RSPB Mersehead Recent Sightings 18th - 24th August 2018
Mersehead is so full of wildlife that even while out working in a tractor there are interesting discoveries to be made! This week our Assistant Warden Lana found a Water Ladybird (a.k.a. 19-Spot Ladybird) getting a free ride on hers. Ladybirds are a sub-species of the beetle family (Coleoptera), for which there are two defining characteristics: hard forewings covering the abdomen, and biting mouthparts. This ladybird is a relatively rare find in Scotland; it is fairly diminutive in size, being only 3.5-5mm in length on average, and so could easily be overlooked. Despite its alternate name, it can have 15-21 black spots and changes colour from red to beige in the autumn. As its name implies, it can be found near water, where it feeds on aphids from the rushes.
Water Ladybird Photo by Lana Blakely
Another interesting species found on the reserve this week was the Four-Spotted Orb Weaver spider. The males and females of this species are different in appearance, with only the female having the bulbous abdomen which makes her easy to recognize, but they both have the defining four white spots on the abdomen. They will build the familiar orb web close to the ground, primarily to catch jumping insects like small grasshoppers. Interestingly, the females of this species can change colour to match their surroundings, a process that takes around three days. So if you see one of these spiders, its abdomen could range in colour from dark brown right up to yellowy green or bright orange!
Female Four-spotted Orb Weaver Photo by Dave Long
It’s been another busy week around the reserve. Our Tuesday volunteer work party attacked a large patch of Rosa Rugosa (commonly known as Japanese Rose) on the salt marsh. While being an attractive looking plant, this is an invasive species which can crowd out native vegetation, and so needs to be removed as far as possible to maintain the reserve’s biodiversity.
You never know what you might get up to as a volunteer! This morning it was helping Eric our farmer to lay an underground water pipe to one of the new cattle troughs. By laying the pipe underground, we prevent potential damage to the pipe from cattle or machinery, as well as preventing lots of unsightly pipe laying around the reserve! To achieve this, a special pipe feeder is used in conjunction with a subsoiler attachment on the tractor – no digging required! Meanwhile, habitat maintenance activities such as topping and rotavation are continuing in the fields.
Laying a new water pipe for our thirsty cows! Photo by Lana Blakely
Bird sightings this week included a Whinchat on the visitor centre feeders, and a Robin was spotted a few times flitting around outside the Sulwath Centre. Regular species to be seen are Goldfinch, Yellowhammer, Chaffinch, Stonechat, House Sparrow and Tree Sparrow.
With wind, rain and cooler temperatures, it hasn’t been the best of weather for butterflies this week, but our survey still returned sightings of Large White, Small White, Green-Veined White, Red Admiral and Wall Brown.
Last Saturday saw our final On The Nightwatch event, and it turned out to be quite memorable. With the Sulwath Garden lit up, our visitors were able to watch up to six badgers at once in close proximity without the aid of thermal imagers. They certainly lived up to their star billing and we were able to watch them feeding and the cubs play fighting, blissfully unaware of the lights and our presence just behind the windows. An enjoyable time was had by all!
Speaking of events at Mersehead, there are some dates to put in your diary: Sunday 2nd September sees the Opening of the New Kids Play Area in Sulwath Garden, while on Sunday 16th September we are hosting a Beach Clean event. Our next Discovery Walk will be taking place on Thursday 30th August from 11am-1pm. Come join us and discover some of the amazing wildlife found at Mersehead. This walk will give you a chance to see the reserve up close and learn how we manage this important place for nature. There's a wild challenge for the kids to take on too.
For information on these and all future events at RSPB Mersehead visit: https://ww2.rspb.org.uk/reserves-and-events/find-a-reserve/reserves-a-z/events.aspx?reserve=Mersehead
Read more at http://ww2.rspb.org.uk/community/placestovisit/mersehead/b/mersehead-blog/default.aspx#bpTc3r7LrY6TbQjH.99
Dave Long - Residential Volunteer