Hey everyone,
Since my last post we have been pretty busy on the Fen,
Last week Lois our Community Officer and I visited Waterbeach Primary School. We spent the day helping with the planting of a community orchard in the school grounds with parent volunteers, and improving the wildlife area with the help of some year 6 students. We got the seal of approval from the kids who said "it was better than working in class!"
I also went to the National Trust's Regional Spring conference last week, which was a great opportunity to see how other properties in the region are doing, and what projects they are up to, a highlight was a slideshow showing these projects: featuring our Vision Warden John with our shiny new tractor!
This week we have been repairing woodpecker holes in the Old Tower hide, and doing some tree work!
The wildlife highlight of the week definitely came on Wednesday, when I saw a Marsh Harrier go for a coot out of Brett's hide, luckily for the Coot it escaped!
Jack.
Thursday, 24 February 2011
Saturday, 12 February 2011
A Quick Update!
Hey everyone,
It's been a while since my last post so here’s an update on life at the fen!
We've been doing some tree work up at the plantation, the aim of this work was to break up the age structure of the trees and provide a greater variety of habitat. This should benefit the birds and the butterflies up there.
We also had to remove a large tree near the lode bank this week as it was showing signs of weakness at the base of its stem; this was a great chance for me to drive our shiny new tractor! As we dragged the felled tree up towards the new wind pump where it has been reused as a fence!
I've also been taking measurements and samples from the dip wells across the reserve, which is part of a study into the reserves water chemistry! This provides useful information on the processes occurring at Wicken.
More later in the week,
Jack
It's been a while since my last post so here’s an update on life at the fen!
We've been doing some tree work up at the plantation, the aim of this work was to break up the age structure of the trees and provide a greater variety of habitat. This should benefit the birds and the butterflies up there.
We also had to remove a large tree near the lode bank this week as it was showing signs of weakness at the base of its stem; this was a great chance for me to drive our shiny new tractor! As we dragged the felled tree up towards the new wind pump where it has been reused as a fence!
I've also been taking measurements and samples from the dip wells across the reserve, which is part of a study into the reserves water chemistry! This provides useful information on the processes occurring at Wicken.
More later in the week,
Jack
Friday, 28 January 2011
Busy, Busy
Hi Everyone,
This week’s been a busy one!
The safety tests on the old boat went well, it was very amusing cramming 5 people, and loads of barrels filled with water into the boat to make up 750kg and nobody fell in the lode which was a success!
We also most of the week doing tree work down on the reed beds, which was great because we got to use a wood chipper borrowed from Anglesey Abbey to chip all the brash! This saved us making huge piles of brash all over the place, and we even used the chip to improve the living willow structure near the visitor centre
The yard outside the tractor shed looked like a scene out of the film "carwash" as we pressure washed all the tractors!
Good times!
Jack.
This week’s been a busy one!
The safety tests on the old boat went well, it was very amusing cramming 5 people, and loads of barrels filled with water into the boat to make up 750kg and nobody fell in the lode which was a success!
We also most of the week doing tree work down on the reed beds, which was great because we got to use a wood chipper borrowed from Anglesey Abbey to chip all the brash! This saved us making huge piles of brash all over the place, and we even used the chip to improve the living willow structure near the visitor centre
The yard outside the tractor shed looked like a scene out of the film "carwash" as we pressure washed all the tractors!
Good times!
Jack.
Thursday, 20 January 2011
Happy New Year!
Hi everyone,
This is a bit belated, but Happy New Year! Hope the holidays were great!
Everyone is back to work at Wicken and the jobs have been rolling in as we’ve taken stock after the holidays; we’ve even made a list!
Following on from getting organised we've started some bigger jobs,
For example, we have created a scallop shaped clearing in part of the plantation, to change the plant community structure and hopefully encourage some more butterfly species in there!
We’re also in the process of getting the boat ready for the summer, one of the things we have to do is test the weight distribution of the boat, by seeing how it reacts to having loads of people on one side, there’s a high chance of someone falling in, so I’ll let you know how that goes!!
Also the wildlife is still as abundant as ever, a barn owl has been flying all over the sedge fen, this week, in fact it flew about 3 metres over my head on Wednesday, I think the owl and I were as shocked as each other, an amazing sight!
Speak to you soon,
Jack.
