This is the first of (hopefully) many entries over the course of this summer chronicling the highs and lows of the Great Bustard reintroduction to Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire. We’re well into the second active year of the project and with the steep learning curve of 2004 everyone has a lot of new ideas of how we can improve. For people who want to know more about the project, check out www.greatbustard.com.

As far as recent news is concerned David Waters, the head of the project, flew out to Russia today and will (hopefully) return with the new batch of chicks in mid-July. You’ll notice with these posts the word ‘hopefully’ appears a lot, especially when Russia is involved, because of the inherent unpredictability of things. At the moment we’re facing a likely delay in the departure of the chicks from Russia, mainly due to bureaucracy and paperwork. But we’re used to this now and hopefully there won’t be too many other hitches.

Otherwise the finishing touches are being added to the quarantine that will be the new bustards’ home for the first month or so after arrival. The quarantine has already been approved by DEFRA, the major hurdle for us jump, but there’s still a few things we want to do before the bustards get here.

A bit about myself: I’m a local Wiltshire lad, growing up just 8 miles from the reintroduction site. I’ve just finished my first year of a three year Zoology degree at Durham. I got involved with the project after returning from my gap year in May 2004 and have been volunteering on and off ever since. This summer I’m now a paid employee of the project, charged with quarantine construction and maintenance, chick rearing and myriad other tasks not worth mentioning here!

I’ll try and keep this blog updated weekly at least and will include photos when possible. In the meantime if anyone has any questions or comments please feel free to email me (Saul Cowen) at mako_21@hotmail.com.