It's been rather windswept here at Langford this week, but despite the gales we had a successful volunteer Sunday yesterday. The day was spent collecting reed panicles (seed heads) and making some new fish shelters. The reed panicles will be stored away until the summer when they will be propagated in the polytunnel and scattered out on Phase 2 where they should germinate well this coming growing season.
The new fish shelters are looking good and after a few finishing touches will be ready to go out into Phase 2. They are of the ‘submerged’ design and consist of wooden frames, covered with chicken wire and stuffed full of willow brash. Some of them have even been made from old tree guards collected from Beckingham – a good recycling opportunity there!
Everyone put in a brilliant effort and after a hard days work, the group got great views of a bittern having some trouble flying in the wind over Phase 1, the 9 whooper swans coming into roost on lagoon 5 and check out Paul's blog for the star bird of the day!
Also on site this week we have been able to confirm the continued presence of our bearded tits, thanks to the efforts of volunteer Graham Gamage, who picked a bird up on Phase 1 on Tuesday....and with cetti's warbler, male stonechat and some beautiful siskins and brambling at the Phase 1 feeders, the passerines were showing themselves well. I have always thought that Langford is a brilliant site for raptors and this was again proved on Tuesday. As we approached Phase 1 early afternoon, the regular male marsh harrier appeared, quartering over the reedbed. A quick glance at the smaller bird flying next to the harrier revealed it to be a peregrine. Then only half an hour later I was luck enough to pick up a lovely little merlin down on Phase 2, quickly followed by buzzard and kestrel over the public footpath - what a treat!