The first two work parties of November saw us back on the saltmarsh completing the gorse removal for 2023. We finished working on a ride (a 10m wide corridor cut into the gorse block) with smaller offshoots that broke through onto the marsh that will hopefully be enjoyed by invertebrates and birds alike during the summer months next year. This work saw us reach 0.15 hectares of gorse removed this winter, with more to come early 2024. We have been keeping a record of the gorse cut using a GPS device which allows us to mark out the areas cut and add them to a map of the saltmarsh (pictured). The purple blocks are what was cut last winter whilst the blue blocks are this winter’s work. The blue block furthest to the right (east) is the aforementioned ride and its offshoots.
The third week of November saw the next winter work party at Hodbarrow take place. We finished off burning the material cleared from around the natterjack ponds and planted a good number of kidney vetch plugs in some of the sandy banks, which we had to scrape first to enable us to plant the plugs. Kidney vetch is the sole food plant of the small blue butterfly, and a favourite of the butterfly for nectaring, so it is hoped that this will lead to the species, which we released on site with great success in the summer, spreading out across the site.
The final work party of the month entailed stripping a 25m stretch of hedge down the main lonning on the farm at Campfield Marsh ready for laying. The north Cumbrian method of hedge laying requires a hedge to be stripped down to its main trunk(s), which is subsequently cut to head height and partially cut near the base and bent over parallel to the ground. This results in new vertical growth from the horizontal trunks and maintains the hedge’s bushy quality. This is done on a rotational basis so only small sections are done at a time. A head-height viewpoint overlooking Lower International Pools was also cut to give visitors a new perspective on the birds, such as redshank, teal, wigeon, and lapwing in the field.
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, click on the following link to find out more and apply: Practical Reserve Work (Campfield Marsh, Bowness On Solway) | RSPB Volunteering.