Scottish National Heritage - The Nature of Scotland AutumnWinter2012Issue_16

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The Nature of ScotlandScottish Natural Heritage Autumn / Winter 2012

Year of NatuScotland 201A celebration

Ben NevisMountain action plan

GlasgowsGuardiansIn a dear green plac


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2 The Nature of Scotland


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Contents

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Features10 Natural inspiration Gearing up for Year of

Natural Scotland 2013

14 Branching Out A healthy outdoor initiative in

Clyde Muirshiel Country Park

22 Keeping up traditionsin a digital era

The Birds of Scotlandjourney from 1953 to 2012

24 Handling the pressureon Ben Nevis

Looking after Britainshighest mountain

28 Mixed fortunes for butterfli Location is key in poor summ

32 National Wildlife Rescue Ce A new centre to help

wild animals in distress

48 High-value walks Arran Mountain Festival

brings economic rewards

50 Glasgows green guardians Keeping the dear green

place in good shape

56 After the storms How Forestry Commission

Scotland deals with storm da

58 Celebrating communicatioand conservation

2020VISION project capturenatural heritage at its best

Regulars2 Where we are

SNH contact details

3 Welcome

4 Wild calendar Where to go and what to

see this autumn and winter

18 News

30 Dualchas coitcheann /Common heritage

Linking language and environment

36 Reserve focus Discover Caerlaverock NNR

42 Area news Reports from round the country

64 Mailing list Make sure you always

receive your copy


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Credits

The Nature of ScotlandThe Magazine of Scottish Natural HeritageIssue Number 16 Autumn / Winter 2012

Published twice per year SNH 2012ISSN 1350 309X

Editor: Jim JeffreyTel. 01738 458528

Cover photo: Stac Pollaidh, AssyntPhotographer : Lorne Gill/2020VISION/SNH

Inside cover: Cairngorms National ParkPhotographer : Lorne Gill/SNH

Welcome page: Kinnoul Hill, PerthPhotographer: Lorne Gill/2020VISION/SNH

Photography all images by Lorne Gill/SNH other than; Roy Leverton 4;David Whitaker 6t, 9 (image 1 in strip), 20, 23r, 27t, 40r; Keith Ringland 8;Nial Benvie/Images from the Edge 9 (image 3 in strip); ForestryCommission 19; Alex Mustard 21; Mark Hamblin 23l ; Cathy Mayne/SNH24; Lorne Gill 2020Vision/SNH 28, 60; FLPA/ Alamy 30; Colin Seddon/National Wildlife Rescue Centre 32, 33, 34 and 35; Juan Brown 42l;Ian Mitchell/SNH 42m; Waterways Trust 43l; Laurie Campbell 43m;The Wild Trout Trust 44r; Dumfries & Galloway Bat Group 45l; Andrew

Bielinski 45m; Jim Anderson 45r; Pete Moore/SNH 46l; Feis Rois 46m;Cath Scott 50; Mark Hamblin/2020VISION 58 and 59, 61,62; PeterCairns/2020 VISION 63.

Map, 37 Ashworth Maps and Interpretation Ltd 2012.Based on Ordnance Survey mapping. Crown copyrightand database right 2012. All rights reserved.Ordnance Survey Licence number SNH 100017908.

To share your views about The Nature of Scotlandor suggest articles forfuture issues please contact the editor:

SNH MagazineBattleby, Redgorton,Perth PH1 3EWEmail: [email protected]

The views expressed in this magazine do not

necessarily reflect those of SNH.

Printed by: J Thomson Colour Printers, GlasgowJTCP31k1012

When youve finished with this magazine, please recycle it. Pass it toanother reader or dispose of it at your local waste-collection point.

Where we are

You can contact SNH byletter, telephone or email.The following detailsshould enable you to findyour nearest main office,but bear in mind that wealso have a number ofoffices smaller than thoselisted.

A full list of our officesappears on the SNHwebsite: www.snh.gov.uk

Corporateheadquarters

Great Glen House,Leachkin Road,Inverness IV3 8NWTel. 01463 725 000Email: [email protected]

Other main offices

Battleby, Redgorton,Perth PH1 3EWTel. 01738 444 177

Silvan House,3rd Floor East,231 Corstorphine Road,Edinburgh EH12 7ATTel. 0131 316 2600

Caspian House,Mariner Court,Clydebank Business Park,Clydebank G81 2NRTel. 0141 951 4488

Area offices

ForthThe Beta Centre,Innovation Park,University of Stirling,Stirling FK9 4NFTel. 01786 450 362

ForthSilvan House,3rd Floor East,231 Corstorphine Road,Edinburgh EH12 7ATTel. 0131 316 2600

Southern ScotlandCarmont House,The Crichton,Bankend Road,Dumfries DG1 4ZFTel. 01387 247 010

Northern Isles& North HighlandGround Floor,Stewart Building,Alexandra Wharf,Lerwick,Shetland ZE1 0LLTel. 01595 693 345

Northern Isles& North HighlandThe Links,Golspie Business Park,Golspie,Sutherland KW10 6UBTel. 01408 634 063

South HighlandFodderty Way,Dingwall Business Park,Dingwall IV15 9XBTel. 01349 865 333

South HighlandThe Governors House,The Parade, Fort William,Inverness-shire PH33 6BA

Tel. 01397 704 716

Strathclyde & AyrshireCaspian House,Mariner Court,Clydebank Business Park,Clydebank G81 2NRTel. 0141 951 4488

Tayside & GrampianBattleby, Redgorton,Perth PH1 3EWTel. 01738 444 177

Tayside & GrampianInverdee House,Baxter Street,Torry,Aberdeen AB11 9QATel. 01224 266 500

Argyll & Outer Hebrides32 Francis Street,Stornoway,Isle of Lewis HS1 2NDTel. 01851 705 258



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Welcome

Alison BellPrincipal Adviser CommunicationsScottish Natural Heritage

Welcome to the Autumn/Winter issue of The Nature of Scotland. In this ediwe look forward to the year ahead, as well as reviewing some highlightsfrom 2012. By sharing ways to enjoy our fabulous natural heritage we hopeto encourage you to find out more or perhaps visit some of these places toexperience them yourself.

Next year, our natural heritage will feature in the Year of Natural Scotland2013, the latest of the Scottish Governments focus years. In partnership with wide range of organisations concerned with the natural heritage, we will celebrour world-class natural assets and inspire more people to experience our naturaenvironment. A programme of events and activities throughout the year will offe

lots of opportunities to tempt you to explore our natural heritage. Our feature artintroduces some of the plans SNH has in store for the Year of Natural Scotland

2012 will long be remembered as an Olympic year in which taking part,as either a volunteer, spectator or competitor, proved highly rewarding.The expectation is that the enthusiasm that radiated from the London OlympGames will be replicated in 2014 when Glasgow hosts the CommonwealthGames. This will be a chance for Scotland and, in particular, the west of Scto showcase its many assets. We start that process by featuring the work oGlasgows enthusiastic Countryside Rangers across a host of parks and grespaces. Glasgow may be our biggest city but, as our article reveals, it is alsrightly proud of its rich natural heritage, living up to being a dear green plac

Away from the urban environment, we look at partnership working to alle

the pressures on Scotlands highest mountain Ben Nevis and we featurmost southerly National Nature Reserve where wide open spaces and distahorizons make for a tranquil setting.

There is a focus on the stunning imagery captured as part of thegroundbreaking 2020VISION project and we reflect on how the BranchingOut project is helping those affected by mental health issues. Climate chanis an ever-present topic these days and impinges on many environmental isLooking at the effects of climate change, we explore how butterflies fared dwhat was, for some areas of Scotland, a very wet summer. We also reveal hcolleagues in Forestry Commission Scotland tackle storm damage in popularecreational spots.

If reading the magazine has stimulated you to find out more about howScottish Natural Heritage looks after Scotlands nature, visit www.snh.gov.ukEnjoy reading our latest update in the pages that follow and make Year of NScotland 2013 your year to experience something new in our countrys wondnatural heritage.


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Wild calendarIn the changing tones of leaves and the deepening of dusks, inthe movements of birds to roost, in the dew-spangling of spiderswebs and the roar of deer in the hills, theres an energy to autumn.Make the effort to meet it, and autumns nature can revitalise with its

patterns, tones, tastes and sounds. From the tiniest fallen leaf to thelargest mountain, autumn is out there. And its beautiful.

Kenny Taylor givessome seasonaltips for savouring

Scottish wildlifeand landscapes

While bird migration can be quite noticeable in autumn,

long-range movements of moths tend to go un-noticed bymost people. But these flights can be just as impressive asthe migrations of birds.

The Silver Y moth, a common migrant to Britain fromEurope, is named for the y-shaped squiggle on each wing. Itarrives in large numbers from countries to the south in springand summer. Some individuals go south again in autumn.

