As the staff have been away at the conference this week's blog has been written by our residential volunteers Debbie and Tom
Work on the corral halted this week as most staff attended the Scottish RSPB conference. The Konik ponies thankfully behaved and remained in the area we want them to graze so we’ve enjoyed watching them rather than chasing them!
Removing old fencing rewarded us with a flight of Golden plovers, sounds of Whoopers, Pinkies and a Water rail. Thursday’s highlight was the Common Crane flying over the reserve mid afternoon. Back at the visitor centre at dusk we spotted the Crane on the reserve low ground and were then treated to it flying towards us and landing on the visitor centre pools. The fading light eventually ended the glorious views.
Despite an early rise, the Crane was nowhere to be seen on Friday morning but thousands of geese, a Hen harrier quartering, a Buzzard catching and eating something, a Merlin harried by a Carrion crow, a Great spotted woodpecker, Goldfinches, Greenfinches and Tree sparrows kept us entertained.
Debbie and Tom (residential volunteers)
very nice..sounds like you had a great few days!