Today I'm going to talk about our 'wildlife windows'. They mainly involve some strimming work. Not everyone is pleased when we strim but the vast majority of visitors realise it has to be done and I can assure you we only do it when and where it is needed! As mentioned last week, we’ve been concentrating our recent efforts on the bays along reedbed edges. These bays open up small windows into the reedbeds and ditches, with the aim of providing improved wildlife viewing opportunities. And this week, the reserve has offered up some great views! Now, while we can’t claim full credit for the positioning of this bird, the Savi’s warbler has conveniently taken up residence at the back of one of our 'windows' along the main track between New Fen North and Joist Fen reedbeds. It’s one we opened up a while ago but it still affords great views of the bird, who has been showing nicely in the early mornings and evenings and singing away. He is conveniently close to one of our grasshopper warblers too so you can take the opportunity to compare and contrast the different songs, which are quite similar and reeling. I made the effort to come in early yesterday, saw and heard the Savi's warbler after waiting for just five minutes and stood for a long while listening to the grasshopper warbler on my way back without managing to spot him. I did later on in the day though, 10 minutes after I'd been strimming in that area so good enough proof to me that strimming didn't seem to bother this bird. I was pleased that I could notice a difference between the two songs, the Savi's is definitely more of a buzz while you can pick two distinct notes out in the grasshopper warblers reel.
Another 'wildlife window' moment for you - our volunteer Phil was raking up behind the strimmers yesterday and spotted a watervole swimming across one of the bays on the southern edge of New Fen North reedbed. These bays have been mentioned before for their lovely plantlife and (eventually) dragonfly and damselfly sightings, but this also shows that other wildlife makes use of them too so do check them out as you're walking past. We've not only strimmed the grass so that you can pause a while in the bays and get closer views but Dave has also been out with the underwater strimmer, taking out the new reed growth that would otherwise block the views across the pools. The much mentioned water violet is even more visible now!
Another way we try and enhance your viewing pleasure is to provide comfortable seating which, of course, moves me nicely on to the benches! Our volunteer work party last Thursday involved yet more bench instalment, with another two put in at Joist Fen viewpoint bringing the total to four. This time the whole process went much more smoothly and we worked like a team of bench installing pros.
Photo credit: Ali Blaney - Dave and volunteer Su showing off the latest bench at Joist Fen viewpoint
We have also put a new bench up at the washland viewpoint. That particular job was a race against time, we could see the next rain storm moving in across the washland and just about managed to finish off before the heavens opened again. I think this bench especially is a great enhancement so make sure you pop up and try it out!
Our work party yesterday involved yet more strimming and raking, along the track between New Fen North reedbed and Trial Wood. Some of you may have noticed that the left-hand side of this track is a different colour to the right. This is due to the layer of limestone dust that we put down to make this side smoother and therefore more accessible for people in wheelchairs and for visitors with pushchairs. We've got about halfway down the track with the dust and this needs finishing off. The vegetation has also started growing rapidly and reached the point where it leans over and into the track, we don't want people getting wet or stung on the nettles when they have to brush past so we've cut the left-hand side, pretty much up to where we've got to with the dust application. A job to be finished when more limestone dust arrives!
To finish off, here is a picture of something I encountered last Friday while checking the water levels. At the bottom of one of our sluices was this lovely grass snake:
Photo credit: Ali Blaney - grass snake relaxing at the bottom of one of our sluices
Luckily, no rescue attempt was needed as the snake can easily slither back through the pipe and come out in the linked compartment. They're great swimmers, which is how the snake got there in the first place. If the sun ever comes out then our reptiles will become more visible all around the reserve as they head out to bask. The lack of sunshine is not putting our visitors off though and last Friday I led what I think is the wettest guided walk I have ever done. In torrential rain and pretty blustery winds, a group of us headed around the reserve on a walk organised by the Suffolk Walking Festival but run by us here at the reserve. Despite the weather, we saw and heard some great things, the highlight of which for me was the gang of swallows at New Fen North reedbed. They were clinging to the reeds on the small island in the middle, then swooping low over the water looking for insects, twisting and turning at speed and with such agility, before going back to hang in the reeds. A beautiful sight on a pretty grim morning!