Mersehead Recent Sightings 14th - 20th October
What an amazing week it has been for Pink-footed Geese. They have been feeding and roosting on the wetlands every evening and with skeins migrating high overhead during the day, the air is constantly full with their distinctive chatter. Yesterday, a black line appeared on the horizon which just kept getting darker and nearer, 5500 pink-footed geese eventually whiffled their way down onto the wetlands. A count from the hides today found 383 Teal, 210 Wigeon, 121 Pintail, 35 Mallard, 49 Shoveler and 4 Gadwall. A single Tufted Duck and Little Grebe were also seen. Whooper swans have been present on the wetlands every day this week along with 2 Mute Swan. A fantastic number of Barnacle Geese on the reserve today with 11,070 recorded. Other goose species recorded were 22 Greylag Geese and 12 Canada Geese.
Pink-footed Geese. Photo by Mike Peacock
Over the reedbed mini-murmurations have started with around 3,500 Starlings twirling over the reeds. On Tuesday evening, they had a female Marsh Harrier to contend with and a Peregrine was seen later in the week. The resident Meida Hide Kingfisher has been spotted zooming around - look out for a flash of blue. Whilst walking back through the woodland, look out for flocks of Long-tailed Tits. This bird is easily recognisable with its distinctive colouring and long tail which is over half the length of its body. A beautiful male Bullfinch has been seen too, a species which is not often seen at Mersehead.
Long-tailed Tit. Photo by John Bridges (rspb-images.com)
With the second round of high tides occurring this week, we have been out completing the supplementary WeBs count for October. A great diversity of waders was present at the eastern high tide roost today with a total of 1245 Oystercatcher, 172 Dunlin, 133 Lapwing, 88 Curlew, 82 Ringed Plover, 54 Golden Plover, 34 Redshank, 8 Bar-tailed Godwit and 6 Grey Plover recorded. The gull count recorded 192 Common Gull, 72 Herring Gull, 59 Black-headed Gull, 43 Great Black-backed Gull and 5 Lesser Black-backed gull. The entire world population of lesser black-backed gull is located in Europe. This species is on the Amber List because the UK is home to 40% of the world population and more than half of these birds are found at fewer than ten sites, with the UK’s largest colony based on Walney Island in Cumbria.
Over on the other side of the reserve, the western high tide roost recorded 1380 Oystercatcher, 196 Curlew, 17 Golden Plover and 1 Greenshank. The gull count found 20 Black-headed Gull, 82 Common Gull, 10 Herring Gull, 16 Great Black-backed Gull and 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull. Earlier in the week 2 Little Egret were spotted on the merse. Down on the beach a flock of Twite and a Grey Wagtail have been spotted.
Lesser Black-backed Gull. Photo by Ed Marshall (rspb-images.com)
Winter migration continues this week with the first Redwings being spotted on the reserve. Keep an eye on the sky as these birds can travel and forage in groups of 100+. Redwings usually reach the UK from their breeding grounds in Iceland, Russia and Scandinavia in October and often form loose mixed flocks with other birds such as fieldfares and starlings. Listen out for the soft “seep seep” call as they pass overhead. The first 7 Fieldfares have been seen this week and a Brambling visited the bird table at the Visitor Centre..
Rowena Flavelle, Mersehead Warden