Caerlaverock news
Sightings 27/02/2017 - Divers!
It has been a good morning for birds. With quite a high tide, large numbers of Dunlin were swirling around over the shore with 1700 briefly dropping into field 3, which already contained over 2000 Golden Plover, quite a sight! A large feeding flock of Sta
27 February 2017
Latest Sightings - 25th February - Wet and wild
As forecast, it is a very wet and windy start to the day. Wellies are recommended for getting down the Avenues. The Whooper Swans are battling the wind and waves on the Whooper Pond and the fields are becoming increasingly flooded. Golden Plover are feed
25 February 2017
Rafts ahoy!
The Reserve Team have been very busy over the past two days and you will see a couple of new additions on your next visit! We have floated the first of five new nesting rafts on the Teal Pond... You can see the new raft from the Teal Pond hide and fing
22 February 2017
Reserve Update Wednesday 22nd February
Bit of a blustery start to this morning. Good numbers of Redshank, Lapwing and Black-tailed Godwit feeding (and sleeping!) around the edges of the Folly Pond. No sign of either of the drake Green-winged Teal so far. If visiting, you may notice that
22 February 2017
Monday update, Feb 20th
Damp and breezy to begin with. Not a lot of change recently but plenty to see. Barnacle Goose nos. continue to hold up well, with around 7000 most days, including a leucistic bird yesterday as well as the hybrid Snow Goose x Barnacle. 107 Black-tailed God
20 February 2017
Latest Sightings - 18th February
It's a bit of a wet start to the day, but mild. Quite often when the temperature rises in winter we see rain. It's just a light drizzle at the moment and will hopefully ease off later in the day. Plenty of Whooper Swans on the reserve this morning and a
18 February 2017
Latest Sightings - 17th February - Heavy fog this morning...
Heavy fog is covering the reserve this morning, making counts very difficult, so we really only have estimates at the moment. The feeding stations and Avenues are still good for small birds, with a Water Rail under the feeders in the Peter Scott Trail. A
17 February 2017
Reserve Update Wednesday 15th February
Misty start to the morning, but with the promise of sun breaking through, has made it hard to tell for sure what is about. Male Merlin seen first thing from the Saltcot Merse Observatory as well as the singing Skylarks out on the Merse heralding the arr
15 February 2017
Quick update, Tues 14th Feb
Still cold, with the wind out of the east, but bright and sunny so far. Generally little change on the reserve recently with Barnacle Goose counts still up to around 7000 and about 140 Whooper Swans daily at the feeds. The long-staying Green-winged Teal
14 February 2017
Latest Sightings - 11th February - Barnies and waders
A cold but dry morning on the reserve with plenty of Barnacle Geese around. There is one all-white leucistic Barnacle Goose in amongst them and also a white-necked hybrid at the Avenue Tower to keep an eye out for. The Corner Field is busy with Black-tail
11 February 2017
Reserve Update Thursday 9th February
Wader numbers are looking good on the Folly Pond with 54 redshank, 19 black-tailed godwit, 25 lapwing and 7 oystercatchers there fist thing. The yellowhammers and reed buntings continue to appear in the hawthorn trees on the way down to the Peter Scott
9 February 2017
Reserve Update Wednesday 8th February - Otter back again!
The otter was back fishing on the Teal Pond first thing this morning....with displaying Teal at the back of the pond seemingly unaware of it! Once again good numbers of lapwing and golden plover visible from the Avenue Tower, alas still no American Wige
8 February 2017
Tuesday Feb 7th
21mm of rain overnight, so the reserve is looking wetter than usual today. Green-winged Teal showing on Folly Pond early, but alas still no sign of American Wigeon. Plenty of bird song kicking up recently and Mute Swans are becoming territorial down on Th
7 February 2017
Latest Sightings - 4th February
No sign of the American Wigeon for the past couple of days. There are fewer Wigeon on site, so it could be feeding away from the reserve somewhere. It may still reappear though. Todays high tide is at 17:33, 8.5m Around the reserve today: Barnacle Geese:
4 February 2017
Latest Sightings - 3rd February - Hen Harrier again today!
The male Hen Harrier flew over the Whooper Pond first thing this morning, so keep an eye out for it today. A Merlin was giving good views at the Avenue Tower yesterday and there are huge numbers of Barnacle Geese around the site at the moment. Todays high
3 February 2017