Hi all from Emily
So much has been going on at Saltholme in the last few weeks, the reserve has been a real hive of activity. Springwatch sadly never did find their much longed for otter, but we are still keeping an eye out for it on site, so hopefully one day we'll see our most elusive visitor. Thank you to all those that visited Saltholme and kept their eyes peeled with us!
Most visitors are used to seeing birds, insects, hares and even the occasional fox at Saltholme, but if you visited us last month you might have witnessed something a little larger and hairier. The long awaited adventure play area was opened by the adventurous H'Angus the Monkey, mascot of Hartlepool Football Club, and some local school children. It is proving very popular with hundreds of children having already tried out the Saltholme Tree House and other equipment; if you're visiting us soon, you might want to schedule in an extra hour to do it justice.
It has been a month of openings with Chris Beardshaw joining us earlier this month to officially open his Wildlife Garden. On the day, all my finger crossing proved not to have been in vain as the sun shone down as Chris cut the ribbon on the garden gates and we all enjoyed cream teas and scones.
It was great to hear a bit more about the thinking behind the garden. Chris explained how he designed it to take you on an imaginative expedition through lots of different habitats, from a water garden to a forest of enchanted upside-down trees. Peaceful, intriguing and dramatic; it is a great place to sit and relax during your visit.
A few weeks ago we had some more fantastic news as delighted staff spotted the first inquisitive pair of sand martins exploring the specially designed Sand Martin Bank that we have on the reserve. A week on and the number flying in and out of the holes had soared to more than 100.
When the wildlife reserve and discovery park was being planned, it was known that sand martins refuel here in their hundreds after a marathon journey from Africa. Instead of having them travel even further to establish a colony, the project team decided to build them their own special nesting site near the visitor centre. Their home at Saltholme is an £8,000 construction consisting of a front made of reinforced concrete, with holes leading into the nesting chamber, which is filled with sand for the birds to tunnel into and nest.
The result is that visitors enjoying a coffee and cake in the café, can now watch the comings and goings of these brilliant little birds. It also provides a safe nesting area for the sand martins that are on the amber list of conservation concern. Their European population has crashed twice over the past 50 years because of drought caused by climate change in their African wintering grounds.
For those of you that normally enjoy Toby's update on the birds that have been spotted around the reserve, please now visit the Recent Sightings section of the Saltholme website, which Toby regularly adds to.
Bye for now!