The Wild Goose Festival will be back in 2024!

The 2023 Wild Goose Festival concluded on the 29th of October, but don’t worry! Events celebrating the migration of our feathery friends will return in Autumn 2024. For updates on all things Wild Goose, make sure you are following our social media channels.

Fairground Walkabout: Showpeople and the Dumfries Rood Fair 

Suspension Bridge (Dockhead / A781)

URGENT UPDATE:  Fairground Walkabout POSTPONED until Friday 29th 5:15pm  The Fairground Walkabout has been postponed from Thursday (28th) but WILL GO AHEAD Friday 29th same time, 5:15-6:30pm. The walk will start as advertised […]

Artful Migration Exhibition

Gracefield Arts Centre 28 Edinburgh Road,, Dumfries

Closed (Sundays & Mondays) An exhibition by Artful Migration artists-in-residence, Leeming & Paterson. Over the past 8 months Ted Leeming & Morag Paterson have spent time at Lochar Mosses exploring […]

Svalbard to the Solway Story Trail at Mersehead

RSPB Mersehead RSPB Mersehead Nature Reserve, Southwick, Dumfries, United Kingdom

Part of the #WildGooseFestival2023. Meet Bart (the Barnacle Goose) and read his story along this self-led, short activity trail about how his family try to survive life as wild geese. […]

£3.00

Badger Banquet at Mersehead

RSPB Mersehead RSPB Mersehead Nature Reserve, Southwick, Dumfries, United Kingdom

Feast your eyes on badgers, as they snuffle around for a snack in our garden. So, they’re not goosey but are just as black, white and grey as our barnacle […]

£10

Artful Migration Conference

Easterbrook Hall (Duncan Hall),The Crichton, Bankend Road, Dumfries

The Artful Migration conference will share learning from three artist residencies located in Dumfries & Galloway, developed by Upland and Moving Souls Dance. Bringing artists and conservationists together, keynote speakers […]

£15

Dusk Flight: Walk up Wardlaw

Caerlaverock Castle Castle Road End, Dumfries

Take a gander with a wander up Wardlaw to celebrate the return of the geese for Wild Goose Festival, WWT Caerlaverock wardens are joining NatureScot reserve staff to lead a […]

Paddington Party

Moat Brae 101 George Street, Dumfries

All day we are running activities inspired by the most famous migrant in children’s literature – Paddington Bear. All activities are drop-in and included with a house ticket to Moat […]

Optics Demonstration

WWT Caerlaverock WWT Caerlaverock, Eastpark Farm, Dumfriesshire, Scotland, United Kingdom

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 […]

Peter Scott and the Birth of Modern Conservation– Book Signing

WWT Caerlaverock WWT Caerlaverock, Eastpark Farm, Dumfriesshire, Scotland, United Kingdom

Peter Scott was a remarkable man who led an extraordinary life. Writer, artist, broadcaster, conservationist, sportsman; in any one of his chosen fields he would have been remembered as someone […]

Birding for Brents

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

In Dumfries and Galloway we have a small wintering population of light bellied brent geese. These fascinating birds migrate 5,000km from Canada each year to spend the winter on our […]

Beginner Wetland Birding

WWT Caerlaverock WWT Caerlaverock, Eastpark Farm, Dumfriesshire, Scotland, United Kingdom

Build your confidence in wetland bird identification at our reserve and learn how to get involved in recording the birds you see. Join a friendly warden who will help show […]

Goose Roost on Sandflats Walk at Mersehead

RSPB Mersehead RSPB Mersehead Nature Reserve, Southwick, Dumfries, United Kingdom

Some of the greatest spectacles of nature take place at dusk. Join our guide to enjoy Svalbard barnacle geese descending on the sandflat and reserve to roost. This will involve […]

£5

Dawn Flight

WWT Caerlaverock WWT Caerlaverock, Eastpark Farm, Dumfriesshire, Scotland, United Kingdom

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 […]

Optics Demonstration

WWT Caerlaverock WWT Caerlaverock, Eastpark Farm, Dumfriesshire, Scotland, United Kingdom

