Weekend volunteers, Bird watch update

Date: Thu, Oct 6, 2011

The recent showers are helping our trees grow very well indeed but along with it, the weeds are in profusion too! Please take a little time off this weekend to do some gardening at the lake. Our gardeners will be available to guide you but basically the things you have to do are:

• Clear the space around the base of each tree, turn the soil over but remember to keep the trough shallow around it.
• Remove weeds growing in the walking track drains
• Direct water flow from these drains to the nearest tree
• Some of the bougainvillea are growing wild. Tie them with gunny ropes so that they spread over the fence. The gardeners have the rope.
• Check that the trees have not bent or branches broken in the rains. Bent trees must be staked and broken, limp branches cut off cleanly with a knife.
• The viewing deck needs some deweeding.
• Our volunteers have planted Portulaca and lilies near the benches on the coconut grove. A few are flowering though most of them are still tiny and can be mistaken for weeds.

In the middle of all this, do take time off to spot any new birds! I've attached a photo of a White-breasted Waterhen which Sujesh took recently. You can hear the call of the Waterhen here.

Very many of the Thespesia along the avenue road are flowering. The Markhamia Lutea (the very tall trees along the coconut grove) are budding.

Photo credit: S. Sujesh