Mersehead Recent Sightings 10th – 16th September
The rising water levels around the Meida hide have been attracting a lot of wildfowl to the reserve. Yesterday morning, 680 Teal, 12 Wigeon, 34 Shoveler, 41 Canada Geese, 2 Greylag Geese and 42 Mallard were counted. Large flocks of Lapwing, around 700, have also been present soaring over the wetlands, Little Grebe and a handful of Pink-footed Geese have been reported by a visitor. For raptors, a Peregrine has been spotted hunting in compartment 2, a Barn Owl has been seen hunting in the merse, Buzzards and Sparrowhawks have also been seen flying around the reserve.
Photo credit: A.Hay
A flock of at least 50 Linnet has been seen flying over the western side of the reserve, 65 snipe were also spotted flying over the reserve. Stonechat, Whitethroat and Grey Wagtail have been spotted flying near the sand dunes. Spotted Flycatcher, Reed Bunting, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest and Great Spotted Woodpecker were sighted in the woodland belt near the Meida hide.
On the track between the farm and the woodland belt, visitors have reported sightings of Robin, Wren, Yellowhammer and Sedge Warbler.
If you ventured down to the beach on Thursday you would have been greeted by the haunting calls of the Curlew as 405 were sighted. Also spotted on the beach were 50 Shelduck, 170 Dunlin and 8 Ringed Plover. 50 Meadow Pipit and 5 Wheatear were sighted flying along the beach path. A Kestrel was also seen flying over the beach.
Photo credit: B.Hall
Despite the beautiful, calm and sunny conditions on Thursday, there was little activity during this week’s butterfly survey. I only spotted 9 Green-veined white and a solitary Red Admiral, although I did startle a female Roe Deer in the hay field.
It has been a blustery week at the reserve, thankfully the winds died down during Wednesday night allowing me to set up the Robinson moth trap. The moths are attracted to the light and are deflected into the box. Moths that fly into the trap are contained by the egg cartons inside, where they settle down for the night. A total of 12 individuals and seven different species of macro moths were recorded. These included: Large Yellow Underwing, Bird Dropping Moth, Small Wainscot, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Common Marbled Carpet, Common Carpet and Rosy Rustic.
The Starlings have been assembling on the telegraph wires outside the Visitor Centre and the Sulwath Centre. A Weasel has been spotted lurking around the feeders in the Visitor Centre garden and also beside the entrance to the Kite Garden. Badger and Fox have also been sighted on the reserve. Common Lizard and Common Darters have been seen by visitors walking the coastal trail.
Jonathan Taylor, Residential Volunteer