RSPB Mersehead Recent Sightings 13th – 19th March 2021
The following video provides a soundtrack to accompany this week’s blog, and includes a series of recordings made with very basic equipment (a smart phone) during the week. Timings have been provided throughout the text to relate the narrative to the relevant section of the video for your reference.
So hit play and read on!
Sounds of Mersehead. Video credit: P. Radford
00:00 – For five months now the Barnacle Geese have held the number one spot in the Mersehead charts, and whilst they can be spread widely across the surrounding area as they look to exploit the first flush of spring grass growth, large flocks can still be heard barking and creating a racket as they move between the fields at Mersehead. Regular counts are taken, as numbers using the reserve can fluctuate greatly from one day to the next. To illustrate this, during the monthly Wetland Birds Survey (WeBS) count on Sunday 3,200 were counted at Mersehead, whereas a separate count of the geese on Wednesday recorded 4,200. During the Mersehead WeBS 900 Dunlin and 285 Golden Plover were also seen, but numbers were generally down as birds start to move on to their breeding grounds. A Merlin was spotted during the count as an added bonus, and a Goshawk was also seen flying over the northern end of the reserve – number 102 for the Mersehead list.
Barnacle Geese in flight. Photo credit: P. Radford
A WeBS count was also conducted at Kirkconnell on Monday, with 15 Goldeneye, 1,900 Barnacle Geese and 200 Wigeon being the highlight of what was otherwise a fairly quiet count. This will be our last month of conducting WeBS counts, as we shift our focus – along with the birds – to monitoring breeding populations.
WeBS count at Kirkconnell. Photo credit: P. Radford
00:36 - With water levels still holding up well across the reserve, the Wigeon and Teal continue to provide the backing vocals to the geese. However, their subtle whistles are increasingly being interrupted by Curlew flying low overhead, and the energetic cries of duelling Lapwing, who can be witnessed engaging in aerial combat, with the prize to the victor being the favoured breeding territory and the affections of the an onlooking female.
Teal at Mersehead. Photo credit: P. Radford
01:58 – Lapwing breeding pairs will be formed over the coming weeks and nests established. At this point, any differences will be forgotten as attentions will turn to mobbing any potential predator who may be deemed a threat to eggs and young. Audible wing beats and a throaty high-pitched cry – which give the impression that the bird is in pain – will ensure no Lapwing is unaware of the need to be alert and on guard.
02:29 – Around the farm buildings and woodlands, the raucous Rooks continue to have the potential to drown out all other sounds, especially when they are protecting their nests from a Common Buzzard or Raven that flies to close to their treetop homes. Rooks lay their clutches a lot earlier than many of their woodland and hedgerow neighbours, as was evidenced by a broken egg that was discovered in the Sulwath Garden this week, having fallen from one of the nests above.
Raucous woodland Rooks. Photo credit: P. Radford
Broken Rook egg. Photo credit: P. Radford
02:45 – The farmland birds who are establishing their nest sites along the hedgerows may not be able to compete with the rooks in number, but they are making an impressive effort to be heard above the din. Song Thrush, Dunnock and Chaffinch have been three species whose melodies have really caught the ear this week. The first is recognisable for its confident short phrases, which are often repeated several times before, like an album on shuffle, a switch is made to a new refrain. The long, fast and high-pitched song of the dunnock really cuts through, and is often suggested to be characteristic of a wheelbarrow in need of a touch of oil. In contrast the Chaffinch delivers short, energetic phrases, which crescendo before ending in a flourishing rapid descent.
Chaffinch. Photo credit: P. Radford
04:49 – Away from the woodland, a walk along the beach offers relative peace and quite to enjoy the rolling and chirruping song of Skylark in the field adjacent to the dunes. The ditches and pools here are looking fantastic, and with night-time temperatures rising it won’t be long until we hear the iconic rasping calls of the male Natterjack Toads, as they return to the breeding pools to attract a mate.
Listening for Skylark. Photo credit: P. Radford
Natterjack ditch. Photo credit: P. Radford
05:36 – With it feeling noticeably warmer on the sunny days we have been fortunate to enjoy this week, it hasn’t just been the birds making their presence known. The early emerging queen bumblebees have started to leave their winter hibernation sites, in search of suitable disused burrows and holes in which to start their colonies for the summer. They don’t hang around, but make their presence known as they buzz past.
Roe deer are also adding their voice to the orchestra, with small family groups being easy to spot during a walk around the reserve. The bark could be a male warning other bucks from wandering into his territory, or a doe communicating with her young.
Roe Deer. Photo credit: P. Radford
06:07 – On Tuesday the access road became a Common Toad superhighway, with many taking the opportunity presented by the warm, sunny weather to migrate to their ancestral breeding ponds and ditches. The males tend to migrate first, and will often wait in grass or at roadsides for the females to arrive. As the picture below demonstrates, at least one lucky male was rewarded for his patience.
Common Toads in amplexus. Photo credit: P. Radford
The warmer weather has also reaped rewards for our weekly Garden Moth Scheme survey. After two weeks of nil returns, this morning we recorded 7 species and 16 moths in total. These included Red Chestnut, Early Grey and a stunning Oak Beauty. This species is on the wing between late February and April and overwinters as a pupa underground. They can sometimes be seen during the daytime, newly emerged at the base of a tree trunk.
Oak Beauty. Photo credit: R. Flavelle
06:32 – I will finish by transporting you to our reedbed on an early spring evening. The Barnacle Geese make themselves known here as well, as they fly over to return to their night-time roost. Apart from the wind blowing through the reeds, my first calling Chiffchaff of the year, Moorhen and the odd squeal of a Water Rail, this habitat is still fairly quiet. However, it will soon come to life again as Sedge and Reed warblers return from Africa to fill the air with their elaborate song.
Reedbed in early Spring evening. Photo credit: P. Radford
If you would like some more help with learning common bird song, the RSPB have created a really helpful Bird Song Identifier
Mersehead is currently open to visitors but all indoor facilities are closed under Tier-4 rules, this includes the bird hides, Visitor Centre and toilets with our trails and car park remaining open at present. We will keep you updated on any changes.
Paul Radford, Assistant Warden