Mersehead

Mersehead Recent Sightings 2^nd – 8^th November 2019

Cold, dry and bright weather is forecast over the coming week, the perfect conditions to head down to Mersehead for some autumnal sunshine. The hedgerows are brimming with bright red berries providing a vital food source. The flocks of Fieldfare have been amazing with up to 70 birds recorded together. A soft “seep seep” call reveals the presence of the …

Mersehead Recent Sightings 26th October - 1st November 2019

We were reminded that winter creeps ever closer this week, with frosts crisping the reserve on a few mornings and making for magical sunrises. As we’ve previously reported, our winter visitors are now well and truly in, and the reserve is bustling with life.

It’s almost impossible to walk anywhere without thrushes bursting from the bushes around you. Large…

Mersehead Recent Sightings: 19th-25th October 2019

It has been another exciting week at Mersehead, with a diverse array of sightings reported by visitors and staff. From both Bruaich and Meida Hides hundreds of splashing Teal, ‘peewit’-ing Lapwing, and bathing geese can reliably be seen. Whilst out on the trails, passing Redwing and Fieldfare continue to gorge on the hawthorn berries which laden the hedgerows…

Mersehead Recent Sightings: 12^th- 18^th October 2019

The magic of bird migration continues to thrill us here at Mersehead. This week saw more winter visitors arrive, including the first sightings of Redwings and Fieldfares. These colourful Scandinavian migrants are best looked for feasting on the abundant supply of bright scarlet hawthorn berries in the hedgerows along the Wetland Trail. A male Brambling was also reported…

Despite the weather forecast 15 hardy souls ventured down to the beach at RSPB Mersehead on Sunday to help us clean part of our 3.2-mile coastline. This was an area that we have not previously cleaned so we discovered a vast array of items from an inflatable swimming pool toy, to balloons, Barbie's hair comb, a Coca Cola crate and of course a multitude of single use plastic bottles.

It's important to carry a specially…

Mersehead Recent Sightings 5^th- 11^th October

It was another wet start to the week with the reserve entrance road again flooding on Saturday and meaning wellies were still an essential requirement when visiting the hides. However, it did mean that there was a lot of water around on the reserve attracting lots of birds in. A large flash that formed in one of the fields along Rainbow Lane was holding over 1000 birds on most…

Mersehead Recent Sightings 28^th September – 4^th October 2019

The barnies are back! (photo credit: RSPB Scotland)

It’s been a wet week at the reserve, with the access road being badly flooded for much of the week. An increasing problem faced is that we must close when the access road floods. But that said, winds from the north have assisted our winter visitors from the Arctic. Barnacle Geese numbers continue…

Mersehead Recent Sightings 21^st – 27^th September 2019

The Barnacle Geese have started returning to the Solway this week with 305 counted on the sandflats on Wednesday morning. A White-fronted Goose was spotted amongst them. Pink-footed goose numbers have continued to increase with 3000 feeding in the stubble field.

The first Barnacle Geese to return to Mersehead. Photo Credit: Dave Jackson.

Overwinter stubble is…

RSPB Mersehead recent sightings 14^th-20^th September 2019

It feels like the reserve is really starting to come alive again as the number of geese, ducks and waders continue to increase.  Pink-footed Geese have definitely stolen the show this week as groups up to 800 strong have been spotted feeding around the reserve mainly out on the wetlands and in the fields past the woodland.  The best time to see the ‘pinkies’ is early…

RSPB Mersehead Recent Sightings 7^th – 13^th September 2019

This week at Mersehead we had a BBQ to say thank you to our volunteers for all their hard work. It was a nice chance to get staff and all the volunteers together, as usual with enough burgers and pudding to feed an army.

Volunteer thank you BBQ. Photo credit: D. Jackson

Moth numbers continue to decline with the cool nights. Last night’s minimum temperature…

Mersehead Recent Sightings 31^st August – 6^th September 2019

There is a sudden Autumnal feeling at Mersehead with overnight temperatures dropping to single figures with a minimum of 5^oC recorded. The hedgerows are bursting with bright scarlet berries on the Hawthorn and Rowan trees which will provide a fantastic food source for returning winter migrants. The English Oak is heaving with acorns at Meida Hide. Most…

Mersehead Recent Sightings 24^th- 30^th August 2019

The fine weather over the weekend and at the beginning of the week kicked off some migration which was evident around the reserve. Tree Pipit were seen heading over the reserve on most days; these birds are usually found breeding in open woodland, heathland and scrub but this is the peak time to see them migrating south to Africa for the winter. They are often conspicuous…

