BOOKING ESSENTIAL Stephen Rutt’s book Wintering: A Journey with Geese was chosen as Times Nature Book of the Year 2019, and described as “a poignant testament to how we can find peace in the rhythms of the natural world”. Stephen is partnering with National Trust for Scotland to deliver a relaxed, creative evening workshop at […]
Join us at Ellisland for a ghostly day of Halloween fun for all the family. We are hosting a celebration in the spirit of the Bard himself wi’ merry sangs and unco tales! The history of Halloween is steeped in Scottish traditions, Burns himself had an affiliation with the supernatural and references to this can […]
From the renowned art and social justice group Platform, Three Sisters – A Story from the Climate Future, is a drama made specifically for Nithsdale and premiering at the Wild Goose Festival. Created in New Abbey, just to the south of Dumfries, this immersive audio drama uses the structure and sensibility of Anton Chekhov’s Three Sisters to explore a […]
WWT Caerlaverock wardens are joining NatureScot reserve staff to lead a walk up Wardlaw Hill to see the dusk flight of the pink-footed geese and barnacle geese as they head out to roost on the Solway mudflats. The walk will start at Caerlaverock Castle, it is a free ticketed event – please email: southern_scotland_admin@nature.scot if […]
This Easter weekend, join us at WWT Caerlaverock as we say farewell for now to our overwintering geese. Come and meet a warden to learn more about barnacle geese, their migration, this important wetland habitat and how we manage the reserve for geese and other species.
This Easter weekend, join us at WWT Caerlaverock as we say farewell for now to our overwintering geese. On our dusk flight walk, you can witness the stunning spectacle of barnacle geese gathering on the Solway mudflats in their thousands as they prepare to make their 2,000-mile migration to Spitsbergen in the Norwegian Arctic. Join […]
Connections between different sites celebrating the geese such as Lindisfarne and D&G are celebrated as both host our internationally important barnacle and pink-footed, and both sites cater for brent geese from different parts of the Arctic too through their provision of safe, high quality undisturbed foraging and roosting habitats. All three species have similar coastal habitat […]
Speaker Larry Griffin: Larry works on wildfowl in Scotland and, in particular, over the past 25 years on Barnacle Geese, Pink-footed Geese, and Whooper Swans in Dumfries and Galloway, and more recently on the resident Greylag Geese. In the recent past, the Greylag Goose was a rare protected species restricted to the north-western isles. It […]
Join LIFT D&G and local artists for engaging, nature-themed workshops for children at the Cabin on Dunlop Road. Let your imagination soar, get creative, and forge a deeper connection with the local environment. Artist to be announced.
Join LIFT D&G and local artists for engaging, nature-themed workshops for children at the Cabin on Dunlop Road. Let your imagination soar, get creative, and forge a deeper connection with the local environment. Artist to be announced.
Solway Firth Partnership This exhibition will be in place and open to view at The Stove Cafe daily, excluding Sunday’s. Routes taken by wildlife and plastic to and from the Solway shore often follow close parallels. This exhibition compares and contrasts the often remarkable journeys taken by the migrating wildlife and floating litter that rely […]
(Closed Sunday’s & Monday’s) Have a go at wildlife watching in Dumfries. One of the best places to watch wildlife in Dumfries is the Robert Burns Centre, situated on the River Nith. Visitors (and staff) regularly see otters, herons, kingfishers and more. During the Wild Goose Festival, there will be binoculars and wildlife identification guides […]
RSPB Scotland This activity is available every day from 12th October – 27th October, 10am. 4pm (excluding Tuesday 15th October and Tuesday 22nd October) Strange sounds and creepy features, explore the trail for spooky creatures! Follow our Halloween activity trail to create your own spell, discover some mystery and magic about nature and who knows […]
Join us at the Wild Goose Festival Hub this October for fun and creative events, science workshops, and activities. Learn all about our feathery friends, the Wild Geese, and discover why they visit us here in Dumfries & Galloway every year. Meet some of the people helping to protect our natural resources and get crafty […]
Dumfries and Galloway Council Environment Team & SCAMP Saltmarshes (or merse) is a very popular habitat for Geese as they return for the winter. This unique environment provides a home and a rich sources of food for many other breeds of birds, including lapwing, redshank and skylark. Meeting at the RSPB Reserve at Crook of […]
Dumfries and Galloway Council Environment Team & SCAMP Saltmarshes (or merse) is a very popular habitat for Geese as they return for the winter. This unique environment provides a home and a rich sources of food for many other breeds of birds, including lapwing, redshank and skylark. If you look a little closer the saltmarsh […]
The Stove & Fair Scotland Join us for the dynamic launch of Hear Here, a collaborative project by the Stove Network and Fair Scotland. Celebrate the heritage, culture, and contemporary lives of the Showpeople and their significant contributions to the town. The event features guest speakers, presentations, and a film.
