Spotlight on...
Andy Thorpe
Trustee, Treasurer and Rutland Habitat Volunteer
Andy’s love of the wild bloomed during a particularly dramatic Duke of Edinburgh gold expedition through the windswept peaks of the Yorkshire Dales; the tower top of Pen y Ghent, cloud crowned Ingleborough, the valleys, trails and fells between. Forced off route by gale, Andy and his group slept in a cow barn with hay bales for pillows, waiting out the storm, as tents would have lifted them away and into the sky. Their spirits, however, were not dampened and the experience only fanned the passion that had been lit within this Yorkshire man’s heart, for the wild in all weathers, the rain only lending contrast and colour to the landscape.
On Andy has stridden through life, walking through many of the UK’s counties Over 4 separate weeks he and his wife Rachel have made their way along about half of the Southwest Coastal path, from Minehead round Land’s End to Porthleven, setting off early, even occasionally walking past dusk. The second half from Porthleven to Poole is planned to be completed by 2027 all being well. They have also walked around Derwent Valley, its waters and forests, along the Dales Way, from Ilkley to Windermere, and to the heights of the Lake District, to the pale and scree-d Skiddaw.
It was after Andy began to become involved with the Trust that names began to match to the faces of the characters, he and Rachel, would see along the way – the essential ‘duck of the day’ exercise identified those winged water birds one by one, from the Kaleidoscopic Mandarin Duck, to our own, just as vibrantly feathered, English Mallard.
Spotlight on....
Andy has been a member of the Trust for over 25 years, enjoying walks in the LRWT reserves, the Wild Magazines to his door; it was in one fateful edition that a particular advert would allow no time for a languid retirement, but present a call to action right on to his doorstep. The Trust had put out an advert looking for new trustees, particularly a new treasurer Well. How often would such an opportunity arise? Andy has a background of over 25 years working in a financial management role in the pharmaceutical industry. Ultimately, it is funding that allows LRWT to do the work that it does. Andy’s advice has been invaluable time and again in his role as treasurer and trustee, guiding the Trust and ensuring we are doing the most we can with the resources that we have.
But that’s not all. Every Thursday Andy also volunteers with the Rutland habitat team.
“Thursdays are the day to go for In my timeI’ve been volunteering for almost four years now - there’s only been two or three days where there’s been any significant rain. Thursday’s the day!”
Having spent a working life in the office, volunteering out in the nature he loves so much has been welcome for Andy – there’s never been a similar day; getting mud covered cutting willow, enjoying the sun while out fencing, noticing butterflies on the wing while moving sheep across the fields.
Combining his love of walking and his support for the Trust, Andy will soon be embarking on another adventure – walking a marathon, from Hampton Court on the west side of London, along the winding Thames River, all the way to the Millennium Bridge.
“Think we’ll start at 7 o’clock in the morning and well, we’ll see what time we finish!”
Andy and his wife Rachel will be raising money for the Trust with the walk, and if you would like to support their journey, please follow the link below:
https://www.justgiving.com/page/lrwtwalking-marathon
News & Updates
Lyndon Visitor Centre Winter Closure
The Lyndon Visitor Centre will be closing for the winter season. The last day of opening will be Sunday 28th September. The centre will remain closed throughout the winter and is expected to reopen in March 2026, with the exact reopening date still to be confirmed.
The Anglian Water Birdwatching Centre will remain open as usual throughout the winter
Thank you to all of the centre volunteers for your time and commitment, its been a great season!
New volunteer role - Videographers
Over the past few months we have recruited some new volunteer videographers for the Trust.
Using their existing knowledge and skills, they will help produce a range of dynamic video content for us to promote the work and values we uphold across our two counties.
They will be volunteer independently and going out with teams, so do say hello if you see them on a reserve.
If you have a passion for capturing videos and want to get involved, please email pferrier@lrwt.org.uk
Check out some stills from their work!
Credit: Clive Kent
Credit: Dom Buttl
Credit: Harry Stoker
News & Updates
Volunteer Hub Updates
As you know, there is a dedicated section on our website just for volunteers! This has everything you need to make the most of your time with us On the hub you will find the Volunteer Handbook, key health and safety information, Volunteer Newsletters, FAQs, as well as dedicated sections for our various volunteer groups.
