Hawthorn hide revamp
Hawthorn Wood feeding station and hide will be closed on Wednesday 10 & Thursday 11 May. This is so that we can give it a good spring clean and make some minor improvements.
So what’s involved in a spring clean of a feeding station?
Well, we need to give the hide itself a good clean out. This is to ensure it’s a great space for visitors to enjoy and also to make sure no spilt feed is lying around which may attract pest species. As well as the hide we'll also:
Give the feeders themselves a good scrub to make sure that they aren't carrying any diseases naturally carried by wild birds, which could transfer to other individuals.- Renew any dead wood which supports the feeders to make sure they are nice and secure.
- Take the opportunity to review where the feeders are placed to ensure they suit the birds and provide the best visibility for visitors to observe the birds.
- Replenish the woodchip on the ground around the feeders - this provides good foraging for the birds and also makes the area safe and non-slippy for when our wardens refill the feeders on their daily rounds.
- Do a cut of the grassy areas around the feeding station. This makes the birds (especially ground feeding species) feel safe by removing hiding space for any potential predators. It also increases visibility for visitors.
We’ll also be installing a discreet platform in front of the hide which will allow us to undertake maintenance (window cleaning, clearing guttering etc). Finally, we're excited to be installing a sustainable drainage system, which guides water run off from the roof into the pond where birds can drink and bathe.
Obviously, that’s quite a lot to get done in a couple of days but we don’t want to have the hide closed to visitors for any longer than we have to. Thanks for your patience whilst we undertake this essential work.
