A cold but crisp morning with the reserve covered in a thick frost.
These conditions have brought large numbers of wildfowl onto the reserve with 108 Whooper Swans present for the morning feed and 640 Wigeon present on the Flood Ground.
Also not one but two Green-winged Teal were present this morning, with the usual bird on the Folly Pond and another bird present on the Whooper pond.
Other sightings of interest were a Chiffchaff with Goldcrests down the avenue, which is a late bird. As well as a Kestrel from the avenue tower.
Todays high tide is at 17:30, 9m.
Whooper Swans: 143
Whooper Pond
Whooper Swan 118 + 25 cygnets
Mute Swan 33 + 7 cygnets
Canada Geese 41
Mallard 200
Wigeon 90
Tufted Duck 15
Moorhen 7
Gadwall 3
Teal 10
Greater Scaup 1 (Juvenile)
Green-winged Teal 1♂
Folly Pond
Green-winged Teal 1♂
Teal 250+
Wigeon 500+
Moorhen 4
Shoveler 16
Mallard 22
Black-tailed Godwit 150+
Redshank 5
Teal Pond
Wigeon 3
Coot 2
Avenue Tower
Wigeon 640
Teal 300
Shoveler 3
Kestrel 1
Pintail 2
Gadwall 2
Little Egret 1
Longhorn Cattle 3
Saltcot Merse Observatory
Peregrine 1
Merlin 2
Sparrowhawk 1
Hen Harrier 2 (male and ringtail)
Kestrel 1
Pink footed Geese 300+
Greylag Geese 20
Canada Goose 300
Pintail 200+
Wigeon 200+
Dunlin 200+
Golden Plover 100+
Knot 200+
Hebridean Sheep 12
Avenues & Feeders
(notable species)
Redwing
Fieldfare
Reed Bunting
Sparrowhawk
Coal Tit
Long-tailed Tit
Goldcrest
Goldfinch
Greenfinch
Linnet
Redpoll
House Sparrow
Tree Sparrow
Treecreeper
Great-spotted Woodpecker
Twitter & Facebook
Follow us on Twitter @WWTCaerlaverock for instant WWT Caerlaverock bird news, wildlife news and upcoming events to your mobile phone or computer. This is a great way to get instant news as we update from our mobile phones as we are finding the birds.
You can also ‘Like’ us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/wwtcaerlaverock.
Webcam
The winter webcam is now showing the Whooper Pond during the day and the badger feeding area from 5pm onwards.
http://www.wwt.org.uk/wetland-centres/caerlaverock/experience/webcam/
The first few Whooper Swans have already shown up and later in the winter we enjoy the superb spectacle of up to 300 of them along with a variety of wild ducks and geese at feed times - 11:00 and 14:00 daily
Daniel.Gornall@wwt.org.uk