I wanted to let you know that I have been updating the hub recently (and will probably keep doing so!) so please check it out when you canhttps://www.lrwt.org.uk/volunteers-hub
There are a few new Health and Safety sections focusing on Leptospirosis and a Safe working practice document for reserve volunteers Please look at these when you get chance! In other Health and Safety news, If you're feeling under the weather and have flu like symptoms, please make the doctor aware that you have been working outside in the environment.
There is also now an online feedback form. This is a place where you can share absolutely anything! Share concerns, ask questions or give feedback, whatever you would like to share, we would like to hear it! You can fill this out anonymously if you wish and the feedback gets sent to Paige only.
Please let Paige know if there is anything you would like to see on the volunteer hub, after all its a space for you!
News & Updates
The Big Wild Walk is The Wildlife Trusts' annual fundraising challenge!
Challenge yourself to join people all across the country by exploring the nature on your doorstep. Walk 30km between Friday 17th October and Monday 3rd November as you fundraise to protect the wildlife you love.
Whether you want to tackle one big hike or take it at your own walking pace over the two weeks, the only competition is against yourself!
Whatever you choose to do, you’ll also experience the benefits to health and wellbeing that comes from connecting with nature.
Find out more on our website herehttps://www.lrwt.org.uk/big-wild-walk-2025
Come and join us as we Rock 4 Nature with the Grange!
Rock 4 Nature - Join us at The Grange for a night of live music and delicious food. The Locks will be performing all your favourite classic tunes
Bar opens from 6.30pm, delicious homemade lasagne served with crusty bread and salad served at 8pm.
All proceeds going towards their local Holwell Nature Reserve, only 3 miles from the campsite. The Grange Camping & Caravan Park have chosen Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust as their charity of the year for 2025.
Ticket price £15 per person
The Grange Camping & Caravan Park
Contact number: 0116 507 1336
Contact email: katie@grangecaravanpark.co.uk
You can find out more information herehttps://grangecaravanpark.co.uk/grangecaravan-park-charity-page
News & Updates
Syston Lakes Nature Reserve to double in size!
Coalville-based David Wilson Homes has doubled the size of the Syston Lakes Nature Reserve with a donation of land to the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust. The expansion will provide a muchneeded boost to the resident wildlife of the area, creating more resilience for nature along the Soar Valley corridor.
Alongside the land, the leading housebuilder has provided a £20,000 donation to the Trust. Mat Carter, Chief Executive Officer at the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust, has said: “The Syston Lakes Nature Reserve is a vital part of the local environment. With this incredible gift of land and generous donation from David Wilson Homes, we will be able to better ensure its continued health and flourishing
“As the reserve is a favourite for dog walkers, we are planning to enhance the existing paths and to open up some of the views around the reserve. The new land will be devoted solely to the protection of nature. Some of the work already undertaken by David Wilson Homes has given us a head start! This is exactly the sort of partnership we are looking to foster, with like-minded individuals, to better support the wildlife of Leicestershire and Rutland.”
Under the stewardship of the Trust, this handover will increase the connectivity of habitats for the local nature of the area. The Trust has aspirations to engage more people with the site and to see more wildlife visit the area thanks to the planned improvements to the land.
So far, the site has recorded bird species such as Cetti’s Warblers, Sedge Warblers, Reed Warblers, Spring Warblers and Whitethroats Planned work to open up the tree canopy of the new land will help support the settling of these birds. Thanks to the reserve’s lush undergrowth and aquatic habitat, it also plays host to hedgehogs, numerous amphibians and a lot of toads.
John Reddington, Managing Director at David Wilson Homes East Midlands, which has managed the land since 1990, said: “We are thrilled to partner with Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust and hand over the land to enhance the Syston Lakes Nature Reserve. The Trust is best placed to increase the connectivity of the local nature reserves and bring more wildlife to the area, and we hope our £20,000 donation will help its endeavours.”
