The big news this spring is that our warden, and regular blogger, Keeley Spate, left the team in mid-April to move to be with her future husband. She is already greatly missed by all the team and volunteers, however in her absence we are trying to keep everything going and hence this spring update from your Wiltshire reserves manager.
BIRDS: Well we certainly have had some exciting bird observations during the spring passage, including a number of notable reserve firsts with osprey observed sitting on a lone fence post first thing on 4th April, a male dotterel resting on a fallow plot on the 21st and a young male marsh harrier and yellow wagtail on the 22nd April. Our flagship birds the stone-curlews are back, and a pair has been regularly seen from the wooden viewing screen on the nature trail. If visiting, please do not linger and view from the footpath by the plot, as this disturbs the birds and may cause them to abandon any nesting attempt.
FLOWERS: The reserve has had a wonderful panoramic display of cowslips this year, and will soon become a riot of colour over the coming months. The new chalk grasslands have been graced by a green-winged orchid this spring, and this bodes well for a blooming good summer.
CAR PARK: Yes, I know it is starting to look a bit tired, but the cogs are turning and we are hoping to refresh wooden railings this summer with the help of volunteers from the South Wiltshire Local Group. We will also be replacing the vandalised information board, with a much bigger modular board which we can even update with recent sightings.
MORE FLOWERS: We have been planting out hundreds of wildflower plugs around the reserve this spring, with the aim of providing a home for characteristic chalk grassland butterflies. Hairy violets for the dark green fritillary, horseshoe vetch for the chalkhill and Adonis blues, and devil's-bit scabious for the marsh fritillary butterfly. This is funded as part of the Heritage Lottery Fund's "Save Our Magnificent Meadows" project, and we must once again must thank our local supporters in the South Wiltshire Local Group for getting on their hands and knees amongst the cowslips to plant out these new homes for our butterflies. Check out the Local Group's excellent field trips, professional presentations and vibrant volunteering opportunities at www.rspb.org.uk/groups/southwiltshire.
CAVALRY: Hope is on the horizon as Toby Branston from the Dorset team will be covering as Wiltshire reserves warden this summer. This means we should be back to normal for our summer programme of events and volunteering activities.