Welcome to the Friends of Lavell's Lake (F.O.L.L) Website
Bittern Lavell's Tern Scrape 2008 : Ron Bryant
Who are the Friends Of Lavell's Lake (F.O.L.L.)?
We are a registered charity (297074) with nearly 300 members and we hold monthly volunteer work parties to help manage the habitats to maximise the biodiversity.
Lavell's Lake has two scrapes, Phragmites reed beds and scrub habitats and in co-operation with Dinton Pastures Countryside Service (DPCS), we have worked together to build 2 excellent public hides overlooking Tern and Teal scrapes and from January 2010 F.O.L.L. built a 'members only' hide at Lea Farm GP.
The original committee set up the agreement with Dinton Pastures Countryside Service (DPCS) in 1984, dedicating Lavell's Lake as a Local Nature Reserve (L.N.R.).
Lavell's Lake offers a good mixture scrub, grassy areas, mixed Alder, Hawthorn and Blackthorn scrub, mixed deciduous hedgerows of Hazle, Spindle, some young Oak, Ash and the usual assortment of Willows. The amount of Phragmites reed has increased over 500% since 2004, along with reedy fringes, shallow waters, well stocked with natural fish, make this small reserve a paradise for equatic species in summer and winter.
Resident reed bed species are Reed Bunting and Cetti's Warbler, in the summer we have Reed & Sedge Warbler, with Water Rail & Bittern in the winter, along with Snipe, Teal, Shoveler and Lapwing on the scrapes.
Our key mission is to ensure the habitat is managed in the best way for nature to thrive and that area remains protected, whilst providing disabled access to bird watching hides.
Why we need your help
To keep attracting these birds, we have to constantly manage ever encroaching Willow and keep vegetation low and dense to maximise the scrub to attract these species, as well as Whitethroat, Bullfinch, Garden Warbler, Blackcap and Tits and finches.
In recent years DPCS have been hugely successful in helping F.O.L.L. with the expansion of new reed beds, grants for Bittern Hide and the disabled access path, as well as a new hide at Sandford and even more Phragmites.
But DPCS has undergone many downsizing and restructuring phases and we no longer have the guarantee that a DP person will be able to assist on our monthly work parties - All we need is enough people to come and help.
If you cannot help physically, we welcome assistance in other forms, like helping promote the benefits of membership on awareness days, litter picking, bird counts, etc.
F.O.L.L. maintains a winter bird feeding station at Bittern Hide and this costs around £400 per winter period to keep the feeders full, so even if you cannot help physically, we would really appreciate every donation - a sack of Black Sunflower costs £20 and lasts about 3 weeks
How you can get involved & help
- Join F.O.L.L. - Annual membership from £5.00 per year
- Attend our monthly 3 hour guided bird walks around Dinton Pastures for a £1.00
donation
Help out at our monthly volunteer work parties, held every fourth Sunday of each month
Donate additional funds towards conservation tasks and winter bird food
Attend our AGM and get involved with committee decisions
SECURITY ADVICE
DO NOT BE A VICTIM OF CAR CRIME
LEAVE NOTHING IN YOUR CAR
If you drive a hatchback, we recommend you remove it
show would be thieves you have nothing to steal
HELP US PROTECT LAVELL'S WILDLIFE
PLEASE KEEP DOGS ON LEADS ALL YEAR ROUND
THANK YOU