Syston Lakes is now on our website as a reserve - https://www.lrwt.org.uk/nature-reserves/systonlakes-nature-reserve
Staff Updates
Wymeswold Meadows Nature Reserve
Chris Hill - West Reserve Officer
Early June saw the volunteers descend onto Wymeswold Meadows. The weather had been marvellous, and the reserve was looking good. Water levels were very low in The River Mantle, giving us the perfect opportunity to replace the rickety bridge in West Meadow. The structure had seen many repairs over the years and numerous flooding events had deposited silt in all its nooks and crannies, making removal a sweaty and laborious task.
But after the use of ropes and many hands, we had removed the old bridge and got on with the task of building a new one Here you can see the finished article in all its glory
The resident cattle were fascinated with our work and paid a few lengthy visits to ensure we were doing it to the correct bovine specifications, but I hadn’t the heart to tell them that eventually they would be excluded from using it.
Staff Updates
Tom Longs Nature Reserve
Chris Hill - West Reserves Officer
With the continuation of the dry weather in late June, a visit to Tom Longs wet woodland was scheduled.
Conditions underfoot making it possible to tackle the growing problem of balsam on the reserve. Usually, shallow water can make most practical work nigh on impossible (and unsafe), but due to the recent drought we were able to press on with a balsam bash sesh.
Parts of the reserve are a tangle of fallen crack willows making progress more akin to what early Amazon explorers would have encountered (minus poisonous reptiles, biting insects and cannibalistic tribes – a small population of the latter remain in Quorn but are generally found to be nocturnal).
Our trainee reserves officer, Alex Moore can be seen holding flowering spikes of Skunk Cabbage (Lysichiton americanus). This was found growing along the watercourse and could pose a significant threat to native wetland plants if left unmanaged. It is important to remove the flowering spikes to prevent any further seed dispersal and an attempt to dig out the rhizomes will be attempted soon.
The plant originates from Western North America and was introduced as an ornamental plant in 1901.It was first recorded in the wild in 1947 and has since spread across Britain. It gets its name from the odour it emits, similar to, you guessed it, a skunk. Although, I don’t seem to recall our specimen having any noticeable aroma.
On the plus side, the plant is slow growing and is relatively simple to keep track of. Unlike balsam which seems to appear in new places every year.
Staff Updates
Cossington Meadows
Chris Hill- West Reserves Officer
At Cossington Meadows, our recently planted hedgerows will require constant maintenance and effort from volunteers to prevent them being swamped by fast growing weeds I’m reluctant to call them weeds as the dominant plant being removed along the hedge in Plover Meadow is common orache (Atriplex patula).The plant produces large quantities of seeds which are a nutritious food source for wildfowl. When the site floods, seeds are hoovered up from the surface of the water. Unfortunately, the plant can grow tall and compete for light, water and space putting stress on the hedging plants and during periods of low rainfall it can result in the death of young saplings.
Staff Updates
Wanlip Meadows Nature Reserve
Chris Hill - West Reserve Officer
Track maintenance was the order of the day at Wanlip in Mid-July. During the winter, the main access to the reserve is along an unmade track.If the grazier takes his stock off during a wet period, it can create deep ruts in the footpath. Here we are filling a low depression and the ruts with Type1 crushed granite. Afterwards, we went off to collect seed from the many great burnet plants located in the remaining remnant of floodplain grassland.These will be dried and scattered inn areas at Cossington to increase the floral diversity.
Staff Updates
Grassland Management, Euphorbia removal, Himalayan Balsam removal and more!
Sophia Attwood-Clarke - West Reserve Officer
The summer months are reserved for grassland management. A mainstay is cutting back access paths which would otherwise be consumed by vegetation. June and July are for invasive species, injurious weed and undesirable species control. August is for mowing and raking our ungrazed land parcels.
We spent a session at Croft removing Euphorbia, a garden escapee, which has been encroaching on the species rich grassland. An amusing anecdote for you: I had been referring to it by its common name of“Spurge”but had naively added an‘l’. I suppose“splurge”is a more fitting nod to its habit.
Staff Updates
We’ve had two days of creeping thistle and small-self set thorn removal in Little Dimminsdale (the smallest of the two meadows).
