Although called Keyworth Meadow, the nature reserve had been managed as a pasture for many years before acquisition by the parish council. Since then the open area has been mown and, subject to available labour, the grass has been raked-up, dried and burned; the intention being to reduce the nutrients and encourage flowering plants at the expense of the vigorous grasses. In practice, the mown grass has in many years been left through lack of manpower and adverse weather conditions. Therefore the management group believes grazing should be re-introduced and once funding for stock-proof fencing has been found, it is proposed to allow, Mr Davill’s hardy cattle to graze the “meadow” between October and March – this should help small mammals and invertebrates, by removing the sudden wholesale cut, and plants, by controlling the invasive meadowsweet and creating more structural mosaics. If you have any views on these proposals, please let me know – email: neil.pinder@ntlworld.com or phone 0115 9144896.

A single Brambling amongst a large flock of Chaffinches and a drake Teal flushed from the brook, were the November highlights.