Pad Construction - Day 44

It was day 2 of installing the cellars on the well pad. All six of the holes dug yesterday now contain a large pipe, the form for the concrete pad is in place and the rebar is going in.



The first load of concrete is on site and poured into the hole around the outside of the pipes.



After the pipes are concreted in place the pouring of the pad is started.



By the afternoon all the concrete is poured.



View of the cellars from the top of the east slope.



View of the pad area.


The rock hauling continues. A happy trucker.



Extra help on site today. One of the construction crew brought a "guard dog" to police the site.



Rumor has it, the guard dog can be bribed with a chicken sandwich and he likes to collect sneakers as a hobby.



The guard dog isn't bothered by all the equipment and can sleep almost anywhere.



More work continued on the northeast slope near the pad entrance.



Working on the slope.

Pad Construction - Day 43

Another clear, dry day and the non-stop hauling of rock to the pad area continues



On the well pad a base layer of mixed sized rock is spread and compacted. The stockpile of crushed stone near the center of the pad is used in a drainage ditch being constructed between the uphill slope and a berm on the east side of the pad.



Smoothing out the dirt stockpile above the pad area. This dirt is still wet and "sticky" from the past rain storms.



Edger Enterprises was on site today to start working on the cellars for the well heads



Each well drilled will have a cellar that the drill rig will position over during drilling. The first step in creating the cellar is to dig an 8 foot deep hole each well location.



A large metal ring is positioned in the hole and concrete poured around the outside of the ring.
(To be continued ...)

Two day old Killdeer Chicks

I was heading to our pond this morning to check on the nesting waterfowl when I spotted two adult killdeer and at least three chicks. The adult killdeer tried to draw me away from the chicks but it was hard to miss the long legged "puffball" chicks in the lawn.



As I got closer, the chicks ducked down into the clover to hid.



With their long legs folded, the little chicks were hard to find against the soil background. The chicks were motionless and I was able to get within inches of them.

Waitting Goose

With today's warm weather the goose took some time off the nest for lunch and a quick swim. She has been sitting on the eggs for at least 25 days and the eggs should hatch within the next week.

Pad Construction - Day 42

Greenway Engineering was at the site today surveying locations on the well pad. They set up a GPS base station along Joyce Road at a know pin location used for prior surveys of the area.



On the well pad the drilling location were marked.



Trucks continued to haul more rock to the pad area and stockpile it.



An excavator worked on the dirt stockpile at the uphill side of the site.



Silt sock inspection by one of the local residents

Pad Construction - Day 41

A clear, dry day and work continued on the well pad. More stone was dumped on the access road from the stream crossing to the pad area.



Trucks hauling crushed stone to the pad area.



On the pad area, crushed stone was being stockpiled at the south end of the pad. Large rock is added to the pad base at the north end of the pad.



Equipment on the move to the pad area.



New silt fence is installed at the north end of the dirt stockpile.



A dozer working the dirt stockpile above the slope on the east side of the pad.



Moving the fuel tank.

Killdeer Chicks

While checking the killdeer nest today I noticed the bird was acting different than on my past visits to the nest.



On closer inspection of the nest I saw three of the four eggs had hatched and the fuzzy little chicks were still in the nest. Mother's Day for the killdeer.



The little chicks were motionless and huddled around the remaining egg. By the afternoon the fourth egg had hatched and the mother had moved the chicks to another location.

Pad Construction - Day 40

After yesterday's activity, today was quiet and no one was on the site.

Wood Duck Nest

While checking on the nesting goose at the pond I noticed a couple clumps down feathers near one of the nesting boxes. I had placed the nesting boxes at the pond several years ago but hadn't seen any nesting activity until today.



I checked the nesting box and found 14 eggs. I didn't see the wood ducks at the pond today but the hen should be ready to start sitting on the eggs soon.

Pad Construction - Day 39

Activity at the site picked up today as a large crew of workers were on site to replace the existing silt fence, along the downhill (west) side of the construction site, with "Super Silt Fence".



By the end of the day the new super silt fence had been installed along the downhill edge of the site.





Water tankers arrived this morning to remove the silty standing water from the pad area.


By the afternoon most of the water had been removed but the dark sky may have different plans on the water level.

Pad Construction - Day 38

After yesterday's activity of hauling stone to the pad area, today was a quiet day. A large area of the pad has been covered with stone but the water hazard is still present. View from the northeast corner of the pad looking southwest.

Click on image for an enlarged view.



Drain installed in the southeast corner of the pad.

Pad Construction - Day 37

After a rain out yesterday the crew was back and rock was being hauled to the pad area. Six trucks lined up at the stream crossing waiting their turn to unload.



As one truck climbs the hill to the pad another truck leaves and six trucks wait.



This truck was able to climb the hill, but ...



some trucks needed a little push to make the hill.



Once on the pad area the trucks quickly dumped their loads.



At the south end of the pad a drainage ditch was being installed.



Yesterday's rain left the northeast corner of the pad underwater.



Draining water from the northeast corner of the pad.