Walk on the Wildside

It is that time again Autumn is here marking the transition from Summer to Winter, deciduous trees shedding leaves offering a spectacle of colours and wintering birds coming in by the numbers. The remnants of hurricane Gonzalo have been and gone and we have finally had a clear day here at the Crook of Baldoon just in time for a guided walk at reserve 'Walk on the Wildside'; during which we have been joined members and non members from our local community for a brilliant show from wintering avian visitors. Flocks of Redwing scouring hedgerows for hawthorn berries joined by linnet, goldfinch and a Merlin watching over them. We also had the opportunity to witness flocks of golden plover flying in tight formations wings twinkling in the sunshine all in the company of lapwing, dunlin and female hen harrier gliding at the edge. This followed by 8 whooper swan in flight with their characteristic honking voice, pink-footed geese flying in V-formations, redshank, curlew, grey heron and teal dabbling in the wetlands. The walk ending back at the Crook of Baldoon car park with a starling murmuration fading away and leaving us with a beautiful view of Wigtown, the Cairnsmore of fleet and the Merrick.