Bodenham Lake Nature Reserve

We had to share this stunning video of fallow deer in the shallow waters of Bodenham Lake. Watch with sound on to hear the dawn chorus.
A big thanks to Lugg Wetland Gem volunteers for their hard work in capturing this footage and National Lottery Heritage Fund for funding the project.

Any of our members fancy coming along to explore a new reserve? 🌻🌷🌱

After the success of phase one of our project at Bodenham Lake; reedbed creation, this September we will start phase two, to improve three islands for wildlife.
Islands are important for ground nesting birds such as little ringed plover and oystercatcher, as they provide protection from land-based predators, improving survival of chicks.
Every donation to our re-wilding Bodenham Lake appeal makes a real difference. https://www.herefordshirewt.org/appeal

Are you planning on visiting Bodenham Lake this weekend? Keep an eye out for our native geese, they greylag which currently have goslings, as captured by our Lugg Wetland Gem project volunteer using trail cameras.

A huge thanks to the FANTASTIC Lugg Wetland Gem volunteers and JPR Environmental for planting 1,600 reed plants in the shallow waters we created at Bodenham Lake Nature Reserve last autumn. The reed plants will grow to form a reedbed, rich in species such as water rail, warblers, eels, otter and more :)!
There are great views of one of the reedbed creation areas from the new bird hide on the Southern shore of the Lake. The fencing is to protect the reeds whilst they are young and palatable.
The reed planting was kindly funded by Tesco’s Bags Of Help scheme (Groundwork), as part of the National Lottery Heritage Funded Lugg Wetland Gem project and European Regional Development Funded Delivering the Nutrient Management Plan Project.

What a fantastic morning on Friday at the Lake, celebrating the Lugg Wetland Gem and Delivering the Nutrient Management plan projects which are creating a hectare of new reedbed habitat within the wonderful landscape of the Lugg Valley. Thanks to all those who came along to find out more, to our ever-wonderful team of volunteers and to all the project funders. European Regional Development Fund Environment Agency Herefordshire Ornithological Club National Lottery Heritage Groundwork

A scarce black tern dropped in at the lake on Saturday. These pretty marsh terns rarely breed in the UK, but sites like Bodenham provide important feeding and resting stops during their spring migration. Thanks to Herefordshire Ornithological Club member Jim Wilkinson for reporting the sighting.

A great chance to explore an amazing landscape with expert walk leaders here, if anyone fancies it! 😊 Booking via: https://www.herefordshirewt.org/…/2019- 05-19-discover-dowar…

Over the next week we will be extending screening to the Southern bird hide, to make sure birds enjoying the newly created shallows aren't scared away as people approach the hide. The screening will also contain "windows" so you to see the wildlife on the lake shore without it seeing you!
The bird hide is open as normal. Thanks to the #nationallotteryheritagefund for funding this project :).

Will you take on the challenge? #30DaysWild 🎉

A fantastic photo taken by Andrew Terry of greylag geese enjoying the newly created habitat at Bodenham Lake. If you look closely you can also see Oystercatcher, which have regularly been spotted in the shallows created by the Southern bird hide(also known as the new bird hide).
The project to create this habitat is kindly funded by The National Lottery the European Regional Development Fund, a private donation and the Environment Agency.

In 2018 we improved over 1 hectare of the edge of Bodenham Lake for wildlife, by creating shallow waters in which wetland plants thrive.
Herefordshire Wildlife Trust have been awarded £84,164 of European Regional Development Funding, which will allow us to extend our habitat improvement works to 3 of the Lakes Islands, but we require further donations to be able to secure a contractor to do the works. We hope you can help us to reach our target of £5000.
More information about the appeal and how to donate here: https://www.herefordshirewt.org/appeal

We must act now if we want to save our countryside and wildlife!