As this lovely warm October weather continues, I have just reached my fourth month here at the Exe estuary reserve. The ground is getting wetter and wetter, and huge numbers of birds are starting to move in for the winter. We are moving onto different kinds of jobs. One is attending to the pumps, sluices and syphons to gradually raise the levels in the ditches. Another is scrub clearance. Big blocks of brambles…

This week we vistited Chapel Wood, near Woolacombe. This small RSPB reserve is a mixed woodland, mostly Oak/Beech. . The name comes from Spreacombe Chapel and Well, the ruin of which is just to the right as you walk through the main entrance.

Since the site is so far away from the usual places we work, that to get the most out of the day we started extra early, driving in the truck to Barnstaple along…

We’ve now reached the very end of summer, but fortunately the weather is still being very kind to us. We've been dealing recently with the last bits of unwanted vegetation around the reserve before the water creeps up on us, especially outside of the electric fence where the cattle can't graze (in theory!).

The last of our tasks is thankfully being done by a contractor with a digger. They are slubbing…

Well it’s the end of my penultimate week here at the exe estuary and like so many of my blogs, I’m sat in my room on the Thursday night writing away. I like to sit here, camera by my side with my walls plastered in wildlife pictures and reflect on the week I’ve just had. However this time I can’t help but think about the last six months instead. Scrolling through my photo’s I’ve been reminded of how special my time…

If you were dropped into the middle of the exe estuary reserve to put up some gates, cut some grass and work on a viewing platform, you could well think you’re not going to see much wildlife. The first thing you notice is lots of fields with not much in but cows. But after only a few seconds you hear a robin singing, then a clouded yellow butterfly flies past and a yellow wagtail flits through the air. And that’s when…

This week we've been carrying on cutting and raking round the edges of all the fields and, helped along by one of our Thursday volunteers, we are almost done. Soon all of the hay bales will have been removed from the reserve, and things will be ready for winter. We have also given the hedges a trim along the footpath going down to Turf.

Things are calming down on the butterfly front now, but in Stephen…

The weather is changing. Over the last week or so there has been a noticeable difference on the reserve, cool wet mornings signalling the oncoming of autumn. As mentioned on previous blogs, the field topping and baling continues preparing the reserve for the over wintering birds. The volunteer’s role in this process involves cutting the ditch edges and water features, raking the cut material back into the field for balling…

With the start of August the weather here has changed. Things have cooled off, and we are finding ourselves working in the rain, preparing the reserve for winter.

Breeding birds want to be able to see any predators that might be about, so we aim for large open fields with short grass. Contractors are now cutting the fields to remove all the longer grass and rush; unfortunately the mower can’t get right…

Remember all those stories you got told as a child about all the scary things that come out at night? Here’s one about the amazing things that come out at night instead. On Wednesday a small group of us at the reserve went for an evening walk along the Powderham Marshes Trail. Armed with bat detectors, we set off as light was beginning to fade. As we got near the viewing platform end of the trail some one called “there…

Have you ever wondered how Exminster marsh attracts such large numbers of wintering waterfowl? And have you ever been wandering around the reserve in the summer and seen a quad just driving up and down a field over and over? Well surprisingly these two things (plus much more) go hand in hand. If you look closer to the quad you’ll notice it will have an odd trailer attached. This is the weed wiper. Ok, so now we have the…

Like normal, my trip to Bowling Green is all about topping up feeders, filling leaflets and other routine jobs. The hide was packed with people due to the high tide, which brings lots of waders and gulls in to roost. Of course, being at work means you have no time to sit and watch, so when I finished work I packed my scope, bins and birders notebook and headed back to Bowling Green Marsh. By this time the tide had gone…

Just like any home, nature’s home requires plenty of DIY. That’s why we’ve been very busy here on the marshes this week. As you can imagine, with 180 hectares of land on Exminster and Powderham marshes our work is permanently on going. The cattle grazing on the marsh to creates a highly varied grassland, keeping the right environment for all the wildlife down by the Exe. So we need to make sure all of our gates and fences…

After bad storms over the winter, Bowling Green Marsh viewing platform has been closed for maintenance to be carried out on the sea wall. With a lot of hard work from all those involved with the repair work, and particularly from Exeter City Council the sea wall has been fixed. Which meant it was time for us to step in and get the viewing platform ready for its re-opening. It’s amazing how overgrown things can get in…

