News
The geese are arriving!
The Svalbard barnacle geese that visit the Solway each winter are on their way and some have already arrived!
29 September 2020
First Whoopers!
The first Whooper Swans of the season have returned to Caerlaverock!! So far only in small numbers with 6 birds having been observed. No sign of any leg rings yet to identify them though two of the birds seem quite settled on the Whooper Pond and appear
26 September 2020
Splendid Saltcot
Unfortunately it would appear that the Common Cranes that dropped in for a visit yesterday have now decided to continue on with their journey. Saltcot Merse Observatory is still providing some excellent viewing opportunities though with a distant Peregri
25 September 2020
Autumn Equinox
The autumn equinox is a signal for migration to begin!
22 September 2020
Swans a-swimming
Some of the local population of Mute Swans have now started joining us at the Whooper Pond. We have been up to 19 out there but only 3 this morning. It will be a couple of weeks yet potentially before we start seeing the arrival of any Whooper Swans bac
19 September 2020
Sunny Sedum Attracts the Butterflies
The good weather recently has really drawn in the late flying butterflies such as Red Admiral and Small Tortoiseshell into the Wildlife Garden. Not only is the Sedum (recently renamed as Hylotelephium and otherwise known as Iceplant) proving a valuable l
18 September 2020
Barnies are Back!
The first Barnacle Geese of the Autumn were heard yesterday flying over Caerlaverock! This is the joint earliest date for them to be returning back. This morning 21 of them were feeding out on the Merse to the west of the reserve, mixed in with the cows
17 September 2020
Great Spotted Woodpecker Versus Sparrowhawk
The Great Spotted Woodpeckers have been making more of an appearance around the reserve than we usually see of them. There was nearly one less this morning down the Saltcot Loaning, as a lurking Sparrowhawk erupted out of the undergrowth to make a lunge
12 September 2020
Pink feet begin arriving
The sound of Winter is beginning to return to Caerlaverock with skeins of Pink-footed Geese passing overhead yesterday and this morning. A group of 50 birds looked like it was heading down onto the Merse so do have a scan from Saltcot Merse Observatory a
11 September 2020
Reed Buntings in the Hedgerows
It has been a good morning for Reed Bunting spotting, with activity in the Hedgerows down to the Saltcot Merse Observatory. They also favour the Willow tree in the sheep paddock next to the Observatory with a mix of males, females and juvenile birds obse
10 September 2020
Stewartry Camera Club
We are pleased to announce the re-opening of our gallery space at WWT Caerlaverock Wetland Centre!
9 September 2020
Eel in a Puddle
Rather strange start to the morning with Reserve Manager Joe Bilous discovering an eel in one of the puddles down the Avenue. This was safely caught and placed in the Teal Pond, a location in which we have recorded them in the past. Another unusual sigh
5 September 2020
Autumn fruits
From August onwards, berries abound around the reserve!
4 September 2020
Conservation Grazing at Caerlaverock
Our Hebridean sheep and Longhorn cows are working hard to help us with our habitat management
3 September 2020
Autumn Berries
The season is really progressing and the hedgerows are filling with berries. Some of the Hawthorn shrubs down the Saltcot Loaning are heavy with haws that will be beneficial to the migrant Thrushes who will shortly start returning to our shores. The hed
3 September 2020