Happy New Year! And after a relaxing festive break it is good to get back out on the reserves to see what has changed, water levels over the marshes are looking good and this is reflected the large flocks of ducks, geese and waders feeding and roosting during high tides.
Work across the reserves is now back in full swing. Our electric predator exclusion fences were switched off over Christmas in case of flooding so much of this week has involved getting the fences in top condition, these fences prevent fox predation of the much declining breeding waders like Lapwing. Lapwing are quite early breeders and can start nesting in late February if the winter is mild, so it was a good start to get the fences working early to avoid any disturbance when the birds start claiming territories and mating.
With the Thursday work party this week we were out clearing some scrub from a hedge on Powderham Marsh. The hedges and bramble patches across the reserves are cut on a rotational basis to stop the succession into woodland. The scrub was mostly willow and hazel, cut down with pruning saws and the cuttings burnt. However not all was wasted! We have been keeping the thicker stems to make hedging stakes. These stakes, anything wider than 1.5” cleaned of side branches and pointed, will be used in a few weeks when we lay a hedge elsewhere on the reserve.
Over at Bowling Green Marsh, Topsham, along with the wintering water fowl a group of Penduline tits have been drawing in bird watchers from across the southwest. These small song birds are usually found on the continent, the majority breeding from Germany onwards, where they make amazing elaborate pouch shaped nests with the hair from tree seeds (See photo below). With very few individuals recorded in England each year it is great these rather illusive rarities have chosen to winter at Bowling Green and Darts farm.
Photo Credit: Ian Smith
Happy New Year! to you to Tom. Yes the Penduline Tits have kept the twitchers and birders guessing over the Christmas period and it is suggested we have a couple of groups 2-3 birds per group moving about the area. Luckily I managed to see them on two occasions at Bowling Green but at a distance. They were seen on the Phragmites but were more on the Reed Mace in the far left hand corner where the Bull Rushes are. They certainly are mobile. Best views have been had at Darts farm with some great views and superb photos by a few lucky birders. It does sound they are still around and again seen at Darts on the 8th Jan at midday. Very attractive little bird and keeping people on their toes to see them!
Well done for all your hard work you have done to protect the Lapwing nesting site, I hear it paid dividends last season. Brilliant.