18/04/2026  9.00 - 13.00  Dockens Water path and North side. Usual hide and path check. Minimal trimming required as yet. Ed accompanied me for half the morning and may have noted some additional issues. 

Issues of note:

• Small tree blown down across the northern path from the south side tree line - pushed back onto the hedge but still attached, could do with cutting, especially as the CES is due to start soon.
• Two visitors with dogs seen on the South side. One coming down the path alongside the Track - ?labrador type on a long lead [seen by Nigel]. One on the heathland area behind the car parking site at the top of the drive - Husky cross on a short lead - [seen by me, latter's owner reminded of  Reserve restrictions].

Sightings:

• Mallard and Tufted Duck pairings seen on northern Silt Pond, plus a female Mallard with 5 ducklings.
• Sand Martins very active at Goosander Hide.
• Mistle Thrush seen on the scrape.

 11/04/2026  9.00 - 13.00  Dockens Water path and North side. Some branches in the Dockens Water. Some bramble trimming started, hides checked - appear to be OK, although pump a bit noisy in Tern Hide!!

Issues of note:

• Attempts have been made to enter the main building in the Hanson plant. Nuts removed from some bolts and left on the ground below, bolts still in place but the grid has been bent back to some extent to attempt entry. Photos taken by Catherine.
• Runner with dog attached seen on path near turn to Goosander, running towards the road. No attempt to stop when spoken to. ?A regular. Similiar incident reported by Jeremy McClements a couple of weeks ago.

Sightings:

• Female Goshawk seen sitting in a tree on the bank opposite the base of Spit Island. Remained there most of the morning. ? watching for Sand Martins. None were at the wall but were flying overheard across the lake near Lapwing Hide. Brenda reported that goshawks are nesting on Mockbeggar.
• Male adder at the base of the bank near Goosander, recently 'sloughed'.

 04/04/2026  9.00 - 13.00  Dockens Water Path and North side. Some branches in the Dockens Water in the section before the Rockford Path. Paths and hides seemed OK, although a door and some windows left open. Left hand door of Tern Hide could do with 'oiling'! Minimal bramble trimming required so far!! 

A strand of barbed wire was broken in the eastern fence at the end of the bramble hedge section after the Goosander Hide turn, and left across the verge. ?result of deer crossing from Mockbeggar. Wound the wire back into the fence for safety purposes and to keep away from further deer movement.

Sightings:

• Goshawk reported flying south during the early morning.
• Approx. 50 Sand Martins flying/feeding over the lake, mainly in front and to the west of Tern Hide - ? for better protection from the wind. None seen going into the wall, as seen on Thursday.
• 6 Lapwings seen on the scrape with another 2 flying around along the northern bank.
• A few Violets seen growing on the eastern verge of the western path, north of the cross path.

 28/03/2026  9.00 - 13.00  Dockens Water path and North side.  Usual path and hide checks. Branch in the Dockens water near the entrance to the overflow 'bay' at the Western end.

Report from Jeremy McClements re. early morning visit to Lapwing Hide. 

• Person in a red jacket seen near the Osprey Platform who then retreated back into the north eastern bay of Ibsley Water - ? fisherman.

• Kittiwake feeding in front of Lapwing Hide
• Osprey flying south over Ibsley and across into the Avon Valley  

Other sightings:

• 2/3 Lapwings seen on the spit between Lapwing and Goosander, 'playing hide and seek with a couple of crows!!
• 2 Lapwings seen in the scrape from the Hanson screen
• ?1/2 Little Gulls seen on the western shore line of Spit Island from Tern Hide

Issue reported: 

• A Brambling seen by the feeder at Woodland Hide appeared to have a problem/swelling at and around it's beak. ?cause.

 21/03/2026  9.00 - 13.00  Dockens Water Path and North side. Usual path and hide check. Paths and hides OK; far fewer small branches and twigs on the paths than last week!!!

Issues needing attention:

• at the west end of Dockens path, on the way sign at the access point to the footbridge, the tape is falling off that covers the currently false direction sign to Lapwing hide.
• brambles immediately outside the northern side window in the Lapwing hide, require trimming to clear the view north.

