The past week got off to a great start when 30 whooper swans were recorded out on the wetlands. The usual wetland birds such as wigeon, teal, shoveler and pintail can still be seen from both hides in good numbers. Numbers of gadwall have increased to 13 which is a high count for Mersehead and it was exciting to see pintail displaying this week.
Birds of prey have been sighted every day with kestrel, sparrowhawk, peregrine and barn owl all making the list. Fiona Neilson managed to take a photo of the sparrowhawk whilst sat on the living room sofa! The feeders have been busy with chaffinch, greenfinch, tree sparrow, siskin and yellowhammer. A treecreeper was spotted in the woodland and a little egret was seen feeding in the fields at the back of the sand dunes.
Sparrowhawk ( photo credit: Fiona Neilson)
On Sunday, 3 rock pipit were recorded on the beach along with the usual flock of twite. Huge skeins of around 6,000 pink-footed geese have been roosting on the sandflats this week leaving early morning to travel inland to feed. Oystercatcher, curlew and ringed plover are a regular sighting on the beach. The week has generally been calm and fairly dry giving the opportunity for some great photos on the beach.
Mersehead beach (photo credit: Eric Neilson)
We have been hard at work this week mending the livestock fencing at Kirkconnell. This involves sorting out fencing across the creeks to stop the calves getting out into the River Nith. Working in the creeks is hard work but good fun, you have to make sure you do not lose your wellingtons!
Working in the creeks ( photo credit: Rowena Flavelle)