Reserve Maintenance

Greenshank

Visitors a plenty this week at Big Waters, a greenshank and over 100 greylag geese were spotted.

The feeding station, boardwalk, island and scrape were all trimmed by Graham,Alan,Neil, Mick and myself to tidy up the area, remove big thorn bushes, tidy up reeds and trim the feeding station willows and conifers. A hard days graft to help maintain the reserve and make it better for everyone.

I have used the hide for many years, to relax, to capture images and to talk to some of the really nice people that go there. I thought it was only fair I give a little back to help the guys that have spent so much of their time maintaining and improving the space. 

Not only was the hard work of the volunteers continuing but there were some lovely sights at the reserve, when I turned up to help I spotted a buzzard, fox and a huge number of noisy greylags in 5 minutes of being there.

Fox on the far scrape

This is not the first time I offered to help the guys maintain the space, I have trimmed all the boardwalk before but Neil and myself had a tough time with the thorns, after 4 hours our hands were shredded and we were exhausted but when we stood back it looked so much tidier and its a nice feeling knowing that although I use the hide for free all the time I have given a little back to help the people who have looked after it for so many years, keeping it teeming with life and comfortable for the users.

One of the greylag groups that took over the lake 

Buzzard over the hide

I'm looking forward to seeing more life in the reserve and now I have tasted just how much work goes into looking after it I will appreciate it all the more. Alan and Mick rearranged the island moving all of the blocks that form it, Graham removed a huge area of reeds that were blocking views and Neil and myself removed thorn bushes that could snag visitors and trimmed the feeding area to let more light in.

As a final pleasant surprise, my wife and daughter turned up with water for the workers and my daughter got her first glimpse of some wildlife she loves so much. Her sheer excitement at seeing geese and swans reminded me why its so important to look after these places.