We met at Lucas Marsh to utilise some of the brash from recent tree safety works at the reserve and the team created a beauty of a deadhedge to plug a gap in the boundary hedgerow.
We took on the monoculture of Himilayan Balsam at Narborough Bog for multiple sessions, contending with specimens that were easily 8 foot tall in places!
Staff Updates
Staff Updates
Thank you to the Sunday-ers who swapped the day of rest for mowing and raking at Fox Wood. It was a bit of a scorcher, and the trees are too young to offer much in terms of shade, but we cut and raked the entire ride system and green path.
I asked for 3 days of help to mow and rake the extent of the rough grassland, ride system and the area in front of the first hide at Kelham Bridge. We’ve sat on our hands until now, even in the areas we use for access, to allow all the good stuff to set seed. Hirundinidae feasted on the insects that were stirred up by the mowers and toadlets hopped out of harms way as we raked. We wrapped things up on Thursday afternoon to be joined by Ian Merril and identified 11 odonata species during breaks in the cloud.
Staff Updates
Staff Updates
At Cloud Wood, our awesome butterfly transect volunteers have been assembling in response to the best weather every week and recording silverwashed fritillaries, white-letter hairstreaks and purple emperors. In fact, it was during the annual orchid count in June that the earliest purple emperor emergence record for Leicestershire was made!
Staff Updates
I’d like to extend a special thanks to Sara Botterell et al for the quadrat and sweeping surveys of the flora at Dimminsdale and Kelham Bridge. I’d also like to thank Kate and Nigel for the insightful data they are collecting for us by ringing at Kelham Bridge. Thank you to little Alex Moore, our recently fledged trainee reserves officer. We miss her already but know she will be nothing short of amazing in everything she does
And, of course, a big thank you to you, you wonderful bunch!
Staff Updates
Andy Neilson Senior Reserves Officer - West
It’s been a really bust couple of months out on the Charnwood Reserves as per usual, and that’s how we like it!
The summer months are usually dominated by a single task— bracken removal. We’ve been waging war on this pesky plant endlessly over the years, and this year is no different. Whilst being a native plant, bracken can easily swamp other species and form monocultures, which isn’t so great for our SSSI heathlands. So control it we must, by any means necessary!
This year, our methods of bracken removal have included, chopping it with scythes and slashers, chopping it with tractor-mounted flails, and pulling it by hand with you fabulous volunteers! The cows have done their bit too, and have been regular visitors on the heath to inspect our work!
We’ve focused mainly this year on Timberwood Hill and The Rough, and every extra bilberry mound that has been uncovered from the bracken, and every square metre cleared with a scythe or slasher has been a small win, and definite progress, so thanks to all who have been involved, and risked going home with a few Charnwood ticks for their efforts! Other occupational hazards involved with bracken control include getting your tractor stuck on a big rock and having to abandon it to the wilds of Charnwood for the night!
Staff Updates
Staff Updates
Away from our bracken-related activities we’ve squeezed in a few odd jobs around Charnwood including beginning to construct a bat-rehabilitation centre in one of our unused outbuildings at Charnwood Lodge in conjunction with the Leicestershire and Rutland Bat Group, which will be brilliant once finished, and we’ve recently had enormous fun using a felling winch to remove the rhododendron stumps from an area we cleared close to the site of the old manor house over the last couple of winters! We’re all big kids at heart!
We’ve also said goodbye to our wonderful Trainee Alex, who has flown the nest and headed to Warwickshire, to join the Ranger Team at Kingsbury Water Park. It’s always sad to see our brilliant TRO’s move onto pastures new after a year with us, but its also so very wonderful to see them fly the nest and move onwards in what will be a long and successful career I’m sure!
Stay wild folks!
Staff Updates
Hi everyone,
By now I will have started my new job with Warwickshire County council, getting stuck into my role as an assistant ranger.
I would like to say a huge thank you to all of you for your kindness and support during my time as a trainee! It’s been amazing to get to know you all and share in your enthusiasm and passion for the environment and the nature reserves I’ve had some wonderful times out on the reserves, seeing some amazing wildlife and getting involved in the task days.
