DRAKELOW NATURE RESERVE: Saturday 26th January 2019: 1245 – 1615. A late visit to count Cormorants into their roost had to be abandoned due to the birds being startled on two occasions due to the presence of late visitors on the site. Unfortunately, over the last few years, this form of disturbance has become a common occurrence on a reserve that was long ago established for birds. Over the years the reserve has acquired a reputation for its roosting birds (Cormorants, Corvids, Stock Doves and other species) as many of the 50-odd annual reports on the reserve can testify to. What is becoming abundantly clear is that some form of restriction is now necessary to protect birds on the reserve as self-policing is completely ineffective. THANKS: Earlier in the week a fallen tree apparently blocked the drive. Our gratitude to whoever cleared the main trunk from the roadway and to Syd Garton and Rose Williams who cleared the remaining debris.