RSPB Mersehead Recent Sightings: 19th September – 25th September 2020
4 seasons in one week? It could only be at RSPB Mersehead! It has been a very changeable seven days, from beautiful warm sunshine over the weekend, to high winds, rain and dipping temperatures. The Autumn equinox on the 22nd September has signalled the start of a new season but the wildlife on the site is showing no signs of disappearing from an array of birds, insects and moths a plenty.
The weekend visitors were able to bask in short sleeves and sunglasses as the temperatures reached a barmy 18C on the thermometer on Sunday. The end of season Wheatears were displaying nicely on the fence posts and gorse down the Merse, along with Stonechats and Meadow Pipits.
Stonechat. Photo credit: David Lewis
Wheatear. Photo credit: David Lewis
Meadow Pipit. Photo credit: David Lewis
Linnets were happily flocking and dancing across the grasslands, with Curlew’s calling from the edges of the mudflats. The new feeding station in the woodland (just through the gate on path to the Meida hide) was a hive of activity from the tit species to the majestic Nuthatch and Great Spotted Woodpecker. Spot of the week must go to Dave Ford, a visitor on Sunday, with a Hobby flying over the fields near the woodland. Many thanks to him for allowing us to share this wonderful picture.
Hobby in flight. Photo credit: Dave Ford
During the late Summer and Autumn, the reserve will occasionally see Hobby as they make their way back to tropical Africa for the Winter. They come to the U.K during the Spring to breed, making use of old crow and buzzard nests to rear their young, which become independent after 30/40 days of fledging. Their diet of dragonflies and small birds makes Mersehead an idea stopping point on route home. With the glorious sunshine over the weekend, dragonflies were showing in abundance with Ruddy and Common Darter the two stand outs, basking on the paths and fence posts throughout the Merse and around the reedbeds.
Common Darter basking. Photo credit: David Lewis
The warm weather also brought reports in of Common Lizard on the edges of the woodland on Sunday, making the most of the conditions. Painted Lady butterflies made an appearance on the sedums around the visitor’s centre. After last year’s deluge of this migratory butterfly, this was my first sighting this year in Scotland. It wasn’t just the eye-catching wildlife that could be viewed; the little bugs and beasties were out in force too. Hawthorn and Green Shieldbug were showing well around the visitor’s centre garden and entrance to the car park.
Hawthorn Shieldbug. Photo credit: David Lewis
Green Shieldbug. Photo credit: David Lewis
Even the tiniest of tiny wanted to get in on the act, the flower beds providing a haven for snipe flies and this wonderful micro moth called a Nettle-tap.
Nettle-tap. Photo credit: David Lewis
Talking of moths, the roving moth trap has been out and about again this week, once in the reedbed where most of the catch was Large Wainscots and Pink-barred Sallows but also in the young tree plantation of willows and oaks. The two stand out species out of the week (they were all fascinating to be honest!) was the Green-brindled Crescent and the Flame. The Crescent has beautiful colouration and differing kidney marks compared to other moths whereas the Flame looks like a broken piece of wood …. Ideal to blend into the natural habitat and away from predators.
Green-brindled Crescent. Photo credit: David Lewis
Flame. Photo credit: David Lewis
It has been a very busy week regarding habitat management work and both the wardens, Rowena and Paul, have spent most of it in the tractors, getting the wet grassland habitat ready for the increasing number of winter wildfowl and geese. They have had company as well …. 4 Common Buzzards following their every move on Wednesday, looking for small mammals.
The wardens being watched and chased by Common Buzzards. Photo credit: David Lewis
The Tuesday volunteers have been cracking the whip as well, with the last of the hay being brought in off the fields and the Sulwaith garden being tidied for welcoming visitors back in the future.
Giant hay stacking with the volunteers. Photo credit: David Lewis
So, what news of the geese? Well, as I write this, there has been no confirmed sightings of the Barnacles, who spend the Autumn and Winter at RSPB Mersehead and along the Solway. However, the site has been inundated with Pink-footed geese, with 5000+ spotted on Wednesday across the wetlands. Wildfowl presence is picking up with groups of Teal, Wigeon and Shoveler gathering on the increasing water channels across the reserve.
Pink-footed geese on the wetland and in flight. Photo credit: David Lewis
Please remember that the site is open at RSPB Mersehead, but there is still no access to the hides and the viewing area in the visitor’s centre at present. There is one toilet which is now open for public use (10.00hrs – 16.00hrs) but please follow social distancing guidelines when using the facility to keep yourselves and the staff / volunteers at RSPB Mersehead safe. The RSPB Marquee (selected days) outside the visitor’s centre will give you all the information you require on your visit and the wildlife wonders you can see. In an ever-changing world, there are regular updates on the RSPB website; just follow the Reserves Reboot pages, not only for RSPB Mersehead but for other reserves in the Scottish Lowlands and Southern Uplands.
Well that’s my first blog written, and I hope it goes some way in showing you an insight into what is happening at the reserve and what you can see.
P.S A final highlight this week was the return of an “old” favourite to the Mersehead team … Reggie the Robin is BACK … he’s had a new lease of life, been thoroughly cleaned, repainted and ready to engage with the public once again. The only issue …. he needs feeding on a regular basis! Please say hello if you see him outside the visitor’s centre.
Reggie the Robin. Photo credit: David Lewis
Take care and stay safe.
David Lewis
Community Engagement Officer
I see you didn't try to make Reggie look very realistic