To Lapwing and Goosander Hides

 30 Sept 11-1 clearing fallen wood and cutting back especially on and near boardwalk. Litter removed from both hides.

4 redhead goosanders Lapwing Hide. Saw 2 black terns on gravel island on west of Ibsley Water earlier from Tern Hide.

Nicky

 28/09/2024  9.00 - 13.00  Blashford North  Caught up with the bramble and nettle trimming after two weeks gap. Fortunately growth rate is slowing down!! All paths and Hides seem OK. Clearing of spit between Lapwing and Goosander and shoreline from there to Lapwing hide should make a major difference to observations in those areas and reduce the vantage points for foxes. Saw the 6 ponies in section 2 on Ibsley. Good to see some butterflies around - mainly Speckled Wood and Red Admiral. Great White Egret on the western shore. 

26th September Just walking in the rain....

To Lapwing and Goosander litter picking in torrential rain. Reported overhanging bush over Lapwing boardwalk approach. Footbridge over the river on the boundary path that leads to the Alice Lisle is VERY slippery but isn't actually ours. Litter pick round Wild Walk and all three hides. Excited people viewing the kingfisher in the rain at the Silt Pond. I saw my first water rail at Ivy North.

Short walk S side

 23 Sept 11 1 hr in rain to Ivy N, Woodland Hide and woods and drive. Litter removed at road entrance and layby.

3 black necked grebes Ibsley Water.

Nicky

11 Sept 2024 north circuit

All tidy and a nice crop of invertibrates. The observation blinds beside Ibsley silt pond (W3W juggled.impact.showdown/advancing.football.probably) need clearance for visibility. Just a thought: the very useful illustrated site plan on the Lapwing Hide wall could be used very effectively for visitor information because it shows clearly the physical nature of the Reserve.

Ellingham Lake Walk

 9 Sept 11--12 litter pick and cutting overhangs around Ellingham Lake and to A338 exit.  No issues.

At the Centre, the Welcome Hut door wouldn't open fully.  Tried clearing runners no joy.  Worth trying a vacuum cleaner as lots of stuff in there i.e. leaves, dirt, stones etc.

Nicky

 07/09/2024  9.00 - 13.30  Blashford North  Usual nettle and bramble trimming. Quantity reducing but more bramble hanging from overhead branches. Reeds knocked down by rain, trimmed where necessary along the boardwalk. Some overhead branches, particularly north of the cross path on the eastern path, could do with trimming. Otherwise paths and hides seem OK. 

Visitor numbers in hides increasing, particularly birders and photographers, increasing the need for clearance in front of all the north hides.

Ivy North and Tern Hide

 2nd Sept 1 hr from 11am litter pick to Ivy N and round to 1st screen.  Also to Tern Hide inc layby and drive.  Not much litter except at layby.

Ibsley viewpoint has less view than before due to sallow growth especially near the lake east of the hide.

Nicky