So we've said goodbye to yet another two of our residential volunteers, Roy and Chris, and welcomed our next pair, Jean and Richard. Our residential volunteers stay with us for week-long, or two week, stints and help us on the reserve by helping us to inform visitors of the work of the RSPB and of the wildlife on the reserve. This year ,with the opening of our new visitors centre, the volunteers have also been giving us a hand in the cafe and the shop. There are a couple of weeks this summer where there are still spaces for volunteers, so if it interests you then email us on south.stack@rspb.org.uk .
As I type, we have just one Chough left in the Mousetrap nest. I can hear calls from the parents trying to entice him out and a few reassuring squawks from his brother or sister down below. This last Chough has now been in the nest for approaching six weeks and I'm sure Mum and Dad would appreciate some rest! It's not fabulous weather for fledging today, but we expect this little guy to hang around on ledges in the cave for a little while before embarking on his journey into the big wide world. When this last chick is fully fledged we expect to see the surviving juveniles feeding with the parents and so we'll have a better idea of how they've got on.
This Sunday, weather permitting, I will be taking visitors on a tour of the reserve looking for our 'bouncing baby birds!'. Ask in the visitor centre or Ellins Tower on Sunday if you want to join me. Another baby to look out for on your way up the road to the reserve is our resident baby Hare, a leveret. I regularly see him following close behind his Mum, and with Dad not far away, in the fields alongside the road.
If you've not visited our new cafe yet, then why not come along this week? Breakfast is served 10-11, lunch 11-3 and hot drinks and cakes are available all day 10am-5pm. If you visit our shop before June 21st you can get a 6 pack of suet cakes for a bargain 85p and 100g packs of mealworm are down to £1.99 or three bags for a fiver!
Enjoy the rest of your weekend,
Kathy x