Latest sightings
From the Peak District to the Solway Coast
Welcome one of our new reserve placements, Madisyn
11 September 2024
Wetland Word of the Week 28
Our wetland word today is... ... heather bleater which is the Scots for snipe, a regular visitor to Caerlaverock, known for the distinctive drumming sound the males make in flight. This sound isn't a call but come from their tail! This is where the Scots
9 September 2024
Summer seed collection
One thing that I have never had a chance to do before becoming a warden here at WWT Caerlaverock was collecting wildflower seeds for meadow creation. On a nice summer’s day (proven to be a rare sight here this year) I set off on my wander along the summ
7 September 2024
Who needs fences? Part 2: The Wilder, Wetter Caerlaverock Diaries no.5
It’s been 3 months since our last update on our Nofence collared cattle. At the time, we were at the stage of getting the cattle (and ourselves) used to the collars and how it all works. It’s been a summer of trial and error out but overall, the colla
4 September 2024
I can't believe it's over
Ed reminisces about her time at WWT Caerlaverock as a reserve placement.
29 August 2024
A successful year!
Ed discusses the results of the 2024 tree sparrow nestbox monitoring.
27 August 2024
Wetland Word of the Week 26
Our wetland word of the week today is 'wheatear', a small bird that spends its summers in the UK and its winter in central Africa. The name comes from Old English meaning white and arse - this of course refers to the pale rump!
26 August 2024
What a year to look back on
My placement year at Caerlaverock has sadly come to an end but what an incredible time to look back on. Living and working at Caerlaverock has been a privilege. I will miss able to step out into such a dynamic and varied environment every morning.
21 August 2024
Wetland Word of the Week 25
This week's word is... pasper means samphire in Scots and can be used as 'paspery' to mean an area abundant in samphire. It also makes a great snack when you're out doing a botany survey!
19 August 2024
Can birds tell us the future?
Can birds predict the future? The Ancient Romans certainly believed they could! The practice of ornithomancy (divination using the behaviour of birds) dates back to Ancient Greek and earlier cultures and was adopted by the Romans as an important part of t
13 August 2024
Wetland Word of the Week 24
The wetland word today is... ... Lochar (sometimes followed by Water). This is the river that runs through the middle of our reserve and out into the Solway Firth. We see dragonflies along its banks in the summer and waders in the mud in winter.
12 August 2024
Shearing of the sheep
It’s that time of year again: when the reserve team wrangles up our hard working Hebridean sheep flock to shear off their thick wool coats. It was an unusually hot and sunny day which has been quite a rare occurrence this summer. The sheep were relaxing
7 August 2024
Wetland Word of the Week 23
The wetland word of the week is... ... BOG. This is a peat-based acidic wetland which receives water from rainfall rather than groundwater typically. It comes from a Scottish Gaelic word for 'flabby and soft' that is also used to mean 'flat' in music.Bogs
5 August 2024
Caerlaverock saltmarsh as a carbon sink
Wetlands are hugely diverse habitats and, as a bonus, are major players in climate change mitigation. They help us to cope with the effects of global warming as well as limit it through carbon capture. This is the process of removing carbon dioxide from t
31 July 2024
Wetland Word of the Week 22
This week, our wetland word is... ... DREICH. Dreich is a Scottish word meaning dreary, gloomy and damp when used to discuss the weather. It comes from a Middle English word meaning long suffering and is still commonly used as an adjective meaning mise
29 July 2024