With the winter season under way, we're well into our habitat management program which involves cutting back reed, bramble and willow scrub, and other long vegetation from various areas around the reserve. We carry out this work to maintain a variety of habitats to benefit a diverse range of wildlife, keeping areas open and preventing the natural succession to scrub and eventually trees which would otherwise occur. The removal of tall vegetation also maintains clear views for visitors from various vantage points around the reserve so that wildlife and the surrounding landscape can easily be enjoyed.
Cut areas in the reedbed create open areas which have been proving excellent for feeding water rails.
Vegetation removal around the edges of the shallow lagoon brings multiple benefits - maintaining short vegetation for wildfowl to feed around, open views of the lagoons for visitors to see from the coffee shop, and will provide optimum conditions for flowering plants in the spring time.
Removal of reed and willow scrub opens up the views from the discovery trail of the distant Carneddau mountains.
The coming months until about mid March will see further changes happening around the reserve. Vegetation will be cut on all the lagoon islands and along the causeway embankment between the Tal y Fan and Benarth hides to provide further areas for birds to roost, feed and potentially nest in the spring time. Extensive areas of bramble will be removed to maintain short grassland for flowering plants and invertebrates such as bees and moths. Some small trees including willow and alder will also be removed to maintain open areas and clear views from the paths. Our Carneddau mountain ponies, six of which have been present for the past three years, have recently been removed and are soon to be replaced by eight new ones once the annual round up of animals from the mountains has happened. They also play an important role in maintaining short vegetation in the areas where they graze.
Bird sightings on the reserve have proved interesting during the first two weeks of November with plenty of winter arrivals still coming in. A great northern diver was present on 12/11, surprisingly a first record for the reserve. It was on the deep lagoon earlier in the morning but had moved over to the estuary by mid day, and may stay in the area so worth keeping a look out for. Two hawfinches on 3/11 were another excellent reserve record, seen over the trees above the river Ganol, and two bramblings were present on 1/11. At least one firecrest has made appearances on most days, usually in the willows along the paths in the bridge pond area, while up to two cetti's warblers have been present in the reeds around the boardwalk and bridge pond, much more easily heard than seen. A great white egret seems to be making the Conwy estuary it's winter home, with regular sightings being made from the reserve. A female scaup was still present up to 1/11, having been around for much of October with at least one other bird. Wader highlights included a spotted redshank on 4/11, along with more regular greenshank, black-tailed godwit and occasional knot. Numbers of red-breasted merganser have steadily increased with at least 30 present on the deep lagoon on 12/11. Up to two stonechats have been seen regularly in the scrub approaching the Carneddau hide, and two chiffchaffs were present on 11/11. Winter thrushes have been regularly seen with peaks of 150 redwings, and 40 fieldfares moving through on 2/11, the latter being relatively scarce here. Good numbers of bullfinches and long-tailed tits also seem to be frequenting many areas of the reserve.