as the first signs of rising water levels appeared in the ditches that have been dry for weeks. There were some deliciously heavy showers

And the dams were already working.

A day ago this was bone dry.

If our dam works this will be permanently wet. And full of fish and frogs and dragonflies

This dam is holding back water too, and hopefully with a bit of weed and mud and dead leaves the flow will reduce. It’s flowing quite a bit but hopefully it will get blocked without any help from us. But if it needs it we’ll give it a hand.

It may have been damp and grey elsewhere but the soft moist landscape is the epitome of a marsh.