Trip reports

Mersehead and Loch Ken

Saturday, 15 December 2007

Winter fieldtrip reports invariably dwell on the weather, and this will be no exception. It was cold! Not windy, not rainy, just cold. We left Tyneside on a crisp, bright, frosty morning; by the time we got to the west coast a light low cloud had descended, the sun had disappeared and it was one of those raw grey days. Then when we got into Dumfries and Galloway the cloud had broken and we were rewarded with some lengthy sunny intervals. But it was still cold!
On the way we had stopped at Talkin Tarn, where100 or more Bramblings had recently been seen mixed in with a large flock of Chaffinches. The first sightings were disappointing - Chaffinches, yes, although not in the numbers predicted. Were some of these Chaffinches actually Bramblings? Some said yes, some said no, but the light was not good and resolution seemed unlikely. Until somebody got a powerful telescope onto one. Yes, it was a Brambling. Optimists 1 pessimists 0!
The next stop was at Loch Ken where White-fronted Geese were expected. These are the birds that breed in Greenland, and winter in Ireland or Scotland. The markings that distinguish them from the Greylag Goose are not easy to see in poor light at a great distance! So were there White-fronted geese among the Greylags? Those who caught a glimpse of the white face markings around the bill were readily convinced. Those who struggled but failed to see these markings were happy to trust the others.
Loch Ken is also at the centre of the Galloway Red Kite trail, and several birds were seen. One particularly close sighting was memorable. These are such beautiful birds in flight, and it almost seems a shame that (for our members with access to the Derwent Valley, at least) sightings have become commonplace. We were quickly and roundly reminded that we should not take these birds for granted.
We went on to spend the afternoon at Mersehead. Yellowhammers greeted us as we stepped from the coach. An informal briefing from the warden led to raised expectations, and by and large we were not disappointed. There were numerous Teal to be seen, but probably the most numerous birds on the water were Pintail - enthusiastically exhibiting that marvellous pin-tail in their traditional bottoms-up pose. A pair of Gadwall were sighted. A female Hen-Harrier was seen at fairly close range by one member - to the envy of others.
We had hoped to see a Starling roost (a common sight in my youth but far less common now!), but were told that the Mersehead roost had possibly merged with a larger roost at Gretna. We did however see the flock of Barnacle Geese rise from the fields as the sun set, and head out towards the coast. The photograph of that sunset barely does it justice, and sadly does not include the geese. But it was a magnificent sunset and if the cold weather was the price to pay, it was worth it!
Clive Morphet

Bird List
Little Grebe
Grey Heron
Mute Swan
White Fronted Geese
Greylag Geese
Canada Geese
Barnacle Geese 1,000s
Mallard
Gadwall
Pintail 100s
Shoveller
Wigeon
Teal
Tufted Duck
Goldeneye
Kestrel 4+
Common Buzzard 10+
Red Kite 3+
Hen Harrier (ringtail) 1
Pheasant
Moorhen
Coot
Oystercatcher
Ringed Plover
Golden Plover
Lapwing 100s
Dunlin
Curlew
Snipe
Black Headed Gull
Herring Gull
Common Gull
Feral Pigeon
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Pied Wagtail
Wren
Dunnock
Robin
Stonechat
Redwing
Mistle Thrush
Blackbird
Goldcrest
Great Tit
Coal Tit
Blue Tit
Long Tailed Tit
Nuthatch
Magpie
Rook
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Brambling
Twite
Greenfinch
Yellowhammer
Reed Bunting

Group total 63 species