Final look at the grazing season and farewell to Alex

Today we were out with volunteers and staff to finish of raking and collecting vegetation from the dunes. After some heavy raking we then took the volunteers out to have a look at the grazed areas and show them what had been happening over the last few months.

It was pretty blustery and a bit rainy so we had a whistle stop tour of the site looking at the areas the sheep had grazed and the impact they have had. Our volunteers have been helping with the cutting and raking of vegetation throughout the Reserve which makes up the other part of our vegetation management.

Raking vegetation

 

It was Alex's last day today and we wish her ever success in the future...we never know we might persuade her to do another season!

 



The volunteers ready for raking!

A few words from Alex talking about her time on the Reserve

After spending the past four and a half months on the Lindisfarne NNR my time as a Seasonal Warden has come to an end.  I spent most of my time out on Holy Island checking on the sheep and cattle, and surveying non-native invasive plant species on the dune system.  My largest survey by far was mapping the extent of Pirri-pirri bur on the NNR area of Holy Island.  Despite being slightly sick of the sight of those bright green leaves, I did get to spend a lot of time on the island and was able to see all the wintering waders and Light-Bellied Brent Geese, even the occasional flock of Fulmars at Coves Haven.  Even with escaping cattle and stormy weather I’ve enjoyed spending another season here at Lindisfarne learning more about the Northumberland Coast.

 

Below are some of Alex's photos from her time here.