MGLG - 1998 Annual Report

Colebrook Lakes, north and south, and Grove Lake have now been managed as a reserve for six years. During that time a great deal of conservation and management work has been carried out on the reserve by volunteers, principally from the Blackwater Valley Recreation and Countryside Management Service and the Farnborough College of Technology, together with members of the Moor Green Lakes Group, This introduction provides me with the opportunity to again place on record our appreciation of the time and commitment given by all those who have helped in the management of the reserve.

This is a big reserve and from time to time we have had to resort to outside help, for example from the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers. This is likely to become increasingly necessary if proper control of the scrub, grassland and lake margins is to be maintained. Although the Group now has over 300 members unfortunately no more than about 5% have so far joined our periodic conservation work parties. If you are one of the 95% we would welcome your active support in the coming year, even if only for an hour. For details and dates of our work parties please ring Steve Bailey or Amanda Simpson-Atkins on 01252-335313 or check our latest Newsletter. Steve describes in Chapter 2 of this report the sort of work that needs to be done.

Since our last report the scrape in front of the Grove Lake hide has been completed and we hope this will provide equally interesting viewing to that from the hide on Colebrook Lake. A significant input into the design and construction of the scrape. as well as into the day to day running of the reserve, has been provided by Nick Mutch. Unfortunately Nick has had to leave us, having moved to Scotland. His contribution to the running of the reserve has been a significant one for which we have been most grateful. In his place we welcome Gerry Bryant, who has kindly agreed to take over the duties of Site Liaison.

A major problem during the year has been break-ins and damage to members’ cars left in the Lower Sandhurst Road car park, and also to some extent to those left in the Mill Lane car park. The distance of these car parks from our hides means it is impossible for members to reach their cars in time to prevent damage even when this is suspected of taking place. We have been considering what measures are possible which would help with this problem and have had an on-site meeting with the Thames Valley Police beat officer for the area. Following that meeting steps have been taken to make cars in the car park more visible, particularly from Lower Sandhurst Road. Other deterrent measures are still being examined.

On a brighter note we can report that the Reserve now has its own publicity leaflet, in full colour and with a map of, and information about the Reserve. We are grateful to Steve and Roselynne Skeffington of the BVRCMS for the design and compilation of the leaflet and to RMC Aggregates (Southern) Ltd for meeting the printing costs.

Like its predecessors. this report details the conservation and management work carried out over the period from spring 1998 to spring 1999 and provides information on the birds, plants and other wildlife groups for the period from January to December 1998. For those not familiar with the reserve a profile is provided at Appendix A and there is a map at Appendix G.

To date wildlife observations have been carried out largely on a random, rather than a systematic. basis, but it is now felt that the stage has been reached when a more controlled approach is needed involving properly organised surveys. A start has been made with plants where a systematic botanical survey of the reserve using random sample plots in under way, and, thanks to Kevin Briggs, we now have systematic monitoring of the use to which nest boxes on the Reserve are being put. This sort of approach will be extended to other wildlife groups. If you would like to participate in this survey work please let me know.

In order to make proper use of the results of these surveys it is important that we have a clear idea of our conservation aims and objectives. With this need in mind we have commissioned a new Management Plan for the reserve to provide an agreed direction for our activities for the next five years or so.

As you will see from Ian Brown’s account of the birds seen during 1998, which forms a major part of this Annual Report, the ornithological importance of the reserve continues and our thanks are due to Ian for the time and trouble he has taken to produce such a comprehensive account. In compiling their reports use has been made, not just by Ian Brown, but also by Ken Crick and Chris Taylor, of the records entered by members and others on the record sheets provided for this purpose in the hides. This help is greatly appreciated and enables us to monitor more closely these wildlife groups.

While overall management of the reserve is under the control of the Steering Group (see Appendix A for a profile of the Reserve), practical day to day management and the collection, recording, assessment and dissemination of information about the reserve is undertaken by the Moor Green Lakes Group whose Committee Members are listed in Appendix F. During the year there have been two Committee changes: Christine Rose has replaced Mark Taylor as Treasurer and as already mentioned Gerry Bryant has replaced Nick Mutch as Site Liaison Officer. Mark unfortunately had to resign because of other pressures on his time and we are grateful to him for all the work he did as our first Treasurer during these formative years of the Group.

Since our last report the commercial group of which Hall Aggregates (South East) Ltd formed a part has been reorganised and the company has been re-titled RMC Aggregates (Southern) Ltd.

Our 1999 Annual General Meeting, kindly hosted by RMC Aggregates (Southern) Ltd, was held at Finchampstead Memorial Hall on 26 February. Members were given a progress report on reserve activities and wildlife monitoring and the formal business was followed by an illustrated talk by our new Dragonfly Recorder. Ken Crick.

There have been two meetings of the Steering Group, in October 1998 and April 1999, at which we have reported on our activities over the past year and outlined our plans for the coming year. Also during the year we have issued periodic newsletters (“Moor Green News”) to keep you informed of developments on the Reserve, work party dates. etc. These have been the work of Brendan McCartney and we are most grateful to him for all the time and effort put into their production.

