Image Credit: Ben Andrew, RSPB Images

Not only is it the last week of the summer holidays, it is also 1 September. Yes, we’re as shocked as you are. But the summer holidays, despite the best attempts of the weather, have been a success and it has been another good week at Saltholme. Want to hear all about it? Good! Read on for more…

News from the Estate:

Many wildflowers grow best in nutrient-poor soils…

Image Credit: Ben Andrew, RSPB Images

Welcome back to the weekly blog! Yes, ok there wasn’t a blog post last week…but we did have a very good excuse. Actually, we had several very good excuses. That’s right, the twists and turns of life were particularly wriggly for our reserve last week and we intend to tell you about that (as well as giving you the usual round-up of weekly life). So sit down, buckle up and read on!…

Image Credit: Andy Hay, RSPB Images

What’s that strange yellow thing in the sky? It’s been warming everything up and has brought lots of lovely visitors to Saltholme. With the clouds and rain gone (for the time being, anyway), it has certainly been a busy week for our reserve. Want to hear what we have been up to? Read on! 

News from the Estate:

Image Credit: Ben Andrew, RSPB Images

With the sun shining,…

Image Credit: Ben Andrew, RSPB Images

We would be lying if we said the weather had been nice this week. Yes, we may be a wetland reserve, but we don’t reckon much to being this wet IN AUGUST. But we haven’t let the rain dampen our spirits, and the wildlife has still put on an incredible show for the summer holidays. So read on to hear all about this week at Saltholme…

News from the Estate:

The caterpillars…

Image Credit: Ben Andrew, RSPB Images

You can tell it’s the summer holidays because the weather has been…mixed. But even when it’s been nice weather for ducks, that’s still been good for us because we have a lot of ducks. And even when the weather has (literally) put a dampener on things, there has still been plenty to see and do at Saltholme. Read on for more!

News from the Estate:

Image Credit…

Image Credit: Ben Andrew, RSPB Images

As schools wind down for the summer holidays, Saltholme is preparing for its busiest time of year. The wildlife has also been out-and-about making the most of the sunshine in between the showers. Read on for more!

News from the Estate:

When dry, the seeds of Yellow Rattle will rattle in the seed pods, giving the plant its name. Image Credit: Ben Andrew, RSPB Images.

Despite the rain…

Image Credit: Ben Andrew, RSPB Images

It is now July. It has been July all week. Whether you believe it ought to be July yet or not, there have been plenty of amazing things happening at Saltholme this week. Whether you are a keen birdwatcher, looking for a family day out or want to learn more about conservation, this is the place to visit and we will tell you all about it in this blog. So read on for more!

News from…

Image Credit: BirdGuides

Never mind a week of warblers…the last seven days have been more of a term of terns! Speaking of terms, it’s nearly the end of a school one. That means there are plenty of events coming up that we intend to tell you about. This, plus the vital work of our Estates Team, means we once again have a lot to tell you about in this blog. Read on for more!

News from the Estate:

Image Credit…

Image Credit: Brian Clasper

What a week! It feels like species rarely seen in this part of the country have been hurling themselves at us from all directions. It just shows, in our completely unbiased opinion, the quality of our reserve- there is always something amazing to see, critical conservation work to learn about and plenty of awesome events to keep everyone amused. Read on for more!

News from the Estate:

Image…

Image Credit: Ben Andrew, RSPB Images

We’re back to opening this blog with a comment about the weather but, as the sun has shone so wonderfully on RSPB Saltholme this week, it would be a crime not to mention it. It would also be a crime to not mention the multitude of marvellous sightings and the crucial conservation work that has been happening recently. Interested? You should be…read on for more!

News from…

Image Credit: Ben Andrew, RSPB Images

With May half-term behind us and visiting children handed back to schoolteachers (and our Learning Team), an eerie calm may have fallen over Saltholme if the wildlife hadn’t had anything to do with it. That’s right, we have had some incredible sights (and sounds) this week- more on that later. For now, we’ll simply say read on to catch up on everything that has been happening at…

Image Credit: Ben Andrew, RSPB Images

We always seem to start this blog with a very British comment about the weather, an existential crisis about the passing of time, or a combination of the two. So we’ve decided to break with tradition this week and go…off script. So, instead we will simply say that, with May half-term and a bank holiday weekend to deal with, this week at Saltholme has certainly been brilliantly busy…

Image Credit: Ben Andrew, RSPB Images

There is nothing better than sitting down with a drink of your choice and reading this blog. Well, at least we don’t think there’s anything better than that. We may be slightly biased about the quality of the blog, but there has been a lot happening at RSPB Saltholme this week and this is the best place to catch up on what has been going on. So read on for the juicy details!…

Image Credit: Lydia Cave

Hasn’t it been a good week?! The temperatures appear to finally be catching up with how alarmingly far through May we are, the sun has showed its face more than sporadically and the wildlife has been stunning. Luckily for you, we have pulled together the highlights in this blog so, if your week has passed slightly too quickly, revisit everything that has happened in the last seven days.

