Hi all. I wrote about the first two volunteer sessions of June in my previous blog post (Campfield Marsh Volunteer Work Party Update (March-June '23) - Campfield Marsh - Campfield Marsh - The RSPB Community), during which we carried out the second of two marsh fritillary surveys and the final snipe survey.
The third session in June saw a group of us walk the perimeter of the electric fence and cut or pull any vegetation growing tall enough to make contact with it. This is a physically demanding but important job. The fence is crucial in keeping our breeding lapwing and redshank (though it benefits lots of other species too) safe from predators such as foxes. Any vegetation touching the electric fence will earth it, resulting in a reduced current, which could potentially “open the door” to a fox successfully getting into the enclosures. Another example of the important work our volunteers do in helping nature recover and the RSPB to meet its objectives.
The annual summer trip to Hodbarrow (one of our other sites, located in southwest Cumbria; Hodbarrow Nature Reserve, Cumbria - The RSPB) took place the following week. Over autumn and winter, the volunteers work hard to manage the habitats here, so this visit provides everyone with an opportunity to revel in the fruits of their labour! We slowly made our way through the grassland, scrub, and woodland, stopping frequently to inspect all manner of plants, butterflies, moths, bees, damselflies, dragonflies, and birds, before having a bite to eat on the sea wall overlooking the Irish Sea. The day culminated in a visit to the hide to see the incredibly busy islands in the lagoon, teeming with - to name a few - breeding terns, gulls, eider, oystercatchers, and lapwing. Simply put, it was a day for basking in the delights of nature!
The final week of June was the summer barbecue. This day allows us to celebrate the contribution of our volunteers who do so much for the RSPB and, more importantly, nature. Without them we would achieve only a fraction of what we accomplish with them on board. Prior to the barbecue itself, we made our way up the longgen to the hide, stopping firstly to inspect the moths caught in the moth trap overnight. We spent over an hour retrieving and documenting a huge number of moths and a wide array of species (my favourite being the extravagant garden tiger moth), before sending them all on their merry way. At the hide, we were not fortunate enough to catch a glimpse of the cattle egret that seems to have decided to follow our Belted Galloways around the fen, but we did get a good view of the pair of marsh harriers that appear to be nesting there. The bountiful food and clear skies could only mean that the barbecue was a resounding success (although we did nearly lose several cakes when a gust of wind brought the parasol down on the dessert table – would it be a British barbecue without such a dramatic event occurring?) Before everyone left, we took the time to show our gratitude to Neil and Marjorie who, on account of them moving house, will no longer be able to volunteer with us. Having put in decades of combined service between them, the impact that they have had on the reserve is immeasurable and they will certainly be missed. Neil and Marjorie, we wish you all the best in your new chapter!
We are always on the look-out for new volunteers to join us at Campfield Marsh (and Hodbarrow). We meet on Thursday mornings. If you are interested in helping with the sort of tasks mentioned above, meeting new people, developing new skills, and enjoying the outdoors, please feel free to email me at dan.cropper@rspb.org.uk or my colleague Mhairi at mhairi.maclauchlan@rspb.org.uk.