For further information about the Group and its activities the contact is the Blackwater Valley Recreation and Countryside Management Service (BVRCMS), telephone 01252-331353. If any member notices something happening at the reserve which might result in damage or threaten wildlife, would they please inform the BVRCMS on 01252-331 353. or Gerry Bryant on 01252-875952.

Finally, I am grateful to Brendan McCartney for the production of this report and to RMC Aggregates (Southern) Ltd for copying the report for circulation.

It was another busy year on the conservation work front. As the site gradually develops work rather than new projects becomes increasingly the repetitive management task. However, one major new development was the extension of the scrape in front of the Grove Lake hide. This task and some vegetation clearance was carried out by contractors but by far the bulk of the work this year has again relied on volunteer effort.

Fortunately volunteer numbers were slightly up from the previous year at 149 volunteer / days. However this does not give the full story; a marked fall in attendance at the monthly group working parties throughout winter had to be offset by organising a series of fortnightly midweek tasks relying on a few regular volunteers. Other volunteer input came from a BTCV (British Trust for Volunteers) weekend project, the Blackwater Valley Midweek Conservation Volunteers and, as during the previous year, help from Yateley cub-scouts and Farnborough College students.

My thanks go to all who gave their time during the year to help with the management of the reserve.

The highlight of reserve development was the large extension to the scrape in front of the Grove Lake hide. Extending the complete length of the eastern shore of Grove Lake this is now in essence a shallow lagoon. Water flow in and out of the scrape can be controlled so that it may be flooded or drained periodically to create bare mud. On the lake-side of the scrape bunds a shelf has been formed to create a shallow shoreline. This is regularly used by species such as Wagtails. Sandpipers and Greenshanks, which search through the washed up debris for food items.

Cattle were not introduced until spring - six, later eight, heifers were brought to the site on 19th April 1999. The cattle were still confined to the pastures around Colebrook Lake North at the time of writing (end of April). Although too late to create short grass for grazing wintering wildfowl, the grazing has produced an excellent mosaic in the structure of grassland. Spring grazing is recommended to help control some of the ranker grasses and other less desirable species.

As usual much effort was placed on controlling vegetation on the reserve islands. Long Island was showing the effects of little attention over the last couple of years. This was rectified with much volunteer effort to reduce trees and bramble, leaving just a few trees and bramble patches down the centre of the island. A large section of its north shore was strimmed to create short grass habitat. Unfortunately this work was delayed until February 1999.

Tern Island was cleared of bramble and the area of buried plastic sheeting extended. This sheeting is proving its worth in restricting vegetation growth, making clearance very much easier.

The rafts were not as successful as had been hoped. Some breeding occurred but they were mostly used by perching Cormorants, which left large piles of fishy guano. Some rafts broke free in 1998, at least two due to human interference, and others tipped up due to their small size being insufficient to overcome wave action. The rafts were removed in late February and were not replaced.

Weeding and trimming maintained the recently planted or laid hedges and the hedge by the hide is growing well. The dead hedge alongside the Colebrook Lake hide scrape was bulked up to maintain its screen function.

A contractor employed by Hall Aggregates carried out tree and bramble clearance around Grove Lake where bramble was overtaking the grassland and trees dominating the lake edge.

From the north and west shores of Colebrook Lake volunteers cleared trees and many bramble patches that were invading the grassland by this lake.

Many of the trees cut by both the contractor and volunteers were later treated with herbicide to prevent re-growth.

Seven new boxes were installed on four trees around the car park area. Six of these boxes, which were purchased, were made from "woodcrete". These boxes were expensive but last much longer and are more effective than home-made wooden boxes. It is planned to extend the bat box scheme around the reserve with a few new boxes every year.

The boxes were checked once during the year and the river alongside reserve was also monitored as part of the National Bat Monitoring Project Daubenton’s bat survey.

The new Grove Lake hide needed work to bring it up to the required standard, e.g. reduction in size of the viewing ports and weatherproofing. The combination locks have given problems by not lasting very long; they were replaced twice during the year, the second time with a new make which it is hoped will prove more durable and easier to use.

A major operation during the year was the cutting of many viewing points in the tree screens around the lakes. Farnborough College students who had previously undertaken this task were not able to help until later in the year and their assistance was sorely missed. The task dominated the volunteer group workload during the latter part of 1998. All were eventually cleared.

Each viewing point is cut in sections over a 5-year rotation, with the aim of creating hedges of thick coppice re-growth. This is now becoming apparent with the coppice zones seeming ideal for smaller birds.

The riverside path was cleared of overhanging vegetation by one volunteer task during the summer,

New signs were erected around the reserve to direct visitors along the footpath. It is hoped that this will reduce disturbance to wildlife caused by people entering the reserve without permission.

