Firstly, the reserve is still closed...but there is some great news on the way! With the run of dry weather recently, and more forecasted for the coming week, we are working very hard to reopen just as soon as it is safe to do so. Please bear with us for another week or so and hopefully, we can report that we are open for business as usual very soon.

Spring is defiantly in the air, however, as I spent Sunday at Greylake…

There's still lots of wildlife to be seen down at Greylake while the floods are residing but if you fancy something a little different why not visit our other reserve at Swell Wood. 

We have some events coming up real soon at  both reserves:

Why not come to Swell Wood and make a love nest on 14th February

why not come and build a bug bungalow  or

if you fancy just some good ole birdwatching then join us at Greylake…

Sunday 19 January lived up to its name by being one of the sunniest days of the year so far.  As People Engagement volunteer, I was there all day chatting to visitors and enjoying the sights from the viewing platform. The flood levels have subsided alittle; at least you can drive in and out of the car park now and the viewing platform is accessible from both the steps and slope.

A grey heron took up its now familiar position…

If you feel like joining us on Saturday 25 January, then why not consider booking onto our event at West Sedgemoor where we will be showing you thousands of wintering ducks as well as how to make bird feeders to take home for your own Big Garden Birdwatch

Happy Wildlife Watching!

Debbie

This year it's taking place between the 20 January -14 February. 

 Do you have children at school? Why not encourage their teacher to visit www.rspb.org.uk/schoolswatch and register their school?  Its not just for schools either, any youth group can take part i.e. Brownies or Cubs and they can record the wildlife in their local park or club grounds. Leaders can register their group by clicking www.rspb.org.uk/schoo…

Get ready to tell us who's at home in your patch, in the world's largest wildlife survey!

The Big Garden Birdwatch 2014 takes place next weekend Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 January. Click on the website to pick up some ideas to get your garden ready for the big event.

We're asking people to spend an hour during the weekend counting birds in their garden. It’s not just about birds either, we're also asking people…

This mute swan was photographed yesterday, majestically swimming down the “footpath” and I thought it would illustrate to you why the reserve is currently closed to human visitors.

However, we are happy to report that the water levels are slowly dropping and we hope to be able to resume showing off the delights of this reserve at the weekend.

Do come along and join me on the viewing platform-yesterday fellow…

Due to the recent floods, the situation has been revised with regard to visiting Greylake Reserve. The car park is partly accessible but we ask you to park considerately as there are fewer spaces available than usual. You will need to exit the car park using the same way as you came in. We also advise that you plan your trip carefully, taking into account road closures. Road routes that are currently closed are listed…

But the car park is still accessible.  You can still see alot of wildlife from the viewing area which is on a raised bank in the car park.  Peregrines, hen harriers and kestrels can be seen if you are patient.  Do send us any photos of the wildlife you see.  greylake@rspb.org.uk  

We have closed the rest of the reserve for your own safety.  Please do not enter the reserve trails during flood events.  And take note of the Environment…

If watching the same repeats of Morecambe and Wise or The Two Ronnies on television over Christmas sounds as exciting as watching your relatives fall asleep after their Christmas lunch, then why not pop down to Greylake reserve and do some wildlife watching instead over the festive period?

Lift your spirits with a visit to Greylake. It’s a great place to spend some quiet time on your own to soak up the site's tranquillity…

Great news: back after an absence of two years we have today spotted two Bewick's swans on West Sedgemoor. This rather goose-like small swan is a winter visitor from the Russian tundra to our flooded grasslands. They can be identified by the small yellow bills. These swans like cold icy conditions so wrap up warm if you venture out as it could indicate we are in for a cold snap this winter!

To possibly see these birds…

We have completed some willow coppicing and this has increased the chances of seeing  water rail out in the open.  These usually secretive birds have been spotted feeding on small fish, insects and shoots & roots of plants along the edges of the ditches towards the Lookout (the old hide) and under the boardwalk up to the Treehouse (the new hide). More commonly heard calling like a squalling pig than seen, these birds can…

Visiting Greylake is free!  And very easy to do for people and wildlife!

