Post by kentyeti on Jun 2, 2018 20:11:39 GMT
In between my regular bursts of Short-eared Owl observations in various parts of the country, I try and do some volunteer wardening on the large Emley NNR on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent. Was there for a good few hours today.
Firstly, please remember for non-Friends of Elmley there is a charge of £5 per car. With so few using the honesty box in the car park, volunteer wardens are now collecting payment at the entrance gate. Not just at weekends, some of us will go there on a random basis during the week. Except Tuesdays when the reserve is shut. The whole issue of how to collect the entry charge is being discussed soon. I don't know what will result from that. Regular visitors can join the Friends of Elmley. £30 single, £40 a family. Both amounts per year. No limit to visits during normal opening hours. Enjoy the late evening on the first Thurday of every month. And occasional gatherings in the Barn.
The reserve don't get any funding for providing visitor facilities, other than from the entry fee and Friends' income. Helped by volunteer work from amongst the Friends with some of the construction etc work.
So far that has meant a much larger car park. A new toilet block in the car park. Wooden seats on the walk down to the hides. A viewing screeen looking over the Swale 500m down the track to the hides from the car park. And, when I was last down there, an increasing number of all-weather walkways into the last part of at least some hides.
Now the birds. Fingers crossed it is going to be a mega year for some of the waders at least. I am told the last Lapwing chick count was well over 400. Not easy to see now the rains have come and the grass is growing. But a large number of adult Lapwings are often perched right by the access track. Either protecting young or late nests. There also look to be a very good number of Redshank. Plus other wading birds. Some Marsh Harriers have fledged too I am told.
All of these mean it is vital to stay in your car on the access track. Please sort out cameras, binos, scopes etc before you enter the reserve. A Lapwing being disturbed away from its young, and exposing them to a greater predation risk etc, doesn't understand someone was only getting out of their car on the access track because they had left the camera in the boot!
I am also told by someone who was there today, that it is looking like it could be a very good dragonfly year. If so, maybe that is due in part at least to an increased number of ponds and scrapes. Plus a great deal of time and effort pumping water around the reserve before the rains eventually came.
Hope the above helps a little. I can't give a full update on all the birds. Short-eared Owls are my speciality, but I am trying to get better with identifying other species too!
All the best,
Bryan
Firstly, please remember for non-Friends of Elmley there is a charge of £5 per car. With so few using the honesty box in the car park, volunteer wardens are now collecting payment at the entrance gate. Not just at weekends, some of us will go there on a random basis during the week. Except Tuesdays when the reserve is shut. The whole issue of how to collect the entry charge is being discussed soon. I don't know what will result from that. Regular visitors can join the Friends of Elmley. £30 single, £40 a family. Both amounts per year. No limit to visits during normal opening hours. Enjoy the late evening on the first Thurday of every month. And occasional gatherings in the Barn.
The reserve don't get any funding for providing visitor facilities, other than from the entry fee and Friends' income. Helped by volunteer work from amongst the Friends with some of the construction etc work.
So far that has meant a much larger car park. A new toilet block in the car park. Wooden seats on the walk down to the hides. A viewing screeen looking over the Swale 500m down the track to the hides from the car park. And, when I was last down there, an increasing number of all-weather walkways into the last part of at least some hides.
Now the birds. Fingers crossed it is going to be a mega year for some of the waders at least. I am told the last Lapwing chick count was well over 400. Not easy to see now the rains have come and the grass is growing. But a large number of adult Lapwings are often perched right by the access track. Either protecting young or late nests. There also look to be a very good number of Redshank. Plus other wading birds. Some Marsh Harriers have fledged too I am told.
All of these mean it is vital to stay in your car on the access track. Please sort out cameras, binos, scopes etc before you enter the reserve. A Lapwing being disturbed away from its young, and exposing them to a greater predation risk etc, doesn't understand someone was only getting out of their car on the access track because they had left the camera in the boot!
I am also told by someone who was there today, that it is looking like it could be a very good dragonfly year. If so, maybe that is due in part at least to an increased number of ponds and scrapes. Plus a great deal of time and effort pumping water around the reserve before the rains eventually came.
Hope the above helps a little. I can't give a full update on all the birds. Short-eared Owls are my speciality, but I am trying to get better with identifying other species too!
All the best,
Bryan