Reserve update
It looks like the barnacle geese have finally left us at Caerlaverock with none seen from the tower since the 7th of May. There were 800 around on Sunday the 5th and 40 on Monday the 6th.
However most of the population is still on the Solway, mainly at their traditional departure areas on Rockcliffe Marsh.
The late spring meant a lack of new grass at a crucial time for the birds, hopefully they can catch up on body condition before heading for their staging areas in Arctic Norway and then on to Svalbard at the end of this month.
Golden plovers are still coming through, resplendent in summer plumage, similarly variable numbers of black-tailed godwits.
White wagtails are still to be found on occasion too. The little grebe pair are busy nest-building in front of the Teal Pond Hide, where yesterday a grey heron caught, killed and ate a huge eel! Two little egrets are still around hunting in creeks on the merse.
A few male natterjack toads were calling on the 7th of May on our only warm day so far. We have also found tadpoles in pools near the merse. Fingers crossed for some warmer weather and a a better breeding season for our rarest amphibian.
Good numbers of hares around, with five “boxers” together in the Corner Field. Roe deer too are pretty easy to find.
On CCTV the ospreys are incubating three eggs, though sadly not usually fishing off our frontage so actual sighting remain scarce.
The new HD camera is giving excellent images and can be watched on the WWT website from 10am to 5pm daily.
The barn owl cam is also working well and five eggs are in the usual nest lofty in the visitor centre. Images are shown with the live osprey cam on big screens in the coffee shop every day. A great place for a cuppa and some ‘Springwatching!’
