Spittal Pond Nature Reserve is the largest wildlife sanctuary in
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British Overseas Territories, British Overseas Territory in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean. The closest land outside the territory is in the American state of North Carolina, about to the west-northwest.
Bermuda is an ...
, located close to the Atlantic coast of
Smith's Parish
Smith's Parish is one of the nine Administrative divisions of Bermuda, parishes of Bermuda. It is named for English aristocrat Sir Thomas Smythe, Thomas Smith or Smythe (1558–1625).
Description
It is located in the northeast of the main islan ...
. Surrounding the third largest pond in Bermuda, Spittal Pond, it covers an area of . It is one of 13 parks or reserves managed by the Bermuda Department of Conservation Services which protects and conserves environmentally critical areas and habitats.
The pond reserve, a wetland site, is one of the seven
Ramsar Site
A Ramsar site is a wetland site designated to be of international importance under the Ramsar Convention,8 ha (O)
*** Permanent 8 ha (P)
*** Seasonal Intermittent < 8 ha(Ts)
**
lagoon
A lagoon is a shallow body of water separated from a larger body of water by a narrow landform, such as reefs, barrier islands, barrier peninsulas, or isthmuses. Lagoons are commonly divided into ''coastal lagoons'' (or ''barrier lagoons'') an ...
which is permanently
brackish
Brackish water, sometimes termed brack water, is water occurring in a natural environment that has more salinity than freshwater, but not as much as seawater. It may result from mixing seawater (salt water) and fresh water together, as in estuari ...
, ecology featuring wet
grassland
A grassland is an area where the vegetation is dominance (ecology), dominated by grasses (Poaceae). However, sedge (Cyperaceae) and rush (Juncaceae) can also be found along with variable proportions of legumes such as clover, and other Herbaceo ...
and
mangrove
A mangrove is a shrub or tree that grows mainly in coastal saline water, saline or brackish water. Mangroves grow in an equatorial climate, typically along coastlines and tidal rivers. They have particular adaptations to take in extra oxygen a ...
forests, seasonal
shorebirds
FIle:Vadare - Ystad-2021.jpg, 245px, A flock of Dunlins and Red knots
Waders or shorebirds are birds of the order Charadriiformes commonly found wikt:wade#Etymology 1, wading along shorelines and mudflats in order to foraging, forage for food c ...
, other ver run waterbirds and European eels. It is also home to many types of species mostly including birds. Spittal Pond sometimes appears pink due to the presence of certain algae and
microorganisms
A microorganism, or microbe, is an organism of microscopic size, which may exist in its single-celled form or as a colony of cells. The possible existence of unseen microbial life was suspected from antiquity, with an early attestation in ...
that thrive in the saline conditions. These
organisms
An organism is any living thing that functions as an individual. Such a definition raises more problems than it solves, not least because the concept of an individual is also difficult. Many criteria, few of them widely accepted, have been pr ...
produce pigments that give the water a pink hue, especially during warmer months.
Geography
Spittal Pond Nature Reserve is situated in the
Smith's Parish
Smith's Parish is one of the nine Administrative divisions of Bermuda, parishes of Bermuda. It is named for English aristocrat Sir Thomas Smythe, Thomas Smith or Smythe (1558–1625).
Description
It is located in the northeast of the main islan ...
. The habitat comprises rocky shore habitat which includes
limestone pavement
A limestone pavement is a natural karst landform consisting of a flat, incised surface of exposed limestone that resembles an artificial Sidewalk, pavement. The term is mainly used in the UK and Ireland, where many of these landforms have devel ...
formation called "the Checkerboard". Ostensibly fresh water, with no connection to the nearby
Atlantic
The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the Age of Discovery, it was known for se ...
, the pond is in fact
brackish
Brackish water, sometimes termed brack water, is water occurring in a natural environment that has more salinity than freshwater, but not as much as seawater. It may result from mixing seawater (salt water) and fresh water together, as in estuari ...
as the ocean can inundate the lake during severe storms. Hurricanes and gales with strong winds are a common feature. Hurricane tides and waves impact the pond on its south coast line (extending over a length of consisting of the reef line is only off shore. A very thin line of small hillocks separate the pond from the ocean and there are also three low lands through which waves flood the lake during hurricanes. The 2003 hurricane is reported to have caused a wave height inundating the pond with silt, boulders and trees causing serious disturbance in its ecological conditions. In such circumstances, parts of the lake can become discoloured and malodorous due to the work of
sulphur
Sulfur (American spelling and the preferred IUPAC name) or sulphur (English in the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth spelling) is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol S and atomic number 16. It is abundance of the chemical ...
-producing bacteria which thrive in brackish conditions. The reserve is mudflats and salt marsh in 80% of its area, with 10% comprising freshwater, 6% tidal flats, 3% salt marshes and 1% rocky shores 1%. The watershed is formed by hills surrounding which are densely forested.
