Our Chilean flamingo flock is currently being housed indoors. This is a temporary measure as a precaution to avian influenza (bird flu). We will let you know as soon as they are safe to be outdoors. Thank you for your understanding.
The excavation of our new saline lagoon continues apace.
The recent cold snap froze the muddy habitat solid, perfect conditions for the diggers to make good headway carving out the shape of the lagoon; giving it depth and width.
The river reedbed shelter has been demolished, along with some of the paths, and the materials have been stockpiled ready to re-use later in the project.
Along the river path, the raised bank has been removed and leveled and the spoil placed at the North East corner of the site.
Next up will be the removal of the old fence and the breaching of the river bank, opening up the newly-created lagoon to the waters of the River Wear.
Exciting stuff!...
Getting the diggers on site was no mean feat…
…and even required the strategic removal of some fencing!
The excavation begins. White Meadow (to the top right of the shot) will remain unchanged, but the bottom half of the site will soon be dramatically altered.
View from the reedbed end of the lagoon. The picnic shelter has been demolished and the materials are to be recycled, but the reedbed - an important habitat that is in decline - remains. Fresh water from this reedbed will be used to top up the lagoon and balance the salinity levels if needed.
Black-headed gulls feast on the freshly-disturbed earthworms and invertebrates. The fence running along the river bank (look hard - it's there!) is to be removed and the bank breached, connecting us to the River Wear.
