Rspb Saltholme

Martins, swallows and sparrows are not the only ones who nest on our buildings. We have another neighbour, so elusive and discreet when entering its nest that it is often unnoticed, the swift. Unfortunately, during renovations and reconstructions all suitable holes get closed and the swifts don’t find their nesting sites anymore. What can we do? Let’s give them a new home!

We're counting down the days to the (quite literally) wildest night out you'll ever have! This incredible event gives you and your families the chance to camp out on the reserve and see it as you've never seen it before. With activities such as moth trapping, guided walks, and of course, cooking on an open campfire, this event is truly one of our most unique events. And if you weren't already tempted, you get a breakfast provided the next morning! Places are selling out fast so be sure to book your spot now! Please note: You will need to provide your own camping equipment as we are unable to provide this for you.

In view of the guided walk to discover our meadows during the National Meadow Day on the 6 July, let’s take a look at some minibeasts. Can you guess what is in this picture? You can see the same species in two phases, the caterpillar and the cocoon.

Have you ever heard the shrill of a swift? This ‘srriiirr’ is an intense and evocative sound of our summer evenings. Swifts usually scream when they are close to their nests, which are often built under the eaves of our houses. If you know where a swift nest is or if you see a group of them flying low over the rooftops, take part in the survey! We are collecting data on the location of nests as the more we know about the species, the better we can protect it. Submit your records on our website https://www.swiftsurvey.org/Rspb/Home/Ind ex

Swifts are incessantly hunting insects on the wing and collect thousands of them in one day! Do you want to know more about this fabulous species? Join our guided walk tomorrow at 1.30pm and find out with our friendly experts many striking facts about the life of swifts.
Free event but booking is required as places are limited: on Eventbrite.com search Saltholme swift

With the biggest range of binoculars and telescopes in the Northeast.
Join us for our Binocular and Telescope Open Weekend. Saturday 29 & Sunday 30 June
... We have everything from entry-level binoculars to worldwide top of the range products to help you get closer to nature. Our experienced staff and volunteers are always here to help.
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Even in the heights of, err, 'summer', its amazing how much wildlife you can see while out on the reserve. Yesterday a school group came across this stunning Drinker moth. Named after the caterpillars habit of sipping dew off plants, you may also recognise it by its 'snout'.
Want to know more about moths and and our incredible wildlife? Join us for our first ever Bioblitz on the 20th July for a whole day of recording the amazing variety of species here at Saltholme!

A lack of food sources, insects and other airborne minibeasts, is one of the key reasons for the decline of swifts. To help them, we can encourage the presence of insects in our gardens. How? The best way is to grow more plants and create little (or big) ponds. Here some suggestions for good flowering plants:

***Road Closure***
Tomorrow Sunday 23 June. Seaton Carew Road (A178) will be closed.
We will be open as normal.
... Access will be from the seal sands road (A1185) only.
There will be no access to Saltholme along Seaton Carew Road from Port Clarence.
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Save the date! This years Big Wild Sleepout at Saltholme will be taking place on Saturday 27 July.
If you've not yet decided if you are joining us for a fantastic night camping out under the stars, surrounded by some amazing wildlife. Have a read about what we got up to last year...
... Tickets are available through our Facebook Event and from Eventbrite.com
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***Road Closure***
Sunday 23 June. Seaton Carew Road (A178) will be closed.
We will be open as normal.
... Access will be from the seal sands road (A1185) only.
There will be no access to Saltholme along Seaton Carew Road from Port Clarence.
See More

***Road Closure***
Sunday 23 June. Seaton Carew Road (A178) will be closed.
We will be open as normal.
... Access will be from the seal sands road (A1185) only.
There will be no access to Saltholme along Seaton Carew Road from Port Clarence.
See More

Now you may not think this butterfly is that remarkable, however you may change your mind when I tell you that this Painted Lady has migrated all the way from northern Africa! The Painted Lady is often found throughout the UK in large numbers during the summer months, however sadly they are unable to survive our winter weather. Which means now is the best time to get out and see them! Image Credit: Ed Pritchard

Swifts are simply magnificent! Their shape is perfectly adapted to fast flight; thanks to their long pointed wings and the forked tail they are the fastest bird in level flight, reaching the astonishing speed of 69 mph. Join the guided walk with our friendly and knowledgeable experts to discover the secrets of this species on Thursday 27 June at 1.30 pm. Free event, book the tickets on Eventbrite.com