News
Hello, Annie!
Hello, Annie here, your new warden at Caerlaverock. I’ve travelled across the UK from WWT Welney in Norfolk in search of new adventures and new challenges. Already in these first two months I’ve encountered so much change. As the seasons turn, I’ve
1 November 2023
Appreciate the geese
There is nothing quite like standing in the middle of the courtyard and being brought to a halt by a skein of geese flying overhead. A wildlife spectacle unlike many others in that it isn’t a rare occurrence here at WWT Caerlaverock, a flyover of a fl
29 October 2023
Mosquito hunting at Caerlaverock
Wetland nature reserves like WWT Caerlaverock support a huge amount of biodiversity and attract many people (myself included) hoping to see some of the incredible creatures that make wetlands their home. While catching a glimpse of a mosquito is less like
26 October 2023
A welcomed change (and hello to Ed!)
After a long day at work, I take off my shoes and settle on the couch. I’m back in the man-made world and cut off from nature – or at least that’s what I think...From the corner of my eye, I see something green jumping around: it’s startled and re
24 October 2023
How many geese?
It is 6 am in the morning, dark, cold, still, not quite a frost and I am standing on the edge of one of the largest areas of mud in the UK and I am wondering why I do these things. The alarm went off at 05:00 and even the normally enthusiastic dog looked
21 October 2023
A day in the life of a guide in the hide
I have been volunteering at Caerlaverock since 2017 where I am Friday’s Guide in the Hide. My role is to help guests connect with the wildlife around the reserve and hopefully make their visit more enjoyable. This is the first of an occasional series of
19 October 2023
Arrivals and depatures
It’s that time of year again: migration is upon us. The bird airport has opened. End of September, early October, sees that last few remaining swallows and house martins waiting at their gate, getting their last feeds in before making their journey so
17 October 2023
The devil bird?
An early morning walk along the edge of the Lochar this week and a bird flicked up in front of me and flew away along the shore. A little brown job but with a difference: a bright white flash on its behind told me it was a wheatear. Wheatears are fantasti
16 October 2023
Making water do more
For hundreds of years, farming the land around Caerlaverock meant trying to get the water off the land as fast as feasible. Being flat land, the water didn’t flow off quickly and filled up the water table but waterlogged land is no good for growing cr
12 October 2023
A big welcome to Meg!
We are pleased to have welcomed some new team members recently so have some important introductions to make: starting with Meg, one of the new placement students! Hi, I'm Meg. I have recently started as a reserve management placement here at Caerlaverock.
9 October 2023
The Ivy Buffet
I’m walking down the avenue to check the trees because we’ve had some bad weather – high winds and the like – when I am stopped in my tracks. Hoverfly on ivy by Marianne Nicholson There is a massive amount of buzzing coming from an ivy-covered ha
5 October 2023
Wild
Another day, another butterfly transect.I only just started the survey and I was feeling deflated: days like this often feel like a waste as it’s like I’m not really able to appreciate the saltmarsh for all its awesomeness. As soon as this thought had
29 September 2023
Maybe I should become a spider expert?
It feels like I am noticing spider webs everywhere. They seem to be all over the place this year: cast your eyes over any vegetation and you spot them. When I have walked along the summer trail to where the pump is, they are down in the rush. Glancing at
26 September 2023
Pollutants on the merse
I was walking along the Lochar Water on the reserve recently and came across some routine litter for this time of year: shotgun cartridges and plastic waddings.To be clear, the wildfowlers who discard this litter are perfectly allowed to shoot along the n
20 September 2023
Nettles and why you shouldn't hate them
The other day I was wandering down the Saltcot Loaning, a warm autumn sun on my face, a gentle breeze in my hair. There were butterflies flitting all around and birds singing in the trees. And there were lots of nettles.Firstly I noticed that the speckled
7 September 2023