I'm just back from a fantastic three night stay at WWT Caerlaverock. This was my second visit, my first being a couple of years ago during the colder months when it was all about the wintering Whooper Swans and Barnacle Geese. I always wanted to visit again at another time of year, and this was my chance.
Everyone knows I'm a regular visitor to WWT London (or Barnes as I call it) but at Caerlaverock you can actually stay on site in their well equipped and very clean farmhouse. This means that for a few hours each day you have the reserve all to your self, and that really is a magical feeling.
This is the link to the WWT Caerlaverock website
Even though I travelled up from London Euston it really wasn't a bad journey, and I was at the site just after 4pm on the Monday. Not bad considering I left Euston at 11.30am. With a very warm welcome from the staff and being told I had the farmhouse all to myself for the next three nights (there were no other visitors staying) I was left to my own devices.
There is a diary in the conservatory that documents what time the badgers are seen. The latest entry stated they were seen about 9.30pm a few days previously so I had plenty of time for a wander.
From the Folly Pond Hide I had a distant glimpse of a Sandpiper......very poor record shot below....
The Folly Pond is a very good size and I had this wonderful view from my bedroom window.....
From the Peter Scott Observatory this Mute Swan was taking a slow wander back towards the Farmhouse....
The courtyard was alive with the sounds of House Martins and Swallows, with several stopping for an obliging photo call.......
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| House Martin nests on the underside of the Farmhouse Tower roof |
The most prolific bird around the Peter Scott Trail was the Chaffinch. Very common I know, but still a very attractive bird....
Lapwings kept being flushed up from the Corner Field......
And these two 'friends' below are resident on the Whooper Pond at the moment. Yes, that is a Whooper Swan, you're not imagining it. When the other Whoopers all left in March to go back to their breeding grounds in the arctic, this one couldn't fly. The staff think it had a damaged wing, so it has stayed on site, is fed daily and has become unlikely friends with this Canada Goose.....
Hopefully next winter when the Whooper Swans return to stay for a few months, this individual will be accepted and fly off with the others at the end of the season.
There were plenty of insects to keep me occupied.....
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| one of the Mirid bugs |
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| Episyrphus balteatus aka the Marmalade fly |
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| Helophilus pendulas - female |
My first evening was completed with the arrival of the badgers. Three in total seen from the comfort of the conservatory between 9.30-10.30pm, along with a delightful show from the bats skimming across the water of Folly Pond....
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| iPhone photo through glass |
A very very pleasant first few hours at WWT Caerlaverock
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