Another Blog from Marjorie - This one gives you an idea of how you can help on the Reserve.It's not just birds and moths that keep the gates open there are many other things we need to do and you could be part of it!

When part of the wall at the entrance to the reserve collapsed,two members of the volunteer work party came to the rescue. Making good use of skills acquired in a previous life Neil G. and Laurence assessed…

A very warm welcome to John Hutchinson, our new Estate Worker.

John joined the RSPB team here at Campfield on18th February and as you can see from the photo he was already getting down to preserving the pristine look of the Reserve.

Here's wishing him a long and happy association with the Reserve.

Another day, another pond

 The pond by the hide was the second pond to be tackled this year by the Campfield Thursday volunteers. Brambles and grass had grown up in front of the pond and trees around it were shading it and shedding leaves into the water

nearly done

It was a cold day, but bright and sunny. Because of the frosty weather of the previous days, the ducks and waders had already left the big field in front…

The first storm of the year, Storm Erik, coincided with the high tide here on Campfield Marsh at 2.15pm. A Met. Office Yellow wind warning forecast a SW gale with winds up to 70mph in the Irish Sea.

As the tide was making, huge waves came rolling in across the Solway Estuary. Skeins of Barnacle geese, already flooded off their Inner Estuary roosts, came streaming by on their way to the saltmarshes of the Outer Estuary…

When the volunteers got together for the Thursday work party the job sounded quite straightforward, but it turned out to be a morning full of surprises, not least of which was the bright blue sky and full sun.

We set out to clear the grass and brambles in front of one of the ponds along the lonning at North Plain, and to take out some of the trees overshadowing the pond. By opening up the pond to more light and reducing…

The high tides have been peaking over the last few days, consequently the saltmarsh has been flooding. However, frosty nights have resulted in lingering hoar frosts and misty days. All this has had a profound effect on estuary birds.

On the 24th, with frost and mist all day, all the pools back over on the Reserve were frozen. Wigeon, Mallard and Teal, which usually frequent the Reserve wetlands, migrated to the saltmarsh…

Don't forget to do your count this weekend.  

For full details click: https://www.rspb.org.uk/get-involved/activities/birdwatch/

You can also pick up a leaflet locally from the Solway Wetlands Centre, North Plains, Bowness-on-Solway.

Incidently the 'Christmas' Robin chose to perch on the millennia old Bog Oak dug up from nearby farmland, which is now on display in Campfield car park.