Photos: (c) Alan Kell, RSPB

I started volunteering for the RSPB about eight years ago while living in Eastbourne. I was in regional management for a large supermarket chain, worked silly hours, and took it all very seriously. It was obvious I needed something else to focus on - something for the good of my health. As I have always had a curiosity towards wildlife and birds, and been an RSPB member for a few years, they were an obvious choice. I…

Our heathland supports a wide array of biodiversity including a host of scarce fungi, lichen, invertebrates and birds all dependent on this now rare habitat. Without constant effort by us the heathland would gradually return to woodland, which is easy to imagine when you count the birch saplings that grow on the heath each spring. To maintain this precious heathland wildlife we need to manage and control them.

Every year…

Finding myself confined to my house and garden I have been watching the comings and goings of the wildlife in my garden in more detail. Previously I have been aware of what is in my garden but not had a chance to watch them so closely. I started making a list of birds, which unsurprisingly didn’t differ much from my Big Garden Birdwatch list:  

2 wood pigeons, 2 collared Doves, 2 Robins, 10  (approx.) House sparrows…

Although The Lodge and Fowlmere nature reserves are closed to visitors at the moment, wildlife and seasons keep coming.
Through Mid- to late April our native British bluebells are in flower, providing a valuable early nectar source for bumblebees and other insects.
Some wild animals will eat them, but not many: the sap is poisonous to most. People used to use the sap as a source of glue, and reputedly as starch for stiffening…

With #Easter approaching, we would like to remind everyone that in line with clear instructions from the Government for us all to remain at home (apart from a limited number of allowed activities), the reserve remains closed to visitors until further notice and our events are postponed.

It is with great sadness that we ask people to continue to refrain from visiting us, but we must play our part to help restrict the…

Although the Lodge is closed now, at this time of year we would expect to see lots of gorse in flower on the reserve. It's a great plant, and if you were to look closely at the flowers you might realise that this very pricky plant is actually a member of the pea family! Anybody want to hazard a guess as to what the flowers smell of? - it's quite surprising, unless you know!

Here’s a photo from earlier in the year…

Although The Lodge and Fowlmere nature reserves are closed to visitors at the moment, we’ve got a stash of inspiring images of wildlife and views taken previously.
What would you like to see us share? We would love you to send those you have taken on past visits too.

 
For now, here is a spring scene taken shortly before The Lodge was closed (c) Peter Bradley, Senior Site Manager.

However grey the skies (and they are grey today) there will be more beautiful days at The Lodge ahead - bluebells around 20 April, Hobbies circling the pink-blossomed heath in August, toadstools poking through the dead leaves on crisp Autumn days. 
Here's a photo by Ray Piercy to remind you of what the woods will look in just 8 weeks time...

Thanks to Rob Gilmour for this excellent image of a barn owl quartering the new heath on Tuesday 25 Feb 2020.

Yesterday was a great day for birds of prey on the 'new heath' and Galley Hill.
As well this beautiful barn owl, there were red kite, kestrel, sparrow hawk and a 'kettle' of five buzzards ( 'kettle' being the term for when birds of prey circle overhead).
Galley Hill, the ancient hillfort…

Following quickly in the footsteps of storm Ciara which blew over several trees on the reserve, we now have a forecast of more high winds as storm Dennis menaces us over this weekend too. The reserve and shop will close at 1pm Saturday 15 Feb and stay closed until the end of Sunday.

The Lodge has a lot of woodland, and deadwood and veteran trees support a host of wildlife, so wherever it is safe to do so we keep them…

Sadly we have had reports of birds with signs of Avian Pox at the Lodge.

Avian pox is a viral skin infection that produces warty growths all over the body of birds. These can grow quite big but affected birds can still feed and move around. They only die if the pox 'warts' grow over their eyes and mouths making it harder to survive. Most birds continue to fare well despite the growths. It is impossible to treat wild birds…

Today Spring arrived - there are hazel catkins, flowering broom, and drifts of snowdrops.
Lots of birds seem to be pairing (raven, red kite); song thrush, dunnock, coal / blue / great tit and robin all singing.

