My Week at Cley

Our Community and Education Officer based at Cley Marshes - which has been made possible thanks to funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund - who has been able to support a Year 10 student during their work experience week form school. James Barton has been a great help to us at Cley during his week, and has written of his experience.

I was fortunate to secure a week’s work at NWT Cley Marshes last week and what a wonderful week it was. I enjoyed a varied week with many different activities to keep me occupied and to give me an insight into the different areas of work needed to operate such a popular place.

I started the week with learning about the history of Cley and the reserve which was very interesting to learn how such a great nature reserve has evolved into how it looks today. In the afternoon it was good to get out onto the reserve and it was a chance for me to see the wildlife being recorded throughout the day. Highlights were: curlew sandpiper, spoonbill, little gull, grayling butterfly and red-veined darter dragonfly. 

Day two was a much more active day as I was assisting the Summer Warden with general maintenance to keep the reserve running smoothly. This was very enjoyable and I learnt many new things about botany and insects. I learnt that cigar flies stimulate the reed head to grow abnormally in to a sort of cylindrical ball where the fly then lays its egg which pupates into the adult.

Day three was working on reception. I was told this was a very important job as this was the public’s first contact and therefore the organisation would be judged on this. At first I was nervous about this task but after serving my first customer I became a lot more comfortable and it ended up becoming one of my favourite tasks of the week! 

On Thursday I helped out with a free taster session which was pond dipping. This was very enjoyable and we spent the afternoon seeing what fresh water animals there were. We found many dragonfly nymphs and one moulted its exuvia in front of us which was great.

I spent my final on reception again and fishing for plankton. We threw a very fine net into the ocean and dragged it in the water and we then collected the sieved water in a bottle. This was then taken back and we looked at the water under a microscope and found two plankton species. This was very interesting as I had never seen plankton before. There was also a chance for me to help set up a community open evening where everyone who lived within a certain range of Cley Marshes could visit various stands about wildlife and could be given tours of the reserve. I enjoyed showing members of the public these different tables where different areas of natural history was being exhibited. 

I feel very privileged to have been given the opportunity to spend a week in such an amazing environment. I would like to thank all the staff at Cley for such an opportunity, for making me so welcome and a special thank you to Rachael Wright who organised all my activities.

 We will be able to offer one or two Year 10 placements at Cley in 2016.  Please look on our website volunteer page for details of how to apply in the new year.  

Volunteers visit Cley

Angela Collins, volunteer coordinator

Last week I had the pleasure of meeting several NWT volunteers at NWT Cley Marshes. Volunteers across the Trust were invited to see the new visitor facilities and have a guided tour of the nature reserve. There was a good cross representation of volunteers, including livestock checkers, IT support, visitor centres, administration, and education. 

In the Simon Aspinall Wildlife Education Centre

We started in the new Simon Aspinall Wildlife Education Centre where David North, Head of People and wildlife, gave a very interesting talk on the history of Cley, including geology, history of flooding and the people involved. Jonathan Clarkson, the centre manager explained how NWT is taking the opportunity to encourage more people to engage with the Trust and get out and experience the wildlife and landscape, and commented that they are already seeing more families visiting and making use of the new facilities. Our next speaker, Rachael Wright the Cley Community and Education Officer, explained the type of events that are being held to help inspire and attract a wider audience, these include workshops, talks, performances, Tai Chi, art and poetry, a really varied programme. Rachael told a lovely story of a gentlemen that she met recently who had been living in Cley for 35 years, but had never visited the reserve during that time, however, after attending a recent taster event, he has become enthused and is becoming a regular visitor, a real success story for the centre.

We then got to sample the fabulous looking cakes provided by the NWT cafe, the Bakewell sponge was delicious. (I heard the coffee and walnut was pretty good too!)

Volunteers at Cley, photo by Elizabeth Dack

Then for the best bit of the day, a tour of the nature reserve, this was only a flavour of the reserve as we didn’t have time to see the whole thing. We split into groups and I went with wardens Adam Pimble and Carl Brooker. It was at this stage that it started to rain, I am glad to say that no one was deterred, we put on our waterproofs and headed out. Despite the rain you could still feel that you were somewhere really special. 

