Many thanks to Peter Smith, Ben and Aidan (our two work experience students from KEVI) for their hard work over last week. Also thanks to some heavy digging by Auggie and Charlie to kick off the project.

We started our mini barn for barn owls project and we are now up to the point where we just have the roof to put on.

A very big thank you to Coquetdale Wildlife Group and The Hadrians Trust for helping fund this project.

So the little trip on Saturday for our cygnets was just a dress rehearsal for the big move on Sunday. The lure of the Wansbeck has proved too great!

A neighbour alerted us to the big move as they were spotted heading up the farm track at 9am.

It took about an hour for the trip, I’m amazed how well the little 10 day old cygnets managed.

I just hope they have a safe upbringing on the Wansbeck🤞

Just 9 days after hatching our little feathered friends were on the move. I entered the reserve to see this sight:-

It was strange that Charlie was leading when he’s never walked around the reserve ( as far as I know). Whereas Camilla has walked around many times.

They walked all the way to the entrance.

Then they moved on to Porters pond for a cooling dip

Then to complete the trip they ended up at Woggle water pond

A pretty long round trip for some 9 day olds!

Or so I thought……………..

I can’t resist posting a few more pictures of our new arrivals.

CharlesIII and Camilla have produced a new family with 5 cygnets arriving on Thursday. They all look fit and healthy and we’re out on the water on Friday. This video was taken today 24th May.

I also managed, at last, to read Charle III leg ring and send off for information. That came through today and Charles was ringed as an adult at Queen Elizabeth Park in 2025. This is where Camilla was also ringed, so she went back to her roots to find her latest partner.

Our first youngsters of the season have appeared, 6 moorhen chicks were spotted on Dunces Corner Pond. They were first seen on the 30th April but then went into hiding until this morning when I managed to get some decent pictures. However the initial six have been reduced to four!

I had a stroll out to the reserve at dusk and here are a few of the residents I encountered out also for a stroll..

An interesting few new arrivals over the last couple of days on the reserve.

We have also heard our first migrants, Willow Warbler, Garden Warbler, Whitethroat, and Blackcap.

Also walk in the woods disturbed a female Mallard which was sitting on 10 eggs.

The new badger set on site is certainly livened up recently!

A few more pics of the birds seen on site, taken since the last feathered friends post, over about 6 weeks.