Image Credit: Ben Andrew, RSPB Images

It’s Friday- the best day of the week! You know why? Because Friday is Blog Day. As we may have mentioned previously, RSPB Saltholme is a fantastic place to visit (the wildlife certainly thinks so) and so who wouldn’t want to spend a few minutes reading all about what has been happening on the reserve this week? We know you want to, so we won’t keep you any longer; read on for more…

Image Credit: Ben Andrew, RSPB Images

You know what one of the many great things about a nature reserve is? No matter what the weather, what the time of year, what day it is or how many jobs you have to do, there is always something to see and enjoy. So, you might be struggling with where we are in the week (bank holidays do that to you) or where the sun has gone, but settle down and read on. We guarantee it will cheer…

Image Credit: Chris Gomersall, RSPB Images

And with that, April is somehow nearly over. It has been quite a week both in terms of sightings and everything else happening on the reserve. Are we going to tell you about it? Yes. Are we going to tell you now? No- you’ll have to read on for that! Enjoy.

News from the Estate:

We manage Saltholme for insects as well as birds. Image Credit: Ben Andrew, RSPB Images

As ever…

Image Credit: Leslie Cater, RSPB Images

Welcome to the penultimate week of April. There, we’ve said it. It’s also 2023, in case you were wondering. But don’t worry, that means we’ve got a whole week of sightings, conservation work and events to tell you about! So, grab a cup of tea (or coffee, we don’t judge), put your feet up and unearth a week in the life of RSPB Saltholme…

News…

Image Credit: British Broadcasting Company

And just like that, the Easter holidays are nearly over. Time flies when you’re having fun! You know what else flies? Our birds! We’ve had plenty of incredible sightings this week, so read on for more information…

News from the Estate:

Sea buckthorn. Image Credit: Sue Kennedy, RSPB Images

As always, the estates team have been hard at work keeping the reserve…

Image Credit: Ben Andrew, RSPB Images

The Easter holidays are here! You know what that means…eggs-ellent events, cracking species sightings, taking up the yolk with our conservation work and much more. Fortunately for you, we are going to mention everything that has been happening this week right here in this blog. So read on for an insight into life at RSPB Saltholme…

News from the Estate:

Spring is definitely…

Image Credit: Leslie Cater, RSPB Images

That’s March done and dusted. Well, not quite- we still have plenty of Saltholme life to tell you about so buckle up and make the most of the last few hours of March 2023. Need more persuasion? Not a problem! Read on to discover which species has been the first to start nesting on the reserve this year. Read on to unearth our plans for the Easter holidays. Read on to get up to date…

Image Credit: Ben Andrew, RSPB Images

Another week of amazing wildlife, fun-filled family activities and critical conservation work. We do seem to make a habit(at) of it don’t we? Yes, it’s been another wonderful week at Saltholme and we want to tell you all about it. So read on for more information!

News from the Estate:

The work party have cut paths through our reedbeds.

Did you notice that you could see…

Image Credit: Ethan Denton, eBird

It’s Friday again! This means two things…Firstly, it’s nearly the weekend. Secondly, you have another blog to make today pass that little bit faster. So read on to get a glimpse of life at a nature reserve!

News from the Estate:

Cattle are allowed into the Saltholme Pools area over the winter. Sometimes they like to check out our visitors!

The life of a warden is…

Image Credit: Ben Andrew, RSPB Images

There’s always something isn’t there? This week, it was snow. But the primroses are still out and the birds are determined that it’s Spring, so we are too. Saltholme may have been a little crispier than usual, but it has looked stunning in the frost (and other forms of solid water) and there has been plenty of wildlife to admire. That is enough to make anyone happy, so read on for…

Image Credit: Ben Andrew, RSPB Images

This week, we saw February off the premises and welcomed meteorological spring to the reserve. We have also greeted many visitors, welcomed back returning species and been gently rinsed a few times by the great British weather. You may think that sounds like a pretty standard week for a reserve in North East England but, if you read this blog regularly, you will know that there is…