Mersehead Recent Sightings 17^th- 23^rd August 2019

Those brave enough to face the wet and windy weather have had some great spots this week. One of the star species this week has been a Spotted Flycatcher, which was seen along the woodland trail towards Meida hide. The Spotted Flycatcher perches in open spaces to get a good view of flying invertebrates to catch. Also spotted along the woodland trail to Meida hide was a…

Mersehead Recent sightings 5^th August to 15^th August 2019

This was our first time volunteering at Mersehead reserve having done a couple of stints at South Stack on Anglesey in previous years.  We certainly brought the weather with us and we had several days of downpours.  The “wetlands” became even wetter and unfortunately the reserve had to close over the weekend due to a flooded access road.  It was a new…

Mersehead Recent Sightings 3^rd – 9^th August 2019

Sitting in the hides at Mersehead you may wonder where all the water has gone especially with the recent torrential rainfall. To provide the best breeding and wintering conditions for a variety of wildlife, wet grassland must be actively managed. If left alone, succession will occur; grassland becomes dominated by taller, courser species such as rush, which then succeeds…

Mersehead Recent Sightings 27th July - 2nd August 2019

Butterflies were out in force again on our weekly butterfly transect, enjoying afternoon temperatures of 24°C. Painted Lady were the most abundant, with 78 recorded in the Butterfly Garden alone. Peacock, Meadow Brown, Large and Green-veined White and 6 Spot Burnet Moth were also present, it is well worth spending some time there. Wall Brown are most prevalent…

Mersehead Recent Sightings 20^th – 26^th July 2019

This week started with the reserve having to be closed as the heavy rain on Sunday caused the entrance road to flood. The flood only lasted a day as the water disappeared completely overnight. Which then lead to the hottest day of the year, it was 28°c at Mersehead on Thursday.

Tuesday saw our usual local volunteers coming down to help for the morning. Our volunteers…

Mersehead Recent Sightings 13th - 19th July 2019

I’m back – not in Arnie style but I’m glad to say, I’m back at RSPB Mersehead for another two weeks of residential volunteering. It’s been three years since I was last here and while some things have changed (there’s a butterfly meadow), much remains the same.

I’m half way through my second week and am on a rain break as pulling weeds…

Mersehead Recent Sightings 6^th – 12^th July 2019

With high pressure and temperatures of 20^oC forecast for the next couple of weeks, the hay mower has been retrieved from the depths of the machinery shed and the first 20-acre field cut. We still have a further 22-acres to cut over the weekend. The fields are always cut from inside to out to ensure any wildlife can move safely away from the tractor. Today’s job was…

Mersehead Recent Sightings 29^th June-5^th July 2019

This week we were out on the wetlands carrying out fences checks in preparation for the arrival of cattle to carry out some essential grazing. Cattle will graze on the grassy areas and open them up to allow establishment of new plants, creating a mosaic of vegetation much like in the picture below. Species found in our meadow include White Clover, Yellow Rattle, Common…

Mersehead Recent Sightings 22nd - 28th June 2019

This week has been a warm week with daily temperatures reaching over 20°! We are feeling the heat on the reserve, however thankfully not 40° like Europe. The warm temperatures seem to have awaken the Painted Lady Butterflies, you can see them all over the reserve, particularly near the coast on the yellow flowering plant, Sea Radish. Painted lady butterflies are…

Mersehead Recent Sightings 15^th – 21^st June 2019

The merse (saltmarsh) is currently brimming with colour and sound. Ragged Robin and Lesser Spearwort are in flower whilst overhead the Skylark’s distinctive song can be heard from every corner. We have been out inspecting and repairing the livestock fence along the merse and sand dunes this week in readiness for the cattle. With the warm weather there were plenty…

Mersehead Recent Sightings 8^th-14^th June 2019

Sightings from our visitors this week include Whitethroat, Linnet, Sand Martin, House Martin and Swallow. A Sparrow Hawk appeared right outside the visitor centre window, perched near the hanging feeders. Needless to say, all the usual House Sparrows and Gold Finches disappeared from sight. A Reed Bunting was also spotted perched on a fence post along Rainbow lane (the path…

Mersehead Recent Sightings 1^st – 7^th June 2019

With the recent bouts of heavy rain over the last week or so the Natterjack pools have started to fill up again.  Natterjack Toad have an extended breeding season precisely for this reason; if the shallow breeding pools dry out early in the spring due to a lack of rain (as happened to some on the reserve this year), they are able to take advantage of the freshly filled…

Mersehead Recent Sightings 25th - 31st May 2019

Reserve work this week has focused on preparing the two 1ha Wild bird cover plots. Both areas have been ploughed, cultivated and the Oats and Sunflower seeds drilled into the ground. Just as the small seed spreader was being attached to the tractor, the heavy rain forecast for later in the afternoon arrived early and unfortunately prevented the work being completed. Over…