Site of the Month: Eskrigg Reserve (December 2022)

Eskrigg Reserve is on the site of an old curling pond within walking distance of Lockerbie town centre. It is managed by the Lockerbie Wildlife Trust as a seven acre nature reserve and contains a mixture of habitats including mixed woodland, grassland, heathland, willow carr, sedge and reed bed, stream and pond, each with its own associated flora and fauna. Birds, mammals, insects, plants, fungi and other species are regularly recorded by Trust members and visitors to the reserve, resulting to an impressive species list. The reserve is best known for its population of Red Squirrels Sciurus vulgaris, one of the best places to see these animals in Britain. Other occasional visitors include Kingfisher Alcedo atthis and Tawny Owl Strix aluco, whilst Adder’s Tongue Fern Ophioglossum vulgatum is one of the star plants to be seen in summer.

Peter Norman

SWSEIC Project Officer