Goosander and Flocks of Winter Waders

We’ve had a great start to the New Year here at WWT Caerlaverock! Our Big Bird Challenge started on the 1^st of January with the placement students being pitted against the wardens to see who can spot the most species of birds before the end of the month. On New Year’s Day, visitors and volunteers were invited to get involved and as you can see from the sightings list below, many were identified!

Highlights have included some large flocks of golden plover and lapwing. These flocks (sometimes of mixed species) form in the winter time because they communally feed as an anti-predator defence mechanism. This ‘dilution effect’ works because for any one predator attack, the larger the group of prey animals, the smaller the chance that any particular individual will be the victim.

Both species have suffered large population declines in the last century due to a reduction in traditionally managed grass and farmland, in particular the loss of mixed farming and spring cropping. Being able to provide suitable habitat for these birds during winter time is a super important part of the work we do here at WWT Caerlaverock.

Other highlights include goosander: they have been seen multiple times in the last fortnight. Part of the sawbill family, they have serrated beaks so they can catch fish. They have a penchant for salmon and trout making them come into conflict with fishermen. Goosander nest in holes in trees along the riverbank. Just like the golden plover and lapwing, they are gregarious birds and can form huge flocks, although we have only seen a few of them on site so far this winter.

Written by Marianne Nicholson

22^nd December

Merse

• Great white egret

PSO

• Stoat

23^rd December

Merse

• 80 golden plover

Saltcot Loaning

• Sparrowhawk

Folly Pond

• 2 pintail (male and female)

27^th December

Newfield Hide

• Lots of barnacle geese

Sparrowhawk

Folly Pond

• 15 redshank
• 3 black tailed godwits
• 30 dunlin

Paddock

• Female reed bunting
• Fieldfare

Avenue

• Goldcrest
• Treecreeper

Teal Pond

• Heron
• Little egret

Corner field

• 88 lapwing
• 21 golden plover
• 5 redwing

Avenue Tower

• Lots of barnacle geese

Saltcot

Peregrine falcon

• Male hen harrier
• 2 little egrets
• Thousands of dunlins
• Lots of pintail

29^th December

Back Pond

• 3 goosander (2 males and 1 female)

Saltcot

• 2 merlin

1^st January

Newfield hide

• 60+ redshank
• 21 lapwing
• 3 oystercatchers
• 10 curlew
• 2 blacktailed godwits

Feeding station on PST

• 1 siskin

Corner by PSO

• 6 yellowhammer

Paddock

• 11 fieldfare

Flying overhead

• 200+ lapwing

Teal pond

• 1 little grebe

Avenue Tower

• 2 peregrine falcons
• 1 buzzard
• 1 song thrush
• 100+ golden plover
• 1 little egret
• 3 shelduck

Folly Pond

• 10 snipe
• 5 redshank

Saltcot

• 2 buzzard
• 1 ring tail hen harrier
• 1 goosander
• 28 shelduck
• 3 little grebe

2^nd January

Newfield Hide

• Pied wagtail
• Grey wagtail
• Rook
• Jackdaw
• Curlew

PST

• Blue tit
• Great tit
• Chaffinch
• Green finch
• Dunnock
• Blackbird
• Wren

PSO

• Mute swan
• Whooper swan
• Mallard
• Teal
• Wigeon
• Moorhen
• Canada goose
• Tufted duck

Saltcot

• Wren
• Barnacle geese

3^rd January

PST

• Red poll

01/01/23 Inland Bird Count

Whooper swan – 115

Teal – 366

Wigeon – 153

Redshank – 5

Common snipe – 1

Moorhen – 17

Mallard – 153

Shoveler – 27

Mute swan – 41

Greylag goose – 1

Canada goose – 134

Tufted duck – 7

Barnacle geese – 866

Shelduck – 3

Peregrine falcon – 2

Buzzard – 1

Golden plover – 109

Photo credit Alex Hillier

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