Finally our water levels within the sites have started to rise and the reserves are looking like the wet grasslands we expect them to be at this time of year. Pleasingly the birds have responded and the fields have become alive with our feathered friends. Black-tailed godwits chatter as they furiously feed in the cattle footprints and on the edges of pools whilst the wigeon nibble on the grass that is still not admitting defeat and continuing to grow. All grazing plans have gone out of the window as we find we are having to react to the season and the amount of growth at the time. This can be quite a difficult line to tread as we assume that soon the wet weather will be upon us and then the quick evacuation of the grazing animals will be necessary to avoid unwanted poaching and to leave the growth at a height that the ducks and geese can enjoy. For the first time we have seen this be most effective at Goosemoor our saltmarsh creation site. After grazing the site for the first time this season the brent geese have started to use the area frequently, which we assume is in response to the shorter vegetation. Next door, over the railway line, the high tide roost is starting to build at Bowling Green Marsh and once again a trip to the hide is well worth it, with good numbers of avocets and black-tailed godwits can now be seen. The Avocet cruises are getting booked up as visitors and locals alike look to see the sites from a different perspective and get a birds-eye view of the estuary.