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Freeman’s Marsh and the Birds Nesting Season 2011.
It was in January 2009 that the Trustees of the Town and Manor of Hungerford launched a long term conservation programme to arrest rising problems of depleting bird numbers, damage to the water courses plants and vandalism.
There is now a Conservation Group of more than 50 people who lend a hand with projects and report the activities of visitors to the “Marsh” in addition to the members of the Commons and Fishery Committees. Surprisingly perhaps, in quite a short time, the changes in both management and the husbandry have made significant return of wildlife in many areas of the “Marsh”. At the public meeting we talked about the loss of bird populations and plants also of the fragile but important Water Voles that live in the rivers and canal. We noted the risk of losing the habitations in the rivers for the success of river life and other water plants and animals due to pollution. Also the damage of the river banks caused by the grazing cattle both treading and grazing the bank side vegetation which otherwise is the home of insect and fly life and shelter for the river.
We were very concerned and worried by the increasing numbers of dogs walking the area, many uncontrolled during critical seasons for the success of the wildlife. Spaniels and Labradors both are expert hunters and retrievers one Spaniel could successfully quarter the whole of the “Marsh” in one outing causing real distress to all ground nesting birds. The same Spaniel the next outing will remember exactly the spot where that peewit, moorhen, coot, snipe, green piper or water rail would be nesting and will chase off the bird. If there are eggs then the birds will probably not return. Cattle and birds will happily live together the birds are not threatened by the big heifer or steer.
Birds come to the “Marsh” and live here for shelter and security and of course a plentiful supply of food. Our recent visitors of the Glossy Ibis, the Great White Egret, Green Sandpipers and our resident two pairs of Egrets as examples, have enjoyed the wonderful supply of food here and no doubt they will return if they are hungry and feel safe. They will have feasted on bullheads, loach, cadis, snail, shrimp just to name a part of the food supply which is profuse in our rare chalk streams.
The K&A canal bank restoration work is now complete after 4 months work in some of the worst weather we have endured in many years. There is just fencing to complete the project to determine the BW boundary and to prevent further damage by the cattle.
The importance of Freeman’s Marsh as a unique place west of Hungerford was recognised by government 20 years ago when it was just about the first area designated as SSSI or a “Site of Special Scientific Interest” and has been supported by Agricultural Grants. Soon it will be 1st March and the beginning of the nesting season.
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