Mersehead Recent Sightings 12th – 18th November
This week saw the November WeBS count take place so we have been back to Kirkconnell Merse to count the wildfowl and waders. A total of 849 lapwing, 398 redshank, 133 curlew and 1 greenshank were recorded. For wildfowl we recorded 321 wigeon, 177 teal, 4 pintail, 3 goldeneye and 4 goosander. The tides have been exceptional high this week with a 9.0m tide creating a fantastic tidal bore travelling up the River Nith. A peregrine was seen from the quay at Glencaple.
Tidal bore (photo credit: R.Flavelle)
The Mersehead WeBS count recorded 2782 barnacle geese, 31 greylag geese, 70 canada geese and 2 pink-footed geese. Duck numbers have been steadily increasing with 204 pintail being the largest counted so far this winter. Out on the wetlands there were 736 teal, 269 wigeon, 98 mallard and 44 shoveler. Along with 4 tufted duck, 2 female goldeneye and 8 gadwall. Out on the beach 58 shelduck were present and a small group of 12 ringed plover have been on the beach all week. The high tide count at Mersehead recorded 1655 oystercatcher, 134 curlew and 19 redshank. The high tide roost at West Preston was one of the best seen with 2190 dunlin and 804 golden plover.
Snipe (photo credit: R.Flavelle)
Stonechat is a daily sighting in the scrub on the sand dunes while little egret was spotted soaring down the beach on Thursday. Snipe from Bruiach hide has to be the sighting of the week with 64 feeding directly in front of the hide. The starling murmuration has been exceptional this week with at least 20,000 coming into to roost in the reedbed. Even the elusive water rail, always heard been never seen has been spotted from Meida hide this week.
Rowena Flavelle, Warden