My main role today was to cut grass, this was one smaller job on the bigger picture of what we have been doing and what we will continue to do over the next few weeks. Around the main lake there is now a line of posts which have been put in as part of a new fence line for an electric fence.
Stock (sheep and cattle) on the grass are involved with land rotation - by creating some rotation through the seasons then the ground can be rested, replenished with nutrients and provide animal food with time for healthy regrowth. The animals are used because they have values to the way they cut the grass. The sheep keep the grass level low by eating it all if allowed to.
A new fence line dividing the current area around the main lake is grazed on by the sheep, in the future the grass can be kept short alongside the lake to coincide with the return of wigeon later in the year. The migrating wigeon in the autumn and winter will feed on the grass, roots and seeds along the lake side.
Me and Alex have been strimming the grass down from nearly knee height to the ground, in a strip alongside and around the posts in order to make sure that surrounding vegetation does not affect the voltage from the fence as the current will drop if something is interfering with the bottom wire (which is near the ground.)
Below shows a photo of post and rail which is a section near the water that won't involve electric fencing but still does the same job as a fence separating the area for the sheep. The reserve's estate team have been busy working on the new fence line structure.
I looked around and saw sand martins flying just above the long grasses on the edging of the main lake. The sand martins are rearing the chicks that are nesting in the sand bank with a good variety in chick ages from first brood to the second brood.
- Josh McGowan