A team of five volunteers endured a wet Sunday to help once again at Stover Country Park in South Devon.
The aim of the day was to clear and burn cut foliage from around ponds excavated ten years ago but lost to the view of the public. Ultimately the rangers hope to open up the areas to encourage the dragonfly populations, a feature of the nature reserve. Weather conditions were testing to say the least so we were slow to get the fires burning – hence the clearance task was somewhat hindered. The team battled on gamely
and did what they could before an early finish was called by the team. Importantly, time was found to build dens in the woods and enjoy a packed lunch in the open air.
On returning to the centre, the ranger in charge produced three wriggling muslin bags, casually mentioning
that he has caught three snipe for measuring and ringing. It was a highlight to see him measure and describe the three birds, migrants from Iceland judging by their wingspan, before releasing them back to the marsh beside the lake. Each time we visit we learn more about the many and varied ways that a relatively small reserve can impact significantly the biodiversity of a region.
Well done and thank you to Makena, Jack, Diego and Guido for a good effort and always delightful company.
Alistair Hallows,
Biology Teacher
