Summer Jobs!

Tuesday, May 23rd 2017

With temperatures reaching the mid-twenties today the volunteers dressed in their summer gear and did the usual of getting on with the varied tasks of the day. The jobs took folk up onto the green route repairing boardwalks, to the network of paths we use on a regular basis behind the net rides near the pond dipping areas. The amount of of new growth hanging over these paths and impeding free travel produced a fair bit of brash; sun and rain really pushing on the growth of all vegetation….

.... including the Field Centre grass

The bird seed feeders and hoppers are a regular job twice a week

...and even the feed available to buy at the Field Centre was bagged up

There were plenty of bugs in the air, no doubt providing plenty of food scource for the various nesting bird chicks. This male Pale Tussock moth was found on the building this morning looking a bit like a lop-eared rabbit!

Rhagium bifasciatum, sometimes called the two-banded longhorn beetle, not the most elegent flyer, landed on me as I was walking to the wetland. This beetle of about 22mm lays its eggs in dead wood, often using coniferous trees. The grubs bore deep broad tunnels to pupate after about two years of feeding. They quite often form part of a woodpeckers diet.

In the afternoon the team were more than willing to start the filling of potholes that had developed over the past months.

This involves the use of the wac-a-plate to compact the gravel to prevent it being washed out by a rare rain shower!

Thank you to the hard working team that certainly give plenty of sweat, now and then a little blood and certainly no tears; thankfully plenty of smiles and banter!

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Upcoming Events

CLOSURE: Monday 22nd April 2024

Wednesday 17th April 2024 |

Due to an important event occuring on the camp, Foxglove Covert LNR will be closed for one day only on Moday 22nd April.

The reserve will resume usual opening hours on Tuesday 23rd April.

Access to the Reserve: OPEN with limited access

Monday 18th March 2024 |

The reserve is now open, although again with limited access.

Visitors will be able to access the reserve with the use of key fobs provided at the pass office upon entrance to the camp, or will be provided entrance and exit through the access gate by an officer from the camp Guard Room. In this case visitors will need a mobile phone to call the Guard Room when they wish to exit the reserve.

Please be aware that due to these circumstances, entering and leaving the reserve might take a little longer than usual.

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