RSPB Mersehead on the Solway Coast
Map Reference: NX92/55
Location: Situated on the Solway Coast, 25km/15 miles from Dumfries off the A710 at Sout
This reserve contains lowland wet grassland, saltmarsh, low sand dunes and mud flats. The site is also part of a SSSI, SPA and Ramsar site. Summer: breeding waders and passerines. Winter: Geese, duck, waders and wintering passerine flocks. Various hides or just a great place to walk.
Although better known for it's wintering waders and geese the inner Solway has many hidden treasures that are worth a visit at any time of the year and Mersehead Nature Reserve is one such place. During the spring and summer many wetland species of birds are attracted to this site. Lapwing, redshank, curlew, snipe and many more all breed here in good numbers. In winter the large numbers of barnacle and pink-footed geese are quite spectacular. Careful habitat management has allowed large areas to become flooded in winter attracting species such as pintail, wigeon, teal, shoveler, tufted duck and mallard in large numbers. It’s not all about wetland birds many of our smaller passerines form large foraging flocks in the winter and these in turn attract raptors.
Facilities. Car park, visitor centre, hides, waymarked trails and toilets. Disabled access to the main hide.
These webs pages have been put together by Keith Kirk. Keith is a semi pro natural history photographer and writer. He is the wildlife feature writer for D&G Life magazine and also writes a monthly Nature Notes column for the Galloway News. His day job is a countryside ranger with Dumfries and Galloway Council, something he has been doing for over 24 years. Keith also has another web site which promotes him as a photographer, whilst this site is more about Dumfries and Galloway, an unknown part of Scotland. www.dumfriesandgallowaywildlife.co.uk
Also check out www.flickr.com/photos/keithkirk8 which he updates on almost a daily basis with his latest images.
Keith is also a photographer who has tested many types of photography kit for manufacturers . At the moment he is testing Bushnell and Spypoint wildlife/trail/stealth cameras. Checkout the link at the top of the page or go to www.scottcountry.co.uk for more info. Also coming soon will be a report on a new outdoor clothing manufacturer (Ridgeline) that is producing good kit for Wildlife Photographers and Birdwatchers.........so watch this space. Here's a quick preview.
A clothing brand in New Zealand has now hit the shores of the UK. Featuring technical fabrics, and membranes that are ideal for photographers and birdwatchers in the changeable UK Climate. Life is about experience and choices, those between you and your environment, you and the gear you wear. Ridgeline's products are affordable, rugged, durable and comfortable, and allow you to get on with the task at hand whenever you need to and wherever you are.
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