I am extremely grateful to have been given this opportunity to expand my knowledge and skills, I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with the trust and can’t wait to see what the future brings!
A huge thank you again to all volunteers and the trust staff .
All the best
Alex Trainee Reserve Officer - West
Staff Updates
Rutland Water Nature Reserve
Matt Heaver - Rutland Reserve Officer
The last couple of months have been busy with a variety of infrastructure repairs, livestock escaping, sand martin monitoring, livestock escaping, track improvements and yet more livestock escaping!
This year we have been very grateful to Sam Pitt Miller (our ex-TRO), who has taken the lead on monitoring and ringing the sand martin colony on lagoons 2 and 5 at Rutland Water. Some of you have got involved with helping monitoring the banks on a weekly basis since the first week of March which is a mammoth task with over 700 nesting chambers to check each week. It has been a huge help having keen volunteers to help check the nesting chambers each week so many thanks from me
Volunteers are also getting heavily involved with entering all this data on nesting attempts which in itself is a huge task. At the time of writing the data entry side is still ongoing and once that has been completed I can let you know how many chicks were raised this year but it feels like a good year with many second and a few third broods. It is coming to the end of the sand martin season now and we wish them well on their journey South.
Staff Updates
Another long outstanding task has been to add a bench to the new boardwalk at Fran’s pond. Many thanks to Stephen and Jon for their help one day for constructing this. We even had to dismantle part of the yard infrastructure to find the right piece of timber for the backrest! I hope you agree, it looks fantastic and has a rustic look which fits in with the surroundings. I am delighted to say I have come across several visitors enjoying sitting on the new bench and enjoying the dragonflies over the pond.
Staff Updates
At the time of writing, we have just started on path improvement works on parts of the reserve. Flooding over some of the paths has become a problem during winter and so we have identified 3 areas to improve the access. Unfortunately, the start of this project coincided with 30 degree temperatures which isn’t fun when hacking our way through stone and baked solid mud! Our volunteers are made of stern stuff though and we have made great progress despite the weather conditions It has also been nice to get lots of positive comments from visitors while working on the paths.
Staff Updates
Autumn migration has definitely begun in earnest now at Rutland Water. As mentioned above, Sand Martins are starting to leave and every time I see a Swift now, I wonder whether it will be my last of the year. With the drought conditions, the water levels are very low on the main reservoir and this is providing a great spectacle from Lapwing hide which overlooks the South Arm. Normally this hide has water right up to it but in drought years such as this one, mud is exposed and becomes a magnet for migrating waders. At least 10 species of Wader have been seen from here recently including 23+ Greenshank, Ruff and Wood Sandpipers. Definitely worth a visit before the end of September while wader migration is at its peak.
Staff Updates
Ospreys on Manton Bay
Elizabeth Hare - Information Assistant
Our last update at the Manton Bay nest took us to the rapid growth of the four chicks that hatched over mid-May. The extra hungry mouths meant 33(11) was busy catching fish to feed the young, Maya and himself. 33(11) went from bringing two to four fish a day prior to hatching, to bringing six to ten fish per day across the end of May and early June – even bringing a record twelve fish in one day in mid-June. All this extra food gave the four chicks plenty of opportunity to eat and grow, and it wasn’t long until they were becoming more mobile on the nest.
As June progressed, we kept a close eye on the nest and the development of the four chicks As they grew and got stronger, we were watching for the crucial time that we could go out and fit them with their Darvic rings These rings are vitally important so that we can monitor individual Osprey over the course of their lifetimes It was early in the morning on the 18th of June that Tim Mackrill, Tim Sexton, Sam Pitt-Miller, Matt Scase and Paige Ferrier went out on the boat to undertake the ringing process. All four chicks were weighed, wing length measurements were taken, and the all-important rings (one metal British Trust of Ornithology ring and one blue Darvic ring) were fitted. Using the weights of the chicks, the sexes of the birds were also able to be determined. The eldest chick was female 3R5, the second chick was fitted with Darvic ring 3R7 and was also female. The two youngest chicks were both male: the third chick was fitted with ring number 3R6 and the youngest, fourth chick was 3R8.
