TENS of thousands of wild geese are returning to their winter safe haven on the Solway Firth.

There have been stunning sights in skies across the region as seven different species of the bird have been flying over en-route to their way to their winter feeding grounds.

The WWT’s Caerlaverock reserve, on the Solway coast near Annan, is renowned globally for the Svalbard barnacle geese which flock there.

In the late 1940s there were only 300 birds but due to conservation 40,000 birds now visit the Solway each winter, 8-10,000 of which are on the reserve at WWT Caerlaverock every day from late September until April.

Numbers peak in mid-October as the main population arrive from their 2,000-mile migration.

To celebrate their return, WWT Caerlaverock is holding a Wild Goose Weekend on October 12 and 13.

Faith Hillier, WWT Caerlaverock’s engagement officer, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity to experience the sights and sounds of thousands of geese, and to learn all about these wonderful birds and the work WWT is doing to protect them.”