My steel welly encased, and exceptionally cold, toes can vouch for the fact that this week the strap line changed from ‘Winter’s Coming’ to ‘Winter’s Arrived’. At least on Monday at any rate, but there is still a noticeable chill in the air and woolly hats are now are key part of the outdoor ensemble.
It was therefore with no small delight that I spent Tuesday tending a bonfire as we burnt scrub and willow from around the reserve. I have begun to suspect that Tom may have a bit of a vendetta against trees as he wields the chainsaw with impunity, but in seriousness, the management of the reserve as a wet grassland and the need to keep rights of way open, does require responsible felling and clearing of trees and scrub.
In the case of the willow however, it is not a display of wanton destruction and screaming trees, as coppicing effectively gifts the remaining stool (or tree stump) with immortality! By cutting the tree back to a stool on a regular cycle over the years, the tree will continually produce new growth from the stump, a trait that has been exploited in sustainable woodland management throughout the world. The cuttings however make great fires to keep cold volunteers warm, so long as you can get the thing started when the wood is wetter than the Mary Rose. Bramble, I am led to believe is the key to success, although I have to say, I remain sceptical.
Visitors to the reserve this week will have noticed that the cows have now departed. As the water levels have risen, the cows are taken off for drier homes to protect the grassland, which can be easily ‘poached’ into a muddy quagmire by their hooves if not careful. While the cows may have departed we have seen the arrival of the Brent Geese to the reserve, which have been on the estuary for a month or so, but to date been south of the reserve munching on eel grass.
Their arrival on the reserve though was opportunely timed with Pete, Tom and Sammy joined by ecologists and senior managers on Thursday to carry out the annual review. This is a structured assessment of how the wildlife on the reserve is faring against the objectives and targets set out in the management plan. It is also an opportunity to discuss issues, seek advice on management practices and review and set the direction for the future of the reserve. Pulling together data on the waders, ducks and geese using the reserve over the last five years and comparing to the estuary in total shows how important the habitat we provide is for many of the species. For example 99% of the wintering black-tailed godwit on the Exe Estuary in 2013/14 used the RSPB reserves as high tide roost sites and at least half of all the brent geese, wigeon and other wintering waterfowl (curlews, lapwing, teal, shoveler and pintail) were present here.
These birds can now not only enjoy the fabulous habitat that the reserve provides for them, but also relax safe in the knowledge that work has been undertaken to prevent them being disturbed by rogue dogs sneaking under fences and running loose around the fields. Like a finely honed machine the working party have turned gate netting into an art form, but I think there were contented sighs all round when we realised that we had finally finished the last of them. Plus, in what is possibly a historic first, Tom’s blessing was given for everyone to finish early. Although, I’m not sure anyone got to use the time productively as there was a group state of catatonic shock which rendered most immobile!
Away from the reserve, Laura and I had a fantastic opportunity to join a survey of a nearby bat roost this week with Sarah Butcher from the Devon Bat Group. This follows on from the work undertaken earlier this year to look at bats using Exminster Marshes. We were also looking to see what modifications and provisions had been made at these roost sites to help inform management activities that may be possible here. It was a fantastic visit and fascinating to see brown long-eared and greater and lesser horseshoe bats close up. Thanks to Sarah for inviting us and as always imparting her knowledge so readily.
Photos: Phill Catton – Photographs taken under licenseTop: Brown long-eared batBottom: Pair of mating Greater horseshoe bats
I’ll leave with the final thought, that if you haven’t signed up to support #Defend Nature and asked the UK Environment Minister Rory Stewart to support the Nature Directives, there is still time. Please do so before the 9th December.
http://www.rspb.org.uk/joinandhelp/campaignwithus/defendnature/