Image Credit: Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, Slimbridge
It’s the first blog post of 2023! It will not follow the ‘New Year, New Me’ trend; expect the same level of bad jokes, shameless self-promotion and incredible wildlife as before. Read on for more!
News from the Estate:
For the first work party of the year, the willow around the welly splash got a manicure. The cut branches are being used to maintain nearby willow brash barriers; nothing goes to waste!
Speaking of barriers, the team have also been cutting hedgerows around the reserve. This is to diversify the structure of the hedgerow, which has two effects: firstly, it boosts the number of plant- and therefore animal- species on our reserve. Secondly, it gives us more cut material to utilise for protecting young hedgerow plants from grazing livestock.
What’s On:
Image Credit: Jack Agency, RSPB Images
The Christmas holidays may be over, but there is still fun to be had at RSPB Saltholme. Despite the lack of decorations, our Robin Robin trail is still available for children of all ages. Just ask at the front desk to pick up your £3 trail pack.
There are a wide range of schools sessions available at Saltholme, including pond dipping, minibeast hunting and birdwatching. All sessions are tailored to the National Curriculum. Image Credit: Mission Studios
With the first 5-and-a-bit days of 2023 under our belt, we are thinking ahead to the start of our school trip season. Saltholme is a fantastic place to learn about the natural world and have fun whilst doing so. Lessons learned here can foster a care and love of nature that can last a lifetime. Education is a hugely important aspect of nature conservation, as it ensures the next generation learn about the importance of wildlife and habitats.
Want to be a part of this vital work? It’s your lucky day! We are recruiting a Learning and Visitor Assistant to help deliver our high-quality school workshops to visiting schools groups from across Teesside. You will also be involved in planning and delivering family events and activities over the school holidays. We are looking for someone who has experience of working with children, a passion for nature, and a 'can-do' attitude. Sound like you? Just follow this link for more information and to apply.
Recent Sightings:
We reached 80 species sightings on the reserve 5 days into 2023. No, we are not going to mention all 80, but here are some of the highlights:
The ruddy shelduck is distinguished from the shelduck by its colouring. Image Credit: eBird
Two ruddy shelduck were seen at Saltholme Pools on Thursday. No, we’re not just being rude about our shelduck population- they are two different species! Whilst the standard shelduck is mostly white, with a dark green head and chestnut belly stripe, the ruddy shelduck is mostly a reddish-brown.
Look for the pale stripe above the eye to help you identify the water pipit. Image Credit: Paul Chesterfield, RSPB Images
To add to the excitement, a water pipit flew into Dorman’s Pool hide this week (don’t worry, not literally flew into it). These small, round, greyish-brown birds may not immediately grab your attention but should not be overlooked- they are winter visitors to the UK, breeding in the mountains of central Europe. So make sure to keep your eyes peeled on your next visit.
The flight of the jack snipe is different to that of the snipe- the jack snipe tends to fly much lower and straighter than its larger cousin. Image Credit: The Wildlife Trusts
A jack snipe entertained visitors to the Philstead Hide with its characteristic ‘bouncing’ motion. This is one of the ways you can distinguish this bird from the snipe (which, incidentally, has also been spotted at Saltholme recently), along with the fact it is smaller with a shorter bill. Both the snipe and jack snipe are incredibly well-camouflaged so, if you fancy a challenge or simply have a lot of time on your hands, have a go at finding them on your next visit!
Green sandpipers are so named because they use their long bills to probe sand and mud for buried insects. Image Credit: Chris Gomersall, RSPB Images
We’ll finish with a species that always draws a crowd: the green sandpiper. No, the name does not refer to this bird feeding on green sand, but to the fact that it is a sandpiper with green(ish) legs. With fewer than 300 over-wintering in the UK, it’s always special to welcome these waders onto our reserve.
Well, we shall stop there for this week to give you all time to get back to your New Year’s resolutions. Maybe one of those resolutions can be to visit Saltholme? We might be slightly biased, but we do have an incredible array of species to see, activities to enjoy and views to admire. We hope to see you soon!
References and Additional Reading
British Trust for Ornithology (2022). Ruddy Shelduck [webpage]. Accessed through https://app.bto.org/birdfacts/results/bob1710.htm [last accessed 05/01/2023].
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (2022). Green Sandpiper [webpage]. Accessed through https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/green-sandpiper/ [last accessed 05/01/2023].
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (2022). Jack Snipe [webpage]. Accessed through https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/jack-snipe/ [last accessed 05/01/2023].
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (2022). Shelduck [webpage]. Accessed through https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/shelduck/ [last accessed 05/01/2023].
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (2022). Snipe [webpage]. Accessed through https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/snipe/ [last accessed 05/01/2023].
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (2022). Water Pipit [webpage]. Accessed through https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/water-pipit/ [last accessed 05/01/2023].