Hi,
Reedbeds are wonderful places for wildlife, but it's a habitat that isn't that common. So, we have been stepping up over the last couple of weeks by planting more reeds around the main lake.
The sun shone on us on Tuesday as the photo of Alice and Dan, two of Saltholme's volunteers, shows. But the rest of the week was wet, wet and wetter.
I lost count, but about a thousend reed plants must have gone in on the side of the lake opposite the visitor centre. When they grow they'll give shelter to young great crested grebes, moorhens and coots. It'll also give some hiding places for all the waders that will pass through Saltholme in 2012 once they've finished breeding.
Given time, money and a lot more work, we hope to devolop even larger reed beds and so attract the birds that are typical of this habitat such are bearded tits, bitterns and marsh harriers. The marsh harriers do visit us in the summer, and we've had a bittern here for the past week. Things are looking up, but they don't stay to breed as our reedbeds aren't quite big enough or mature enough yet. By joining the RSPB you have helped to pay for machinery to fashion the marshes, and to buy reeds, both here and at other reserves. These have been planted by the volunteers (who only expect a cup of tea, well a few cups) and in time bitterns will boom.
Bye,
Peter.