Diverse Days

Thursday, May 18th 2017

The past few days have really been a mixed bag; it goes to show how diverse our lives as Reserve Managers can be. Yesterday started off with the moth trap being opened with 15 species and just 30 moths, but it did contain the first hawk moth of the year, a Poplar Hawk Moth. Although it is a fairly common moth this time of year it always impresses.

There was also a Scalloped Hazel.

Hipswell Primary School attended ....

.... giving us a chance to show them the moths and other mini beasts,

….and the pond dipping coming up with leeches, Great Diving Beetles - the one below which is over 30mm, is identifiable by the ridges along her back which the male clings onto….

….and a Water Vole which could not wait for us to vacate the pond dipping platforms to scoff its apple.

It is rarely seen so close to such activities like pond dipping!

Today was dominated by CES. We are a Constant Effort Site for the BTO (British Trust of Ornithology), where we put in 16 mist nets for ten and a half hours in the same place, around the same time of year for twelve sessions. We have been doing this for the last 25 years, and due to the length of time and effort put in by our licenced ringers is an important scientific data set. One of the birds that came to the nets today was this Carrion Crow, not everyone’s favourite but an unusual bird to have in our nets!

Our Thursday volunteers are great at just getting on with tasks we give them, and we thank all that attended today for their fantastic efforts and quality of work.

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