RSPB Mersehead Blog 9th - 15th September 2023
There is a sudden Autumnal feeling at Mersehead with glistening cobwebs greeting the early risers. The nights are noticeably drawing in, the leaves are turning golden and birds are flocking together. The hedgerows are bursting with bright scarlet berries on the Hawthorn and Rowan trees which will provide a fantastic food source for returning winter migrants such as Redwing and Fieldfare.
In September, we start conducting the Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS) again after a break during the breeding season. This monitoring scheme for non-breeding waterbirds in the UK aims to assess the size of species populations, determine trends in their numbers and assess the importance of individual sites informing the conservation of species and habitats. Our first visit to Kirkconnell Merse this morning was misty and damp but produced good numbers of Lapwing and Redshank. Full survey results in the table below:
Teal
464
Mallard
89
Cormorant
2
Little Egret
3
Grey Heron
11
Lapwing
895
Dunlin
6
Curlew
34
Redshank
515
Greenshank
4
Total individuals
2023
Our first Icelandic breeders have started to return with daily skeins of Pink-footed Geese heard high in the sky throughout the week. After completing the summer habitat work across part of the wetlands, the sluice boards have been opened and water levels are coming up in front of Meida Hide.
The Mersehead beach stretches for 3-miles and we work hard to ensure the beach is kept as clean as possible by removing marine and coastal plastic which can be extremely damaging to wildlife, in particular due to the risks associated with accidental ingestion or entanglement. We are joining forces with D & G Eco Warriors as part of the Great British Clean to beach clean our shore and need your help.
Join us for the Great British Clean on Sunday 24th September. Meet at the Visitor Centre at 10am. Litter pickers and bags provided.
The weekly moth recording session this morning produced some good species including Pink-barred Sallow, Angle Shades, Canary-shouldered Thorn and Red-line Quaker.
Pink-barred Sallow. Photo credit: P. Radford
Angle Shades. Photo credit: P. Radford
Red-lined Quaker. Photo credit: P. Radford
Did you know that Mersehead is the only RSPB reserve with self-catering holiday cottages? Barnacle geese from the bedroom window . . tree sparrow on the bird table . . thousands of wintering wildfowl . . a cosy log burner . . . If this sounds like a great winter holiday, find out more about BARNACLE and SHELDUCK as we have limited availability between now and Christmas.