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12 Mar 2021

Wildlife spotter’s guide: Threave Garden & Estate

A red squirrel stands on a tree stump in a wood. Its long bushy tail hangs over the side of the stump. Its long whiskers and little claws on each paw can be clearly seen.
Red squirrel
Threave’s wonderful garden and wider estate are a haven for wildlife all year round. The nature reserve is one of Scotland’s most biodiverse and includes a Special Protection Area for breeding waders and wintering wildfowl.

Please click on the pictures below to find out a little more about some of the wildlife you may spot on your next visit.

Six white swans stand in a snowy field as snow falls. The bright yellow bills and black legs really stand out. The swan in the middle raises its neck up, as if calling. A close-up of an adder, coiled up with its head poking out at the top. It has brown and gold markings on its skin. A large adult badger walks along a woodland leafy path, straight towards the camera. A close-up of the top half of a barn owl, apparently on a perch. It has turned its head to the side slightly, giving it a somewhat quizzical expression. It has a white, heart-shaped face with two black eyes. It has pale brown feathers by its shoulders. A bat rests on a rough log, with a mossy tree stump in the background. The bat has very large, almost translucent ears, with the pink veins visible. They are 'pricked up' above its head. It has a furry brown body, and its wings are folded at the sides. A picture of a flying bat taken at night. The bat glows in the flash of the camera and has its wings stretched wide. Its mouth is slightly open. It is flying close to a tree. Great spotted woodpecker clinging to the side of a white-barked tree with knobbly bits. It is facing up the tree. It has a red cap. Four geese stand in a boggy grassy field, all with their backs to the camera. They have orange legs and bills, with a white patch surrounding their bills. A kingfisher perches on a thin branch, with trees in the background. It has a very round orange tummy, with a turquoise blue back. Its long thin black beak is turned to the right. An osprey catches a fish from a river, its wings spread high and wide as it clutches the fish in its talons. An otter emerges from a stream onto a grassy bank with buttercups. Its brown fur is wet and sleeked back. A peregrine falcon stands on a mossy ledge at Grey Mare’s Tail, looking directly at the camera. It has a hooked beak with a sharp point, and large yellow feet with sharp talons. - copyright Richard Clarkson A goose stands in a short grassy field, with its head turned towards the camera. It has a short neck and pink legs. Its pink bill has a black tip. A duck glides across smooth, glossy water, which reflects the duck. It has a rich brown head, white throat and a grey body. Its black tail is long and pointed. A red kite is shown in flight, against a bright blue sky. It has a brick red tummy, pale wings with black tips, and a clearly forked tail. A red squirrel stands on a tree stump in a wood. Its long bushy tail hangs over the side of the stump. Its long whiskers and little claws on each paw can be clearly seen. A speckled brown bird with a very long straight bill stands in smooth water. Its reflection is perfectly mirrored below. A swallow in flight, with its wings stretched wide, seen against a clear blue sky. The distinctive wide prongs of its tail are clearly visible. A small duck stands in a grassy field. It has a chestnut brown head with a green stripe over its eye. It has a plump grey body with a short black and white tail.

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Threave Garden & Nature Reserve

A garden for all seasons and a haven for wildlife, with an osprey platform and bat reserve

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