Welcome to the Rosedale blog. This is where we share news and information about events in Rosedale and the wider community throughout the year. You’ll also find news about the village timetable, our micro enterprises, school events, clubs, and lively socials.
Image: Rosedale Show By Patrick Chambers
A band of volunteers were at work in Rosedale Abbey on Friday 15 June, helping to clear one of the fields near the campsite of thistles in order to improve biodiversity in the area.
If you are interested in joining in this important work, learning new skills and meeting other like minded volunteers, then see: http://www.northyorkmoors.org.uk/looking-after/volunteering
You may recall here in late March a female nuthatch preparing an old woodpecker nest hole to use as her own. On 26th March she was seen taking mud to the old woodpecker hole and applying it in and around the entrance. She also carried wood chips which she stuck in the mud to help bulk it out. She does this to reduce the size of the entrance to minimise the risk of predation or another bird taking over the nest site. Twice a great tit was seen going in only to be chased out very aggressively by the male nuthatch. The male, distinguished by chestnut red flanks, keeps guard during the whole breeding process and will fend off any intruders. During the early stages he sang from just above the nest hole and from the top of the trees. The female continued to ‘mud up’ around the entrance and to watch her size the hole to fit her body exactly was intriguing. She would go in and then squeeze her body out slowly, presumably allowing the wet mud to adjust to her exact body shape.
On two days in April, 14th and 18th they were seen mating on a branch very close to the nest hole. It is not known if she had already started laying eggs by this time. Some birds mate up to 30 days before egg-laying, others just before and some during the egg-laying stage. Nuthatches usually lay 6-8 eggs and the female incubates them after having laid the last egg. Incubation lasts 15-16 days. During this time the male keeps guard and also occasionally feeds her at the nest hole. The female was certainly occupying the nest hole i.e. sitting on eggs, on 27th April when the male was seen to feed her at the nest hole three times at 20 minute intervals. She actually came out to see off a blue tit and went straight back in. Over the incubation period more often he was seen to ‘call for his lady’, peering in the hole and flying off closely followed by her and they would feed away for about 10 minutes before she returned to her duties.
On 12th May the female arrived at the nest hole a number of times with food for her newly hatched nestlings. Each time she was seen to dip down in to the hole and out and away. During these early stages of feeding the young the male wasn’t seen to help but was close by in the trees, occasionally being heard with a contact call or short song. The female occasionally went in the hole completely and brought out a fecal sac for disposal away from the nest, cleaning up after her young. As days passed, the male was also seen to feed the young. Feeding young nuthatches at the nest lasts for 23-25 days.
On 2nd June both adults were feeding at the nest hole and periodically a nestling would appear at the entrance awaiting delivery. Obviously the young were getting big enough to think about leaving. The next day fledging was in progress, with the young being coaxed out by the adults, both having food in their bills. An adult would call at the hole and hold on to the food working back on to a branch with a fledgling following to then receive the morsel. At least four of possibly 6-8 young nuthatches were seen coming out of the nest hole and up the tree trunk flitting about in the branches. The final act was the male entering the hole and exiting alone not to return. All gone. 26th March-3rd June: the privilege was all mine. Nature is wonderful, especially when she lets you in Updale Natural History Recorder
The world renowned artist, Andy Goldsworthy, gave a talk last evening to an audience of over 50 locals and visitors in the Reading Room on his art installations in Northdale.
Andy started with a fascinating resume of some of his works around the world and in Britain, before going into detail on the current installations in Northdale. Two have been completed, the Red Wall near West Northdale Farm and the Fireplace north of Northdale Farm, with two more under way at Job’s Well and in Hangingstone House. He hopes to gain permission to undertake a few more such works with all of them to be connected by a pathway. The whole projected is being funded by the David Ross Foundation, whose Artistic Director, Sophie Clark was present at the talk.
Thanks to the Barraclough family for the use of their field for parking and the the Rosedale History Society for sponsoring the event and providing refreshments
There have been lots of rumours flying around about the Blacksmiths at Hartoft. The situation is that Paul and Scott McNicoll-Cheong have taken out a lease on the property and have started the refurbishment process, concentrating of sorting out the rooms and recruiting staff, with the intention of starting trading again in mid to late July this year. They intend to run it as a country inn with high quality, locally sourced food and comfortable high grade rooms.
Paul has 20 years experience over a broad spectrum of the hospitality industry and Scott currently runs a hair salon in Glasgow. Initially, Paul will remain on site overseeing the sorting-out of the inn while Scott stays in Glasgow with their two children, aged three and seven, until the end of the school term. Then he will move to Hartoft and the two youngsters will be enrolled in the Rosedale Community School. More detail will be published here as it comes in.
It is good to see the Blacksmiths back on the road to recovery and we wish Paul and Scott the very best in their endeavours.
David Ross and trustees of his foundation visited Rosedale on Tuesday 5 June 2018 to observe progress on the Land of Iron project, to which the Foundation has contributed £300,000. They were briefed in the Reading Room by Tom Mutton, the project manager, before heading out to East Mines on bicycles to see the work that has been done already and to meet volunteers on task on the line.
Just a reminder that the famous artist, Andy Goldsworthy, will be giving a talk on the art works he has been creating in Northdale, in the Updale Reading Room on Wednesday 13 June starting at 7.00pm
The coffee morning in aid of the BHF raised over £330, so many thanks to all who donated/bought raffle prizes, coffee monies and cakes and to The Coach House team for the support as always.
The next coffee morning will be on Saturday 7 July from 10.00 to 12.00 am and will be in aid of the Save Rosedale Abbey Church appeal. We have to raise over £80,000 to save the church for all who live in the dale, so please come along and support this very important local cause.
SAVE ROSEDALE CHURCH
The stalls on the green on the Whit Bank Holiday Monday are an old village tradition in Rosedale – this year they ranged from cakes, bric-a-brac, tombola and even worm juice!
Very many thanks to all who helped throughout the day and to those who donated items for sale. The result was the magnificent sum of £728.00 being raised towards the church roof repair appeal.
Parts of a second series of the comedy soap opera ‘Bad Move’ are being filmed in the village on Wednesday 16 May. Principally, the action will concern a village parade, hence the straw sheaves on the school railings, the bunting and other items on the village green. The location managers ask that locals do not stand around and watch the proceedings and to avoid parking in the indicated areas.
The transmission dates are not yet known , but will be passed on here when the production people have decided on them.