26/09/2026 9.00 - 13.00  Dockens Water path and North side. Caught up with some of the bramble and trip hazard trimming.

Issues of note:

• Branches hanging low over north path ?west of the west screen. Trimmed some and bent some back between other branches, but not sure they will stay. ? Needs trimming
• Small ?binocular case on the memorial bench on the Dockens Water path - passed on to Catherine
• Water bottle left in Goosander hide and waste bags and paper still in the brambles to the left of the Hide.

Sightings:

• September cormorant feeding frenzy in operation!!! Seen herding fish into the bay to the west of Tern Hide, accompanied by Heron and Egrets!
• Flock of ?Lapwings seen flying north over Ibsley Water. ?indicator of bird movement and potential precursor to new migrant arrivals.
• 2 foals and 2 ponies seen on south side of spit between Lapwing and Goosander, one pony seen on the north side

 12/09/2026  9.00 - 13.00  Dockens Water path and North side. Path and Hide check. Usual bramble and trip hazard trim.

Kevin, Brenda and team carrying out their bird ringing tasks at the north end.

Issues of note:

• On the signpost, just inside the east end gate onto the northern side from Ellingham Drove, tape had been removed from the upper section and used to cover the 'No Dogs' sign -  I removed and replaced the tape in the original place.
• Some rubbish at Goosander Hide - a plastic bottle in the vegetation at the front of the Hide, and a bottle and some empty plastic bags in the brambles across from the southern side window. 

 05/09/2026  9.00 - 13.00  Dockens Water path and North side. Usual trim and hide check. 

'Sightings':

• Brenda, Kevin and team at Lapwing hide completing their bird ringing tasks.
• Lakes very quiet, apart from an Osprey seen flying over Ibsley by a visitor.
• Some increase in herons and egrets around Ibsley.

Issues of note: 

• Some rubbish in the brambles to the left of Goosander hide still.
• Bag of Ice Melt Salt left alongside the path from the road towards Tern Hide; on the Hanson plant side of the fence, close to the first marked trees. ? Catherine plans to collect.

Report:

• Visitor reported seeing two young men in the water near the shore in front of Tern Hide on a Monday two weeks ago. He took a photo which he plans to email in and/or show to Catherine. Also reported to the Welcome Hut volunteers.

 29/08/2026  9.00 - 13.15  Dockens Water path and North side. Removal of twigs and small branches that have fallen onto the paths. Trimming of trip hazards; plus small branches drooping over the paths and reeds over the boardwalk due to the wind and rain.

Issues of note:

• Some rubbish in the bramble vegetation to the left of Goosander hide, otherwise all appears OK.

Sightings:

• Very few bird species on Ibsley this morning other than coot, mallards, gulls on Gull Island and a few swans.
• Great White Egret seen in the silt pond near Lapwing hide
• A Lapwing on the spit in front of Lapwing hide!

Very quiet, no visitors at all seen on the north side this morning.

 22/08/2026  9.00 - 12.45  Dockens Water Path and North side. Usual bramble and trip hazard trim where necessary. 

Issues of note:

• some rubbish left in Goosander hide - ?same type as previous weeks, ?same person. 
• some rubbish on the ground outside of the left hand window.
• Quite a few birds on the silt pond near Lapwing hide but not easy to see through the trees and vegetation in front of the screens.

Sightings:

• 3 ponies and the foal on the spit between Lapwing and Goosander
• 2 Common Sandpipers and a juvenile Lapwing at the bottom of the bank to the left of Goosander hide
• ? Wood Sandpiper near the small island to the right of Tern Hide, plus 2 Lapwings and a pied wagtail

 08/08/2026  9.00 - 13.00  Dockens Water path and North side. Hurray, the bramble growth is at last slowing down - still a few runners and trip hazards trimmed.

No obvious signs of inappropriate behaviour in Lapwing, Goosander or Tern Hides.

Sightings:

• 3 ponies plus foal seen on the spit south of Lapwing Hide. Foal feeding from it's mum!!
• Wood Sandpiper, Little Ringed plover, Lapwing and Pied Wagtail seen on small spit to the right of Tern Hide.

For future reference:

• The birch, willow and vegetation growth in front of the 2 screens on the North Path need cutting right back  ++ to restore the sightlines to the Silt Pond there.

 01/08/2026  9.00 - 13.00  Dockens Water path and North side. Usual bramble trimming, both runners and trip hazards.

Issues of note:

• Lapwing Hide. Two large empty water bottles left in Hide, no other obvious problems.
• Goosander Hide. No extra problems/damage seen in the Hide.      In respect of the left hand raft in front of the hide, a bird carcass is seen on the far left hand corner, plus the raft is tilting towards that corner.

Mike Meeks plus two helpers released some gull chicks near to the base of Spit Island, accessed via the overflow car park. He had spoken to Catherine prior to the release.