Sightings 22/05/2017 - Osprey!

A nice mild morning on the reserve and flat calm conditions allowed for a nice view of around 1000 Common Scoter rafting out on the Solway. Possibly a non-breeding flock. Whilst watching these an Osprey flew in off and right past the Saltcot carrying a fish. It continued inland, presumably on it's way to feed chicks or its partner. Meanwhile our live Osprey is still sitting tight on eggs.

Elsewhere lapwings can be seen in the fields and a single Mute Swan cygnet is still on the flood ground, along with the building numbers of Black-headed Gulls.

Todays high tide is at 10:20am, 8.4m

Osprey carrying a fish - photo by Daniel Gornall

Around the reserve today:

Barnacle Geese: 3

Wildflowers
Hawthorn
Ramsons
Red Campion
Cuckoo Flower
Bluebells
Herb Robert

Insects
Peacock Butterfly
Large White Butterfly
Orange Tip Butterfly
Green-veined White Butterfly
Large Red Damselfly
Early Bumblebee
Tree Bumblebee
Common Carder Bumblebee
Beefly
Drinker Moth caterpillar
Common Blue Damselfly

Mammals
Brown Hare
Weasel
Roe Deer
Fox
Badger
Otter
Soprano Pipistrelle Bat - evening

Whooper Pond
Whooper Swan 2
Mute Swan 1
Mallard 15
Moorhen 2

Folly Pond

Mallard 9 and ducklings
Moorhen 2 + 2 chicks
House Martins collecting mud

Teal Pond

Little Grebe 2 - nesting
Mute Swan 1 - nesting
Moorhen 1
Swallows - sitting on eggs on the left hand side - enter slowly and quietly
Oystercatcher 1 - possibly nesting on the raft

Avenue Tower
Barnacle Geese 3
Mute Swan 2  & 1 cygnet
Teal 1
Wigeon 1
Little Egret  2
Cormorant 1
Lapwing 8 - nesting
Black-headed Gull 16 - nesting
Shelduck 2
Mallard 5
Canada Geese 4
Greylag Goose 1
Moorhen 1
Longhorn Cattle 3

Saltcot Merse Observatory
Peregrine
Kestrel
Osprey
Buzzard
Skylarks singing
Hebridean Sheep 10

Avenues & Feeders
(notable species)

Reed Bunting
Sparrowhawk
Coal Tit
Long-tailed Tit
Goldfinch
Greenfinch
Linnet
House Sparrow
Tree Sparrow
Treecreeper
Great-spotted Woodpecker
Chiffchaff
Willow Warbler
Sedge Warbler
Blackcap
Garden Warbler

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.

Osprey Webcam

See live footage of our local Osprey nest here: http://www.wwt.org.uk/wetland-centres/caerlaverock/experience/ospreys/

The camera is online between 10am and 5pm daily.

Daniel.gornall@wwt.org.uk

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