Issue of note:

Dog walker seen by a visitor on the north side in the early part of the morning. 

Sightings:

• Birds well spread out across the lake. Usual mix except for...........
• Large flock of Black-tailed Godwit on Spit Island. 
• Sightings of Ruffs ?x2 and Little Gulls ?x4/5 reported on the west side of the island

 14/03/2026  9.00 - 13.00  Dockens Water path and North side.  Twigs and small branches ++ 'deposited' by recent winds, cleared from the Dockens Water path and the north side paths. Bike tyre marks seen on northern paths - ?yours Pete when checking the north side, or inappropriate visitors? 

Ibsley Water level dropping gradually. Rail in front of Goosander can now be seen at the lake surface.

Sightings:

Brimstone and peacock butterflies seen.      2 adders seen [off piste]. 

Birds well spread about the lake and on Gull island, along the western shore and on Spit island.  Nothing out of the usual reported.

07/03/2026  9.00 - 13.00  Dockens Water Path and North Side.  Usual path and hide check.

Issues of note:

A couple of broken branches in or balanced on other branches over the Dockens before the Rockford path.

Pete - The tree mentioned last week with 'fragile' branches is the one, beyond the Rockford path, immediately before the straining wire with a yellow covering, attached to the new pole/pylon on the right/south side of the path. There are 2, possibly 3, branches that with the lightest tap drop sections over the path. Will require a pole saw to cut.

A visitor, whilst visiting Goosander hide late afternoon/early evening, reported that on occasions he has seen people wandering around in the scrape. Hopefully the electric fence will be a deterrent.

Interesting sightings:

• Would it be possible to trim the brambles immediately outside the side window on the north side of Lapwing hide to improve the visibility of the shore going north. There were a number of different small birds on the grass on that side this morning, ?stonechat etc.
• Numbers of Lapwings increasing
• Two Oystercatchers seen on Spit Island

 28/02/2026  9.00 - 13.30  Dockens Water path and North side. Path and hide check.

Issues requiring attention:

• Large dead tree, just before the new pylon on the south side of the Dockens Water path, is dropping dead branches onto the path. ? needs cutting back. 
• Small tree drooping over the north end of the Eastern path. ? needs removal/cutting back.

Sightings of note:

• two male adders reported by Goosander Hide. Excited visitors managed to get a photo!!!

Fishing gear was seen being unloaded from 2 Vans parked outside the main gate on the south side - ?plus from one parked at the top of the drive. ?fishermen from the new Ellingham Lake enterprise. Catherine investigating and ?directing parking to the Water Ski Lake site. 

 21/02/2026  9.00 - 13.00  Dockens Water path and North side. Usual path and hide check. Clearance of some remaining twigs etc. on paths from last weeks tasks.

Issues of note:

• Small tree/branches drooping over north end of eastern path
• Plastic bottle in brambles outside Goosander hide and 3 glass bottles on the bank, and one in the water, by the culvert in the Hanson Plant. The 3 glass bottles washed and left in the kitchen for removal to glass recycling point.

Outstanding tasks:

• creation of log pile, from trunks/branches on verge of eastern path, for potential lizard sightings, ref Lee Hamilton's facebook entry 17th Feb.
• clearance of willow growth in front of western screen on north path, to improve visability over silt pond.

 14/02/2026  9.00 - 12.45  Dockens Water Path and North side. Path and Hide check. 

Reserve was very Busy!!!!!  Removed some remaining debris from the paths that was leftover from the Tues & Thurs tasks.

Main issue:

Bench in the Hanson Plant has been removed/?stolen!!!!!!!!!!

 07/02/2026  9.00 - 13.15  Dockens Water path and North side.  Path and Hide check. Little trimming required.

