Recent Sightings 26th November-2nd December
After getting used to the wetlands freezing overnight, we have had a much milder week on the reserve. The barnacle geese have certainly been enjoying this weather and have been giving us great views of them bathing in the wetlands. On Monday we counted 2,500 right in front of Bruiach hide!
At the visitors centre over the weekend, the shallow pool seen from the viewing windows turned in to a spa with plenty of wigeon, pintail, and teal all splashing about with over a thousand barnacle geese. We were also treated to another spectacle on Friday at Kirkconnell Merse where 1,200 barnacle geese were beating their wings and creating a noisy frenzy at the edge of the river Nith.
Barnacle geese at Kirkconnell (Photo credit: S.Livingstone)
Highlights from our reserve count this week include good numbers of waders at high tide with 960 golden plover, 330 dunlin, 1679 oystercatcher, 581 lapwing and 134 redshank at Mersehead and West Preston, as well as 578 lapwing and 139 redshank at Kirkconnell. For wildfowl we are seeing a lot more pintail, with 123 counted at Mersehead and 58 at Kirkconnell plus 6 goldeneye and 7 goosander spotted surfing the tidal bore along the Nith. A pair of goldeneye and a pair of gadwall are now regular visitors to Meida hide at Mersehead too.
Another survey which took place this week was our annual check of the tree sparrow nest boxes placed around the reserve. With two different sized ladders, a marker pen, a ruler, a map, and Julia Gallagher our Area Conservation Officer, we took to the trees. There were 50 boxes to check-some high up on tree trunks, others lower down in the hedgerows. Although a lot were found empty, we found a successful tree sparrow nest in the Sulwath garden with the signature layers of grass and feathers lining the top. There were also several starter nests dotted around the reserve which we hope means more good news for next summer. In 9 boxes we found blue tit nests with their preferred mossy lining. These are the only other bird able to fit through the 28mm hole at the front of our boxes. The size of this hole is also important for differentiating between the tree and the house sparrow as their nests look the same, but the house sparrow needs at least a 32mm hole at the front to fit through.
Nest boxes in Sulwath garden (Photo credit: S.Livingstone)
In the New Year we will be looking to get additional boxes put up in favourable locations to encourage more of these birds on to the reserve.
Elsewhere this week we have had regular sightings of little egrets, hen harrier, a red squirrel, and the starlings are still roosting in high numbers at the reed beds down at Meida hide, so there is plenty to see wherever you look.
Sarah Livingstone, Residential Trainee Warden