Here is the first blog from our residential volunteer Annie. During her time here Annie will be writing a regular blog about a variety of topics so keep an eye out for her posts.
We’re getting closer to the winter months and the preparation for the winter visitors is underway. The wardening team are hard at work topping the last few fields and coppicing the willows on the reserves so a clear open habitat is ready for the visiting ducks and waders. Whilst taking a break from sawing away at the trees, Alex, one of our residential volunteers, came across this little guy, a common grass snake, slithering around in the reeds at Greylake.
Alex with a Grass Snake at Greylake (Annie Pickering)
It’s been a more eventful week this week for the wildlife, especially at Greylake where kingfisher, bittern, great white and little egret, marsh harrier, little grebe, stonechat and many more have been spotted lurking around the pond outside the hide. And let’s not forget to mention the slow but steady increase in numbers of snipe and lapwing both at the West Sedgemoor and the Greylake reserve… exciting stuff! Swell wood has been having its usual visitors of the tit species, great spotted woodpecker, and amongst them the cheeky nuthatch seen regularly on the feeders. All of this with a possible sighting of goldcrest.
Kingfisher at Greylake (David Miller)
Great White Egret at Greylake (David Miller)
Good news for all visitors to Greylake - the reeds in front of the hide have been cut so now there is a great view of both sides of the pond and perfect opportunity for you photographers out there seeking a decent picture of the kingfisher!
The residential volunteers have been dabbling with the moth trap this month as the weather has actually been quite good (for trapping), recording over 30 species in the back garden at West Sedgemoor. The highlight was a Madder Pearl Mecyna asinalis, a nationally scarce species not recorded here before, although we’re not sure where the food plant Wild Madder is found locally. Merveille du Jour is one of those species which is always a delight to see. Also of interest were two Vestals which turned up in the wake of Storm Ophelia.
Madder Pearl (David Miller)
Merveille du Jour (David Miller)