Caerlaverock news
Reserve Update Wednesday 5th September
Autumn is making it's presence known with cooler mornings and the gathering of the Swallows and House Martins. The courtyard around the Farmhouse Tower and the roof of the Peter Scott Observatory have been inundated with them. Small bird activity rema
5 September 2018
Reserve Update Tuesday 4th September
Duck numbers continue to build with a solitary Tufted Duck and two Wigeon joining the mallards on the Whooper Pond. The Little Grebe also remains on this pond. If insects are your thing then the Joe Pye Weed and Sedum are spectacular for Butterflies a
4 September 2018
Latest Sightings - Saturday 1st September
So much for the sun, it's an overcast and drizzly morning on the reserve. The Summer Walk is now closed for the winter. Plenty of ducks around the site now, many of them still in eclipse plumage. There has been an increase in Canada and Greylag Goose numb
1 September 2018
Latest Sightings - Wednesday 29th August
A sunny start to the day, which means the butterflies are looking fantastic in the Farmhouse Garden at the moment. Two Little Grebes are on the Whooper Pond amongst the moulting Mallards. The Summer Walk will be shut on Saturday morning for another year
29 August 2018
Latest Sightings - Saturday 25th August
A brilliant sunny morning but a very cool breeze at the moment. The Hawthorns at the Avenue Tower are still busy: Lesser Whitethroat, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Dunnock amongst others. An duck ID challenge in the Flood Ground today. All in eclipse plumage, we
25 August 2018
Reserve Update Thursday 23rd August
Good range of species down on the Flood Ground this morning with Shoveler joining the mix. Over 180 Teal were observed there yesterday but numbers have dropped right down again first thing this morning. Rather bedraggled Kestrel perched on the fence l
23 August 2018
Reserve Update - Saturday 18th August
Immature male marsh harrier was spotted yesterday afternoon alongside the Lochar water out from Avenue Tower. The female Sparrowhawk has been frequenting the area around the feeders in the Peter Scott trail. A Kestrel was hunting over the fields out f
18 August 2018
Reserve Update Wednesday 15th August
Blustery start to the morning with the promise that the weather might blow in some passage waders. Three Greenshank dropped in briefly yesterday afternoon to Folly Pond but these appear to have moved on. The five Swallow chicks in the Teal Pond hide a
15 August 2018
Reserve Update Tuesday 14th August - Hen Harrier again
The male Hen Harrier was back around Avenue Tower this morning with views of it hunting and catching prey over the Merse. It had also been seen on Sunday so seems to be a pretty regular feature at the mo. The buzzard was once again on it's perch at th
14 August 2018
Latest Sightings - Saturday 11th August - Green Sandpipers & Hen Harrier
Two Green Sandpipers in the Flood Ground again this morning. Viewed from the Avenue Tower. Also a male Hen Harrier flying over. Still good birding in the Hawthorn below the Avenue Tower. Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Whinchat & Tree
11 August 2018
Reserve Update Thursday 9th August
Decided Autumnal feeling to the weather first thing this morning. The hawthorn below the Avenue Tower is once again proving to be a draw to passage migrants with Willow Warbler, Reed Bunting, Whitethroat, Tree Sparrow and Goldfinch again seen. Two Green
9 August 2018
Latest Sightings - Wednesday 8th August - passage migration & Green Sandpipers
A really interesting morning on the reserve, with passage migration in full swing! Two Green Sandpipers are on the Flood Ground in the small pools, visible from the Avenue Tower. The Hawthorn tree beneath the Avenue Tower is stuffed full of migrating song
8 August 2018
Latest Sightings - Tuesday 7th August
There were three Yellow Wagtails at the Folly Pond yesterday, on migration further south. No sign of them as yet this morning. A few more Teal have turned up on the Folly Pond as well, and water levels are beginning to pick up after some rain. Our Osprey
7 August 2018
Latest Sightings - Thursday 2nd August
More rain today which has really topped our ponds up nicely. More geese have been seen in the past few days, with Canada and Greylag Geese feeding out on the merse. Swallows, House Martins and Sand Martins are feeding over the ponds and fields at the mome
2 August 2018
Latest Sightings - Saturday 28th July
The rain has finally arrived, although it is needed it's still a shame. Hopefully this will top some of the ponds up and freshen up the vegetation a bit. A Snipe was feeding in the Paddock ponds again this morning, it's always worth a slow walk through th
28 July 2018