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Campfield Marsh. Now we come to the 3rd part of the Blog, having dealt with accommodation issues. We can start to describe the main features of the area which is after all what you will be coming to enjoy, be it Spring, Summer or Winter. In the case of birders, winter in the Solway area is of particular...

Campfield Marsh - early April. 6th April 2013 Sunny all day with a light SW wind. Early morning there were 14 Shelduck with two Mallard pairs out on the mudflats. A small group of Redshank came in with the tide. On the Meadow Pools, Wigeon and Teal were gathering and seemingly pairing up. The two...

Typical senario here over the last few weeks: sunshine and snow clouds! Shelduck are starting to put in an appearance on the mudflats - 22nd February SongThrush and Great Spotted Woodpecker are becoming regular visitors to the Hamlet gardens - 22nd February. Song Thrush with a liking...

Tantalising view of geese across the flooded meadows. We had been aware for a few days that there was goose activity back over on the Reserve and local prominent birders, after much hard work, had estimated that there were in excess of 10.000 Pinkfeet on the Solway. So, in the middle of the afternoon...

Today was the last day of the high tide series here on the Solway and we seem to have escaped any serious flooding. The weather people had been forecasting high winds, rain and lots of floods coupled with the high Spring tides. All in all, we had the perfect storm in the making - but it just didn't...

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...

For the past week or so we have been able to hear the wonderful sound of Whoopers , back over on the reserve wetlands, from the hamlet here at West Common. Although the weather has been very inclement recently and yesterday was no exception, we decided to take a walk down North Plain Lonning in hopeful...

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...

Great! It was a fine morning: sunshine and plenty of wind blowing - all commodities that have been in short supply round here in recent months. My delicate hearing picked up the sound of at least three separate tractors working at the ‘back’ - as we call it! The heavy thud of low gear work...

"Summer Solway Estuary and Gulls flying" - a pastel sketch from my studio window. Campfield Marsh Reserve, here on the Solway, is a really nice place to visit at the end of Summer, especially its estuary element. As you may know, inland reserves can be a little quiet at this time of the...

For some time now we had been able to detect a slight air of despondency, amongst the Staff on the Reserve, mixed with hope and anticipation - brought about by this monsoon-like summer that I’m sure most of us in the British Isles will have experienced. Our situation here on the Reserve is...

Raised Moss and Boardwalk, Bowness Common - looking towards Criffel. Strange thing to have to say … there was definitely a feeling of Spring in the air in spite of the fact we were well into the middle of June. Some of the Ash trees in the area hadn’t even attained their leaves! But there...

Across first Meadow Pool. The Lonning towards the hide. Second Meadow Pool. Nosy guest cattle. Pied Wagtail with Cranefly. Reed Bunting on Lonning hedgerow. Sandhills towards the Solway. Sedge Warbler - Black and White sketch. Sedge Warbler in colour. ...

Early June - Summer has officially arrived … monsoons of rain; tornados of wind; flooding that would frighten even Noah; caravans and tents being swept away; agricultural shows being flattened; seaside promenades under three feet of water and lashed by waves. Hello! but we don’t mind, we’re...

. Not much fear of that. We’re back into winter gear: Wellington boots; padded jackets … the whole kahuna! A fine warm March: temperatures up in the 20’s; water levels falling by the minute; talk of hosepipe bans and compulsory metering! I remember a severe drought a few years...

Campfield Marsh at high tide. 11 4 12 Spring is a restless time: weather pulling all kinds of tricks; counting the cost of last winter; assessing the possibilities of the coming Summer; old visitors still lingering on; new arrivals coming unexpectedly - and that’s just the birds … you...

'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...

Early snowdrops at the Lonning entrance. Splendid day: clear frosty sunshine with very little wind - only a slight breeze from the east. The Solway was flat calm at high tide. We walked down the lonning onto Campfield Marsh Reserve early afternoon. The Meadow Pools held 21 Whoopers with plenty...

We spent one and a half hours mid-afternoon watching the spectacle of several thousand Barnacle Geese grazing the meadows in front of the hide on Campfield Marsh RSPB Reserve and what a sight it was! On this icy day with a galeforce westerly wind blowing, the flock were spread out over the grassland...

3 rd January, 2012 - Barnacles at Campfield ‘Hide Fever’ by John Rogers “I must go down to the hide again, to the lonely hide and the sky. For I’ve left my gloves and Collins there, and I only hope they’re dry.” No, seriously folks, I’d decided...

PHOTODIARY - end of November 2011 Winter evening after a stormy day, Solway Estuary 24th November. A midday high tide with a strong gusty wind. At 11.30pm flocks of Oystercatcher, Teal, Wigeon, Mallard and Shoveler with 15 Pintail started to fly west along the, by now, flooding marsh. At...

You want water? Come on down! The Solway’s lovely - we’ve plenty here! It was coming sideways; from above and from below - Water World eat you heart out! All this, as I was contemplating the scene from my front window. The Solway was raging in. Yes, a high tide series - at least a force...

An early November Photo Diary Area round Saltmarsh Pool where the Great White Egret has installed itself 1st November A beautiful sunny windless day with first record of Great White Egret seen on the Reserve at Saltmarsh Pool. 2nd November Cool and breezy. 10.45 - 12.00 am, Great White...

September 2011 Photo Diary The evocative 'pink pink' was first heard on the 15th, over the Reserve ... returning skeins of Pinkfeet were subsequently seen during the following days. 1st September Rained early but became very warm as sun came out in the afternoon. The saltmarsh...

Autumn has arrived on the Reserve or should I say ‘descended’. The night had been pretty continuous rain and gales. By morning the rain had subsided and a distinct chill was in the air. Floodwater was starting to show in the fields and it had obviously been decided to get on with cutting...