News
1st January 2016! - Happy New Year - Latest Sightings
Happy New Year everyone! A dry and bright morning here on the reserve and a bit cooler, only 3 degrees at 9am. Why not start the year by trying to see as many species of bird as you can by taking part in our New Years Day Bird Race?! 10am - 4pm with a pri
1 January 2016
Latest Sightings - 31st December - a bright morning
A bright and sunny start to the day, but a cool breeze is making it feel quite cold which makes a change. Rain is forecast this afternoon. Roads in the area still have a lot of surface water but all are open as far as we know. The tracks here are still we
31 December 2015
Latest Sightings - 30th December - wet and windy
As forecast, it is extremely wet and windy at the moment, with roads in the area beginning to flood. We are still opening as normal at 10am, but we will continue to assess the conditions throughout the day. Please take care if travelling around this area.
30 December 2015
Latest Sightings - 29th December - still wet and warm
A lovely sunny morning on the reserve, if a bit breezy. The tracks are now passable with walking boots, but wellies are still recommended. With the rain forecast tomorrow, we could end up with flooding on the roads and tracks again. Both American ducks ar
29 December 2015
Caerlaverock Wildlife highlights, Monday Dec 28th
Road access from the east (M6, Carlisle, Annan etc) is now ok, but there are some pretty large puddles on the roads so do take extra care. The water is completely over the road at Bankend near here, but is easily passable with care. Visitors should also
28 December 2015
Caerlaverock wildlife highlights, Sunday Dec 27th
Road access from the east (M6, Carlisle, Annan etc) is blocked at Bankend by flooding. Visitors should head for Dumfries and then take the Bankend Road past the hospital to get here. Visitors should also be aware that yesterday's rain has re-flooded the
27 December 2015
Caerlaverock wildlife highlights, Sat Dec 26th
Road access is fine this morning but needless to say care should be taken on the local as there places where water has filled right across to a depth of a few cms, but all passable. Visitors should be aware that further rain has re-flooded the avenues whi
26 December 2015
Caerlaverock reserve, Thurs Dec 24th
The B724 remains closed at Cummertrees due to flooding, so visitors arriving from the direction of Carlisle/M6 should re-route via the minor road to Ruthwell and Cummertrees from A75 at Kinmount. Barnacle Goose nos are on the up, with the locally vis
24 December 2015
Caerlaverock, Wed 23rd Dec
Little change from yesterday, with a lot of water lying both on the fields and unfortunately within the avenues. Wellingtons remain an essential footwear item for full access to the more outlying hides and towers. The two American ducks are at their usual
23 December 2015
Around a wild and wet Caerlaverock, Tues Dec 22nd
Little change from yesterday, with a lot of water lying both on the fields and unfortunately within the avenues. Wellingtons remain an essential footwear item for full access to the more outlying hides and towers. The two American ducks are at their usual
22 December 2015
Around Caerlaverock, Monday 21st December 2015
Little change from yesterday, with a lot of water lying both on the fields and unfortunately within the avenues. Wellingtons remain an essential footwear item for full access to the more outlying hides and towers. The two American ducks are at their usual
21 December 2015
Caerlaverock wild highlights, Sunday Dec 20th
Another wild and wet night just past, with 33mm in the rain gauge, meaning that full access down the main avenue to the tower and Campbell Hide is realistically restricted to wearers of wellington boots. Visitors coming from the east/Carlisle direction sh
20 December 2015
Latest Sightings - 19th December - Waders in the fields
Corner Field is hooching with waders this morning, 246 Lapwing, a whopping 613 Golden Plover, a single Dunlin and over 700 Barnacle Geese Both American ducks are still here and showing well. The drake Green-winged Teal on the Folly Pond and the drake R
19 December 2015
Latest Sightings - 18th December
Both American ducks are still here and showing well. The drake Green-winged Teal on the Folly Pond and the drake Ring-necked Duck on the Whooper Pond. An unusual duck for the reserve is a first winter (hatched during summer 2015) drake Goldeneye on the
18 December 2015
Caerlaverock wildlife highlights, Thurs 17th Dec
The main avenue (access to Avenue Tower) is slowly drying up but remains waterlogged before the tower and Campbell Hide; wellington boots remain a necessity for access there. Barnacle Goose nos. remain good at around 5000, albeit in no large single concen
17 December 2015