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Black Watch Figurehead

WildlifeBirdsSeasonal

Dogs welcome

Getting here

55.15069, -4.27216

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Visiting this summer

Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now

🌞Midsummer — early morning visits most comfortable; look for deer fawns in quieter clearings
✦Historic character is a year-round quality here — summer brings its own atmosphere to the setting
🐕Dogs welcome — bring water in summer; the site has enough space to find shade on hot days

🌤️ Visiting this summer

🌞Midsummer — early morning visits most comfortable; look for deer fawns in quieter clearings
✦Historic character is a year-round quality here — summer brings its own atmosphere to the setting
🐕Dogs welcome — bring water in summer; the site has enough space to find shade on hot days

Good to know

🐕Dogs welcome

Parking· Free

Best for

5 activities

Wildlife

Very strong match

Multi-group wildlife — Amphibians, Birds, Mammals, Reptiles; Multi-group wildlife — Amphibians, Birds, Mammals, Reptiles

Free

Bird watching

Very strong match

Birds — Raven, Chaffinch, Meadow Pipit +62 more · last seen 2025; Birds — Raven, Chaffinch, Meadow Pipit +62 more · last seen 2025

Free

Seasonal nature

Strong match

Plants — Grimmia trichophylla agg., Tamarisk Scalewort, Flagellate Feather-moss +18 more · last seen 2023; Plants — Grimmia trichophylla agg., Tamarisk Scalewort, Flagellate Feather-moss +18 more · last seen 2023

Free

Heritage

Strong match

Historic site

Free

Insect spotting

Good match

Insects — Peacock, Ringlet, Golden-ringed Dragonfly +9 more · last seen 2024; Insects — Peacock, Ringlet, Golden-ringed Dragonfly +9 more · last seen 2024

Free

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km

🚶

Walking

2 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

Southern Upland Way (Section A - Portpatrick to Melrose)Walking route

Named routePoint-to-pointNational walking route

Bardennock TrailWalking route

Named routeLocal walking route

Wildlife to spot

1,042 records · National Biodiversity Network

Wildlife to spot

1,042 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds38 species

spring

2025

Raven · Robin · Skylark · Goldfinch · Blackbird +33

RavenCorvus corax
RobinErithacus rubecula
SkylarkAlauda arvensis2022
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis
BlackbirdTurdus merula2024
StonechatSaxicola rubicola2024
Coal TitPeriparus ater2024
CuckooCuculus canorus2024
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis2024
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita2024
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2023
WheatearOenanthe oenanthe2022
WhinchatSaxicola rubetra2022
StarlingSturnus vulgaris
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba yarrellii
House SparrowPasser domesticus
Whooper SwanCygnus cygnus
Black GrouseLyrurus tetrix
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2024
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus2024
TreecreeperCerthia familiaris2023
GoldcrestRegulus regulus2023
House MartinDelichon urbicum2023
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula2023
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea2023
Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striata2022
DipperCinclus cinclus2022
CrossbillLoxia curvirostra2022
WoodcockScolopax rusticola2022
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus2022
KestrelFalco tinnunculus2022
LinnetLinaria cannabina2020
Grey HeronArdea cinerea2020
Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensis2020
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucos2020
Sand MartinRiparia riparia2020
WhitethroatCurruca communis2020
GannetMorus bassanus2020

🦌

Mammals11 species

summer

2025

Soprano Pipistrelle · Common Pipistrelle · Red Squirrel · Myotis Bat species · Pipistrelle +6

Soprano PipistrellePipistrellus pygmaeus2016
Common PipistrellePipistrellus pipistrellus2016
Red SquirrelSciurus vulgaris2023
Myotis Bat speciesMyotis2016
PipistrellePipistrellus pipistrellus2016
Daubenton's BatMyotis daubentonii2016
Leisler's BatNyctalus leisleri2016
Brown HareLepus europaeus
HedgehogErinaceus europaeus2021
Mountain HareLepus timidus2021
BatChiroptera2016

🦎

Reptiles1 species

summer

2023

Adder

AdderVipera berus

🐝

Insects11 species

spring

2024

Large Red Damselfly · Golden-ringed Dragonfly · Peacock · Clouded Buff · Neuratelia nemoralis +6

Large Red DamselflyPyrrhosoma nymphula
Golden-ringed DragonflyCordulegaster boltonii
PeacockAglais io2018
Clouded BuffDiacrisia sannio2017
Neuratelia nemoralisNeuratelia nemoralis2017
Boletina basalisBoletina basalis2017
Boletina trivittataBoletina trivittata2017
Macrocera vittataMacrocera vittata2017
Mycomya fimbriataMycomya fimbriata2017
Mycetophila unipunctataMycetophila unipunctata2017
Mycomya marginataMycomya marginata2017

🌿

Plants21 species

summer

2023

Woolly Fringe-moss · Spiral Extinguisher-moss · Flagellate Feather-moss · Broom Fork-moss · Sphagnum palustre var. palustre +16