Issues of note:

• a lot of debris collected against the old footbridge beyond Rockford entrance, large branch on the far side and a large upright pipe on the nearside!!!!
• Tin cans seen in brambles on east of path and in the Clearwater pond from the road to the Goosander turn.
• Faulty catch on the low window in Lapwing Hide. Possible to use but with care. Lower part of hook bent. ? Catherine to check.
• Two blocks of wood found in the water by the boardwalk. ?offcuts washed up by the high water level or ?blocks washed out of the boardwalk itself. Left on the ground beside the south end.
• Improved drainage channels needed from puddles on the path to Goosander
• Glass bottle found in brambles behind the bench in the Hanson Plant [ tin cans and plastic bag found there on Thursday]

Action taken:

A couple of small channels made in the sides of the large puddles on the main drive to encourage some drainage. Would it be worthwhile making some more or slightly larger channels to help in the interim until Robin can come again/drive replaced?

 31/01/2026  9.00 - 13.30  Dockens Water path and North side.  Path and hide check.

Issues of note:

• Branches in the Dockens Water and collecting debris, principally in the 30 metres before the Rockford path.
• Verges of the Eastern path, particularly the first half, north of the path divide, awaiting clearance of broken branches and some vegetation.
• White plastic bag at the base of the bank on the far side of the Clearwater pond, seen from the bench in the Hanson plant.

Characteristics and sightings today:

• Water level in Ibsley almost covering the rails in front of Goosander hide.
• Most of the birds on the north and north-west areas of the lake - good mix of species, very few on land. ?some species taking advantage of the flooded areas along the Avon valley.
• 2 red kites flying south, high above the Welcome Hut at lunchtime.

 24/01/2026  9.00 - 13.00  Dockens Water Path and North side.  Path and hide check.

Issues of note:

• small wheel [?source] found alongside Dockens Water. Returned to Welcome Hut, left alongside the ramp.
• door handle loose at Lapwing hide. ?new screws and/or plugs needed.
• plank near north end of boardwalk feels 'spongy', ?rotting.

Geoff brought in some skeletonised mole and other [?rat] carcasses to hand on to Chloe. In the blue plastic bag left on the moth trap in the water tank shed.

 17/01/2025  9.00 - 13.15  Dockens Water path and North side. Path and Hide check. Usual twig and small branch removal. No immediate major issues but issues for attention in near future:

• Slim branch overhanging eastern path from the left hand side, approx 30m north of cross path near the first bend - potential to drop further.
• Some clearance needed on the verges north of the east and west path divide
• Not unexpectedly, drainage channels need clearing/improving at east end of cross path and on path to Goosander.

Two 'tent' pegs hanging alongside a fence post on the northern path [ ?Brenda's used for mist nets] plus  brown peaked cap found in the Tern hide. All returned to Catherine at the Centre.

Tern Hide area and Ellingham Lake

 12 Jan 1hr litter pick car parks, Tern Hide and viewpoint and around Ellingham Lake. 7 goosander on Ellingham Lake.

Nicky

 10/01/2026  9.00 - 12.30  Dockens Path and North side. Usual path and hide check.

Issues of note:

• ? Swan carcass on Ibsley Water; in from the western shore, opposite Lapwing hide.
• Seat/walking stick left in Tern Hide. Taken over to Chloe at the centre.

Otherwise path and hides clear.

Circuit of Ivy Lake

 5 Jan 1 hr circuit of Ivy Lake, litter pick pr bullfinch s end of Rockford Path. No issues.

Nicky

 03/01/2026  9.00 - 12.30  Dockens Water path and North side.  Path and hide check. 

Issues of note:

• The boardwalk is icy/slippery ++
• Now the water level in Ibsley has risen substantially, the shore line vegetation in front of Lapwing hide needs cutting to allow visitors to see the birds on the shore. I think sandpiper and wagtails were there this morning!
• There appears to be some foam in the centre of the Scrape - seen from the viewing screen in the Hanson Plant. ? source
• Some of the hide windows are not always being closed or secured.

Door grid and camera in the Hanson Plant still in place.

29th December 2025. 13.15 to 14.40. North Hide, Lime Walk, Ivy South to Woodland, Tern Hide

Nothing to report. Just outside Reserve there were 50+ White-fronted Geese and a Bean Goose on the watermeadows at Ibsley.