Some days ago we cleared more than half a ton of litter from the surroundings of the bird hide in Souto, by the right bank of the Betanzos estuary. However a lot of residue still remains there because there wasn’t enough space in the garden trailer. So, we are returning next Sunday, since good weather is forecast.
As on the previous day, we will take advantage of the low tide to spend some time watching the large numbers of waterfowl that use the protected natural heritage site SAC Betanzos-Mandeo as a wintering place and migratory passage, before leaving to North Europe to breed.
As usually, the meeting point will be the Outpatient Clinic of Betanzos in order to share cars (those who are going directly are asked to let us know, so that we do not wait for them in vain). Given that we are going to walk through the reed bed, it is necessary to wear wellingtons and gloves too (rubber gloves are most suitable). Because there is the risk of hitting your eyes with a reed, it is also advisable to wear glasses (sun glasses, prescription spectacles or safety goggles). Don’t worry about tools, but remember to take something to eat and drink for the mid-morning break.
If you would like to collaborate in the cleaning of the estuary, please send us your data in advance (complete name, ID, birth date, postal code and mobile phone number). This way, we can inform you on last minute changes, you will be covered by an accident insurance and you will facilitate organization. In section Contact you will find the necessary information.
Meeting point: Outpatient Clinic of Betanzos.
Date: February 23rd, 2020.
Time: We will be leaving at 9.30 a.m., coming back at 2 p.m.
The Deputación da Coruña will finance 80% of the volunteer insurance policy.
Post data: Again, we cleared more than half a ton of litter! To be precise, the fifteen volunteers who took part in this volunteering day withdrew 505.5 kg of litter. With this cleaning, the total weight of the littering removed during this year amounts to more than two tons: exactly 2,384.5 kg.
The bulkier pieces we found were two wheels and a washer drum. But the harder work was to withdraw the agricultural plastics, especially the crop nets used for legume cultivation, because they were tangled with vegetation and half buried.
Before starting the clearing, the ornithologist of the Hábitat Naturalist Group, Mr. Santiago Vázquez, talked about the diversity of fauna sheltered by the Betanzos estuary. Although the fog made birdwatching difficult, he was able to show us different bird species that could be seen through the telescopes (Western marsh harrier, little egret, pink-footed goose, mallard, Eurasian teal, Eurasian curlew, common greenshank, common redshank, common sandpiper, etc.). It was a good prologue to encourage us to improve the conservation of the marshland.
