Shipping in of Crossrail spoil has currently ceased until February as the contractors are busy working on large water control structures in preparation for the sea wall breaching in the summer. This momentous occasion will be a huge milestone for the project and we hope to celebrate this in July of this year.Crossrail have now imported nearly 3 million cubic tonnes of spoil from the tunneling under London and the reserve is slowly starting to look more like a nature reserve than farmland.
Water vole by Dave GonningThe wardening team are currently working on our new water vole habitat on the southern part of the reserve, planting club rush in the recently dug ditch system. A huge thank you is due to our amazingvolunteers for their sterling efforts in the porridge like conditions!
On the wildlife front wader numbers are good, with impressive flocks of golden plover and lapwing gathered on the wet grassland scrapes, footdrains and saline lagoon. The reserve is attracting lots of raptors and we currently have a rough legged buzzard, at least eight short eared owls, marsh harriers, ring tailed hen harriers, buzzard, kestrel, peregrine, merlin and barn owl displaying proudly across the reserve. Also, the “jangling keys” chorus of corn bunting is evidence of good numbers across the site. Large flocks of stock dove can be seen wheeling over the reserve and we have small groups of fieldfare feeding on the farmland pastures.Brown hares are a regular and welcome site throughout the reserve and weasel sightings have also been on the increase recently.
Have you been to Wallasea recently? What have you spotted whilst you have been out and about?