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2025
With many thanks Yes, by much work by the green team the green is back up playing. We can play bowls at home in 2025. We are most grateful to all the hard work that has been done by our contracted greenkeeper and members to get the green playable. Our first home match is now Tuesday May 20th against Potters Bar Bowls Club at 2.30pm - all welcome to watch. 2024 No matches can be played at home. Due to the state of the green we are unable to do any marketing to encourage new bowlers for the start of the new season. We have had to with the help of an external greenkeeper and a local contractor and the great input of our small membership have had to takeup, dispose of the spoil and reseed the green in its entirety. This has been at some expense and anxiety to the club members. 2023 Crows wreak havoc, on the East Barnet Valley Bowls Club bowling green. In the space of the last few weeks in August 2023, unfortunately our bowling green has been decimated by many crows, we believe searching for the larvae (leather jackets) of the Crane Fly otherwise known as Daddy Long Legs. Some pictures are next to this dialogue, just press play. Previously, we have had very minor damage to the green by the crows and the crows and the bowlers have been able to be in harmony with each other. This year whether there is a proliferation of larvae or not the crows have decided to take vengeance on the green. It certainly feels like that. We are not a happy bunch of bowlers currently as this destruction of the green has greatly impacted on the late summer matches at home. The last fixture being on 20th August against Radlett (the crows had already started excavating the larvae). We can't even go into the clubhouse for tea in peace without wondering whether the birds are back. Despite the use of many different ways of bird scarers to stop them i.e fixed kites in the shape of hawks, cd's etc, they have managed to break through and create havoc with the playing surface creating a number of wide holes about a inch and a half deep. This is the rough depth of a crows beak where they have pecked into the surface. We have now had to take the drastic action of stripping the green of the turf and intend to reseed and top dress in the hope this will enable some bowls next year (amazingly enough crows are still going to the green) This is being done by members only as we have very low funds. Welcome any donations and offers of help. Turf can be collected and maybe a load of good quality compost next year! The larvae of the crane fly - leatherjackets^^(see end of this article) will not themselves comeback next year. its the change from the pupae of them as part of the life cycle into adult crane flies. Its these crane flies that hatch during July and August that will lay eggs within 24 hours of hatching. As someone (the writer D.Mulford) who absolutely loves wildlife. We have seen various birds on or near the green - pied wagtails, blackbirds, sparrows, dunnocks, ring necked parakeets, blue tits and great tits to name a few and have seen the odd kite above. It has though, (although at odds with the green), been remarkable to see what these creatures can do in such a short space of time to destroy something that gives sporting recreation for some keen bowlers. You can if you examine the holes, see the beak marks as the crows pecked away to find the larvae. How do we repair this without future incidents? Certainly we will need to invest in some new bird scarers. Hopefully there will not be further incidents next year after the green has been repaired. The crows being ever thoughtful, have at least considered the bowlers and have kindly kept away from two rinks so we are still able to do roll ups etc on Mondays and Wednesday afternoons although we have had to reduce the width of the two rinks, but are unable to turn the green. We obviously hope this remains till the end of the season and the leader of the murder* of crows hopefully will abide by this. *colloquial name for a group of crows. However regrettably, we had to cancel a number of matches which is most unfortunate for the visitors and ourselves, due to the state of the bowling green. We have also reluctantly, had to postpone our club finals competition weekend until the new year to enable the green to be repaired. Hopefully a good start to 2024 though. Any ideas or help to refurbish the green would be most welcome. As a small bowls club we are having to spend a considerable amount of our limited funds to restore the green which is maintained by some of its members. Sponsors and donations are welcome, banners/posters can be displayed etc, subject to agreement. Please contact us if you can help by emailing [email protected] Despite this new members are always welcome and we will from October be starting to repair the green and start Short Mat Bowls in the clubhouse. ^^https://turfworld.co.uk/leatherjackets-ultimate-guide/ |
27th September 2023
A work party, consisting of club members started on the arduous task of repairing the green. As you can see the impact is high and the green will take a while to get back to normal. Donations and offers of help welcome. Anyone know any companies who can help? |
