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CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION TO THE TENTH REPORT OF THE

MOOR GREEN LAKES GROUP

Ken Crick
Chairman of the Moor Green Lakes Group 

It is with some sadness that I commit pen to paper as I relinquish the role of Chairman of the Group. Your new chairman will be Peter Scott, who will be well known to the volunteers who work on the Reserve, and who, I am sure, will make an excellent chairman.

This report marks the tenth anniversary of the Group’s formation. Kevin Briggs has kindly produced a summary of developments over the ten years, presented as an Annex within the report.

This year has been the first in which work was guided by the new Management Plan. We succeeded in completing all the scheduled tasks and some unforeseen extras. One of those extras was the result of the summer break-in to Colebrook Hide, when one view-port hatch was completely destroyed. Entry was achieved through the hatch provided for disabled members, hence the increased strands of barbed wire in. front of this port. The: perpetrators also left some unpleasant personal waste behind them. Towards the end of the summer the hide was left unlocked on a number of occasions. I. can only beg members to be extra vigilant when leaving the hides ensuring they are locked, with all of the combination digits frilly scrambled, A second failed attempt to gain entry to the hide, by forcing the door, was made over the Christmas Holiday period, the door and jam receiving further damage.

Just before Christmas we lost the services of Amanda and Julian Simpson-Atkins, who have led work parties on the reserve for eight years. We wish them well in their new life in Shropshire.

Casual observations recorded toad spawn for the first time on the north shore of Colebrook Lake North at pH Measuring Station A2 (see Appendix F, 2001 Report). Large numbers of whirligig beetles were also in evidence.

All the recorders are to be congratulated and thanked for their sterling efforts throughout the year, as are those of you that complete the monthly sighting record sheets in the hides. Without this input from recorders and members this report and an objective and focused management of the reserve would not be possible.

I would like to thank the members of the committee for their assistance and support throughout my two-year tenure. Also the Blackwater Valley Countryside staff for their advice and work-party leadership, along with those members whose voluntary work on the reserve maintains the diverse habitats and associated wildlife, while keeping the site visibly accessible to members and the general public.

This year’s AGM was followed by a succinct and thought-provoking talk on biodiversity, given by Andy Glencross, Wokingham District Council’s Biodiversity Officer. He helped to put into context our small efforts within the overall thrust for nature conservation within the UK.

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CHAPTER 2

CONSERVATION WORK PROGRAMME

APRIL 2002 TO MARCH 2003

 Sue Dent

The most important contribution to the site management this year was the introduction of the Moor Green Lakes Management Plan, which represents a real step forward in the management of the site. It has been put together by a team led by Ken Crick, who then wrote the plan itself. In its first year the Plan has provided a structure to the work on the reserve and a real incentive, showing that jobs were being done and targets achieved. After its first year of operation the plan will be revised to iron out any wrinkles that have been found and it will then run for five years.

A thank you.. and a farewell

As always the conservation work on the reserve has been enthusiastically supported by volunteers on both the regular Sunday tasks run by the Moor Green Lakes Group and on Tuesdays with the Blackwater Valley Countryside Volunteers. A total of 14 tasks were attended by an average of 11 volunteers - a tremendous total of 155 volunteer days and a huge amount of management work done on the site. Many thanks to everyone who has come along and to the group committee who organise the work to be done so efficiently 

In December Amanda and Julian Simpson-Atkins moved away from the area. Amanda has led the Sunday work parties on Moor Green for three years and has made a huge contribution to the success of the group, not least by helping to establish such a friendly and welcoming atmosphere that volunteers have wanted to keep coming back. They will be sorely missed.

Conservation Tasks

• Keeping islands clear of vegetation. A special effort was made this year to catch up with work on the islands. Tern Island and Plover Island have both been cleared of vegetation to provide the open shingle preferred by breeding birds. Two paths have been cleared across Grove Lake Island; again it is hoped to provide habitat for breeding birds. It was also possible to tackle a substantial area of Long Island, in part thanks to the work of a party of students from Farnborough College of Technology who practised their management skills very effectively on the bramble and gorse.

• Cutting viewing slots alongside the lake, the volunteers cleared one area with the remainder done by Julian Simpson-Atkins as a contractor.