 

Snowdrops and dunnock: Peter Bradley, RSPB

A great day, some great people running - well done everyone!
We look forward to seeing you again next year...

Images: Shannon Shaw

On Sunday 02/02/2020 we held our third ‘Race for Wildlife’ event at RSPB The Lodge. It’s an exciting 10km (twice around a 5km figure of eight) run around the Buzzard and Woodpecker trails. It was a great day, with lots of very happy (albeit tired) runners. Thanks especially to Biggleswade Athletic Club and our own RSPB staff and volunteers for the wonderful marshalling and organisation of the race.

The Lodge Reserve’s 3^rd ‘Race for Wildlife’ is taking place throughout Sunday morning (02/02/2020!!), and runners will be using all car parks at the HQ end of the reserve. Visitors to the reserve will still be able to park at the Gatehouse as usual, but vehicle access along the drive will not be possible at the time the runners congregate and start, from 9:45 to 10:00, and we will have marshals at junctions along…

Spring is unfolding in the gardens at The Lodge.  

The woodland work for this winter (2019/20) is almost over, after only two weeks of felling.  For those of us managing the reserve this is a very exciting change; as I've posted previously it will greatly improve our woodlands for spotted flycatchers, lesser-spotted woodpeckers and other species.

It may look messy for a while! The wardens and volunteers are now clearing up after the loggers, putting paths back in order…

Our regular Tuesday walking group took a stroll around the woodpecker trail on Tuesday 28 Jan and saw a pair of ravens, calling and displaying where the pylon line runs down the slope. What with this and the lesser spotted woodpecker sighting the other week, this is a spot well worth checking out!
It's about 5 years since ravens last bred at RSPB The Lodge, but this reserve played a key role in their re-establishment in…

Every year we look to carry out some bare ground creation across our site and this year has been no different. Bare ground is an essential habitat for a host of invertebrates including beetles, spiders, solitary wasps and bees. These invertebrates often forage and make their homes by burrowing down into the exposed sandy soil, and these excavated burrows can be seen in abundance along the sandy trails across the reserve…

There were several woodpeckers calling and drumming along the aptly-named woodpecker trail (formerly the Sandy Ridge trail) at The Lodge this morning Friday 17 January. Green woodpecker 'yaffling', wrens, robins and coal tits singing, great spotted woodpeckers drumming, and... was it a lesser spotted woodpecker drumming too? 

I was on the upper path near the woodpecker trail post No.2, above the group of oak and…

No-one likes to remove the top of an old tree. Wherever possible, and if safe to do so, we leave standing deadwood as it's a great place for wildlife.

However, the very large Scot's pine on the path to the hide had just too many risk factors - too many rotten and broken bits to it - to leave it as it was.

Following checks for bats by experts, the top sections were carefully removed by contractors today, above…

The new feeders at the visitor information have been great for close views of nuthatches.

Today's reserve list included: red kite, woodcock, fieldfare and mistle thrush around the wind turbine field, green woodpecker, goldfinches.

Over the last few days we have done a lot of bare ground works, including a new path loop by the natural play area (opening later in the year), and bare sandy patches scraped to provide homes…

In the week commencing 13 January 2020 our woodland works start in earnest: This will improve the woods for spotted flycatchers, lesser-spotted woodpeckers and other species.

Much of the work will be at the southern end of the reserve, below the HQ gardens, and from time to time it may be necessary to close parts of the trail network for safety. As well as the obvious risks from felling, there will be large vehicles taking…

9 January 2020:

Recently there have been lots of woodcock sightings, including a group of nine flying on the reserve at dusk.

Ravens, red kite, buzzard have all been seen frequently.

Over on the RSPB’s farmland north of the gatehouse three pairs of stonechat were seen Tuesday 7 January – this bodes well for them breeding on the new heath again in 2020.

Feeders are now being put back up following an issue with…