Wildlife & Conservation
Blackcaps pick UK over Mediterranean for winter
SOME Scots might be heading to the Mediterranean for its winter sunshine, but more and more blackcaps are doing the opposite. Historically, blackcaps have bred in the UK and then returned to the Mediterranean during the winter. Now, scientists have discovered that a growing number of the robin-sized birds are not only staying in the…
Read MoreWildlife news round-up: Rewilding, capercaillie, and more
Peter Ranscombe rounds-up the latest wildlife news from Scotland. A MIXED picture has emerged from Scotland’s national nature reserves (NNRs) this season, with bird flu decimating great skuas – or bonxies – and gannets at Noss on Shetland, with kittiwake and Arctic terns fairing better. Terns of all varieties – Arctic, common, little, and sandwich…
Read MoreScotland sees more Portuguese men o’ war
STORMS have led to more Portuguese men o’ war being spotted in Scotland’s waters, according to the Marine Conservation Society (MCS). To mark World Jellyfish Day, the charity has released its first “Wildlife Sightings” report, which is based on a longer-running citizen science project. A total of 1,315 jellyfish sightings were reported to the MCS…
Read More‘Punk rocker’ waxwings land in Scotland
EXPERTS are predicting a bumper winter for waxwings as the “punk rocker” birds return to Scotland. The pinkish birds are about the size of a starling and have “swooping crests, orange, grey, and lemon-yellow tails, and wing feathers with waxy red tips”. They breed in coniferous forests in Scandinavia and Eastern Russia, and usually spend…
Read MoreBuglife Scotland launches ‘Guardians of our Rivers’
INSECT charity Buglife Scotland has unveiled its “Guardians of our Rivers” project to monitor life in Scotland’s burns. Members of the public will be trained to spot the creatures living in Scottish streams. Their surveys will help to monitor the health of our nation’s waterways. Community groups, schools, and individuals are being recruited to take…
Read MoreNew Fair Isle bird observatory takes shape
CONSTRUCTION of a replacement bird observatory for Fair Isle took a step forward yesterday. Modules built in a factory in Sheffield arrived at the island on a barge, ready to be assembled. The world-famous observatory burned down in 2019. Fair Isle has hosted a bird observatory since 1948. As well as carrying out scientific research,…
Read MoreHighlanders asked to spot red squirrels
CONSERVATIONISTS are asking people in the Highlands to report their red squirrels sightings to help protect the endangered species. Enviromental charity Trees for Life has been moving red squirrels from around Inverness, Nairn, and other parts of the Inner Moray Firth to areas where they’ve been missing. Over the past six years, the charity has…
Read MoreAtlantic Salmon Trust auction is open
THE Atlantic Salmon Trust has launched its annual auction to raise money for research. More than 100 lots are up for grabs, including fishing, shooting, and stalking experiences at some of Scotland’s most exclusive locations. Works of art, clothing, and food and drink are also going under the online hammer. Wild salmon stocks have plunged…
Read MoreFeeding call as National Red Squirrel Week looms
IF YOU live in an area with red squirrels then keep feeding them during the autumn and winter. That’s the message from the Red Squirrel Survival Trust ahead of National Red Squirrel Week, which runs on 10-16 October. The trust recommends a mix of hazelnuts in their shells, walnuts, unsalted peanuts, and sunflower seeds, along…
Read MoreGroups warn over ‘Hunting With Dogs’ Bill
COUNTRYSIDE groups have warned Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) about “unintended consequences” from the Hunting With Dogs (Scotland) Bill that’s making its way through Holyrood. Representative from the British Association for Shooting & Conservation (BASC), the Kennel Club, and Scotland’s Regional Moorland Groups (SRMGs) met with MSPs to warn them that the bill poses…
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