As we enter the second month of 2024 and gradually emerge from the darker winter months, we are certainly in preparation mode here on the ground at Bewl Water, and more specifically, at our nature reserve!
The life and work within our 117 acres of designated nature reserve are never dull, and no week is ever the same. Nature goes about its business, and so do we as we take on a multitude of tasks to clear and prepare our way for brighter and warmer days.
This week, we have continued to enjoy the bird activity across the nature reserve, which is free to visit and just a short walk from Wards Lane.
We made some headway on repairs to the bird hide, which was installed by our friends at the Sussex Wildlife Trust. Sightings of some of our favourite birdlife keep us all entertained, including the Great Crested Grebe and Little Grebe. The Little Grebe is as sweet as it sounds, with its fluffy rear end and a tendency to dive when it gets frightened, often emerging from the water much further away.
We have also been coppicing trees and shrubs across the nature reserve in recent weeks too. Coppicing simply means cutting things back hard, almost right to the ground so that bright new growth can spring up.
This is quite labour-intensive work, but the way it opens up our woodland for wildlife and contributes to our ongoing conservation efforts is incredibly rewarding.
So, next time you’re at Bewl Water, we encourage you to explore our reserve, with the clearer views it naturally and deliberately offers at this time of year. There really is so much to see!