Wildlife

Each season brings its star species and spectacles to Caerlaverock Wetland Centre

For the most up-to-date reserve news, view our blog.

Osprey and warblers arrive from the south, hedgerows are busy as nest-building begins, the first wildflowers come into bloom and natterjack toads reveal the origins of their name as they begin making noisy calls to attract mates.

Star species: osprey, sedge warbler, swallow, brown hare, natterjack toad

Discover the importance of Lady's Smock (or Cuckoo flower), to the orange tipped butterfly; a stunning insect abundant across the reserve in April and May - the first butterfly of spring!

Caerlaverock has a good population of brown hares, with regular sightings of them lolloping around the centre, running across fields or taking a nap in the middle of a path!

Warblers from Sub-Saharan Africa begin to return in April, completing their 3-4,000 mile trip at Caerlaverock. They are rewarded with our insect-rich meadows and ponds.

Butterflies and dragonflies dance next to trails through wildflower-rich meadows, skylarks sing overhead; as dusk falls, badgers and bats emerge to forage.

Star species: house martin, barn owl, tadpole shrimp, emperor dragonfly, Northern marsh orchid

Ospreys use the reserve to fish and fly over on a daily basis from June to early August.

We are lucky to have a colony of Soprano pipistrelle bats roosting in the visitor centre. We monitor and count them during the summer and there are usually up to 200 in the roof space!

Waders are declining due to intensive farming practices and climate change. We are trying to encourage birds such as lapwings and oystercatchers to breed on the reserve in summer.

All eyes are on the skies as many thousands of barnacle geese, whooper swans and other birds arrive back at Caerlaverock to shelter in the Solway Firth and take advantage of its expansive salt marshes, tidal pools and grazing land.

Star species: barnacle goose, pink footed goose, whooper swan, mute swan, teal, wigeon, peregrine falcon

Join us as we celebrate the noisy arrival of thousands of wild Svalbard barnacle geese in October - the sky goes dark, and a rumble of sound increases in volume as the birds call to each as they fly over.

The most exciting time of the year at Caerlaverock is October, when the whooper swans return. We wait with excitement to see if they have brought a family of cygnets!

The influx of waterbirds in autumn attracts birds of prey and one of the most iconic of these is the Peregrine Falcon. Climbing high into the sky, this falcon puts its wings back and drops onto unsuspecting birds below.

Caerlaverock becomes a wildfowl wonderland as huge flocks of waders and ducks create intricate patterns as they feed on the high tide and come into the Solway mudflats to roost.

Star species: curlew, lapwing, barnacle goose, whooper swan, hen harrier, knot, golden plover, dunlin

Watch the stunning winter Solway light over Criffel and see the wild birds adapt as ice forms on the ponds and snow envelops the reserve.

The Solway Firth is tidal and in winter, spring tides and strong winds bring the water close to the hides. This brings in flocks of knot, dunlin and golden plover and provides the most spectacular sight as they swirl over the tide.

Winter is the best time to see hen harriers as they quarter the merse, hoping to put up the waders. The males are grey with black wing tips. The females and juveniles are brown and named 'ringtails' due to the distinctive white ring at the base of the tail.