Bird News: Ibsley Water - 1 dunlin, 1 adult ringed plover, 174 cormorant and at least 630 coot. Ivy Lake - 4 little egret ( 1 a juvenile), 1 water rail.
Since Friday the level of Ivy Lake has fallen by about 0.5m, although it looks like more. This has been done by pumping water across into Blashford Lake and will allow me to cut some of the trees around the lake shore and do various other work on the shore during the autumn. Incidentally it will provide good habitat for waders through the autumn and the herons will like fishing in the shallower water.
I am also planning to cut some trees around the shore of Mockbeggar Lake this winter and I was up there today to take a look at where we will start. There is a good bit of fen type vegetation on parts of the shore and the trees are shading it out. Incidentally I came across the pair of mint leaf-beetles pictured below, they are a fabulous colour.
I also found a male raft spider, this coming just after our first reserve record on the Centre pond only in the last few days, either we have not been looking or they are having a good year. The vegetation is much as other similar areas of the reserve, although I don't remember seeing nodding bur-marigold elsewhere.
The other evening we tried putting out some straw as bedding for the badgers and they have now found it and there is a trail of straw all the way from the Woodland hide back to their sett.
No comments:
Post a Comment