Yearly Archives: 2011

Twitcher delight at new Forvie hide

Posted on April 19, 2011 by Helen Webster

One of northeast Scotland’s top wildlife watching sites is sporting a new bird hide in time for summer. Forvie national nature reserve, just north of Aberdeen, is famous for wading birds and geese. The hide overlooks the Ythan estuary at Waulkmill, a vast area of mudflats, reed beds and nearby fields. Recent counts have found over 22,000 pink-footed geese use the estuary and nearby fields. Visitors also often see large numbers of other birds like lapwing, golden plover and redshank. One of the reasons the hide’s location is terrific for bird-watching is the mud: the mud in front of the…

Posted in Nature, News

Spring advice to dog walkers

Posted on April 16, 2011 by Helen Webster

With the lambing season well underway, Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) is reminding dog owners of the responsibilities that come with the right to roam and is also offering free poop scoops. Scotland has by far the best access legislation for walkers in the UK; allowing access to most land. With those rights come a number of responsibilities which are outlined in the Scottish Outdoor Access Code. At this time of year the main concern for dog owners is to ensure that dogs do not disturb livestock with young and also ground nesting birds. SNH has summarised the main issues for…

Posted in Access issues

Where eagles dare to be seen live on TV

Posted on April 14, 2011 by Helen Webster

Live pictures of a golden eagle nest at a secret location in north west Scotland are set to be beamed to tourists and locals under an innovative new scheme macked by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH). A new CCTV camera is perched at the site in an area of west Sutherland and is set to go live at Easter on a large screen in the Assynt Visitor Centre in Lochinver, Sutherland. This will let enthusiasts experience what it must be like to get up close and personal with golden eagles among the soaring peaks and glens of the north west. The…

Posted in Nature

Oldest Osprey lays 59th egg

Posted on April 13, 2011 by Helen Webster

The UK’s oldest breeding female osprey, a bird which returned for the 21st consecutive year to the Scottish Wildlife Trust’s (SWT) Loch of the Lowes Wildlife Reserve last month, has laid the first egg of its breeding season, it was announced today (Wednesday 13 April). The egg, which is the 59th egg to be laid by this individual osprey in its lifetime, has sparked hopes that this bird, whose fertility is under doubt due to its incredible 26 years of age, could produce its 49th chick on the nest this year. Spotted protectively hunched over an egg at 13.34 pm…

Posted in Nature

Trees for Life gets financial boost

Posted on April 13, 2011 by Helen Webster

Valuable work carried out by a conservation charity to restore and preserve the ancient Highland Caledonian pine forest has received a major boost from Scottish Nautral Heritage (SNH). Trees for Life plan to plant native trees, remove non-native trees, restore wetlands, remove fences, carry out tree protection measures, plant ground flora and collect seeds and berries. The charity will work to promote peoples’ contact with nature in order to improve health and well-being. The work will take place at the RSPB Corrimony reserve and on land at Inverinate, Strathconon, Strathfarrar, and Scatwell Estate. Trees for Life organise week-long ‘conservation holidays’…

Posted in Nature

Beinn Eighe visitor centre open for season

Posted on April 12, 2011 by Helen Webster

A visitor centre at Britain’s oldest national nature reserve opened its doors for the Easter break on Sunday 10 April and will remain open until 31 October. Beinn Eighe National Nature Reserve’s visitor centre in Kinlochewe, Wester Ross, will be open daily from 10am-5pm. The reserve has three all-ability trails which are open year-round and other facilities for visitors include the two self-guiding Glas Leitir woodland and mountain trails. Beinn Eighe was created in 1951 with its species of interest including golden eagle, Scottish crossbill, mountain hare, red deer and black throated divers, while its internationally important habitats include juniper…

Posted in Access issues, News

New advice to dog walkers

Posted on April 12, 2011 by Helen Webster

In response to increased levels of two diseases found in cattle and sheep which can be spread by dogs, new advice has been issued to dog walkers. Neosporosis, which can cause abortions in cattle, and Sarcocytosis, which can cause neurological disease and death in sheep, have been linked to the presence on grazing land of dog faeces from infected dogs. Dogs can be infected without showing any symptoms and are most likely to pick up the disease by eating contaminated material, including raw meat, infected placentas or other material which the dog might find on farmland. In the advice, which…

Posted in Access issues

Tick Bite Prevention Week

Posted on April 9, 2011 by Helen Webster

Tick Bite Prevention Week will be running again this year from 11 – 17 April. It is estimated that 3,000 people a year contract Lyme Disease from a tick bite every year. Walkers or others involved in outdoor activities can be at a high risk of tick bites, particularly when heading through countryside or parks where there are sheep or deer and bracken which can attract ticks. Tick Bite Prevention Week offers a number of simple precautions can help to keep you safe including tucking trousers into socks, avoiding dense undergrowth or using a stick to bash away ticks first,…

Posted in News

Collie and Mackenzie sculpture progress

Posted on April 7, 2011 by Helen Webster

Plans are progressing to erect a sculpture of two climbing heros of the Cuillin on the Isle of Skye. The planned statue aims to commemorate the achievements of Sconser man John Mackenzie and his internationally renowned climbing companion Norman Collie. The group behind the plans has already persuaded Scottish Hydro to remove the power lines which blighted the view of the Cuillin from Sligachan. A £10,000 private donation is now allowing the group to start work on landscaping the statue site at Sligachan on Skye. The plans involve improving the entrance to the site, building gateways and a drystone wall.…

Posted in News

Extra protection for Sea Eagles

Posted on April 5, 2011 by Helen Webster

Sea eagles together with farmers and crofters, are set to benefit from a new £80,000 project. The three year scheme will see Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) working with farmers and crofters to help the birds throughout the areas where they breed. Scotland’s sea eagle population has reached a record high since the birds were re-introduced on the Isle of Rum 36 years ago. But they are still considered to be rare with just 52 adult breeding pairs across the country. The birds are also known as white tailed eagles, they lay up to three eggs in March with chicks leaving…

Posted in Nature