Spartina/Cord Grass Control

As far as work on the estate and wider properties we also run, myself and the team have been very very busy bees indeed; over at Rockcliffe a lot of our time has been dominated by Spartina! Spartina is a non native invasive cord grass which can rapidly take over mud flats, so we started an initiative to control this pest 3 years ago, by covering them in plastic, pegging it down and waiting for the plant to die.....

A action shot of Dave and Judy pulling up a plastic sheets with a tonne of mud on.

Yesterday, the Coastal Ranger Nick, from the Solway Firth Partnership came to help with a team of dedicated volunteers. Thanks for your help Nick!

At the mains, the winter tree work starts! I’ll keep you posted...



Filming at Night at the Reserve

Some guys were doing some filming at night on the reserve yesterday, with some pretty sophisticated bits of kit. Check out their website... http://www.thenightvisionshow.tv/

Super Cool Moth

Check out this super cool moth Judy found under an Oak tree we were cutting up;

The food plant for the caterpillar is Oak leaves and it is rare and only locally distributed in Scotland.

First Frost

First 'proper' frost 4th November

Autumn and Geese!

We are well and truly within the grips of Autumn, Red deer are rutting, the trees are heaving with berries and it hasn’t stopped raining for 2 weeks!

Most importantly the Autumn means the changing of the guard on the reserve, the summer migrants leave and the winter migrants arrive.  Bringing with them Geese, Swans and Wildfowl (Anatidae family). The gathering of these in such high densities is one the things that makes Threave NNR such a special place, giving it it’s RAMSAR designation – a wetland of International importance. 



12 Whoopers coming into the newly flooded marsh!



Currently on the wetland we have copious amounts of pink-footed and greylag geese, whooper swans in large family groups regularly visiting and probably most exiting of all Greenland White-Fronted geese, look out for these rare geese (sometimes mixed in with the pinks), 200 approx have been spotted on the reserve.



A photo, of a few thousand geese coming in to roost on the wetland at the reserve. What a sight and sound!

On the wider estate Thruses (Turdidae), Redwing and Field fare mainly, from Scandinavia, have been seen in their hundreds moving through, a good place to see them is along the railway line, picking off the berries.



Event: Autumn Art Attack & Autumn Creatures

Autumn Art Attack &

Autumn Creatures

Dates: 16^th and 23^rd October - 2pm to 3.30pm:

This is an event for kids. Make an autumn collage from different tree leaves. Create a creature from acorns, horse chestnuts and pine cones.

Location: Threave Nature Reserve, Kelton Mains Farm, Castle Douglas DG7 1TJ.

Price: Adults - £2, kids - £1. Booking Essential: Tel. 0844 4932245.

Explore Threave Nature Reserve

Explore Threave Nature Reserve

This Autumn and Winter!

* Come see the amazing spectacle of geese gathering on the wetlands at dusk. Greylag, pink-footed and Greenland white-fronted in good numbers.

* Large numbers of duck such as teal, pintail, wigeon and shoveller.

* Look out for otter, kingfisher and birds of prey.

A great day out for all the family and it’s free!

Location: Threave Nature Reserve, Kelton Mains Farm, Castle Douglas DG7 1TJ

For further information please call the ranger service on 01556 503702.



Pink-footed geese at dusk - Threave Nature Reserve:



Threave Castle Autumn Photos:

Ring the bell for a lift; Threave Castle

Threave Castle

Threave Osprey Update:

The Threave Ospreys have now all left for West Africa! The two juvenile left on the 12 and 13th of September. Let’s hope they have a safe journey south to either Senegal or Gambia, which is where most British Ospreys migrate to.

There is still lots to see at Threave Estate, the wintering wildfowl are starting to come in. Soon we will have the flocks of pink-footed, greylag and white-fronted geese.

We will also have more duck species such as pintail, teal, wigeon and gadwall. Waders will also increase such as snipe and lapwing. Soon the migration of fieldfare and redwing will be coming from Scandinavia. They will be feeding on all the hawthorn berries.

If you like your wild foods. There are plenty on the nature reserve. Fat, juicy blackberries, elderberries and a few sloe berry.

The naming of osprey juvenile - Gelston Primary School

The making of one juvenile osprey for naming game.



Winning osprey name - Dipper!



Winning osprey name - Sophie!

Pinning the fish (with osprey names) blindfolded on to target below osprey talons.

Osprey quiz for kids at Threave.



Osprey Nest for kids to get an idea of sheer size of nest.



The making of one of the juvenile for osprey naming game.

Threave Osprey Photos:

Juvenile Osprey seen flying at Ken Dee Marshes. Photo by Lynne Ainsworth.

Juvenile Osprey seen from Stepping Stones Hide, Threave Nature Reserve - Thanks Lynne Ainsworth for another great photo.

Threave Osprey Update:

Threave Estate. Plenty of enjoyable walks and come see the geese and duck over autumn and winter.

Threave Osprey News:

The male osprey (Black 80) has left the Threave nesting site over the weekend. I think the bad weather may have had something to do with it!

He has done his job, both juvenile are hunting fish and looking in good condition for migration. We didn't see them at all over the weekend (due to bad weather) and then had views of both juvenile on Monday and Tuesday. It won't be long before they also head south.

Yesterday a member of the public saw one of the juvenile osprey have a tussle in mid air with a red kite. That must have been an awesome sight! One I have been lucky enough to witness a few times at Threave. My money is on the osprey winning, it’s a more powerful bird of prey!

So once the ospreys migrate, we have lots more wildlife to look forward to viewing in October. The migration south of greylag, pink footed and Greenland white-fronted geese. Whooper swan, pintail, teal, wigeon and waders such as snipe and lapwing.

So get out your winter woollies, come see these interesting birds and flocks of geese and duck. It’s a spectacle to behold!

Osprey Ranger - soon to be Duck/Geese Ranger.

Threave Osprey Update:

The male and two juvenile are still here at Threave nature reserve. We are still getting good views of them bringing in fish and feeding on the two perch's to the left of the nest.

On Wednesday one juvenile brought in a flounder, so therefore it had been to the coast to catch it, as they are flat fish and only on the coast.

With the recent colder, wetter weather we may see the osprey go south soon and head towards West Africa. This will be the first long distance flight for the juvenile and a hazardous journey. Only 50% of juvenile osprey survive their first migration.

One of the osprey volunteers got a great view of a juvenile barn owl on Tuesday evening. She watched it for about 15 minutes from the pier in front of the castle. It was sitting on the boat just in front of her. Awesome!

Come and see the Threave osprey before they leave!!

Have a good weekend.

Osprey Ranger.

Autumn Wild Foods - 21st September:

Autumn Wild Foods
At Threave Nature Reserve

21st September, 2pm to 4pm.

Come along with the ranger and learn about wild foods and their folklore. Also learn some bush-craft skills. This is an event for all the family.

Price: Adults £2, Children £1.

Tel: 0844 4932245 Booking essential.

Threave Osprey Photos:

Photo by Graham Johnstone.

Osprey Wingspan: 5.5 feet long.

Sunset over the River Dee.