What is remarkable is that a Silver Y can match, or beat,the speed of many small migrant birds. Its technique is towait until the wind is blowing in roughly the direction in

which it wants to migrate. Then it flies up to an altitude of

over 400 metres.With a good push from a tail wind and even some

turbo-boost from the jet stream, a Silver Y can travel up to700 kilometres in 8 hours of flight. Thats like going fromEdinburgh to Calais, across the English Channel, in a singleworking day.

Not bad for a creature that could sit on your thumb.

Web tip: www.nature.com/news/2010/100204/full/news.2010.54.html

Ys moves


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Dung ho!

Theyre built like miniature Sumo wrestlers. Dumpy, short-limbed, slow-moving, but powerful-looking, you might seeone on a woodland track or at the edge of a field.

Theyre less than 3cm long, with dark, shiny wing casesand surprising shades of iridescent purple on the underside.Foxes and pine martens are among the few predators thatare happy to chew through this body armour. In turn, this cangive some unusual colours to their own droppings and a cluethat theres a characterful insect in the area.

Dung (or dor) beetle by name, dung-using by nature.They eat the stuff, roll balls of it and bury stores of faecesto raise their young. These small relatives of the scarab whose dung-rolling led ancient Egyptians to believe theyalso kept the sun moving are very, very strong.

One member of the wider world clan of dung beetles canpull more than 1,100 times its own body weight. It uses thissuper-strength to battle rivals at choice dung pats.

Thank goodness, then, that dung beetles are notSumo-sized.

Web tip: www.uksafari.com/dorbeetles.htm

Think of autumn nuts, and you might picturehorse chestnuts, shiny as polished mahogany.Or perhaps youll imagine a medley of shellednuts, ready for Halloween, and mostly sourced farfrom Scotland.

Were thin on choice of native nuts inScotland. Theres hazel and thats about it.

But our links with hazel go back a very long way,in both practical and mythical connections.The very first people to live in Scotland after

the last Ice Age went a bundle on hazelnuts.Theres evidence from more than 8,000 years ago,on places such as Rum, that these mesolithic folk

feasted on huge quantities of roasted hazelnuts.And in Celtic lore, nine nuts from magic hazel

trees overhanging a particular pool were eaten byFintan, the Salmon of Knowledge (bradn feasa).When Fionn mac Cumhaill tasted the salmonsflesh, he gained knowledge of all things.

At the same time, as we now know, Fionn

would also have had a protein boost from both thefish and the nuts and a useful dose of Omega 3.Nuts? Maybe not.

Web tip: www.allotment.org.uk/grow-your-own/nuts/hazelnuts

Old nutters


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Some other things to look for in autumn:

Dark glossy elderberries: brilliant yellow aspenleaves; clusters of fungi; V shapes of flocks

of geese overhead

Ready for the storm

Sometimes you might see one on thevery top of a tree, as the sky darkensand strengthening wind bounces birdand branches. Early in the year, it mighteven sing as the rain clouds move in.

Stormcock. Thats one of thetraditional names for this bird thatseems almost to revel in shifts ofweather, like a feathered John Muir inthe woods of his homeland.

Mistle thrush. Thats the usual name,given for the thought that it might helpto spread seeds of mistletoe, whichthen lodge and grow high in sometrees.

Autumn is a challenge for thestormcock. Not for the weather, butfor the migrant invaders that can foilits plans for winter. Mistle thrushesare resident in their home patch, year

round. Here, they try to defend berry-bearing bushes and trees so they havea food source to re-visit.

Waves of hungry fieldfares andredwings swooping in from Scandinaviacan scupper such plans. Viking hordes1, Stormcocks 0. Thats the predictedscore in some hedges near you thisautumn.

Web tip: www.garden-birds.co.uk/birds/mistlethrush.htm


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WinterDaylight hours are few now, but that means more chances to appreciate the tonesof dawn and dusk. How does a local wall look when the first rays touch the stems ofgrasses beside it? How long will the Scots pine trunks hold the shades of orange-gold at sunset, before the colours fade? What does the robins song sound like as itsings by the light of a streetlamp? Nature and winter: theres plenty to enjoy.

Rambling bramblings

Watch a bird feeder through winter, and youll know thaits not just the acrobatics of blue tits that can fascinateThe birds that typically use the ground below are oftenas numerous, and equally interesting.

Chaffinches are likely to be among them. Females hremarkably good camouflage through winter in their dodead-leaf-toned plumage. Hot pinks of the males sumfinery have also dulled: a smart move to make them ha

for hungry sparrowhawks to spot.Very occasionally, you might also see a bird that is

roughly the same size and pattern as a chaffinch, but julittle bit different. Stronger black and orange in the plumare pointers that it is a brambling, and a pure white rumwhen it flies is a give-away.

Bramblings come to Scotland from Norway each aubut the numbers wintering here vary a great deal. In Euwhere migrant bramblings feed in large beechwoods inheart of the continent, flocks of millions have been recoBut in Scotland, seeing even one bird can be a winterbirdwatching bonus.

Web tip: www.birdsofbritain.co.uk/bird-guide/brambling.asp

Clock the ages

A winter walk in the Scottish uplands can bring manypleasures. Among those can be the patterns on largeboulders, if you take the time to look closely.

Shapes and textures of rocks are often interesting, butits also likely that many of the rocks will support growths oflichens. Some of these may be tiny, their details obvious onlythrough a magnifying lens. Others, including map lichen, areobvious, with striking contrasts in colour.

Map lichen thrives in areas of low air pollution. Eachforms a patch, bordered by a black line of spores. Severalgrowing on one rock give an effect that obviously brought atinted map to mind for whoever gave the species its commonname.

Lichenometrists love map lichen. Its their boulder-brightener of choice. They use it to reckon how long a rockhas been exposed and therefore open to lichen growth afterbeing held in a glacier. Knowing the average map-lichengrowth rate, the size of the largest patch allows them tocalculate the minimum time since the rock was deposited.

Web tip: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lichenometry


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Foxy ladies wanted

The stillness of some winter nightscan be crystalline. Go outside in acalm place, when frost has crisped thegrass and stars by the galaxy-load glintoverhead. Then listen to the silence.

The screaming bark of a red foxcan cut through the calm of such anight. Sharp, sudden, then gone, it alsoseems to amplify the wider quiet.

Thats from a human perspective.From the foxs point of view, barkingin winter is a way of communicatingwith potential mates and rivals. Two ofthese will probably be the female anddominant male whose ranges overlapin the area where one or both of themis calling.

The dog fox will be particularlyfocused on this vixen in the matingseason during January and February.

A vixens calls and her response tohis bark can help him home in onthe female when shes most likely toconceive. But he may not succeed.

No wonder to a human ear thatthere can be such a plaintive quality tothose short, unexpected fox calls in thedark.

Web tip: sounds.bl.uk/Environment/British-wildlife-recordings/022M-W1CDR0001494-1600V0


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Some other things to look for in winter:

Sea ducks, such as scoters, inshore; skeleton leaveson woodland paths; animalpawpr

in snow; bright green mosstussocks

Branches of learningLook at the shapes of branches, twigs and stems when broadleaved trees andwoody shoots have shed their leaves. Sometimes the effect can be minimalist,with one or two thin lines against a background of ice or snow. At other times,the intricacy is much greater.

Such sights can be inspirations for art. And for some people with amathematical turn of mind, they can fairly tickle the brain.

The flowerheads of some umbellifers such as hogweeds, for example, havea simple fractal arrangement. A big sphere (the whole head) is made up fromsmaller spheres (the individual florets).

With trees, things can get complex. More than 500 years ago, Leonardo daVinci noticed that the combined thickness of branches matched that of the motherbranch from which they divided. But it took until 2011 for the mathematics of thatrelationship to be used to explore what Leonardos Rule might mean for a tree.

The answer is that it helps the tree to withstand winds. So what other secretsmight be there, in the patterns of winter nature?

Web tip: phys.org/news/2012-01-leonardo-da-vinci-tree.html


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Natural inspirationAs part of an exciting year-long programme, stunning scenery and fabulouswildlife will play a starring role in Year of Natural Scotland 2013.


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Year of Natural Scotland 2013 is the latest in series of focus years being promoted by theScottish Government. Scotland is renowned fits breathtaking scenery and wonderfully divewildlife and during the Year of Natural Scotlawe invite everyone to find out more about andappreciate our countrys great natural assets.

We know that our natural heritage is appealing when it

comes to attracting visitors to Scotland. For example, i2008 a survey revealed that 95% of visitors from the UStates saw scenery as a significant part of their decisioto come here, and that figure rose to 97% when Germtourists were questioned.

The focus of 2013 will be to inspire all of the peoplScotland, as well as our visitors, to experience our natuheritage, promoting our natural tourism attractions andto enjoy them responsibly.