Car break-ins have been a problem in many car parks in the Yateley / Sandhurst area and unfortunately the reserve car park has been no exception. On police advice the car park hedge was removed and replaced with a low hurdle fence and this appeared to alleviate the problem for a while. A new Holly hedge was planted with the intention of keeping this as a low barrier once it has established itself.

The year began with moderately good numbers of wintering wildfowl, in particular there was a record site count of Gadwall (210). Goosander numbers returned to the levels of 1996, following last year’s remarkable influx and Smew were again recorded. Other early year highlights included Peregrine (three sightings in Jan), Scaup, and two Red Crested Pochards.

Early spring started with the undoubted highlight of the year - a Shore Lark found on the arable land to the west of the reserve. This predominantly coastal species delighted many visitors, some of whom were also fortunate to see the site’s first Marsh Harrier! Other spring highlights included two Ospreys, the site’s first Wood Warbler (all in April), Whimbrel, Wood Sandpiper, Blue Headed Wagtail (all in May) and Common Scoter (in June). Wader passage, however, was generally poor due to high water levels.

Breeding success was mixed. Redshank reared two young, being successful for the second year running. Lapwing (bettering last year!) and Little Ringed Plover were both successful, but of the regular breeders Ringed Plover and Common Tern failed. The small Sand Martin colony continued to grow reaching approximately 85 occupied nest holes. Woodlark bred for the first time and numbers of singing warblers were generally up, particularly Sedge Warbler, Garden Warbler and Whitethroat.

Late summer/early autumn began with two more site firsts, Little Egret and Nightjar, but both were unfortunately short stayers. Other autumn records included Red Kite (second site record), several Little Stints, another Osprey and a Ring Ouzel. Wader passage was again generally light. In late autumn a Dartford Warbler took up residence for several weeks until the first severe frost and Pintail and Grey Plover were recorded. The only record of note in the late year was a large influx of Coot resulting in a site record count of 391.

An annotated check list of all the species seen either on the reserve or on the land/gravel workings close to the reserve during 1998 is at Appendix B. This list is based on records provided by the observers below to whom I’m most grateful. Guidelines on submitting bird records are in Appendix D.

S. Bailey

A. Betts

Dr K.B.Briggs

Dr I.H.Brown

J.M. Clark

Dr M.N.Clifford

N. Fookes

C.R. Gent

R.J. Godden

J. Guningham

Ms D. Housley

Dr D.A. Hoyle

M.G. McCarthy

B. McCartney

Mrs R. McCartney

J.N. Mutch

E. Napper

N.R. Peters

C. Proudley

Mrs M. Robbins

Mrs C.Rose

G.J.S. Rowland

J.B. Sealey

D.M. Spittle

J.C. Tanner

Mrs L.D.M. Tanner

C.D. Taylor

Mrs M.N. Taylor

A. Twyford

l. Twyford

J. Uhlig

J. Westmacott

Mrs R. Westmacott

For the 1998 season extra nest boxes were added to those existing from previous years on the trees around the edge of the reserve. 24 of the 33 boxes were used for breeding. 7 pairs of Blue Tits started laying from the 15th April (mean laying date 22nd April) and produced clutches averaging 8 eggs. Unfortunately, one female was eaten by a weasel, another usurped by a pair of Great Tits and one pair deserted so 5 broods were hatched and fledged 31 young eventually.

Great Tits are very partial to nest boxes, the newer the better and 12 pairs occupied the boxes with laying occurring from the 18th April (mean date 21st April). Clutches were quite large (mean 8.25 eggs), with 99 eggs laid. Despite the poor weather, broods averaged 8 young and 96 juveniles were fledged.

No owls used the boxes this year but a pair of Stock Doves raised at least 2 broods of young. Mandarins occupied 4 boxes and laying started on 20th April. How many females were involved is a mystery, certainly 3 were seen on eggs but egg dumping must have occurred and 2 clutches of 10 eggs had different coloured eggs and were eventually deserted. One clutch of 9 had squirrel interference and was deserted: the remaining clutch of 8 eggs hatched but I never saw the young!

The first quantitative survey of the grazed areas around the Colebrook Lakes was undertaken in 1997. In previous years (1994 and 1995) only overall surveys around these lakes had been carried out.

This, it is hoped, will in time give a measure of the change in the plant communities present in response to management.

In 1998 the same method was used as in 1997, i.e. based on National Vegetational Classification (NVC) Methodology.

10 random samples (1x1 metre) were surveyed on 14th July, 1998, 5 on the north shore and 5 on the west shore of Colebrook Lake North. In each of the samples the species present were identified and quantified on the abundance present -

10.

<4% few individuals

<4% several individuals

<4% many individuals

4-10%

11-25%

26-33%

34-50%

51-75%

76-90%

91-100%

III

1-20% (i.e. in 1 in 5 samples)

21-40% (2 in 5 samples)

41-60% (3 in 5 samples)

61-80% (4 in 5 samples)

81-100% (in all samples)

Table A shows the species recorded in the quadrants together with their frequency and abundance.