Sightings update - 27/07/2017
There have been a couple of noteworthy sightings over the last few of days.
Osprey sightings from Saltcot are becoming a much more regular occurrence, as adults are trying to find food for their ever growing chicks. One bird gave very good views as it fished along the tideline yesterday afternoon. All of the chicks on our nest have now made their first flight, however they're not venturing too far and still regularly return to the nest.
Also at high tide yesterday, 14 Sandwich Terns flew past, including 3 that stopped to roost on the edge of the merse. It's normally quite hard to get close views of Terns on the reserve so this was a nice surprise. The first returning Scaup were on the Solway, with a flock of 10 sat on the water.
In other raptor news, an adult male Goshawk has been causing havoc on the reserve. Seen on two occasions, both in the evening around the folly pond area. It's prescence often given away by House Martin and Swallow alarm calls!
Willow Warblers have been in abundance over the last few days as birds, the majority of which as juveniles (fresh looking and bright yellow in colour compared to the worn pale adults) start to move south. More signs of passerine movement, with a female Redstart feeding along the hedge line near the reserve entrance.
Todays high tide is at 16:00, 9.1m
Around the reserve today:
Wildflowers
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
Yellow Rattle
Insects
Peacock Butterfly
Large White Butterfly
Meadow Brown Butterfly
Ringlet Butterfly
Common Blue 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 - family with 4 young
Roe Deer - with fawns
Fox
Badger
Otter
Soprano Pipistrelle Bat - evening
Wood Mouse
Whooper Pond
Whooper Swan 1
Mute Swan 2 plus 4 cygnets
Mallard 29
Canada Goose 1
Folly Pond
Mallard 25 - with ducklings
Moorhen 4
Lapwing 200+
Black-tailed Godwit 1
Grey Heron 2
House Martins - 39 nests on Farmhouse Tower
Teal Pond
Swallows nesting in the hide
Gadwall 4
Moorhen 2
Mallard 8
Avenue Tower
Lapwing 5
Little Grebe 1
Mallard 6
Curlew 5
Greylag Goose 1
Brown Hare 5
Roe Deer 3 (including 2 fawns)
Saltcot Merse Observatory
Peregrine
Kestrel
Osprey
Buzzard
Skylarks singing
Hebridean Sheep 10
Longhorn Cattle 3
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.
Daniel.gornall@wwt.org.uk
