The restoration is now in its the last few days, with only a couple of ditches still left to restore and the work so far is looking wonderful. Our bittern pool , which was completely overgrown with vegetation, has now been restored to something like it's former glory.
Once the water levels come up again in the spring the area in the middle will be submerged, providing just the right conditions for good strong reedmace growth (otherwise known as bullrush) which will provide a nice sheltered location for our bittern to build their nest whilst the ditch around the outside will act as a moat, detering unwanted visitors - all aimed at encouraging our regular wintering bittern to stay through the summer
A little further out into the reeds this...
has been turned into this....
....A wonderful reed fringed shallow pool already teaming with fish (and kingfishers!), at the head of which, behind the screen of reed, is our bittern pool, so the des res is next door to the right fine diner
As well as the kingfishers and herons, our otter is enjoying the new pools and ditches - how do we know? well fresh spraint (otter poo) was found yesterday at a favourite territory marking point and, just this morning, around 50 m from where this picture above was taken, fresh tracks running alongside a new ditch - in the still, cool morning air, a truly lovely sight!