How to Begin Bird Watching

RSPB Mersehead RSPB Mersehead Nature Reserve, Southwick, Dumfries

Birds are everywhere, from remote places to our towns and cities. But can you recognise them? Join our walk to see what’s here at Mersehead and get familiar with some of the common and rarer ones. Bring binoculars and your favourite bird guides if you have some, a notebook and pen/pencil. Tips will be given […]

£2 – £5

Sea of Mercury: Exhibition Opening – POSTPONED, NEW DATE TBC

This event has been postponed and a new date will be communicated soon. Sea of Mercury is a photographic exhibition that explores notions of migration, nature and the relationship between the man-made and natural world within the Svalbard archipelago. Having joined several expeditions to Svalbard over the past decade, the artists have curated their work […]

Dusk Flight: Walk-up Wardlaw

Take a wander up Wardlaw to celebrate the return of the geese at Caerlaverock. WWT wardens are joining NatureScot reserve team to lead a walk up Wardlaw Hill to watch the dusk flight of pink footed geese and barnacle geese as they head out to roost on the Solway mudflats. The walk will start at […]

free

Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust: Dawn Flight

WWT Caerlaverock WWT Caerlaverock, Eastpark Farm, Dumfriesshire, Scotland

Take this unique opportunity to watch thousands of Barnacle geese flighting in to the reserve against the dawn sky. We will walk out to the merse at dawn to watch this spectacular wildlife event. Please bring weatherproof clothes, suitable footwear, binoculars, and a torch. Please bear in mind, this requires a walk of approximately half […]

WWT Caerlaverock: Optics Demonstration

WWT Caerlaverock WWT Caerlaverock, Eastpark Farm, Dumfriesshire, Scotland

Interested in a new pair of binoculars, or a telescope? Optics greatly enhance your experience of watching geese, helping you see the stunning plumage of these beautiful birds and watch their fascinating behaviour. Experts from Swarovski and Viking are visiting WWT Caerlaverock to demonstrate and sell a range of optics. Take this opportunity to try […]

Fairground Walkabout: It’s a Fair History

Back by popular demand! Learn about the long history of the Dumfries Fun Fairs and the Travelling Showpeople who make them happen. Many Show families have been operating on the banks of the Nith for generations – Hear their stories while walking the path of our local fairgrounds, past and present.  Hosted by Showman & […]

Beach Clean at Mersehead with Solway Firth Partnership

RSPB Mersehead RSPB Mersehead Nature Reserve, Southwick, Dumfries

Beach Clean at Mersehead with Solway Firth Partnership Help clean the beach at RSPB Mersehead Reserve to assist Solway Firth Partnership in its aim to make the Solway coast a better place for people and wildlife. While geese have migrated vast distances the plastic pollution on the Solway shore has originated from near and far. […]

Map of Stories Film Ceilidh: Galloway

Robert Burns Centre Mill Road, Dumfries, Scotland

Part of the 2022 Year of Scotland’s Stories, join us for a special event exploring the magical space between live oral storytelling and cinema. Part of the Scotland-wide Map of Stories project, this film ceilidh event will mix live tales and aspects of filmed footage from award-winning filmmakers Transgressive North to explore a local sense […]

WWT Caerlaverock: Optics Demonstration

WWT Caerlaverock WWT Caerlaverock, Eastpark Farm, Dumfriesshire, Scotland

Interested in a new pair of binoculars, or a telescope? Optics greatly enhance your experience of watching geese, helping you see the stunning plumage of these beautiful birds and watch their fascinating behaviour. Experts from Swarovski and Viking are visiting WWT Caerlaverock to demonstrate and sell a range of optics. Take this opportunity to try […]

Birding for Brents

Stranraer Harbour and Marina Sailwest Building, West Pier, Stranraer, Scotland

Dumfries and Galloway has a small wintering population of light bellied brent geese. These fascinating birds migrate 5,000km from Canada each year to spend the winter on this coastline. Most of the population winter in Ireland, but a small population return to the coasts of West Galloway where they feed on eel grass during the […]

Free

Goose Roost on Sandflats

RSPB Mersehead RSPB Mersehead Nature Reserve, Southwick, Dumfries

Some of the greatest spectacles of nature take place at dusk. As part of the Wild Goose Festival 2022, join our guide to enjoy Svalbard barnacle geese descending on the sandflat and reserve to roost. This will involve a 2.8km walk, slightly muddy in places to the viewing location. There may be some standing around […]

£2.50 – £6.00

The Brent Geese of Dublin & Galloway

Image Credit: Clive Timmons Light bellied brent geese migrate 5000km from their breeding grounds in Canada to winter in Ireland and West Galloway. Join us for an online session dedicated to this fantastic and beautiful bird. This is a joint online event from two UNESCO Biospheres: Dublin Bay Biosphere and Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere. […]

Free

Imaginative Goose Journeys & Climate Change

National Trust for Scotland’s Threave Nature Reserve Kelton Mains, Castle Douglas, Dumfries & Galloway

Are you interested in unleashing your imagination while learning about the flight routes of National Trust for Scotland Threave’s Geese? Then please join our rangers to learn about the flight route of our nature reserve’s Geese and how climate change is affecting their journeys. In this interdisciplinary workshop you will be inspired by cutting edge […]

