Its been another busy week for us volunteers, and staff, at Exminster Marshes, working at four locations in one week. The week began at Labrador Bay, with more scrub clearance. We’re almost done now and it will soon be time to let the sheep and ponies take over the job, who are better suited to the steep slopes than we are! There are also trails that are perfectly suited for a Sunday afternoon stroll and provide a great view of Teignmouth and beyond, birds are singing, it’s a good time to go.
Tuesday sent us to a site on the edge of the RSPB Aylesbeare Reserve helping out with maintaining a wet heath that has become overgrown. This is a habitat that has seen a sharp decline since the industrial revolution and needs our help to preserve. This site has the potential to provide a home for wet heath species such as the rare Southern Damselfly, dragonflies and cotton grass and to become a breeding ground for Snipe and Woodcock. The site is already home to essential lichens and mosses that are the basis of this habitat as well as Roe Deer which we caught a glimpse of as they bounded away into the surrounding woodland. The Aylesbeare Reserve is a heath home to numerous interesting species such as the Dartford Warbler, Stonechat and Nightjar and with various trails is a great place to go for a walk, why not head out there and see what you can find?
We, along with staff and volunteers from Aylesbeare, then spent two days on Dartmoor, staying overnight in a hostel, that provided a very nice Breakfast. The landscape is impressive and the roads fun to drive along, although care has to be taken to avoid the wandering sheep. But that wasn’t the reason we went, we were there to help in creating a mixed habitat of scrub, trees and heather to provide habitat for a wide range of invertebrate species as well as adders, grass snakes and lizards. This would also provide great habitat for numerous bird species. The weather was against us on Thursday morning but with perseverance we managed to get fires going and clear away some of the intruding willow, gorse and Sitka Spruce, whilst leaving enough behind to ensure the desired variety. There is so much to see and do on Dartmoor, discover it for yourself.
The week has ended with me writing this blog, and the important tasks of litter picking, water level and predator fence checks that help maintain Exminster and Powderham marshes. The workshop is making progress and will soon have much needed power. Lapwing are starting to gather on Powderham, may be you’ll hear them display if you head out here.
Andrew Whitley