Reserve Update Saturday 23rd September

Our flock of 135 Barnacle Geese are once again in the Lochar Field, as seen from Avenue Tower.  There are over 600 Pink-footed Geese along the Merse edge which make regular fights over the reserve to their inland feeding areas.  Listen out for them flying overhead as you walk around.  The Avenue is absolutely full of the sound of the Long-tailed Tit flock, with the occasional Goldcrest mixed in for good measure.  They were even being so obliging as to stop and pose for photos yesterday afternoon which is a rarity for these two species.  With the increased small bird activity this also means that we are getting regular sightings of the female Sparrowhawk too.  Teal numbers have increased on the Folly Pond and if you enter the new Paddock hide quietly you can even here them feeding out in front!  They are still quite jumpy so quick movement or a lens appearing out the window will cause them to fly.  They have been joined on the pond this morning by a ruff, 4 Redshank, 14 Black-tailed Godwit and 43 Lapwing.

Today's high tide is at 14:00, 9.5m

Around the reserve:

Whooper Pond
Whooper Swan 1 (Back Pond)
Wigeon 49 (Corner Field)
Mute Swan 2+ 4 cygnets
Mallard 135
Gadwall 1♂
Tufted Duck 7
Pintail 1
Little Grebe 3
Cormorant 1
Canada Geese 3

Folly Pond

Teal 414
Shoveler 9
Gadwall 8
Lapwing 43
Redshank 4
Ruff 1
Black-tailed Godwit 14
Moorhen 1
Mute Swan 5
House Martins - 39 nests on Farmhouse Tower

Teal Pond

Moorhen 2
Gadwall 2
Mallard 2

Avenue Tower
Mute Swan 2 & 1 cygnet
Mallard 9
Grey Heron 1
Barnacle Geese 135
Curlew 49 (Seen yesterday)
Marsh Harrier 1 (Last seen Wednesday)
Peregrine 1 (last seen Tuesday)
Brown Hare 1
Roe Deer 4

Saltcot Merse Observatory
Kestrel
Buzzard

Swallows
Skylarks
Mute Swan 16
Linnets - flocks of up to 60
Pink-footed Geese 600+
Canada Geese 300+
Greylag Geese 100+
Roe Deer 5
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
Garden Warbler
Goldcrest

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.

rhiannon.hatfield@wwt.org.uk

  • Share this article