Noss Nature Reserve reopened following avian flu outbreak

Noss National Nature Reserve has reopened to the public following the island’s closure last year due to avian flu. The Noss ferry has resumed service this season and NatureScot staff are looking forward to welcoming visitors back to the island, which is home to thousands of seabirds each summer. Last summer both Noss and the…

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Find out how salmon were filmed for Wild Isles

FILMMAKERS Richard Davies and Chris Howard will share the secrets next week of how they captured shots of Atlantic salmon for Wild Isles, the recent BBC One wildlife series presented by Sir David Attenborough. The Missing Salmon Alliance (MSA) is hosting an online evening with the Silverback Films duo on 18 May. The free event…

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Which birds are missing from your area?

THERE are 73 million fewer birds in the UK than there were back in 1970, according to figures released by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) to mark today’s International Dawn Chorus Day. Almost 30 million house sparrows, 20 million starlings, four million skylarks, two million blackbirds, and one million chaffinches have vanished from the…

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‘National effort’ needed to save Scottish wildcat

A MAMMALS expert has warned that a “national effort” is needed in order to save the Scottish wildcat from extinction. Roo Campbell, the mammal adviser to government agency NatureScot, used the publication of a report to highlight the threat to the wildcat, which is critically endangered. The report draws together the findings from the Scottish…

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Return of the lynx discussed in parliament

REINTRODUCING lynx to Scotland is being discussed at the Scottish Parliament today. Ariane Burgess, a Green MSP for the Highlands and islands, has sponsored a reception that was organised by conservation charities Scotland: The Big Picture, Trees for Life, and The Lifescape Project. Today’s reception follows a debate last Thursday, during which a motion by…

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Firth of Forth marine life mapped

WHALES, dolphins, and other mammals visiting the Firth of Forth have been mapped by scientists and the public. More than 450 people reported sightings of whales, porpoises, dolphins, and seals to researchers from Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh using the Forth Marine Mammals group on the Facebook social network. Exotic species such as humpback, minke, and…

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Claire Harkess: ‘Fine Feathers’ at Strathearn Gallery

ONE of the United Kingdom’s most accomplished and renowned wildlife painters, Claire Harkess RSW, opens a new solo exhibition, “Fine Feathers”, at the Strathearn Gallery in Crieff from 22 April. Perthshire-based Claire has previously travelled worldwide, with the Arctic, Antarctic, and Galapagos Islands all providing inspiration for her paintings but, for this new collection of…

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Loch Ness hosts world’s first rewilding centre

DUNDREGGAN, the world’s first rewilding centre, opens tomorrow at Glenmoriston near Loch Ness. The site will act as a visitors’ centre for the 10,000-acre Dundreggan estate, where conservation charity Trees for Life is restoring the Caledonian forest to help wildlife. The centre includes a café, a space for events, and 40 bedrooms. Steve Micklewright, Trees…

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St Kilda viewpoint planned for North Uist

PLANS for a St Kilda viewpoint centre on North Uist have been unveiled. Sealladh Hiort is part of Slighe Hiort – the St Kilda trail – which will consist of three centres in the Outer Hebrides that will give visitors information about the remote islands. The exhibition at the centre will be designed by Mather…

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Dinosaurs descend on Floors Castle

DINOSAURS will descend on Floors Castle at Kelso for the first time in more than 60 million years. The stately home is welcoming the models into its grounds for one day only on 3 June. “The event includes interactive, educational, and musical entertainment shows, selfie photo-opportunities with the dinos, and meet and greet walkabouts offering…

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