Image Credit: Verity Hill, RSPB Images

It is now officially autumn. No, we can’t believe it either. But hey, that means the first of the winter migrant species are beginning to arrive at Saltholme. Read on to find out more!

News from the Estate:

If you have walked around our Discovery Zone this week, you might have noticed that you can see more of it. This is because our wonderful estates team have spent a large…

We are deeply saddened to hear of the death of our Patron, The Queen, and offer our heartfelt condolences to the Royal Family. As a mark of respect and mourning, this blog was not published as planned last week. 

The summer holidays are over, and with their end an eerie silence has descended over Saltholme. Good job we’ve got all our wonderful wildlife to fill the void with birdsong. That’s right, it’s been another busy…

Image Credit: Mark Stokeld

Just in case August passed for you as quickly as it did for us, we would like to remind you that it is now September. This means the summer holidays are drawing to a close. But that doesn’t equate to life slowing down at Saltholme! Read on to find out more.

News from the Estate:

It’s a Bank Holiday week, which means there has been a fair amount of rain. As a result, the vegetation around…

Image Credit: Caroline Walker

The life of a nature reserve is always busy. This week at Saltholme has been no exception. So read on to uncover what conservation work we have done, what events we have run, and what species we have spotted over the last seven days…

News from the Estate:

With the Cowpen Marsh project ticking along nicely (see last week’s blog for more details), the estates team have been doing…

Image Credit: Ben Hall, RSPB Images

We are now two thirds of the way through the summer holidays, more than halfway through August, and it is now significantly closer to Christmas 2022 than it is to Christmas 2021. But save the existential crisis for another day because you have a blog to read! We’ve had another busy week at Saltholme, so read on to find out more. 

News from the Estate:

Every week is a busy week…

Image Credit: Ben Andrew, RPSB Images

It’s been a week where staff, visitors, and birds alike have all been lightly toasted. But despite the high temperatures the reserve has been full of activity. Read on to find out more!

News from the Estate:

Hedgerows are an important habitat in their own right, but also act as ‘wildlife corridors’. Wildlife Corridors are areas that allow species to move from one place to another…

Image Credit: Ben Andrew, RSPB Images

July has given way to August (we know…we can’t believe it either) and the summer holidays are in full swing. The sun has even made an appearance to keep everyone happy. The wildlife has been competing with the sunshine for the most appearances (and won by a mile), so read on to find out what has been happening this week.

News from the Estate:

Maintaining mixed heights…

Image Credit: Ben Andrew, RSPB Images

The first week of the summer holidays is already drawing to a close…time flies when you're having fun! And lots of people have been having fun at Saltholme this week. There has- as always- been plenty to see and do here, and we intend to tell you all about it!

News from the Estate:

It’s been a busy week for our estates team (well, it’s never NOT a busy week). Here’s what…

Image Credit: Leslie Cater, RSPB Images

After this week’s weather, it’s safe to say our rare birds are now more medium to well done. But we made it through, and we still have a lot to talk about! Read on to find out more.

News from the Estate:

We created a series of ponds along the path to our Saltholme Pools hide to encourage a range of dragonfly and damselfly species to breed on our reserve. Image Credit…

Image Credit: National Audubon Society

Buckle up…there’s a lot to talk about this week and we intend to mention as much of it as we can. There have been unusual visitors to the reserve (birds, not paying guests), conservation tasks to complete and events to organise; read on to find out more!

News from the Estate:

On top of counting nests, monitoring breeding populations and mapping species distributions…

Image Credit: Lockhart Horsburgh

After a week off, the blog is back with a vengeance. Read on for updates on what has been seen at Saltholme this week, alongside events and conservation work…

News from the Estate:

It’s important to have a range of plant species present in wildflower meadows, to support as many insects and other animals as possible. Some species, such as thistles, can dominate these areas if left…

Image Credit: Ben Andrew

It’s the time of year when young birds are beginning to leave their nests. These birds are called fledgelings. It’s one of the highlights of the year, and it’s only right that people enjoy these birds as they get used to the big wide world. Whilst it is important to look out for nature, intervening too soon or too much can have severe consequences for these fledgelings. So, we have put together…

Image Credit: Ben Andrew, RSPB Images

This is getting to be quite a habit now…it’s been yet another week of new sightings, new chicks, and new works done on the reserve. Read on to find out more!