There is wide recognition that our cultural heritage strongly linked to our landscapes and wildlife and the YNatural Scotland 2013 underlines our role and commit

to looking after our outstanding natural environment.Delivered by a partnership led by Scottish GovernmenVisitScotland, EventScotland and Scottish Natural Herand supported by a wide range of organisations involvwith our natural heritage, Year of Natural Scotland 201will offer a programme of activities and events to encopeople to experience the best of Scotlands natural andtourism attractions. As the programme for next year beto take shape, we invite you to enjoy a flavour of the wwhich you can get involved in the Year of Natural Scotl2013.

The Big FiveMarion Mulholland, Campaigns Manager at SNH, is onof those closely involved in the planning behind Year oNatural Scotland. In SNH we will be launching the Bcampaign. By highlighting our natural environment throfocus on five of Scotlands iconic species we want to iand encourage debate about our natural heritage. Thecampaign is really about raising awareness of this fantanatural asset. Ultimately we want to encourage peopleget out and discover some of the best places in Scotlato experience the Big Five, and to find out more about range of wildlife and landscapes of these places too.

The Big Five will be announced shortly. We have chfive species that are firmly associated with Scotland, hpopular, and where there are good opportunities to seleast some of them, no matter where you are in Scotla

Of course, picking a Big Five will spark debate, andyou can expect that everyone will have their own favoufive. Marion hopes this in itself will be part of the fun. Wknow that some people will question our Big Five seleand thats something we welcome and encourage. Welooking forward to hearing different opinions on the Big

1Little details in a biglandscape: thrift bythe seashore.

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and we will be running a national vote to invite everyone tochoose their own Big Five.

In early 2013 look out for special events featuring theBig Five, competitions, posters and lots of information aboutthe Big Five species and many others. Check the SNHwebsite (www.snh.gov.uk) to find out more.

Creative thinking

The Big Five is just one of the exciting plans in the pipeline

for 2013. People travelling by train around Scotland willsoon be able to find out more about what they see as theyjourney around the country. Plans are underway to develop adownloadable guide for three of Scotlands major rail routes,providing information on the natural heritage, includinginformation about the landscapes, history and culture alongkey routes.

Alison Bell, who is leading SNHs plans for the Year ofNatural Scotland, said: For both visitors and all of us livinghere, providing information on the natural environment willhelp everyone to find out more about our country as theytravel around and inspire our visitors to come back. The

Year of Natural Scotland is a great opportunity to use newtechnology to inform people about our natural heritage.2012 was Year of Creative Scotland and celebrated the

cultural and creative strengths of the nation. SNH will buildon that successful year by linking with Creative Scotlandto explore the links between the creative world and naturalScotland as we raise awareness of nature and landscapes.

SNH is also developing a new web portal and Facebookapp for young people to share their own ideas, stories andexperiences of Scotlands outdoors online.

John Muir Day

The Year of Natural Scotland will see a focus on the workof John Muir, including marking John Muir Day on 21April 2013. Muir was a pioneering, influential Scots-bornconservationist who was passionate about the wild. He

emigrated to North America at a young age, dedicated hislife to protecting wild places and campaigned successfullyfor the establishment of national parks to safeguardvast tracts of wild lands, most notably Yosemite Valley inCalifornia. Muirs legacy is huge and, in his own words,featured in the design of the Scottish Parliament building:

The battle for conservation will go on endlessly. It is part ofthe universal battle between right and wrong.

The Year of Natural Scotland is a great opportunity forus all to explore our own country, said Alison Bell. Makethis your year to be curious about Scotland and our naturalenvironment and experience it anew. Set aside time to get

out and do something in the outdoors in 2013 that youmight not usually do climb that hill, walk a long-distanceroute, seek out some of the many wonderful speciesfound in our country, visit your local green space be itpark, field, moorland or even your own garden theresalways something new to discover in Scotlands rich naturalenvironment.

2Nature, landscapes

and a sense of historyenliven many a railjourney.


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Countryside Ranger Claire Paterson explainshow 12-week programmes of inspirationalactivity in woodland settings are helping adultsimprove their mental health.

Branching Out1


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Its an unpleasant fact but it is reckoned that one adult in fourwill experience mental illness at some point in their lifetime. AtClyde Muirshiel Regional Park, which lies south-west of Glasgow,Branching Out programmes are tackling that statistic andimproving mental health.

Branching Out is an award-winning concept devised by Forestry CommissionScotland, in partnership with the NHS and mental health charities. Participantswho attend the course, usually in groups of 12, visit the Regional Park once aweek for three hours over a twelve-week period.

The course involves clients referred from mental health services participatingin a wide variety of activities such as conserving and improving habitats, throughalien species removal and birdbox building, to more artistic activities such aswillow sculpture, environmental art and photography. Taking part in creativepursuits is one way in which participants express what they are feeling, andsharing experiences with others helps them overcome feelings of isolation. At theend of the course there is a graduation ceremony with certificates of completion,tool-handling and achievement.

The group adopt an area to work in and, using bushcraft, develop skills inbasic tool use as well as communication and teamwork. Underpinning it all isthe calming atmosphere of the natural environment and fresh air, which helpsparticipants relax and, most importantly, enjoy themselves. Its part of our NaturalHealth Service!

The first public authority partner of the scheme, Clyde Muirshiel, will soon bedelivering its eighth programme for groups from Renfrewshire and Inverclyde.

1Artistic activities such

as photographyencourage creativityas well as enablingparticipants to recordtheir journey throughthe programme.

2The course includesshared experiences tobuild teamwork skillsand overcomeisolation.


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3The Rangers useskills and techniquesdeveloped fromtheir traditionalcompetencies togood effect throughou

the course. 4Gentle exerciseand guided walksform a key part ofthe Branching Outapproach.

5Art is a corecomponent when itcomes to buildingconfidence andimproving self-esteem

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Branching Out fits extremely wellwith the Regional Parks strategicpriorities around volunteering, healthbenefits and skills development.

So much so that the Clyde MuirshielPark Authority is committed to the long-term development of this programmeand it is now engaged in a programmeof training staff in Scottish MentalHealth First Aid, Branching Out LeaderTraining and Food Hygiene courses.

Branching Out is one of the activityoptions in the Scottish Association

for Mental Health (SAMH) Get ActiveScheme, launched by Ambassador(and record-breaking Olympic cyclist)Sir Chris Hoy. Their independentevaluation showed that an impressive91% of 600 participants felt happierafter their involvement.

High attendance and retention rates,particularly when compared with otheractivity programmes in non-countryside

locations, are a clear measure ofsuccess. Physical health benefits arealso recognised.

However, often it is the effect theprogramme has on the individualwhich is the most telling and powerfuloutcome. Amongst the benefits thatpeople notice after attendance areimproved sleep and confidence whilstothers note weight-loss through gentleexercise such as guided walks.

The benefits to well-being are clearand one participant summed it up neatly:

I thoroughly enjoyed the whole experienceand have gained immense confidenceand self-esteem as a result. The changesIve seen in myself (and been told aboutby others) have led to other positiveimprovements. The Branching Outprogramme is very beneficial and doeshave an impact on peoples lives.

This model has been successfullyadopted by Clyde Muirshiel Regional

Park since 2010 and has been tato the skills of the Ranger Serviceand the Regional Parks stunninglocations. However, it has been ahighly collaborative exercise and Regional Park staff are working cwith all partners and are grateful ffinancial aid and support providedForestry Commission Scotland.

To find out more about BranchingOut go to www.forestry.gov.uk/branchingout

For more information on BranOut at Clyde Muirshiel Regional email [email protected] 01505 614 791.

For more information on SAMGet Active Scheme visit www.samh.org.uk/our-work/nationaprogrammes/get-active

Branching Out fitwell with volunteerhealth benefits andskills development

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N

EWS

A soaring success

Over the past six years, 85 young sea eagles have been released from a secret location in Fife in abid to restore this magnificent bird to its former range in eastern Scotland. The August release of sixyoungsters marked the end of a successful reintroduction programme.

A partnership, consisting of RSPB Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage and Forestry CommissionScotland (FCS), with additional financial support from Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and Fife and RuralTayside LEADER 20072013 Programme, hope the birds will begin to produce young on Scotlandseast coast in the coming years.

Stewart Stevenson, who was Minister for Environment & Climate Change at the time, said: Wehave been pleased to support this project over the last six years. The return of sea eagles to the skiesof Scotlands east coast marks an important step in ensuring we now have a viable population of thesemagnificent birds. As well as fulfilling a role in our ecosystems, the birds are an important feature forour growing nature-based tourism industry.

Once a regular sight in Scotlands skies, the sea eagle was driven to extinction in the Victorian era.It returned to the UK only after a successful reintroduction to the west of Scotland, which began onthe island of Rum in 1975.

Although the majority of the Scottish population remains on the west of the country, the speciesis now regularly spotted in eastern and central Scotland too. The latest batch of released birds

have been fitted with radio and wing tags so both project staff and the public can follow their futureprogress.

