1:00 - 3:30 pm today. Started out in sunshine and a light breeze and ended with a stiff freezing wind that was rattling the hides.
Highlights;
American Wigeon (m) - Looking north from the Avenue Tower. Took a lot of work to find it amongst the distant fluid flock of Wigeon. You need a scope !
Green-winged Teal (m) - unlike the American Wigeon this was very accommodating in front of the Folly pond hide
Thousands of Barnacle Geese - lower numbers of pink-footed geese outside the reserve
Tree Sparrow and Yellowhammer around the visitors centre
Good numbers of Golden Plover, Curlew and Lapwing
Little Egret (2)
Sparse on the raptor front
Usual array of ducks

Chris

Visit to Caerlaverock National Nature Reserve( run by Scottish Natural Heritage) on Saturday Afternoon(08/12/12)
The weather was fine and dry here, for this visit, by 14 members of Wigan RSPB Group.
House Sparrows ...c40
Buzzard...1
Carrion Crow...5
Lapwing...3
Skylark...8
Wren...2
Goldcrest...1
Reed Bunting.,..2
Starlings...150
Blue Tits..flock of 15 on the merse
Stonechat ...a pair
Curlew 4, and,
Oystercatcher...80 on the shore.
Blackbirds.
Barnacle Geese were in abundance here,particularly on the western side of the reserve. Numerous skeins of 2-300 were seen totalling c2500.
As dusk approached we went the short distance up to the quayside, by the Nith Hotel, on the bank of the River Nith.
The tide was on the turn, and the last of the afternoon's sunlight reflected off the still surface water of the River.
The River Nith appeared as still as a mill pond.
Regular flights of Herring and Lesser Black-Backed Gulls came low down the River, usually reflecting in the water.
Then the Barnacle Geese came down to complete this magical scene!
After a few small skeins,a very large skein of a 1000 plus went by. All going down river to roost on the merse.
Then a couple of hundred Greylag Geese came followed by another 1000 plus Barnacle Goose skein.
Just after dusk, when most of our Group had gone their ways, a distant noise, sounding a little like a jet engine,
steadily grew in volume as a huge c3000 skein of Barnacle Geese approached and came past.
The skein was very broad and just went on and on and on!
My estimate is, that this afternoon,we had seen approaching 8000 Barnacle Geese!









-- Edited by keith mills on Tuesday 11th of December 2012 12:28:17 PM

Visited the reserve at the weekend in showery conditions. Poor showing really though this is not the best time to visit even so, over 40 species noted. Plenty of usual garden birds on feeders, down the avenue were Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Willow Warbs and Whitethroat. Loads of Linnet and Lapwing and a few Redpoll.
Highlight for me was watching a badger cub feed behind the new field hide in the middle of the day. Also loads of hares on the reserve.

Late report from last Thursday (5th April) on the way up to Aviemore.
2 - 4pm

1 Green-Winged Teal (m) painstakingly picked out from the dozens of normal Teal on show.
Huge numbers of Barnacle Geese in the fields surrounding the reserve - it really was spectacular watching thousands of them suddenly take flight.
Several Whooper Swans still at the feeding pool
Also:
Widgeon
Pintail
Black-Tailed Godwit
Golden Plover
Grey Plover
Yellowhammer
Several singing Skylark out on the marshes, which is apparently where the reserve gets its name.

Took my daughter to Caerlaverock today and the Solway in general on a wild goose chase [] no luck with the Red Breasted Goose but spectacular numbers of Barnacle Geese plus Pink Feet and the Whoopers on the reserve proper.

Highlights included the Ross's Goose mid afternoon and the number of Yellow Hammers which were feeding down the edge of all the paths. [also Hawfinch on the way up and Little and Barn Owls on the way back - posted in the respective county sections]

Sunshine and blue skies at the WWT Caerlaverock site today, for the occasion of the Bolton RSPB visit by coach.
In the Hedges along the ''Avenue'' sitings of many House Sparrows,
Yellowhammers, Chaffinches and a few Tree Sparrows, Reed Buntings and a Treecreeper.

From Saltcot Hide : about a thousand Knot and 1500 Dunlin
With c 100 Shell Duck and a few Curlew.

There are around 8000 Barnacle Geese on the reserve and adjacent fields.
We saw many large flocks moving around and feeding.
The only other geese seen, were Canada ,Greylag and Pink- footed in small numbers.

There were more Whooper Swans than in December. Probably c100.
Teal and Wigeon could be seen in numbers from most hides.

Around Folly Pond were also 12 Black-tail Godwits, 14 Redshank, 10 Shovelers, 2 Snipe and a single Oystercatcher

From the Avenue Tower hide we got good views of a Hen Harrier (Ringtail)
Hunting.
A Peregrine and a Sparrowhawk were seen, as was a Song Thrush and a Pheasant, and several Grey Heron.
Other wildlife were at least 12 Roe DEER , spread around the Reserve, A PAIR of Foxes, surprisingly trotting past Barnacle flocks without causing any disturbance, and 2 Hares

Leaving on the coach,while in Scotland, we observed a huge Starling display.





-- Edited by keith mills on Sunday 22nd of January 2012 07:53:40 PM

Today.
Conditions overcast and windy with frequent rain.

Green-winged Teal...1. Lifer for me
We made several attempts to sort this little beauty out from the multitude of Teal and Wigeon, as well as Pintail Duck, Black-tail Godwits,Redshank, and Curlew, that were in, and around, Folly Pond.
As numerous Teal were 'hunkered down' behind islands,these attempts were not successful.
However at around 2pm: The special one came out onto Folly Field, to feed, for a least an hour.
Giving excellent views.
Also on Folly Field were the 'real' Barnacle Geese. In pristine plumage.
Cream Faces were noted.
There are 6000 on the reserve at present.
Only 8 Whooper Swans at Whooper Pond.
Nice to meet Rob Smallwood and Ann Ribbands.
Please note that the header for this thread is(was) incorrectly spelt




-- Edited by keith mills on Sunday 27th of November 2011 05:17:37 PM

Had a great day at Caelaverock WWT today. Thousands of Barnacle Geese, stunning geese, especially in such large numbers and no doubt about their origin

other birds...

Whooper Swans
Pink footed Geese
Teal
Wigeon
Shoveler
Stock dove
Golden Plover
Hen Harrier
Buzzards
Tree sparrow
Yellowhammers, large flocks all over the resereve
plus the usual stuff.

Saw a total of 19 Buzzards today, most by the roads on the journey up. Admittedly, we prob counted the same one's on the way back but it was dark most of the way

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Saturday 26th of November 2011 08:24:11 PM