Climate in the area is subtropical with mild temperatures and humid conditions. The habitat of the reserve is ideal for migratory and resident birds and also water birds. Apart from the main Spittal Pond there are two other smaller ponds adjoining this Ramsar site, which were excavated in 1966 for fresh water. The fluctuation in the water is reported to be about depending on the incidence of rain and flooding from the sea during the hurricanes. During low water levels mudflats get exposed in the lake. The dominant geological formation is limestone with fossils of palmetto stumps and fronds embedded in it.
Tropical trees, plants and flowers enrich the reserve during summer months. The winter season provides one of the best vistas for visitors walking along the many small trails in the park.
History
The origin of the name is uncertain, although it can probably be traced to one of several places in Scotland that have Spittal as part of their names. In the past it was also known as Brackish Pond (due to its brackish water), Peniston's Pond (named after the family who owned these lands) and as Spittal Pond in 1890 (as referred to in Stark's Illustrated Bermuda Guide 1890). As the location of the pond and the land surrounding it were used as a hospital and grazing ground for cattle, the name Spittal has been used.
Initially, in the early part of the 20th century, this reserve was made up of 10 blocks of private land, oriented in a north to south direction. It was not subject to development as it was a salty marsh. In 1946, Dr. Henry Wilkinson, medical doctor, historian, and the founder of the Bermuda Historical Monuments Trust, who owned part of this land (about 4.5 acres), converted his holdings into a reserve, adjoining the Spittal Pond Bird Sanctuary. Over the years, the Bermudian government bought more land in the area and established the Spittal Pond Reserve, which is owned by the government and the Trust. Spittal Pond is now reported to be the largest nature reserve and wildlife sanctuary in Bermuda.
There is mention of a Portuguese shipwreck on this shore dated to 1545 AD, though not confirmed, as when George Somers came to this island in 1609 AD there were no Portuguese settlers on the island. A geological feature of historical importance is the "Spanish Rock", (also known as "Portuguese Rock") a rocky cliff overlooking the ocean with inscriptions of the year 1543 AD and indistinct other writings. Inscriptions have been interpreted as along with other markings "RP" (abbreviated version of Rex Portugaliae,
King of Portugal
This is a list of Portuguese monarchs who ruled from the establishment of the Kingdom of Portugal, in 1139, to the deposition of the Portuguese monarchy and creation of the Portugal, Portuguese Republic with the 5 October 1910 revolution.
Thro ...
) and a cross denoting the Portuguese Order of Christ. This rock piece has been taken out and replaced by a bronze plaque. A replica made in
plaster of Paris
Plaster is a building material used for the protective or decorative coating of walls and ceilings and for moulding and casting decorative elements. In English, "plaster" usually means a material used for the interiors of buildings, while "re ...
Hamilton
Hamilton may refer to:
* Alexander Hamilton (1755/1757–1804), first U.S. Secretary of the Treasury and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States
* ''Hamilton'' (musical), a 2015 Broadway musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda
** ''Hamilton'' (al ...
.
In view of its varied habitats and rich wildlife, particularly wintering waterfowl, the Spittal Pond and vicinity was declared a
Wetland
A wetland is a distinct semi-aquatic ecosystem whose groundcovers are flooded or saturated in water, either permanently, for years or decades, or only seasonally. Flooding results in oxygen-poor ( anoxic) processes taking place, especially ...
of International Importance, a
Ramsar Site
A Ramsar site is a wetland site designated to be of international importance under the Ramsar Convention,8 ha (O)
*** Permanent 8 ha (P)
*** Seasonal Intermittent < 8 ha(Ts)
**
Hurricane Emily caused extensive damage to the casuarina forest in the reserve. On 5 September 2003 severe damage was caused to the reserve by Hurricane Fabian. It was the strongest hurricane to hit Bermuda since Hurricane Arlene in 1963. It was both the most damaging and the first hurricane to cause a death on the island since 1926. In September 2010 Hurricane Igor also caused more damage to the reserve.
Wildlife
Many of the endemic plants and trees that once lived here, especially the Bermuda cedar (''
Juniperus bermudiana
''Juniperus bermudiana'' is a species of juniper endemic to Bermuda. This species is most commonly known as Bermuda cedar, but is also referred to as Bermuda juniper ( Bermudians refer to it simply as ''cedar''). Historically, this tree formed w ...
'') have been killed off by introduced species, such as the Mexican pepper ('' Schinus terebinthifolius''), Australian whistling-pine (''
Casuarina equisetifolia
''Casuarina equisetifolia'', commonly known as coastal she-oak, horsetail she-oak, ironwood, beach sheoak, beach casuarina, whistling tree or Australian pine is a species of flowering plant in the family Casuarinaceae and is native to Australia, ...
''), fiddlewood ('' Citharexylum spinosum''), Chinese fan palm ('' Livistona chinensis''), and asparagus fern ('' Asparagus densiflorus''). There are mangrove swamps, salt marsh (created by flooding of the pond by the sea during storms), and also large areas of woodland. Palmetto ('' Sabal bermudana''), bay grapes (''
Coccoloba uvifera
''Coccoloba uvifera'' is a species of tree and flowering plant in the buckwheat family, Polygonaceae. Its common names include seagrape and baygrape. It is native to coastal beaches throughout tropical America and the Caribbean. It has edible fru ...
