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First February visit of 2024
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It was exactly one week since my last visit to the Reserve but it felt a lot longer because I had been off Island for 5 days in between. While I was away there had a been a work party on Saturday morning with 14 volunteers helping to coppice Hazels, making more dead hedges, and removing old carpet squares from around what used to be saplings but are now trees! When I arrived I immediately noticed that brambles had been cleared near the gate to reveal the Reserve's only clump of snowdrops, a relic of the time before the land was a reserve and which come up faithfully every year in February. Also by the gate a huge tote bag of debris waiting to go to the tip. Well done volunteers, no doubt you were fortified by delicious cake during the break! Thanks to Karen Griffiths of the Southern Group Committee for sending me an account of the morning and the next couple of photos.
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removing carpet squares from trees ( Copyright K. Griffiths)
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| Coppicing Hazel trees ( Copyright K. Griffiths) |
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new dead hedges each side of the bridge
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coppiced Hazels near the barrows
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a coppiced willow
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Hedgehog retreat
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debris from the Work Party waiting to go off site
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Wednesday's weather was dry and bright but not the glorious spring day of my last visit. Nevertheless there was birdsong and plenty of little birds flitting from tree to tree to watch and record. Here is my report:
Birds:
SC210694 At least 3 female and 2 male Blackbirds taking ivy berries near the gate; Robin; 2 x Sparrow; 3 x Rook.
SC209694 ( Hide) No water fowl on the water this morning, although my husband saw a Moorhen later in the day; Heron disturbed twice from pond (often a sign in February that there is frogspawn); 2 x Great Tit; Hooded Crow & 5 other unidentified Corvids in churchyard trees; Robin; Greenfinch; male Chaffinch; 2 x Woodpigeon in churchyard trees; Wren.
SC209694 ( elsewhere) Redwing; Great Tit; Goldfinch x 5; Wren; Robin; Song Thrush heard but not seen; Blackbird x 2 ; Greenfinch; Chaffinch x 2;
SC208694 Robin and Wren together in same tree; 2 x Great Tit; 4 x Woodpigeon flying over; Greenfinch; BlueTit; male Chaffinch; Magpie.
SC209695 female Chaffinch; male & female Blackbirds; Magpie flying over; 2 x Goldfinch.
SC209693 3 x Blackbird flying across path; male Chaffinch; Robin; 2 x Great Tit together; Blue Tit.
SC208695 ( Feeders) 2 x Great Tit; male Chaffinch; Goldfinch; Blue Tit.
SC208695 ( elsewhere) 2 x Chaffinch; Wren; Great Tit; 2 x Magpie flying over.
Other:
SC210694 Snowdrops in flower ( garden escapes)
SC209694 Hawthorn in full leaf
SC209694 Lesser Celandines in flower
SC209694 Hemlock Water Dropwort leaves showing well
SC209694 Gorse in Flower
SC209694 Hazel Catkins lengthening
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Blackbird taking ivy berries
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a welcome source of food in late winter
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Wren and Robin together in same tree
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the Robin is ringed
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| Wren |
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female Chaffinch
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and a male Chaffinch foraging on the ground
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| Greenfinch |
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| Goldfinch |
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Great Tit
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Great Tit
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this one is ringed
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Blue Tit and Chaffinch
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the last peanut!
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| Redwing |
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Rooks on the roof of Old School House next door
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House Sparrow
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there were two of them in the hedge
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a prickly perch
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| Wren through the hide shutters |
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lovely to hear the birds singing once more
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Celandines on the bank
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Gorse and Hazel catkins together
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Snowdrops by the gate
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Hawthorn in full leaf
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Hemlock Water Dropwort coming through very fast now
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Boardwalk and meadow
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usual view from the Boardwalk
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looking along the old Beehive loop
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a glimpse over the boundary bank
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the new(ish) pond
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I checked for Frogspawn as we have some at home
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| but none as yet |
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looking back along the boundary
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still wintry looking trees
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usual view of the hide
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and usual view through the shutters
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no water fowl to be seen this week
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usual view from hide ramp
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the reed bed from near the compost area
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stream and new dead hedge from bridge
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heading for the gate
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a final look at the snowdrops as I left
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As always, an enjoyable morning visit.
please click on photos to enlarge them
