October, 2010

Hello

I thought you would like to see some footage from a camera we had erected on the fence by the new sett at Burton Point with some good evidence! It is on youtube and there are two clips -badgers2 and stealth camera output.

 http://www.youtube.com/user/RonThomasPhotography Also, for those of you who didnt see my cycling update - I wanted to say a HUGE thankyou to all who sponsored me for this event :-) I raised £310 online which went  to the RSPB headquarters, and £260 in cash wihch I was able to give directly to Inner Marsh Farm. Colin was very pleased ;-)

Dear All

The reserve looked lovely this morning covered in frost and even nicer now the sun is out.  Lots has been done recently..... Trees and shrubs have been planted at Burton Mere around the carpark by children from the village school, with the plants kindly donated by Ness Botanic gardens. Just in time before the frost! Sluices have been put in around IMF2 and water is backing up and backing up and flooding the wetland! and getting my feet wet. Time for wellies! Especially on Tuesday when we will be taking down some fence running across the newly flooded bit - take note volunteers!

The wallers along Marsh Road are flying along - and when you see the size of them you will understand why! Geoff and I have been taking the wall down with the volunteers which has been fun and physically demanding. 

The cows have passed their TB tests and are returning on Nov 1st to spend the winter with us. Their feet will hopefully break up some of the dense vegetation and damage some of the thistles so that the habitat in IMF2 will improve.

After the excitement of completing our marsh tern hat-trick with the white-winged black tern, we are now returning to normal :-) And I have been filling the holes in the track created by all the visitors! We have had a good run of little stints and other small waders such as curlew sands and dunlin provising us with the opportunity to hone our ID skills. Management work around the pools carried out manily by our hardworking volunteer Neil (and a strimmer) has been showing off more snipe and water rail.  The first winter arrivals are back with Whooper swans returning from Iceland and fieldfare and redwing from Scandinavia and northern Europe.

So, Sunday is the next BIG Raptor watch at Parkgate - and the press will be there! If you are after fame come on down and see if you can get a quote in. Please note the advertised time is 4.30pm (British summertime) - however it will be getting dark by then so we will be there by 3.30pm.

Please drive slowly down the track else I'll be back out there filling holes! Thankyou!