In October I wrote about organic week at Saltholme, when we experimented with different ways of putting organic matter into the substrate in front of various hides. Organic matter is necessary not as bird food itself, but as the food of invertebrates such as midge larvae, which the birds feed on. We tried adding turf, cowpats and rotting vegetation.
Looking back, I think placing turf upside down onto the clay in front of the Phil Stead Hide was more fun than collecting cow pats and chucking them in front of Paddy’s Hide. I can also recommend not to throw dry dusty cow pats on a windy day. Not unless it is hair wash night. I can also recommend that if you are going to do this, to do it yourself and not rely on anyone called Robin Houlding to estimate wind speed or direction.
A team from Analox came along and helped us with the turf, and had fun squidging it in.
I thought we would have to wait until spring migration next year to see the benefits of these techniques, but am happily surprised to see that the turf technique has had almost immediate results with birds such as teal, redshank and this green sandpiper now regulars in front of the hide.
Green sandpiper at Phil Stead Hide by Dan McKie.
Green sandpipers are called green sandpipers because and I quote from the Birds of the Western Palearctic vol 3: “upperparts are dark olive or green-brown”. And here’s me thinking it was because they had green legs, because as everyone can see, they are brown. Maybe green sandpipers were named in the 1960’s by someone listening to Procol Harum, before Robin Trower got his act together, and started to. I may be digressing a bit here.
Anyway, if you want to see a brown sandpiper (with green legs), you know where to look.
Hmmmmmm. Clearly great fun was had by all - especially Robin Houlding!!
Another great read - thanks for posting this.