This week, a series of high tides on the east coast have been causing our north east reserve teams some anxious moments. 

At Carlton Marshes, the high tide levels have caused a significant breach in the flood defences around white cast reedbed. Matt and Gavin have fenced off the footpath along the river wall to make it as safe as possible for visitors.  

The Environment Agency are responsible for the river wall, and they will be working on securing the breach as soon they can. It will mean that increased water levels will persist across the reserve dependent on the high and low tides until the works have taken place. The only safe walking route for visitors currently is the Sprats Water trail and along the Share Marsh track to the Octagon. The waders, however, seem to be enjoying the extra water available. 

Warden Jamie Smith was watching the tide at Hen Reedbeds, which came close to the top of the river wall there too. 

Just a few days before the breach at Carlton Marshes, Matt and the team were doing a grand job creating more dykes and pools amongst the reedbeds at Peto's Marsh thanks to the Green Recovery Fund. We are looking forward to seeing the positive wildlife impacts this will have once the water has receded. 

A love and appreciation of nature runs deep here at Suffolk Wildlife Trust and Jamie Smith spotted these lovely cloud formations above our Church Farm reserve on Tuesday. 

ITV Anglia’s meteorologist, Aisling Creevey, kindly ID-ed these clouds for us and said, 

“They look like Cirrus fibratus clouds. They can arrange themselves into parallel bands due to turbulence and the strong winds at the height these clouds were likely at usually around 33,000 feet or so.” 

Thanks so much, Aisling! 

Although the thrum of the A12 is ever present, it’s lovely to hear the clear, vibrant song of the skylark cutting through the cold winter air at Church Farm. 

The woodland team have been coppicing a coupe at Bradfield Woods this week. Coppicing may look drastic when first cut, but it’s brilliant for wildlife and for the health and longevity of the woodland. 

Managing a woodland by traditional coppicing creates a mix of shady and open areas which means that it can allow a range of woodland species requiring different habitats to thrive. Thinning some older trees also allows the next generation of woodland trees to become established. The extra light and space on the woodland floor makes it suitable for the woodland plant species that favour more open conditions. These plants in turn provides a food source for insects and other animals living in the woods and helps maintain biodiversity. 

Our stunning Carlton Marshes nature reserve and north east Suffolk sites manager, Matt Gooch, appeared on BBC One’s Escape to the Country this week.  

If you missed it, you can catch up here (from 37:12): 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001435t 

Our south east reserve teams have been repairing nest boxes across the reserves this week, making sure they are all ready for the nesting season. 

South east Suffolk warden Rachel Norman rescued this lovely dog on Wednesday! Our brilliant team of volunteers found it wandering around Trimley Marshes. It had escaped from one of the houses nearby but Rachel managed to get hold of its owner and they were reunited again. Thank goodness for a happy ending.  

Dogs should be kept on leads at most of our reserves – find out why keeping disturbance to wildlife to a minimum is important.

Jessica has captured these lovely shots of Hazlewood marshes, as well as an action shot of our Sizewell Belts warden, Carl, clearing scrub from dyke edges and creating an impressive pile of chippings.