Monday update, June 12th
Calmer this morning after quite severe winds all of yesterday which made for difficult birding, though around the high tide there were several Fulmars and Gannets battling their way back out to sea from the Inner Solway where the inclement conditions had presumably blown them. A late flock of around 200 Ringed Plovers settled on the merse at the same time.
Quite a lot of late birdsong in the avenues this morning, with Song Thrush, Willow Warbler, Blackcap and Sedge Warbler all giving of their best, dspite signs that the breeding season is nearly over for others - a flock of over 100 Lapwing yesterday. The Teal Pond Oystercatchers hatched 3 chicks; alas only one apparent this morning
Todays high tide is at 14:54, 8.6m
Around the reserve today:
Wildflowers
Hawthorn
Elder flower
Guelder Rose
Dog Rose
Red Campion
Cuckoo Flower
Herb Robert
Northern March Orchids
Common Spotted Orchid
Lesser Trefoil
Common Vetch
Tufted Vetch
Forget-me-not
Mousear
Red Clover
White Clover
Insects
Peacock Butterfly
Large White Butterfly
Green-veined White Butterfly
Small Tortoiseshell
Large Red Damselfly
Common Blue Damselfly
Four Spotted Chaser Dragonfly
Common Darter Dragonfly
Early Bumblebee
Tree Bumblebee
Common Carder Bumblebee
Red-tailed Bumblebee
Beefly
Drinker Moth caterpillar
Mammals
Brown Hare
Weasel
Roe Deer
Fox
Badger
Otter
Soprano Pipistrelle Bat - evening
Wood Mouse
Whooper Pond
Whooper Swan 2
Mute Swan 1
Mallard 27
Moorhen 2
Canada Goose 1
Folly Pond
Mallard 10
Moorhen 2 + 2 chicks
Shelduck 6
Black-tailed Godwit 3
Common Sandpiper 1
Mute Swan 2
Oystercatcher 2
Black-headed Gull 2
House Martins collecting mud and nest building on Farmhouse Tower
Teal Pond
Mute Swan 1 - nesting
Swallows - with chicks on the left hand side and above entrance - enter slowly and quietly
Oystercatcher 2 - nesting on raft - 3 chicks so far
Avenue Tower
Lapwing 8 - nesting
Black-headed Gull 10 - nesting
Shelduck 6
Barnacle Goose 1
Greylag Goose 1
Moorhen 2
Longhorn Cattle 3
Saltcot Merse Observatory
Peregrine
Kestrel
Osprey
Buzzard
Skylarks singing
Hebridean Sheep 10
Avenues & Feeders
(notable species)
Reed Bunting
Sparrowhawk
Coal Tit
Long-tailed Tit
Goldfinch
Greenfinch
Linnet
House Sparrow
Tree Sparrow
Treecreeper
Great-spotted Woodpecker
Chiffchaff
Willow Warbler
Sedge Warbler
Blackcap
Garden Warbler
Twitter & Facebook
Follow us on Twitter @WWTCaerlaverock for instant WWT Caerlaverock bird news, wildlife news and upcoming events to your mobile phone or computer. This is a great way to get instant news as we update from our mobile phones as we are finding the birds.
You can also ‘Like’ us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/wwtcaerlaverock.
Osprey Webcam
See live footage of our local Osprey nest here: http://www.wwt.org.uk/wetland-centres/caerlaverock/experience/ospreys/
The camera is online between 10am and 5pm daily.
steven.cooper@wwt.org.uk
