RSPB Mersehead Blog 4th – 10th May 2024
Saying goodbye to the barnacle geese
After staying with us over winter the Barnacle Geese have now left this part of the Solway Firth for their 2000-mile migration back to their breeding grounds in Svalbard. The spring migration generally starts in April or early May, when the geese leave the Solway Firth and head to Helgeland on the western coast of mainland Norway. They then move on to the southern part of Spitsbergen before reaching the nesting areas towards the end of May.
We wish them well for the breeding season and look forward to welcoming the geese back in the autumn!
Flutterly beautiful
We had a beautiful day for our butterfly and bee survey this week. Orange tips, small whites and green-veined whites fluttered around us as we walked around the reserve. Did you know that orange tip lays their eggs underneath the flowerhead or on the stalk of the cuckoo flower and after a few days the eggs turn bright orange? Look out for them on your next walk.
Orange tip butterfly (male). Photo credit: N Bone
The busy breeding season continues
We are now excited to see newly hatched natterjack tadpoles swimming in the pools. Over the coming weeks we will continue with our spawn string surveys, moving onto look at tadpoles and toadlets.
When we are surveying, we often spot other species and on our last night time survey we were joined by a couple of wood mice.
Wood mouse. Photo credit: F Sanders
We are continuing to monitor the lapwing nests and track progress of the growing numbers of chicks. The chicks can be tricky to find as they run around in the growing vegetation! Here is a great photo of a lapwing nest where the eggs have hatched. The adult removes some of the larger shells, leaving the tiny fragments in the base.
Lapwing nest. Photo credit: R Chambers
Willow weaving in the Sulwath Garden
Another highlight of this week has been the completion of the willow fence in the Sulwath Garden. The team of volunteers led by Mary, has been busy weaving the flexible willow stems to create a fence surrounding one of the locations for our monthly Forest School.
Willow fencing team. Photo credit: C Glass
Willow fence in the Sulwath Garden. Photo credit: C Glass
A traditional and sustainable fencing material, the willow stems have been harvested from willow beds on the reserve. So not only does the fence with its flowing curves look great, providing protection from the wind, it’s eco-friendly too.
The Sulwath Garden is really coming alive as spring progresses and provides a great spot to sit and enjoy the surrounding flora and fauna. And we have the children’s play area too.
Learn more about our monthly Forest School workshops.
Carol-Ann Glass, Trainee Warden
At Mersehead you will find the RSPB’s only self-catering holiday cottages - Barnacle and Shelduck. Available summer dates are currently going quickly, follow the links to book your next holiday.
*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.