Hazel and Herons in Swell Woods

This blog was written by Kerry - residential volunteer at RSPB West Sedgemoor, Swell Wood and Greylake.

Hello, I’m Kerry, a residential volunteer on the West Sedgemoor reserves. I’ve been here a month already and have enjoyed getting stuck into the winter reserve work. Highlights so far include coppicing hazel in the woods, seeing the resident barn owl hunting and learning to drive a tractor.

West Sedgemoor has already transformed since my arrival in January, when it was flooded! As the flood water was pumped off into the Parrett, an expansive patchwork of grassy fields was revealed and the sky has come to life with swirling flocks of lapwing and golden plover. There's been so much brilliant bird life here so far, for example whilst working at Greylake to process the mountain of pollarded willows, we had a noisy backdrop of widgeon’s excitable whistles and the occasional squeal of a water rail. 

At the moment our mornings are frosty with mist often hanging low over the Levels, however Spring is already dropping hints and I’m eagerly anticipating another transformation on the moor. One of the first signposts of spring I’ve seen is Hazel flowers. Each hazel has male and female flowers, and they are quite different. The little pink flowers, reminiscent of sea anemones poking out of green buds are female, whereas the male flowers are more prominent, seen as dangly yellow catkins, which are often likened to lamb tails. Flowering hazel will be helpful to any bees emerging early, hungry for pollen.

(Hazel flowers) 

We’ve been very busy coppicing hazel in several plots at Swell Woods. When we coppice, we cut the trees down to just above ground level with saws, which promotes rapid regrowth. Hazel is coppiced on rotation, meaning we cut different plots in the woodland in different years to maintain a mixture of older, fruiting trees and younger trees. Allowing light to reach the woodland floor lets an understory grow too, providing food for dormice. We’ve been leaving lots of hazel poles where they fall, which may look a bit untidy however deadwood is a fundamental part of a woodland ecosystem. Dead wood is important for soil formation, nutrient cycling and is necessary for many creatures to complete their life cycle. Scattered around the woodland floor, they’ll rot down quickly. The freshly cut stools are then covered over with a generous pile of brash, so they look a bit like a birds nest which protects the regenerating shoots from browsing deer and rabbits.

(Brash Piles where hazel stools have been cut)

I was excited to discover the herons have started to arrive at Swell Woods, and anytime now they will be busy rebuilding nests in the leafless treetops. The heronry is strange spectacle. Take a moment to sit in the Heronry Hide and listen to the throaty, almost prehistoric screeching coming from the oaks above. Please do be quiet and stick to the hide as they are easily startled. We'll be installing some willow screens around the hide to help prevent disturbance. 

I'm looking forwards to the next few months of wildlife and practical work happening out on the reserves, and hope to keep you update here on the blog as I learn more about management on the Somerset Levels!