Now that Christmas is over and we've almost got a full team back on site we've been able to get started on some of the bigger winter projects around the reserve. Now that the old Sitka spruce has been felled, that means that the volunteers can get on with the improvements to the woodland area behind the office. We've got some very exciting plans for this part of the reserve including a new viewpoint over the loch and a new outdoor classroom area for visiting schools. It also means that we can fence off an area around the house so the volunteers who live on site can have a piece of private garden space so they can sit outside on their day off without being spied on by visiting birders!
We also had a visit this morning from Debby who works for the RSPB White Tailed Eagle watch on Mull- http://www.rspb.org.uk/datewithnature/146979-mull-eagle-watch. We might not have eagles here, but our dawn Goose spectacle was at it's best with huge flocks leaving the reserve for the best part of half an hour. and I think she was suitably impressed! We managed to get some good raptor action as well with a ringtailed Hen Harrier from the visitor centre and the Short-Eared Owl cruising along the side of the entrance track at first light.
....the spruce is finally down!!!