Peek a Boo!

RSPB Mersehead blog 15th - 21st April 2023

What a week it’s been at Mersehead: a cacophony of Natterjack Toads can be heard most evenings, the noise carrying easily across the reserve to the main farm buildings; the Swallows are back swooping around the Sulwath Centre; the reedbed has come alive with ‘warbles’ and I am awaiting the emergence of the Badger cubs.  The hope is that some trail camera footage can be captured to compliment what has already been recorded of badgers making their way to the Badger Banquet.  Click here for a brief video.

It's not just lepidoptera that are encountered on the butterfly surveys, walking around the reserve slowly enables a whole host of other unexpected moments. This week it was a Weasel that ran across the path at the start of Rainbow Lane, trying to skirt around me it just couldn’t resist a closer look!

Weasel. Photo credit: CJE Farrell

This week the toads have been spectacular! The first adult survey of the year took place on Monday night with 6 staff involved. The numbers encountered were very encouraging, 231 Natterjack Toads found and measured with plenty of toads in amplexus swimming in the pools.  Can you spot what is wrong in the photo below?

Natterjack toad in amplexus with Common Toad. Photo credit: CJE Farrell

We all had high hopes the following day when we went looking for the spawn strings, splitting into 2 groups to scour the water for the tell-tale bootlaces of black dots. We were certainly not disappointed, with 54 being the highest recorded count of spawn strings for 5 years, the toads exhibiting their typical boom and bust population trend. At one point I didn’t know where next to put my wellie…tread carefully!

Natterjack Toad spawn string. Photo credit: CJE Farrell

The big birding news of the week was the White Stork that landed just north of the farm buildings near Bruich hide! Yes, a stork!! Clear sights were had by a lucky few and there was much excitement as this was the first one of its species to visit Mersehead for several years.

A White Stork drops in at Mersehead. Photo credit: A. Sutton

Lapwing surveys are taking place regularly as we are eagerly anticipating the first chicks. We all left with our telescopes this morning to scour the predator protected fields for females that might be brooding young…no sign as yet… However, a pair of Marsh Harrier are regularly visiting the reserve and can often be seen clearly from Bruaich Hide, a spectacular sight!

Female Marsh Harrier. Photo credit: Austin Cooke

On Wednesday I had a few hours to myself, and headed off to the reedbed in search of the smaller creatures that rely on the managed habitats. Warblers and Reed Buntings were the soundtrack, and deer were browsing close to the burn, but there was a plethora of insect life including this pair of mating Craneflies hiding along one of the rides between the reeds.

Roe deer. Photo credit: CJE Farrell

Craneflies: Photo credit: CJE Farrell

The butterfly news has been the first sighting of an orange tip earlier in the week, I’ll be out looking for cuckoo flower in the coming days and will need to remember my hand lens to find the eggs!

Claire Farrell, Mersehead volunteer