RSPB Mersehead Blog 8th – 14th June 2024
We may be asking ourselves where the summer has gone but the weather hasn’t stopped us getting on with our survey and maintenance work on the reserve.
As you will have seen from recent blogs our focus has been preparing for the return of livestock to the reserve so we can reap the benefits of conservation grazing. A special thanks to our Tuesday volunteers for their support with the fence maintenance as part of the livestock preparation, and for keeping the gardens around the Visitor Centre and Sulwath Garden looking so colourful!
However, this week let’s look at some highlights from our survey activity.
Toadletly Amazing!
We are continuing on our Natterjack Toad survey journey, from our initial nighttime surveys to count the number of male and female toads out on the pools, serenaded by the calls of the male toads, to our weekly daytime surveys to count spawn strings and tadpoles. Over the last two weeks we have also been searching for toadlets and we were rewarded this week with our very first toadlet! You will see from the photo below how small it is, but you can still clearly see the yellow stripe down its back.
Natterjack Toadlet Photo Credit: C Glass
Depending on the weather, it can take 6 – 8 weeks for spawn to reach the toadlet stage so we will be continuing our surveys for some weeks yet. When carrying out the toadlet surveys we walk carefully around the edges of the pools, looking between the vegetation, hoping to catch sight of some movement, which sometimes can be froglets or common toadlets. Quite a bit of effort but very much worth it when we see the Natterjack Toadlets!
The Mershead team and volunteers on the toadlet survey. Photo Credit: C Glass
Just when you think it is safe to go into the water…….
Well, maybe not that scary, but we did have a Shark moth in our moth trap today! This moth gets its name from the dorsal fin shapes on its head.
Shark Moth. Photo Credit: C Glass
While it’s common for us to find a White Ermine moth, we don’t always see the colour that lies underneath the wings, so it was great to get this view today.
White Ermine moth. Photo Credit: C Glass
And finally, winning the competition for the best named moth from our moth trap this week is the Obscure Wainscot. Previously, restricted to England and Wales, this moth is now found locally in Scotland.
Obscure Wainscot Moth. Photo Credit: C Glass
If you are interested in seeing more of the moths found at Mersehead, we will be running Mothing Mornings during August. Events over the summer also include the Big Wild Summer Activity Trail and Nocturnal Wildlife Walks. Please go to our website to find out more: https://events.rspb.org.uk/mersehead. For more information on our Forest School please email mersehead@rspb.org.uk.
Carol-Ann Glass, Trainee Warden
Upcoming events: For more information on individual events and to book a place, please go to our website: https://events.rspb.org.uk/mersehead.
At Mersehead you will find the RSPB’s only self-catering holiday cottages - Barnacle and Shelduck. Available summer dates are currently going quickly, so please 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.