Feeding time

The morning started dry and was pleasant enough to eat outside.  Whilst having lunch a yellow lady bird landed on me.  Thos is a sign of how mild the autumn has been if things like this are still awake and active.  Though this did not last and after lunch the heavens opened and a prolonged downpour ensued.

loaded trailer awaiting emptying

The day started with me showing one of the new deal workers how to go about feeding the birds in front of the activity centre hide.  Though the task its self is as simple as putting peanuts and seed out on feeding platforms and on the ground there are also holes drilled into the support legs that fat balls are rubbed into, as well as the etiquette of first checking the hide for visitors before walking in front and possibly scaring off a sighting.

Log pile awaiting to be chipped for path laying

The task for the reminder of the day was taking down a few willow trees and then loading the branches into the back of the tractor trailer and taking back to the compound for chipping later.  The smaller twiggy branches were piled up to rot close to where the trees were felled.

A couple of branches and a few trees also came down near to the activity centre as they were in a position that was making it difficult to get the tractor though.

Working on a scrape

A fresh Stoat kill at the side of a path

Today three new deal people started at the reserve, as it was their first day the morning was spent showing them around and walking the green route.

Not a bad office!

The afternoon was spent out on the furthest pond that set up to be used by wading birds as a scrape.  The scrape had been cut earlier in the year, but due to the mild weather the rushes had come back strong and needed a second cut.  The afternoon was spent shin deep in the pond following along after the brush cutter raking out the cut reed and then pitching it into piles along the bank.

Sunset to end the day