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From: 157 Spring 2023
Author: Julian Cooper
The meadow as ever continues to give respite, peace, and enjoyment to residents and visitors alike. Unless at times you’re the ranger! The autumn and winter has seen the welcome return of the wildfowl to the meadow. But with this return has come Avian Influenza (bird flu). This is a highly contagious disease that has killed millions of birds worldwide and last year had serious consequences for nesting sea bird colonies around the UK, with thousands dying. On the meadow we collected over fifty dead birds and had to put some down. We decided to collect the dead to hopefully minimise the spread of this serious disease. As the overwintering birds fly off for spring and summer then infected birds on the meadow will reduce but we will as ever be vigilant this coming autumn.
It was great to work with Oxfordshire Badger Group, Charlie Gee of Medley Manor Farm, Wytham woods and Friends of Burgess Field on inoculating badgers in the area against TB. Two years ago we very nearly lost the ability to graze due to an outbreak. This work will be ongoing and hopefully will mean the TB testing that forms part of the roundup will continue to be clear for years to come.
This winter has seen some cold periods with the seasonal lake area frozen sufficiently for ice hockey and some rather skilful ice dance but not by me!!
As ever when we get harder weather we work with the commoners and horse graziers to ensure the welfare of the horses and put out additional hay. As ever my thanks to the graziers for the efforts over these periods.
As I write the river has come up again but it’s starting to warm up and the grass is starting to grow. So we are getting closer to welcoming the cattle many of which are grazed on Freemen’s rights back onto the meadow.
On a very sad not we lost Charlie Hanson who was the main grazier for the meadow for many years. Charlie was larger than life with hands to match. It took us a few years to try to work each other out (he may of worked me out before I worked him out) but when we did it was to the betterment of the Meadow. I will very much miss the chats on the meadow, a proper farmer and cattleman. On a positive note I am glad to say that his sons Michael and John will be continuing to graze the meadow.
Lastly on behalf of myself and Hayely many thanks for the very kind invitation to the Christmas dinner. It was a wonderful evening and only enhanced by the wonderful hospitality of Alison and Steven Cobb.
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