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.