RSPB Mersehead Blog 27th May - 2nd June 2023
Hi, my name is George Hemstock, Community Engagement Officer at Mersehead. This is my first blog since starting here back in September last year.
Mug Shot. Photo Credit G.Hemstock
It’s felt like summer all week at Mersehead, on Saturday 27th May I was busy delivering another forest school workshop in the sunshine. I first started these children’s workshops back in November at Mersehead, bringing ideas from my time as a forest school practitioner in Nottinghamshire. Mersehead is a fantastic resource giving children and adults, opportunity to learn something new, any time of the year. We have a lovely community of children and parents who regularly attend these workshops and keen to welcome more (see dates below).
What bug is this. Photo Credit F.Rogerson
When the children arrived on Saturday, we discovered a letter from Barney, an explorer from Svalbard. Barney had to rush back to his boat before the tide came in, he asked after seeing a forest school poster if the children could help him hunt for some beetles. First, they had to act like a beetle, so a game of beetle tag was enjoyed. Barney left clues where to find beetles so off we went to a place where rainbows shine. Once there we shook some bushes, brushed the grass, and kick sampled the burn and discovered some great finds, not all were beetles.
Water scorpion Nepa cinerea. Photo Credit G.Hemstock
On Sunday I was off site at the Kirbean EcoFair, I regularly work at events and visit local businesses promoting Mersehead, and the RSPB. Monday I was back onsite at Mersehead, we had a visit from Springholm Nursery. We went on a journey to the beach; on the way we saw some Lapwing chicks that are now massive. We stopped in the woodland to learn about trees and what mini beasts live there and did a bug blitz. At lunch time we arrived on the beach, shoes and socks were off to run about on the sand and eat a well-earned sandwich, before heading back.
Springholm Nursery on the beach. Photo Credit G.Hemstock
Tuesday I was offsite again this time topping up the tan down at Sandyhills, encouraging holiday makers to pay us a visit. Back on the reserve, the Tuesday volunteer group were sweating away pulling Ragwort from the fields where livestock will soon be grazing. Ragwort (Senecio jacobaea) is a native biennial which is a food source for a wide range of insects. It is not usually a significant problem in gardens, but its poisonous qualities can make it a serious weed of paddocks and gardens backing onto fields grazed by horses or cattle (RHS, 2023).
Tuesday Vols Ragwort Pulling. Photo Credit P.Radford
Wednesday and Thursday were my days off this week, but the rest of the team were hard at it surveying waders around Mersehead and down at Kirkconnel Merse. A weasel was spotted with a young kit enjoying the sunshine and wrestling by the looks of it outside Mersehead roost.
Weasels having a scrap. Photo Credit A.Sutton
As the weekend approaches its looking like another hot one, I am in the office today catching up with emails and planning my next adventures at Mersehead and out in the local community. I run a practical volunteer work party, Saturday morning at Mersehead 10:00-12:30. If you would like to learn new skills, help nature and have a laugh at the same time, drop me an email george.hemstock@rspb.org.uk no experience is necessary. In the afternoon I am leading a Community Forest Bathing & Well-being Walk at Mersehead 1:30pm. To book please follow https://events.rspb.org.uk/events/45850
Notable sightings at Mersehead this week included:
George Hemstock, Community Engagement Officer
Forest school dates at Mersehead
All dates Saturday 1:30pm-3:30pm, £5 per child.
Email george.hemstock@rspb.org.uk to book or for further information.
24 June
29 July
26 August
30 September
28 October
25 November
16 December
RSPB Mersehead holiday cottages:
At Mersehead you will find the RSPB’s only self-catering holiday cottages- Barnacle and Shelduck. Available dates are currently going quickly, follow the links to book your next holiday.