Matthew Roberts
Hello, my name is Liam and I am the Assistant Ranger at Thameside Nature Discovery Park. I have been with Essex Wildlife Trust since 2019, having previously been a Little Tern Warden at Gronant Beach in Denbighshire. I’m an avid birdwatcher and was very excited to see three barn owls at once hunting over the reserve in the late afternoon during 2020.
Adders basking in the sunshine
Recently, we had a corporate work party join us from Essex County Council who helped us to refresh our hibernaculas by loosening the soil and replacing the old logs with new ones, ready for the various reptiles found on site to use during the winter months. Last week, I cut our seasonal reptile path, which includes basking areas. Soon, we will be introducing a new hibernacula, so the public can get closer to these well-camouflaged reptiles without disturbing them.
Credit: John Bridges
With the arrival of spring, we have started to survey the site, including our first breeding bird survey happening in April. This is our main way of keeping track of the skylark pairs at our reserve, with last year's total being 12 pairs. If you are missing our small herd of cattle on our summer pastures this time of year, don't worry they will be back! We are trialling them overwinter on site instead.
Alongside this, our work party volunteers have begun the thankless and seemingly endless task of invasive species control. Goats rue is our main battle, and we employ a variety of methods to help us control it, including digging out with forks, slashing the stems with beaters, cutting with brush cutters, and spot application of pesticides. This tenacious plant does produce a luscious purple flower, which many visitors compliment, little do they know the lengths we go to remove it!
