RSPB Mersehead Recent Sightings 6th – 13th March 2020
The weather has been as diverse at the wildlife at RSPB Mersehead this week. Strong southwesterly winds and spells of heavy rain, combined with the moon being full and at its closest to the earth during its orbit (known as a supermoon), have seen high tides on the Solway of over 9m. These completely flooded the salt marsh and Rainbow Lane, and made areas of the reserve impassable for several hours. However, when the clouds have dispersed the reserve has come to life in the spring sunshine, with plenty of wildlife to experience and enjoy at every turn.
Flooded Rainbow Lane. Photo Credit: Dave Jackson
Yellow is the dominant theme as you take a walk along the access road, where the verges reveal Lesser Celandine just beginning to flower at your feet, whilst yellowhammer delight with their unmistakeable call of “a-little-bit-of-bread-and-no-cheese” from the gorse bushes. It’s a great time of year to brush up on your bird calls, as the passerines who are competing for territory along the length of the bare hedgerows seem oblivious to their audience, who can enjoy front row seats for nature’s very own orchestra. You can easily see and hear a host of birds, including Blue Tit, Great Tit, Wren, Chaffinch, Yellowhammer, Dunnock, Blackbird, Song Thrush, House Sparrow, Tree Sparrow, Robin and Greenfinch during one stroll towards the woodlands.
Lesser Celandine on access road. Photo Credit: Paul Radford
It’s likely that those that you don’t see along the hedgerows will be viewed on the feeders, whilst you enjoy a coffee at the visitor centre. This week a Weasel has also been spotted from this vista, along with a Kestrel, which could have had its eye on the Field Mouse that one visitor spotted counting the change in the car parking donation box.
Take a look up, and marvel at the raucous Rooks building their untidy nests in the tops of the trees that surround the Sulwath Garden, and spot signs of snuffling Badgers, who might have to wait until 8 April for their next banquet, but are still evidently finding plenty to feast on.
In contrast to the Rooks, the volunteer work parties have been tidying up following a busy period of winter work. Old fencing is being removed, and the Sulwath Garden is being prepared for spring and summer visitors of all ages to enjoy.
Whilst male Lapwings treat females -and observers – to their iconic tumbling display and “pee-wit” call, the Barnacle Geese appear oblivious to all the displays of courtship, as they focus on eating enough grass to build up their reserves for the 3,000 km trip back to their Svalbard breeding grounds. There will hopefully still be geese here for another 4 to 6 weeks, so catch them while you can.
Svalbard Barnacle Geese. Photo Credit: Paul Radford
Stonechat have been regularly seen along the fence line at both ends of the beach. Often two males can be seen vying for the attention of a single female, as they dangle their legs in display flight. Whilst the efforts of the diminutive Stonechat are to be admired, they are surely upstaged by the vertical ascent and parachuting descent of the Skylark. All the time accompanied by their frantic and elongated song, which is synonymous with spring in open farmland. Strain your neck to see if you can spot the black dot up in the clouds, from where that melodious tune emanates.
As you look back down to ground level, you may see some of the many Brown Hare that visitors to Mersehead have spotted zigzagging across the fields this week. It’s around this time of year that you could be lucky to catch a glimpse the ‘boxing matches’, which come with the breeding season.
Brown Hare. Photo Credit: Dave Jackson
Visitors to the wetland hides on Thursday were treated to the sight of around 55 Whooper Swan, who sat out the stormy weather before taking advantage of clear skies and light winds to continue their arduous migration north at around 8 a.m. on Friday.
Whooper Swan. Photo Credit: Dave Jackson
Unfortunately, the Whooper Swan arrived too late to be included in the monthly WeBS surveys, during which a total of 4,608 birds were counted across both Mersehead and Kirkconnell reserves. These included 2,718 Barnacle Geese, 205 Wigeon, 243 Teal, 4 Little Egret, 107 Curlew, 27 Snipe and 174 Oystercatcher. The high tide roost at West Preston was dominated by 800 Dunlin, who were accompanied by around 20 Ringed Plover, with similar numbers of Grey Plover and Curlew. Lapwing numbers (22) have continued to drop, suggesting that most that are now here (and hopefully some more arrivals) will choose to make Mersehead their home for the breeding season. Perhaps they have been encouraged by the work that has been taking place throughout the week to enhance and reprofile waders scrapes, with the hope that they will hold water for longer during the drier summer months. This will be vital to provide wet muddy ground for the Lapwing and their chicks to forage for the small insects and invertebrates on which they rely.
Whilst we still wait for the night air temperature to reach the constant 7oC required for the Natterjack Toads to emerge, a pair of Common Toad were spotted mating on the salt marsh. The male clasps the female in a hold known as ‘amplexus’, with the pair remaining like this for several days as the female lays her spawn!
Events are now being promoted for the spring and Easter. Why not join us on our guided Spring or Easter Discovery Walks (every fortnight) or meet our guide in the hide, for close-up views of what is around.
Badger watching events will continue in April but please note that the Easter Badger Feast events are now filling up. There are still a few spaces available for watches on Wednesdays 8 and 15 April.
Forthcoming events posters
Do you enjoy informing people about what's going on? Could you run a guided walk or activity or give a warming reception to visitors? Here at RSPB Mersehead, we are looking for enthusiastic volunteers to help improve and develop the visitor experience on the reserve. But we cannot do it without YOUR help. If interested in volunteering your time, please get in touch – mersehead@rspb.org.uk
Paul Radford, Assistant Warden