I've decided to write a blog post weekly during the habitat management season to warn visitors that they are likely to see volunteers rather than birds in some parts of the reserve if they come on the days we are working. This would normally be a Thursday, which has been our weekly work party day for at least 16 years.
Generally we would not work near more than one hide at a time, but there is only a narrow window of opportunity to do vegetation management before the start of the bird breeding season (early March for some species). Thankfully there are still plenty of birds around the reserve. An hour ago I saw a mixed flock of siskins, redpolls and goldfinches numbering about 60 birds in the alders by Spring Hide, and there were two woodcock there as well. The bittern was last seen in the open area to the west of Reedbed Hide, where I don't expect to work during January. The barn owl can still be seen in the nestbox, and there are also the fly-overs that are not affected by our presence at all - a merlin hunted over us as we finished work last Thursday; a red kite was seen on the same day, and the next; and a peregrine flew over yesterday.
This coming Thursday we hope to continue coppicing willows by the mere; pulling out willow stumps near Drewer Hide; and cutting access for the new kingfisher bank at Spring Hide. The work at Spring Hide should take about an hour. The work at Drewer Hide might take all morning. The work by the mere will go on all day, and in fact will probably continue on other Thursdays in January.
Finally, I apologise if our work does interfere with your enjoyment of the reserve, but it is worth remembering that most of what you see at Fowlmere is only possible because of the management of the vegetation that makes the birds and mammals visible.