I have already had the pleasure of assisting with different age groups, working in a range of habitats and varying weather conditions (nothing a cup of tea can’t solve). I have been busy helping run Wild Tot sessions, preparing materials and assisting with a woodland activity day at Lound Lakes. This day consisted of making name badges, natural headbands, wildlife spotting, den building and finishing off with marshmallows and popping corn on a fire. My new skills gained at Forest School training came into play throughout this session as well as with Wild Tots. I was out assisting with a school group on the Marshes looking for ‘signs of wildlife’ and to my delight found two owl pellets, which we later dissected and found what the owls of Carlton had been feasting on.

Half-term has been busy on the reserve, seeing roughly 100 children and adults for dyke dipping. This was followed by a fully-booked Easter Eggstravaganza later on in the week, which was great fun for families as they went around the reserve on a trail, we met in the woods for nest building, green man mud faces and a scavenger hunt!

It has been great to be a part of the recent developments at Carlton Marshes. The work has begun as machinery and diggers arrived on site last week. I have been greeting visitors and had the pleasure of witnessing first-hand the appreciation of nature and Carlton Marshes amongst visitors, children and volunteers.

Spring has sprung on the reserve as we now have waders nesting on the Scrape, otters playing, marsh harriers displaying, and the reserve is alive with the sound of busy wildlife.