Mersehead

RSPB Mersehead Blog 20^th – 26^th July 2024

Flat, alluvial, frequently marshy land bordering upon a river, a river estuary or the sea, specifically applied to the land bordering the Solway Firth – definition of “merse” Scottish National Dictionary.

The above definition gives a good indication as to where Mersehead obtained its name. The past couple of weeks has seen us spending time out on the merse…

RSPB Mersehead Blog 13^th July – 18^st July

Colourful wildflowers at RSPB Mersehead. Photo credit: F. Sanders.

‘Rainbow Lane’ is the name given to the path that leads from the main entrance track at RSPB Mersehead to the sand dunes. As the story goes, previous tenants of Lapwing cottage observed numerous gorgeous rainbows over that path, eventually coining the name ‘Rainbow Lane’. Many moons later, that…

RSPB Mersehead Blog 6^th – 12^th July 2024

In this week of rather changeable weather, we have been continuing to focus on maintenance work at Mersehead.  While it sometimes feels like we are trying to beat a strimming world record, it’s important that we keep our electric fencing clear of vegetation and the water troughs in good working order for the livestock, during our summer of conservation grazing. 

Moving…

RSPB Mersehead Blog 29^th June – 05^th July 2024

After the vibrancy of the breeding bird season, the summer months feel naturally calmer on the reserve.  Dawn and dusk choruses alongside the springtime territorial singing of our bird species have now faded into the bucolic bleats of sheep and lows of our grazing cattle.  While these moments may seem and feel quieter, the summertime offers a great opportunity to discover…

RSPB Mersehead Blog 22^nd – 28^th June 2024

Mersehead would not be the amazing reserve for wildlife that it is, if it were not for our dedicated band of volunteers.

Our “Tuesday” Volunteers arrive week in, week out completing everything from practical habitat management such as scrub removal to benefit the UK’s rarest amphibian the Natterjack Toad, to completing wildflower meadow management and improving…

RSPB Mersehead Blog 15^th June – 21^st June

Saturday 15^th June marked the beginning of “Maintenance Week” at RSPB Mersehead. During this week, our holiday homes (Barnacle and Shelduck) don’t have any bookings, enabling us to give these cottages a little TLC! Thanks to the hard work of both our staff and volunteers, the insides and outsides of these holiday cottages are looking spick and span. Our volunteers whitewashed…

RSPB Mersehead Blog 8^th – 14^th June 2024

We may be asking ourselves where the summer has gone but the weather hasn’t stopped us getting on with our survey and maintenance work on the reserve. 

As you will have seen from recent blogs our focus has been preparing for the return of livestock to the reserve so we can reap the benefits of conservation grazing.  A special thanks to our Tuesday volunteers for their…

RSPB Mersehead Blog 1^st June– 07^th June 2024

It has been another busy week this week on the reserve, with our staff and volunteers having to battle against some rather wet and windy moments in between some glorious sunshine.  Much of the focus of our reserve staff over the past months has been on our breeding survey work and while this is still continuing, you may have noticed the last couple of blogs have focussed…

RSPB Mersehead Blog 25^th – 31^st May 2024

Following on from the theme of last week’s blog, we were delighted to welcome back the Aberdeen Angus herd to Mersehead for the summer. Currently in the wet grassland compartment to the left of main footpath up to the woodland, cattle are an important aspect of managing the habitats across Mersehead for various species.

1. The cattle help control vegetation growth by…

RSPB Mersehead Blog 18th – 24th May 2024

A Grazing Community

Throughout our winter months Mersehead is descended upon by our beloved Barnacle Geese, while our Barnies return to their Svalbardian shores, a spring chorus of Natterjack toads can be heard for miles, however in the summer months one of our biggest visitor draws are of a slightly more domestic nature.  This week our reserve team have begun preparing for…

RSPB Mersehead Blog 11^th – 17^th May 2024

Survey season is in full flow at Mersehead and Kirkconnell Reserves and, over the past week, we have walked far and wide in search of breeding waders, Lapwing chicks, Natterjack Toad spawn strings, and butterflies. Exploring almost every square inch of a nature reserve can reveal interesting finds including amazing species of both flora and fauna, animal prints, and beautiful…

RSPB Mersehead Blog 4^th – 10^th May 2024

Saying goodbye to the barnacle geese

After staying with us over winter the Barnacle Geese have now left this part of the Solway Firth for their 2000-mile migration back to their breeding grounds in Svalbard.  The spring migration generally starts in April or early May, when the geese leave the Solway Firth and head to Helgeland on the western coast of mainland Norway.  They then…

RSPB Mersehead Blog 27^th April – 3^rd May 2024

RSPB Mersehead has been transformed in recent weeks into a luscious, green landscape with plants rapidly growing and fresh leaves out on many species of tree.

