Mowing the lupine – and why it matters

Every summer, around the 10th of July once the ducklings have left the nests, we mow the lupine. It has spread across many hectares of the colony over the years, and while it looks lovely in bloom it is not a friend of the eider: predators can hide in it unseen, ducklings get lost in it, and we struggle to find the nests to look after them.

Before – the colony in June

In June the lupine is in full flower, and the colony turns blue and purple. Beautiful, but you cannot see a nest, a duckling or a fox in it.

After – July, once the mowers have been through

So each July the mowers come out and we cut it back, hectare by hectare. It is slow work, but it is paying off – other, lower vegetation is taking over, the colony is opening up again and the birds clearly prefer it that way. The drone photos show the mown paths and open ground; the blue-grey patches in the aerial images are what is still to be done.