Plants for Flight ponds

It is a good idea to examine neighbouring ditches and ponds before choosing the plants which you wish to establish. This will reveal those species which thrive naturally in the area and will suggest a planting programme. Select plants which are common and freely available. Plant them in the growing season preferably before flowering, i.e. April to mid July for most species. The technique and the value of individual species are considered later in this section.

It is often desirable to leave one or two areas unplanted or kept clear as grain-feeding places for flighting duck. Ideally they should be accessible from the nearest field entrance to the pond and the island and ground between the pond and the spoil bank should be graded down. This gives additional space for duck to rest and preen, away from any thick cover which could screen approaching predators. This dabbling action of feeding duck can cause considerable erosion. This often produces cliff faces to the bank and increases the water depth to a point where food on the bottom is inaccessible. A simple way of preventing this is to dump a load of pea shingle into the feeding area and rake it down to just below the water surface. If the layer of shingle is 6 in. or more deep it will effectively prevent this type corrosion and reduce loss of food. A wind baffle on the top of the spoil bank can most easily be established by planting a double row of Lonicera, which will eventually grow to a height of 6-8 ft. Eosin's cypress, planted 2 ft. apart, and later lopped at 6 ft. would also make a good screen, but requires protection from rabbits and hares - unnecessary with Lonicera. the area outside the spoil bank is best left to 'grow rough', providing food and cover for foraging ducklings in the summer. (It may also be used by pheasants.) With this layout, each bay could accommodate a nesting basket or box during the breeding season. The shooting hides are sited on the land between the bays. Hides on different sides of the pond allow for all wind variations. If cattle have access to the field it will be essential to fence the pond, or they will trample down all the marginal cover. Alternatively a small inlet can be dug to run out under the wire so that they have their own drinking pool, or their access can be restricted to certain areas where their controlled grazing on the marginal vegetation will provide another very attractive habitat - to snipe for instance.

 

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