5 reasons to visit this winter

Behold beautiful vistas. Be entranced by extraordinary habitats. Witness spectacular species. What will you discover today?

Mornings are frosty, trees are bare and it’s time to layer up. Ready to embrace the cold? Here are five more reasons to visit WWT Caerlaverock this winter.

1. Come to a swan feed

whooper swan adult and juvenile by Jess Byers

Everyday at 1pm, you can head down to the Whooper Pond and experience the spectacle of swans, ducks and geese gathering for their lunch. These wild birds make a treacherous journey to spend their winter in Scotland. Hear all about it at the Swan Feed.

2. Greet the morning with the geese

geese flying over group of people by Andrew Perry

As the sun rises across the saltmarsh, a honking can be heard in the distance. A thousand barnacle geese lift up and fly over your head to get their breakfast on the fields surrounding WWT Caerlaverock. After, head inside and get a tasty breakfast and a hot drink to warm up. Join us on a Dawn Flight.

3. Duck, duck, more ducks!

male teal swimming by Alex Hillier

Teal, wigeon, tufted, mallard, pintail, shoveler… So many ducks, so little time! How many will you see?

4. What’s that flash of blue?

kingfisher with fish in its bill perched on a branch by Axel Hellwig

Wait patiently at the Back Pond Hide and you might just spot a flash of blue, a dart of orange: a kingfisher. Although inspired by their bill shape, Japanese bullet trains have got nothing on these speed demons. Do you have the stamina for kingfisher spotting?

5. Raptor paradise

kestrel flying by Brian Taylor

Perched on a fence post, mobbed by crows or plucking feathers from its dinner, raptors are best found on the saltmarsh where there is a buffet fit for a king… of the birds. Scan the undulating merse with your binoculars and you might just spot a hunter on its way to snag something to eat.

Words by Marianne Nicholson

Feature image of man looking out of hide window by Andrew Perry

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