Blog Archive (3) Posts Made in April 2024

Creating a New Path

Sunday, April 28th 2024

This week, volunteers at Foxglove Covert were busy removing old boardwalking and creating a new path along a section of the 'green route' on the reserve.

The old boardwalk, which stretched across a very soggy patch of mud, was beginning to rot away. Rather than replacing the boardwalk, volunteers diverted the path to higher, and dryer, ground.

The process of removing the old boardwalk support posts was an incredibly muddy one!

The new path creation was a much cleaner affair - a couple of new steps were added, and a small 'corduroy road' was made along a dip in the path.

The new path is open and ready for use, so why not try it out during your next visit to Foxglove Covert? Just head along the green route to find it!

Bumblebee ID

Friday, April 26th 2024

This Sunday at Foxglove Covert the Yorkshire Dales Millenium Trust held a bumblebee identification and survey training session, in support of the Bilberry Bumblebee Project.

Image: catching bees

Attendees learned all about how to ID different bumblebee species, and how sometimes it can be quite tricky - the bee in the image below was either a Buff-tailed (Bombus terrestris) or White-tailed (Bombus lucorum) Bumblebee - the species couldn't be determined in the field.

Attendees also gained some survey experience, and spent some time catching bees to ID them.

This training session will help volunteers with their ID as they carry out 'bee walks', a citizen science survey established by the Bumblebee Conservation Trust. In 2023 volunteers across Richmondshire carried out 35 bee walks, recording 388 bees total, and 13 different species of bumblebee.

If you would like to contribute to this project, email wildwashton@gmail.com for more information about how to volunteer.

Image: Red-tailed Bumblebee

More Dead Hedging

Thursday, April 18th 2024

This Tuesday Foxglove Covert volunteers finished up work on the dead hedge at Spigot Mere.

The hedge now runs half the length of the pond, and was created largely using cut material from coppicing efforts all around the reserve.

Later this year, once nesting ends, trees go dormant, and coppicing starts again, the hedge will be extended to continue along the full length of the pond.

As spring continues we hope to see waders such as Little Ringed Plover, Lapwing or Curlew nesting at Spigot Mere. Oystercatchers have already been seen around the reserve, Curlew heard flying over, and Little Ringed Plover spotted visiting Spigot Mere. Lapwing have yet to be reported, so keep an eye out the next time you visit!

Help Support Foxglove

Friends of Foxglove

The Friends of Foxglove Covert is for those individuals, families and organisations who would like to support the reserve through an annual membership subscription. Friends receive a regular newsletter and invitations to attend our various activities and social events.

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Upcoming Events

Access to the Reserve: OPEN with limited access

Friday 20th September 2024 |

We are glad to announce that Foxglove Covert is reopening to the general public on Monday 7th October 2024.

A partial fix of the Foxglove Covert access gate has ensured that the safety features (sensors, emergency stop buttons) are now functional. This will allow safe access through the gate.

Unfortunately, the intercom and remote opening system by which the Guardroom normally opens the gate for entry and exit to the reserve is still inoperable. We do not have a timeframe for when this will be repaired.

Entry and exit to the reserve will therefore take place via key fobs which will be issued in exchange for photo ID (driving licence/passport) to visitors when they sign in at the Cambrai Lines front entrance. These fobs can be used to open the gate when entering and exiting the reserve. They must be returned to the front entrance pass office upon exiting the reserve.

Please note access will be limited by the number of fobs available. You may therefore be turned away at the pass office if all fobs are in use at that time. Please only collect one fob per visiting group and ensure you enter and exit the reserve together.

Please see below for organised events. Booking is essential, as attendees will be contacted with access arrangements ahead of the events.

If you are part of an organised group and would like to arrange a visit to the reserve, please contact reserve staff.

October Wildlife Wander

Thursday 10th October 2024 | 2pm-4pm

Join reserve staff for a guided walk around Foxglove Covert as the reserve begins to settle into autumn. Explore the reserve as tree leaves begin to change colour, migrating birds start to pass through, and fungi thrives throughout the reserve's grasslands and woodlands.

2pm-4pm.

Donation of £3 per person. Free for Friends of Foxglove. Booking essential.

Due to faults with the Foxglove Covert access gate, entry and exit will be coordinated and at set times. Booked attendees will be sent access arrangements via email prior to the event.

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