RSPB Mersehead Recent Sightings 15th – 21st August 2020
August is always a busy month for farming and natural productivity in the high summer. Hay was finally gathered before wet weather set in, with most getting lifted last weekend. In total, 190 round bales were rolled out and most were taken into the sheds. Our Tuesday Volunteers helped to prepare the hay sheds in advance, and everything was good to go (as soon as bales could be dried for safe storage).
Volunteers hard at work preparing sheds and bales wrapped, stored and ready for sale. Photo credit: Paul Radford
Once grass was removed and stored, it was good to see a brown hare out in the field. Perhaps the hare was showing its approval, in the field where we collected our best hay? These were also good places to find common buzzards and the odd red kite, as they flew above in search of exposed carrion from cutting operations earlier in the week.
Brown hare browsing new grass in hay field. Photo credit: Calum Murray
Buzzard on vigil on fence post. Photo credit: Calum Murray
With re-opening the trails, grass-cutting is also a staple part of work on the reserve to maintain access. Our gardens require constant attention too, much to the surprise of a few common toads as they escaped while mowing the lawn. Thankfully most were spotted and moved into the safety of grassy borders in the Sulwath Garden.
Common toad that escaped mowing in the Sulwath Garden. Photo credit: David Lewis
Walking through the woodland strip on return from the shore, small numbers of butterflies were dancing and flitting along the verge. One Speckled Wood butterfly was poised on a leaf, almost hidden by its colour. It would seem that their wing pattern (cream spots on a brown background) reflected their preferred habitat, of dappled sunlit woodland floors or surfaces. These are good places to find males resting, whilst closely defending their territories. Quite a few Small Tortoiseshells and Large White butterflies can be seen in the sunshine too, seeking the few remaining flowers with nectar available. Cinnabar moth caterpillars are still busy feeding on ragwort plants around the reserve and a Red Admiral butterfly caterpillar even turned up on the workshop door at the farm, well camouflaged on the black painted door.
Speckled Wood butterfly resting on path. Photo credit: Calum Murray
As you walk around the trails, many flowers are now dying back and beginning to bare seeds or fruits. Colours can still be seen along the farm track, with clusters of purple-loosestrifes still in flower along ditches and odd birds-foot trefoils, with yellow flowers dotted among the long grasses. White yarrow flower heads can be seen in dense patches by the paths along the merse and coast.
Purple-loosestrife flower spikes. Photo credit: Calum Murray
Fruit pickers are just some of the many visitors coming to the reserve for this early autumnal bounty. Bramble and haw-berries are plentiful in hedgerows, with occasional blackthorns now baring sloe-berries. Native dog-roses are now fruiting with rose-hips, as are invasive Japanese roses growing along our trail to Bruaich Hide. The larger hips can be relished by greenfinches and sometimes bullfinches later in the year.
Rowan, blackthorn, bramble and hawthorn in berry. Photo credit: Calum Murray
Despite the visitor centre and hides remaining closed to visitors, we still continue to manage and prepare these places. Bird food is regularly put out in the viewing area of the visitor centre and this is now attracting a plethora of different songbirds. In the last week, a charm of goldfinches (with young) has attended the feeding table. So too have greenfinches, house sparrows and chaffinches in good numbers. These have also been joined by one or two blue tits, great tits, dunnocks, tree sparrows, yellowhammers, a wren and surprisingly a nuthatch. At this time of year, lesser redpolls can often visit the farm from nearby woodland and one was also seen feeding at the centre. Redpolls can opt to feed on grass seeds instead of their normal preference for birch seeds. Many of these birds can be seen on the hedges along our trails and it is also worth keeping a lookout for reed buntings, seen earlier in the week along the access road to the farm.
Lesser redpoll at the visitor centre feeding table. Photo credit: Calum Murray
As many creatures begin to stock up their fill for the winter months, others are showing signs of movement. A few wheatears were reported in fields, as were sightings of whinchats and possibly redstarts (though not confirmed).
Wheatear near shore. Photo credit: Mark Chambers.
Around the farmyard, a barn owl was spotted flying out of one of the sheds and lots of barn swallows have been gathering on telegraph wires or in pursuit of flies around the buildings. At least 50 were found to be congregating on one afternoon.
Swallows congregate on wires near farm. Photo credit: Calum Murray
As we have mentioned in the last few weeks, our visitor centre (including toilets) and viewing hides remain closed to visitors, as is the Sulwath Garden and children’s play area. We are looking into some ways that wildlife watching can be enhanced while these remain closed and will keep you informed of developments. In mean time, we hope you can continue to visit and stay safe at this time. More information about the re-opening of RSPB reserves and facilities can be found at: Reserve Reboot
Calum Murray, Assistant Warden