We recently had a question from one of our visitors asking whether otters can get through our fox exclusion fence.  And yes they can.  We turn off the fence in the winter months, so that all mammals can come and go as they please.  The fence is only on in the spring, summer and early autumn to keep foxes out and cattle in the fields!  We have taken down…

The new Tree House hide.

We have two guided walks planned each morning this weekend, so please be aware that if you want a quiet spot for wildlife watching, go to the viewing screen or our new Tree House hide!!

We hope you enjoy your visit and please do send any interesting photos to our e-mail address:

greylake@rspb.org.uk

Happy wildlife watching!

Becky

Mrs (on the left) and Mr Bearded Tit (on the right with the dramatic black moustache) on the new stone path at Greylake.

Enjoying 'tit bits' of grit from the stone path helps these birds' digestion of reed seeds.  The gizzard within the birds' gut increases during autumn to accommodate their change of diet in winter.  They are largely dependent on reed seeds and other grass and flower head seeds throughout…

If you missed our Optical Showcase on Sunday 17th November when our new hide was unveiled, then now is the time to see it.

Thanks to a Hide Naming Competition by children from Westonzoyland Community Primary School, the old hide has been re-named, the Lookout.  And now known as the Treehouse, we have a great new hide raised on stilts, which provides another great viewing area.  The lead up to it along a raised boardwalk…

Click on the link below to find out more about Somerset's Intergalactic Slime!!!!

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit-us/whats-on/events/programs/nhm/the_mystery_of_the_intergalactic_slime_-_after_hours.html

Becky Thorpe, Assistant Warden, West Sedgemoor, Swell Wood and Greylake Reserves.

The reserve is STILL OPEN!!  But we are closing the hide at Greylake from 26th September for essential work, to lay a new stone path.  This is the second section of path we have created to replace the old wooden boardwalk.  From this path to the hide we are creating a raised boardwalk to a second hide, which is slightly raised compared to the first hide.  We are aiming to have this hide ready within the next month, in time…

The warm weather has pushed a very special summer migrant butterfly to Somerset.   Large numbers of Clouded Yellow butterflies have arrived at Greylake during August. They are enjoying the nectar from our wild flower crop that was sown earlier in summer. This butterfly is an annual migrant to Britain, with ‘Clouded Yellow summers’ occurring often in summers with significant heat waves, which seem to be every ten years or…

1.  See a peewit at play!  The Northern Lapwing is otherwise known as a 'peewit' which describes the sound this bird makes.  There's a really good number of young lapwing now fledged and exploring at Greylake, meeting other birds like this redshank bathing.

2.  Dodge a redshank racing around for food!  The Redshank is so called due to its long, red, wading legs.  It also has a red bill, that fades to a black…

The second stage of our new footpath is happening through early July.  We are replacing the boardwalk that goes around the pond at the start of the "Dragonfly Trail'.  But you can still walk to the hide along the other section of boardwalk from the picnic area.  We hope to have this section of stone path completed during July.  Look out for signage when you arrive at the reserve to guide you!  

And try out our…

During our Optical Showcase today, we've had great views of yellow wagtails from the hide, (best seen out of the right hand windows on entering the hide).  A stunning 'canary yellow' male has obligingly perched out on fence posts and clumps of rush, singing it's short sweet chirrup.  If you've not seen one of these migratory, summer visiting wagtails before, then now is the time to do so!

Stoats are…

Yes, an Unidentified Floating Object has landed at Greylake.  It has been given a couple of 'names' so far, Aquatic Platform and Pond Dipping Platform.  It was given a test run this weekend, during our Spring Spectacular event, in very showery, cold and breezy weather conditions.  

A few visitors braved the unseasonal weather to join volunteers and staff at Greylake for some pond dipping to discover…