Fieldfares everywhere but our network issues continue

The road is closed at the Brow Well bridge near Ruthwell. If you are travelling to WWT Caerlaverock from the Annan or Carlisle direction you must come via Dumfries. Follow signs for the Crichton and then WWT Caerlaverock.

Apologies for the lack of updates recently. Our network continues to be problem making updating the website and showing our webcams difficult due to our internet connection being extremely slow at times. It is very intermittent, so sometimes we can update as I am am doing now. Please be patient as we try to get updates out when we can. We hope to have a new connection in place by the end of November at which point we can resume regular updates and hopefully show our webcams again!

We now have over 50 Whooper Swans regularly on the Whooper Pond, with more named bird returning (see below).

Two male Hen Harriers and one ring-tail Hen Harrier are regularly hunting over the merse and wet fields. A female Marsh Harrier is being seen occasionally, along with regular sightings of Merlin, Kestrel, Buzzard, Peregrine and Sparrowhawk.

Two Great Egrets are still in the area, feeding in creeks on the merse.

Huge numbers of Fieldfare are passing through the reserve at the moment and taking advantage of the bumper Hawthorn berry crop this year. Redwings are also being seen in good numbers in the Avenues.


Named Whooper Swans that have returned can be found below with the date they were first seen:

NAME

DARVIC

DATE

Bernard

Orange XLJ

2/10/19

Obi-Swan-Kanobi

Orange YFS

12/10/19

Margaret Ruth

Orange YTC

17/10/19

Butterbur

Yellow ZHF

18/10/19

Aspen

Yellow ZJH

20/10/19

Hendrik

Yellow ZJS

20/10/19

Wowsie

Orange YHV

20/10/19

Sheldon Whooper

Orange YSJ

21/10/19

Solway Siren

Orange XKU

22/10/19

Brooklyn Belle

Yellow ZVX

22/10/19

Hagar

Yellow ZLZ

23/10/19

Elsie Barbara

Red APR

23/10/19

Eric Anthony

Orange YFB

23/10/19

Magnus

Orange YFU

26/10/19

Eilidh Louise

Yellow ZVT

26/10/19

Kate Two

Yellow ZHJ

27/10/19

George

Yellow ZNA

27/10/19

Ava-Grace

Yellow ZVC

27/10/19

Snoopy

Yellow ZJZ

31/10/19

Andy

Yellow Z5N

2/11/19

Blessing

Yellow ZJB

2/11/19

Rooby

Yellow Z6L

2/11/19

Bowie

Yellow Z7S

2/11/19

Atty

Lost darvic

2/11/19

Mary

Yellow ZXP

3/11/19

Countess of Boulogue

Orange YSK

3/11/19

Stephen

Orange YRS

3/11/19

Photo credit: Joe Bilous

High Tide: 07:37, 7.1m

Opening times:
10am - 5pm every day except Christmas Day

Around the reserve:

Whooper Swans: 50+

Barnacle Geese: up to 12,000

Whooper Pond
Whooper Swan 50+
Mute Swan 45
Canada Goose 10
Mallard 120
Wigeon 40
Tufted Duck 30
Teal 5
Moorhen 2

Folly Pond
Whooper Swan
Teal
Wigeon
Shoveler
Mallard
Tufted Duck
Canada Goose
Greylag Goose
Black-tailed Godwit
Snipe
Lapwing
Moorhen

Teal Pond
Mallard
Gadwall
Wigeon
Teal
Moorhen

Avenue Tower
Peregrine Falcon
Redwing
Moorhen
Mallard
Wigeon
Gadwall
Grey Heron
Little Grebe
Little Egret
Shoveler
Mute Swan
Golden Plover
Longhorn Cattle 2

Saltcot Merse Observatory
Mute Swan
Barnacle Geese
Pink-footed Geese
Shelduck
Pintail
Dunlin
Lapwing
Oystercatcher
Curlew
Little Egret
Linnet
Hebridean Sheep 12

Avenues & Feeders
(notable species)

Redwing
Fieldfare
Blackcap
Reed Bunting
Sparrowhawk
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Robin
Blackbird
Chaffinch
Long-tailed Tit
Goldfinch
Greenfinch
House Sparrow
Tree Sparrow
Song Thrush
Great-spotted Woodpecker
Goldcrest

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 https://www.wwt.org.uk/wetland-centres/caerlaveroc...

joe.bilous@wwt.org.uk

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