Over the last few weeks we have been doing various bits of habitat mangement at The Loons.
Firstly, with the help of local volunteers Dave and Lindsey, the willow hurdle had it's annual tidy. It was originally planted in 2008 by a group of pupils from Kirkwall Grammar School as part of a John Muir Award with our field teacher Sue Whitworth, to help give shelter to some shrubs. As it's now well established and shading out the shrubs, and rather than just being a quick tidy, it involves wrestling it into submission - it may get a few more haircuts next year.
In front of the hide, every year we cut parts of the reed bed back so (hopefully!) folk can get better views of the birds. Over the course of the last few weeks we have spent a few days (with the aid of drysuits), cutting viewing rides, strimming the edges of the pools and small islands. It's already been successful, with water rails seen down the rides, great views of ducks, curlew and lapwing roosting and a few snipe pottering around right in front of the hide. On Wednesday (12th), there were over 36 lapwing, 20 curlew, 5 snipe, mallards, thousands of golden plover flocking above the airfield, several hundred greylags by the Loch of Isbister and female hen harrier out hunting.