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Norman Holton writes: “Over the last couple of months I have been moving my remote camera around the reserve to see what I might capture. The problem with this is sifting through the thousands of images you get (like bits of vegetation blowing in the wind) for the few good ones. It is also interesting...

Maryland farm on the very edge of the saltmarsh, overlooking the Pool - after a night of snow. The hamlet of Cardurnock - a small farming community that makes its living from grazing sheep and cattle on the wide estuary pastures. These are the little black and white Barnacle Geese that return...

Snow on the Scottish Hills viewed from Campfield Marsh - 22 1 13 The depth of winter this year at Campfield has been decidedly undramatic, whilst the rest of the country, if TV is to be believed, has suffered under continents of snow and ice, blocked roads, closed schools and more sledging than you...

Whoopers on Meadow Pools at dawn - 12th January 2013 The gentle pulsing of the alarm broke into my slumbers, although I have to say, we seldom use an alarm these days – but today would be special! We had pre-planned a very early morning foray onto the Reserve here at North Plain, as we knew...

PHOTOGRAPHIC REVIEW OF EARLY NOVEMBER 1st November 2012 Massed flock of Whooper Swans at Seaville. Close-up of Whoopers at Seaville with Crifell in the background. Whoopers bathing and preening. Looking very relaxed. Further groups were coming in all the time. Fieldfares...

Winter has already come to the Solway. The nights have now drawn in; the weather has a distinct chill feel to it; we have had a few arctic gusts already. There have been several night frosts - so the tree colours have been very good this year. The Scandanavian winter Thrushes have arrived in force...

Anvil Cloud over the Solway estuary. We've definitely passed the Equinox: 12 hours of 'sunlight', 12hours of dark – the jury's still out on the sunlight bit! The equinoctial gales started right on time in the form of the tail-end of Hurricane Nadine which definitely stirred the...

'Doing the Campfield walk, Hey!' The Great White Egret arrived at Campfield on 1 st November 2011, just in time for the Guy Fawkes celebrations. We began to wonder how long this rare vagrant would stay - and lo and behold, miracle of miracles, it spent Christmas with us. People travelled from...

Having had a few dull and damp days recently, today dawned bright and sunny. However the incoming tide before lunch brought with it its usual shower. Not deterred, we set off down the Lonning and were gratified to see the sun struggling through. We had a quick look through the screen overlooking the...

15th - 23rd November 2011 15th November Cold light easterly wind with misty sunshine. As the tide came in a group of 13 Shoveler crossed the channel in front of the hamlet. A flock of Dunlin landed on the sandbar on the other side. A Reed Bunting showed up on the marsh edge hawthorn bushes and...

Two Woodcock - part of a large number visiting Campfield during the cold spell at the beginning of the year. The gregarious and colourful Wigeon that make the winter reserve so pleasurable. Whoopers, our glorious winter visitors. One of the Lonning’s Sedge Warblers declares his...

A photo diary - 25th October to 31st October 2011 25th October At 11.30 am, about high tide, there was a movement of Barnacles going east in small flocks. One flock came over the hamlet and seemed to be heading towards the Reserve wetlands. The high tide line held Wigeon, Mallard and Curlew. There...

Criffel and the Solway after the Storm, 17th October. 15th October A very warm misty morning with a rosy dawn. Small parties Barnacles could be seen and heard flying west most of the morning. Lots of Gulls out on the channel with a single Whooper on the tideline. Small party of Barnacles...

Barnacles are a speciality of the Solway. This group were on the Cardurnock pastures. Oystercatchers battling with the tail-end of Hurricane Katia. A typical Solway farm here on Campfield Marsh Summer Solway and Criffel from Campfield Marsh. Barnacles on the saltings of the R...

Skein of Pinks at sunset 1st October Weather is still warm and sunny. Speckled Woods seen mating today and a flock of about 80 Pinks flew in from the across the saltmarsh and headed off in a south-easterly direction. Speckled Woods mating. Female (the larger one) seems to have laid an egg...

Photo diary - 21st (Spring Equinox) to 31st March 2011 Daffodils in hedge bottom along Lonning Willow coming into bloom 21st March High Spring tides were flooding the Inner Solway Estuary marshes causing the Barnacle Geese who frequent them, to flight west to the Outer estuary pastures...

Shelduck on the Estuary - a digital painting by John Rogers February this year on the Solway anyway, has been notable for its lack of weather. In our case, this usually means wind - in this case the exception being two or three days at the beginning of the month. There seems to have been endless...

The pools and wetlands are well flooded and wildfowl numbers are now building up. Today, in the region of 1000 Barnacles and 2000 Pinkfeet were moving about the pastures and meadows of North Plain, Biglands and Rogersceugh farms. Wigeon, Teal and Pintail numbers are also increasing with early morning...

The first Snow - Campfield Marsh 24th November After a frosty night, the morning dawned very cold and sunny. We were greeted with some splendid displays of aerial manoeuvring by, in the region of a 1000 waders, flying up and down the estuary over the mudflats - as the tide came in. ...

View across Saltmarsh Pool towards Criffel from Maryland Lay-by 3rd October Common Newt in puddle after rain, on Lonning track Flies and bees are attracted to the abundant nectar of the Ivy flowers, growing in the lonning hedge. 4th October Fly Agaric, poisonous mushroom, growing...

North Plain Farm Large flocks of redwing sighted on the Lonning, 11.40 am. 1st Meadow Pool - Excellent display of Whoopers this morning. 48 in all together with a substantial number of wigeon and 2 Mutes. 11.50 am Janet and Alan Murray, visitors from Bingley, joined us at the screen and immediately...

17th October 2010 Whoopers on 1st Pool The wind had swung round to the NW - first noticeable wind we had had all week. It’s been that kind of Autumn, though - absolutely still: ‘high pressure gloom’ I believe they call it! So we thought, “lets have a walk on to the...

Yes, the politicians have it right – we need the ‘Big Society’, but I have a slight feeling of déjà vu here! – the wheel being reinvented. Conservationists, in our case the RSPB, have been doing this for decades: looking after birds, making reserves, caring for the...