Caerlaverock

On our second day of our recent trip to Dumfries and Galloway, we visited Caerlaverock, a wonderful WWT (Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust) reserve. 

 

There are lots of features here that both help wildlife and enable visitors to enjoy the creatures, such as an area of bird feeders, where we saw this Tree Sparrow 

several bug hotels, where we saw several species including this Ruby Tailed Wasp (zoom in for a closer look!)

Of course the reserve is best known for its wetland areas, where we saw these Little Egrets

and this Mute Swan family 

We walked along the mown path that leads through the beautiful wildflower meadows

where we saw Blue Tailed Damselflies 

Azure Damselflies 

Emerald Damselflies 

Banded Demoiseselles

 Meadow Brown Butterflies 

Small Skipper Butterflies 

 Common Blue Butterflies 

Twin lobed Deer flies (we saw lots of these, didn't know what they were at the time, had them crawling over our hands with no ill effect but on looking them up when we got home we found that they can give a horrible bite!)

A snipe fly (Rhagio scolopaceus)

In the visitor centre, there was an exhibition of beautiful felted art by artist and historian Sue Hughes of  Old Toll House Crafts, and Crafty Green Boyfriend bought me this necklace. The exhibition runs until 17 June.