Image Credit: Katie Nethercoat, RSPB Images.
Good afternoon and welcome back to the Saltholme blog! We know we’ve left you stewing in a blog-less world for a couple of weeks, so we’re back with a bang! The reason you haven’t endured terrible puns and faintly wayward grammar recently is because there has been so much going on at Saltholme. Fortunately for you (we think), we’re back with the puns and most of the grammar to tell you all about these events, conservation work and much more. Read on for a well-overdue update!
Saltholme BioBlitz- 13 July:
We recorded 897 sightings of 416 species during our Saltholme BioBlitz. The graph above shows the proportion that each species group contributed to this total. Image Credit: Rachel Star, Environmental Records Information Centre (ERIC).
Our first excuse for not writing this blog was the need to set up for the Saltholme Bioblitz that took place on 13 July. A ‘BioBlitz’ is a 24-hour citizen science event in which as many species as possible are counted and recorded. It’s a fantastic way to dive headfirst into the fascinating (and sometimes faintly bonkers) world of conservation science and we wanted to give our esteemed visitors the opportunity to experience Saltholme as they had never experience it before. The weather tried its best to put a dampener (quite literally) on the event…it rained. Constantly. However, despite the very un-July-like weather and temperatures, we had a great day! Over 400 species were recorded at Saltholme- many of the bees, butterflies and dragonflies were not out and about because of the rain, so we know that we have even more species than this! Highlights included:
These incredible records could not have been gathered without the help of an army of volunteers and members of the general public. So thank you to all of you who gave up your Saturday to help us showcase the amazing wildlife of Saltholme.
Saltholme in Summer- 20 July:
Image Credit: Sam Turley, RSPB Images.
Right, the second reason we’ve been a bit lax about writing the blog is because, suddenly, the summer holidays are upon us. Yes, even the weather has suddenly realised it’s meant to be warm and has responded with sunshine and high(er) temperatures for the first of six weeks of fun and frivolity.
Since the fun and frivolity landed on 20 July, we have already greeted over 1000 visitors to Saltholme. This has included holiday clubs, families, childminding groups, birdwatching groups, many grandparents on ‘grandparent duty’ and many more. Why have we had so many visitors? Well, let’s tell you what we’re offering…
Sometimes it can be trickier than expected to walk around Saltholme with your children. We get it- little legs wear out faster (although the energy does seem to magically return when you mention ‘playground’ or ‘ice cream’ at the other end), eyes can start leaking and there are only so many birds you can see before it starts to get very confusing. This is why we have put Buckets of Fun around our Main Lake walk! This gives families the chance to have a break and play nature-themed games on their way around our paths- children love to learn when they don’t know they’re learning! Discover bird calls, minibeasts, plants and much more by opening up a Bucket of Fun and leaping joyfully into its contents!
Our series of led family activities are back and better than ever! As well as the ever-popular pond dipping sessions, we will also be giving you the opportunity to try meadow sweeping and minibeast hunting over the course of the six weeks. Ask at the Welcome Desk for which activities are available on the day of your visit.
Fancy trying something a little different? Why not book onto one of our Saltholme Safaris? We know that Saltholme is such a multitude of awesomeness that it can sometimes be difficult to break down your visit and truly appreciate each awesome element. The Saltholme Safari therefore does this for you! If you fancy an introduction to minibeast hunting, natural art, bird call identification, plant identification and much more, this is the event for you. We’ll be running these sessions on selected days next week and the week after, so click on the link above to book tickets!
Have you ever wondered what bird sounds slightly like a squeaky dog toy? Or what a thundertube is? Have you ever considered that maracas could imitate a bird call? No? Well, clearly you haven’t done our Sounds of Saltholme Activity Trail yet! At just £1.50 per trail sheet, this is a great way to add that little bit ‘extra’ to your visit. Remember, you’ll also get a stamp in your Saltholme Passport for completing the trail.
Yes, the wildlife speaks for itself. Saltholme would not be here if it weren’t for its species. They of course remain the top- and most important- attraction (we are a nature reserve after all). In fact, all the other activities we offer are to help our visitors engage with and make sense of the dizzying array of animals they can see on their visit.
Saltholme Species:
This section is usually known as ‘Recent Sightings’, but we had such a nice theme going with the section headings we had to re-name it for this week.
Peregrine Falcons are the fastest animals on Earth- when stooping, they can reach 200 miles per hour! Image Credit: Katie Nethercoat, RSPB Images.
Firstly, the Peregrine Falcon has been seen flying amongst the Lapwings this week, creating incredible aerial displays for visitors and staff to enjoy. It’s a real privilege to have the fastest animal on earth on our site!
A Barn Owl's feathers are arranged in a particular way to allow silent flight. Image Credit: Ben Andrew, RSPB Images.
The Barn Owls have also been making the most of the dry weather. They have been seen out-and-about during the day, hunting for the many voles and shrews that were recorded as part of the Saltholme Bioblitz (who knows, maybe they read the results and decided to make the most of the opportunity)!
Image Credit: Ben Andrew, RSPB Images.
And last but certainly not least is the Bittern, who has once again been seen regularly from our Haverton Viewpoint. It’s been so regularly, in fact, that we’ve all become a bit blasé about it. But that soon changes when visitors come bouncing back into the Visitor Centre, squealing (at least internally) with excitement at seeing their first ever Bittern. This just proves how special this bird is and what a wonderful place Saltholme is.
We hope to see you here soon!
References and Additional Reading
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (2024). Barn Owl [webpage]. Accessed through https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/barn-owl [last accessed 26/07/2024].
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (2024). Bittern [webpage]. Accessed through https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/bittern [last accessed 26/07/2024].
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (2024). Lapwing [webpage]. Accessed through https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/lapwing [last accessed 26/07/2024].
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (2024). Peregrine Falcon [webpage]. Accessed through https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/peregrine-falcon [last accessed 26/07/2024].
The Wildlife Trusts (2024). Common Seal [webpage]. Accessed through https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/marine/marine-mammals-and-sea-turtles/common-seal [last accessed 26/07/2024].
The Wildlife Trusts (2024). Grey Seal [webpage]. Accessed through https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/marine/marine-mammals-and-sea-turtles/grey-seal [last accessed 26/07/2024].
The Wildlife Trusts (2024). Muntjac Deer [webpage]. Accessed through https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/mammals/muntjac-deer [last accessed 26/07/2024].