News

Recent Sightings - 6th August

Recent Sightings - 6th August

The highlight of this last week has to be a green sandpiper on the Folly pond and three green sandpipers seen on the Lochar. This signifies that migration, once again, has begun.Other signs of the changing seasons include a wheatear spotted at Powhillon a

6 August 2023

Reserve Roundup

Reserve Roundup

Last week was another busy one for our reserve team. From conducting nest box checks to maintaining pathways and doing saltmarsh surveys, as well as continuing wildflower seed collection. On Tuesday morning the volunteers and the reserve team were out bir

4 August 2023

Could specially engineered wetlands help clean up the UK's polluted waterways?

Could specially engineered wetlands help clean up the UK's polluted waterways?

WWT calls for national pilot scheme to be established in the UK by 2025.

3 August 2023

The saltmarsh larder

The saltmarsh larder

Water dripping down their noses, the volunteers look grimly over to Jake. This was not the day they were hoping for. They set out in the morning, with it already raining a little. A gang of seven volunteers have joined the reserve team today for seed co

1 August 2023

Recent Sightings -30th July

Recent Sightings -30th July

This last week provided some good encounters with birds of prey. On the 21st, the reserve team headed to Powhillon to see and ring some kestrel chicks (under the permit of a licensed ringer). The chicks are quite active and have been monitored for a few w

30 July 2023

Changing tides - discovering the zonation of the saltmarsh

Changing tides - discovering the zonation of the saltmarsh

Standing at the edge of the saltmarsh, with the water ahead of me and Caerlaverock behind me, I’m awed by the expanse, by the horizon stretching away for what seems like forever (well, maybe not quite forever because I can definitely see Cumbria but sti

28 July 2023

The sheep get a hair cut

The sheep get a hair cut

I’m not all that big on bucket lists but I did get the chance to check something off this week at Caerlaverock: I got to shear a sheep. In all fairness, certainly not the most exciting thing on my list and I didn’t even do the whole sheep but I have

25 July 2023

Recent Sightings 17th-23rd July

Recent Sightings 17th-23rd July

The highlight of this week was a flock of common crossbills that our site manager saw by the avenue tower. Usually seen in coniferous woodlands it is likely that they were only passing through, but it’s still a great sighting. A grasshopper warbler was

23 July 2023

Recent Sightings 12.07.23

Recent Sightings 12.07.23

Frequent heavy showers between bursts of bright sunshine have been the common trend this July and with summer well underway, you will be treated to a fantastic variety of wetland life at WWT Caerlaverock.At the Folly Pond, oystercatchers, black headed gul

12 July 2023

Mini-wetland revolution could help wildlife beat the heat and boost urban biodiversity

Mini-wetland revolution could help wildlife beat the heat and boost urban biodiversity

This summer, we are calling for everyone to build their own tiny ponds, drainpipe wetlands and bog gardens in backyards and on balconies to help nature thrive in soaring temperatures and help reverse the UK’s devastating decline in biodiversity.

11 July 2023

Generation Wild wins top education award

Generation Wild wins top education award

The Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust’s nature connection project Generation Wild has won Gold at this year’s BIAZA awards.

10 July 2023

Recent Sightings 02.07.23

Recent Sightings 02.07.23

The heatwave of June has officially passed and we are getting lots more rain now, but it is still consistently bright most days. The long warm days are great for spotting butterflies, moths and dragonflies around the reserve. In the Paddocks this week,

2 July 2023

Celebrating Pride month

Celebrating Pride month

A message from Chief Executive, Sarah Fowler on celebrating Pride month at WWT.

28 June 2023

Butterflies and hatchlings - recent sightings to 25th June

Butterflies and hatchlings - recent sightings to 25th June

Our week has been pretty quiet in terms of birdlife but we have had some fantastic sightings nonetheless: a female marsh harrier was flying over the merse and one of our wardens was lucky enough to see it catching prey from only 20 metres away! There are

25 June 2023

Moth mayhem and other recent sightings

Moth mayhem and other recent sightings

We have entered summer – it has been extremely warm for the last fortnight with temperatures exceeding 30° Celsius! There has been lots of fantastic stuff seen around the reserve, from birds to mammals to insects.There are still lots of chicks about, w

18 June 2023