Staff Updates
Staff Updates
The juveniles continued to grow and gain strength as July fast approached. As the chicks progressed, we watched the first attempts of helicoptering over the nest. Helicoptering is where the young rapidly flap their wings and take short jumping flights, gaining more and more height as they gain strength. On July 2nd we had our first fledge off the nest as 3R5 took off and visitors watched her maiden flight around the Manton Bay nest. It wasn’t long until our next fledges and the following day, on the 3rd of July, we had two fledges in one day! 3R7 took her first flight early in the morning, and 3R6 was not far behind her, taking off a few hours later.
Unfortunately, however, the run of good news came to a tragic end with the loss of 3R6. On a windy and rainy night on the 6th July, we received news that 3R6 had been seen taking off from the nest and shortly after two splashes into the water were heard. He was then seen a few minutes later swimming towards the shoreline Due to the bad weather and the added complication that 3R8 had not fledged yet, the decision was made that we could not intervene at this point as it risked flushing 3R8 from the nest in dangerous weather conditions before he was strong enough to fly. At first light the following morning on the 7th of July, Tim Mackrill went out onto the shoreline to look for 3R6 and he was tragically found deceased. 3R6 was sent for a post-mortem examination, and whilst we haven’t received the full report back yet, foul play was ruled out.
On the 8th of July, 3R8 did fledge and since then we’ve had longer and longer periods of watching an empty nest on the Live Camera. 33(11) continued to bring fish to the nest and as 3R5, 3R7 and 3R8 got stronger, they also got louder and louder as they called for their share of whatever is brought to the nest.
Staff Updates
Beyond the Manton Bay nest, ringing continued and across eleven nests (including Manton Bay) a total of 31 chicks were ringed this year – a record number! This has brought us to over 300 chicks that have been ringed since the project began, showing the success that can be achieved within conservation with hard-work and dedication. Osprey 7R4 from an off-site nest was the 300th ringed chick. A huge, huge thank you to all those who have worked and volunteered within the Rutland Osprey Project as we approach the thirtieth anniversary next year. An additional thank you to our volunteers that helped us on the Osprey Cruises and with the pre-cruise talks across this year. We have had a fantastic year of cruises with eight sold out cruises and some fantastic feedback from our attendees (PIC 8 – credit to Rick Wilson)
As I am writing this, although 3R7 did take some extended trips away from the nest for a couple of days, we’ve only had one Osprey depart on migration thus far 3R5 was last seen around the Manton Bay nest on the 20th August and hasn’t been spotted since, so we can safely assume she has left on her first migration. All of the other Manton Bay Ospreys – Maya, 33(11), 3R7 and 3R8 - are still within the area and being spotted by staff, volunteers and visitors when they visit Waderscrape Hide. However, as August marches onwards we are awaiting more departures. It will be a bittersweet goodbye to wave off the juveniles and we will eagerly await their return in 2027.
Staff Updates
A fond farewell
Matt Scase - Senior Visitor Centre and Events Officer
Hello everyone, I hope you are enjoying reading another fantastic edition of the volunteer’s newsletter put together by Paige. Word may have already reached you, but after more than two years working in the Trust, I have decided it is time to move on and will be leaving at the end of September.
In that time I’ve worked a variety of different roles and I feel like I’ve learnt so much and am extremely grateful for the opportunity I’ve had. I started back in 2023 as a part-time admin assistant, working alongside Helen Fairhead (the then Volunteer Coordinator). In this role I got to see firsthand the amazing work all you volunteers are doing, and was also able to help recruit new volunteers for the plethora of roles we have.
When that came to an end, I found myself joining the small team at the Lyndon Visitor Centre, focusing on all this Osprey and the Nature Reserve For two seasons I was welcoming people onto the Reserve, but also helping with events and the behind the scenes goings on at the centre The highlight for me though was getting the chance to work more closely with volunteers, both visitor centre and Osprey, and I always had a great time being alongside you.
