At this time of year our team of staff, volunteers
and contractors have been working hard out in the meadows hand pulling Marsh
Ragwort once again. Although ragwort is a natural component of the unimproved
and seasonally flooded hay meadow communities, it is poisonous to livestock
when included in the hay cut. As a result, the team have been removing it in
order to keep the cutting of the meadows for hay (the main underpinning
management of the site), as viable as possible for our tenants and the local
farming community. On a warm sunny day the meadows are a fantastic place to be - brimming with Greater Burnet, Pepper Saxifrage, Yellow
Rattle and Ragged Robin, whilst singing Curlews and drumming Snipe are heard
over head, although the work is incredibly hard! Especially on the cold and wet days like we've experienced recently when time goes very slowly! So a big thank you to our team for getting stuck in to
the job whatever the weather, especially our new volunteers.
Following the rather delayed start to the breeding wader
season as a result of the prolonged and lingering winter floods, there are
still several late broods of Lapwing chicks around the reserve at the moment,
including newly hatched young at Thornton Ellers and North Duffield
Carrs. At the latter site a single pair made a scrape and laid four eggs
on the bund in front of Garganey Hide, with the eggs only hatching recently
having been laid quite late. Last week whilst out checking ditches and managing
water levels on the Carrs we spotted one chick feeding in the long grass, as we
approached it sat down tucking itself amongst the vegetation. It was well
camouflaged against the ground with its dark grey/brown mottled coat, pictured below.
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