Numbers of breeding lapwings unfortunately dropped this year however the number of fledged young increased giving a productivity of just over 3 per pair nesting. The redshank pairs increased as did the numbers of young per brood which is all very positive. The numbers of mallards breeding this year increased as did the number of young produced however many fell fowl of predators we think relieving the predation on the lapwings and redshanks. We had widgeon and pintail until quite late in the season with many only disappearing once the entered eclipse. The Ospreys nested further up the bay as they have done for the past 4 years but have treated us with their fishing in the bay and soaring above the reserve looking for fish.
The Crook suffered under the heat during July with drain down of the lagoons being more effective due to evaporation which however was a boon to the land management operations with the expected shortage of quality straw our neighbours were more than willing to cut and remove our rush for bedding this year which resulted in an total clearance of rush across 60 hectares of wet grassland after all the fields being dragged for breeding birds predominantly for snipe by the volunteers.
We managed to get both fields 7 and 8 cut quite early in July but because of a question mark over possible water rail breeding with in field 6 cutting was deferred to the mid July. Fields 2 and 3 were both deferred to late July areas that would be beneficial to feeding bird such as water courses and the lagoons were left till late August early September.
And the Lagoons were finally finished on the 9th of September and this is the first time in 8 years we have been able to mow and clear the aftermath as being alluvial clay getting onto certain areas has proved very tricky.
Other tasks have been fence repairs due to delinquent cattle and supplying enough water to keep them hydrated in the heat. The Saltmarsh has come into its own over the past couple of years and two botanical surveys have listed many of species however the summer survey on the 9th August recorded 6 Lax Flowered Lavender Limonium humile which had not been recorded for up to 30 years and a single Sea Purslane Atriplex portulacoides again not recorded for 30 years both severally affected by over grazing and livestock trampling. The reduction in livestock density for the past 7 years is starting to show its worth from a biodiversity point of view.
Lax Flowered Sea Lavender
Other tasks during this period have been the digging of two scrapes by staff and volunteers to meet with an Agri environmental grant conditions.
Also some minor alterations to the water control across field 1 which will help improve the control and make it safer for operation.
As always my thanks to the Thursday Volunteers how excel each week at achieving tasks and more. Safe to say without them the Crook would certainly not have come as far as it has and the RSPB owe them a great deal of thanks for their continued work traveling from far and wide to give 6 hours of time each week.