Head of Policy and Advice at SNH, Ron MacDonald, added: Scotland is once again home to ahealthy sea eagle population, with many breeding successfully in the west. This project in the eastwill help them spread to much of their former range. It will also give more people the chance to seethem and allow more communities to benefit from their status as a visitor attraction. This brings thereintroduction programme to a close and its important to acknowledge the huge amount of work byall those involved, from volunteers to land managers, who along with RSPB and FCS have made thisproject work. Alv Ottar Folkstead and his fellow fieldworkers in Norway deserve particular recognitionfor their work in providing the chicks for Scotland.


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NEW

S

The Saxons invade Fife

Moth trapping evenings are becoming increasinglypopular. In July last year a Forestry Commissionevent in Fife resulted in a catch of 34 differentspecies, but when the event was repeated in July2012, this had increased to 60 species and inamongst those increased numbers was a genuinesurprise Fifes first ever Saxon moth.

The survey took place at Devilla Forest, closeto the town of Kincardine. It is the first time themoth has been found in Fife. Jenny Ventham,Forestry Commission Scotlands CommunityRanger, commented: To have increased thenumber of moth species by nearly 100% in oneyear is in itself amazing, but to find the Saxonmoth among them, for the first time in Fife, is justfantastic. It goes to show that the hard work wehave been putting in to improve wildlife habitatsin the forest is really paying off and the forestis becoming much more biodiverse. Devilla

is an amazing forest and every season bringssomething new to see.

Duncan Davidson from Butterfly Conservationcommented: I think it is fantastic that theSaxon moth has been found in Devilla Forest.It is a particularly attractive creature and it is awelcome addition to Fifes species list. Moths andbutterflies are important indicators of all sorts ofthings, including air quality, habitat health andclimate change, and the discovery of the Saxon in

Weve started publishing our public noticesthrough the Public Information Notices

for Scotland (PINS) service on thewww.

tellmescotland.gov.ukwebsite. Starting withnotices about National Nature Reserves, wealso plan to use the service for notices aboutSites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) andconsultations over new Natura sites and strategicenvironmental assessments. We may also publishthese in other places and as required in localnewspapers.

tellmescotland is set to become the mainplace to find notices from local authorities(planning, licensing, traffic) and many publicbodies. The Improvement Service a partnership

of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities

SNH PINS its notices on new online service

and the Society of Local Authority ChiefExecutives, runs the service with support fromthe Scottish Government.

Stewart Pritchard, SNHs OperationsManager for Protected Places, emphasises thatthe initiative is designed to give a better publicservice. PINS will give people longer to read ournotices at times when it suits them, he explained.

We can also provide the reader with moreinformation, wherever they are, at whatever time.

Go to tellmescotland to simply browse livenotices, or register and let the PINS service alertyou when a notice of interest to you is published.You can choose to be alerted by email or text tonotices for your postcode area.

Devilla Forest indicates that the forest is in greatshape. It also shows that Scotland is bucking thetrend elsewhere in the UK, which shows a decline

in moth numbers.The Saxon moth is an attractive moorland

species with distinctive grey and black markings.It spends the winter as a caterpillar, sleepingin a silk-lined chamber just underneath thesoil surface, then pupating in the springtime tobecome a moth. Sightings of the Saxon haveincreased dramatically since 2000 across centraland northern Scotland and now for the first timein Fife.


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N

EWS

Wards Estatein good hands

Its not every day that one of the countrys mostimportant nature sites comes on the market, butthats what happened in Autumn 2011 whenWards Estate at Loch Lomond was officially putup for sale.

The rare opportunity saw the beginning ofan exciting new partnership between RSPBScotland, Scottish Natural Heritage and LochLomond & The Trossachs National Park Authority.

The trio, with financial support from theHeritage Lottery Fund and generous donationsfrom RSPB supporters, successfully purchasedthe site in April 2012.

Talking About Our Place

A new web guide, Talking About Our Place, hasbeen launched by Scottish Natural Heritage.Talking About Our Place provides an onlineresource for communities, and the organisationsworking with them, interested in their locallandscape. Whether you want to celebrate whatis special, tackle an eyesore, promote the area tovisitors and residents, or just think about how yoursurroundings could change, this guide will help.

Ultimately the guide will enable communitiesto be more confident about their landscape,and progress from Talking About Our Place to

influencing change.The key aims of the toolkit are to assist

communities to: think about their place and identify the benefits they derive from their local

landscape (what are called ecosystemservices);

understand the effect of landscapechange on these benefits;

better input to decisions affecting

It is the first time a non-governmentwildlife charity, a national park and a statutoryconservation body have joined forces in this wayto acquire and look after a key site for biodiversityand people in Scotland.

And what a site it is: situated close toGartocharn at the south-east shore of LochLomond, the estate is home to a rich variety ofwildlife that inhabits the woodlands, mires, fens,grasslands and floodplain of the River Endrick.

Species including Greenland white-frontedgeese, osprey and whooper swans, otters,Atlantic salmon and river lamprey are all present.In fact, the Loch Lomond NNR, of which the siteis a large part, supports 400 species of vascularplant, which is about a quarter of all the speciesthat have been found in Britain. RSPB Scotlandwants to protect what is there, find what hasntalready been discovered and allow existing andnew visitors more opportunities to experience thelandscape and wildlife.

In order to do this, RSPB Scotland andthe partners will work closely with the localcommunity, gathering information about thesite and monitoring the wildlife, with the view ofintroducing official visitor facilities in the comingyears. In the meantime, if you want to visit thereserve there is a path from the Millennium Hall inGartocharn, which will give a flavour of the sitespotential.

landscape change, particularly by local authorities and other agencies considering

land use and planning decisions; and organise their priorities in enhancing

the place they live in, including adviceon accessing support for future actions.

The online guide will assist organisers insetting up their project and identify who can help,and suggests a range of activities that will help acommunity discuss what is important about theirlocality and the benefits their landscape provides.It can also help communities and their partnersidentify actions that they can take to improve theirplace.

This approach supports the EuropeanLandscape Conventions approach ofencouraging wider community involvement indecisions affecting tomorrows landscapes.

If you have any questions about the toolkitor may be interested in using it, please [email protected] visit www.snh.gov.uk/protecting-scotlands-nature/looking-after-landscapes/communities/talking-about-our-place


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NEW

S

Scottish Natural Heritage and the Universityof Exeter have joined forces in an exciting newtagging project which will help to solve some ofthe mysteries about basking shark behaviour.

Together we have tagged 20 basking sharksin hotspots off Scotlands west coast and forthe first time in Scotland the sharks movementswill be displayed online. The project focuses onthe seas around Coll, Tiree and Canna, wherebasking sharks are regular summer visitors. Thestudy will tell us a lot more about these fascinatingcreatures and the results will support ongoingwork to identify potential Marine Protected Areasin Scottish waters.

Some of the tags will transmit co-ordinateswhen the sharks come to the surface usingsatellites (the Argos System) and modified GPS.And, whilst the ongoing transmission of data is veryuseful, the actual recovery of the tags will revealeven more information.

The public are being asked to help the projectby returning any detached tags they come across.The tags are designed to float and they can getwashed up onto the beach. Black and dark grey in

colour they are torpedo or submarine shaped andboth have a short antenna. They are 15 or 18cmin length and around 5 or 6cm wide. You can seean image of the tags at www.snh.gov.uk/about-scotlands-nature/species/fish/sea-fish/shark-tagging-project.

The project is seeking to answer several specificquestions about the basking shark, such as

How long do basking sharks remainfeeding in certain hotspot areas inScottish waters?

Where do basking sharks go after theirsummer feeding in Scotlands seas?

Do the sharks remain in deeper waters off

Scotland over winter?If you see a basking shark then please take

time to report it to the Marine ConservationSociety, www.mcsuk.org/conservation_in_action. Basking sharks sightings informationhelps increase our understanding of these large,enigmatic and important sharks. And of courseif you find a tag please contact Scottish NaturalHeritage at our Oban office on 0300 244 9360,or email [email protected]

Basking shark tagging project


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Available since 2008, the last of the 3,500 printedcopies was recently sold at auction. With over onemillion words, 1,600 pages and featuring no fewerthan 509 bird species this substantial publicationprovided the definitive account of the state ofScotlands birds. The production of a digital copyon CD will ensure that this essential reference toolremains available.

A digital counterpart to The Birds of Scotlandis acompletely new venture for the SOC, and the hope isthat the CD version will further extend the reach of this

comprehensive work.The publication, of course, is no newcomer to the scene.

Indeed the most recent edition updates two earlier works.Scottish Natural Heritage helped fund the third edition andour predecessor bodies Nature Conservancy Council andCountryside Commission for Scotland had strong linkswith the earlier volumes.

It was in 1953 that Drs. Evelyn Baxter and LeonoraRintoul published their ground-breaking The Birds ofScotland. Costing 63 shillings, two lovingly-crafted hard-

back volumes covered the history, distribution and migrationof Scottish birds, setting a new benchmark for qualityScottish wildlife books. As the Times Literary Supplementnoted at the time, the book was a reference work that moved

beyond reciting size, song, plumage and nest and benefitedfrom excellent production standards. Featuring drawings byGeorge Lodge, and a number of high-quality photographs,the two volumes helped make both ladies well-knownbeyond the ornithological world. The books became knownsimply as B & R and the meticulous research, engagingtext and sheer enthusiasm leapt from the pages.

