A week on the Solway.

Barnacle Geese at RSPB Mersehead, February 2012.

There's always a drake Green-winged Teal (and always "over the back").

 We've just finished a wonderful week based on the Solway at RSPB Mersehead. We managed to walk the reserve just about everyday despite the rather poor weather for the middle part of our stay. We had a few excursions of course but Mersehead was very kind with several thousand Barnacle Geese on view (many from our kitchen window), drake Green-winged Teal from the hides, singing Yellowhammers and good numbers of winter wildfowl daily.

Watching Barnies (with help) at the eastern end of the reserve.

Less frequent visitors to Mersehead seen during our stay include a pair of Scaup (in the channels from the coastal walk), 22 Twite, Ringtail Hen Harrier (over our cottage as I packed the car yesterday morning), Peregrine, female Merlin, a Ruff, Green Sandpiper, 25 Golden Plover and up to 100 Curlews, 90 Lapwings, several Snipe and 50 Starlings coming to roost on the wetlands / reed beds in the late afternoon.