Here's a blog by one of our current residential volunteers Jim Beattie:
In mid April, after being involved with the RSPB Residential Voluntary Wardening scheme for 21 years and assisting at over 18 reserves or locations, I headed for Mersehead RSPB reserve excited at what lay ahead.
Halfway through my time here I can say I have not been disappointed. The staff were welcoming, the work variable and the wildlife amazing. My first full day was a day off, which I spent bird watching at Ken-Dee Marshes seeing willow tit and Red Kite, two species which are unfamiliar in the area where I live.
The rest of the week was taken up by meeting and greeting visitors to the reserve as well as path construction at Kirkconnell, bird counts around the reserve and looking for the location of a burst water pipe on the merse. During the butterfly transect we observed no butterflies on our official transect but noted two green-veined white while later visiting one of our hides (Liz - the first of the year!). While in the hide I was amazed to see a Daubenton’s bat flying over the pools.
Wildlife on the reserve included thousands of Barnacle geese, many other wildfowl, fox, badger, roe deer and the arrival of spring migrants such as sand martin, willow warbler and blackcap as well as the sound of natterjack toads calling.
I look forward to the varied experiences which lie ahead during my seond week on the reserve.