Charlie's Blacktoft Blog

On the 10^th of July, I visit Horseshoe Meadow with a friend from Hornsea; she’s a ceramicist who has an interest in pollen, and uses its structures to inform her pieces, and we’re thinking of each making some work we can display together, which grows out of the same location.

The weather, for days, has been very wet, but the forecast looks ahead to a few fine days and Pete has warned that mowing is imminent;…

Please note that the reserve is still closed until further notice. The blog is to help people keep in touch about what is going on and particularly those who are still unable to get out and about into the countryside. For further details of why we are still closed please see previous blogs.

Well what an up and down summer we are having this year with certainly the last few week nothing to shout about in terms of any settled…

Unfortunately the reserve remains closed due to the logistical difficulties that are still affecting the staffing of the reserve operations and also the ability to put in controls to keep social distancing and numbers of people on site that would keep everyone safe. Strange times indeed and for us quite difficult and depressing, another fellow Site Manager in  teams meeting recently asked me if I enjoyed having the reserve…

Great to get another Guest Blog about part of the reserve that someone has got to know and love, Linda is an Artist who the Reserve has worked with over the last few years by being involved in projects that she's organised, looking at how nature is reflected in art and how it inspires people to express themselves and their feelings. Many thanks too for helping me out at a rather busy time when I'm struggling with finding…

Yes, apologies for no blog for quite a while, the volume of work for just two staff across the Humber reserves is at the moment just a step or ten ahead of us. I'll try and update as best I can when I can but blogs will now become add-hock when I can manage them and remember anything beyond the last few days!

Also apologies but at the moment we are unable to re-open the reserve to visitors, the logistics of social…

With the reserve still closed in line with government guidelines for the use of enclosed public spaces here's an update on what has been happening over the last few days.

Crikey its like the Congo out there at the moment and not much better here in the office, but the weather is certainly good for the wildlife at the moment with the air literally buzzing in the steamy conditions. 

Horseshoe meadow is literally full…

With the days still but only just drawing out and the June weather reinvigorating the avian breeding season it does seem that there is a change just starting as youngsters fledge and passage waders and duck return to site. Even the cuckoo is now starting to change his tune and will soon be looking to head south. 

But yet for some species there is still a long way to go with no doubt that some of our late nesting ducks…

Well almost the middle of June already and currently no sign of the reserve opening its gates due to the need to follow Government advice on social distancing and the use of our hides and pathways, we are planning though and hopefully have a way forward if things change to a situation where we can re-open when it is deemed safe to do so. Please note all the photo's for the blog have been taken while I've been surveying…

Another thought provoking and very timely guest blog from our neighbour Andrew on the last few months and the challenge its giving everyone who manages land for both wildlife and farming in the local area, everyone is having a tough time especially with the added issues of Covid 19 and the stress that puts upon everyone including people who are working in the countryside. Thank you very much Andrew. 

There’s a famous old…

Not a lot of time this week for a blog as we've been pretty full on with work. 

Just a quick update in terms of the reserve closure - the Reserve will remain closed as we are not currently able to open our hides or toilets under government guidelines. 

This week has been another hot and dry one and this has meant birds have been getting on with raising their young, lots of insects emerging too particularly butterflies…

Just a quick reminder that the reserve is closed for the foreseeable - for more information please read the start of the last blog. Straight into the blog this week without further ado. 

Mid to late May is always a time when worlds collide as the breeding birds are in full swing around the reserve but yet there are still species such as the arctic waders that are passing through on their way to exotic places such as Greenland…

A quick update on the Corona virus closure - the reserve will remain closed for the foreseeable future unfortunately due to the issues of how social distancing can be maintained and cross contamination of the hides and toilets is controlled. We also have to respect the local community and how they would feel if lots of visitors arrived in the area, but its not been an easy thing to have to come to terms with that the…

May already and of course typically the weather just isn't doing what it ought to, those northerly winds just don't want to give in and then no rain or sign of summer, but then my last blog did warn of the uncertainty of spring weather.

