Another bright and brisk start to the day with freezing overnight temperatures creating a winter wonderland scene on the reserve. Not so good for the birds who have now been left with Whooper Pond as the only open water. The cool temperatures have a
26 November 2016
Sunny again this morning, but the roads are icy and we have reports of a few accidents already so take care if you are heading our way. The frost and ice looks fantastic in the sun but it's causing a few difficulties for the birds as they skate around th
24 November 2016
A fantastic sunny and frosty morning on the reserve with the ducks skating on the ice. Over 100 Whooper Swans on the Whooper Pond first thing this morning. Two drake Green-winged Teal are currently on the Folly Pond, and were present on the res
23 November 2016
The B725 is closed between Clarencefield & Bankend due to a coach blocking the road at 9am. If coming from Annan you may need to come via Dumfries. A windy but dry start to the day. Over 100 Whooper Swans on the Whooper Pond first thing, battling to
22 November 2016
The Barnacle Geese are everywhere this morning, with big flocks in some of the fields. A cold night, with some frost this morning means the Whooper Swans have stayed on the Whooper Pond instead of going to feed elsewhere. The sun is shining and no wind ma
19 November 2016
The Barnacle Geese are ridiculously close to the Avenue Tower this morning. Please approach the hide quietly and enter immediately to avoid disturbing them. You get a fantastic view from inside the tower. New Whooper Swans have arrived overnight, orange Y
18 November 2016
Large numbers of Black-tailed Godwit are still out on the Folly Pond this morning with a few Redshank mixed in. Wigeon and Teal numbers have increased on the Folly Pond and Flood Ground, again possibly as a result of the recent high tides. It is due t
16 November 2016
Still very mild here ,and the sun is out again. It doesn't really feel like winter yet, but we have had some rain and the avenues are a bit wet underfoot. The bright super-moon has meant that a lot of the Whooper Swans left the reserve during the night
15 November 2016
Another sunny morning on the reserve, and with no wind it's a fantastic day to visit. Wellies would be recommended, as rain overnight has filled a lot of puddles. The Green-winged Teal is still on the Folly Pond beneath the Farmhouse Tower and the two He
12 November 2016
A fantastic sunny and frosty morning on the reserve. Good numbers of Whooper Swan are here with some possible new arrivals, and it seems we have had an influx of Wigeon over the past few days. Here is the full list of named Whooper Swans which have return
11 November 2016
Good numbers of Wigeon are currently using the various pools around the reserve. Most are to be found feeding along the edge of the Folly Pond. They are still joined here by the drake green-winged teal. A male Stonechat has been observed on a number
10 November 2016
The Scaup and Green-winged Teal remain with us as yesterday. The two Hen Harriers both showed well yesterday, as did the Water Rail. A few Yellowhammers are starting to show on the Observatory path and there are Tree Sparrows around the Peter Scott Trail.
8 November 2016
The juvenile Scaup remains on The Whooper Pond amongst the 40-odd Tufteds, coming in close at feed times. Whooper Swans there are pretty constant at around 120. The Green-winged Teal is still on The Folly Pond. A Water Rail is often under the feeders in
7 November 2016
Large mixed flock of thrushes have been feeding down the Avenue today, comprising predominantly Fieldfare with some Song Thrush and Redwing. This has drawn the predators in with a pair of Sparrowhawk spotted having a tussle over a kill. A juvenile Sca
4 November 2016
Above is a photo taken last night of the Great Egret roosting next to the Teal Pond, observed as we were locking up the Peter Scott Obs. In other news, a Snow Goose has turned up mixed in with the Barnacle Geese and has once again been seen this morning
2 November 2016