22nd May: Litle tern decoys repainted

Last year, Lowick and Holy Island First Schools did a great job of painting the little tern decoys that were placed on the North shore of Holy Island. The decoys were used to try to attract little terns to nest in areas identified as having great potential to become breeding grounds for these special birds.

Decoys in action last year

However after a few months of being outside in all weathers last year the decoys were looking a little tired, so the schoolchildren have repainted them ready for another season on the NNR.

Two spruced up little terns on the North shore this week

The Reserve team will continue to monitor these areas closely to detect interested birds and prevent disturbance. While out wardening, our team chat to visitors and inform them of how they can help to protect the sites and avoid disturbing the breeding birds.

Remember to be aware of ground nesting birds when you are walking on the NNR and shores nearby, and please observe notices and access restrictions. It is particularly important to keep dogs on a lead around breeding bird areas.

11th April: Little Tern Recovery Project

Every year a special type of sea bird returns to our shores making a journey of thousands of miles. There are several types of terns that make Northumberland their home in the summer taking advantage of the marine larder that is only a few flaps away.

The Little Tern

Our smallest Tern species is the Little Tern which travels each April to breed at fewer than 60 sites nationally. After navigating its way from the depths of Africa to our shores the Little Terns story is not over. It has to find its place amongst the busy beaches, which is becoming increasingly difficult with climate change and coastal development.

An example of a potential Little Tern breeding site, complete with decoys and a lure that plays Little Tern calls

It is because of the threats to their survival that a national partnership project supported by EU LIFE+ programme has been established. What does this mean for Northumberland? With strong established colonies right here on the coast we have been included within the project. Natural England, National Trust, Northumberland AONB partnership and the RSPB have formed a partnership and recruited a project worker to work between established sites and any new satellite sites where ever they may crop up. This includes the Northumberland SPA from Low Newton through to LNNR and potentially further afield. The project is running nationally for 5 years and 3 years in Northumberland.

With the first sightings of our early arriving Sandwich Tern last week, it won’t be long before the breeding season gets fully underway. Everyone can help Little Terns and shore nesting birds on the Northumberland Coast. If you are visiting Holy Island or any of our brilliant beaches over the summer, you can help by keeping dogs on leads and take note of any signs or fenced off areas where shore birds may be breeding.

This is how the shore bird sites will look once the fencing and signs are up

But wait there are more ways to help! We are currently recruiting volunteers to help survey new shore bird sites as well as wardens for established areas. Any help is appreciated whether you can give a large or small amount of your time. If you want more information or have any sightings, please get in touch on 07768310629

I hope to write regular updates for the blog and keep everyone up to date with the project as the season goes on.

Mhairi Maclauchlan

Project Co-ordinator EU LIFE+ - Little Tern Recovery Project Northumberland

17th March: A "successful unsuccessful litter pick"

Reserve staff were recently contacted by a student at Cranmer Hall Theological College, Laura, who organised a litter pick on Holy Island to help remove tidal litter that is washed up on the Reserve's shores as part of a community outreach event. 

Laura has kindly written an article for us documenting this trip and the group's motivation for doing so:

When I say the words “trainee vicar” to you, what do you think of? A balding, middle-aged man in ill-fitting black robes, stuttering and stumbling over a poorly prepared sermon while a scattered congregation of nine or ten elderly folk struggle to stay awake? A group of over-enthusiastic hopefuls shoving flyers and tracts into the faces of unsuspecting pedestrians who are trying desperately to avoid eye-contact? Or maybe just an everyman wearing a dog-collar and an L-plate?

Would the words “litter-pick” cross your mind? I don’t mean just picking a crisp packet off the pavement on your way home from church – I’m talking about sturdy walking boots, big black sacks, fancy litter-picking gadgets and a whole coastline littered with…well, litter.  Well, when a group of 5 trainee vicars from Cranmer Hall, Durham, arranged a trip to Lindisfarne to get involved in the community, this is exactly what we planned to do (along with other activities which ranged from teaching at a school to blessing animals in the market square…but those are stories for another time).

Before I tell you about our trash-filled trek, I hope you don’t mind if I explain a bit more about our motivation for doing the litter-pick.

When we first spoke to Paul Collins, the vicar of St Mary’s Church on the Holy Island of Lindisfarne, about what he’d like us to do on our community outreach weekend in March, he told us he’d like us to do something that encouraged both locals and visitors to appreciate the natural beauty of the Island.  If you’ve ever been to Lindisfarne, you’ll understand what he means. The shell-strewn shores and patchwork farmlands are framed by a vast stretch of ocean and an endless sky. The lonely sand-dunes on the north of the Island seem, at a first glance, to be a desolate wilderness, but the long grasses are the hiding-place of a variety of flora and fauna. You can hear the eerie cries of the seals from their resting places around the Island, and a symphony of bird-calls from the avian visitors. Lindisfarne is, in its own desolate and wild way, an extremely beautiful and peaceful place.