One thing though that is certain is that the reserve is still well and truly locked down for visiting, work however continues apace especially with the arrival of the cattle this…

Well May hasn't even started but it looks as though the weather is changing somewhat for May and giving real meaning to the old saying 'ne'er cast a clout till May be out' - mind you I never try to take my coat off in the middle of a Yorkshire summer unless I have to as I've experienced far too many cold ones over the years! 

Certainly for the birds its seems to have been causing quite a bit of confusion…

Well its certainly not a typical April at all is it? With the reserve closed to all visitors, just two of us staff that aren't furloughed and then a dry April with constant nagging North Easterly winds then there is nothing typical about it in many regards! 

But then for much of the wildlife its business as usual, albeit slightly affected I suspect by this weird spring weather. Also writing the blogs so far apart…

Firstly apologies for the lack of postings over the last week and a half, we've been reduced to just two staff what with all the lock down and reserve closure but off course livestock and related work does not stop and the last few days has been a blur of stock fencing, ensuring the ponies were safe on the high tides and organising all sorts of other jobs to try and keep the boat afloat. So not quite sure what sort…

Just a reminder that the reserve is shut to all visitors and locked down for only essential management duties such as shepherding the livestock, however I've managed a few photo's during my brief visits and checks that the ponies and site are all ok, fed and watered. 

Koniks enjoying some fresh water 

The arrival of Spring has been as per usual from recollection of past ones been held back a little longer than…

You may know that I did request people to write a guest blog to help keep everyone's spirits up in the current situation and for people to help me out a little, well here is the first blog from our neighbour Andrew who felt inspired to put 'pen to paper', a fascinating blog which I myself have learned a thing or two - I do hope you enjoy it as much as I did and hopefully it will inspire one or two of you, it doesn't even…

Well most but maybe not all by from what I'm hearing have already heard about the national lock down, here on the Sands we closed our gates seven days ago and went into lock down knowing what was almost a certainty to come as it has now.

Nobody knows how long it will take for the country to get back to how it was but its likely that we will be talking about months before the reserve re-opens rather than weeks. I…

As many of you will already have heard unfortunately we have had to close the reserve due to Corona virus concerns mainly due to the issue of contamination within the hides and toilets of surfaces where the virus can survive for long periods. It was a difficult decision and not taken lightly, but we felt that without the long trails you have on other sites we could just not operate safely and without risk to visitors…

Following the latest government advice we have made the difficult decision to close the reserve as at end of play today 18/03/2020. This is to prioritise the health and welfare of our staff, volunteers, supporters and members of the public.

Its been a difficult decision for us as we know how much people enjoy visiting and seeing the fantastic birds and wildlife we have in Spring, it was not taken lightly.

However, we…

Our cup is certainly running over at the moment with yet another massive series of tides and currently most of the reserve paths flooded to above wellington height and therefore closed. However, we have endeavoured to keep the site open as Ousefleet hide is apart from at high tide, open and accessible along the bottom of the flood bank as indicated on the sign at the second entrance gate to the reserve. 

Flooding up! Ousefleet…

Its certainly been an amazing last few days here on the reserve in terms of the beautiful spring weather but its also been an exciting time for the birds and wildlife. March is certainly one of my favourite months as it can bring so much diversity and also a mix of both winter and summer birds. 

Last Friday though my 'highlight of the week'  was the discovery of a large colony of scarlet elf cup fungi as I was having…

Well I think wet is an understatement for the marsh but then for us that's good! The past few winters have seen our habitats far too dry so its nice to have them wet for most of the winter, creating the wet and boggy habitats that makes the marsh come alive. No problems with the paths though, all are clear although the path up to Ousefleet is somewhat a little boggy at the moment so you'll need strong boots or wellies…

Mild, stormy, and wet both from the sky and on the tides, yet the the reserve has been outstanding this month with the wetland birds giving our habitat management the thumbs up by using both the lagoons and grazing marsh in impressive numbers. Time after time I've sat in Ousefleet hide in particular or looked from the field side gate and just thought 'fantastic' this is what large swathes of our countryside should be…