Latest Sightings - Saturday 27th January - Busy Folly Pond

A very wet and windy start to the morning. The heavy rain means the Avenues are holding quite a lot of water. Wellies or decent boots are recommended for getting around. The paths do have a hard surface on the vehicle tracks, it is best to stick to the hard surface under the water rather than trying to go around onto the soft mud.

8 Greenland White-fronted Geese dropped in yesterday. They immediately began sleeping in Low Middle field which suggests they had just made a long journey.
Due to the weather, we have not been able to check if they are still here. Most of the geese are still on the merse at the moment which is very difficult to see.

The Folly Pond is especially busy today with excellent numbers of duck and waders enjoying the flooding around the edge of the pond.

Named Whooper Swan arrivals:

YHS - Solway Siren
ZHP - Andrew K    &    YFZ - Ruth C          A pair with 5 cygnets
YFS - Obi Swan Kenobi   &   YHZ - Princess Layer ( but she has lost her coloured darvic ring)
YSJ - Sheldon Whooper
YTG - Jack
Z6L - Rooby   &   Z7S - Bowie        A pair with 1 cygnet
Z9F - Hendrick   &   Z6T - PP       A pair with 1 cygnet
YRG - Lucky Linda
YSU - Nye
YPA - Eleanor
YSF - Topsy
YJL - Linda H
YTC - Margaret Ruth
APR - Elsie Barbara & YFB - Eric Anthony
ZGJ - Balthazar & YFP - BekahJo
YKJ- Hagar (lost coloured darvic ring)
YHV - Wowsie
YHD - Fionnaghal
Z4A - Argyll
YRK - Gylfi
YRN - Douglas Flintoff
YJF - Professor Sponge
YPK - Euan David
(Lost coloured ring) - New York Lady
ZDL - Rose (in with her mate and 2 cygnets)
YDK - Rowena (in with a mate and 1 cygnet)
Z5N - Andy
Z9T - Suzanne (in with her mate, possibly cygnets - so watch this space)
YHC - Charlie (in with a mate and 1 cygnet)
ZAB - Atty & YJH - Kate Two
APC- George
(Lost coloured ring)- Aspen
Z7G- Charners
YSK- Countess of Boulogne & YRS - Steven      A pair with 5 cygnets
YFN - Fearn
(Lost coloured ring) - Snoopy
(Lost coloured ring) - Blackbill Cupcake
YHH - Lady Ela
ZGL - Elin
YPH- McMurdoston & YTF - Odette*       A pair with 2 cygnets
(Lost coloured ring) - Siljy

Today's high tide is at 07:49, 7.8m.

Whooper Swans: 140
Barnacle Geese: around 3,000+

Around the reserve:

Whooper Pond
Whooper Swan 140
Mute Swan 50
Mallard 25
Gadwall 1 male
Tufted Duck 35
Wigeon 76
Canada Geese 80
Greylag Geese 9
Moorhen 9
Teal 5

Folly Pond
Teal 339
Wigeon 280
Shoveler 33
Mallard 47
Shelduck 1
Pintail 8
Redshank 142
Black-tailed Godwit 12
Curlew 211
Oystercatcher 25

Teal Pond
Teal 5
Wigeon 16
Mallard 38
Gadwall 1
Moorhen 2
Shoveler 3
Little Grebe 1
Mute Swan 1

Avenue Tower
Teal 599
Wigeon 155
Pintail 4
Mallard 7
Greylag Geese 2
Curlew 12
Little Egret 1
Grey Heron 1
Lapwing 150+ (fields to North)

Saltcot Merse Observatory
Kestrel
Buzzard 1
Peregrine 2 adults (pair)
Merlin 1
Hen Harrier 1 male & juv/female
Mute Swan 2
Barnacle Geese 2,000
Pink-footed Geese 2000+
Shelduck 210
Teal 90
Wigeon 124
Golden Plover 285
Dunlin 5000+
Knot 3200+
Lapwing 485
Oystercatcher 1630
Curlew 77
Little Egret 6
Grey Heron 5
Great Black-backed Gull 30
Hebridean Sheep 9
Longhorn Cattle 2

Avenues & Feeders
(notable species)
Brambling
Yellowhammer
Lesser Redpoll
Siskin
Bullfinch
Reed Bunting
Sparrowhawk
Coal Tit
Long-tailed Tit
Goldfinch
Greenfinch
Linnet
House Sparrow
Tree Sparrow
Treecreeper
Great-spotted Woodpecker
Goldcrest
Redwing
Fieldfare

Webcam

The winter webcam is now showing the Whooper Pond during the day and the badger feeding area from 5pm onwards.

https://www.wwt.org.uk/wetland-centres/caerlaverock/experience/webcam/

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/caerlaverock/

joe.bilous@wwt.org.uk

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