Image Credit: Mark Thomas, RSPB Images
Did you think it’s getting…warmer? Maybe a little…greener? Spring may not have exactly ‘sprung’ yet but it’s definitely ‘springing’. The birds are singing away merrily and it feels the reserve is bursting into even more life than usual. This blog is here to tell you all about what this ‘life’ is, so read on for more!
“News from the Estate”:
The Walled Garden is maintained by our Gardening Team.
Notice the slight change to the title of this section? It’s intentional! For this week, we wanted to shine a spotlight on our fantastic gardening team. The gardeners are part of the wider Estates Team, but have a particular role in maintaining our Main Entrance and fantastic Walled Garden.
The Flowering Currant is currently flowering.
As many of you will know, our Walled Garden is a tranquil haven for both wildlife and visitors. The plants, trees and features you see here are a testament to the hard work and dedication of the gardening team. Last year, dragonfly nymphs emerging from the pond and metamorphosing into their adult form fascinated staff and visitors alike; this would not have happened without the gardening team managing the pond and its contents. Want to know what a particular plant is called? Our gardeners have provided handy labels for you to read! Admiring the hedges and neat paving leading up to our Visitor Centre? Thank the gardeners!
Prim(rose) and proper…thanks to our gardeners!
What’s On:
As Spring sneaks up on us, hopefully before launching itself joyfully at everyone, the Visitor Experience Team have been busy planning events for the upcoming Easter holidays. Between 23 March and 14 April, we are running activities to suit everyone! Here’s a quick round-up:
If you have ever wondered what interesting creatures dwell in our ponds, now is your chance to find out! The ever-popular pond dipping sessions will return for the Easter holidays!
For just £2 per child (that’s right, accompanying adults get to pond dip for FREE) you get 30 minutes of happy pond dipping, with our Nature Activity Leaders on-hand to help you identify what you have caught.
Sounds fun, doesn’t it? Well, all you need to do is ask at the Welcome Desk and sign up for a session. No need to book in advance- just ask on the day of your visit!
The school holidays would not be the same without an activity trail to run some energy off the kids. This time, our activity trail ties in with our 15th birthday celebrations, using party games as inspiration for exploring the great outdoors. Can you find everything in our scavenger hunt? Will you be our next hide-and-seek expert? Hone your observation skills with spot-the-difference and much more!
Did we mention that we’re celebrating our 15th birthday this year? No? Well, we are.
Not only are we celebrating 15 years of Saltholme, we would love you to join us! Our Big Birthday Party on 6 April is the perfect opportunity for this…
If there has ever been a Saltholme event that you wanted to try but couldn’t do, they will pretty much all be running- AT A VASTLY REDUCED PRICE- on 6 April! Events will include:
Pond Dipping
Deadwood Hunting
Guided Walks (Long and Short)
Presentations
Craft activities
Buckets of Fun
Photography Workshops
Mindfulness Art Sessions
The focal point of the day will be the Big Birthday Picnic at lunchtime. Bring along a picnic, settle down and watch a science show whilst you munch on sandwiches, play party games, chat to friends and family…what’s not to like?
Recent Sightings:
Female Hen Harriers are mottled brown, whereas males are light grey. Differences in appearances between male and female is called sexual dimorphism. Image Credit: Mark Thomas, RSPB Images.
The star of the show this week has undoubtedly been the Hen Harrier that’s been hanging around the Phil Stead hide (with occasional forays to the Wildlife Watchpoint). The individual seen this week is a female with a radio tag, making it quite distinctive. It’s been hanging around all week so keep your eyes peeled on your next visit!
Mediterranean Gulls were rarely seen in the UK in the 1950s. Since then, they have become a much more common visitor and have even started breeding here. Image Credit: Mike Langman, RSPB Images.
If you needed more proof of Spring approaching, look no further than the return of the Mediterranean Gulls! Lurking amongst the Black-headed Gulls on the Main Lake islands, the Mediterranean Gulls have the gall (or the gull?) to look incredibly similar to their Black-headed Gull cousins. This makes them gull-ty of creating an identification challenge. But we’re not that gullible! There are always features to help you distinguish between species. Mediterranean Gulls are slightly larger than Black-headed gulls and have a black head during breeding season, as opposed to a dark brown head. Their beaks and legs are much redder, and the beak is heavier-set. In flight, look out for the white wing tips too.
There are 18 species of bats in the UK and they are the only flying mammal in this country. Image Credit: Chris Shields, RSPB Images
We shall end on a sure sign of warmer weather approaching- the first bats of the year have been seen at Saltholme! Many species of bat have been recorded on our reserve, but the individuals seen this week are most likely Common Pipistrelle or Soprano Pipistrelle. It was only in the late 1990s that these two species were discovered to be separate but closely related- beforehand, it was assumed they were the same species!
And on that note, we shall have to sign off for another week. Once again, we have run out of time before we have run out of awesome things to tell you about. It’s a sign that you should really come and visit us, isn’t it? So, we shall say confidently that we shall see you soon!
References and Additional Reading
Bat Conservation Trust (2024). Soprano Pipistrelle [webpage]. Accessed through https://www.bats.org.uk/about-bats/what-are-bats/uk-bats/soprano-pipistrelle [last accessed 15/03/2024].
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (2024). Black-headed Gull [webpage]. Accessed through https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/black-headed-gull [last accessed 15/03/2024].
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (2024). Hen Harrier [webpage]. Accessed through https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/hen-harrier [last accessed 15/03/2024].
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (2024). Mediterranean Gull [webpage]. Accessed through https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/mediterranean-gull [last accessed 15/03/2024].
The Wildlife Trusts (2024). Common Pipistrelle [webpage]. Accessed through https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/mammals/common-pipistrelle [last accessed 15/03/2024].