Mersehead Mammals and Marvellous Murmuration at Our Meida Hide

RSPB Mersehead Blog 18^th – 24^th November 2023

Heavy rainfall over the weekend meant water levels were high at the start of the week across the reserve.  While changing water levels across the reserve can bring challenges for our reserve team i.e., flooding issues, they ensure that the reserve provides a range of dynamic and differing habitats for our species, resident and migrant.  

A good example of this would be the continuation of recent sightings of diving ducks such as Little Grebe and Tufted Duck from both our Bruaich and Meida hides on areas normally associated with surface feeding ducks such as Eurasian Teal, Wigeon and Shoveler.

Barnacle Goose Update

Reserve staff have been busy surveying and counting the Barnacle Geese in and around Mersehead this week with approximately 7,000 recorded including 2 leucistic.

Barnacle Geese Feeding at Mersehead. Photo Credit: RSPB

Cetti’s warbler and Murmuration at Mersehead’s Meida Hide

Following on from the exciting announcement on last week’s blog, we are happy to confirm that Cetti’s warbler has been heard several times throughout the week in and around our Meida hide.

The Meida hide also provides the best opportunities to view our Starling murmuration.  An estimated 10,000 can be seen from the viewing hide across the reed bed.  The murmuration begins around 3.30 pm and lasts until roosting in the reed bed around 4.20 pm - 4.30 pm.  For our keen birdwatchers, Peregrine Falcon has also been observed hunting during this time.   

Mersehead Mammal Action

While the main focus for the reserve at this time of year is on our wintering migrant bird species, especially our beloved Barnacle geese, the reserve also supports several mammal species.  Regular readers of our blog will be familiar with our badgers and their antics at the Badger banquets but the reserve also supports several other mammal species, some more elusive than others!

To aid understanding of which mammal species are present at Mersehead, the reserve team utilise a series of Trail cameras strategically placed throughout the reserve.  Camera placement is reliant on the reserve team’s knowledge of habitats, previous sighting locations of species and where evidence of animal activity is present e.g. A set entrance, or latrine site for Badger.

Below are a series of still images lifted from some of our camera traps.

From Top to Bottom; Field Mouse, Rabbit, Hare, Badger, Roe Deer (Stag), Fox

And Finally...to give you an idea of how elusive some mammals species can be, the video below is of an otter recorded on site this week, just off our woodland path - Blink and you will miss it!!

RSPB Mersehead runs a varied Events Program throughout the year. We are looking for Volunteers who can help with all our Visitor Engagement Activities, from welcoming people on arrival, to leading activities. In a nutshell, we are looking for volunteers who can provide a great visitor experience here on the reserve. If you love nature and working with people as much as we do, then we’d like you to join our team! Please get in touch with us here.

Nick Bone – Trainee Warden

*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.