Image Credit: Ben Andrew, RSPB Images
As schools wind down for the summer holidays, Saltholme is preparing for its busiest time of year. The wildlife has also been out-and-about making the most of the sunshine in between the showers. Read on for more!
News from the Estate:
When dry, the seeds of Yellow Rattle will rattle in the seed pods, giving the plant its name. Image Credit: Ben Andrew, RSPB Images.
Despite the rain, our wonderful estates team have been out-and-about making sure the reserve is at its best for both visitors and wildlife. Let’s start off with the wildlife…
The team began the week by clearing vegetation from the Bee Bank in the car park. By keeping this area clear of grass, we provide basking spots for these important pollinators and also give space for wildflowers to grow.
And that is not all! The team have also been collecting the seeds of Yellow Rattle from the Wildflower Meadows on the reserve. Yellow Rattle is hemiparasitic, meaning it collects part of its food by parasitising other plants. In the case of Yellow Rattle, it’s grass species that a parasitised. This reduces the growth rate of the grass, giving space for other plants- such as native wildflowers- to grow. This in turn gives insects and other wildlife a more varied food source, increasing the health of the ecosystems at Saltholme.
And now onto what the team have been doing for visitors…THE WILLOW MAZE IS COMING BACK!
Regular visitors may remember the popular willow maze that used to be found (or not found, depending on how good you are at mazes) by the playground. A couple of years ago, the maze had to be cut down to allow the willow to regrow. Excitingly, the willow is now long enough to begin re-weaving the walls of the maze! So watch this space.
What’s On:
It’s the last day of the school term, which means our Learning Team has very cheerfully passed the baton of ‘team that deals most with children’ to the Visitor Experience Team. And there will be loads of events for families to enjoy between now and 3 September. Here’s a quick overview:
One of the many great things about the summer holidays and about visiting Saltholme is the opportunity to spend time with other people. We thought we could encourage this by providing a range of garden and playground games in the area underneath our café balcony. Haven’t done hopscotch in years? Now is your chance! Fancy a game of giant jenga or skittles? We have that too! We even have (faintly improvised) giant Hook-a-Duck. Come along and have some fun!
As you take in the sights of Saltholme from our Main Lake walk, you will notice trail boards giving information on what flavour ice cream some of our birds would (theoretically) go for. This is part of our ‘Summer Treats’ trail. For just £1.50 per trail sheet, children and their families can discover the delicious diets of our wildlife through this imaginative activity. Not enough to persuade you? Then we shall casually mention that you get a certificate for completing the trail…
Harry Otter- RSPB Saltholme’s mascot- is back. He and Sally Otter mysteriously disappeared after February half-term’s romance and have reappeared with 10 cubs! As it is the summer holidays, the cubs wanted to play hide-and-seek in the Discovery Zone. This would be fine if Harry Otter could find them, but otters are good at hiding but not so good at the seeking. That’s where you come in! Can you help Harry Otter find all 10 cubs? You have until 3 September!
There are so many incredible species at Saltholme that we want to give you the opportunity to find as many of them as you can. That is why we are running a series of activities throughout the holidays. These sessions only last 30 minutes to 1 hour, but it’s amazing how much you can discover and learn in that time. So why not come along to try out pond dipping, meadow sweeping, our Brilliant Birds session or our Saltholme Safari? Just ask at the front desk for information on what activities are running on the day of your visit!
Recent Sightings:
The Lunar Hornet Moth is part of the Clearwing moth family. Image Credit: Peter Maton, Butterfly Conservation.
Ok, the first sighting is actually one from last week. But it’s so amazing we just had to mention it- a Lunar Hornet Moth! This incredible moth displays Batesian Mimicry, which is where a species that isn’t toxic or dangerous ‘copies’ (in an evolutionary sense) the warning colours of a species that is, in order to protect itself from predation. The Lunary Hornet Moth has evolved an uncanny resemblance to a hornet or wasp to keep predators away. The female found at the Holme Fleet- who is completely harmless- was busy laying eggs on willow.
The Barn Owl is a species that was affected by DDT (a pesticide used in the 1950s and 60s)- the chemical thinned the shells of the eggs, meaning many more broke in the nest and thus breeding success rates plummeted. Numbers of this beautiful bird are now slowly recovering. Image Credit: John Bridges, RSPB Images.
It is always lovely to see one of the resident Barn Owls, and on Thursday one was visible on the owl nesting box by the Main Lake. Barn Owls will always be seen but not heard- the arrangement of their feathers means they fly silently. But they are very good at hearing, despite making no noise themselves…did you know that the ears of an owl are mismatched? One is higher up the head than the other; the owl can use this to pinpoint the position of prey.
There are three egret species in the UK, of which the Great White Egret is the largest. Image Credit: Ben Andrew, RSPB Images
We have been inundated with Great White Egrets this week, with up to six being seen at any one time! These magnificent birds feed on the fish, insects and frogs that are so abundant on our reserve, meaning it is easy to see why they like Saltholme so much.
The Yellow Wagtail spends the winter in Africa, migrating to the UK each summer to breed. Image Credit: Ben Andrew, RSPB Images.
And last but certainly not least, a Yellow Wagtail made an appearance on the Main Lake this week. As this species is usually only seen on the wet grassland at Saltholme, it was brilliant to have one in such clear view.
As usual, this is only a tiny proportion of the species recorded on our reserve this week. For a more complete round-up, watch this video (filmed by Ian Robinson) and then come and visit us!
References and Additional Reading
Butterfly Conservation (2023). Lunar Hornet Moth [webpage]. Accessed through https://butterfly-conservation.org/moths/lunar-hornet-moth [last accessed 21/07/2023].
Encyclopaedia Britannica (2023). Batesian Mimicry [webpage]. Accessed through https://www.britannica.com/science/Batesian-mimicry [last accessed 21/07/2023].
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (2023). Barn Owl [webpage]. Accessed through https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/barn-owl/ [last accessed 21/07/2023].
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 21/07/2023].
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (2023). Yellow Wagtail [webpage]. Accessed through https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/yellow-wagtail/ [last accessed 21/07/2023].
The Wildlife Trusts (2023). Yellow Rattle [webpage]. Accessed through https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/wildflowers/yellow-rattle [last accessed 21/07/2023].