All Change!

RSPB Mersehead Recent Sightings 14th – 20th March 2020

What a week! I’m sure everyone has had a bit of a wham on their lives with what’s been going on in media and indeed, how it can potentially affect us all in the coming weeks. I’m no different and know that the next few weeks if not months, will be challenging.

RSPB Scotland are following government guidelines and decisions have been made to keep reserves open but to reduce risks of COVID 19 (Coronavirus) from spreading. So, it may come as no surprise to say that staff and volunteers will not be closely engaging with visitors for the foreseeable future.

Our visitor centre was eventually closed. However, we are keen to encourage people to get out in the fresh air, at a safe distance from others. So, car parking charges will not apply for the time being. Why not take the opportunity to get out and enjoy the freedom of the reserve? But if you do, please bear in mind that recent storm damage has caused significant erosion to sand-dunes on the shore and unfortunately, has affected the finger post way-markers directing visitors along the Coastal Trail. Therefore, keep looking out for these as you walk along the shore, so as not to lose your way. Loss of sands have caused them to fall over and so they may be tricky to find.

Damaged way-marker on eroded sand dune. Photo credit: Dave Jackson

Sadly, it was necessary to lose a valued member of our team, this week. The RSPB has stopped all residential volunteering, meaning that Christie O’Connor (Mersehead’s summer Trainee Warden) had to leave us. The team would like to wish Christie all the best in the coming weeks and it is hoped that she will continue to develop her interest in nature conservation, once restrictions begin to lift. Hopefully we will see her again in the future.

Our regular volunteer work was also halted in line with the guidance issued. Until further notice, team working will not take place in order to support social distancing.

But enough about that! Let’s focus on the positives and that thing we all love – nature!

As mentioned for a few weeks now, spring is now in full swing. Birds are singing, amphibians are emerging, territories are being established and the earliest flowers are now blooming. And yet, winter visitors are still around. Since they first arrived in 2002, numbers of little egrets have increased across Dumfries & Galloway but following 2011 they've shown a tendency to leave before May. In the last week, at least ten have been seen at the wetlands and merse (salt marsh) on the reserve. At least two grey herons are also present feeding on the wetland.

Grey Heron stalking for a snack on the wetland. Photo credit: Calum Murray

This could be birds moving around before their departure to summer grounds. Likewise, about 30 whooper swans were spotted heading west from the reserve’s merse on Saturday afternoon. A few wigeons can still be seen on the wetland too, though numbers are beginning to diminish as more head north for Iceland. And of course, smaller numbers of teals, shovelers and mallards are around, preparing for the breeding season. Keep a look out for odd pintails too, which may stay here to breed. Most will now be heading north to Iceland.

Barnacle geese are now more dispersed across the reserve. Around 2,000 to 3,000 geese were found on reserve in reasonably sized flocks. Some can be found close to the trails, keen to eek out the best nourishment to fatten up before departing next month. It is worth stopping to study their behaviours as they forage, as adults with young are less tolerant of birds getting into their space.

Barnacle geese in nearby fields by the farm. Photo credit: Calum Murray

Individual snipes were spotted by a couple of visitors at various places on the reserve and at least seven lapwings have been recorded displaying on territories in fields and around the wetland. Listen out for that beautiful, slightly distressed sounding “Peeee-wit!” call as they fly and dance. The sound of a squealing piglet could also be heard along Rainbow Lane. This harrowing call is of course water rail. For a chance of seeing one, it is always worth trying at Meida Hide. Recently, a swath of reed was cut beside the ramp to the hide, to open up habitat and provide possible viewing. You never know, it could be possible to see one of these timid birds.

Surrounding the wetland, there appears to be good numbers of roe deer in view along the trails, especially from Bruaich Hide and along the trail to our woodland. A couple of bucks (males) could be seen with their prominent, short antlers.

Hedgerows are starting to awaken, with blackthorns about to flower, while hawthorns show leaves emerging. Hedges near to the visitor centre have been filled with calling house sparrows and tree sparrows. These social birds can be seen gathered in small flocks as males chirp assertively, to attract mates. Goldfinches, greenfinches and chaffinches are also active, calling from hedges and trees. All can still be seen around the visitor centre in good numbers, especially when the feeding station is topped up at the visitor centre. On a few occasions, viewers have also seen a young male sparrowhawk attempt to catch prey at the feeding station (albeit unsuccessfully), while a young red kite has often been gliding over the reserve fields on a breeze.

Hawthorn with leaf emergence. Photo credit: Calum Murray

Along trails to the shore, stonechats, linnets, yellowhammers and reed buntings are now joined by some of our earliest summer visitors. A chiffchaff was reported on Rainbow Lane, noted by its distinctive (namesake) call. A goldcrest (more often heard in the woodland walk to Meida Hide) could be seen along Rainbow Lane also. And along most of the trails, you can hear the uplifting call of skylarks, as they ascend in their display.

Skylark displaying before its decent. Photo credit: Calum Murray

Lesser celandines are in full bloom (that is, they bloom when the sun shines) and are widespread in shaded parts of the reserve. These plants are one of our earliest to flower and their Celtic name, Grian (which means sun) is reference to the way they close up when sunshine is low and so petals tend to be closed in early morning and evening, yet the flower emerges like the sun through the day.

Lesser celandine or Grian in full bloom. Photo credit: Calum Murray

Before midweek changes (with COVID19 restrictions), our Tuesday Volunteers were busy painting benches and refreshing our 'giving nature a home' signs. The work party added significant mileage to our wheelbarrows this week, as four tractor bucket loads of wood chip were removed from the Sulwath Garden and spread on one of the really muddy sections in the woodland (on path leading down to the coast). To protect grass, the wood chip had to be shovelled into wheelbarrows and moved out to the tractor, before being barrowed out at the woodland. Other volunteers continued putting in the last few edging boards along the path to Meida Hide.

Volunteers (including Christie) hard at work. Photo credit: Paul Radford

It saddens me to say that all of the forthcoming events for March and April are now cancelled. Therefore, all events promoted in the last few blogs are no longer taking place. We will keep you informed about further forthcoming events and any cancellations or changes.

Calum Murray, Assistant Warden