The area in question was an area of phragmites reedbed, probably the biggest area on the reserve. Sadly its a section of the reserve that isn't open the public, Cadbury Pasture. Armed with my mate Jack and a pair of waders each we searched around the reedbed trying to find a way in. Easier said than done as the reedbed is some what of an island, completely surrounded by ditches, ditches that appeared to be too deep and wide to get across. Luckily we found a route into the phragmites, but not before we pushed through several hundred metres of reed-mace and sedge.
Before entering the phragmites I recalled a piece of research that showed that reed warblers tend to nest within 2 metres of an edge. Sure enough, no sooner had we entered the phragmites than we found a reed warbler nest, and to our surprise it contained 3 abandoned eggs.
Long before we'd even started our assault on walking through the reedbed it was another warbler that caught our attention, a cetti's warbler. A couple of birds have been recorded on the reserve over the course of this year, and previous years, but this was my first bird on Cadbury Pasture. A brief burst of song in alarm was the first give away, before a brief sighting of the bird investigating the disturbance in a world where no person has ever ventured before.
All in all it was another great day, and a rare one as there are very few areas of the reserve I've not explored before. Unfortunately access is very difficult on foot so getting any machinery in there is pretty much out the question. It always been my dream to expand the area of phragmites as it could one day host some fantastic reedbed birds. However on my return to the office my colleague Jeff announced he had a plan...
Here's hoping!
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