Latest sightings
Latest Sightings - 30th July - Marsh Harrier yesterday
Yesterday, a juvenile Marsh Harrier was hunting over the reserve all afternoon. First seen from the Avenue Tower, it then moved up towards the Visitor Centre before tracking out onto the Merse. Last seen at 5pm yesterday near the Avenue Tower, no sign
30 July 2016
Latest Sightings - 29th July - Young birds a plenty
Plenty of young birds out in the sunshine this morning. Highlights so far have been 2 young Sedge Warblers in the Peter Scott Trail and a young Song Thrush in the Avenue. A Peregrine Falcon was spotted recently perched in one of our fields. A common sight
29 July 2016
Reserve Update Thursday 28th July
The mute swan family with seven cygnets is now all back together again on Whooper Pond this morning. The female sparrow hawk has once again been sighted hunting down the Avenue Today's high tide 20:01, 8.0m Around the reserve today: Wildflowers Red Clo
28 July 2016
Latest Sightings 27th July
Our Mute Swan family seem to have split up briefly, with the parents and 6 cygnets on the Whooper Pond and a lone cygnet on the Teal Pond this morning. There is also a single cygnet on the Flood Ground, which is now back with it's parents. All cygnets are
27 July 2016
Latest Sightings 26th July
A Common Sandpiper on the Folly Pond this morning, likely on passage through the reserve heading south. Roe Deer in the Meadow and Flood Ground today, with Sand Martins also beginning to pass through. Today's high tide 17:48 8.5m Around the
26 July 2016
Reserve Update Monday 25th July
The osprey chicks are proving to be a very entertaining spectacle on the big screen for visitors to the coffee shop on the reserve. They are getting more experienced with their flying and have started to feed themselves on the plentiful fish stocks tha
25 July 2016
Reserve Update Saturday 23rd July
Both osprey chicks have now taken their maiden flights, they will need a bit more practice before they attempt their long journey south! It will be interesting to see where they end up this winter. A little egret was spotted back at Folly Pond first thi
23 July 2016
Reserve Update 22nd July - Ospreys fly
The first osprey chick made its maiden flight yesterday and has been away from the nest this morning. The second chick is making tentative hops and flutters towards joining its sibling today but is yet to take off. It has chosen to pick one of the mos
22 July 2016
Reserve Update Thursday 21st July
Natterjack Toad success at last!!! Staff have discovered tadpoles present in one of the pools on the wider reserve which is great news considering this year was looking like a washout for the species (or should that be a "dry out" considering the heatwa
21 July 2016
Caerlaverock reserve update Tues 19th July
Plenty of damsel and dragonfly action around the meadow pools in the (very) warm sunshine today, just watch out for those clegs!! Still birdsong going on as yesterday, with Whitethroat, Blackcap and Sedge Warbler particularly. Little Grebes currently invi
19 July 2016
Reserve update Monday July 18th
Little Grebe chicks from The Teal Pond have relocated to The Flood Ground, with a single older chick now established on The Back Pond. A few passerines still in song periodically, notably Blackcap, Sedge Warbler and Whitethroat Today's high tide is at 12
18 July 2016
Reserve Update Saturday 16th July
The Tawny Owl is back on its perch down towards Folly Pond Hide this morning. There are still two Brown Hares out on the re-seeded field alongside Avenue Tower, Swift overhead along the Lochar on the summer walk and masses of Meadow Brown butterflies in
16 July 2016
Latest Sightings - 14th July - Osprey chicks ringed and live online!
The two Osprey chicks have now been ringed by our colleagues at the Forestry Commission for Scotland. We have a male blue PW9 and female blue PW0 in the nest. They have also been fitted with satellite trackers, so we will be able to follow them throug
14 July 2016
Latest Sightings - 12th July - Dragonflies emerging
Common Darter Dragonflies are just starting to emerge from the ponds. This photo shows the newly emerged adult next to the larval exoskeleton from which it has broken out of! At this stage, dragonflies are very vulnerable as their bodies have not hardene
12 July 2016
Monday July 11th update
Little change from yesterday, with the addition of five returning Black-tailed Godwits, resplendent in breeding plumage still, on The Folly Pond Today's high tide is at 18:01, 7.8m Around the reserve today: Wildflowers Red Clover White Clover Red Campio
11 July 2016