Reedbed Rides and a Guide in the Hide

RSPB Mersehead Blog 8 – 13 April 2023

If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times:  it’s an absolute privilege to be able spend a couple of hours at dawn walking along the Mersehead reedbed rides, hearing the first Sedge Warblers arrive back from their wintering grounds in Africa and joining the Willow Warbler, Reed Bunting and – the main focus of our visit – the Water Rail. Breeding pairs of this elusive bird are identified by playing a short burst of their unmistakeable ‘sharming’ call.  Pairs of birds are recorded responding, and the presence of a territory can be confirmed.  On this occasion, one lucky volunteer even caught a rare glimpse (twice) of our target species, as they scuttled amongst the reeds.

Listening for Water Rail. Photo credit: P. Radford

Water Rail. Photo credit: Mike Richards (rspb images)

This was just one of many surveys that have been completed this week, as we’ve counted Barnacle Geese, discovered and observed Lapwing nests, splashed about looking for Natterjack Toad Spawn Strings and (at the time of writing) gone butterfly hunting.  Whilst the weather for much of the week has been too wet and windy for butterflies, the improved outlook on Friday has raised hopes of finding more than the one Small White that was spotted an hour ago near to the office.

The emergence of Cuckoo Flower is associated with the flight season of two species of butterfly that are regular seen at Mersehead; the Orange Tip and the Green-veined White.  One of the first of this pretty purple flower was spotted this morning out by the reedbed, which is hopefully a sign that the butterflies won’t be far behind.

Cuckoo flower seen near reedbed. Photo credit: P. Radford

It’s not only staff and volunteers who have been busy observing the various creatures that call Mersehead home, with another successful and fully booked Badger Banquet being held last night.  Enthralled guests were treated to a great show by our star performers, who are rewarded with a buffet of peanut butter and strawberry jam.  One of our younger regular visitors – Benjamin Weatherley, aged 13 – was lucky to get a sneak preview of the show earlier in the week, when he spotted a Badger emerging from its sett whilst walking through the Sulwath Garden with his dad, Steven.

Sulwath Garden badger. Photo credit: Benjamin Weatherley

A lot of effort is put into organising events over the busy Easter period, and in addition to the excellent and very popular Easter Egg-Layer’s Trail, at advertised times, visitors have been able to gain an insight into the species that can be enjoyed from the Bruaich Hide with the help of a guide who is armed with scope and binoculars.  Here is a list of some of the species observed by one of our guides earlier today:

Grab a seat and enjoy the view with the Guide in the Hide. Photo credit: C. Farrell

Other notable sightings this week have included some of the first Swallows of the year, Red Kite, loudly singing Greenfinch, Stonechat, Whimbrel, Black-tailed Godwit, Nuthatch, Great-spotted Woodpecker (click here for footage of some drumming action) and also a visitor report of an Osprey and White-tailed Eagle over the Merse.  Additionally, from the Visitor Centre it is possible to enjoy a brood of Mallard ducklings and good numbers of Yellowhammer.  A link to a video of ten enjoying the feeders can be found here. 

Our ever-committed volunteers were back down on the beach on Tuesday, removing more of the seemingly endless tide of rubbish that gets washed up on the high tides.  This may be a war we will never win, but every piece of plastic removed is one less that endanger the lives of the marine and terrestrial animals that we want to protect.

Volunteers picking litter at Mersehead. Photo credit: P. Radford

Paul Radford, Assistant Warden