Rediscovering the grass

The floods are finally receding around the reserve so it’s time to shift some of the water from the fields to rediscover the grass and allow it to grow, putting it in optimal condition for the breeding waders. We have dropped the sluices and turned on Greenaway’s pump to aid drainage. We will still keep the fields relatively wet, with all the scrapes, ditches and footdrains full of water, to provide plenty of edge for the birds to feed. During the breeding season we will allow the fields to ‘draw down’, which is where we continually reduce water levels, a few centimetres at a time until the fields are almost dry. This process ensures there is always wet edge for the chicks to feed along. Talking of breeding, it was lovely to hear skylarks in full song and watch lapwing displaying across the grassland yesterday. Many of the hedgerow birds are starting to sing, including chaffinch, Dunnock and song thrush. After the wet and windy winter it is encouraging to think spring really is just round the corner. The reserve is full of life with large numbers of waders and wildfowl, curlew and redshank are returning after spending the majority of winter on the coast. Brown hares are able to move around easier now water levels are dropping, they were becoming marooned on small islands of grass and looking rather bedraggled. Hares can swim just choose not to most of the time. Bearded tits are still in the reedbed, seeing them though is more tricky and at least one bittern is present. Raptors are a common sight across the moor with short-eared owl, barn owl, hen harrier, peregrine, buzzard, red kite and kestrel putting in regular appearances. Stonechats have survived the winter here for the first time in several years. Is spring migration about to kick off as we head into March, let’s hope so!