Spring is gathering pace, and there is no better place to witness it than Finemere Wood. Fresh green leaves unfurl across the trees, while the woodland floor comes alive with colour: the white of wood anemones, the soft purple of dog violets, the pale yellow of primroses, and the deep violet haze of bluebells. Overhead, the chiffchaff’s insistent song proclaims the arrival of this most sensuous of seasons, whilst a lemon-yellow brimstone butterfly flutters lightly past.

The winter work of cutting and clearing scrub has been completed, and in the lull before the scythes come out, the woodland workers embark upon the annual Heras fence panel shuffle. Carefully, panels are removed from areas no longer requiring protection, with vigilance for early nesting birds among the vegetation entwined in the wire fencing.  

The great shuffle begins. Awkward rather than heavy, these large fence panels invite all manner of carrying techniques, dragged along the ground, lifted horizontally or upright, sometimes even two at a time. 

This is not a task that brings great joy to the volunteers, many of whom have performed this dance countless times. Fit folk they may be, but young they are not, and I am mindful that these older bodies must be treated with respect if I am to get another decade of toil out of them. 

The chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita) is a small olive-brown warbler with a pale stripe above its eye. Darting among trees and shrubs, it blends seamlessly into its surroundings, making it a difficult bird to spot. However, its emphatic “chiffchaff chiffchaff” song boldly announces its presence.

Predominantly a migratory bird, spending the winter in the warmer climes of southern Europe and North Africa, it is one of the first migrant birds to arrive in the UK in the spring. Yet with a warming climate, more individuals are now staying throughout the year, and a small but growing resident population is becoming established. Feeding on insects and spiders, chiffchaffs nest close to the ground, amongst dense vegetation and brambles, laying their clutches of eggs in feather-lined nests.

The shuffle is almost complete.  Fence panels are delivered to the waiting team, ready to be slotted into place and secured together around newly cleared areas, protecting new growth from the nibbling of deer. With well-practised hands, they are up in a jiffy. 

As the last panels are secured and tools are put away, there is a collective sigh of relief; this job is done for another year. The woodland workers retreat, and Finemere Wood returns to its steady spring unfolding.

More than 1,700 volunteers help us towards our vision of more nature everywhere, on our nature reserves, at our visitor and education centres, in our offices and more.

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