Trees out in leaf near Media Hide, RSPB Mersehead. Photo credit: F. Sanders

If you haven’t been to the reserve for a while, you will certainly notice a difference in the amount of greenery. Grass is growing thick…

RSPB Mersehead Blog 20^th- 26^th April 2024

Barnacle Goose numbers have dropped rapidly over the past week from 7,450 to 4,550. The geese are starting to depart from the area as they begin their 2,000-mile migration back to their breeding grounds on Svalbard. In 2023, the last geese left the reserve on 27^th April so we may only have a matter of days left to enjoy their company. Pink-footed goose migration has also been…

RSPB Mersehead Blog 13^th – 19^th April 2024

Throughout the breeding season our reserve team are out and about at all hours of the day and night diligently surveying a variety of species employing a variety of different methods and techniques.  To give you a flavour of the wide variety of survey work we undertake here at Mersehead, in the last week alone we have continued to survey our brilliant Barnacle Geese (Branta…

RSPB Mersehead Blog 6^th – 12^th April 2024

It’s been a very wet start to April with heavy rain and wind combined with high tides.  But this has led to some spectacular sights at the Mersehead and Kirkconnell reserves.

View along Rainbow Lane, Mersehead. Photo credit: R Chambers

Usually, Rainbow Lane is part of our Coastal Trail but here is the view along the track on Sunday.  The water was higher than the team…

RSPB Mersehead Blog 30^th March – 5^th April

Beach clean

Following our third beach clean, the shorelines at RSPB Mersehead are now looking squeaky clean! A huge thank you to our hardworking Tuesday Work Party Volunteers who helped out with this. I was amazed by the amount of rubbish we collected over two of our beach cleans. 

Rubbish collected from RSPB Mersehead during 2 beach cleans. Photo credit: F. Sanders

Although…

RSPB Mersehead Blog 23rd -29th March 2024

Over the past week the amount of colour on the reserve has noticeably increased as wildflowers start to appear. A herald of spring is the Lesser Celandine, one of the earliest wildflowers to bloom. The bright yellow star-like flowers often blanket the ground beneath hedges and in damper places such as streambanks and meadows, closing their petals when the sun disappears.

Lesser…

RSPB Mersehead Blog 16^th – 22^nd March 2024

With last week being a bit of a wash out, this week it feels like spring has truly arrived at Mersehead!

The newly painted picnic benches are now outside the visitor centre, the holiday cottage gardens have had the first mow of the year and the reserve team are making good progress with repairs and maintenance in readiness for the breeding season.

Returning for spring

We…

RSPB Mersehead Blog 9^th – 15^th March 2024

Last week the weather promised us spring, but alas it was a false promise, as this week saw a return to some wet, windy, truly wild days at Mersehead.  The weather, coupled with some very high tides along the Solway meant that much of our reserve team’s work this week was focussed on repairs and maintenance in preparation for the breeding season.

Barnacle Geese

As we…

RSPB Mersehead Blog 2^nd – 8^th March 2024

The Lapwings have been busy with their tumbling display flights over Mersehead this week. Lapwings have a complex series of breeding season displays both in the air and on the ground; the aerial displays advertise, define and maintain territories whilst conveying important information to the female in selecting a mate.  Morning, late afternoon and into the evening are the best…

RSPB Mersehead Blog 24^th February - 1^st March

The months are flying by, I cannot quite believe it’s March already! At Mersehead, the start of March marks the beginning of our moth trapping season, which I am very excited to be involved with this year. From March until November, we take part in the Garden Moth Scheme (GMS) which involves setting up a moth trap each week to gather data about garden moths. It's a…

RSPB Mersehead Blog 17^th February – 23^rd February

Following on from last week’s blog, we are continuing to feel a change in the air with regular sounds of bird song, as well as the morning and evenings gradually getting lighter. Plenty of sightings and signs we are getting that wee bit closer to Spring!

View of the beach at dusk. Photo credit: A. Mulraney

Buds beginning to open on Cherry Blossom tree at…

RSPB Mersehead Blog 10^th February – 16^th February

“Again rejoicing Nature sees
Her robe assumes its vernal hues.
Her leafy locks wave in the breeze
All freshly steep’d in morning dews.” 

— Robert Burns

The romantic bard certainly had a profound way of expressing his observations and love of nature. I have my own tale of love and nature appreciation to share about Mersehead, as I reflect on the…

RSPB Mersehead Blog 3^rd February – 9^th February 2024

What a topsy-turvy weather week we have had on Mersehead!! Some amazingly calm and beautiful days sprung hints of an early spring, with certain species searching for, and in some cases find their singing voice (more on that later).  But alas…by the end of the week we are returned to the dark, dreich depths of winter winds, snow and sleet with shelter sought by all…