Free

Goose Gander

WWT Caerlaverock WWT Caerlaverock, Eastpark Farm, Dumfriesshire, Scotland

Join us for a walk with a knowledgeable warden to learn how we manage the reserve for the thousands of barnacle geese and pink footed geese that migrate here in winter. Learn how to identify different species and experience the sights and sounds of these wonderful wildfowl. Walking boots or wellies may be needed in […]

Wild Goose Festival 2022 Caerlaverock Ride

Dock Park Dockhead, Dumfries, Scotland

Cycling Dumfries are delighted to join NatureScot and WWT to host this guided wildlife ride to WWT Caerlaverock, taking in Caerlaverock National Nature Reserve and the River Nith along the way. The ride is around 20 miles – but with plenty of stops on the way to look out for wildlife and take in the […]

Free

Natural Art workshop

WWT Caerlaverock WWT Caerlaverock, Eastpark Farm, Dumfriesshire, Scotland

Taking inspiration from nature, this workshop is for all ages and abilities. We will select some natural materials gathered from around our reserve. A variety of drawing and printing elements will be demonstrated by For Enjoyment CIC, where creativity is encouraged for the simple pleasure of it, in a fun, supportive and positive atmosphere coupled […]

Sensory Adventure at The Hide

PAMIS & NatureScot present this entertaining and informative multi-sensory adventure. You’ll be led by the Mother of Stories, Bertrada, through the woods at Caerlaverock Nature Reserve. You will journey together to a hide where stories of the geese await you. Interactive and person-centred storytelling with multi-sensory stimuli that bring the stories to life for all. […]

free

Autumn Discovery Walk

RSPB Mersehead RSPB Mersehead Nature Reserve, Southwick, Dumfries

Discover some of the amazing wildlife looked after on this farm. As the season changes, so too do the habitats and special creatures found here – with lush greens turning to golds, reds and browns and flocks of ducks, geese and wading birds arriving in massive numbers. These walks will give you a chance to […]

£2.00 – £5.00

Bird Ringing Demonstration

WWT Caerlaverock WWT Caerlaverock, Eastpark Farm, Dumfriesshire, Scotland

Join licensed bird ringer Gary Clewley and the North Solway Ringing Group & BTO as they ring a range of small birds, including; robins, blue tits, chiffchaffs, house sparrows, chaffinches and many more. See the birds up close and learn why bird ringing is important for research. Please note, this is an outdoor event and […]

Beginners Wetland Bird ID

WWT Caerlaverock WWT Caerlaverock, Eastpark Farm, Dumfriesshire, Scotland

Image Credit: Alex Hillier Build your confidence in bird identification at our reserve and learn how to get involved in recording the birds you see. Find out about the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) and the work they do so you can contribute to the important scientific work carried out by the BTO.This is a […]

A Traditional Halloween in Dumfries

People may think of Halloween as being a modern American import but it really isn’t! The Hallowed or Holy Evening was originally a church festival to commemorate the souls of those who had died. It has since developed into a weird and wonderful time of the year but many of its original elements remain and […]

Free

Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust: Dawn Flight

WWT Caerlaverock WWT Caerlaverock, Eastpark Farm, Dumfriesshire, Scotland

Take this unique opportunity to watch thousands of Barnacle geese flighting in to the reserve against the dawn sky. We will walk out to the merse at dawn to watch this spectacular wildlife event. Please bring weatherproof clothes, suitable footwear, binoculars, and a torch. Please bear in mind, this requires a walk of approximately half […]

Wings Over Water

Flourish

Goose-tastic Dumfries and Galloway is home to over 60,000 migratory geese, many travelling thousands of miles from the Arctic and North Atlantic to overwinter in this beautiful region of Scotland. Wings over Water is a fun afternoon of creativity and learning about one of the most well-known visitors, the Barnacle Goose. Participants will be set […]

£2

Sea of Mercury: Exhibition Talk – POSTPONED, NEW DATE TBC

The Press

This event has been postponed. A new date will be communicated soon. Sea of Mercury is a photographic exhibition that explores notions of migration, nature and the relationship between the man-made and natural world within the Svalbard archipelago. Having joined several expeditions to Svalbard over the past decade, the artists have curated their work to […]

Free

Solway to Svalbard – SOLD OUT

Loreburn Hall Newall Terrace, Dumfries, Scotland

Stuart Macpherson in partnership with the Stove Network, supported by DMC and Loreburn Hall, presents: Solway to Svalbard An immersive, multi-artform response to the spring migration of barnacle geese. Created by composer Stuart Macpherson, filmmaker Emma Dove and sound recordist Pete Smith, this unique piece of theatre brings together original music with cinematic visuals, evocative […]

£5.00

Witches, Warlocks, Spirits & Fire – A Scottish Halloween

Hallowe’en & Samhain Festival night at Robert Burns Ellisland Farm & Museum. Come along and enjoy celebrating Samhain, that was the origin of Halloween and was first observed by Celtic Pagans. This was the end of the summer and also the end of Harvest season. Home of Robert Burns sets the scene for a traditional […]

free

Goose Roost on Sandflats

RSPB Mersehead RSPB Mersehead Nature Reserve, Southwick, Dumfries

Some of the greatest spectacles of nature take place at dusk. As part of the Wild Goose Festival 2022, join our guide to enjoy Svalbard barnacle geese descending on the sandflat and reserve to roost. This will involve a 2.8km walk, slightly muddy in places to the viewing location. There may be some standing around […]

£2.50 – £6.00

Wild Goose Festival Activity Map

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