News - Caerlaverock

What a year to look back on

What a year to look back on

My placement year at Caerlaverock has sadly come to an end but what an incredible time to look back on. Living and working at Caerlaverock has been a privilege. I will miss able to step out into such a dynamic and varied environment every morning.

21 August 2024

Wetland Word of the Week 25

Wetland Word of the Week 25

This week's word is... pasper means samphire in Scots and can be used as 'paspery' to mean an area abundant in samphire. It also makes a great snack when you're out doing a botany survey!

19 August 2024

Can birds tell us the future?

Can birds tell us the future?

Can birds predict the future? The Ancient Romans certainly believed they could! The practice of ornithomancy (divination using the behaviour of birds) dates back to Ancient Greek and earlier cultures and was adopted by the Romans as an important part of t

13 August 2024

Wetland Word of the Week 24

Wetland Word of the Week 24

The wetland word today is... ... Lochar (sometimes followed by Water). This is the river that runs through the middle of our reserve and out into the Solway Firth. We see dragonflies along its banks in the summer and waders in the mud in winter.

12 August 2024

Shearing of the sheep

Shearing of the sheep

It’s that time of year again: when the reserve team wrangles up our hard working Hebridean sheep flock to shear off their thick wool coats. It was an unusually hot and sunny day which has been quite a rare occurrence this summer. The sheep were relaxing

7 August 2024

Wetland Word of the Week 23

Wetland Word of the Week 23

The wetland word of the week is... ... BOG. This is a peat-based acidic wetland which receives water from rainfall rather than groundwater typically. It comes from a Scottish Gaelic word for 'flabby and soft' that is also used to mean 'flat' in music.Bogs

5 August 2024

Caerlaverock saltmarsh as a carbon sink

Caerlaverock saltmarsh as a carbon sink

Wetlands are hugely diverse habitats and, as a bonus, are major players in climate change mitigation. They help us to cope with the effects of global warming as well as limit it through carbon capture. This is the process of removing carbon dioxide from t

31 July 2024

Wetland Word of the Week 22

Wetland Word of the Week 22

This week, our wetland word is... ... DREICH. Dreich is a Scottish word meaning dreary, gloomy and damp when used to discuss the weather. It comes from a Middle English word meaning long suffering and is still commonly used as an adjective meaning mise

29 July 2024

Our July highlights

Our July highlights

A badger was seen wandering around near the Saltcot Loaning and the Peter Scott Observatory. Mostly, badgers are nocturnal and come out at night to look for food but when they are youngsters or if food is scarce, they venture out during the day. The reser

27 July 2024

Wetland Word of the Week 21

Wetland Word of the Week 21

Our word this week is... ...QUAGMIRE, a soft, boggy area of land that gives way underfoot. It also is an awkward, complex or hazardous situation. We often use quagmire to refer to an area that has undergone a transformation to become boggy: "the heavy

22 July 2024

Summer Botany

Summer Botany

Light burst upon the meadow, Reflections of colour afar. Wings on wind overhead, Beasts abound roaming, foraging. Rattles quaking throughout, Rusted cocoons splitting apart Seeds fly, memories lost. Youthful roots, memories’ origins In the s

21 July 2024

Tranquillity even on a rainy day

Tranquillity even on a rainy day

Working and living on site, it's safe to say that currently I spend most (if not all) of my time on WWT Caerlaverock grounds. And now it's summer (despite what the weather may suggest) a lot of my time is spent in our wildflower meadow conducting butterfl

17 July 2024

Wetland Word of the Week 20

Wetland Word of the Week 20

This week's wetland word is...... CRIFFEL. Criffel is the name for the hill that dominates our skyline. It is solitary and imposing. It's name is suspected to come from the Norse 'Kraka-fjell' or 'Krakkaval' meaning 'Raven’s Hill', despite it actually b

15 July 2024

Nature's approval: The Wilder, Wetter Caerlaverock Diaries no.4

Nature's approval: The Wilder, Wetter Caerlaverock Diaries no.4

Years ago, drains were laid in many parts of the reserve to remove water from the fields to make it easier to farm the land. A gallant attempt but it’s very hard to force nature to be something that it isn’t. Even though the field drains were working,

10 July 2024

Wetland Word of the Week 19

Wetland Word of the Week 19

Our wetland word today is... ... bitterie which means sand martin in Scots. The word comes from 'bite the bank' because this is the technique they use to remove material from the sandy cliffs to excavate their nests. Sand martins are a summer visitor to t

8 July 2024