It is unfortunate that we have had to start cutting reeds at weekends, but we have almost run out of time before the lapwings and water rails start nesting.
I can't remember ever doing this job at weekends before. Usually it is done on weekdays by a local contractor and our weekly volunteers, but the contractor isn't available and the midweek volunteers are fully committed on other habitat management tasks. Last Saturday our regular troop of scouts was available, and they worked really hard alongside some of our local volunteers. Thankfully the effect on the birds was minimal - the pair of shelduck that have been here almost a week were not put off, and neither were the dozen teal on the mere.
In recent years, work has focused on a dry area of rather poor quality reeds with little bird interest, which we have started to graze with cattle in the summer followed by cutting whatever they have left during the winter. We are already seeing success, with lapwings rearing chicks to fledging in the summer, and decent numbers of common snipe present in winter and on spring migration. The snipe can be difficult to see, because the management has opened up lots of small areas within the remnants of the reeds; our peak counts are made at dusk, when they fly out of the reserve to feed on neighbouring land.
If you are planning to visit Fowlmere next weekend, please check this blog towards the end of the week, when I shall know which day a different set of weekend volunteers will be available.