From January through April, I performed some bird transects at the Ramsey Heights nature reserve as part of my Duke of Edinburgh Volunteering section. Every two weeks, I would walk a set route around the reserve, noting down any birds I saw or heard along the way.

It was wonderful watching spring arrive as the weeks went on; more birds appeared, and everything felt a lot brighter and greener than when I had begun. As the weather warmed, as you would expect, more birds appeared! I went from only seven bird species in the beginning to an impressive 23 in late March, which wonderfully also led to the reserve becoming a vibrant orchestra of bird calls. 

This experience also improved my knowledge of common bird calls; I went from only knowing two or three at the beginning to recognising more and more as time went on. This was also aided by the wonderful app: Merlin Bird ID, which could identify birds from their calls, allowing me to listen and learn. The data I collected built upon data collected last year. Together, hopefully, this data will provide a good picture of the bird species living in the area. Next year, I hope this data can be built upon once again and continued for years to come.

Notable highlights when comparing 2025 data to 2024:

• Chiffchaff recorded two weeks earlier than 2024
• Firecrest, Marsh Harrier, Sedge- and Willow Warbler calls recorded for the first time
• No cuckoos heard within same time period

Due to the reserve’s blend of woodland and waterways, it provides a habitat for a variety of species, either as a permanent home or a temporary stop. The grassland area south-west of the reserve sees many red kites and other birds of prey hunting overhead. The shrubbery and trees around the reserve are home to many species of tits and other small songbirds. The ponds and streams across the north of the reserve were where I saw many different species of waterfowl, such as Mallard ducks, Eurasian coots, moorhens, and a pair of Little grebes – a wonderful sight to see. All these areas make for a wonderful wildlife reserve full of unique species, which aren’t limited to just the birds. I’ve seen many muntjac deer zooming through the trees and many interesting insects across the reserve.

The best part of this experience for me personally was the sense of doing something beneficial. I personally spend way too much time behind a computer screen or lying lazily on my bed, but through my volunteering at Ramsey Heights every two weeks, I felt as if I was making a positive contribution, even if it was only something small. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I’m going to continue into the summer, even after my three-month DofE volunteering placement is complete. 

If you too wish to do something good and to make a small impact, I would urge you to do the same: reach out to your local reserve and ask if there is anything you can do to help their amazing work, or if you live near Ramsey Heights, you could continue my work next year! 

Thank you for reading my small blog post about my experience, and thank you to all the amazing staff at the reserve! I hope I’ve inspired you to help at your local reserve. If you do, I wish you the best of luck!