Raking and Burning

I had another conservation work day at Pulfin Bog near Beverley today, clearing an area of sweet-grass (Glyceria) in the reedbed. It was too wet to take the mower in this time, but enough was cut the last time for us to spend the day just raking up and burning it. As always, the place was teeming with wildlife. Along the path to the reedbed there were clear roe deer tracks and on a mound in the reedbed we found a fox scat. Flocks of curlews and lapwings came over during the day. On the lake there was a flock of wigeon and a dozen goldeneye. We saw mute swans flying in, cormorants, an oystercatcher, redshank, a great crested grebe and a little grebe.

Piles of damp reeds can smoulder for many hours
 
The lake at dusk

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