Summer migrants and other recent sightings
This week on the reserve, we have seen an influx of summer migrants that have made journeys from across the globe, with the majority returning from Africa.
Hirundines (a family of passerine songbirds), such as swallows and sand martins, have been spotted in the last week flying over the Peter Scott Observatory. These birds are renowned for their erratic movements through the air. Both predominately feed on insects, with sand martins swooping over ponds looking for invertebrate prey.
Swallows are easily distinguishable by their tail streamers. They have adapted their appearance like this as it enhances their flight manoeuvrability and aerodynamic efficiency. It has been recorded that males have longer tails streamers in comparison to females. This morphological adaptation has evolved due to sexual selection as it gives males with longer tail streamers a greater chance of attracting females as a potential mate.
Several warbler species have arrived here at Caerlaverock. We have heard the unmistakeable call of a chiffchaff and identified blackcaps - a bird that has a tendency to over winter in the UK now, rather than migrate. There have also been the willow warbler that makes its way from tropical Africa to spend summer in the UK.
Written by Jacob Campbell
Feature image swallow credit Alex Hillier
Recent Sightings
- Greylag geese
- Teal
- Mute swan
- Moorhen
- Mallard
- Mute swan pair (adding twigs to nest)
- Gadwall pair
- Moorhen pair (mating!)
- Black-headed gull
- Lapwing
- Teal
- Tree sparrow
- Blue tit
- Peacock butterfly
- Stonechat
- Little egret
- Lapwing
- Buzzard
- Whooper swans
- Reed bunting
- Water rail
- Water shrew
- Snipe
- Bank vole
- Meadow pipit
- Buzzard
- Redshank
- Black-tailed godwit
- Shelduck
- Gadwall
- Pintail
- Black-headed gull
- Blackcap
- Barnacle geese
- Pink-footed geese
- Buzzard
- Kestrel
- Willow warbler
- Chiffchaff
- Long-tailed tit
- Reed bunting
- Swallow
- Pied wagtail
- Meadow pipits
- Merlin
- Paddock
- Bullfinch
- Tree sparrows
- Swallows
- Song thrush
- Grey heron
- Swallow
- Sand martin
- Common sandpiper
- Peregrine falcon
- Pinkfooted geese
- Gadwall
- Sparrowhawk
- Blackcap
- Chiffchaff
- Willow warbler
