RSPB Mersehead Recent Sightings 6th – 12th March 2021
The low tides at the start of the week saw us back at RSPB Kirkconnell Merse to complete some of the fence repairs. As reported a couple of weeks ago, the audit of the 4km long fence line after the winter storms found a few larger jobs which required some new posts to be carried out.
Fence repairs. Photo credit: P.Radford
Large numbers of Pink-footed Geese were feeding across Kirkconnell Merse, fuelling up for their return migration back to their breeding grounds in central Iceland and along the east coast of Greenland. Pink-footed goose migration was very evident at Mersehead on Monday morning as an estimated 5,000 geese left their overnight roost on the sandflats. It was perhaps the same geese that we saw later the same day at Kirkconnell.
Pink-footed Geese. Photo credit: R.Flavelle
Amphibian traffic has increased this week with the milder nights seeing Common Frogs starting to return to their ancestral breeding pools. Travelling as far as 5km from their breeding sites in late summer, the return journey often involves tricky and dangerous terrain for these amphibians to negotiate such as dense scrub, long grass and roads. We have been on the look-out for Common Toad which should be the next amphibian to emerge from hibernation – we have not seen one yet!
Common Frog. Photo credit: Ben Andrew (rspb-images.com)
The Natterjack Toad is last to emerge, as this toad waits for temperatures to warm up a bit first, requiring a constant night air temperature of at least 7oC. The Natterjack pools on the reserve are ready and waiting, overflowing with water. Boards have been placed back into the repaired sluice which is now holding back water along the ditch causing it to overflow onto the gently sloping banks creating the shallow water these toads require for breeding. Excitement is mounting as we now wait for the night air temperature to increase!
Natterjack ditch showing gradual sloping edge before water levels came up. Photo credit; Dave Jackson
Temperatures during the day have gradually reached double figures with a maximum of 11oC being recorded on the reserve. This has encouraged the first butterflies and bees with a Peacock butterfly, Buff-tailed Bumblebee and Early Bumblebee having been spotted on the wing. The first singing Chiffchaff of the year was heard yesterday just along from the car park.
Peacock butterfly. Photo credit: R.Flavelle
It was great to spot a Common Wentletrap on the Mersehead beach this week! Although these deeply ribbed gastropods occur in all European waters it seems to be fairly uncommon to find them washed ashore on the Solway Estuary. As an avid beachcomber, this is the first one I have spotted! Although the majority of the shells on the Mersehead beach are Common Cockle and Baltic Tellin, we have so far recorded 26 species during 2021. Some of my personal favourites include the Sting Winkle, Alder Necklace Shell, Faroese Sunset Shell and the Grey Top Shell.
Wentletrap. Photo credit: R.Flavelle
Spotted this beautiful Roe buck with a lovely set of velvet antlers. Each species of deer has a different antler cycle. Roe deer begin to grow their antlers around November with the velvet covering providing nutrition and growth. The velvet is shed by summer providing a new strong set of antlers for the rutting season.
Velvet Antlers. Photo credit: R.Flavelle
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.
Rowena Flavelle, Warden
That Common Wentletrap was rather special