Just over 30 years later Valerie Thom updated the storyin style by issuing a new volume. Keeping her work to a

manageable size was the main challenge. In just under 400pages she managed to feature species numbers, habitatstatus and all of the associated issues in what was a highlypopular update, praised for its brevity and concise summaryof progress. A trust established by the good ladies (asBaxter and Rintoul became known) went a considerable wayto making that 1986 version possible.

For the current version, put together by nine editors with157 expert contributors, Scottish Natural Heritage was ableto provide a warmly welcomed grant towards publication

Keeping up traditionsin a digital era

The Scottish Ornithologists Club (SOC) is supplementing their sumptuoustwo-volume The Birds of Scotlandwith the launch of a digital version.


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costs. It took five years from start to finish to compile thisultimate work on Scotlands birds and once more it has beena labour of love for a dedicated team of enthusiasts andprofessional naturalists.

One of the benefits of continuing the story of Scotlandsbirds in this manner is that comparisons are easily made,and issues (and successes) can be both highlighted andmonitored.

Duncan Orr-Ewing, RSPB Scotlands head of speciesand land management, and author of the red kite section,was able to highlight one of the real success stories. In theprevious editions of Birds of Scotlandit was reported thatthe red kite, once commonplace as a native breeding bird,

had disappeared in most areas of Scotland well before theend of the nineteenth century. This before final extinction inthe early twentieth century. Thanks to an active programmeof reintroduction, involving both conservationists andlandowners, the red kite is likely to have a healthy populationof more than 200 breeding pairs in Scotland in 2012. It isnow firmly re-established across large swathes of its formerrange and expanding its population each year.

The other side of the coin was presented by KenShaw, author of the whinchat entry and President of the

SOC: The whinchat is a bird of open habitats breedingrassland, bracken, mixed low vegetation, gorse, heathand young conifers. It is a summer visitor arriving in latand early May. Sadly, the whinchat has declined in the but it has held up in the west, particularly the south-weIn Fife, for example, a survey in 2008 showed that therwere as few as six whinchat territories. This compares 30+ territories in the Lomond Hills alone in 1984.

W. J. Eggeling, in the preface to the 1986 version,stated an expectation that an updated volume would foearly in the next century. He was proved right. What hethe rest of us didnt envisage, however, was that the needition would also have a digital counterpart.

The Birds of Scotlanddigital version costs 15including UK postage and packaging. A 2 postagesupplement applies to non-UK addresses. The SOCis offering The Birds of Scotland Digitalfree with anynew membership to the Club when subscribers payby direct debit. Contact [email protected](Tel: 01875 871 330).

1 2

1Red kite recovefeatures promithe new publicabut the speciesnoted as havingdisappeared involumes.

2The crested tit wcover star on thBaxter and Rintvolumes and frnew CD version

3There are worryfigures on whinnumbers in theBirds of Scotlan

publication.


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Handling thepressure onBen NevisBen Nevis is a national treasure. Britainshighest mountain, it attracts huge numbersof visitors every year but that popularity

places strains on the mountain and itssurroundings.


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A new funding package should help alleviatesome of the pressures on Ben Nevis and ensuthat Scotlands most iconic of mountains is ingood shape for years to come.

On 23 July the Nevis Partnership announced that it hadsecured a funding package in the region of 4 milliondesigned to enhance the Ben Nevis area for visitors anbiodiversity. Half the money is being made available thrthe Heritage Lottery Fund, and the remainder will inclucontributions from the Highland Council, Scottish NatuHeritage and other sources.

The Nevis Landscape Partnership, the new body beset up to manage the project is truly a team effort. It increpresentatives of the landowners involved (Rio Tinto Aand the John Muir Trust), SNH, the Highland Council,Forestry Commission Scotland, the West Highland Co(University of the Highlands and Islands), the Fort WilliMountain Festival, the Mountaineering Council of ScotSportScotland, the Fort William and District Chamberof Commerce, Outdoor Capital UK, local residents andcommunity councils. This sizable collaboration aims to

a major impact over the next six years through a range projects that will tackle some of the areas experiencinggreatest visitor pressure.

John Hutchison, Executive Director of the NevisPartnership and Chairman of the John Muir Trust, summup the optimistic mood neatly. The Nevis Area is loved the local community, he explained, and the LandscapePartnership project will pull together the drive and expera variety of interested parties. When we called the first pmeeting in November 1998 it was clear that a big job habe done and so it is very satisfying that this funding awaensure that we will still be delivering, 20 years on!

The lure of the Ben

Ben Nevis, the most visited mountain in Scotland, is anational icon and therefore not surprisingly features onitinerary of many visitors to the Highlands. It receives inregion of 200,000 walkers every year, most of whom avia the old pony path on the south side of the mountainthe site of the old weather observatory right on the sum

The mountain also forms a focus for a number of loevents including the Ben Nevis Hill Race, one of the lorunning challenges in the country, having first been run

1898 under Scottish Amateur Athletic Association ruleThe current record, held since 1984, is 1 hour, 25 minand 34 seconds for a course that is 16 km long and wascent and descent of 2,600m.

This may not be something that the average visitor caaspire to, but many do come and climb the Ben even if have never climbed a mountain before (and may never dagain). There is an increasing number of events that focon charity fundraising or similar community-orientated gOne of the flames for the London 2012 Paralympic Gam

1Looking across theprecipitous north faceof Ben Nevis to thesummit cairn andemergency shelter perched on top of ahuge pile of stones tostand clear of the snowin winter.

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was lit on the summit of the Ben inAugust whilst in June a beacon was lit tocelebrate the Queens Diamond Jubilee.

Path work

Some of the money that is goingto be available through the NevisLandscape Partnership is earmarkedfor maintenance on the lower sectionsof the main path up Ben Nevis, which inplaces is now in a poor state of repair,and for the development of a new pathin Glen Nevis, expanding the existingnetwork.

The new path will run on the eastside of the River Nevis, extendingthe Riverside Walk beyond the Youth

Hostel all the way to the Lower Falls.Dun Deardail, an Iron Age hill fortperched high above the glen withstunning views east to the Ben andsouth to the Mamores will also be animportant focus. Archaeological workhere will provide opportunities forvolunteering and public engagement inthe areas rich cultural heritage.

There is a popular dedicated visitor

centre run by Highland Council at thebottom of the Ben Nevis path. Herepeople can get information aboutroutes on the mountain and in theglen, find out about the weather, and

discover more about the environmentthrough the displays. A booking systemoperates for groups wanting to walkto the top of the Ben, a reflectionon the level of use and the need todistribute groups through the main partof the year so that the path never getsimpossibly busy.

Species-related actions

Other challenges that need to be metinclude continuing work to clear the

Polldubh Crags of some of the treesthat screen them, to re-open them upfor climbers to enjoy, and to maintainthe dramatic landscape for visitorsto absorb. Wild camping along theriver can also pose problems, withthe potential for litter and pollution ofthis otherwise pristine watercourse.Providing the information to give anenhanced experience for visitors is

going to be a key element of the NevisLandscape Partnership.

A range of biodiversity work will becarried out, including the protection ofriverbed spawning grounds, improving

habitats for water voles and redsquirrels and an action plan for theareas rare plant species. Not far fromthe well-used routes are some reallyremote areas, where plants, animalsand birds can thrive undisturbed. Betterunderstanding of these species willinform land management to secure theirexistence for the future and potentiallyexpand their populations.

Much of this work will be carried outlocally, using the skills available throughvolunteering bodies such as the Friends

of Nevis and institutions such as theWest Highland College UHI. There willbe many opportunities for local peopleand communities to re-connect withthe Glen and the Ben through activity,learning, work and leisure. An enhancedexperience for all those people who areengaged will lead to a greater desireto conserve and protect this nationaltreasure.

2Glen Nevis offersan entrancingkaleidoscope ofnatural wonders for allvisitors to enjoy.

3Specialist plants add atouch of colour to themountains rockyledges and screes.

4Water rushing overpink granite in the

River Nevis.


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4

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Mixed fortunes for

butterflies


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1

In the UK, thechequered skipperis found only inScotland.

How have our butterflies fared in 2012? The answer is that wdont quite know the definitive answer yet. The results are stillcoming in from the sixty or so butterfly transects that are walkeweekly across Scotland during the summer, mainly by volunteermonitor populations.

However, we do know that poor weather reduces opportunities for adultbutterflies to fly, mate and for the females to lay eggs, resulting in reducedbreeding numbers. In addition, it is not just the adults that require warm andweather as the development and growth of the caterpillars are limited in colwet weather, resulting in increased mortality due to predation and disease. Tcan also result in species emerging on the wing later than normal.

