The Laverock Bird Hide

The Laverock Bird hide on Tarras Valley Nature Reserve was opened on 15th March 2015 by Simon Lester of the Langholm Moor Demonstration Project. It had been built by Daniel Lacey and the idea for it being created was from Dr. Cat Barlow who was the Project Officer for The Making the Most of the Moorland Project. Prior to that this place was a Feeding Station for Birds from early 2009. I have been a volunteer for this project for 17 years since 2009. I went along every Saturday morning until the end of April this year. The Tarras Valley Nature Reserve under guidance from RSPB are planning to stop feeding the Birds but to create a better habitat for them to feed naturally. Work started this past weekend in creating a new habitat for the birds. Myself and our two grandchildren from Newcastle have enjoyed many Saturday morning visits  over the years. Our grandchildren from America have also visited.

Our daughter Fiona with our grandson Leo in July 2021.

Our grandchildren Leo and Hannah from Newcastle.

Peter Bart-Smith and Tom Stothart visiting the hide on a Wednesday walk.

Jack Irving visited it once and had a lovely hour there.

My last photo of the hide this April before the Feeders are taken away. It is hoped it will still be visited but it will take time for the area to be established as a natural feeding area for the birds. 

 

Near the hide myself and Hannah and Leo planted trees a few years ago. Hannah is now studying Biology at the University of Nijmegen in The Netherlands and I like to think her interests were helped by out visits to the Hide and TVNR.

Leo topping up the feeders about 9 years ago

In 2018 when we were hit by The Beast From the East it was difficult to get to the Hide, but Bob & Nancy McLure and myself walked there and back in deep snow to provide the birds with much needed food. 

Hannah topping up the feeders.

Cat Barlow used to do her bird ringing at the feeding station and Hannah loved going along to see the birds getting their rings put on. It is the end of an era, but the correct thing to do for the protection of the birds. I have loved every minute of my 17 years going nearly every Saturday morning and will miss the time spent in the hide after I had topped up the feeders.

The notice pinned up in the Hide telling its story.

A Wet Walk at Talkin Tarn

Despite a poor weather forecast Mike, Charlie and myself decided we would still have our walk at Talkin Tarn and just dress accordingly and take umbrellas. It did rain heavily at times, but it was also dry for 50% of our walk and the chat was excellent. This Gorse is looking good next to the Tarn.

Charlie & Mike inspect a hedge of Blackthorn

This tree was covered the whole length of its trunk by this Ivy

This is Wood Anemone and Mike explained it grows in the shade of trees. 

This pair of lambs were very pleased to see us

On a small pond next to Brampton Station we saw this pair of Swans building a nest.

If you look closely between the trees you will see a Goose on this small pond

Most of the time these pylons are not too intrusive, but this is a massive one and it seems to dominate the field it is in.

One of the three B roads we walked along near Talkin Tarn. The walk was about 4 miles and most enjoyable despite the rain. We decided to have our usual Coffee after the walk at The Buccleuch Centre and despite it being very busy with lunches prior to a film being shown we were soon found a table and served with our Coffee in no time at all.

 

A Longtown Walk

Todays Thursday walk with Mike & Charlie took us down to Longtown on a beautiful spring morning, but after quite a hard frost. This is Arthuret Church which we passed at the end of the walk. I uploaded the photos in the wrong order so the end of the walk is at the beginning of the blog. The last half mile of the walk from the church through a couple of fields was quite muddy and rough walking. We enjoyed a nice coffee at the Buccleuch Centre when we got back to Langholm with Jessica as usual needing no instructions but just produced our regular order within a minute of us walking in the door. 

On the bridge over the old Waverley railway line.

