Thousands of Pink-footed geese arrive in Montrose

Thousands of Pink-footed geese have arrived in Montrose as they migrate south for the winter. So far, more than 25,000 have been counted, with more expected to arrive in the coming weeks. Every year, the birds stop off at Montrose Basin after flying in from Greenland and Iceland. This year the birds arrived earlier than…

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Early departure for Loch of the Lowes ospreys

THE ospreys nesting at the Scottish Wildlife Trust nature reserve at Loch of the Lowes in Perthshire have made their earliest departure. Female NC0 hasn’t been spotted at the loch since 15 July, while male LM12 was last seen on 12 August. Both birds arrived back at the reserve after wintering in Africa on the…

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Conservationists object to Coul Links golf course

WILDLIFE charities are calling on the public to object to plans for a golf course at Coul Links in Sutherland. Seven organisations – including the National Trust for Scotland, the RSPB, and the Scottish Wildlife Trust – are “extremely concerned” about revised plans submitted to The Highland Council. Craig Macadam, conservation director at insect charity…

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Red squirrels put on a diet to help them survive

A Scottish council’s ranger service is putting red squirrels in the area on an diet. Aberdeen City Council’s countryside service ranger service is teaming up with Carnie Woods Community Group and the Scottish Wildlife Trust on a diet plan for the woods’ red squirrel population and other wildlife in the area. The plan follows discussions…

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Could the missing lynx return?

A YEAR-LONG survey has been launched to find out if the public wants lynx to be introduced to the Highlands. Supporters say the big cats would help to control roe deer numbers, while opponents worry about their effect on sheep kept near woodland, the species’ favoured habitat. The consultation has been launched by three charities:…

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Pupils launch 2020 wildlife charity calendar

A Perthshire school is celebrating the exceptional range of wildlife to be found on its grounds in the pages of a 2020 calendar, being sold in aid of the Scottish Wildlife Trust. The calendar features a dozen stunning wildlife images taken by photographer Rosanna Forbes. All of the profits from sales of the calendar will…

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Searching for declining butterflies on the bog

A wildlife charity is calling on nature enthusiasts in Edinburgh to help search for a once common butterfly, which has suffered a 68% decline across Scotland in the last 10 years. Butterfly Conservation Scotland is extremely concerned about the Small Tortoiseshell and needs people to help look for the butterfly on Sunday 28 July at…

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When Scotland’s beavers made their return

I never imagined in my wildest dreams that I would be able to walk less than a mile from my home in the Tay valley and see fresh signs of beaver activity on the river bank. A couple of fleeting glimpses of a broad brown beaver head disappearing beneath the Tay’s inky depths has been…

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Environmentalists honoured for their hard work

Toad patrols, wildlife blogs, beach cleaning and repairing mountain paths are just some of the things happening across Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park. Communities across the area came together at the Community Partnership’s annual event ‘A Green Revolution – building sustainable communities now’ in Arrochar to learn about and celebrate local people raising…

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Volunteers help bats enjoy their new hangout

A group of people have gone batty to help Scotland’s creatures of the night. Scottish Wildlife Trust volunteers have completed work to secure and upgrade a bat hut at Upper Nethan Gorge Wildlife Reserve in South Lanarkshire. The hut was converted from a disused railway building hut in the early 1990s but was damaged by…

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