If someone asked you to spend a day pulling up ragwort, what would you say? ….. Well that was exactly what I thought, but it was nothing like that. Firstly I’ll just fill you in with some of the back story to understand the need for rag pulling before we go any further. Cirl buntings need a diverse and well structured grassland in which to feed and Pony grazing helps to provide these features in the fields, However too much ragwort in the fields can be dangerous to the Ponies health. So we need to remove it before it gets to a point which it can harm them which means a day of ragwort pulling. Which brings me back to my day. Being a Thursday means its volunteer work party day and work party equals more hands for rag pulling. Perfect. I always look forward to the Thursday work parties, because it’s a good time to talk to some different people and when you’re rag pulling, there’s plenty of time to chat and it doesn’t impede your work. There are so many interesting and knowledgeable people too, which means I always learn something new. Bonus. Labrador bay is always one of my favourite places to go, with such rich wildlife to see. Beautiful butterflies like the small copper, grasshoppers which were to ‘boingy’ for me to get a good photo of (maybe a nice challenge for you one day) and good variety birds. Cirls of course, buzzards, gannets, stock dove, stone chat, raven and whitethroat just to name a few. You couldn’t have asked for better weather. Picturesque blue sky with puffy white clouds, warm sunshine and a cool sea breeze (the best). Oh yes and of course, some rag pulling. Teasing them from the ground with special rag forks and bagging them to dispose of elsewhere. There’s always a clear winner who manages to bag the biggest rag and someone who claims ‘the wooden spoon’ for pulling the smallest. And when you get to the point you close your eyes and all you can see is ragwort, it’s time to look up and take in the remarkable view. Then at the end we all bundle into the truck and head back. See, not at all what you’d expect.