''), and allspice ('' Pimenta dioica'') are also reported from the area. Shrubs found here are mostly
lantana
''Lantana'' () is a genus of about 150 species of perennial plant, perennial flowering plants in the verbena family, Verbenaceae. They are native to tropics, tropical regions of the Americas and Africa but exist as an introduced species in num ...
, Spanish bayonet (''
Yucca aloifolia
''Yucca aloifolia''Linnaeus, Species Plantarum 1: 319. 1753 ...
'') and fluorescent green flopper ('' Kalanchoe pinnata''). Plans to replace the casuarina plantation with native, endemic and selected non-invasive ornamentals have been suggested.
Junonia coenia
''Junonia coenia'', known as the common buckeye or buckeye, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. Its range covers much of North America and some of Central America, including most of the eastern half of the US, the lower to middle Midwest, ...
''). Migrating
humpback whale
The humpback whale (''Megaptera novaeangliae'') is a species of baleen whale. It is a rorqual (a member of the family Balaenopteridae) and is the monotypic taxon, only species in the genus ''Megaptera''. Adults range in length from and weigh u ...
s coming out from Portuguese Rock can also be seen in the spring season. Eel (''Anguilla anguilla'') is commonly found here.
Birds
The lake is a major transition area for migratory birds crossing the Atlantic Ocean, and as such is a good
birdwatching
Birdwatching, or birding, is the observing of birds, either as a recreational activity or as a form of citizen science. A birdwatcher may observe by using their naked eye, by using a visual enhancement device such as binoculars or a telescop ...
area. Twenty bird species regularly winter here, while 200 species are reported as migratory birds. There are 25 species of waterfowl, such as
geese
A goose (: geese) is a bird of any of several waterfowl species in the family Anatidae. This group comprises the genera '' Anser'' (grey geese and white geese) and ''Branta'' (black geese). Some members of the Tadorninae subfamily (e.g., Egyp ...
and
flamingo
Flamingos or flamingoes () are a type of wading bird in the family Phoenicopteridae, which is the only extant family in the order Phoenicopteriformes. There are four flamingo species distributed throughout the Americas (including the Caribbe ...
es, which are common sights. Some of the common species of birds reported are Bermuda white-eyed vireo,
cattle egret
The cattle egret (formerly genus ''Bubulcus'') is a cosmopolitan distribution, cosmopolitan clade of heron (family (biology), family Ardeidae) in the genus ''Ardea (genus), Ardea'' found in the tropics, subtropics, and warm-temperate zones. Ac ...
,
great egret
The great egret (''Ardea alba''), also known as the common egret, large egret, great white egret, or great white heron, is a large, widely distributed egret. The four subspecies are found in Asia, Africa, the Americas, and southern Europe. R ...
ring-necked duck
The ring-necked duck (''Aythya collaris'') is a diving duck from North America commonly found in freshwater ponds and lakes. The scientific name is derived from Greek , an unidentified seabird mentioned by authors including Hesychius and Arist ...
Eurasian teal
The Eurasian teal (''Anas crecca''), common teal, or Eurasian green-winged teal is a common and widespread duck that breeds in temperate Eurosiberia and migrates south in winter. The Eurasian teal is often called simply the teal due to being th ...
and
blue-winged teal
The blue-winged teal (''Spatula discors'') is a species of bird in the duck, goose, and swan family Anatidae. One of the smaller members of the dabbling duck group, it occurs in North America, where it breeds from southern Alaska to Nova Scotia, ...
. There are also
wader
245px, A flock of Red_knot.html" ;"title="Dunlins and Red knot">Dunlins and Red knots
Waders or shorebirds are birds of the order Charadriiformes commonly found wikt:wade#Etymology 1, wading along shorelines and mudflats in order to foraging, ...
s,
coot
Coots are medium-sized water birds that are members of the rail family, Rallidae. They constitute the genus ''Fulica'', the name being the Latin term for "coot". Coots have predominantly black plumage, and—unlike many rails—they are usual ...
green
Green is the color between cyan and yellow on the visible spectrum. It is evoked by light which has a dominant wavelength of roughly 495570 nm. In subtractive color systems, used in painting and color printing, it is created by a com ...
and tricoloured herons. During the spring season longtails, or
white-tailed tropicbird
The white-tailed tropicbird (''Phaethon lepturus'') or yellow-billed tropicbird is a tropicbird. It is the smallest of three closely related seabirds of the tropical oceans and smallest member of the order Phaethontiformes. It is found in the tro ...
s, are a common sight. Shorebirds include various shanks, dowitchers and sandpipers. Eastern mosquitofish occur in large numbers, helping with mosquito control and providing food for the herons. White-tailed tropicbirds are reported to nest on the coastal cliffs.