Recent Sightings 4th-10th February
Days are getting noticeably longer on the reserve and many of the birds are starting to change their behaviour as the breeding season is in sight.
Out along the hedgerows and in the woodland, the song thrush and blackbird have been singing in earnest. They can also be seen busy in the leaf litter, perhaps foraging for nest material.
Song thrush (Photo credit: S.Livingstone)
The goose count this week came to an impressive 6,567 barnacle geese with 4,635 blanketing one field down at West Preston. It was quite something to see them all together like that with clear light, and to be able to count them successfully without any getting up mid-way. The geese are also looking noticeably larger than when they arrived so maybe this explains why they seemed easier to count!
We also had good goose numbers on Kirkconnell Merse this week with 1,574 counted from Glencaple. There were plenty of ducks around too with 47 shelduck, 71 pintail, 59 wigeon, and 8 goldeneye. The goldeneye were seen cruising along the River Nith with males displaying by throwing their heads back, sometimes all the way so it is touching their backs.
Goldeneye (Photo credit: S.Livingstone)
We also recorded 140 lapwing and 160 redshank along the sandbanks, and we’ve been enjoying seeing both of these waders at Mersehead too, with the “tew-it” and “tyuuuu” calls heard regularly in one of the fields.
The Winter Passerine survey this week recorded 56 skylark, 50 chaffinch, 45 linnet and 32 reed bunting. Twite have also been seen by visitors this week-moving in flocks by the picnic benches in the woodland area.
After heavy rain earlier on in the week there was plenty of fresh mud around to make footprints in. Some of our night-time visitors could be tracked all the way up from the Sulwath centre to the Meida hide signpost. The badger print is particularly striking with all 5 toes and sharp claws visible.
Badger footprints (Photo credit: S.Livingstone)
The starlings can be seen murmuring daily now well into dusk. With the breeding season a few weeks away it’s best to catch these roosting flocks now whilst they are at their peak.
Sarah Livingstone, Residential Trainee Warden