We walked along Attenborough's Walk heading to Watling Water on the new land at Cley. Adam and Carl explained how they had removed the artificial ponds which were installed by wildfowlers in the past, and have created a more natural scrape, with varying depths, which already looked such a natural part of the environment and was being well used by birds. 

Avocet at Cley Marshes, photo by Elizabeth Dack

We saw an avocet pretending to be injured with a damaged leg, Carl pointed out that this is a trick they use to distract predators from their chicks, and indeed there were two small chicks nearby. We also saw marsh harrier, and learnt how water levels are being managed across the reserve to create the best habitats for birds.

It was a real treat to have a guided tour with the wardens, and I’m sure the other group had an equally interesting tour with David. It was also lovely to be able to talk to volunteers as we walked, everyone was smiling and seemed to be enjoying themselves.

A fun day was enjoyed by all!

Thank you to all who helped make the afternoon a success and to the volunteers who attended as without them it wouldn’t have happened. The afternoon was part of a series of events which take place during the year, to help our volunteers gain an enhanced understanding of the work of the Trust, and also a social occasion where they can meet and chat to other volunteers, share experiences, and hopefully feel more aware of the fabulous team of volunteers of which they are a part and of which the Trust greatly appreciates. If you are interested in volunteering or attending future events please contact me at angelac@norfolkwildlifetrust.org.uk

Cley Catch-up: 3 March 2015

Barry Madden, Volunteer Bird Guide at NWT Cley Marshes

The temporary cabin at Cley Marshes

Despite the metal barriers, diggers, piles of earth and plethora of hard hats, Cley Marshes is very much open for business. The nerve centre of the operation has temporarily been relocated to a cabin located in the car park. Here you will receive the familiar warm welcome, have access to a limited range of literature and most importantly be able to invigorate yourselves with freshly brewed tea and coffee and a variety of tasty snacks. It won't be like this for long and the plan is to have the whole replenished, revitalised and rejuvenated visitor centre up and running in a couple of weeks’ time, the currently projected date is 14 March. It's all quite exciting.

Once you cross the coast road however the sound of the building works soon fades to be replaced by the tranquillity of the nature reserve proper. Once sat in the hides all you can hear is the piping of redshank, the nasal cackling of shelduck and the tooting and whistling of teal and wigeon. And always the reeds rustling in the breeze. Today was another day of almost unbroken winter sunshine tempting birds and human visitors alike to show in numbers. It was a day of close encounters with some rather colourful and usually difficult to approach birds.

Redshank, photo by Barry Madden

Redshank are now busy pairing up, chasing each other around the scrapes and undertaking tentative display flights, their tooting calls echoing all around. I watched a pair amorously strutting after one another over the mud but it will be a few weeks yet before they place their scant nest in the middle of a tussock somewhere on the marsh. One bird seemed quite oblivious to my approach, seemingly more intent on probing the rich mud for small crustaceans. Strange really seeing as I walk around in a bright blue coat which can be seen from one end of the reserve to the other. A close up view of its intricately patterned plumage is seldom allowed, but when you get a good look at the subtle shading and mottling it brings home to you what a handsome bird it is. Aptly named, its orange-red legs blazed brightly in the strengthening late winter sun.
 

Ruff, photo by Barry Madden

Another wader that tolerated me and my coat creeping ever closer came in the form of a ruff that unusually had decided to have a snooze within 5 metres of the path bordering the coast road. I thought this bird must be sick or injured but it didn't seem to be incapacitated in any way - it simply needed a nap. A photographic opportunity not to be missed and another chance to have a really good look at a rather splendid bird. I've got a feeling this individual was a male on the cusp of developing the outlandish breeding plumage adorned by these dandies of the bird world. The breast feathering on this bird looked as though it was ready to bloom into flamboyant plumes of various shades which of course gives the species its common English name. When I returned for a second look a few minutes later it had moved on.

The bearded tits are still entertaining people along East Bank providing very close views to those with a little patience. People I spoke to were elated to see one so close, and several confessed they had never seen one before in their lives. What a way to break your duck with the sighting of a lovely male bird in full view a mere 10 feet in front of you.

Grey herons are amongst our earliest nesters and a small colony is busy setting up home in the small wood opposite East Bank. The birds are more social at this time of year sometimes flighting over the tree tops or as on this occasion taking part in a prenuptial gathering close to the nesting site. Seeing six of these birds standing side by side is quite remarkable, but they were visible most of the morning standing idly by the new roadside pools.

