I was delighted to arrive at the Reserve this morning and be greeted by not one but two red squirrels. This is only the second time in 5 years that I have seen a red squirrel on this land.

Our female Pheasants have been producing chicks over the last couple of weeks, so here’s a few pics of our new arrivals:-

My local buzzards were giving an impressive air display over the reserve.

I spent a very pleasant 30 minutes last night, as I was on my way out my Doe and twin fawns paid me  a visit. Right in front of the appropriately named Deer View hide they came and fed, here is a few pics:-

Unfortunately we have Ash die back amongst our tree population. We have at least 50 dead Ash trees which I am currently removing. Ash die back is an airborne fungal disease that tends to kill the tree from the top down.

Initially I thought we would have to burn the wood but I have been advised that the damage has been done and there would be little benefit by burning the wood. As a result of this advice I have been using the felled trees to line my paths, looks quite smart I think.

Such a shame, but the word is that the UK is likely to lose between 70-80% of its Ash trees and I anticipate we will be looking at that sort of loss!

I recently offered the reserve classroom to our local Collingwood School and Media  Arts College. In these troubled times it seemed the right thing to do when schools are in need of additional classroom space.

Collingwood is designated to meet the needs of students aged 2-19 yrs. with speech, language and communication difficulties, autism and behaviour and emotional disorders.

I met with the Headteacher Gillian Linkleter, and two of her colleagues, and showed them the classroom and reserve. Gillian was very enthusiastic about the classroom and the reserve itself and thought it would be a perfect fit for the school and its pupils.

We have subsequently signed off a memorandum of understanding with the school which allows for the school to use the classroom and reserve for the next academic year (38 weeks), beginning in September. We agreed to half class sizes, which is 6-8 pupils.

I look forward to working with the school and its pupils and hopefully a mutually beneficial outcome.

There’s lots going on at the reserve, here’s a few pics taken over the last month.

Our Moorhens have been busy and they now have some extra mouths to feed. Of the original seven chicks, five have survived and are doing well. Now we have a second brood of five chicks.

The Moorhen is unusual in that the first brood of chicks help feed and raise the second brood, Here are some pictures that demonstrate this:-

First brood and second brood together.

A few deer pics from the last few days including the mother with a single fawn. The young twins are progressing well.

One of the mothers two bucks from last year turned up today to say hello.

This bold Hedgehog was strolling up the main path at 4pm in the afternoon, they must have been hungry!