Have you ever looked at the measuring pole in the water in front of the Coffee Shop and wondered what we actually use it for? At this time of year, our conservation management focuses on pumping plenty of water onto the Shallow Lagoon so that we have enough to keep us going through the summer. The only natural source of water for our lagoons is rainfall (they are completely separate from the estuary), but this isn't enough to fill the lagoons up again over the winter if we've had a dry summer like the last one. So, instead, we have to pump water in from the Afon Ganol, the small stream at the far boundary of the reserve. The measuring pole helps us to decide what water levels are best for birds using the lagoons at different times of the year, and when we need to start and stop pumping. Without being able to predict the weather for the next nine months, it's a bit of a juggling act to decide what water level to go for on the lagoons by the end of the winter - we want just enough so it will last the summer (the Afon Ganol dries out in summer, so there's no option for pumping then), but not so much that we don't get any nice mud exposed for feeding waders at migration time. From past experience, we've tried to set the levels that we think will allow this to happen, and now we just have to get there! We've pumped on nearly 40 cm of water in the last month or so, and we're hoping we'll manage to get another 20 cm on before the end of February, and then we can relax, knowing that there's a good chance we'll last through until we can pump again next November. If you see the level get up to 9 on the measuring pole, you'll know we've done it!
There's still plenty of interest out on the reserve, with up to 2 firecrest being seen by the Bridge Pond, a jack snipe and 2 rock pipit on 16th January, and a goosander on the Ganol on 12th January. The kestrels are still hunting daily along the Estuary Track, there are small numbers of goldeneye on the lagoons, and a kingfisher has been a regular in the trees overhanging the Bridge Pond (early morning is best).