Herons, photo by Barry Madden

Blondie the marsh harrier, photo by Tom Whiley

And no visit to the reserve nowadays is complete without a sighting of our star bird, the glamorous lady of Cley Marshes, 'Blondie' our resident marsh harrier. She is a formidable huntress and flew in today with a half-eaten prey item, an unfortunate rat or wader of some description by the look of things. It seems that she and her mate will once again set up home in their favoured patch of reeds close to Bishop's hide where more close encounters can be anticipated as the season progresses.

So, it's business as usual here. Don’t be put off by the building works, come and visit Janine’s Snack Shack and say hello. And do take time to visit the reserve, who knows you may have some close encounters of your own to savour.

Cley Catch-up: 24 February 2015

Barry Madden, Volunteer Bird Guide at NWT Cley Marshes

The new centre at Cley Marshes, photo by Marion Riches

Cley Marshes is in the process of being transformed. The new education building is nearing completion and looks just great. I was shown around the interior today by proud centre staff and I was very impressed, not just with the facilities that will be available to the public but with the way the whole site now feels cohesive and an integrated whole. As well as being able to take advantage of state of the art interactive interpretation, visitors will be able to enjoy large open areas affording excellent viewing over the whole reserve. Much hard work is also taking place on the reserve itself with dredging of the main drains and the pool on Snipe's Marsh nearing completion, creating a better water management system and much improved areas for wildlife. New pools have been created at the south-eastern corner of the marsh, and these together with well managed flooding of the meadows adjoining east bank have provided excellent feeding and roosting areas for many species of wildfowl and waders that seem to be getting quite used to people walking along the raised footpath.

Today the sun shone from a perfect blue sky, it shone all day and gave a taste of spring. We're on the upward curve it seems and certainly nature responded to this unexpected but most welcome warmth. The marsh harrier pairs were flying together prospecting potential nest sites, shelduck were busy chasing each other and skylarks sang their sweet melodies over the Eye field. Even a few humans were tempted to eat their lunch outside on the picnic tables, proof if any were needed that winter is losing its grip.

Marsh harrier, photo by Barry Madden

My morning was spent walking the reserve perimeter and visiting the hides to see if anything noteworthy had turned up and to engage with anybody who fancied a chat about the reserve and its varied inhabitants. The scrapes were certainly well populated with many wildfowl and waders on show. At times these flocks would launch into the air startled by the presence of some avian predator. A sparrowhawk was a regular culprit and every so often a larger raptor in the form of a marauding marsh harrier would cause panic as it sailed low across the mud. The resident female marsh harrier is a real beauty and on one occasion passed very close attracting many admiring glances from those lucky enough to witness her fly past. It is always worth looking skywards when the birds on the scrapes take to the air en masse and whilst on my break in a crowded visitor centre one such eruption took place as a fine peregrine swooped east to west. There can't be many nature reserves where you can sit munching your lunch in warmth and comfort whilst watching a top predator hunting for its own midday meal.

Garganey, photo by Barry Madden

The afternoon was given over to looking for an early spring visitor in the form of a drake garganey that has been using the reserve for the last two weeks. The bird was not hard to find standing as it was on an isolated patch of raised grass. It was in the loose company of several other wildfowl species that were busy feeding, roosting and generally socialising on the relatively high water level on the newly acquired extension to the reserve. This handsome bird is a very early and most welcome summer visitor and will hopefully linger, attract a mate and breed in the prime habitat at its disposal. It obviously finds the surroundings to its liking and was well at ease snoozing on its chosen patch. Even with its head tucked into its back feathers the broad white flash over the eye was very prominent and provides an easily seen diagnostic feature. After its siesta the bird began feeding and there in the warm glow of the afternoon light its intricate colouring could be fully appreciated. A dark chocolate brown head demarcated by the aforementioned off-white head stripe which extends down its neck, light chocolate breast giving way to an underside of vermiculated greys draped with pointed scapulars. A most handsome bird.

Other ducks were using the flood and on show within yards of the appreciative audience could be seen shoveler sporting heads of metallic green and bronze, bandit masked teal, smart upending pintail, whistling wigeon and the ubiquitous mallard. Resplendent colour on this most uplifting of winter days.