Good afternoon and welcome back to our very serious and sensible blog.
As usual, this week has been jam-packed with conservation work, events and species sightings. In fact, it’s been so jam-packed is practically a trifle. But don’t let that make you think what we have to talk about is trifling- the work we do here is key to the conservation of wetlands and the education of the next generation of nature lovers. So read on for more!
News from the Estate:
Cinnabar Moth caterpillars feed on Ragwort. Cinnabar Moths are a favourite food of the Cuckoo so, by having Ragwort on site, we encourage at least two other species to also be here! Image Credit: Chris Shields, RSPB Images.
Speaking of wetlands (and grasslands) conservation, our Estates Team have been hard at work doing exactly that. They began the week by pulling Ragwort from areas close to our hay meadows. Ragwort is an important feeding plant for insects such as the Cinnabar Moth and so is allowed to grow at leisure around our reserve. However, this plant can be dangerous for grazing animals such as cows and horses. This is particularly true when it is cut, through which it loses its bitter flavour and becomes more palatable to livestock. By removing it from specific areas, we make sure the hay produced is safe whilst not interfering with the important role of this plant in the life cycle of moths and other animals.
If that wasn’t enough excitement for one week, the team also donned their waders (waterproof trousers, not birds with long legs) and tackled Sea Club-rush growing along the lower levels of our anti-predator fence. Why were the waders needed? Because of waders! Confused? Don’t worry, we’ll do our best to explain.
Trouser waders were needed because we have lowered water levels in many of our ponds and lakes. We do this to expose lots of insect-rich mud, providing ample feeding grounds for incoming wading birds (our other type of waders). Waders (the birds) are adapted for walking across thick mud. Our Estates Team are not. Hence the need for trouser waders!
Finally, the Estates team spent Thursday pulling vegetation on the island at the Paddy’s Pool hide. Now that the Black-headed Gulls have finished their breeding season, we know we will not be disturbing any nesting birds. Pulling the vegetation before it seeds will not only mean there will be less vegetation to pull next year, but also ensures we maintain the bare ground conditions that gulls and terns need to nest successfully.
Image Credit: Ben Andrew, RSPB Images.
That counts as a successful week of conservation work we think!
What’s On:
As well as the general happy chaos of the summer holidays, we have several upcoming events:
We are aware that Saltholme is so awesome that it can be a little overwhelming; there is so much to see and do that it can be difficult to experience everything. So, we have created the SALTHOLME SAFARI! This is Saltholme in microcosm- an hour’s session that includes birdsong, birdwatching, plant identification, minibeast hunting, natural art and much more! It is led by our wonderful education team. Yes, that’s right- just because school’s out doesn’t mean they stop working! In fact, they bring their expertise and enthusiasm to a wide range of activities and events throughout the summer holidays. Want to join them on a Saltholme Safari? You can book tickets in advance using the link above, or can simply book tickets at the Welcome Desk on the day of your visit.
If you fancy slowing down and taking a moment amidst the busyness of the summer holidays, this is the event for you! Join us for a relaxing afternoon of creativity, finding inspiration from around the reserve to make your own mindfulness art creations. Focusing on slow drawing and collage, we'll use patterns in nature to spark our creativity to make a piece of art to keep.
This event is for everyone- whether you have been drawing for years or just want to give it a go, book tickets using the link above!
Last but certainly not least is our Nature Tots event. This is again a wonderful opportunity to take 90 minutes out of your day to discover the wonderful world of wildlife with your pre-schoolers. With crafts, games and activities, this is a very worthwhile way to spend a morning. Book tickets using the link above!
Recent Sightings:
And of course, the reason we do all the conservation work is our wonderful wildlife; the reason we want to educate people about the importance of looking after our natural world is because of the wonderful wildlife that lives there; the whole reason we are here as a reserve is because of the wonderful wildlife! So, it only seems fitting that we round off the blog with a few of the headline sightings from this week…
Marsh Harriers have a long tail (relative to other Birds of Prey) and hold their wings in a shallow ‘V’ shape when flying. Image Credit: Les Bunyan, RSPB Images.
Let’s kick things off with the Marsh Harrier that wowed visitors at Haverton on Thursday. Yes, we get regular sightings of these incredible birds. But this one was so close that visitors didn’t even need binoculars to see the individual feathers on its head! Something special indeed.
The Pochard (as pictured above) is very distinctive when in breeding plumage. However, many of our ducks are now in ‘eclipse’ plumage. This means they lose their distinctive markings and instead develop a series of mottled brown feathers. It adds to the challenge of identification! Image Credit: Ben Hall, RSPB Images.
With the breeding season drawing to a close, many of the chicks and ducklings have reached the teenage phase where they have lost the baby ‘fluff’ but haven’t quite got the full plumage of the adult. As well as keeping visitors happy by providing an identification challenge, this also means these young birds can look after themselves, freeing their parents up to…make more birds. And so there are some birds that are having second or even third broods of chicks. We have been lucky enough to see a new brood of Pochard ducklings on the Main Lake, as well as plenty of Moorhen chicks skulking through the reedbeds. So, make sure to keep an eye out for these and other youngsters on your next visit.
And that is where we run out of time, meaning we must leave you on a cliffhanger. Why a cliffhanger? Well, first of all, it is a literary effect that means you’re more likely to come back and read more of our blogs. Secondly, the cliffhanger is unavoidable because there is always something new to discover at Saltholme. So, we highly recommend (in our completely unbiased opinion) that you come and visit us soon!
References and Additional Reading
Butterfly Conservation (2024). Cinnabar Moth [webpage]. Accessed through https://butterfly-conservation.org/moths/cinnabar [last accessed 08/08/2024].
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 08/08/2024].
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (2024). Marsh Harrier [webpage]. Accessed through https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/marsh-harrier [last accessed 08/08/2024].
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (2024). Moorhen [webpage]. Accessed through https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/moorhen [last accessed 08/08/2024].
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (2024). Pochard [webpage]. Accessed through https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/pochard [last accessed 08/08/2024].
The Wildlife Trusts (2024). Common Ragwort [webpage]. Accessed through https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/wildflowers/common-ragwort [last accessed 08/08/2024].
UK Wildflowers (2014). Sea Club-rush [webpage]. Accessed through https://www.ukwildflowers.com/Web_pages/bolboschoenus_maritimus_sea_club_rush.htm [last accessed 08/08/2024].