This is a bit belated, but Happy New Year! Hope the holidays were great!
Everyone is back to work at Wicken and the jobs have been rolling in as we’ve taken stock after the holidays; we’ve even made a list!
Following on from getting organised we've started some bigger jobs,
For example, we have created a scallop shaped clearing in part of the plantation, to change the plant community structure and hopefully encourage some more butterfly species in there!
We’re also in the process of getting the boat ready for the summer, one of the things we have to do is test the weight distribution of the boat, by seeing how it reacts to having loads of people on one side, there’s a high chance of someone falling in, so I’ll let you know how that goes!!
Also the wildlife is still as abundant as ever, a barn owl has been flying all over the sedge fen, this week, in fact it flew about 3 metres over my head on Wednesday, I think the owl and I were as shocked as each other, an amazing sight!
Speak to you soon,
Jack.
Saturday, 27 November 2010
Finished the bird work!
Hi Everyone,
We've finished the current work to encourage more birds on the Fen,
The Roger Clarke Hide has now got an improved view! We achieved this by cutting the reed in front of the brickpits, so that the brickpit pools are now visible. and by removing some sections of scrub to open up the area a bit more. A kingfisher has already been spotted around the hide and we're hoping that the new bird feeders we have put out will encourage a greater variety of birds to visit. You could say we have finished just in the nick of time, as the bird feeders will help get the birds through this cold spell!
We have also finished clearing reed off areas around East and West mere hides, this has not only made a lot more of the mere visible from the hides, but also it should encourage the birds to use the cleared areas and offer a different type of habitat.
It's been very rewarding finishing these bits of work off, hopefully the birds will be just as pleased!
Jack.
We've finished the current work to encourage more birds on the Fen,
The Roger Clarke Hide has now got an improved view! We achieved this by cutting the reed in front of the brickpits, so that the brickpit pools are now visible. and by removing some sections of scrub to open up the area a bit more. A kingfisher has already been spotted around the hide and we're hoping that the new bird feeders we have put out will encourage a greater variety of birds to visit. You could say we have finished just in the nick of time, as the bird feeders will help get the birds through this cold spell!
We have also finished clearing reed off areas around East and West mere hides, this has not only made a lot more of the mere visible from the hides, but also it should encourage the birds to use the cleared areas and offer a different type of habitat.
It's been very rewarding finishing these bits of work off, hopefully the birds will be just as pleased!
Jack.
Friday, 12 November 2010
Hey Everyone,
Just an update on whats been going on at Wicken this week,
We've been clearing some scrub along the centre path of St Edmunds Fen to try and create a "woodland ride" to offer a slightly more diverse habitat by increasing the light availability in there. This is a project thats just getting started and it'll be really interesting to see how it progresses over the year!
we have also have seen loads of Marsh Harriers whilst out and about this week! which are always great to see soaring over the Fen,
anyway thats me done for now,
Jack
Just an update on whats been going on at Wicken this week,
We've been clearing some scrub along the centre path of St Edmunds Fen to try and create a "woodland ride" to offer a slightly more diverse habitat by increasing the light availability in there. This is a project thats just getting started and it'll be really interesting to see how it progresses over the year!
we have also have seen loads of Marsh Harriers whilst out and about this week! which are always great to see soaring over the Fen,
anyway thats me done for now,
Jack
Wednesday, 3 November 2010
Bird Hides
Hi Everyone,
So today We've been improving the view from the Roger Clark Hide. This invloved removing the scrub on one of the banks to leave a three metre gap between the waters edge and the scrub. We also made sure there are plenty of perches for the Kingfishers! Its been a good day and it was great to see the (almost) finished product!
We're also improving the habitat around all of our bird hides to encourage a greater variety of bird species, especially waders, by creating more open spaces and bare patches amongst the reed!
I'll keep you posted!
Jack.
So today We've been improving the view from the Roger Clark Hide. This invloved removing the scrub on one of the banks to leave a three metre gap between the waters edge and the scrub. We also made sure there are plenty of perches for the Kingfishers! Its been a good day and it was great to see the (almost) finished product!
We're also improving the habitat around all of our bird hides to encourage a greater variety of bird species, especially waders, by creating more open spaces and bare patches amongst the reed!
I'll keep you posted!
Jack.
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