• Grassland. The small meadow next to Colebrook Hide was cut and raked this year. A cut every 3 years will maintain it as rough grassland rather than scrub. The battle with encroaching bramble and scrub on the grassland and willow around the edge of the lake continues, with some substantial areas cleared this year.

• Grazing. It was possible to graze the site rather earlier than usual this year, which meant that the cattle (and calves this year) had time to do their job and leave the site before the ground became too wet and liable to poaching. Many thanks to the volunteers who helped us with checking the cattle during their stay. They are a great bonus to the site management, but we couldn’t manage them without volunteer help in keeping an eye on them.

• Around the Reserve. The area around the entrance to Colebrook Hide was cleared and it is hoped that regular cutting in future will keep the area open. Another stretch of hedge, on the footpath south of Colebrook Hide, has been laid.

• Crassula. The only real cloud on the horizon from the point of view of the management of the reserve is Crassula helmsii, which will be an on-going battle for the foreseeable future. Progress has been slow this year, but we now have permission from the Environment Agency to use herbicide to kill Crassula where it grows along the shoreline. It is hoped that this will limit the impact on bird populations by keeping the scrapes reasonably clear and open. The experiment with using carpet to smother Crassula on Grove Lake has worked, partially. The weed under the carpet is dead, but more has established itself on top. The carpet will be carefully removed in Spring (2003) and any remaining areas will be spot-sprayed.

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 CHAPTER 3

REPORT ON BIRDS FOR 2002

 Dr Ian Brown

At the beginning of the year duck numbers were generally down compared to recent years, but nevertheless there was still a good variety on offer including a record count for the site of 54 Shoveler in February and a Pintail. Goosander still roosted in moderate numbers throughout. There was a very good selection of other species including Barn Owl, Peregrine, a large flock of Brambling, Merlin (only second recorded individual on the site), Mediterranean Gull and Bittern, while the Green Winged Teal remained until late January.

Considering the water levels were relatively high throughout the spring, there was a good selection of passage waders in quality if not quantity, including Black Tailed Godwit, 3 Oystercatchers, an early Wood Sandpiper, Curlew, Greenshank, Dunlin and Little Stint. Other records included the second site record of Garganey, plus Little Egret, Common Scoter and a good scattering of passerines such as Wheatear and Whinchat.

Overall the breeding season was successful for a wide range of species, most notably the first successful breeding of Gadwall after many years of waiting! Waders enjoyed moderate success with Redshank and Lapwing both rearing young, although Little Ringed Plover failed. Once again the most obvious success was of Common Terns with 15 nests on Tern Island, although not all raised broods as a number of nests were deserted. Other notable breeding was of Mandarin, Barnacle Goose, Tufted Duck (several broods), Kingfisher and Grey Wagtail.

Autumn was generally very quiet with a small wader passage, the appearance of 3 Ruddy Ducks (remaining until November), single Firecrest and Brent Goose, the latter of which was only the second site record, the first being in 1984. The year closed with duck numbers building and December records of Peregrine and Little Egret.

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CHAPTER 4

BOTANICAL SURVEY 2002

Dr Delphine Hoyle

Quantitative surveys of the meadow areas on the North and West sides of Colebrook Lake North have been undertaken since 1997. Prior to that overall records of the plants occurring on the reserve have been kept since 1992.

The method used is based on National Vegetational Classification Methodology and the 2002 survey was carried out on 13 July. Ten random samples (1 x 1 metre) were taken, five on the north side and five on the west side of Colebrook Lake North. In each of the sample squares the species present were identified and quantified on the abundance present –

In addition the frequency of occurrence was also recorded -

Table A gives the frequency and abundance of the species found in the samples. Table B lists other species noted in the immediately surrounding areas.

Predominant species have remained remarkably constant over the survey period -Table C - and the majority of originally sown species are still present - Table D. Few new species have appeared over the last five years.

The site has, however, become much more “patchy”, with big areas of nettle and bramble, mainly around the area surveyed.

The help of all those who have taken part in the survey work is gratefully acknowledged.

Table A

Note:  S = Sown species

Table B

Other plants recorded outside the sample squares

  S = Sown species

Table C    Predominant species