Whenever I walk in Longtown I realise how well off we are in Scotland being able to walk anywhere as long as we act responsibly. This lane is just after we have walked along the river Esk on a proper footpath. We leave the footpath and open a gate into this lane where there is a big sign saying PRIVATE PROPERTY and no access is allowed. We as usual decided to continue our walk and if a farmer approached us plead ignorance. To be honest its a lovely lane and could be classed as a right of way and no possible damage could be done by 3 old men with an average age of 80. We were never approached by a farmer, but did meet his wife and I immediately spoke to her and said what a lovely day before she had a chance to say this is private property.

The Longtown ponds on the first part of the walk beside the Esk

You can just see the nesting Swan in the middle of this photograph

Charlie had never walked this route before so enjoyed the new experience

The first of the 3 ponds we passed on our walk

The start of the walk beside the river Esk. Slightly muddy in places, but not too bad.

Plenty Willow Catkins about to appear

 

Daffodils Beside the Esk

The stretch of riverbank beside the Esk in Elizabeth Street is one of Langholm's loveliest attractions in the springtime with Blossom and Daffodils. Today was a beautiful spring day and it was a sight to behold beside the Esk.

There is a lovely seat just near this spot and its a great place to just sit and enjoy the river.

The Cherry blossom will be another few weeks yet, but that makes this area even more attractive in springtime.

The old Scott-Hay Art Gallery on the other side of the fence is a crumbling ruin and poor Robert Scott-Hay will be turning in his grave if he knew what it was like now. It's so sad to see what was once a beautiful building in such a state.

 

Walking Upper Tarras

On another beautiful spring day I went onto the Tarras valley Nature Reserve in upper Tarras just to top up my daily mileage and to see if their were any Goats about. I had only walked half a mile up the road to Cooms when this Kid appeared and never moved when I stopped to take its photo.

Do you ever get the feeling you are being watched.

I had been up this way on Monday when the river was a raging torrent, but today it was much lower and looking quite lovely. 

An ideal pool for swimming, but not for a few months yet.

The road near Arkleton Cottage and where I had a seat for 20 minutes on Jim Telford's seat just listening to the river and the birds. The only passers by were a couple of cyclists and a motor biker.

Another good pool for bathing.

This is a very popular spot for picnickers in the summer

Two families of Goats

A lovely stretch of river and road

The two families of Goats, not at all bothered by my presence. I had a most enjoyable 90 minutes sitting and walking in the almost warm sunshine. A great way of spending some time in lovely surroundings.

 

Walking Jenny Nobles Gill

 

It was such a beautiful morning I decided to walk round Jenny Nobles Gill which takes you onto The Tarras Valley Nature Reserve and my favourite walk. Normally I would take about 1.5 hours to do this walk of 4 miles but today I stopped 3 times as it was so beautiful and sat and enjoyed the sounds of the birds singing. My first stop and 10 minute seat was at The Round House.

I notice TVNR has cut a lot of the dead bracken, but no doubt it will come again in the spring

The first of the Longwood Oak trees with many of them over 300 years old

Although the path was quite muddy and waterlogged in places it was not too bad at this part of the walk.

A couple of the very old Oak trees

This one is one of my favourites

And this must be one of the oldest

The sign post for Jenny Nobles Gill

The old railway line and the site of my next 10 minute rest. I recorded 5 native birds on my phone app in a 5 minute spell. None of them were visitors. Robin, Wren, Great Tit, Blue Tit and a Coal Tit. In a few weeks time I will sit in the same place and should get lots more. My record last spring was 22 birds in a 10 minute spell.

The entrance from the road to Jenny Nobles Gill and the new sign identifying it as TVNR and not Buccleuch Estates. I found a Geocache among the trees near here.

Skippers Bridge from as far down the banking as I dared to go

Border Esk which has been a distillery a garage and now private houses. 

Skippers Bridge from the other side. My last stop was at Langholm Old Bowling Club to see the tremendous work being done by the club to improve the clubhouse. All should be ready for the opening of the green at the end of April. The green is in excellent condition, but I forgot to take a photograph of it.

A most enjoyable 2 hour walk.