Image Credit: Geoff Harrison
It’s been a wonderful week at Saltholme; the sun has shone down on us, there is now more than a hint of green in the trees, and the wildlife is out and about making the most of it! Read on to discover what has been happening over the past seven days.
News from the Estate:
Now that spring has definitely sprung, we want to make sure our reserve is looking its best. So, the estates team have been creating a new willow viewing area overlooking the main lake. Furthermore, they have dug over the flower bed by the waterworks (in the discovery zone) to encourage the growth of more wonderful plants!
And the fun didn’t stop there. The team have also been repairing the fencing around the southern compartment of the reserve and Back Saltholme. This is important to keep livestock, wildlife and visitors safe.
What’s On:
This week has been National Lottery Open Week AND English Tourism Week. To celebrate, we have been giving free entry to people who bring a National Lottery scratchcard or ticket with them. It’s out way of saying ‘Thank You’; the RSPB receives funding from the National Lottery for some of its vital conservation work!
National Lottery Open Week runs until Sunday 27 March, and one scratchcard/ticket will get two adults and up to six children into the reserve for free. So why not visit Saltholme this weekend? For more information and for terms and conditions, click this link.
Recent Sightings:
The garganey are back!
Image Credit: Ben Andrew, RSPB Images
Garganey spend the winter in central Africa. Some make the journey back to the UK, returning from March onwards, to breed. Breeding numbers in the UK are small, so it’s great to see them back at Saltholme.
Image Credit: Ben Hall, RSPB Images
Six little ringed plover were seen on Thursday this week. This is another migrant species that will have recently returned to the UK for the summer months. You are most likely to see them in the shallows of our lakes and pools, hunting for invertebrates and crustaceans.
One of our water voles has been lurking in the reed beds by the membership hut this week. These mammals were the inspiration for ‘Ratty’ in Wind in the Willows, despite the fact they are not rats at all! But hey ho, it’s a classic novel so we’ll let them off with a stern warning.
Image Credit: Les Bunyan, RSPB Images
Last but certainly not least, two woodcock were spotted on Thursday this week. These birds are largely nocturnal, so it’s always special to see one- let alone two- out and about during daylight hours.
As always, this is just a very small selection of the wildlife present at Saltholme this week. Why not come along and count how many species you can spot during your visit?
References and Additional Reading
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (2022). Garganey [webpage]. Accessed through https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/garganey/ [last accessed 25/03/2022].
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (2022). Little Ringed Plover [webpage]. Accessed through https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/little-ringed-plover/ [last accessed 25/03/2022].
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (2022). Woodcock [webpage]. Accessed through https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/woodcock/ [last accessed 25/03/2022].
The Wildlife Trusts (2022). Garganey [webpage]. Accessed through https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/birds/waterfowl/garganey [last accessed 25/03/2022].
The Wildlife Trusts (2022). Little Ringed Plover [webpage]. Accessed through https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/birds/wading-birds/little-ringed-plover [last accessed 25/03/2022].
The Wildlife Trusts (2022). Water Vole [webpage]. Accessed through https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/mammals/water-vole [last accessed 25/03/2022].