A very warm welcome to you all to our brand new website. Here, you’ll find our latest news as well as background information about the Garganey Trust and our reserves.

There’s lots more to come this year

2019 is a busy time at all our sites, with things happening at all of them and some new projects and ventures in the pipeline.

Top news is that the excavations on the ‘back field’ (also known as Chirl Hill on the old maps) which is part of our Wings across the Ings project at Broomhill Flash, started in February and will last for up to six weeks.

Bittern Excavations Ltd are carrying out the work. They have a cracking track record on wetland creation schemes, having worked on Adwick, Alkborough, Carlton Marsh, and Nosterfield nature reserves (amongst others), so we are sure we will get a great result. 

Big discoveries at Broomhill

The massive delay to the project (by some 18 months) was due to the discovery of Romano-British archaeological remains found onsite. This meant we had to re-design the project and re-run the planning process. 

The upside is that the archaeology will add to the fascinating history of the Dearne. Thanks to a grant from the Dearne Valley Landscape Partnership, we will be holding a discovery day where you can see the pottery remains, read about the discoveries and see a demo of the methods used. Watch our events page for the up and coming date.

Developments at the Delf

At Denby Delf, Hazelwood Conservation have completed further work to shape and open the dense hawthorn scrub on site to provide sheltered glades for insects and foraging birds. 

We were thrilled to have a resident pair of willow tits last year – this is the UK’s fastest declining resident bird, the reasons for which aren’t yet fully understood. We are delighted to be part of the national Back from the Brink Willow Tit project which is learning more about this charming but elusive little bird. 

And Thunderbridge too!

At Thunderbridge Meadows, we are nearing completion of the Restoring Fenay Beck joint project with the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust. Alongside Hazelwood Conservation, they have helped to control invasive waterplants, stabilise eroding riverbanks and secure boundaries – more on that soon.

Spring is around the corner – robins and song thrushes are singing and the first oystercatchers are returning from their wintering grounds.  Thanks to our brilliant volunteers for keeping the car-park and hide at Broomhill open and tidy, and thanks to you for visiting this first blog. Stay tuned!