Mersehead Recent Sightings 15th- 21st July
On a beautifully sunny Tuesday we carried out our weekly butterfly transect. Temperatures need to be over 13 degrees with a minimum of cloud cover and it was definitely that! The star butterfly was green-veined white, with the majority (over 100) being seen in one of our wildflower-rich, wet grassland fields. Other butterflies of note were sightings of a small copper, common blue and, although not a butterfly, the silver y moth. Although this day-flying moth can be seen all year round, the summer months are the best time for sightings as numbers are boosted by immigrant moths. They are readily identified by the distinctive Y shape on their wing and their rapid wing beats as they move from flower to flower searching for nectar.
The moth trap was out on wednesday and produced another dazzling array of moths. Highlights include 1 swallow-tailed moth, 4 ruby tiger, 1 scallop shell, 6 drinker moth, 2 swallow prominent, 8 true lover’s knot and 7 burnished brass. With a crimson coloured wing and strikingly red body, the ruby tiger moth is a particularly distinctive moth. It is on the wing from late April through to September, where it can be found in a range of open habitats including heathland, woodland clearings and gardens. The slightly duller brown, hairy caterpillars feed on ragwort, spindle, broom, heather and plantains. Interestingly, it was first recorded in Dumfries and Galloway as far back as 1858 by Somerville, when larvae were found near Moffat.
Ruby Tiger moth. Photo credit: L. Blakely
Linnet and goldfinch are very present on the reserve at the moment, with flocks of up to 30 being sighted regularly. A marsh harrier was seen flying over the reedbed on Tuesday and a low-flying swift was seen over the saltmarsh on Wednesday evening.
Despite it being quite late into the natterjack breeding season we are still finding tadpoles present. At the last count we have c.450 medium sized tadpoles, with a few frog tadpoles thrown in for good measure (15!). There have been a few sightings of young frogs and toads out and about on the reserve. If you are in an area where the habitat is damp and or wet, it’s worth keeping an eye out for these often overlooked amphibians.
Always on the lookout for interesting plant species, this week saw us on the saltmarsh looking for the specialist plants that can be found there. We weren’t disappointed when we found not one but two important plants for the reserve. The first was sea bindweed, a species with regional status, and sea spurge, which is nationally scarce. Sea bindweed is a low, sprawling perennial with relatively large pink flowers that have 5 white stripes radiating out from the centre. It can be found mainly on sand dunes. As it has creeping, spreading rhizomes under the sand, the stems can seem to be buried at times; this habit is beneficial in sand dune formation as it serves to stabilise dunes that would otherwise erode. Sea bindweed, together with sea spurge and a variety of other coastal plants, have fleshy, waxy leaves. This allows the plants to retain moisture in the harsh coastal environment.
Sea Bindweed. Photo credit: L.Blakely
Sea Spurge. Photo credit: L.Blakely
Lana Blakely, Assistant Warden