May got off to a great start with common terns arriving back over the Saltholme pools from their winter holidays off the coast of Africa. The work preparing the two breeding islands had been well worthwhile. Also on cue were the first lapwing chicks that hatched in early May in our specially managed grassland area.
Great-crested grebes and little grebes have firmly taken up home on most of the pools with six and ten pairs, respectively, across the reserve. A number of immature little gulls have again taken up residence around the pools, but a lot of other bird migration had been slow this year. This particularly so with spring passage waders, which were conspicuous by their absence. Not until the middle of the month did birds start passing through in their usual numbers. Spotted redshank, greenshank, wood sandpiper, black-tailed godwit, curlew sandpiper and a pectoral sandpiper all moved through the reserve mid-month, as did large numbers of wheatears.
The water pumped onto our specially designed wet grassland areas from the new pipeline has really provided a breath of life to the grassland which, after one of the driest Aprils on record, was beginning to dry out. Redshanks, snipe, lapwings, shovelers and yellow wagtails are just some of the species that are enjoying the rejuvenated wetlands.
A spoonbill stopped off briefly towards the end of the month and an avocet stayed with us for a few days. A number of marsh harriers passed through and a drake long-tailed duck made the pools his temporary home.
Temminck's and little stints were present around the pools edges at the end of the month. At the end of the month, the arrival of a broad-billed sandpiper (a diminutive, relative of the dunlin that breeds in Arctic Scandinavia) drew appreciative birders to Saltholme. It’s still around today.
So, May has turned out to be another cracking month here at Saltholme and the exciting variety of wildlife is another reminder of the fantastic range of wildlife that the Tees Valley attracts. There really is going to be something to appeal to everyone here at Saltholme once we’re fully open to visitors next year.
Next time we’ll up-date you on the latest activity that’s been going on ‘behind the scenes’ in the creation of Saltholme.