The vast majority of Scotlands thirty-two resident butterflies have an annlife-cycle. That means it takes a year for them to complete their transformatifrom egg to caterpillar to pupa to adult. As a result, the adults that we see tyear often reflect the breeding success of the previous season, so 2013 maa poor year. By contrast, in good years some species are able to respond qby having two generations in a year.

Scarce migrants

Some of the commonest butterflies found in towns and gardens are migrantincluding the red admiral and painted lady, which have ventured here from fafield. They are unable to survive our winter, and thus we are reliant on new

colonists every year, but they require settled weather, usually with a trailing wto reach Scotland. The absence of these conditions this year has meant thahave been very scarce, adding to the general lack of butterflies.

The poor weather also restricts the activities and tests the patience of evthe most enthusiastic butterfly recorder, who needs to have the flexibility to out in those all too brief spells of sunshine.

Nevertheless, many of Scotlands butterflies are designed for this weatheas we have a number of northern species, including Scotch argus, northernbrown argus and mountain ringlet, that favour a cooler climate and are absein the warmer south. In addition, Scottish species have adapted to our coolweather and fly at lower temperatures. As a result, Scottish butterfly recordare permitted to walk their transects at a lower minimum temperature than tcounterparts south of the border. Northern species of butterfly also respond

quickly to brief spells of sunshine. For instance, it can be staggering to seehundreds of Scotch argus rise up out of the grass in a woodland clearing asun emerges from behind a cloud.

However, it is not all doom and gloom. A survey organised by ButterflyConservation Scotland of the chequered skipper, a rare butterfly that in the is found only in Scotland, discovered the butterfly to be present at twenty-thnew locations.

For more information about Scotlands butterflies and to get involved viswww.butterfly-conservation.org/scotlandor email [email protected]

It has been another poor summer weather-wise for most of thecountry, with perhaps the far west and north being the exception.Dr. Tom Prescott of Butterfly Conservation Scotland explains howdisappointing summer has impacted on some of our favourite inse

A tale of two summers

Wettest Scottish readingsKirkcudbrightshire: 599.2mm(average is 305.6mm)Dumfriesshire: 573.2mm(average is 281.5mm)Wigtownshire: 514.5mm(average is 255.0mm)

Driest Scottish readingsCaithness:171.4mm(average is 192.4mm)Sutherland: 225.2mm(average is 272.7mm)Ross & Cromarty: 246.8mm(average is 315.7mm)

Summer snippetsEdinburgh received 214% of itsaverage rainfall this summer.Glasgow 156% and Eskdalemuir154%. Conversely, the north-eastmainland and Western Isles receivedonly 65% and 80%, respectively.

Source: Crown Copyright Met Office.


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Dualchas coitcheannCommon heritage

The meadow pipit (Anthus pratensis) is commonly

known in Gaelic as the cuckoos attendant.Ruairidh MacIlleathain explores the relationshipbetween two unlikely companions.


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Gocan na Cuthaig

Tha abairt ann an Gidhlig: Tha e coltach ris an t-snthadag a leantainn nacuthaig. Tha i a bualadh air duine a bhios an-cmhnaidh a leantainn neach eile.S e an t-snthadag(no snathagno riabhag-mhonaidh) eun beag riabhach, atha cumanta air monaidhean na Gidhealtachd, a bhios gu tric air fhaicinn, aguse a leantainn cuthaig. Air sgth sin, s dcha gur e an t-ainm air an eun seo asaithnichte a th ann do na Gidheil gocan-cuthaig, a ciallachadh gille-frithealaidhcuthaig. Ann an Albais, bithear a bruidhinn air gowk and titlingcuthag agusgocan-cuthaig, a ciallachadh dithis charaidean a tha an-cmhnaidh cmhla.

Agus ann an Cuimris, tha traidisean car coltach, oir canar gwas y ggris ant-snthadaig, a ciallachadh gille-frithealaidh na cuthaig.

Tha an cirdeas ag irigh bho dhol-a-mach na cuthaig, agus a chearc afgail a h-uighean ann an neadan eun eile. Ann am monaidhean na h-Alba, s ean gocan-cuthaig, a tha a neadachadh air an talamh, as motha a bhios a fulangsan digh sin. Bidh na h-uighean aig cuthagan a tha ag amas air a ghocan, seachgnithean ein eile, a coimhead uabhasach coltach ri uighean a ghocain fhin.Bidh na gocain a gur ugh na cuthaig, agus bidh an t-isean-cuthaig a cur nanuighean eile, no iseanan eile, a-mach s an nead. Gheibh e an uair sin biadh iscram bho na gocain fhin.

Agus chan eil an fhoill a stad aige sin. Airson ine s didh a bhreith, leanaidhna gocain a chuthag g airson biadh a chumail rithe, ged a tha i a-nise mran nas

motha na iad fhin.Bidh an gocan a feuchainn ri a nead a chumail am falach am measg fraoch,feur no raineach, agus e mothachail don chunnart an cois na cuthaig, ach bidh nacuthagan a coimhead gu dlth air a ghluasadan, feuch an nead a lorg. Agus chatomhais na gocain an t-isean-cuthaig anns an aon digh ri a mhthair bidh iadga fhrithealadh gu drachdach.

Eu-coltach ri nead a ghocain, chan fhaighear lorg air nead cuthaig geda chumar silean fosgailte gu brth, oir chan eil a leithid ann! Thathar agaithneachadh sin anns an abairt: gheibh thu e nuair a gheibh thu nead nacuthaig, a ciallachadh nach fhaighear gu brth e!

The cuckoos attendantThere is a saying in Gaelic: Tha e coltach ris an t-snthadag a leantainn nacuthaighes like the meadow pipit following the cuckoo, which refers to a personwho is always found trailing around after somebody else. In addition to snthadag,another common name for the meadow pipit is gocan-cuthaig[goch-kuhn KOO-ik] cuckoos attendant because this small bird is often to be seen in the train ofthe much larger cuckoo. A similar expression in Scots is gowk and titlingcuckooand pipit, referring to a pair of inseparable friends.

The relationship derives from the habit of the cuckoo laying its eggs in thenests of other species. In the upland parts of Scotland, the meadow pipit, aground-nesting species, is the most common victim of this behaviour. The youngcuckoo, once hatched, forces the pipits eggs or chicks out of the nest and

becomes the sole recipient of the parent pipits care and attention. For some timeafter the cuckoo chick leaves the nest, the parent pipits will follow it, continuing tofeed it even though it is now much larger than them.

The meadow pipit tries to conceal its nest among dense vegetation butcuckoos watch the adult birds carefully to determine the location. On the otherhand, the cuckoos nest is the best hidden of all, for it does not exist! This isreflected in the Gaelic expression: gheibh thu e nuair a gheibh thu nead nacuthaig, youll get it when you find the cuckoos nest i.e. never!

S e an t-snthadag gutric a bhios afrithealadh na cuthaig.

The meadow pipit is acommon victim of thecuckoo.


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National WildlifeRescue CentreThe Scottish SPCAs new National Wildlife Rescue Centreis a major boost for animal welfare in Scotland. A state-of-the-art facility, its ideal for rehabilitation and replaces theprevious Middlebank centre in Fife.

The Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Scottish SPCA) isjustifiably proud of its new 3.5m development at Fishcross, Clackmannanshire.

Funded entirely through public donations, the new centre has already cared forover 2,000 sick, injured and orphaned wild animals.

Scotlands first National Wildlife Rescue Centre has given the charity muchneeded and increased capacity to rescue and rehabilitate every kind of wildanimal in Scotland, with whales and dolphins being the only exception.

Animals including birds, seals, red squirrels, badgers, hedgehogs, otters, pinemartens, foxes and deer have already been treated by the charitys dedicatedwildlife team. This has all been done through the use of the brand-new veterinaryfacilities; seal, swan and otter pools; aviaries; wild mammal enclosures; paddocks;and a stable block for deer.


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Centre manager Colin Seddon stressed the need for thenew facility. Our previous centre at Middlebank in Fife wasbeing stretched to cope with the volume and diversity ofanimals we were rescuing. The new centre has been a majorstep forward for animal welfare in Scotland, enabling us tocare for a staggering 2,284 wildlife casualties already.

Weve been extremely busy with baby birds throughoutthe fledgling season, which is only now beginning to slowdown. However, theres still a huge amount of work to dobefore the year is out and over the autumn and winter period,

particularly when the grey seal pupping season begins, wellbe treating many more casualties.

Colin knows this is just the start of what will be a steadystream of work. We expect to take in and release at leastanother 1,000 animals by the end of December.

The Scottish SPCA can now care for up to 5,000 sick,injured and orphaned wild animals at the centre each yearand it is the only centre in Scotland with facilities to care foroiled birds.

Colin continues, We can now treat up to 1,000 oiledbird casualties at any one time, which is absolutely vitalshould there ever be a large-scale oil disaster in Scottishwaters.