Shoreline of Lindisfarne NNR (James Durrant)

Tidal borne litter is, however, a major hazard – both to the beauty of the Island and to the wildlife who make their homes there. While the wonderful folk of Lindisfarne NNR do a fantastic job of preserving the natural state of the Island, the daily drop-off of debris from the tides of the North Sea means that keeping the beaches clean is an endless task. One of the best ways to show your appreciation of nature is to help care for it – and that’s what one pair from the Cranmer crew decided to do. So, on the 8^th March 2014 at 10am, my partner-in-picking and I set off with the litter-picking gear that the NNR very kindly provided for us and went to find our team of volunteers.

Now, I’d love to tell you that we managed to build a huge network of support and had hundreds of people turning up on the day, fighting over the 6 litter-pickers and eager to save the planet.  As you may have gathered from the title of this blog, however, the turnout wasn’t exactly terrific – late advertising on our part and a high tide meant that the total number of volunteers was 2. Including us.

A happy litter picker! (James Durrant)

Unperturbed by this little setback and determined to go through with our plan, we wandered around the town in a brave attempt to build up a following of vistors who were inspired by our efforts and/or felt sorry for us. When we got to the edge of town the total number of volunteers remained at 2 (including us), so we set off for the beach near Emmanuel Head on the north shore of the Island and managed to fill almost 2 bags with plastic bags, drinks bottles, half an orange buoy, a few bags of dog waste and an assortment of unidentifiable objects.  It was only when the bags started to split and we had to use the spare ones to reinforce them that we decided to call it a day.

Now, I know that 2 bags of litter is a tiny drop in a huge ocean of trash, but I wouldn’t say the pick was entirely unsuccessful. For one, 2 bags is better than nothing! Every crisp packet you pick off the pavement is one less crisp packet on the pavement. We also had loads of fun – litter picking is hard work but it’s a great way to build up team spirit (even if it’s just a team of two people!) and you feel really satisfied afterwards. The plastic bag you took off the beach might have been a deathtrap for a curious gannet, so you’re making a lifetime of difference.

So, if you’re planning a litter-pick, go for it! It’s really easy to organise – just contact the environmental guys in the area you’re interested in as they’ll be super-keen for you to help out and give you loads of guidance. Make sure you get a group together in advance too. Then it’s just a case of turning up on the day and picking up as much litter as you can carry – but remember you have to carry it back too!  If trainee vicars from Durham can do it, then so can you!

Litter-laden at Emmanuel Head, Holy Island (James Durrant)

16th July: John Muir Award group help out on the NNR

Last Tuesday, another gloriously sunny and hot day, we had an excellent group of students from Berwick Middle School visit the Reserve to get stuck into litter collection and invasive plant clearance. These activities counted towards the student’s John Muir Award, the educational initiative of the John Muir Trust. This is a fantastic way for young people to learn about conservation and how they can care for their natural environment.

The day began with an introduction to the Reserve, then straight into a litter pick around the East shore of Budle Bay. The students saw why it is important to carry out regular litter picks in tidal areas, as we filled many bags with parts of glass bottles, pieces of plastic and old fishing nets – they also found some more ‘interesting’ rubbish such as half an old bell!

Students collecting litter at Budle Bay

After lunch, it was straight back to Budle Bay – this time to begin clearing an invasive species of cordgrass, Spartina anglica. This species, which is very vigorous and pushes out native saltmarsh communities, is a hybrid with our native cordgrass and an introduced species of cordgrass from America. The hybrid grows very quickly and takes over the mudflats, so removes habitat for geese and wading birds which use the Reserve to feed and roost.

Digging up the Spartina - very muddy business!

Thankfully, the sun had disappeared for the afternoon so it was cooler for digging! Spartina is quite difficult to clear, requiring digging underneath the deep, dense roots which need removed completely or the plant will continue to grow. The plants were collected in large bags which were dragged up to the lay-by, which the students enjoyed very much!

Pulling a large bag full of Spartina bag up the bank - hard work!!

This is the 9^th year that students from Berwick Middle School have come to the Reserve to carry out activities towards their John Muir Award, and since then the extent of the Spartina has reduced. We’re so grateful to the school and students for coming to help us out, and we’re very happy to be able to offer activities like this to local groups.

If you work with school or volunteer groups and are interested in carrying out projects on Lindisfarne NNR, please don’t hesitate to get in touch – tel. 01289 381470 to speak to a member of Reserve staff.

Successful Official Opening Event and Wild Education Day!

The Window on Wild Lindisfarne building was officially opened on Thursday 11th July in a ceremony where Lady Rose Crossman, the owner of the land on which the Window on Wild Lindisfarne is built, was invited to formally open the building. The ceremony was also presented by Richard Patterson, the chair of the Holy Island Development Trust, and Natural England's Director of Access and Engagement, Liz Newton. It was fantastic to see the building completed and open for everyone to visit, with a great turnout of locals and visitors to watch the ceremony.

