02/09/16 - Buzzard release

Last week on arrival at the NNR base for a day’s volunteering, our team were greeted by the sight of Jean Thorpe, armed with two birds of prey - a young Buzzard and Kestrel, ready for release on to the Ings. It’s always a special moment watching a wild bird be released back where it should be, so we were delighted our volunteers were able to share in it as well. Many thanks to Jean for allowing us the privilege of seeing these fantastic birds up close, and for the dedication she has to her job, which over the years has seen so many birds and animals make it back into the wild. After the early morning excitement with Jean, Mike then arrived at the base with a young heron that he’d caught on Wheldrake Ings. Once the heron had been ringed and released, the team headed to Wheldrake to continue with the scrub clearance, achieving a great deal in very hot temperatures. More willows were cut and burned, whilst a stint on the tractor flailing the rank vegetation proved popular - many thanks as always to the team for another hard day’s work.