Elmley Update: January 2014

Happy New Year!

Firstly, we’re sorry for the delay since the last update. We have had a new arrival at Elmley, not avian (!), but the first baby to be born here for about 40 years arrived happy and well on December 18th.  Thank you for your patience whilst we adjust to a new pace of life!

Onto the Reserve itself…

• Winter is here and we are an exposed site. Please be prepared with suitable footwear and clothing. Due to the ‘damp’ conditions the trails are quite muddy
• 1,000 ’s of Wildfowl and Waders  across the whole reserve
• Starling numbers are good – some wonderful sights across the marsh skies when these flocks are being pursued by various birds of prey.
• The flocks of finches and buntings making good use of the wild bird seed mix
• Water levels are very high to the extent that we are trying to get some away to sea. Prolonged surface flooding can have a detrimental effect on soil flora/fauna.

Other reserve news …

• ###b across the reserve re: track repairs/removal of redundant fencing/habitat enhancement etc. – too much to restrict just to Tuesdays when we are closed. We apologise for any disruption caused to your day but please be patient – it will be worth it!
• Some of the works in progress – a viewing area along the entrance track with improved scrapes (please remain inside your vehicles)/a viewing mound here at Kingshill /enlarging of the pond below the farmhouse. Two new hides are also planned along the Swale – the base mounds for which we prepared last year.
  • The new gates and cattle grid along the entrance track form part of 8km of fence we erected last winter in an effort to reduce fox predation to our ground nesting birds. It is the longest fence of its type in Europe and the results are good.
  • The wild bird seed mix has done well and includes Sunflower, Millet, Quinoa (the tall plant similar to Fat hen), Kale, Phacelia (the blue flower), Buckwheat and Chicory. This provides food and cover for many birds over the winter. It will hopefully also help with our re-establishment of the Grey Partridge. As a further aide the blue feeders you can see along the edge of the cover crop provide winter food for the partridge and other birds.
  • We have also re-seeded another 1.1ha. One strip of autumn sown Wild Bird Seed Mix/One strip of Pollen and Nectar Mix for Bumblebee conservation.  Further information available at ###a href="http://www.kingscrops.co.uk/">www.kingscrops.co.uk
  • On the farming calendar. Calves have been weaned. Cattle numbers will decrease over the next months depending on food availability/weather conditions. Ovine – the rams have finished their work and left. Sheep numbers will increase to help achieve optimum sward conditions for the spring nesting period
  • The new Elmley NNR website is now open. We hope you like it and invite your comments and any ideas you may have on how it might be improved.
  • Parking Permits for car park at the first hides. Permits are available for those unable to walk down to the hides
  • If you require any information regarding the management/history of the reserve etc please feel free to contact us.
  • To avoid inadvertent disturbance to roosting and feeding birds at Spitend please access the hides using the nature trails rather than crossing the new cattle grid