Winter is in the air, but signs of Spring have sprung

RSPB Mersehead Blog 28^th January – 3^rd February 2023

Whilst still winter, signs of early spring are starting to emerge at Mersehead with the recent milder weather. This last week has seen the start of songbirds like great tits and song thrushes try out their mating calls and songs, filling the air with melodic trills and chirps. Whilst on the ponds, teal have been seen practicing their iconic displays, flapping their wings and making a splash, adding to the vibrant atmosphere.

Great tit outside Bruaich hide. Photo credit A. Sutton

Mr and Mrs Teal, from the Bruaich hide. Photo credit A. Sutton

Not to be forgotten, the sound of honking can be heard from the fields, as the barnacle geese move from one field to another, making their presence known. The weekly count this week showed lower numbers than the 8,000 seen last week, but there were still a healthy 1,200+ geese grazing around the reserve. It's not unusual to see geese moving around the fields and we expect to see more back again in the coming weeks. Along with our goose counts, a wetland bird count was done at Kirkconnell Merse on Friday alongside the river Nith, with the following sightings:

Barnacle Geese taking off (including one leucistic barnacle goose). Photo credit A. Sutton

Barnacle Geese in flight. Photo credit A. Sutton

This past Saturday, the reserve hosted a popular Forest School activity for kids, providing a unique opportunity for them to learn about and experience the natural world. These activities are a great way to get children interested in nature, and future events can be found on our Facebook page here, with booking in advance essential.

Long-tailed tit outside Bruaich hide. Photo credit A. Sutton

At the weekend, the reserve also participated in the national Big Garden Birdwatch event, live streaming our bird feeders on the RSPB YouTube channel. Perhaps our biggest highlight of the event was the appearance of our regular tree sparrow family, which got everyone talking, including the famous naturalist, Chris Packham, who was excitedly discussing the birds on the feeders. Thank you for those of you who took part over the weekend and submitted your sightings - this data is incredibly helpful for tracking and managing the future of our avian friends.

Tree Sparrows from the visitor centre. Photo credit A. Sutton

Notable bird sightings from the last few weeks include:

• Wigeon
• Pintail
• Teal
• Shoveler
• Ring-necked Duck
• Little Grebe
• Water Rail
• Mute Swan
• Whooper Swan
• Little Egret
• Hen Harrier
• Peregrine
• Red Kite
• Common Redshank
• Water Pipit

Adam Sutton, Residential Volunteer

To learn more about these and other birds, check out the RSPB wildlife guide: Birds A- Z | Bird Guides - The RSPB