Pupils and teachers from three local First Schools were also invited to the ceremony and to a special programme of fun activities, as the first formal event held in the Window on Wild Lindisfarne and in its sister building, the Lookout on Wild Lindisfarne. 

The building is open! From L-R: Dick Patterson, Lady Rose Crossman, and Liz Newton.

The purpose of the stunning Window on Wild Lindisfarne is to provide a hub for visitors to learn more about the amazing wildlife of Lindisfarne, not to mention a great viewing point from which to see birds and other wildlife in inclement weather! It is also a perfect place to hold events and educational activities for children and natural history groups from near and far.

What a turnout!

The Lindisfarne NNR team were joined by Natural England staff and volunteers from other Reserves, and our Events team who were fantastic in helping the day run smoothly.

After the opening ceremony, our Wild Education Day began! This was a great opportunity to teach local children about looking after the Reserve, to show them the fantastic animals and birds living here, and to make some craft seals and lobsters for them to take home! 

Staff from Castle Eden Dene NNR talking to the schoolchildren before investigating the rockpools

We hope the schoolchildren enjoyed the day and learned lots about why the Reserve is so important. It was great to work with such enthusiastic children who got stuck right in to all the fun activities - they especially enjoyed being shown the creatures in the rock pools, and were careful to put the animals back where they were found:

Fascinated by a brittle star

Thanks from the Lindisfarne NNR team to the children, teachers and helpers from Hugh Joicey, Scremerston, and Belford First Schools, to everyone who attended and to those who did a fantastic job of helping out. We think this is a great example of how local schools and groups can work with us on educational projects, and to help us look after the Reserve - here's to many more events in our Window on Wild Lindisfarne.

25th May: Visit our Hides and Nature Trail

This summer is shaping up to be a very busy one, with an already varied events programme (this can now be found on the Events tab) with still more to be added! Keep checking back for updates.

If you want to get closer to the Reserve wildlife, the hides are great places to do this without causing disturbance. New information boards have been installed in the hide at Beal, including a great photographic guide to the birds you are most likely to see here. Our other hides can be found at the Lough on the island and at Fenham-le-Moor on the mainland.

Our fantastic two storey hide at Fenham-Le-Moor

We also have a fantastic Nature Trail that takes you through our different habitats on the Reserve. There are 8 points marked by posts where you can stop and view the scenery and wildlife, beginning at the Window on Wild Lindisfarne building. The Trail then carries on towards the Castle, takes you along the old waggonway past the Lough and it's hide, and follows the Straight Lonnen in the centre of the Island. The waymarked route takes roughly 1 hour and allows you to experience the range of habitats on Lindisfarne.

A fantastic guide to the Trail with lots of information about each point is included in the Reserve leaflets. Please pick one up from the Beal car park at the beginning of the causeway, from the Window on Wild Lindisfarne building, or from the coastguard Lookout Tower.

20th Mar: Litter pick a success

On Saturday morning, despite a rainy start, 15 volunteers came along to our litter pick on the North Shore of Holy Island. Numbers were greatly boosted by the attendance of the Young Rangers from Seahouses. They identified litter from four different sources: litter washed down rivers into the sea, from sewage outfall, dropped at sea (including fishing-related litter) and dropped directly on the beach.

Comments included: “it was great to have the satisfaction of seeing the beach looking cleaner and knowing that we had made a difference”.

Keeping litter on the Reserve minimal is an ongoing task. A couple of volunteers said they will pick litter during their future visits to the Reserve, which will be a welcome help to the existing staff and volunteers who pick litter on a regular basis.

A big thank you to everyone who helped on Saturday.

The below photographs were taken by Marty Togher:

One of the more unusual finds, a watering can

Plenty of shoes were found, but no pairs

One of the trailer loads of rubbish

19th Mar: Little Terns at Holy Island and Lowick First Schools

Over the last two weeks, Ajay and Jo have been working on a little tern decoy project with nearby Holy Island and Lowick First Schools. This started with a talk about the challenges that little terns face (predation, disturbance, the elements), followed by practical decoy-making sessions.

Because the beaches where little terns chose to nest are vulnerable to tidal flooding, this year decoys will be used to attract the birds to safe places to nest on Lindisfarne NNR. This has been done successfully in the past on the Reserve by Andrew. Local potter Ian Kille has kindly been experimenting with clay to create some brilliant decoys and has fired the decoys made by the children of Holy Island and Lowick First Schools.

The schoolchildren, aged 4 to 8, have been making and painting clay decoys whilst learning about the terns and the importance of Lindisfarne NNR (one of just two breeding sites in Northumberland). Their decoys will be put on the beach in the coming weeks and the children will have a follow-up guided walk in the summer when they undertake their beach clean at Sandham Bay.

Years 3 and 4 painting their little terns

Reception busy painting

After the decoy-making sessions, the children did some drawings and writing about little terns: