02/11/16 - Full steam ahead

Further to our recent posts and work parties helping to restore the Escrick Duck Decoy, the team returned last week to help finish off the new viewing hide. The hide will allow public viewing of the pond and the restored pipe during open days, and the ability to watch ringing demonstrations and visiting wildlife. Many thanks as always to our great team who spent the day hard at work erecting the roof, attaching the sides and finishing off the decking floor, as well as digging in the last interpretation panel on the history of the decoy. With such a productive day we’re now nearly at the end of the project, so we’ll keep you posted on here with any updates of planned open days.

The previous two weeks the team were hard at work constructing the catching pen, finishing off the screens, strimming the vegetation around the pond, fine tuning the pipes and erecting the new interpretation panels. 

It will be fantastic to see the site fully restored and operational again for the first time in 150 years, just as the usual autumn build-up of waterfowl picks up the pace in the valley. Up to 1300 Teal and 600 Wigeon have now arrived from their breeding grounds in Eastern Europe – with a lot more to come.