Our Barnies are back!

Mersehead Recent Sightings 7^th – 13^th October

Without a doubt the sunny days are over, as rainy and cloudy weather conditions have persisted during most of the week. However, the amount of wildlife in the reserve is at its peak, as finally the Svalbard Barnacles Geese flocks have started to arrive since Sunday, two days later than last year. Quoting my experience, this is the first time I have seen a Barnacle Goose, but since I started my residential volunteering position I’ve been hearing lots stories about them from the staff, volunteers and visitors whom have increased my excitement in seeing them, hence this week is very special to me and it has become one of the most lively and noisy I can recall throughout my time here.

A leucistic Barnacle Goose among some Barnacle Geese. Photo Credit: Denise Burchell

The wetland bird survey and coordinated goose count took place this week. On Monday, the results of the wetland bird survey accounted for 9,908 birds to be precise (double the amount of birds in comparison to the previous survey), with almost 5,000 Barnacles geese, 2,490 Oystercatcher, 491 Golden Plover and 3 Whopper Swans. Then on Friday, the Barnacle goose count was carried out, obtaining 8,221 geese in the reserve a 38% increase from the beginning of the week. Other bird counts throughout the week obtained 525 Pink Footed Geese and 278 Pintail in the Bruach Hide.

Flock of Barnacles Geese. Photo Credit: Adaica Rodriguez

Autunm has welcome a mushroom spectacle around the reserve, for instance you can appreciate in our Sulwath Garden the Trametes versicolor mushroom, commonly called turkey tail. This is one of the most common mushrooms around the UK and it is a resource of food for flies larva and moth caterpillars. Also, the wide range of colour variations of this attractive and durable fungus have given it many uses; at one time it was even used as a hat decoration.

Turkey tail mushroom. Photo credit: Adaica Rodriguez

Other sightings this week were the big amount of Red Admiral Butterflies at the entrance of the media hide and woodland trail, Water rail and Stonechats in the wetlands, two Barn Owls in the Sulwath Centre, Sparrowhawk, Long-tailed tits and a Twite in the hedges and a Cormorant in the Bruach hide.

Adaica Rodriguez 

Residential Volunteer