Cows are on the Mooooove!

RSPB Mersehead blog 20^th - 26^th May 2023

Welcome to this week's edition of the Mersehead blog, where breeding season is in full swing and cows are on the moooove.

Cattle making there way out to the Mersehead fields. Photo credit: A.Sutton

Every year here at Mersehead, we graze animals like cows and sheep on the fields to help with our habitat management approach. Thursday this week marked the first arrival of the cows for the summer season, since they departed in Autumn. Using our valued relationships with local graziers we're able to use livestock in helping to manage our grasslands, meadows, and wetlands for the benefit of our other wildlife. If you didn't know, here's three reasons why cows make good conservationists:

1. Habitat Management: The cattle help control vegetation growth by consuming plants, which prevents the dominance of certain species and encourages a more diverse plant community. This, in turn, benefits a wide range of wildlife that relies on diverse habitats for food, shelter, and breeding.

2. Biodiversity Enhancement: Controlled grazing by cattle can promote biodiversity by creating a mosaic of different vegetation heights and structures, as well as preventing the encroachment of woody plants, ensuring that open habitats are maintained for species that require such conditions. This is particularly important for the wetlands at Mersehead where we want to promote breeding waders and reduce the woodland areas for predators to perch from.

3. Sustainable Land Management: Grazing animals can be integrated into sustainable land management practices, such as rotational grazing systems. Rotational grazing involves moving cattle between different pastures, allowing vegetation to recover and promoting healthier plant growth. This method prevents overgrazing and promotes soil health, which is vital for the long-term sustainability of the land.

Lapwing in front of a field of Common Storksbill. Photo credit: A.Sutton

With temperatures hotting up and good weather forecast for the next week, the fields are starting to fully bloom and more insects are starting to emerge. This week's bee and butterfly survey recorded a variety of species and the first Small Heath butterfly of the year, as well as also spotting this Blue-tailed Damselfly on Rainbow Lane.

Blue-tailed Damselfly on Rainbow Lane. Photo credit: A.Sutton

Throughout the summer we conduct weekly moth surveys and this week saw the perhaps the most spectacular haul so far this year with 121 moths across 20 species, including visual stunners such as Poplar Hawk-moth, Elephant Hawk-moth, Small Elephant Hawk-moth, White Ermine and Lesser Swallow Prominent.

Striking colours of an Elephant Hawk-moth. Photo credit: A.Sutton

A late edition to this week's blog includes an Adder that was spotted by some visitors on Rainbow Lane, clearly the making the most of the hot weather! Adders are the only native venomous snake to the U.K. and it's wise to stand clear if you see one in the wild. They're relatively small snakes, with the larger females typically growing up to 70-90 centimeters (28-35 inches) and usually stay unnoticed in vegetation with their distinctive zigzag pattern providing excellent camouflage.

Adder on Rainbow Lane. Photo credit: Alisdair Dawson & Maryanne Dawson

Notable sightings at Mersehead this week included:

• Adder
• Cuckoo (heard only)
• Red Kite
• Lapwing chicks

Adam Sutton, Mersehead volunteer