RSPB Mersehead Blog 30th October - 5th November
One of the reasons Mersehead is such a fabulous haven for wildlife is the variety of habitats it offers, creating a diverse mosaic of flora and fauna. However, following the 109mm of rain reported in last week’s blog, close to another 50mm fell over the weekend, leaving the reserve looking like one big wetland. Nevertheless, there can still be plenty of diversity within a wetland habitat, with a mix of shallow and deeper pools creating ideal conditions for the full range of wildfowl and waders who tend to spend the winter at Mersehead.
"101, 102, ...". Photo credit: P. Radford
The flooding presented wan opportunity to get out with binoculars and a notebook, and see the impact of the extreme weather on the bird numbers. The results more than made up for suffering from sore clicker fingers, with very high numbers of some key species being recorded. Wigeon (628), Teal (750) and Lapwing (842) all smashed the peak counts for last year, but the standout performer was Pintail, with 800 being counted across two compartments at the north end of the reserve. I can only speculate, but perhaps there is a link with the wider extensive flooding in the region, and such large flocks of these particular species descending on Mereshead. Wigeon, Teal and Pintail are all dabbling ducks, who favour open, shallow water, and it is conceivable that large numbers of birds would have been forced to leave their usual feeding grounds if the water had become too deep to provide what they need. Lapwing feed along the edges of shallow pools, and the flooded fields at Mersehead would have provided an all-you-can-eat buffet of delectable invertebrates. We will be carrying out another count over the next few days, as part of the Wetland Birds Survey, so it will be interesting to see the difference in numbers now that water levels are starting to drop.
Male Pintail. Photo credit: P. Radford
Dry weather since Monday has resulted in the excess flood water subsiding, leaving the reserve looking stunning in the low autumn sun. With the clocks going back, a late afternoon trip to the Meida Hide on a clear day is a must, with the plumage of the roosting ducks standing out against the setting sun. You could even be lucky enough to witness a starling murmuration, with numbers roosting in the reedbeds gradually increasing into the tens of thousands. Numbers will continue to build as more birds arrive from Europe, and whilst there is no guarantee that the starling flocks will group together to dance overhead, the whoosh as they fly over the hide to descend into the reedbed is still an awe-inspiring experience. A very short display was provided by around 6 to 8 thousand birds on Wednesday, as they attempted to confuse a Sparrowhawk. They soon gave it the slip and made for cover.
Mersehead looking stunning in the autumn afternoon sun. Photo credit: P. Radford
The starlings may have more than just the Sparrowhawk to worry about, as a Ring-tailed Hen Harrier has been spotted on more than one occasion flying over the reserve this week.
The Hawthorn and Blackthorn that line the hedgerow have shed most of their leaves now, but are still laden with deep red berries. A flock of around 40 Redwing have been attracted to this banquet, and are being regularly seen flashing between one tree and the next along the Bruaich Hide path and the hedgerow track. Smaller number of Fieldfare have been spotted amongst the tall trees in the woodland.
Redwing. Photo credit: D. Jackson
The sun shone on Tuesday, encouraging some insects to put on a late appearance. A Red Admiral Butterfly was fliting amongst the farm building, and a Silver Y moth was seen visiting a lone ragwort plant. In a similar spot, the caterpillar of a Ruby Tiger Moth was shinnying up a fence post, and a damselfly made a brief flyby before disappearing into a dense patch of willow.
Silver Y Moth. Photo credit: L. Jones
Ruby Tiger Moth Caterpillar. Photo credit: P. Radford
Tuesday also saw number 132 added to the 2021 reserve bird list. A single Brambling was spotted amongst Reed Bunting and Tree Sparrow opposite the cottages close to Rainbow Lane. This is mainly a winter visitor to the UK, and at a glance can easily be mistaken for the much more common Chaffinch. A white rump and belly, and a shorter bill, are some key things to look for when picking out a Brambling from the crowd. Another new arrival that has been spotted on a number of occasion, on roof tops around the farm, is a Grey Wagtail. Unlike the Brambling, which may have travelled from Northern Europe to get to Mersehead, many Grey Wagtail simply hop down from their upland breeding sights to spend the winter closer to the coast. They can be distinguished from similar wagtails by their extremely long tail feathers, and characteristic bobbing movement.
Brambling. Photo credit: G. Chambers
Grey Wagtail. Photo credit: L. Jones
Paul Radford, Assistant Warden