There will be diggers working on site for the next couple of weeks, carrying out some essential habitat management works to improve the reserve for birds and other wildlife.
The main work is to excavate a shallow pool in front of the Marsh Covert hide. Though this area floods during the winter, we struggle to hold water on this area year round; It has never been excavated before, just floods naturally. You may remember, we did some similar work on Centenary Pool last year, which has given great results.
2016 work on Centenary Pool (A. Grubb)
The main aim is to improve the area for wintering wildfowl by providing more open water: the site is designated a Special Protection Area for these birds to give them safe refuge though the winter. It will also improve the habitat for breeding birds in the spring time, and the passage waders in both Spring and Autumn should love it too.
Pintail on Bridge Pool (A. Grubb)
The work will also knock back the invasive plant Crassula helmsii (New Zealand pygmyweed), which covers this area in a thick matt. We will scrape this off and bury it, thus exposing more mud for waders to feed on.
We apologise for any inconvenience caused.
If you have any queries, or would like to discuss any other parts of the
management of the reserve, either ask in the visitor centre or email our warden:
Alasdair Grubb (alasdair.grubb@rspb.org.uk)