The Bugler WINTER 2017 Comedian and nature enthusiast Bill Bailey made a surprise visit to his native Somerset to present the Avalon Marshes Project with a National Lottery Award. See full story on pages 2 and 3. Photo: ITV News Westcountry New viewing platform designs Taking a closer look at the curlew How to catch a crane chick Somerset’s super swifts Breeding bird round-up 2017 Pings looking up for beardies n case you missed the tweets, Facebook posts, TV appear- ances and even adverts in service stations – or anywhere Ielse you might have spotted our smiling faces (but don’t worry: we haven’t let the fame go to our heads) – the Avalon Marsh- es won the Best Environment Project for the National Lottery Award 2017 Once again, we would like to thank everyone who voted for us and everyone who helped to deliver the project so successful- ly that we were eligible to win the award – we couldn’t have done it without you – and thank you for And the show bearing with us during the voting process. Wednesday August 23rd was goes on . never going to be a completely normal day. We all knew that the o, the HLF-funded Avalon now formed the Avalon Marshes BBC was in the Avalon Marshes Marshes Landscape Partnership. to film footage for a finalist show Partnership Scheme won We meet at least quarterly and reel but little did we know what S the prestigious National Lottery are continuing to capitalise on the would happen next. Award, and the scheme has success of the recent Landscape At lunchtime we were all round- come to an end after many years Partnership Scheme, as well as ed up for an announcement and, Photo credits: Lotto Good Causes Twitter and ITV News Westcountry of fantastic work by staff and considering how best we can carry after several minutes of shuffling volunteers from all the organisa- on working together to make the and wondering what was going tions involved. Avalon Marshes an even better on, Bill Bailey appeared from However, the work does not place for wildlife and heritage. around the corner and proceed- Avalon Marshes scoops best stop there! As part of the legacy And this doesn’t just apply to the ed to announce that the Avalon of the Landscape Partnership Avalon Marshes. Working with Marshes Project had won the Scheme, the partners – RSPB, others across the whole of the category for best HLF Environ- Somerset Wildlife Trust, Natu- Somerset Levels and Moors is mental Project Award. environmental project award ral England, the Hawk and Owl crucial to achieving our conserva- Before we managed to recov- Trust, South West Heritage tion goals in this amazing area. er from the shocks we had all category. Getting to that point people to learn about and enjoy Trust, Somerset County Council Jane Brookhouse been given, there was a whirl of was testament to the enor- this really special place. Every- and the Environment Agency RSPB Area Reserves Manager, photographs being taken and mous amount of hard work and one in the partnership is thrilled – have agreed to continue to Somerset and Gloucestershire the next thing we knew we were passion from so many people to have won. As well as a shiny work closely together, and have providing the background for the over four years, including the trophy, an appearance at the BBC lunchtime news. After that Avalon Marshes Partnership award show on September 27th it was off to Ham Wall to film the team who co-ordinated all the and fantastic national publicity, planned pond dipping session, activities, all the partners, and the project receives £5000 to now unexpectedly accompa- the many hundreds of committed enable the partnership to give nied by Bill Bailey. The children volunteers who together brought even more nature a home and pond dipping had a great time the partnership’s vision for the help visitors to connect and and managed to catch several Avalon Marshes to life. enjoy this special place. So a water scorpions and dragon- It is not hard to see how big thank you to everyone who fly nymphs, which they were amazing the results have been: voted for us and shared the delighted about showing to Bill. incredible wildlife; the trails and voting link with their contact lists, The project was shortlisted facilities that really do enable friends and families. as one of nine finalists from more people to enjoy all the part- Abbie Thorne 1,300 entries around the UK in ners’ nature reserves; and many Visitor Experience Manager – the Best Environment Project events which have inspired Somerset First view of new platform designs s many of you will be aware, the viewing plat- forms at Ham Wall are subsiding towards the canalA and are in need of replac- ing and some shoring-up work to prevent this happening in future. We’ve begun the process of getting the platforms replaced and have an initial concept Education shelter already home for design that we would like to go forward with from Red Kite. The platforms will sit within the nature - and great place to relax current footprint and look similar to the images on the right. he work on the education The structure that looks like a shelter in the Mini-Marshes giant notice board is actually a area at Ham Wall is now shelter to keep off the sun and complete. The shelter was rain and is something that we Terected by contractors but everything will modify in the final design. else has been done by our amazing The timeline we are working to volunteers. The first task was the is to replace the platforms in the decking, expertly installed in May. summer of 2018 but this entirely The next job was to construct lock- dependent on us being able to able storage benches inside, which line up funding. If we are unsuc- were finished a few weeks ago and I cessful, we will have to look at think you’ll agree they look amazing. other sources of funding for the Volunteers Garry, Reg and Pete W platforms and the replacement have done a fabulous job. As well as Main picture, top: start and finish of the education shelter; above, won’t happen before summer doing the construction, they provid- Wednesday volunteers Alan, Pete and Tom start off the decking; below, storage benches built by Thursday volunteers Gary, Reg 2019. Watch this space for ed us with shopping and kit lists to and Pete W. Photos by Ali Blaney updates about the project. make sure they had what they need- Abbie Thorne ed when the time came, making the Visitor Experience Manager - whole process nicely streamlined. Somerset The bird silhouette holes match the window stickers and really finish the benches off nicely. They also allow Water way to get a privileged tour among the reeds people to see into the benches and The 5th and 6th of August and worry about that aspect. 11:30am, 1:30pm and 3pm, show that, although the benches 2nd and 3rd of September The idea of the event is to with 16 visitors on each trip. are locked, there is nothing of value saw the return of Ham Wall’s get visitors in among the reeds This is an amazing 1,256 inside. This should hopefully prevent ever popular ‘wildlife by canoe’ and we use a small area away participants in total, which anyone breaking into them and caus- weekends. from the main public footpaths means we have to be on the ing unnecessary damage. This is the fourth year we so it really is a privileged tour. ball to keep it running smoothly They are already being used for have run the event and it is Most people enjoy the peace and on time. Unfortunately the storage purposes, plus visitors (and A lot of hard work went into this going from strength to strength and tranquillity as they paddle weather was a bit mixed but a staff and volunteers!) have been shelter and it is already proving and has become one of the around the route and with lot of hardy souls came out on taking the weight of their feet and beneficial to school groups and many highlights of the Somerset the iconic Glastonbury Tor, the final Sunday to brave the making use of the extra seating now other visitors – a huge thank you events programme. complete with ruined church rain and a fun time still seemed available. In early November the final to everyone involved. Also, swal- It is a unique opportunity for towering in the background, to be had by all! task was completed with the addition lows nested in it straight away and visitors to experience Ham Wall you could be forgiven for think- of guttering, which will now stop the Michael Wilson successfully fledged chicks: a home as they never have before. We ing you have travelled back in rain dripping off the front edge of the Somerset Visitor Experience for nature, as well as a great place to use a qualified instructor who time several hundred years. roof. The guttering blends in surpris- Officer relax with a cup of tea in all weathers! supplies the canoes and safety Over two weekends we ran ingly well and adds the finishing Ali Blaney equipment so we don’t have to four tours a day at 10am, touch. Warden, Ham Wall Ever wondered how the catch team manages to bag those wary crane chicks so they can be ringed and Date for your tagged? Here’s Damon Bridge’s step-by-step guide diary – a volunteer social in the New Year.