Thanks to Caerlaverock NNR Reserve Officer Adam Murphy for sending us this report!
Visitors to WWT Caerlaverock on Saturday 20th January were lucky enough to catch a glimpse of a rare celebrity sighting, as comedian and musician, Bill Bailey dropped into to do a spot of bird watching and enjoy the view. Bill was in town to perform a headline show as part of this year’s Big Burns Supper celebrations in Dumfries. Bill arrived just in time to enjoy WWT Reserve Manager, Joe Bilous feed the wild Whooper swans and give his daily talk.
Bill and tour manager Neil Adams, were then taken on a guided walk of the reserve with Joe, and SNH Caerlaverock Reserve Officer Adam Murphy where they discussed the NNR, Svalbard (home of the wild Barnacle Geese); the importance of getting young people to engage with nature and any local whisky recommendations.
Picture of Adam Murphy (SNH), Bill Bailey and Joe Bilous (WWT) at Sir Peter Scott Observatory hide.
Bill is a keen wildlife watcher and has spent time in Svalbard studying Barnacle Geese and was very pleased to see the fields in and around WWT Caerlaverock full of Barnacle at this time of year. Before heading off to prepare for the evenings sell out show, Bill took a photograph from the Saltcot Merse Observatory of the sun setting over the National Nature Reserve and tweeted “View across one of my favourite places, the reserve @WWTCaerlaverock towards Criffel Hill”.
Sunset over the Solway/ Caerlaverock NNR/ Tweet
Bill has a clear passion for the area, having previously filmed part of his wildlife TV series in the region and had further high praise for the area, in his post-show interview on Saturday night he said:
“I’m very envious of you (D&G) to live in such a beautiful part of the world and part of Scotland. I was at Caerlaverock reserve today and it’s one of my favourite of all the wild bird reserves around Britain. Just reminded me that it’s a stunning wilderness you have on your doorstep and I’m very envious of that!”
Sunset near Glencaple/Tweet
https://www.facebook.com/BigBurnsSupper/videos/1963854383630064/
Big Burns supper Bill Bailey (Quote: at 5mins 57secs)