Hello Everyone!
There is still time to defend nature!
If you haven't had a chance to find out about the campaign, or are unsure of how you can get involved, head to the RSPB website at rspb.org.uk/joinandhelp/campaignwithus/defendnature.
Join the conversation and Ask Rory to Defend Nature.
After a brief frosty spell the weather has turned milder again. That being said, we only linger on breaks so long as the tea lasts and are always keen to get moving when a cold wind blows. The changing weather also heralds a change in the type of work we do on the reserve. With much of the year spent maintaining grassland and preparing the site for our overwintering guests, the arrival of winter means more time for odd jobs. We have, at last, the time to tick off our to-do list, which grows as fast as the grass over the summer months.
This week we have being doing maintenance on the weed wipers, which worked hard over the summer, combating the rush and tufted hair grass that readily takes hold on the reserve. After a thorough cleaning, we ground away the rust and flaking paint. So far we have applied a primer and now need only apply a metal paint to make our machines all shiny once more. Unable to find a colour to match what was previously on the weed wipers, serious discussion has gone into the choice of the replacement – I say why stick with just one!
Our fantastic work party was over at Labrador Bay yesterday doing some scrub clearance. We were removing predominantly bramble and willow (the bracken being a task for next summer) in order to create suitable habitat for cirl buntings. The field we tackled was very steep and the work was hard going. With the wet ground slick and muddy, I think we all ended up sitting in the brambles at least once. However the party was well fuelled for the task thanks to a very kind gift of a food parcel, bursting with cakes and biscuits, from our former residential volunteer, Jay. An enormous thank-you from all of us! The cherry on the icing on the (delicious) carrot cake was the fantastic views of a kestrel hovering just a few meters off the ground as we munched on our treats. We were also lucky with the weather yesterday as, despite a storm forecast and Denis’s best impression of Prospero, the rain arrived only as we drove home.
Monday morning we conducted our second high-tide count of the winter. I was counting on Exminster Marsh with our site manager Pete, who displayed a remarkable ability to identify from a distance and gauge numbers while the birds flocked on mass. I was particularly pleased to see the gaggle of brent geese that have moved up the estuary and onto our reserve, as well as large congregations of both grey and golden plover.
This morning Pete had an exciting encounter with our short-eared owl. While standing outside our office, the owl flew only a few meters above his head. I am thrilled to hear that it is still in the area and will be keeping my eyes open, hoping for another view of this beautiful bird. Why not come by the reserve and see what encounters you can have with nature!
Have a great weekend!
Laura