As we enter into a new season with all the changes that come with it, such as species that have been hibernating over winter slowly awakening, winter visitors preparing to move northwards , early summer migrants eagerly awaited, spring flowers beginning to blossom and longer days full of more and more sunshine (fingers crossed), this is one of my favourite times of the year.
Here at Mersehead we have already been witnessing the rooks frantically collecting material to build nests, had woodpeckers drumming away, saw our first 7 spot ladybird on the wing, had bats emerging from their winter slumber and increasingly hearing and seeing lapwing displaying over the fields.
Lapwing: Photo credit - John Bridges (rspb-images.com)
Lapwing are a species that have drastically declined in numbers in recent decades and one we specifically manage areas of habitat for.
These ground nesting birds like soft muddy soil that they can probe for food, short grass to nest in so they can see potential predators coming and tussocky areas that offer cover for young developing chicks. However, as ground nesting birds, although the adults can fly away if threatened, the eggs or newly hatched chicks are extremely vulnerable.
Since creating an area near the visitor centre surrounded with fencing designed to keep predators such as foxes and badgers out, lapwing breeding success has been on the increase and this year we are hopeful for another successful year.
A visit to Mersehead throughout March, along with the spectacle of so much other wildlife, will most certainly be rewarded by the aerobatic display flights of courting lapwings and their distinctive calls as they attempt to attract mates and defend territories.
Other highlights from around the reserve this week include a male scaup seen from the Bruaich hide, 3 whooper swans, water rail and a green-winged teal.
Additional sightings include:
From the VC, yellowhammer, tree sparrow, house sparrow, blackbird, coal tit, blue tit, great tit, dunnock, pheasant, robin, chaffinch and greenfinch
From the hides, teal, shoveler, pintail, gadwall, wigeon, mallard, barnacle geese, moorhen, little grebe and hen harrier
On the beach, dunlin, oystercatcher, redshank, shelduck and ringed plover
In the woodland, rook, goldcrest and great spotted woodpecker
Around the reserve, merlin, buzzard, kestrel, linnet, twite, skylark, mistle thrush and grey heron
If you're planning a visit to Meresehead, why not check out our website for upcoming events which include moths and mocha and wellies and worms