Oh Dear Autumn

Mersehead Recent Sightings 16^th – 22^nd September

Changeable weather conditions have persisted throughout this week from heavy and drizzle rain to gleams of sunshine and breath-taking sunsets. The atmosphere couldn’t be more cheerful on the reserve with the arrival of many ducks, geese and waders in our wetlands and to welcome very soon (hopefully) our much loved flocks of Barnacles geese.

Sunset from the Sulwath Centre.  Photo credit: J. Foot

On Tuesday, our hottest day of the week, we proceeded to do our regular Lepidoptera and Bumblebee surveys. During the transect the butterfly species obtained were the Large White, Green-veined white, Small cooper, Red Admiral and Peacock, and the bumblebee species found was the Buff-tailed Bumblebee. As well we proceeded to put out the moth trap, in which we obtained a diversity of autumnal moths such as the Rosy rustic, Square spot rustic, Frosted orange, Gold spot, Pink-barned sallow and the highest amount recorded this year of Setaceous Hebrew Character.

Gold Spot.  Photo Credit: Adaica Rodriguez

Pink-Barred Sallow.  Photo credit: Adaica Rodriguez

At the end of the week we conducted our wetland bird’s surveys on our Kirkconnell and Mersehead reserves. The amount of birds surveyed in Kirkconnell was doubled (almost 2,000!) and the diversity of species increased one third in comparison to our previous count, some of the species found were Wigeon, Gadwall, Teal, Pintail, Lapwing, Redshank, Curlew and Black-headed Gull. In Mersehead good numbers of birds were recorded as well, accounting for a total of more than 4,000; from which 2,400 were Oystercatcher, 380 Teals and 455 Curlews. The diversity of birds doubled in relation to the last survey some of the species that have join the bird account are Canada geese, Mute swan, Wigeon, Gadwall, Ringed plover and Golden plover.

Additionally, our trails have witnessed lots of activity throughout the week, one thousand Pink footed geese have landed in the Meida Hide wetlands to join the Canada geese, Snipe and Starling’s sunset murmuration, plus two Marsh Harrier have been seen since last Sunday around this hide. Around the coast more than one thousand Oystercatcher and hundreds of Curlews have been spotted.

Others interesting animals and insects found this week were a Roe Deer with three fawns moving around the hides, Common lizards and Burying Beetles among others animals near the wetland trail, plus a Water Ladybird at the entrance of the woodland trail. The Water Ladybird is not frequent in Dumfries and Galloway, however our wetlands provide the perfect habitat for this species, also known as 19 spot ladybird. A further interesting adaptation of the Water Ladybird is a limited ability to swim! Spending the winter some 6 to 18 inches above the water level it is vulnerable to flooding. If the water level does rise, the ladybird floats off and, by using its legs and any currents, moves to a new plant. Flying to a new site would consume large amounts of its energy reserves - "swimming" is presumably a more efficient way.

Common Lizard.  Photo Credit: Adaica Rodriguez

Burying Beetle.  Photo Credit: Adaica Rodriguez

Water Ladybird on Wild Angelica.  Photo Credit: Adaica Rodriguez

Adaica Rodriguez, Residential Volunteer