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I will be hanging out with Emma Fielding on the evening of Wednesday August 24th at Finsley Gate watching the moths as they are attracted to black light beneath the trees and beside the canal. Please come and hang out with our nightly visitors.

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Blackberries are starting to ripen in sunny locations at Finsley Gate Boatyard. I picked the first ‘punnet’ today and I will freeze them as a contribution toward our first Burnley Wood Jam. The moment was captured by photographer Andrea Holt who was documenting time, change and history around the site as part of an Exbury Egg Photographers Group project.

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The Eggman picking blackberries at Finsley Gate

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The neighbourhood notice board beside the canal bridge at Finsley Gate Boatyard is now home to a series of changing exhibitions featuring activities at the Exbury Egg and work by locally based photographers. Many thanks to Sam Walsh (here with daughter Romilly) for documenting the Summer Solstice Supper that was supported by so many local Burnley Wood people.

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I do not ever remember seeing Himalayan Balsam before yesterday when I encountered it behind the tow path wall almost adjacent to the Egg and went off to look it up. I was surprised to discover that this splash of gorgeous colour is seen by many as an invasive occupying force, that has spread rapidly since its escape from confinement in Victorian gardens where it was first introduced from central Asia in 1839.

It is the largest annual plant in Britain, growing up to 2.5m high from seed in a single season. It spreads quickly by propelling seeds up to four metres from truly explosive little pods and they often drop into the water and further contaminate land and riverbanks further downstream (though I am not sure how this is an issue in the slow moving confines of a canal). It is widely regarded as a menace that would cost £300 million to remove nationwide. However, as fast as one group of people dig it up and burn it, others collect the seeds and post them to friends to plant. It is well loved by many and Birmingham Botanical Gardens even once sold the seeds as a novelty gift for children as ‘Mr Noisy’s Exploding Plant’ I aim to spend a sunny afternoon next week with a cup of tea waiting for the popping of the seeds if anyone would care to join the fun.

I have to say that the local sticky grass seems like more than a match, as it twists its way up and around the lancet leaves and blooms of the Balsam. I do not think I will ever become a Balsam basher.

The following link is to an interesting 15 minutes of radio on the subject: Mabey, Richard; Produced by Susan Marling (Broadcast 25 July 2011) http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b012qnl4#synopsis

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I met Gav and Andy fishing on the canal bank yesterday morning at 10.35. Gav does a lot of sketching and said he’d like to come round to the Egg one day to look at my work and at the boatyard site.  His keep net had a few roach, but the days biggest catch was a fledgling pigeon, fished out after it ditched in the canal.

This morning I saw another floundering in the water and had to hurry to fish it out myself. I anticipate a few more rescues in the days ahead, as more young attempt first flight from our local ‘Kitty Hawk’ bridge.

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The Sticky Grass (aka Goose Grass & Cleavers) is a common flora at Finsley Gate

The guides and brownies of the 52nd St Andrews Burnley Group and the 5th Burnley Cub Scouts visited the Egg between June 27th and July 18th following a talk I gave about the nature of the Egg at their HQ. Marshmallows were popular around the camp fire (though no marsh mallow was growing nearby) and small groups took it in turns to see inside the Egg itself. Each trip had its own unique attributes. The guides had a sing song, the brownies took my equipment and did a lot of their own photography and sound recording while the cubs really explored the physical structure and took interest in the Bee Aware campaign in support of our yellow and black bodied neighbours.  I hope to welcome the Burnley Wood groups when their new year begins in September.