Caerlaverock news
Reserve Update Tuesday 3rd April
This morning there are still a few Whooper Swans around, so if you want to see them before they head off you best get visit soon! The majority of the swans remaining are juveniles. There were a good number of Redshank and Godwits on the Folly Pond
3 April 2018
Latest Sightings - Saturday 31st March - Avocets, Golden Plover & Black-wits
The two Avocets are on the Folly Pond again today, very close to the Folly Pond hide at 10am. They have been behaving territorially around the small island at the back of the pond so fingers crossed they hang around. Just 22 Whooper Swans on the re
31 March 2018
Latest Sightings - Friday 30th March - Avocets still here
Two Avocet are still on the Folly Pond this morning, best viewed from the Folly Pond Hide or the Farmhouse Tower. They have a habit of hiding behind the islands so patience may be required. Very few Whooper Swans left on the reserve so this weekend could
30 March 2018
Reserve Update Thursday 29th March - Avocets!
Two Avocets are currently taking a snooze on one of the little islands on Folly Pond this morning. They are joined by a few Redshank and Black-tailed Godwit. A fun game for the Teal Pond hide is spot the Snipe competition! There were four that we c
29 March 2018
Reserve Update Wednesday 28th March
Whooper Swan numbers continue to drop on the reserve with just over fifty on Whooper Pond first thing. Numbers in the local area remain high with over a hundred feeding on fields to the East. They were joined by a Bewick's Swan yesterday so keep you
28 March 2018
Latest Sightings - Saturday 24th March
No sign of the Garganey for the past few days but it could still be hiding in our ponds. A female Merlin was at the Avenue Tower, plenty of Teal in the Flood Ground along with 3 Little Egrets. The water level on the Folly Pond is being dropped to expose s
24 March 2018
Reserve Update Friday 23rd March
The Black-headed Gulls are still around on the Flood Ground, along with 5 Little Egrets this morning. There was also a good number of Golden Plover flying around, which eventually landed in low middle field to feed. The Whooper Swans are still around, wit
23 March 2018
Reserve Update Wednesday 21st March
Spring is here! Now admittedly there is still a bit of a chill breeze but we have observed our first Wheatear of the season yesterday afternoon. It turned out to be a slightly strange day with a Bar-headed goose mixed in with the flock of Barnacle Gee
21 March 2018
Reserve Update Tuesday 20th March
A bright, sunny morning with plenty of birds singing and some starting to gather nesting materials. Several Linnets were heard singing down the Avenue, with the males starting to come into their summer plumage. No sign of the male Garganey this mor
20 March 2018
Fire/Ice
Only small traces of the chaos of the combined forces of the Beast from the East and Storm Emma remain and thankfully it is now possible for me to have a cup of tea without altering my normal brew with coconut milk or reverting to frost burnt bread at th
19 March 2018
Latest Sightings - Saturday 17th March - Garganey again
The drake Garganey is still on the Teal Pond this morning, but patience is required. Patience is still required, and it is worth looking from upstairs in the Peter Scott Observatory first as it is sometimes only visible from there and not the Teal Pond
17 March 2018
Latest Sightings - Friday 16th March - Garganey still here
The drake Garganey is still on the Teal Pond this morning, but patience is required. We waited at least 40mins before it appeared today. This photo of the Garganey was taken yesterday, phone scoped by Reserve Warden Steve Cooper. Also on the Teal Pond,
16 March 2018
Reserve Update Thursday 15th March - Garganey!
It was worth a walk around the Reserve this morning despite the bad weather. Male Garganey on Teal Pond was the absolute highlight and probably one of the earliest spring arrival records for this species. There are still Black-tailed Godwit, Redshank,
15 March 2018
Reserve Update Friday 9th March
Lots of male chaffinch's singing down the avenue this morning. A good number of Pintail on the Flood Ground, and several waders in Lochar Field. 2 Black-headed Gulls were on an island on the Flood Ground, possibly trying to claim nesting territory. Named
9 March 2018
Reserve Update Thursday 8th March
The waders are returning to Folly Pond with 29 Redshank, 5 Black-tailed Godwit and 2 Curlew feeding around the edges this morning. Duck numbers are dropping here but Teal and Wigeon can still be seen out in the flooded fields around the Peter Scott Obse
8 March 2018