We are getting ready for the arrival of the Common Terns which nest on the islands in the main lake and Paddies Pool. Over the last year the weeds have grown and the islands have to be cleaned to give a good layer of cockle shells which the terns like to nest on.
First we pull the weed - here it is groundsell - and Alex (volunteer), Dean (assistant warden) and Brian (volunteer) are hard at work.
This year to prevent the growth of rank vegetation - the geese leave a lot of muck over the winter - we have used a pump to help wash the cockle.
While Brian was controlling the hose the rest of us moved the shells about to let the muck run off. After a day of hard work the island is now clear of weed and the clean shells will support less growth.
When all the islands have been cleaned we will put out a few rafts as floating tern nest sites. However, we are not doing much work on Saltholme Pools Island as this has been left for the Black-headed Gulls.
Peter