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 […]

Conversing Building in partnership with Fife College & HMP Dumfries

The Stove Cafe 100 High Street, Dumfries, Scotland, United Kingdom

Postponed from October 16th | Closed Sunday’s As part of this year’s Wild Goose Festival, the Stove’s Conversing Building project has been engaging with Fife College learners based at HMP […]

Make a Willow Bird Feeder

WWT Caerlaverock WWT Caerlaverock, Eastpark Farm, Dumfriesshire, Scotland, United Kingdom

Come and make a willow bird feeder with experienced weaver Fiona Moir. You will learn how to work with willow to make a feeder that takes fat balls. Hang it […]

£30

Women, Witchcraft and Birds

Dumfries and Galloway Council Museums Service Dumfries Museum, Rotchell Road, Dumfries

Judith Hewitt managed the Museum of Witchcraft and Magic in Cornwall for five years and she will draw on her work at this museum for this talk.  This included a […]

Goose Gander

WWT Caerlaverock WWT Caerlaverock, Eastpark Farm, Dumfriesshire, Scotland, United Kingdom

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 […]

Badger Banquet at Mersehead

RSPB Mersehead RSPB Mersehead Nature Reserve, Southwick, Dumfries, United Kingdom

Feast your eyes on badgers, as they snuffle around for a snack in our garden. So, they’re not goosey but are just as black, white and grey as our barnacle […]

RSPB Guide in the Car Park

RSPB Ken Dee Ken-Dee Marshes Reserve, Castle Douglas

Join our RSPB Warden at Ken Dee Marshes by the car park to look for and hear about the geese and other wildlife that winter around Loch Ken and surrounding […]

Wild Goose Festival 2023 Caerlaverock Cycle Ride

Dock Park Dockhead, Dumfries, Scotland, United Kingdom

Cycling Dumfries are delighted to join WWT, Nith Life and NatureScot, to host this guided wildlife ride to WWT Caerlaverock, taking in Caerlaverock National Nature Reserve and the river Nith […]

Keep Looking Up: Stargazing

Caerlaverock Castle Castle Road End, Dumfries

Geese like stars, they help them to migrate. Nigh-ttime is a great time for stories, star stories in particular. Elizabeth Tindal, Biosphere Dark Sky Ranger, will be there to tell […]

Natural Crafts

WWT Caerlaverock WWT Caerlaverock, Eastpark Farm, Dumfriesshire, Scotland, United Kingdom

We’ll be hosting 2 sessions throughout the day: 10am-12noon & 2pm-4pm. Taking inspiration from nature, these drop in sessions are for all ages and abilities. We will select some natural […]

Autumn Discovery Walk at Mersehead

RSPB Mersehead RSPB Mersehead Nature Reserve, Southwick, Dumfries, United Kingdom

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 […]

Riverside Walk with Stephen Rutt

Devorgilla Bridge Dumfries

Join Adam Murphy of Nith Life and award-winning nature writer Stephen Rutt for a guided sunset walk, looking with readings along the River Nith. Discover Dumfries’s urban wildlife, learn more […]

Birds of The Nith with Stephen Rutt

Dumfries and Galloway Council Museums Service Dumfries Museum, Rotchell Road, Dumfries

In the main hall of Dumfries Museum, the award-winning nature writer Stephen Rutt will deliver a talk about the birds of the River Nith. Using the museum’s recently refreshed taxidermy […]

Northern Tales & Tunes 

The Stove Cafe 100 High Street, Dumfries, Scotland, United Kingdom

Sami storyteller Stina Fagertun and Sami musician Øistein Hanssen travel to Dumfries for a cosy and unique evening of stories, music and songs from the far north. About Øistein Hanssen  Øistein Hanssen has roots from […]

£5.00

Waking The Witch – Walking Tour

Dumfries and Galloway Council Museums Service Dumfries Museum, Rotchell Road, Dumfries

The dark days of the witch trials left a powerful mark on the town of Dumfries… At the height of the persecutions, at least 78 people were accused of witchcraft, […]

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