Woolly Fringe-mossRacomitrium lanuginosum
Spiral Extinguisher-mossEncalypta streptocarpa
Flagellate Feather-mossHyocomium armoricum
Broom Fork-mossDicranum scoparium
Sphagnum palustre var. palustreSphagnum palustre var. palustre
Yellow Fringe-mossRacomitrium aciculare
Wall Screw-mossTortula muralis
Andreaea rothii subsp. falcataAndreaea rothii subsp. falcata
Slender Mouse-tail MossIsothecium myosuroides
Pointed Spear-mossCalliergonella cuspidata
Heath Star MossCampylopus introflexus
Long-shanked PincushionPtychomitrium polyphyllum
Big Shaggy-mossHylocomiadelphus triquetrus
Heath Plait-mossHypnum jutlandicum
Capillary Thread-mossBryum capillare
Swan's-neck Thyme-mossMnium hornum
Sphagnum capillifoliumSphagnum capillifolium
Green Mountain Fringe-mossRacomitrium fasciculare
Little Shaggy-mossRhytidiadelphus loreus
Grimmia trichophylla agg.Grimmia trichophylla agg.
Tamarisk ScalewortFrullania tamarisci

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

1,042 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds38 species

spring

2025

Raven · Robin · Skylark · Goldfinch · Blackbird +33

RavenCorvus corax
RobinErithacus rubecula
SkylarkAlauda arvensis2022
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis
BlackbirdTurdus merula2024
StonechatSaxicola rubicola2024
Coal TitPeriparus ater2024
CuckooCuculus canorus2024
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis2024
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita2024
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2023
WheatearOenanthe oenanthe2022
WhinchatSaxicola rubetra2022
StarlingSturnus vulgaris
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba yarrellii
House SparrowPasser domesticus
Whooper SwanCygnus cygnus
Black GrouseLyrurus tetrix
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2024
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus2024
TreecreeperCerthia familiaris2023
GoldcrestRegulus regulus2023
House MartinDelichon urbicum2023
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula2023
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea2023
Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striata2022
DipperCinclus cinclus2022
CrossbillLoxia curvirostra2022
WoodcockScolopax rusticola2022
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus2022
KestrelFalco tinnunculus2022
LinnetLinaria cannabina2020
Grey HeronArdea cinerea2020
Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensis2020
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucos2020
Sand MartinRiparia riparia2020
WhitethroatCurruca communis2020
GannetMorus bassanus2020

🦌

Mammals11 species

summer

2025

Soprano Pipistrelle · Common Pipistrelle · Red Squirrel · Myotis Bat species · Pipistrelle +6

Soprano PipistrellePipistrellus pygmaeus2016
Common PipistrellePipistrellus pipistrellus2016
Red SquirrelSciurus vulgaris2023
Myotis Bat speciesMyotis2016
PipistrellePipistrellus pipistrellus2016
Daubenton's BatMyotis daubentonii2016
Leisler's BatNyctalus leisleri2016
Brown HareLepus europaeus
HedgehogErinaceus europaeus2021
Mountain HareLepus timidus2021
BatChiroptera2016

🦎

Reptiles1 species

summer

2023

Adder

AdderVipera berus

🐝

Insects11 species

spring

2024

Large Red Damselfly · Golden-ringed Dragonfly · Peacock · Clouded Buff · Neuratelia nemoralis +6

Large Red DamselflyPyrrhosoma nymphula
Golden-ringed DragonflyCordulegaster boltonii
PeacockAglais io2018
Clouded BuffDiacrisia sannio2017
Neuratelia nemoralisNeuratelia nemoralis2017
Boletina basalisBoletina basalis2017
Boletina trivittataBoletina trivittata2017
Macrocera vittataMacrocera vittata2017
Mycomya fimbriataMycomya fimbriata2017
Mycetophila unipunctataMycetophila unipunctata2017
Mycomya marginataMycomya marginata2017

🌿

Plants21 species

summer

2023

Woolly Fringe-moss · Spiral Extinguisher-moss · Flagellate Feather-moss · Broom Fork-moss · Sphagnum palustre var. palustre +16

Woolly Fringe-mossRacomitrium lanuginosum
Spiral Extinguisher-mossEncalypta streptocarpa
Flagellate Feather-mossHyocomium armoricum
Broom Fork-mossDicranum scoparium
Sphagnum palustre var. palustreSphagnum palustre var. palustre
Yellow Fringe-mossRacomitrium aciculare
Wall Screw-mossTortula muralis
Andreaea rothii subsp. falcataAndreaea rothii subsp. falcata
Slender Mouse-tail MossIsothecium myosuroides
Pointed Spear-mossCalliergonella cuspidata
Heath Star MossCampylopus introflexus
Long-shanked PincushionPtychomitrium polyphyllum
Big Shaggy-mossHylocomiadelphus triquetrus
Heath Plait-mossHypnum jutlandicum
Capillary Thread-mossBryum capillare
Swan's-neck Thyme-mossMnium hornum
Sphagnum capillifoliumSphagnum capillifolium
Green Mountain Fringe-mossRacomitrium fasciculare
Little Shaggy-mossRhytidiadelphus loreus
Grimmia trichophylla agg.Grimmia trichophylla agg.
Tamarisk ScalewortFrullania tamarisci

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

Photos

📷 Richard Law · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Information plaque - The Black Watch figurehead

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Useful places within 5 km

✦prow of shipHistoric site100 m→✦Corn MillHistoric site3.9 km→✦PolmaddyHistoric site4 km→✦Polmaddy InnHistoric site4.1 km→✦Shiel of CasgtlemaddyHistoric site4 km→✦Remains of stone crossesHistoric site4.8 km→

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