News from the Estate:

You may have noticed that the plants are enjoying this warm weather (and the rain that comes as part of British summertime); there has been a lot of vegetation growth over the past week. It…

A nature reserve is always a busy place, in terms of both wildlife, visitors and events. Saltholme is no exception, and this week definitely proves it! Read on to catch up on the latest news from the site…

News from the Estate:

Bracken can spread quickly if left unchecked. While an important habitat in itself, it’s important to keep it controlled so it doesn’t shade out wildflower species. Image Credit: Sara Porter…

Title Image: Avocet chick at the Saltholme Pools hide. Image Credit: Mark Stokeld. 

Buckle up…it’s been a busy week at Saltholme and we want to tell you everything that has been going on. We’ve got events, baby birds, and rare sightings to describe. So, keep reading!

News from the Estate:

Sunshine interspersed with rain leads to one thing… massive amounts of plant growth. So, the estates team have been…

Another week of sun, punctuated by truly spectacular downpours. But that hasn’t dampened our spirits. Why? Well, there has been a lot to see and do on the reserve this week. Read on to find out more!

News from the Estate:

You’ve probably gathered by now that Saltholme would not run without our estates team. You could be forgiven for thinking this simply refers to the fact that they keep our land in a condition that…

Image Credit: Lockhart Horsburgh

It’s been an all-hands-on-deck sort of week at Saltholme; we’ve had lots of birds to count, events to plan, conservation jobs to complete and visitors to impress! Oh, and we’ve had some rare sightings just to add that little bit extra excitement to the week. Read on to find out more!

News from the Estate:

This is a very busy time of the year for the Estates team, with…

Image Credit: Edward Makin, RSPB Images

Saltholme has been filled with the sounds of returning summer this week, with the screams of black-headed gulls now mingling with the calls of common tern. The warblers give them a run for their money, with a range of species shouting from the reeds and bushes. It’s a busy time for our staff and volunteers too, making sure the reserve is optimal for wildlife and visitors alike.…

Image Credit: Ben Andrew, RSPB Images

It’s been a week of sunshine, punctuated by short but very dramatic rain. This means two things: firstly our ponds are now fuller than they were at the beginning of the week, secondly conditions have been very good for standing outside and watching all the wildlife that is sprouting all over Saltholme. Read on to discover what has been happening on our site this week.

News from…

With the end of the Easter holidays, you could be forgiven for thinking that life at Saltholme has slowed down this week. However, birds have had nests to build (and some even have eggs to look after), food to eat and visitors to impress. Our team has been working hard to look after the site that these birds rely on, and to ensure everyone has the opportunity to enjoy the reserve. Read on to find out more!

News from the…

Image Credit: RSPB Images

Wow…another week gone! They definitely don’t make them like they used to. But oh well, at least there has been lots to see and do at Saltholme to distract you from the relentless march of time…

News from the Estate:

Another busy week for the estates team, with fences to repair around the reserve. Whilst it may not seem the most ‘conservation-y’ job, repairing fences is important…

Image Credit: Ben Andrew, RSPB Images

The first week of the Easter holidays is nearly over, and the Easter weekend is upon us. And with the bank holidays promising to be very un-bank-holiday-ish in terms of how dry and sunny they will be, Saltholme has proved a popular location for families and birdwatchers alike. It is also the place to be if you're a bird returning from your winter haunts! Read on to discover what has…

Image Credit: Lockhart Horsburgh

On New Year’s Day, we announced that some land was coming back to us, after being used for some years as grazing land and arable fields. This land will be known as ‘Wild Saltholme’, as we plan to let nature direct the future development of this area. We aim to keep everyone informed as to what that means and entails.

So, we have put together a series of Frequently Asked…

Plants are crucial for the wellbeing of the planet and everything living in it. They are an integral part of the habitats in which we live. So integral in fact, that they often go unnoticed. Today, we are putting the spotlight on plants by highlighting just some of the many ways in which they are crucial. Read on to find out more!

Photosynthesis:

Plants are sources of food for important pollinators, such as Bumblebee…

One of the things we have missed at Saltholme over Covid is the sound of school visits- the voices of children as we help them discover our wonderful reserve and the huge variety of wildlife that lives here. Since our last pre-Covid visit on 16 March 2020, we have been eagerly awaiting the return of schools. Since October 2021, we have welcomed over 500 children and young people back to our reserve (as part of our Schools…