With all the summer birds now left for their winter quarters and winter birds just arriving, there is a small window to carry out improvements to the habitats on the reserve. Over this winter there are plans to increase the water retention ability of the fields by creating a series of footdrains by clearing out existing feature within the fields. Some of the regular visitors may have noticed that the water levels have been lower over the last few weeks. This is to ensure we can access the areas to carry out the work. The first stage of this project has been taking place over the last week. Work on increasing muddy margins around one of the lagoons was the first task. this will not only increase the feeding areas for Lapwing chicks in the spring but will provide excellent feeding opportunities in the autumn. The work over that last was also topping much of the rush around site to attempt to recreate the wet grassland areas for the breeding waders. Much of this has been completed and the water levels will now be raised in the lagoons to flood the surrounding rushy area in an attempt to control the growth of rush into the spring. The second phase will be to create the water feature and we will keep you update when this work will be carried out.
The winter so far has been exceptionally mild, and this was exemplified this week with the report of two Swallows heading south over one of the Lagoons. Also, the invertebrate are still very visible around the reserve. However, with the changing of the seasons the arrival of more winter fair was on the cards. For a few days at the beginning of the month the reserve filled up with Fieldfare and Redwing gorging themselves on the summers crop of hawthorn berries and crab apples. These were followed by the arrival of the “northern” linnet, Twite which can be observed around the car park and out in the saltmarsh. Nevertheless, the highlight over the last couple of days was the arrival of a stunning male Black Redstart.
Fieldfare
Redwing
Twite
With the warm temperatures at the present wildfowl. particular geese on the reserve, are not as numerous as expected but there has been a small flock of Barnacles feeding with Canadas on the fields adjacent to the reserve and the first two White Fronts were observed flying over. With the Wigeon, the American Wigeon probably the same one from Last year was seen again at the mouth of the Bladnoch.
White-Fronted Geese
The Warden, RSPB Crook of Baldoon