NEWS
Warm wet night weather saw the annual mass movement of toads of all different ages across the farm lane in the reserve. As many as 14 spotted in one sweep of the torch with countless dozens picked out by car headlights making their way from the field and hedgerow down into the main reserve area. Similar movements are seen in March or April around spawning time leaving one in no doubt that the reserve and immediately surrounding area supports a large toad population. 
The first trial of the new moth trap proved that it is highly effective! Although it was only on for a couple of hours it was possible to attract, trap and in some cases photo-ID several species. A large mercury-vapour lamp powered by a small generator is set above a funnel which opens into a large collecting chamber with a perspex lid for viewing. Eggboxes in the chamber provide some cover for the trapped moths. Further trapping will include all-night sessions.
Species photographed include: Angle Shades, Common White Wave, Brimstone, Willow Beauty, Large Yellow Underwing and Setaceous Hebrew Character. A few Bloodveins were seen too. These will be just a fraction of what was attracted during this short session.
A small group of FAWG members met one evening at 8:30pm to make use of the group's bat detector. Having swept the entire site and detected nothing we returned to the edge of the reserve where the road bridges were illuminated by street lights to get a signal on the detector! The rhythmic, squelchy pattern of a pipistrelle bat was heard and then a pair were seen. They were catching insects regularly on this warm and still night and the sound of the detector changed clearly when they fed. 
Diggers move in to create the scrape in the flat area between the main lake and the path to the east of the reserve. 
Spoil from the scrape used to create a 'beetle bank' near the top of the southern slope by the plantations. 
Working parties remove wire fencing from posts which are kept in place and drilled with holes of various diameters to provide nesting sites for solitary bees and other insects. Metre-square areas of soil exposed on southern slope to provide suitable site for beetle breeding. July update: Numerous holes drilled in posts occupied. 
This 'kill' found in the reserve by Mick Ridgard. Numerous scales and bone fragments indicate otter feeding. 
Litter bin installed in turning area. Improvements in state of litter there. ASDA to empty bin regularly. Hedge planting working party. Small trees planted around the northern field and bridge area. Alder removed from southern slope and lake edge and planted in northern field. Evidence of recent otter feeding by western bridge. Spraint, tracks and pieces of fish at water's edge.
Frogspawn seen at farthest reaches of southern pool end in ditch. Abundant around western pool and under road bridge. Not as early as last year, though much of that was lost in the floods. Some toad spawn seen too.
3 Floating islands arrive, are constructed and then floated out and secured one cold, sunny Saturday morning. Lake depth was normal and was over 5 feet deep at the deepest part. The islands are intended to provide 'flood-proof' refuge for nesting birds, rising and falling with the water level as well as enriching the underwater habitat. They comprise a 2m square of floating cylinders under which is slung a metal mesh cage to protect the roots. A metal mesh platform suspends coir matting, preplanted with rushes and sedges, and a further metal mesh cage is fitted on top and is intended to be grown through as the plants mature. Anchoring is via steel cables attached to several large pieces of concrete which rest on the lake bed. 
Slow worms released into the site over a number of weeks (total around 20 to date) from another Frome site which is under threat. (Michael Woods Associates, Ecological Constultants) Photos: J.Vickers
Working party shores up the dam/sluice at the mouth of the stream connecting the north lake to the River Frome so as to preserve water levels in the lake when the river level drops. Some exposed mud at the lake edge is desirable for wading birds.
Depth measurements in the north lake in preparation for the installation of floating islands. On the day the water level was roughly a foot lower than the normal. Measurement showed a maximum of roughly 4 feet in the middle of wider sections of the lake quickly decreasing to 2 feet or shallower in less central parts. Even with the lake being low this was much shallower than had been understood. It is possible that flooding has deposited mud or silt in the last couple of years.Thanks to Alison Tutt from the Somerset Mammal Group we were able to borrow 29 Longworth traps with which to begin surveying the small mammals on site. The weather was fairly wet and blowy overnight however the traps attracted 3 short-tailed voles, two wood mice, a common shrew and a toad! The areas covered included two places in the hillside plantation next to large rotting logs, two meadow/long grass areas and two waterside areas; one by the river and one by the lake which produced the shrew. All areas were on the western side of the reserve.
Working party takes on several jobs: reed planting in the lake, clearing patches of turf on hillside for species diversity and insect nesting and litter clearance in the turning bay area
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The January floods brought a large amount of litter into the reserve which suffers from wind-blown litter already. The clean-up continues!
A rather early sighting of frog spawn laid in a ditch at the foot of the embankment on the ASDA side of the site.
The previous hide, built as part of the original design was removed in summer 2007 due to vandalism and inappropriate use. The willow screen has been built in the north field adjacent to the north bridge to provide cover for observing birdlife on the main lake. (Photos: J Vickers, R Roberts)
