Scottish gull-proof waste bags trial gets underway

We’ve all seen gulls causing having in town centres and seaside locations all over Scotland by ripping open bin bags with their beaks. But now one Scottish council is fighting back against those those feathered pests. Dumfries and Galloway Council are aware of the issues residents have with gulls. They are tp carry out a…

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Gannets begin to arrive for their breeding season

Scotland’s national conservation and education charity, the Scottish Seabird Centre is celebrating the arrival of the first of this season’s gannets on the Bass Rock. The gannets have been spotted circling the rock in North Berwick for several weeks but, they have finally been seen landing on the island by Seabird Centre guide and gannet…

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Baby pine martins pose a challenge to rescue centre

TV viewers can find out more about the country’s wildlife when they go inside the Scottish SPCA’s wildlife rescue centre. Born to Be Wild is shown on the BBC Scotland channel on Mondays, and in the next episode, assistant manager Jonny has his hands full when a bunch of baby pine martens are brought in…

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Taxidermist George is keeping the memory of animals alive

Edinburgh-born taxidermist George Jamieson’s fascination with his craft started at a young age. A creatively inclined child, Jamieson began collecting stuffed birds to paint and sketch. As a reward for passing his 11+ exams, he was given a taxidermied golden eagle. It wasn’t long before Jamieson decided to try it for himself and armed only…

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The Scot who was a real-life Robinson Crusoe

The tale of Robinson Crusoe is a familiar one, but less well known is the story of a young Scottish girl who, 170 years ago, survived just such an ordeal herself. On 16 October 1849, a party of sailors from naval ship HMS Rattlesnake, commanded by Captain Owen Stanley, went ashore at Cape York, Queensland,…

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Take flight to a fascinating avian art exhibition

Aviary, an exhibition reflecting on the significance of the bird as a motif in contemporary Scottish art, will open next weekend. Taking place at the Royal Scottish Academy’s Academicians’ Gallery from 19 January-17 February, exhibiting artists are Ade Adesina, Michael Agnew, Elizabeth Blackadder, John Busby, Joyce Cairns, James Castle, George Donald, James Fairgrieve, Alexander Fraser,…

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Kinloch Castle fundraiser is all set to launch

A campaign to restore a beautiful Scottish castle to its former glory gets underway next week. Nestling in the bay of Loch Scresort on the island of Rum,  Kinloch Castle is surrounded by a shelter belt of trees, planted at the same time as the castle was built. It is an impressive and intriguing sight…

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A chance to re-discover Scotland’s natural wonders

Grab a cup of tea, sit down in the summerhouse and enjoy a moment of tranquility whilst reading Amanda Thomson’s delightful A Scots Dictionary of Nature. Split into six categories – land, wood, weather, birds, water and walking – the author has brought together some long-forgotten words that are customarily used to describe Scotland’s rich…

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We try and test the slow cooked free-range Loué turkey crown

We try and test the Slow Cooked Free-Range Loué Turkey Crown in Gravy from Donald Russell. I WANT IT BECAUSE: Christmas is almost upon us but we’re all horribly busy. This is delivered straight to your door, frozen. Royal Warrant holders Donald Russell are a Scottish company, the free-range birds are sustainably produced in France…

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Questions on Scotland are given answers

Q What is the deepest loch in Scotland? A Loch Morar is located in the North West Highlands of Scotland in Lochaber. It has a depth of approximately 310 metres (1,017 feet), making it the deepest body of freshwater in Britain and the third deepest in Europe. Loch Morar is also the fifth-largest loch in…

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