My RSPB volunteering adventure

On Tuesday, our Bristol-based Nature's Home magazine team headed out on a mission to ‘get under the bonnet’ of the RSPB’s work, get our hands dirty (literally - seriously, they got good and filthy!) and enjoy a day’s volunteering on a wetland island at RSPB Ham Wall, in the Somerset Levels. 

We had a great time in splendid surroundings - in the shadow of ancient Glastonbury Tor. We were kept company by bitterns, great white egrets and marsh harriers - as well as huge hawker dragonflies and shoals of leaping fish.

Reserve staff Ali and Steve showed us around and explained the task ahead. Here’s how it went…. 

Our task was to clear this island of recently-felled reeds, to prepare it for winter waterfowl and provide them with a safe roost. (Don't worry, the reeds will grow back in the spring)

The only way to reach the islet was in this little reserve boat, which carried all of us (in two trips), all our lunch, drinks and refreshments, plus safety kit and the all-important rakes and pitchforks! It was great fun rowing through a reedbed - even if we had to row back again every time someone needed the loo! 

October soon felt like midsummer as we got stuck into some heavy-duty raking.

We cleared areas where we could safely burn the cut reeds.

Then we used huge metal rakes to roll giant reed sausages, and pitchfork them into a pile. We then carefully fed the fires from these piles using pitchforks, to make sure that any lurking island creatures were not put at risk. 

In the realm of the bittern... Reeds generally like having their feet wet, but the water levels were low this week so I was able to poke my nose (albeit only a few centimetres) into a mysterious new habitat. 

By clearing the island we found lots of evidence of wildlife using it; from caches of maize carried in from nearby fields, to this rotting pike's head - leftovers from an otter's feast. 

By lunchtime we had over half the site cleared... and developed huuuuuggge appetites! Fortunately, Steve and Ali had brought vast quantities of cake, tea, coffee and water to supplement our packed lunches. 

We disturbed several toads of various sizes among the cut reeds, so I relocated them all to the safety of sheltered, muddy areas at the water's edge. This one was pretty cute!

We were determined to finish the job and leave nothing but the bare ground the waterfowl need - so we worked extra hard through the afternoon to clear it all. We're all usually desk-bound so it was a physical challenge - but not a single one of us would swap this for a day in the office!

By about 3pm we'd cleared and burned all of the cut reeds, leaving nothing but a few smouldering patches and an area of clear ground, all ready for the winter arrivals to come and make use of. 

That allowed us a bit of time for some birdwatching, so we rowed back to shore and wandered around with our binoculars, watching a beautiful female marsh harrier gliding over the reedbeds, while another marsh harrier got bullied by some plucky crows. Late butterflies flitted beneath the trees, a great egret dozed in the middle distance, a skein of geese zoomed over our heads and came to land in the shallows.

We even saw a bittern, flying surprisingly high above the reedbeds before plunging into them, not far from where we stood. What a fantastic reward for our hard work. 

It's incredible to think that the reserve - and many others like it - must clear areas of reeds every autumn to give a home to winter bird populations, only for it to return to lush reedbed the following spring. It's hard work, year after year, but just one example of why the RSPB needs volunteers. 

Despite our sore muscles afterward, we found it empowering, rewarding, invigorating, interesting and fun. We learned a lot about habitat management and enjoyed working as a team.

It was a day we'll always remember, and I very much envy those regular volunteers who get to enjoy this nature-workout every week! Seriously, if you're ever at a loose end, contact the RSPB about volunteering opportunities. There's something out there for everyone!

Visit rspb.org.uk/volunteering to enjoy free, rewarding nature experiences of your own and keep an eye on your Nature's Home magazine for stories from other volunteers.