Caerlaverock news
Reserve Update Sunday 30th December
Exciting afternoon yesterday with reports of a small Canada Goose mixed in with the Barnacle Goose flock down at Avenue Tower. There has been a Todd's Canada Goose over on the Cumbrian coast so it could presumably be the same bird. A period of wild go
30 December 2018
Reserve Update Saturday 29th December
Wader numbers have been good around the site the previous couple of days with Oystercatcher and Redshank currently on the Folly Pond, no doubt to be joined by some Black-tailed Godwit later on in the day. The Curlew were present feeding in Newfield in g
29 December 2018
Latest Sightings - Friday 28th December
A dry and bright start to the day with a slight breeze. We have noticed an influx of newly arrived Whooper Swans on the reserve in the past few days, including some of our named swans. T. J. Whooper and Whoopie being the most recent, although they have
28 December 2018
Latest Sightings - Thursday 27th December
Another cloudy but dry morning on the reserve. The Great Egret is on the merse at the moment, usually to the west of the Saltcot Merse Observatory. A Sparrowhawk has been using the Saltcot Loaning and a Kestrel hovering over the Corner Field. Curlew, Lapw
27 December 2018
Latest Sightings - Wednesday 26th December
The mist of yesterday has cleared so we can at least see the reserve this morning. It's a dry start to the day, with plenty to see. Barnacle Geese are all around the site, duck numbers are high in the Flood Ground and Folly Pond. Waders have returned to t
26 December 2018
Latest Sightings - Monday 24th December
A frost last night has frozen many of the ponds and fields. Whooper Pond, Folly Pond and the Flood Ground are mostly ice free and that's where most of the birds are at the moment. A Mistle Thrush in the Avenue this morning is a fairly unusual species f
24 December 2018
Latest Sightings - Saturday 22nd December
A bright and sunny morning on the reserve. The Folly Pond is very busy this morning, plenty of ducks and waders to see. Two Ruff have been reported in front of the Newfield Hide at 11am. Named Whooper Swan arrivals: YHS - Solway Siren Lost Darvic - Hagar
22 December 2018
Latest Sightings - 21st December - Open every day except Christmas Day
We still have restrictions on our network which means our webcams will not be online until January at the earliest. We apologise for this and are working to restore the system. Thankfully we are now able to take card payments in the visitor centre. It's
19 December 2018
Latest Sightings - Saturday 15th December - no snow yet
A cold and overcast start to the day. If the forecasts are correct, we could expect some travel disruption in the area later today so please be prepared if you plan to visit today. The ponds have thawed out a bit from yesterday so the wildfowl have more o
15 December 2018
Latest Sightings - Friday 14th December - Some internet connection back, but no card payments or webcams yet
We apologise for the lack of recent sightings updates, we have been experiencing problems with our internet connection. Although we are now able to make website updates, we are still unable to take card payments in the Centre, so if you plan to visit befo
14 December 2018
Internet connectivity issues
We're currently experiencing internet connectivity issues on site and therefore apologise for the lack of recent updates. We're hoping for service to be restored by Thursday 13 December.
7 December 2018
Reserve Update Wednesday 28th November
Passerine activity remains good around the site with two Brambling spotted on the Peter Scott Trail feeders yesterday and a male down with the Yellowhammers and Reed Bunting opposite the Peter Scott Observatory. They have been heard again this morning a
28 November 2018
Monday 26th November - Reserve Sightings - Plenty of Passerines!
Good morning all! It's a very frosty morning on site today and the 130 Whoopers on the pond have had to spend their first feed breaking through sheets of ice; winter has truly arrived. And with this arrival of the colder weather there are plenty of bird
26 November 2018
Reserve Update Friday 23rd November - hen harrier again!
So another lovely flypast of the male hen harrier again today. This time flying across Teal Pond and heading south towards the merses. It could be it's presence that was causing all the Lapwing to keep taking flight with up to 100 in the air at any ti
23 November 2018
Reserve Update Thursday 22nd November - hen harrier
Lovely fly past of a male Hen Harrier at Saltcot. It then decided to tuck itself away down on the ground in amongst the gorse to the east of the Observatory but of course was still visible! Whooper numbers are creeping up now we progress through the win
22 November 2018