Another week, another storm, another blog.
Fiona would usually be writing this week but she's away at another reserve, getting some different experience, so I'm here instead. Although the weather never seems to change these days, the signs that spring is here are clear in Swell Wood, where a visit can now be highly recommended. There are flowers out on the woodland floor, including primroses, violets, and some other yellow and purple flowers I'm less familiar with. I'll have to ask Fiona when she gets back. The trees are all budding nicely and it won't be long before leaves start to unfurl.
The birds are all in full song, including blue tits, great tits, nuthatches, chaffinches, and above all the strident song of the tiny wren. It more than makes up for its size with sheer volume.
Further good news in the woods is that we have reopened the heronry hide. You can now get really great views of herons and little egrets nesting. We only ask that you keep quiet and try to minimise disturbance as much as possible. We want to encourage them to keep nesting close to the hide.
Little egret by John Crispin
At Greylake, the high water levels mean that birds are more spread out, so there are less birds about. However I still saw teal, widgeon, shoveler, coot, mallard and swan, many very close to the hide, making for great photos. I also disturbed snipe and moorhen while walking in the reedbed.
Work wise, we've been continuing with the coppicing in Chilly Copse and hedge work on Red Hill. As we move into March, that sort of work will decrease and we'll be starting to think more about surveys. You always look forward to the beginning of survey season, somehow forgetting the exhaustion of early mornings (as early as 4 am in the summer) and late nights. Still, its rewarding to see how your management has a positive effect on breeding bird numbers.
To finish, a few nice shots from the camera traps here at West Sedgemoor. A starling in flight
A fieldfare, which will soon be leaving for its breeding grounds in northern Europe and Russia
A pair of otters!
Stay dry and Fiona should be back next week with another update.
Kathryn