Sunday, 30 May 2021
PW3 didn’t stop long, Mrs O took the fish from him and moved around the nest to position herself to feed the young ospreys and PW3 flew off. He was most likely watching his family from a distance, perched upon one of the lopped pine trees to the side of the nest. With her back to camera, Mrs O began to tear off morsels of fish to gently proffer to the little wobbly, outstretched heads, reachin...
Thursday, 27 May 2021
Harvesting trees has always been of high value to society. Whether clearing land for agriculture, as a source of fuel, or material for construction, there is much to be gained from a felled tree. Planting trees has not had such a high value until the last century. Phases of planting following both World Wars did much to restore Britain’s forests, but plenty of barren years since then have...
Sunday, 23 May 2021
Life at the main nest has settled into a routine with the long process of incubation in progress. The majority of the duty is carried out by Mrs O, with regular swap overs when PW3 returns to the nest to bring her some fish and to give her a little break. He has started using the pine tree off to the left of the nest to feed and then delivers the rest of the fish to Mrs O. The camera pointed onto ...
Thursday, 13 May 2021
The main nest site for the Tweed Valley Osprey Project has a new male bird. His arrival as the replacement partner for Mrs O in 2020 was tinged with sadness after we lost White leg SS after 16 successful years nesting at this nest site; first with his original partner and then eventually settling down with Mrs O. The new male has had a mystery identity for a whole year because we had been unable ...
Friday, 07 May 2021
We have great news that Mrs O has returned to the main nest site and is with her new partner with the blue leg ring. Hopefully, with the season now underway and with the return of our volunteers to operate the camera, we will be able to get a clear picture of the ring number and identify this bird. Sadly, this pair's breeding attempt failed during hatching week last year, as all three eggs vanish...
Monday, 22 March 2021
Our new learning resource, A Song in Stone, explores Scotland’s amazing outdoor gallery of ancient rock art – abstract designs of cup and ring marks that our Neolithic ancestors carved over 4,000 years ago. The booklet is packed with fresh ideas, stunning photography and great illustrations. To celebrate its publication, our archaeologist Matt is calling for aspiring young archaeologists and ...
Monday, 15 February 2021
Beavers typically get all the glory when it comes to building ecosystems, but water voles also play an important part in shaping Scottish wetlands. Though not as well-known, these small but mighty creatures are eco-system engineers, positively impacting biodiversity and helping plants grow. Eco-system engineers are animals whose very existence can change the environment they live...
Wednesday, 10 February 2021
From Rachel Carson to Jane Goodall this world has seen many fierce women in the field of science. FLS is lucky to have our own team of scientists pushing the boundaries of conservation and land management. We want to celebrate the International Day of Women and Girls in Science by highlighting some of the work women in forestry are doing right here in Scotland and impacting our land at a v...
Monday, 25 January 2021
The red squirrel is one of our favourite forest dwellers. Bright and colourful with a cheeky personality, they’re a perennial favourite. Here are a few interesting facts you might not know about this compact critter. Double-jointed The red squirrel has double-jointed ankles allowing it to climb up and down trees with immense agility. Being so flexible allows them to grip on precarious ...
Tuesday, 08 December 2020
With the temperature dropping and snow upon the mountains, it’s time to dig out your winter coat. Many animals are no different. With the need to stay warm during the winter months, or wishing to stay hidden in a changing landscape, being able to alter your colouring is a useful trick adopted by several Scottish animals. Here we have a look at some classic examples. Mountain Hare The mou...
Tuesday, 08 December 2020
The forest can be a wonderful place for a walk at any time of the year, but the crisp quiet of a wintry day is both calming and inspiring. Here’s our top 5 forest walks for when the temperature plummets and snow starts to fall… Lochan Uaine and Ryvoan, Cairngorms The turquoise waters of the Green Lochan never fail to inspire, and all the more so when surrounded by ...
Thursday, 19 November 2020
Scientific Name: Sciurus vulgaris Population in Scotland: Around 120,000 Population on FLS land: 50,000 Population health: decline Greatest threat: Grey Squirrel Fun fact: Red Squirrels eat the seeds from coniferous cones, which are not produced until the tree is around 30-years-old. The red squirrel is an iconic part of Scotland’s fauna. Though they are active duri...
Wednesday, 18 November 2020
With more frequent occurrences of extreme weather, and increased spread in tree-based diseases, how do we prepare forests throughout Europe to meet the strain of climate change? Back in 2012 several trials were started throughout the UK to monitor how different tree species coped in the changing British climate with the aim of diversifying future planting to create more resilient forests. Here, Ma...
Tuesday, 17 November 2020
Lichen is a hidden gem in our woodlands, often overlooked and underappreciated. Scotland is home to over 1,500 different species of lichen, which makes up around 87% of all lichen found in Britain. Lichens tend to thrive in our relatively clean air, cool summers, mild winters, and our higher levels of rainfall which occur throughout the year. This is especially true of western Scotland, whi...