Back on Tuesday volunteers Adrian and Bob gave me a hand with the big task of cutting the vegetation on the eastern shore of Ibsley Water between the Goosander and Lapwing hides. The idea being to encourage fresh grass shoots to provide winter grazing for wigeon, and foraging areas for lapwing, snipe and starlings. It also improves the view of the lake shore from the hides revealing any birds feeding at the lake edge like common and green sandpipers.
View to towards Lapwing hide before any cutting has been carried out
Volunteer Adrian strimming
Yesterday we continued cutting the remainder of the vegetation and the Thursday volunteers raked up all the cuttings. I’m pleased to say we managed to complete the task by about 3.30 pm, hopefully birds will start to use the habitat almost immediately, although the bigger numbers of wigeon won’t arrive till at least the end of the month. Thank you to all the volunteers who helped, particularly Bob and Rebecca who stay on into the afternoon to help finish off yesterday.
Volunteers raking up cut vegetation
Bob mowing
View towards Lapwing hide finished job
All this work has left very little time for getting any pictures of any wildlife although I did see a wheatear, and tree pipit and clouded yellow butterfly were reported yesterday. So Steve Michelle has saved this blog from lacking in wildlife pictures by sending this photo of an otter seen on Ibsley Water last week.
Otter, Ibsley Water
Blashford Lakes Nature Reserve 
Thank you to all, especially the volunteers. Your hard work is appreciated by all who come to view the wildlife.
Two days ago heard the call of the Water Rail at Ivy North hide. Well hidden at the moment.