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RSPB Mersehead Blog 20^th – 26^th January 2023

Big Garden Birdwatch is the world’s largest garden wildlife survey. Every year, hundreds of thousands of nature lovers like you take part, helping to build a picture of how garden birds are faring.

How Do I Take Part?

• Sign up to the survey on the RSPB website here:
• Spend 1-hour watching the birds in your patch, this can be a garden, balcony, or in your local park between 26^th and 28^th January and record the birds which land. Download your free guide here.
• Submit your results by 18th February.

Big Garden Birdwatch provides a snapshot in time of how garden birds are doing in the UK. It is held at a similar time every year so that we can compare the results with previous years.

Nuthatch. Photo credit: D. Jackson

The Mersehead Bird Table. Photo credit: R.Chambers

Follow the Mersehead bird table on a live stream this weekend using the links below. Last year, we got a mention from Chris Packham who was admiring the Tree Sparrows.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtK_hU8KZ8Q   (Sat)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNk-M24xjU0     (Sun)

The very first Big Garden Birdwatch took place in 1979. Last year, over half a million people took part in Big Garden Birdwatch, counting a whopping 9.1 million birds! House Sparrows took the top spot but counts of these chirpy birds are down by 57% compared to the first Big Garden Birdwatch in 1979. In fact, we’ve lost 38 million birds from the UK skies in the last 60-years. With birds facing so many challenges, it’s more important than ever to get involved in Big Garden Birdwatch. Every bird you do – or don’t – count will give us a valuable insight into how garden birds are faring.

There is still time to see the Starling murmuration over the reedbed. Numbers are starting to decrease but still gave a dramatic display on Wednesday as they swooped low over Meida Hide before swirling and twisting their way down into the safety and warmth of the reedbed. Bullfinch has been spotted on the walk to Meida Hide. Keep a look-out for Great Spotted Woodpecker, Treecreeper and Long-tailed Tits as you wander under the winter canopy. Long-tailed Tits can often be seen at bird feeders during the winter months so keep a look out for its distinctive long tail during Big Garden Birdwatch. As dusk settles over the reserve the resident Tawny Owl has been very vocal.

Bullfinch. Photo credit: L. Jones

Long-tailed tits (left), Blue Tit (right). Photo credit: Nigel Blake (rspb-images.com)

Close to the woodland footpath an impressive Turkeytail Fungus can be seen. A tough bracket fungus, this species forms tired layers on dead wood, mainly hardwood, and bears a striking resemblance to the fanned tail of a turkey. The Turkeytail fungus has clear concentric rings of varying colours however the outer ring is always pale. Mainly seen during the winter and spring, Jelly Ear Fungus looks disconcertingly, as its name would suggest, like an ear growing on decaying branches of Elder, Beech, Sycamore and Ash.

Turkeytail Fungus. Photo credit: R. Chambers

Jelly Ears. Photo credit: R. Chambers

Yellow and amber weather warnings for wind and rain have dominated the week. Thankfully the only damage was a single slate off one of the cottage roofs and a tree partially blocking the footpath. The fields are extremely wet with around 44mm of rain having fallen this week. Splashy pools in the fields are attracting large flocks of Lapwing and Curlew with a spattering of Redshank. Hundreds of waterfowl are out on the wetlands. If they jump into flight, scan through the flock and an array of ducks are revealed with the much smaller Teal, whistling Wigeon, elegant Pintail and the distinctive spatula bill of the Shoveler. This sudden explosion of activity will often indicate the presence of a predator. Red Kite, Hen Harrier and Peregrine have all been sighted this week.

Curlew. Photo credit: C. Murray

Lapwing. Photo credit: C. Murray

Redshank. Photo credit: C. Murray

Is the new year bringing a change of career for you? Residential RSPB volunteering is a great way to start your conservation career. We are looking for an enthusiastic Trainee Visitor Experience Warden to join our small, friendly team here at Mersehead and help with the delivery of our visitor and community experience both on and off the reserve . While learning about aspects of the reserve and local wildlife, as a member of the RSPB Mersehead team you will become fully involved in visitor operations: enthusing and inspiring the public in/around our visitor centre, face-to-face engagement onsite, promoting the reserve offsite, assisting with and running events, managing day volunteers, creating interpretation and maintaining visitor infrastructure.

Rowena Chambers, Warden

Upcoming events

*Flooding - Please note that Mersehead nature reserve is prone to flooding during periods of high rainfall and/or strong winds and tidal surges. To avoid disappointment at these times, please contact the reserve in advance of your visit by email in the first instance at mersehead@rspb.org.uk or check the RSPB Dumfries and Galloway Facebook Page for daily updates.