What would you think if I said Emperor, Golden-ringed, Odonata and Azure? It sounds to me like words taken from a text book on some old forgotten time like Romans or the Aztecs. In fact this is about something much much older. In fact I’m talking about something from 350 million years ago, long before people evolved. In fact these are from before birds, mammals or even reptiles evolved. That’s right, we have something…

Work Experience on the Marshes

I have been undertaking a two week period of work experience here on the reserve, learning practical land management skills, surveying, and seeing lots of new birds. I have enjoyed the variety of tasks I’ve been involved with; particularly the surveying, but also learning about how the marshes are managed and why things are done as they are.

After weeks of revision it was great…

Drama at the Exe

 

Summer has definitely arrived; the days are long, full of sunshine and hot! As Stephen mentioned on last weeks blog, currently many of the day-to-day tasks here at the Exe are controlling the ever increasing grass growth and wandering weeds to allow for easier visitor access. The new viewing platform at Powderham is coming along with the old structure now removed and the new framework installed. Surveys…

 On Wednesday it had become due time to tidy up the car park at the exe estuary. So with this in mind we fuelled up and prepped the brush cutters and set off to cut back the overgrown grass. There is something about those brush cutters with the hum of the engine and the repetitive motion which really puts you in your own little world. That is till the cutting cord breaks and you need to re-coil and thread the head. I hadn…

Amazingly we have a Ross’s Gull that is currently on our reserve at Bowling Green Marsh.  This is a bird that is usually present North of Siberia and in Northern Canada so it’s a real treat to be getting such great views this far South.

 

Please, please, please help us by parking at the nearby car park at Holmans Way in Topsham.  There is very little parking down Bowling Green Road and this can get very congested…

For me the day started just like any other. Overcast with a chill to the air. After preparing the tools we needed we set of for bowling green where we had to check a few items. One of which was to check the people counters. Tom (reserve assistant) picked something out of one of the people counter boxes and brought it over to me. He placed it in my hand. A newt. Tiny and lifeless it laid there with its eyes closed, so…

Have you got some spare time this weekend? Then head down to Exminster marsh. Park in the car park or chain your bike to one of the groovy lapwing bike stands, lace up you best walking boots and head off down the turf path. Before you even leave the car park you’ll have a wonderful chance to hear one of our resident Cetti’s warblers burst into song. As you head down the path keep an eye out for some of our beautiful butterflies…

It certainly is all go here at the Exe estuary at the moment. When we’re not moving office we’re monitoring the water levels or fixing tyres for the mower. Not to mention all the usual day to day duties already lined up.

Lapwing monitoring is still high up on the agenda as the chicks are progressing well. This does mean however that it’s moved from ‘spot the sitting lapwing’ to ‘who’s chicks are those?’ In…

Exminster marsh really is buzzing with wildlife.

When a hunting hobby swoops down past you and your friends, it really does set your heart racing. The low level approach and it’s darting acrobatics keeps you captivated until it disappears out of sight. Talk about a great conversation starter as you walk across the reserve. It doesn’t stop there either, with yet another sighting of the charismatic oil beetle on Powderham…

Well it is April after all. Between the odd shower has been some superb weather and a walk to the Powderham marsh viewing platform is a must. Don’t forget to take you scope so you can see all the lapwing chicks that have hatched out to enjoy the sunshine. Other birds of interest frequently being seen are little ringed plover, oystercatchers, garganey and a barnacle goose. Don’t forget to take you camera too as you may…

With last weeks rain out the way nature is well and truly making the areas around the Exe it’s home for the summer. House martins, swallows and reed warblers have relished the recent sunshine along with many other birds and wildlife around the reserve.

 With the grazing season upon us there has been a rush to get all gates and fences up to scratch to keep the cattle where they belong around Exminster marsh. Other…

Another week has passed here on Exminster Marshes and for the first time since the new year, the weather overall has been very pleasant indeed. Having read Peter’s excellent blog last week, it does seem like spring is well and truly on its way, with one day this week being warm enough to wear just a t shirt!

There are many perks to being a residential volunteer for RSPB. For me the attraction was the chance to…