Another key aspect of our new centre is that all animalscan now be cared for in one place right up until theyare ready to be released back into their natural habitat.Previously, we often had to transfer wildlife to otherorganisations to continue their rehabilitation, which wasntalways ideal.

With our new facilities, theres no need to move animalson and human interaction and stress can now be kept to anabsolute minimum. Otter cub siblings Flash and Flood, whowere rescued after they became separated from their mother

during a spell of torrential rain, are a great example of hanimals are benefitting.

Previously, these cubs would have come to us in tfirst instance but would then have been moved to theInternational Otter Survival Fund on Skye, where they wremain for around 12 months. Thanks to our improvedfacilities, Flash and Flood can stay here for the entireduration of their rehabilitation and theyre really thrivingWere very hopeful well be able to release them both binto their natural habitat.

Having already taken in over half of last years figureits opening in April, the demand on the charitys facilitiewildlife team is greater than ever.

Colin knows this is a challenge. Treatment can ranfrom simply providing rest and recuperation to around-clock feeding and arranging specialist veterinary treatmhe explained. It certainly isnt a typical nine to five job something you can switch off from. If a wildlife casualtycomes in at 11pm, were here to help.

Although its hard work, we all know were extremeprivileged to be able to work with wild animals and helreturn them fit and healthy to their natural habitats. Waan animal, who may have suffered and died without ouhelp, being released back into the wild really does makeverything worthwhile.

The Scottish SPCAs National Wildlife Rescue Cenis not open to visitors. However, members of the publictake sick or injured wild animals to the centre for treatm

Anyone who discovers an injured or distressed wildanimal should call the Scottish SPCA Animal Helplineon 03000 999 999.

1A young red sqnursed back to by being syring

2A young song-ttypical of the flethat keep the cebusy throughouspring.

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Squirrelly, an orphaned red squirrel, was the

1,000th animal to be rescued, rehabilitated andreleased back into the wild by the ScottishSPCA this year. The charity rescued him in Maywhen he was only a week old, after he waspicked up by a dog in woodland in Inverness.

Squirrelly was very weak and struggled to feed when he firstarrived at the National Wildlife Rescue Centre in May, buttwo months on and the young squirrel was released backinto the wild fully fit and healthy.

Squirrelly had to be syringe-fed every two to three hourswhen he first came into our care, but he soon grew stronger

and began taking solid food quite happily.We gradually withdrew handling to help Squirrelly

become independent of humans and at ten weeks old hewas showing all the signs of being ready to be released.A soft release site, where we know there is an abundanceof food, was chosen to help Squirrelly make a smoothtransition into the wild.

Flash and Flood are two otters who were

orphaned during a spell of heavy rain inInverness. The male and female cubs werearound ten to twelve weeks old when theywere rescued in May and taken to the NationalWildlife Rescue Centre.

Otters usually remain with their parents until theyre arounda year old, so these cubs were far too young to be on theirown and wouldnt have been able to survive in the wild.Flash and Flood are very healthy and are really thriving inour care.

Theyre being kept together, which is ideal as otter cubs

depend on interaction with their own kind to help themdevelop behaviourally. We take a hands-off approach hereas we need these youngsters to maintain their natural fear ofhumans so they can eventually be returned to the wild. Flashand Flood will remain with us until around January, at whichpoint were very hopeful well be able to release them backinto their natural habitat.

Centre manager Colin Seddon has seen all sorts of cases during his career. He talksus through four cases that have recently kept staff busy at the new centre. As his storiesreveal, there can be more to aiding recovery than simply providing medication.


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Nipper and Rowan are two roe deer who were

rescued in May after they became separatedfrom their mothers. Nipper, a one-week-oldmale, was found stuck down a hole in Brora,while Rowan, a two-week-old female, wasfound orphaned after her mum was chased bydogs in Nairn.

Its very unfortunate that Nipper and Rowan becameseparated from their mothers but this is, sadly, quite acommon occurrence when deer and man live side-by-side.Thankfully the people who found the fawns did the right thingby calling us for help and keeping them comfortable andquiet until we arrived. Nipper and Rowan were kept togetherhere, which helped with their socialisation and gave themcomfort, and they came on really well. They both startedtaking a bottle and became stronger and more active everyday and have continued to make a great recovery. Theyshould be ready to be returned to the wild in around twomonths.

Martina is a young pine marten who was

fortunately rescued after she fell from a trein the Highlands and injured her back. Shewas just ten weeks old when a member ofpublic discovered her lying on the ground a car park between Tore and Dingwall. Swintervention was key to her survival.

Martina would have been extremely vulnerable to predhad she not been found as she was unable to move dua slight back injury she has sustained by falling from a Thankfully her injury was not serious and she respondewell to treatment. Weve kept human contact with Maran absolute minimum to ensure that she remains a trulyanimal.

Id say pine martens are one of the more unusual aIve ever come across in over thirty years of dealing witwildlife. We plan to release Martina back into the wild iaround two months, once she is fully developed and abfend for herself.

A key aspect of our new centreis that animals can now be caredfor in one place until they arereleased back into their naturalhabitat.


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Reservefocus

Mud, glorious mud


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Caerlaverock National Nature Reserve is one of the oldest and largest wetlandreserves in Scotland. Located on the Solway Firth, it was established in 1957 toprotect the saltmarsh and rapidly declining Svalbard barnacle goose population.

1Mudflats and creeksare a big feature atCaerlaverock NNR onthe Solway Firth.

Main trail

Alternative route

Merse

Mixed woodland

Reserve boundary

Shooting zone

Sanctuary area

Parking

Toilets

Information centre

Walks

Picnic area

Bird hide

Historic structure

Refreshments

0 1kilometres

0 1miles

The goose population was in severe decline

as a result of intensive shooting from largelyunregulated wildfowling and heavy commercialexploitation in post-war Britain.

The vision of the Duke of Norfolk, who ownedthe area prior to it becoming an NNR, was toestablish a reserve where the interests of farming,fishing and wildfowling could co-exist alongsidethe nature conservation interests of the area. Thisfar-sighted approach remains at the core of thereserve today, which now extends to 8,000 ha.

Most of the reserve is intertidal sands andmud of the estuary of the River Nith where it

discharges into the Solway Firth. The Solway isthe third-largest estuary in the UK and has one ofthe biggest tidal ranges in the world, which twicea day covers almost 90% of the reserve. Theremainder is saltmarsh, known locally as merse,along with brackish and freshwater marsh.

This extensive continuous area of saltmarsh is

one of Scotlands largest and is valued for g

cattle. It also provides excellent habitat to suthe rare natterjack toad at the most northernwestern edge of its range in Europe, and feeon the merse and safe roosts on the mud fo20,000 wintering barnacle geese and an avof 8,00010,000 pink-footed geese.

There is a fascinating social and political hin this area too. Caerlaverock (Castle of the takes its name from the medieval stronghold the Maxwell family. The earliest castle, built in1220, was quickly abandoned, probably due instability of its marshy foundations. The curre

triangular castle lies just inland on drier grounwas established in 1270.

The walk that we suggest here starts at theCastle Corner car park just off the B725, soof Glencaple village. Use the numbered mapdirections in the text to guide you round.

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The walk begins at the short salt-clipped scrub which backs

the merse, before heading into Castle Wood. This oakwoodland has recently undergone significant managementto remove the plantation of non-native Norway spruce andreplace it with native oak, rowan, hazel and birch. The pathfollows level ground which then slopes gently up onto theremains of a fixed sand dune that once formed the edge ofthe sea.

To the west is the extensive flat merse which has builtup on the estuary but which today is subject to accretion(growth) and erosion. Storm events and flooding from theriver constantly change the position of the main channels ofthe Nith, which leads to deposition or erosion of the merse.This dynamic process means some areas to the east are

currently building new merse, whilst to the north near thecar park erosion is taking away the merse to be depositedelsewhere as new mud and sand banks.

2Castle Wood is nowdominated by oak, butthis is in part due to theremoval of non-nativeNorway spruce.

3The ancient ruins ofCaerlaverock Castlepull many visitors tothis region.


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2

The path divides at this point and continues to the left on

to Caerlaverock Castle. The castle is in the care of HistoricScotland and entry is by an admission charge. There is atearoom, visitor centre and toilets at the castle for those inneed of a break or wishing a detour.

Our walk continues to the right past a small pentagonalshelter and information point. Pass through the gap in thehedge to the left of the shelter and, keeping the fence onyour right, continue forwards to the next fence.

Do not cross the fence onto the merse; instead, followthe path to the left and continue through the reed bedswhere there are boardwalks to assist you. There is a largepool to the right (which is clearly visible in all seasons bar

the very height of summer) and this is one of the best p

to hear the loud rasping calls of natterjack toads. The btime to hear and see them is on warm, damp eveningsbetween May and July, when the chorus of males tryingattract mates can travel over a kilometre.

These are small toads with short legs better equippfor running rather than crawling or jumping like commotoads and frogs. They are sometimes known as the runtoad, although the impression of their speed is perhapsexaggeration.

