A perk of the job

Last week I took the opportunity to stay out on the island for six days, despite having accommodation out on the island this is something I rarely if ever get the chance to do. So, despite the presence of the diggers down at Hollesley I took the chance to get out on the island with one of the residential volunteers.

The main purpose was to have a big push and really try and make a difference to the rat control programme; however, there was still ample time to enjoy the island for what it is.

Whilst living out on the island sounds like a real rough and ready experience and in some cases it is, there is no running water, electricity is at a premium and if the weather closes in it can be a wet and windy experience. However, it is also extremely comfortable almost ridiculously so! The huts are warm, the gas cooker is just like cooking at home and whilst the gas fridges are small they do a great job at keeping your milk cold.  

Monday was a bit hectic as we where also hosting both Paul Forecast and Shaun Thomas the regional director and Operations director respectively for a trip out to the island as well as trying to complete the first rat circuit of the island and unpack our gear and stow it away.

Tuesday was much more of a normal day with an early morning rat circuit followed by an afternoon recording birds or in my case report writing. The only really rough day weather wise was Wednesday afternoon when a cold front whipped up the wind and bought a large rain storm which drove us inside. However, this did give us the lovely site of 6 ruff using the lagoons with a short eared owl for company hunting along the grassy banks.

Luckily for us, Thursday turned out to be a nice day so we were able to complete a number of odd jobs around the island before Friday bought our last rat circuit and in the afternoon we were able to do a high tide count of the island off which the highlights where 215 black tailed godwit and over 300 golden plover using the island to roost on.

During the week we were joined by a plethora of bird species both big and small with stonechats, many thrushes, woodcock and snipes all turning up from Scandinavian climes. The real treats where  merlin, red breasted merganser, short eared owl, peregrine, curlew sandpiper and great numbers of avocet, black tailed godwit and the first significant numbers of wintering duck arriving.

It is hard to beat an early morning stroll on Havergate or to watch the sun setting below Dovey’s lagoon, to watch the roosting gulls coming in from the mainland or the avocets flying up the river and the call of a redshank, grey or ringed plover in the evening finding a place to feed or roost.   

If staying out on the island for a week sounds like something you might enjoy, contact our residential volunteering department or see our website for how.

Cheers

Kieren