Flashes Feeding Station
To clarify the situation at this side of the reserve. We traditionally stop feeding after the winter at the Flashes. The Moors feeding station is all-year round.
There are are several reasons for the cessation of the Flashes FStn in March.
Firstly - the cost:
although we are donated the food by a well known supplier (I will get name later). We are only allowed a certain amount per year. This would not stretch to support 2 'full time' feeding stations.
secondly - Facilities:
We have better facilities at the Moors. ie 2 well placed hides. That provide plenty of room for many people to watch and take photo's. The Flashes 'cuckoo' hide has room for 3 people to watch, and the window flaps open outwards causing disturbance. The hide itself is less than adequate and to quote several photographers too distant for photos. The area at the Flashes also floods very easily and access to the feeders can be dangerous.
thirdly - access and storage:
With so much food needed to keep the feeding going, we need to store large quantities close at hand. We have two storage areas at the Moors, but just a plastic barrel at the Flashes - which needs filling every week or so. We therefore need to carry sacks of food down to the Flashes on a regular basis, which can be difficult at times.
Fourthly - volunteers:
At the Moors Bobby P and Vern do the feeding daily. At the Flashes Bob O and occasionally myself do it when we visit, but that is not everyday. The birding is much better at the Moors during the winter, so we tend to visit that site more often. The Flashes freezes easily, so on many days no one visits that site, thus no one to do the feeders.
and finally - disturbance:
A major reason for no feeding after the winter, is the disturbance to breeding birds. The Moors feeders are just in front of the hide and the feeders can be filled rapidly. At the Flashes we have to walk out past the sluice gate, this causes the nearby breeding BHG's to respond by flying over us and alarming. This causes consternation amongst the other breeders and many birds take flight.
So weighing up the pro's and cons we continue feeding only at the Moors.
You might be thinking that this is a bit of a random topic, but it is in response to a cheap jibes put in the Flashes log book recently.
which basically read, words to the effect of- " why no food in the feeders!" if I had bought a £3 permit I would not be happy!!!.
Hopefully those people will read this and it may help them understand more clearly on what is involved in the running of just a small aspect of the reserve. Maybe next time they could make a more positive contribution in the log book and enjoy the 100's of birds in front of the hides.
You can't please all the people all of the time...It just goes to show, with so much positivity going on at the reserve you always get some one who can't be pleased. Must be a great person to take to a party8-P john
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