Crook of Baldoon nature reserve expands
RSPB Scotland has bought a large section of land to increase the size of a nature reserve in Wigtownshire.
It will use the 39 hectares next to the Crook of Baldoon to help species such as lapwing, snipe and redshank.
It said the purchase would increase the size of the reserve by about a quarter and improve habitats for nesting birds and upgrade visitor access.
The site is home to wintering whooper swans, pink-footed geese, whimbrels and black-tailed godwits.
Other species recorded on the reserve have included more than 1,000 barnacle geese flying in from Svalbard in the Arctic.
Hen harriers and owls are regularly seen in winter, and Wigtown Bay is also home to breeding ospreys, with live CCTV pictures sent to Wigtown Town Hall, and peregrine falcons.
Andrew Bielinski, RSPB Scotland area reserves manager for Dumfries and Galloway, said: "Since purchasing the Crook of Baldoon in spring 2010 we have worked hard with the help of the local community to make this a site rich in wildlife.
"By extending the reserve we can increase our conservation efforts to assist vulnerable species such as lapwing and redshank.
"As we gain a better understanding of how the breeding and wintering birds use the whole reserve we will start to develop appropriate visitor facilities, providing wonderful panoramic views of Wigtown Bay whilst minimising disturbance to wildlife.
"We're confident this will support nature-based tourism, which, as a recent RSPB study demonstrated, is an increasing part of the visitor attraction of Dumfries and Galloway."