The estate team are just as active in the winter, especially on a day like today with the cold weather and winds. One of the previous jobs we did was posted on a blog at the end of 2012 and some of you might remember seeing the estate team improving the sand martin bank at the edge of the main lake.
As the 2013 spring arrived so did the sand martins after traveling all the way from their African wintering grounds. The sand martins arrive to raise their young on the plentiful food. They nest in colonies in sandy vertical water’s edge bank; they will dig a tunnel and then a nest at the end of the tunnel. The artificial bank was improved for the 2013 breeding year but after the sand martins have dug out a tunnel in the sand it has to be re filled the following year (for 2014) in order for them to create a new nest and for the bank and the breeding colony to succeed.
The sand needs to be compacted in the artificial bank and you can see Dean compacting the sand down.
A recent sightings update –
Over the weekend two bittern were sighted flying over Haverton Hill and seven reed buntings at the wildlife watchpoint. Today the water rails were calling to each other from in the reed beds along both sides of the entrance road track to the car park. One green winged teal was seen again, as it was over the weekend too. It is very happy to be with the other Eurasian Teal at the Saltholme Hide, this is great because it gives you a chance to see the slight difference between the Eurasian Teal and the Green winged Teal.
- Josh McGowan