The lapwings have been busy with their tumbling display flights over Mersehead this week. Lapwings have a complex series of breeding season displays both in the air and on the ground; the aerial displays advertise, define and maintain territories whilst conveying important information to the female in selecting a mate. Morning, late afternoon and into the evening are the best times to hear and see lapwing display as their activity declines towards midday. The wetland field directly in front of the Visitor Centre is currently the best place to see this spectacular songflight. The anti-predator fencing at Mersehead has successfully increased the productivity level which should hopefully mean that the breeding lapwing population at Mersehead will continue to increase because lapwings are a philopatric species with a high tendency to return to their natal area to breed in subsequent years. As the breeding colony size increases, the birds have a higher chance of successfully defending their nests from avian predators and naturally increasing productivity success further.
As you walk down Rainbow Lane with the lapwings displaying to your left, keep an eye out for the barn owl which has been seen hunting over the merse at all times of day. Teal and wigeon have been becoming more restless this week and small groups will often fly off the wetlands, over Rainbow Lane and into the Southwick Water as you walk by. A kingfisher may also be seen zooming along the Southwick Water. At this time of year, the barnacle geese have eaten the grass short in the fields to the left of Rainbow Lane and it becomes a lot easier to spot the darvic rings on their legs. Shelduck have been enjoying splashing around in the pools in these fields too and on Tuedsay there were 6 whooper swans present. The merse is full of the sound of spring, skylark surround you in full songflight as you walk across the merse towards the beach. The tides this week have been getting higher with today's tide reaching a staggering 9.2m; at this height the whole of the beach disappears. The usual wading birds oystercatcher, curlew and ringed plover can be seen on the beach with cormorant far out on the sand banks drying their wings. High up in the sky the distant call of pink-footed geese can still be heard as small skiens continue to travel back to Iceland. Over the sand dunes and into the woodland the air suddenly becomes alive with the sound of territorial songbirds currently chaffinch, wren, robin and great tit are leading the song with the little blue tit heard in the background. Out from the hides the numbers of winter wildfowl have been declining but you can still see wigeon, teal and some pintail, shoveler and tufted duck. A couple of mute swan have been feeding very close to Meida Hide offering some great close up views. A peregrine and ringtail hen harrier were seen hunting over the wetland field as you walk back down the track towards the farm buildings. Back at the Visitor Centre with a hot cup of tea to warm you up, the feeders are as busy as always with yellowhammer making a reappearance after a few weeks absent and siskin spotted again this week.
Landscape Painting Walk
Join Jennifer this Sunday (13th) for a watercolour painting walk and capture the beauty of Mersehead on paper for yourself. £5 includes basic tuition and materials. Please bring a packed lunch.