AUTUMNWATCH WALKS
Find rare birds, grey seals and ancient trees in breathtaking places
Wildlife lovers are blessed this month. As well as The Hunt on BBC One, BBC Two’s Autumnwatch sets up camp in the WWT Caerlaverock Wetland Centre in Dumfriesshire (see page 72). From 2-5 November, presenters Chris Packham, Michaela Strachan and Martin HughesGames will bring viewers live reports on the season’s best wildlife action from this stunning location. The series will not only focus on the West of Scotland, as naturalists Iolo Williams and Nick Baker will also look at autumn stories across the British Isles.
WHY DID WE CHOOSE CAERLAVEROCK?
Situated on the north Solway coastline, Caerlaverock comes alive every autumn with hundreds and thousands of migrating birds. Huge flocks of barnacle geese arrive from Svalbard, Norway to over winter, and these are closely followed by hundreds of whooper swans, which have made their way from Iceland.
The result is an incredible spectacle of wildfowl, feeding daily across the salt marshes and grazing lands of the reserve. For Autumnwatch, this provides a perfect setting for us to tell the story of migration – a stunning seasonal phenomenon.
Caerlaverock reserve is not the only enticement. We also hope to feature the wide range of wildlife living in the surrounding area. Gretna, for example, is one of the top places to see starling murmurations as half a million birds gather here to roost. Salmon spawning takes place on the tributaries of the River Nith, while The Caul (giant weir) in the centre of Dumfries is a meeting place for a range of wildlife, from goosanders to otters.