Dave will lead a walk around Gallow Hill, a community woodland area immediately above the town. This is an area of mixed habitat for birds that is at an exciting stage of development. It contains some beautiful mature woodland, and is an important amenity for Moffat. It also has a large open area (the result of the felling of commercial woodland by the previous owners), which is now being re-planted with deciduous trees by Moffat Community Woodland.
On this walk around the hill on well-laid out paths, you may see golden eagles or peregrines
The views from the top of the hill allow us to see up into the Moffat Hills and across to the Lowthers. On a clear day, you can see as far as the Solway Firth and the mountains of the Lake District.
In September, most of our migrant birds will have left but among the young trees and in the various layers of the older woodland, we could hear and see some year round residents. These include, great, long-tailed, blue and coal tits; great spotted woodpeckers; jays, carrion crows, jackdaws and rooks. In the sky above the summit there is a chance we may see buzzards, ravens and kestrels and, if we’re really lucky, a sparrowhawk or a passing red kite.
Gallow Hill attracts soaring birds and, by early October, flights of geese – greylag, pink-footed and barnacle geese are a daily spectacle to be heard heading to, or from the Solway Coast. Roe deer and brown hares are regularly spotted too.
Although we will be on well-made paths throughout the walk, some parts can be muddy so we recommend walking boots and waterproof clothing.
Top tip: bring binoculars.