You should be aware that if you make a detour fromrecommended route to look more closely at the pool omerse then you will be entering an area grazed by catt

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40 The Nature of ScotlandThe Nature of Scotland40 The Nature of Scotland

4

The Flooders is a wetmarsh supporting ahuge range of plantspecies.

5Barnacle geese are anautumn and winterhighlight on thereserve.

6Boardwalks assist thevisitor to reach a rangeof otherwise difficult toaccess habitats.

The path along the flood bank extends for about 1 kmbefore the boardwalk on the left appears and access to theFlooders is available. The wet marsh to the left has beencreated by breaches in the flood bank allowing the tide to

inundate the marsh and mix with freshwater seeping fromthe fields inland. The Flooders (as this area is known) oncegrew barley and other cereal crops. The unequal struggleto keep out the sea was abandoned and today it is a verywet marsh, with deep overgrown and hidden channels anddisused drainage ditches, which supports an abundance ofwildflowers, including meadowsweet, northern marsh orchid,ragged robin and flag iris. The pools also support dragonfliesand the oldest living species in the world, the tadpoleshrimp, a species largely unchanged over 220 million years.It survives in slightly salty, muddy pools and its eggs cansurvive for decades in the mud. The species has recentlybeen rediscovered on the reserve following an absence ofalmost 50 years from the Solway coast.

On warm spring and summer days, the merse is full ofthe song of skylarks towering high into the air proclaimingtheir territory. This is the lark of the castles name and whosesong is such a distinctive part of the reserve. In summerlarge flocks of shelduck gather with their crche of ducklingson this section of the merse. These large black-and-whiteducks with their green heads, red bills and pink feet arealmost as big as geese and are characteristic of the reserve.The merse at this time can be a carpet of pink flowers ofthrift, with sea aster and sea lavender on the edges of thecreeks, pools and salt pans.

In autumn and winter, this can be one of the bestplaces to see grazing flocks of barnacle and pink-footedgeese along with whooper swans and, at the biggest tideswhich can lap the foot of the flood bank, huge flocks ofwaders such as curlew, lapwing, golden plover, knot andoystercatcher. It is worth searching for the visiting flocksof twite and linnets, occasionally with snow buntings, andsmall finches with tinkling calls, feeding on seeds washedup along the tide line.

The boardwalk to the left is the only safe access onto theFlooders and leads on to the reed beds and past newly-created pools in a circular walk. In summer this reedbed ishome to sedge warblers and the occasional marsh harrier.

In winter it provides a roost for starlings, with attendantsparrowhawks, merlin and peregrine falcon in pursuit of ameal.

Follow the boardwalk past the lane that leads toHollands farm and on to where the boardwalk divides, theleft branch leading to the corner of the field where a pathleads between hawthorn hedges. The fields on either sideare frequently used by geese to feed during the autumnand winter. The hedgerow can also be full of fieldfares andredwings gorging themselves on the abundance of berries.The path leads on to the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trustreserve. There is an admission charge to the reserve, but thecentre holds a shop, tearoom and toilets.

3 4

Caerlaverock isone of 47 NNRs inScotland. Find out

more at www.nnr-scotland.org.uk


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OS mapsExplorer 313, 314 and 322. Unfortunately the reserve doesnot fall completely within one Explorer map; indeed, it fallsbetween three OS Explorer maps.

Landranger 84 (Dumfries and Castle Douglas) and 85(Carlisle and Solway Firth).

Trail length

From the Castle Corner car park to Eastpark, the route isapproximately 4km long (8km return) although a shorter return

walk is available from Castle Wood or Caerlaverock Castle.

Terrain

The walk follows a hard surfaced path to CaerlaverockCastle with a mown grass path as far as the Flooders.Through the Flooders the route follows a timber boardwalkbefore re-joining a grass path and finally a hard surfacedtrack. The route is almost flat and is easy to walk.

DogsPlease follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code and guidance at the reserve. Please keep your dog(s) undeclose control or on a short lead at sensitive times andcomply with any notices you see. A short lead is takentwo metres, and under close control means that the dable to respond to your commands and kept close at h

Nearby natural attractions

The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust have had a centre at

Caerlaverock since 1970. They manage their farmlandmerse for wildlife and provide important feeding areas wild geese over the winter.

Further information

You can contact SNH on 01387 770275.You can also download a leaflet about the reserveat www.nnr-scotland.org.uk/caerlaverock

Essential informationCaerlaverock NNR lies on the Solway Firth and the nearest town is Dumfries. The usual approach by car is south alonB725 from Dumfries. There is an SNH reserve office and information board on a small minor road leading off the B72reach the reserve office take the B725 south from Dumfries to Glencaple/Bankend, following the east bank of the RivNith, or, from Annan, take the B724 then the B725 west to Bankend. The visitor centre is well-signposted.

The nearest bus stop is at Caerlaverock (1.3 miles) on the Dumfries to Caerlaverock route and the nearest railwaystation is in Dumfries (8 miles) on the Kilmarnock to Carlisle line.

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SNH Area News

Weather impacts

A predominance of north-easterly windshas frustrated visitors trying to make

the short crossing to the spectacularseabird island of Noss. Shetlandescaped the deluge that dampenedspring and early summer furthersouth, with a protracted period ofexceptionally dry weather. But with thewind generally east of north, conditionson the Bressay shore of Noss Soundwere just too choppy to safely land thesmall inflatable ferry.

Conditions did not let up for theever-popular Noss Open Day, whichhad to be cancelled for only the thirdtime in its 25-year history (all in thepast four years). Noss Open Day isan annual event which sees hundredsof folk flocking to the National NatureReserve to take part in especially laid-on events such as guided walks andchildrens activities. Lets hope recentpatterns are merely a blip and the longrun of good open day weather resumesin 2013!

The weather has at least been goodfor delivering a plentiful supply of power

and water to the Noss wardens! Withthe island isolated from mains supplies,all this wind and sun has kept a newsolar-powered water pump and recentlyoverhauled 12-volt electricity supplyrunning at full efficiency.

Hearts pumpingNearly 50 former cardiac patients joinedforces with SNH, the NHS, Forestry

Commission, RSPB and HighlandCouncils Countryside Rangers on twoguided walks this summer to Loch FleetNational Nature Reserve (just southof Golspie, Sutherland). The walks,initiated by SNH, took participants tothe bird hide overlooking Balblair Bay.This gave everyone an opportunity toenjoy a good walk in the fresh air and tolearn something about the wildlife andhistory of the Nature Reserve.

Patients who suffer from a rangeof heart problems and are recoveringafter medical or surgical treatment, canparticipate in a Cardiac RehabilitationProgramme run by the NHS wherephysiotherapy staff build patientconfidence and encourage them to takeregular exercise, improving their generalhealth and hopefully reducing the risksof future heart problems.

When the programme is completed,patients are encouraged to continuetheir exercises and especially to go forregular walks in the fresh air. However,

many people who have suffered fromcardiac conditions often feel uneasyabout attempting a new unknownwalk. The guided Cardiac Walks werespecifically designed to show formerNHS patients and their families theeasily accessible facilities that are onmany of our National Nature Reserves.

Supporting renewables

SNH staff in Orkney recently organisedworkshops to support the sustainable

development of terrestrial and marinerenewables in the county.The first workshop focused on ports

and harbours developments to supportwave and tidal projects. Attendeesincluded representatives from OrkneyIslands Councils engineering, marineand development planning departmentswith guest speakers from MarineScotland Licensing. Presentationson Marine Licensing, Marine NaturalHeritage and Marine Noise werefollowed by informal discussions.

A second event focused onterrestrial wind turbines, and inparticular on the recent rapid increasein numbers of applications for smalland medium-sized-turbines in Orkney.Specialist advisers and local staff fromSNH met with local agents and councilplanners to explore a range of issues,including cumulative landscape andvisual impacts, and to introduce thenew SNH guidance.

Both events proved successful in

raising awareness of SNHs role withrespect to these types of developmentin Orkney and in promoting constructiveworking relationships on the ground.Crucially, they have helped to identifyand promote positive approaches torenewables developments in Orkneythat will help to avoid or mitigateadverse impacts on the natural heritage

Northern Isles & Northern HighlandCorrespondents: Juan Brown, Ian Mitchell, Kate Thompson


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SNH Area News

Volunteering boostA new post is being created inFalkirk for a Canal Development and

Greenspace Officer. The post will helpencourage people to get more fromWest Lothian and Falkirks nature,landscapes and waterways. Its hopedthat locals will be encouraged to usethe Forth & Clyde Canal, Union Canal,Muiravonside Country Park, CallendarWood, The Helix and The Falkirk Wheelas locations for exercise, leisure andlearning. The new position is fundedby Scottish Natural Heritage, TheWaterways Trust, British Waterways,The Helix Proje

Scottish National Heritage - The Nature of Scotland AutumnWinter2012Issue_16

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Transcript of Scottish National Heritage - The Nature of Scotland AutumnWinter2012Issue_16