Staff Updates
There are so many staff I want to thank for all they did for me in my time here. Just to name a few I want to personally thank Helen Fairhead, Fee Worton, Laura Brady, George Smith, Libby Smith, Paige Ferrier, and Elizabeth Hare (or anyone who has been part of the Education and Engagement Team)! Education and Engagement sits right at the heart of what I am passionate about and I really hope that at some point this becomes a priority within the Trusts values
Before handing over to Paige this year, I was putting together the volunteer newsletters. This was always such a wonderful thing to do, as it meant I could see all that was going on within the Trust and the incredible work you volunteers were doing. It was a real privilege to get to compile all this together into the newsletter that would go out to you all.
Looking back at everything that has taken place, we simply couldn’t have done it without all your support. I can’t say enough how much I value and appreciate your dedication towards the Trust. You bring a smile to so many peoples faces, and you should be extremely proud of everything that you are doing. I shall miss you all dearly, and will have to come back at some point in the future.
Thank you again all for your support and keep being the foundations for the work the Wildlife Trust is doing.
Thank you and goodbye!
Staff Updates
East reserves update
Sarah Bedford & Juliette Colaço-Fournier
During the spring and summer, we spend a lot of our time maintaining and replacing the fencing on our reserves. Due to the location and terrain of our sites, this can be rather challenging and this year was no exception. One of our projects was to repair the fencing at Bloody Oaks Quarry so that we could reinstate grazing on the reserve. Bloody Oaks Quarry is a SSSI calcareous grassland but currently Brachypodium pinnatum (tor grass) and scrub are beginning to dominate certain areas of the reserve. Over the winter, we worked hard to pull scrub and reduce areas of bramble but our long term goal has been to utilise our fabulous flock of sheep who help to maintain our species-rich grasslands by keeping the sward short and grazing and browsing to control scrub, bramble and dominant plants (such as tor grass).
This year, we swapped the usual treated softwood posts for chestnut posts. Chestnut is a hard wood and should last much longer than the previous softwood posts, which is incredibly beneficial for us, as we are unable to use a tractor mounted post driver on our reserves and therefore must drive every post in by hand. Chestnut is a more sustainable product, both in the way it is produced and, because it is more durable, it doesn’t require chemical treatment. Although we definitely enjoy the rustic look of the chestnut posts, the natural curves of the posts did pose some challenges when using our post driver and we found we were regularly having to borrow a wider post driver from the Rutland Water team (thank you!)! The ground and terrain also posed a challenge for our fencing work, lugging heavy tools and equipment around the site and up steep slopes and then hitting stone almost as soon as we broke the ground to put each post in. As always, our brilliant and resilient volunteers were not deterred by any of the challenges, and we are delighted to have a stock-proof fence at Bloody Oaks once more. Hopefully, with the new chestnut posts, we won’t have to redo the job any time soon!
Staff Updates
Staff Updates
Bloody Oaks Quarry is rich in flora and fauna, including autumn gentian, chalk milkwort, dingy and grizzled skipper and marbled white and we hope that by reintroducing grazing on the reserve it will continue to be a true hidden gem.
As well as being adept at scything, constructing fencing and planting trees, Simon Cronin, one of our fabulous volunteers, is also a rather talented poet. You may remember his previous poem, ‘The naming of plants’ which featured in an edition of ‘Billhooks and Biscuits’ and we hope you enjoy his newest poem as much as we did. Thank you, Simon!
Staff Updates
The Wildlife Warden and Volunteers ( with thanks to Lewis Carroll )
The Warden and The Other One were walking close at hand
They wept like anything to see
So many acres of untamed land.
“If this were only fenced around,”they said, “It would be grand !”
“ If a party of well trained volunteers were inveigled to come out and play, Do you suppose,”the Warden said “They could enfence this ley ?”
“Surely!”said The Other One “Even tho’their locks be grey !”
“Volunteers, come and play with us !”The Warden did entreat “Over at Merry’s Meadow By the field gate we can meet We could do with at least a dozen Three fours, four threes; That’s neat!”
The wisest volunteer heard the call But never a word he said The wisest volunteer turned and sighed And shook his wise old head, Meaning to say he did not choose To leave his nice warm bed
But four volunteers hurried up All eager for the treat Their gloves were on, their hard hats fixed They’d brought their folding seats. And this was because, if they stood all day, They’d surely get sore feet
Three more volunteers came at last And yet another three, Congregating happily beneath the old oak tree
“Excuse me,”wheezed an Aged Chap “I really do need a wee!”
