Yesterday excitement spread across the office when a snow goose was spotted in the hay field behind the car park. At the start of the winter, a snow goose was seen at Caerlaverock and then moved over to Cumbria for the majority of the winter. Last week, the snow goose was sighted back in Dumfries and Galloway before finally making its way to Mersehead.
Snow goose at Mersehead. (Photo credit: Eric Neilson)
A female hen harrier was sighted over the wetlands from Meida hide on Tuesday. Other birds of prey this week include kestrel and sparrowhawk near the visitor centre and a peregrine was seen hunting over Rainbow Lane and along the merse. Buzzard and barn owl have also been spotted this week. The small mixed flock of twite and goldfinch are still a regular occurrence at the end of the merse path just before you go over the sand dunes onto the beach. A flock of 12 ringed plover were present on the beach on Wednesday along with 30+ shelduck feeding out on the mudflats at low tide intermingled with oystercatcher and curlew. As you leave the beach and head towards the woodland, keep an eye out for stonechat and the large flock of greenfinch in the scrub. On Wednesday, a male bullfinch was spotted in the woodland; this is an unusual sighting for Mersehead. Long-tailed tit were also sighted in the woodland this week whilst back at the visitor centre 2 siskin and tree sparrow have been present on the feeders. The wetlands are still busy with plenty of teal, wigeon, shoveler, mallard and pintail along with smaller numbers of tufted duck, gadwall and moorhen. Mute swan, canada geese and lapwing have all been using the wetland field in front of the visitor centre.
We have been working at Kirkconnell Merse this week checking the livestock fencing. When we arrived on Thursday we were met by a mixed flock of around 3,500 barnacle geese and 700 pink-footed geese in very cold and frosty conditions.
Barnacle & pink-footed geese at Kirkconnell Merse. (Photo credit: Eric Neilson)
A cold and frosty Kirkconnell Merse. (Photo credit: Eric Neilson)
Events at Mersehead this Weekend
Off the Beaten Track; Saturday 11am – 1pm & 2pm – 4pm
Mersehead is home to a wealth of creatures including toads, deer, badgers and of course birds. Join our guided walk and find out how much we spot. BOOKING ESSTENTIAL call 01387 780579; (non-members Adult £4 child £2; members Adult £3 child £1.50). Car park charges apply for non-members
Pop-up Shop in Dalbeattie; Thursday 25th – 27th February open 11am – 4pm
Activities: Information Display, Wildlife Craft, Nature Tots (Friday only), Tombola, Pin Badges, Fat Ball making. 8 Maxwell Street, Dalbeattie, DG5 4NQ.