I don’t think I would have believed anyone if they told me a few months down the line I would be the Eycott Hill Reserve and Training Officer!
Now, about a month into the position, I have got to know Eycott Hill Nature Reserve a lot better. I was thrilled to see the vast areas of young trees that are on the site, they are hidden away over the hill and I had not seen them before. As a student of woodland ecology it’s very exciting to see woodland in its early stages and to visualise Eycott’s upcoming forest. In the coming months I’ll be counting each and every one of these small trees to update the records on which species is doing well.
The birds have been another highlight, due to the restrictions I’ve hardly been on site but my visits have given me a chance to get familiar with the winged residents. Curlew are always a welcome sight and Eycott Hill's soundtrack has been mostly provided by the prolonged calls of the sky lark. I’ve seen my first snipe, meadow pipit and wheatear, my bird ID has never been brilliant but it’s going to have to be in shape in time for the breeding bird surveys (providing lockdown is lifted in time).