“Of course ! Of course!“ The Warden said We’re in no hurry to start We’ll stand around and have a chat of bats and birds and butterflies” They thanked her much for that
“The time has come”The Warden said “To carry all the kit:
Hammers and nails and chestnut poles; I hope you’re feeling fit ! One last thing before you go : watch out for the dogs’ ” ….they trudged across two sodden fields
Then had a little sit
“Now, if you’re ready ,volunteers We should really get to work
We don’t want anybody thinking That all we do is shirk !
So the volunteers took up their tools
Donned hard hats for safety’s sake
“Hold on !”squeaked one old Whiskered Chap “Ain’t it time for a coffee break ?”
In this way, the morning passed
Some posts went in the ground
Some went in straight, some askew
And some were upside down
“We’re not professionals”, they all agreed “It’ll jolly well have to do!”
The shout for lunch time came at one It couldn’t come soon enough
For some of the volunteers were past their prime
And all were out of puff
They all repaired to a shady spot
And munched on their ham and cheese
Except for the vegetarians
Who enjoyed their falafel and peas
So soon, so soon, it was time once more
To pick up hammer and pliers
One more strainer and ten more posts
And a mile of barbed wire
“Two more hours work,”the warden said “Is all that I require.”
While everyone was thus engaged
The Leaders had a tête à tête
“We’ve revised our plans for the afternoon
We know it’s getting quite late
We could really do with four of you
To fix that wobbly gate!”
“Come on chaps,”The Warden pleaded “One more hour and it’s done!
She looked around ; not a soul to be found
And answer came there none
Yes, the volunteers said nothing
For they’d scarpered, every one !
S C 2025
Staff Updates
50 Years of WeBS at Rutland Water
Beth Smith - Assistant Species and Recording Officer
Rutland Water is a particularly unique sit directly in the middle of an important migra for waterbirds returning from their northerly breeding grounds. Birds are drawn into Engl Wash coast and travel down the Welland heading straight towards Rutland Waterone of the largest reservoirs in Europe it is for them to miss! Due to its importance migrating waterbirds, Rutland Water is designa Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), Protection Area (SPA), and a Ramsar site (meaning an internationally important wetland).
Ever since the first water started filling the reservoir in 1975 (three years before the reservoir was completely filled and one year before the nature reserve was officially opened), a team of volunteers have stationed themselves around the reservoir once a month to count every waterbird that lands here This makes up part of the Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS), which is a national survey run in partnership by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), and the Joint Nature Conservation Commission (JNCC). Over the whole of the UK around 3,400 wetland sites are counted monthly, and amongst all of them Rutland Water is one of the best sites in the UK.
Different species of birds peak at different times of the year, for example, Gadwall peak around July/August and Wigeon peak around January. For this reason, we use the ‘maxima’ count to assess the numbers of birds overwintering here which takes the highest count of a particular species across the whole of the WeBS year (which runs from July to June). Over the past 50 years, the sum of species maxima has seen highs of up to 25,000 waterbirds as overwintering here, which equates to around 5.5 million birds being counted across all these years, of 120 different species!
Within this, internationally important numbers of Gadwall and Shoveler are seen, along with nationally important numbers of Tufted Duck, Goldeneye, Coot, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, and Cormorant. Rutland Water is the best ranked site in the whole of the UK for Gadwall (with 2,823 being the most seen at any one time), the second-best site for Great White Egret (with a record high of exactly 100 seen here last September), the third-best site for Tufted Duck (with a huge 9,758 counted at once), and is amongst the top ten sites in the UK for a number of other species as well.
th th
This September marks the 50 anniversary of WeBS here at Rutland Water, and on the 14 September from 10:00 to 11:30 you are invited to come along to a talk by Tim Sexton at the Volunteer Training Centre. If you're interested in attending please email pferrier@lrwt.org.uk.
Finally, a special thank you must go out to all of the counters who have been involved over the years –and especially to those who have been involved since day one!
