Image Credit: Ben Andrew, RSPB Images
You can tell it’s the summer holidays because the weather has been…mixed. But even when it’s been nice weather for ducks, that’s still been good for us because we have a lot of ducks. And even when the weather has (literally) put a dampener on things, there has still been plenty to see and do at Saltholme. Read on for more!
News from the Estate:
Image Credit: Countryfile
It’s Ragwort-pulling season. Ragwort has a somewhat mixed reputation- it is one of the flowers most frequently visited by butterflies and other insects, yet is poisonous to livestock. The bright yellow flowers warn livestock of the toxins they contain, meaning this plant is less dangerous whilst growing. Therefore, we leave these plants for most of the year to provide a critical food source for species such as the caterpillars of Cinnabar Moths. However, the Estates Team remove the ragwort from fields that will be hayed. This is because the flowers lose their colour when they are dried and also become more palatable, meaning cattle and other livestock can accidentally eat them and then become very ill. This means the wonderful Work Party has been busy pulling up as much ragwort as they can to keep the hay from these fields safe.
What’s On:
We may have mentioned it once or twice already, but it is now the summer holidays. This means there is PLENTY to see and do at Saltholme. We’ve been dancing around the rain showers a but this week, but we have had some incredible finds whilst Pond Dipping including Water Beetle larvae and even some fish! What will you find on your next visit?
Recent Sightings:
The weather may have put some people off visiting us, but it certainly hasn’t stopped the wildlife! Here is a brief round-up of the species seen this week…
Cuckoos are one of the first birds to begin the migration back to Africa. This is because they have laid their eggs in the nest of another bird and so are not tied to looking after the young! Image Credit: Ben Andrew, RSPB Images.
It is not unusual to see Cuckoos at Saltholme. What is unusual is to see a juvenile less than 5 metres from the path to the Saltholme Pools hide. Visitors were treated to fantastic views of this bird flying to-and-from ragwort plants, feasting on caterpillars (see the link we made back to an earlier point? Ecosystems are great, aren’t they?!). This individual was most likely raised by some of the Reed Warblers that live, unsurprisingly, in the reedbeds of our reserve.
As well as visual differences, you can distinguish between a Great White Egret and a Little Egret by watching their fishing technique; the Great White Egret tends to stand in one place (similar to the Grey Heron) whereas Little Egrets move around a lot more. Image Credit: Ben Andrew, RSPB Images.
It’s always a treat to see a Great White Egret. It’s even more of a treat to see three of them at the same time. That’s exactly the kind of treat that was in store for visitors to the Saltholme Pools hide. In fact, all three were at one point standing very conveniently in a row along the water’s edge!
Common Sandpipers bob up and down whilst walking, in an action known as ‘teetering’. Image Credit: Andy Hay, RSPB Images.
For those who fancy an identification challenge, we have also had both Pectoral Sandpiper and Common Sandpiper visible from our hides this week. Common Sandpipers have provided particularly good views, feeding right outside the viewing gallery of the Visitor Centre.
The Pyramidal Orchid is named after its flowers, which are arranged in the shape of a pyramid on top of a green stem. Image Credit: Nick Upton, RSPB Images.
We’re rounding off this week’s blog with a very interesting flower- a Pyramidal Orchid. Not only is this a beautiful variety of orchid, but it is also an important food source for a variety of butterflies and moths. The orchid also leads a secret double life (along with a lot of other orchid species)- orchid seeds are often too small to store enough food to grow on their own, so instead they work with a mat-forming fungus in the soil. In exchange for food, the roots of the growing orchids protect the fungus.
But unfortunately we do not have time to dive into any more interesting facts. There is always something happening at Saltholme which means we will need to finish the blog here and go and make sure it is happening as it should. But if you were to visit us (hint, hint), you are sure to discover lots of incredible wildlife and interesting facts yourself! Why not come along and give it a go?
References and Additional Reading
Butterfly Conservation (2023). Cinnabar Moth [webpage]. Accessed through https://butterfly-conservation.org/moths/cinnabar [last accessed 27/07/2023].
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (2023). Common Sandpiper [webpage]. Accessed through https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/common-sandpiper/ [last accessed 27/07/2023].
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (2023). Cuckoo [webpage]. Accessed through https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/cuckoo/ [last accessed 27/07/2023].
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (2023). Great White Egret [webpage]. Accessed through https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/great-white-egret/ [last accessed 27/07/2023].
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (2023). Pectoral Sandpiper [webpage]. Accessed through https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/pectoral-sandpiper/ [last accessed 27/07/2023].
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (2023). Reed Warbler [webpage]. Accessed through https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/reed-warbler/ [last accessed 27/07/2023].
The Wildlife Trusts (2023). Common Ragwort [webpage]. Accessed through https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/wildflowers/common-ragwort [last accessed 27/07/2023].
The Wildlife Trusts (2023). Pyramidal Orchid [webpage]. Accessed through https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/wildflowers/pyramidal-orchid [last accessed 27/07/2023].