Plenty of activity

Twenty-seven staff and pupils from Le Cateau Community Primary School visited Foxglove today on the first of their two days at the Reserve.  Pond dipping proved very popular with them and they also took their lessons from the classroom into the Reserve to look for signs of Spring.  This group were busy looking at several habitats including a walk along Risedale Beck to look at the flowers on the sunlit south-facing bank and contrasting this with the darker areas underneath the stands of conifers.

Also in Risedale Beck, now that the flow of water has diminished with the recent warm spell of weather, the inlets into the two small ponds have been exposed so that they were no longer taking water from the beck and were starting to dry out.  The group of volunteers in today have been rebuilding both dams to raise the water level back up to feed through the pipes.

While this was taking place, another group of volunteers have been continuing with nest box checks so that we are getting a better picture of how many of the boxes are now being used.  Thanks to all who have helped today and have accomplished so much.