This week, Warden Jamie Smith and the North East reserve team worked alongside teams from RSPB and Natural England to put up a rope fence at Dunwich beach. 

The rope fence is seasonal and aims to keep people and dogs away from ground-nesting birds such as ringed plover, oystercatcher and little terns over the breeding season. It also aims to protect the rare, vegetated shingle from trampling and destruction. The shingle habitat supports species such as sea kale, sea campion and yellow-horned poppy.  

There is so little space left for nature, it is important to respect these temporary barriers and keep dogs on leads to avoid disturbing the birds or trampling on nests and chicks. 

Volunteer Warden and butterfly surveyor, Robert Quadling, sent these amazing images of a treecreeper to Warden Andy Hickinbotham. Tree creepers are brilliantly camouflaged to merge into their surroundings, and feed on invertebrates and other creatures when going up a tree, whereas nuthatches feed by foraging downwards.  

A big thank you to our team at Trimley Marshes who have been litter picking. What a haul! They also spotted 13 lapwing nests which is great news. Please keep dogs on short leads, and encourage others to as well, to avoid disturbing ground nesting birds.  

Assistant Warden David Stansfield has been enjoying seeing trees unfurling fresh, new leaves and spring flowers blooming at Knettishall Heath...