Close encounters of the wild kind

RSPB Mersehead Blog 14^th – 20^th October 2023

Badgers and wintering wildfowl galore

We kicked off this week with perfect conditions for an evening to enjoy a Badger Banquet, an event where visitors get an up-close, exclusive viewing of our residential Badgers from the comfort of the Sulwath Centre. This ticketed event is part of the region’s #WildGooseFestival2023.

A few badgers showed up in all their black-and-white stripe glory to snuffle and shuffle about the garden foraging for tasty snacks. Badgers are opportunistic feeders feeding mainly on earthworms, but they can adapt their diets to seasonal changes. With such poor eyesight, they rely heavily on their powerful sense of smell to follow paths and their noses to food sources.

Badgers digging and sniffing for food around the Sulwath garden. Photo credit: F. Gilgunn

Other wildlife sightings

Svalbard Barnacle Geese continue to fill the fields and the skies over the reserve. We counted approximately 6,000 during our regular ‘barnie’ survey of the wetlands, sandflats, grasslands. We started the count at what we call the ‘high tide roost’ for a panoramic view of the reserve. Although it was low tide at the time, and only a lone Little Egret was spotted, we were rewarded with a good clear view of the area before the impending Storm Babet.   

The high tide roost provides an excellent vantage point of the sandflats and fields before undertaking our wetland bird and geese counts. Photo Credit: F. Gilgunn

You can see many ducks and geese, including Barnacle Geese, right outside the Visitor Centre. Photo credit: A. Hallatt

Our Visitor Centre is a relaxing place to stop and watch the birds, and the world, go by. Many visitors have remarked that they were surprised to see several Swallows still around and flitting about over the water in front of the viewing area. A single Snipe was also seen skulking among the tussocks of rushes and grass. At the feeders, Yellowhammers, with their unmistakable bright yellow head and underparts, have been delighting visitors with their frequent appearances, along with Chaffinches, Tree and House Sparrows, Greenfinches, Starlings and Great Spotted Woodpeckers.

Snipe is a medium-sized wading bird and is an Amber List species due to moderate declines overall in the UK.  Photo credit: RSPB

A Yellowhammer (forefront) mixes with sparrows and finches at the Visitor Centre bird feeder. Photo credit: F. Gilgunn

Volunteers at work in the wildflower meadows

With autumn upon us, we are undertaking an important step in the seasonal management of our wildflower meadows – nutrient stripping. Our volunteer work party was hard at work this week cutting and then raking up the vegetation, which lowers soil nutrients and promotes reseeding. Come back in the spring and see the resulting abundance of wildflowers and diversity of invertebrates that inhabit these areas of the reserve.

Residential volunteer, Nick, cuts the wildflower meadow vegetation with a pedestrian mower to prepare for nutrient stripping. Photo credit: F. Gilgunn

Autumn events

There are plenty of tickets still available for our goose events at RSPB Mersehead, as part of the #WildGooseFestival2023.

Svalbard to the Solway Story Trail. Photo credit: F. Gilgunn

Discover the reserve and what we are doing to help the Svalbard Barnacle Geese and many more specially protected species, or come and watch these birds as they arrive in their thousands to roost on Mersehead sands at dusk.

Join us for another one of our popular Forest School events on Saturday 28^th October. This event will be goose related to co-inside with the Wild Goose Festival taking place across Dumfries and Galloway 19th-29th October. Limited places are available for primary aged school children. Each workshop costs £5 per child. Parents and guardians are welcome to stay but not necessary. Suitable clothing and footwear for outside play are essential. Please email mersehead@rspb.org.uk to reserve a space or for further information. Forest school involves learning that is in tune with nature and the great outdoors. Its aim is to promote new skills, confidence, self-esteem, and team building while participants take part in fun outdoor activities.

Frances Gilgunn, Residential Volunteer

*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.