Hello Everyone!
Autumn is here and the cooler weather heralds the coming migration season. As such, we are working hard to get the reserves tidied up in time for our overwintering guests, in other words, grassland management. This management is integral to the creation of suitable habitat for waders and waterfowl, which require an open plain, so that they can see predators from a distance, and plenty of mud, in which they feed on insects and invertebrates. We have spent the summer months working to this end, a process that begins with grazing, followed by the weed wiping, cutting and removal of less palatable grasses (all to the schedule of the famously predictable British weather), before raising the water level, in order to maximise the area we can provide for the birds.
The last few weeks have been occupied with brush cutting ditch edges, a task that has one person down the bank and close to the mud with an oversized strimmer and another following behind with a rake and a strong back. Obligingly, the rather damp August kept us cool while we worked and also lead to the discovery that Phill is in fact prophetic with the weather, provided you wait long enough. We were greatly assisted in this undertaking by the work party volunteers, and let me speak with personal gratitude to them for making indisputably tiring days so much fun. We may not have a tent, but star bakers brought delights for us to look forward to come tea break; we had a live musical performance on the tin whistle from our talented Jasmine, who begins a placement next week (best of luck from all of us!); and the rake racing and hay fork flicking made the opening events in our own ditch clearing Olympics.
The greatest performances, as usual, came from the wildlife as we were continually treated by gaggles of geese embarking upon their migration and flocks of sparrows and finches being predated by sparrow hawks (however equally giving the preponderant birds something to think about). The reptiles have been putting on a good show on the Exminster Marshes; with Turf path alive with common lizards, and grass snakes and slow worms a daily appearance under the corrugated iron sheets. Although they are coming to the end of their season, butterflies are still bringing flurries of colour to the reserve, particularly the common and holly blue species and even a new one for the reserve, the clouded yellow.
I am always amazed by the beauty of this site, and currently the path over Powderham Marshes has never looked so bright, with fields of sunflowers in full bloom; if you have the opportunity to get over there I would recommend a visit.
Have a great weekend!
Laura