me new bigger pond

[difflock]

I lifted a manhole lid "downstream" of the pond this afternoon, there is only a trickle of water coming in from the direction of the pond, and some of that could still reasonably be natural seepage from earlier rainfall, if I had a while tomorrow or Sunday, I will try and find the 2, perhaps 3 number  tile drains that run into the back sheaugh, since they drained the field the pond was constructed any other leakage should be easy to find and quantify.

This evening I lit a wood fire in a big 500mm dia cast iron saucepan, set on top of an upturned galvanised mop bucket, the perfect improvised fire-pit and sat out until just now, watching the trout rise  while spotting the odd Bat flitting about.

Wi a big mug o tay.

All quite perfect.

[difflock]

Landscaping, after a fashion, I was moving the flags anyway, and thought they would make good ballast to use the linkbox as a rudimentary land-leveller, tis a bit "tiddy" tweeking the ram to finessee the cut but  .  .  .see images.

[AJStrees]

16 minutes ago, difflock said:

Landscaping, after a fashion, I was moving the flags anyway, and thought they would make good ballast to use the linkbox as a rudimentary land-leveller, tis a bit "tiddy" tweeking the ram to finessee the cut but  .  .  .see images.

What's that tractor you got?

[difflock]

Kioti EX50, & 50HP,  unsure re the age, but I bought it direct off an equestrian place in England with 1800 hrs on it, cracking good/fast hydraulics, and I bought it specifically to have a handy loader tractor, I quite deliberately avoided a cabbed model to get in below a low lintol, plus tis wile handy stepped on or off, which suits the way I use it. It has a clutched shuttle and oodles of gears, I never use the 2 lowest ranges, but still 3 ranges by 4 gears outside of those. Also got a mid PTO, but I cant figure a use for it, other than a midmount lawnmower deck, which does not interest me.

I generally choose to not work if it is raining, so no cab no problem!

The only weakness is the hard bastard industrial tyres, they would spin on a wet snotter, and simply do NOT carry over soft ground.

Marcus

Edited March 28, 2020 by difflock

[sandspider]

I tried a bit of drive smoothing with the link box on my little compact tractor. Not easy, but with time the finish was ok. I should've put more weight in the box in retrospect...

 

Loving the pond! Get a fly rod and have a bash...

[Matthew Storrs]

2 hours ago, difflock said:

Landscaping, after a fashion, I was moving the flags anyway, and thought they would make good ballast to use the linkbox as a rudimentary land-leveller, tis a bit "tiddy" tweeking the ram to finessee the cut but  .  .  .see images.

Very nice Marcus, I used to have a Fleming box just like yours behind my Same. It has the scraper blade underneath it. Could do a surprisingly good job with it as long as neither turf or larger rocks were in the ground otherwise it would drag them- scoring the ground. Must admit I prefer the cut and fill finesse of a digger. My Kubota on its wide steel tracks does a lovely job of tracking it all in too.

Edited March 28, 2020 by Matthew Storrs

[AJStrees]

1 hour ago, difflock said:

Kioti EX50, & 50HP,  unsure re the age, but I bought it direct off an equestrian place in England with 1800 hrs on it, cracking good/fast hydraulics, and I bought it specifically to have a handy loader tractor, I quite deliberately avoided a cabbed model to get in below a low lintol, plus tis wile handy stepped on or off, which suits the way I use it. It has a clutched shuttle and oodles of gears, I never use the 2 lowest ranges, but still 3 ranges by 4 gears outside of those. Also got a mid PTO, but I cant figure a use for it, other than a midmount lawnmower deck, which does not interest me.

I generally choose to not work if it is raining, so no cab no problem!

The only weakness is the hard bastard commercial tyres, they would spin on a wet snotter, and simply do NOT carry over soft ground.

Marcus

Nice little number. Yeah front loader really handy. I have yet to get a tractor with one on but need one, currently the MF 135 probably won't ever get a loader but if the bosses decide on new equipment, probably get a 50hp Kubota with full cab and front loader with turf tyres and use the MF as the mean machine to do all of the dirty work. Anyway I will keep dreaming until such time as the money becomes available. 

[difflock]

1 hour ago, sandspider said:

I tried a bit of drive smoothing with the link box on my little compact tractor. Not easy, but with time the finish was ok. I should've put more weight in the box in retrospect...

 

Loving the pond! Get a fly rod and have a bash...

I tickled some 1" graded down the lane, while the soil dried a bit,  into the couple of potholes, then ran the link box up and down the entire length a couple of times, it leaves a lovely finish.

But I intend to get the lane surfaced this summer, prob just go for concrete, then asphalt round the house.

Covid19 permitting of course.

The daughters man, fly fishes, how prescient that he had stocked my pond, cos he now got a private fly fishery!

Edited March 28, 2020 by difflock

[difflock]

A few fresh images;

The latest recruit is a juvenile waterhen/moorhen who is rather camera shy, despite my repeated efforts, unlike Mr.Pheasent, who remains unpreturbed by the dogs, despite their continued harrasment.

Mr. Pheasent has a couple of lady friends with chicks about but they are a little more secretive.

A pair of woodpigeons(and the nest is in a nearby hedge) fly in for an evening drink, plus a pair of doves.

There is also a hawk of some sort about local, and needless to say numerous buzzards and heron(again the heron nest in a bit of our woodland).

Plus cheeky jackdaws and plenty of swallows and a few bats.

There was a family group of Goldfinch feeding on a thristle about 6m from our noses the other evening.

Only ever saw an Owl once though.

Suppose I really need a better camera with a decent telephoto lens and a BIG injection of paitence.

Life is good.

Edit:

I intended to mention the inordinate amount of time the swallows spend feeding over and moreso in the water, really really splashing in to nab whatever they are hunting, presumably just sub-surface. I nearly wonder how they managed before the pond was there.

 

Edited June 21, 2020 by difflock

[sandspider]

Looking good. Did the water level drop much in the dry may?