Enjoy a breakfast at the Boathouse in Glencaple and learn about the geese of the Solway Firth with experts from WWT Caerlaverock and NatureScot. Watch as the geese use the river to navigate to their feeding grounds to start the day. Event Type: Indoor (possibly outdoor on patio if weather allows) Event cost: No booking […]
The saltmarsh at Wigtown attracts thousands of wintering pink footed geese, barnacle geese, ducks and waders. In spring and summer a host of special plants cover the merse, and the sound of skylarks fill the air. It is a beautiful and rare habitat which is inspiring to write about. Local author Stephen Rutt will guide […]
Scottish International Storytelling Festival Author and storyteller Allison Galbraith will captivate the whole family with her hilarious Scottish stories. Meet the Woolly Pet and sing along with a gang of escaped farm animals, including a GOOSE! Join an interactive quest through prehistoric Scotland and discover why dogs are our best friends.
Scottish Storytelling Festival Folklorist Allison Galbraith and storyteller Beverley Casebow will enthral you with stories from the Otherworld. Our ancestors’ belief in a world of spirits and ethereal beings has bestowed a wealth of supernatural stories on Scotland. Join us for an entertaining evening with vexed fairies, nature wisdom and much humour. Children (12+) must […]
Greet the dawn with the spectacular flight of the barnacle geese departing the reserve as the sun comes up. These beautiful birds have spent the night out on the Solway mudflats and fly in to feed on the fields during the day. Join the wardens out on the merse, as we open early to watch […]
GSA Biosphere, Scottish Ornithologists Club (SOC), British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS. Loch Ryan is a fantastic birding spot with a wintering population of light-bellied brent geese. These fascinating birds migrate 5,000km from Canada each year to spend the winter on our coastline. […]
RSPB Scotland 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. ¾mile/1.3km walk down to the shore, to view geese as they fly over onto the sandflats. There may be some standing around for a while once […]
WWT Caerlaverock (with Include Us) Join Include Us at WWT Caerlaverock for a morning of fun and games! Meet Carl the Goose and Steven C Gull who will tell their story. There will be art activities, games and more fun for all the family! Event Type: Outdoor (will be moved indoors if the weather is […]
Learn about the life and works of pioneering German Filmmaker photographer (and Dumfries resident) Dr Werner Kissling in this fully illustrated talk. Dr Werner Kissling was born into great luxury in Germany before World War One. For over thirty years, he worked closely with Dumfries Museum Curators Alf Truckell and David Lockwood to photograph the […]
Watch a spectacle of hundreds of ducks, waders and geese flocking on the merse, brought in by the high tide. Join a warden who will be on hand to identify and explain more about the variety of wildlife encountered and the importance of this special saltmarsh habitat. Possible sightings include golden plover, dunlin, pintail, shelduck, […]
An interactive morning with our reserve officers to get into the woods, collect natural materials and talk about the animals that live on the reserve. There will be a large gazebo so that the artworks can be completed even in if there is wet weather. Parking will be at Castle Corner car park a few […]
Dumfries and Galloway Council Environment Team & SCAMP Saltmarshes (or merse) is a very popular habitat for Geese as they return for the winter. This unique environment provides a home and a rich sources of food for many other breeds of birds, including lapwing, redshank and skylark. Human also have a relationship through time with […]
When two sisters relocate to the Japanese countryside, they quickly realise they have unusual neighbours including Totoro. This film is being screened as part of the Wild Goose Festival – its themes are Nature, Creativity and Place