Thursday, 12 September 2019
Hope has left the United Kingdom! At last, some good news! Hope, the third young osprey from the main nest in Tweed Valley, has started her migration and safely made it out of the UK. In our first update from Hope, we learned she had crossed France and reached Spain on 9 September. At 9:43am Hope was flying at an altitude of 810m, at a leisurely speed of 8.72knots. Her journey took her over the ...
Saturday, 07 September 2019
We can’t all be the next Masterchef or future Mary Berry, but there’s plenty of food in the forest that anyone can whip up into a tasty treat! From mushrooms to berries, you can find all sorts of fresh and organic edibles growing all across Scotland. Foraging involves directly picking plants found outdoors, such as in woodlands, rather than buying them from a shop. Different foods are ready t...
Friday, 06 September 2019
There’s nothing better than escaping the hustle and bustle of the city and getting out into the wild. Crossing some water to get there makes the adventure all the more exciting. There are hidden forest gems and well-travelled trails all across Scotland’s coastline and islands, just a boat-ride away—many more accessible than you might think. The west of Scotland is internationally renowned...
Wednesday, 04 September 2019
On National Wildlife Day, our friend Heart of Argyll Wildlife’s Pete Creech brings us a guest blog on the beavers of Knapdale. Over the summer, they have been busy as... well, beavers! Find out what our Norwegian guests have been up to in the lochs and wetlands of Barnluasgan, and learn more about the different species who inhabit this picturesque woodland. Take it away, Pete! Moving h...
Tuesday, 03 September 2019
There are all sorts of creatures living in the forest, and not all of them are easy to spot. You have to keep a sharp eye out when having a look through the undergrowth, or you might miss something! What's more, even the less beautiful forest creatures can tell us unique and fascinating things about our climate, our forests, and their biodiversity. Last week, our colleague Colin Edwards, Biodiv...
Monday, 02 September 2019
Very sad news Luna never made it off English shores. She got as far as the Blandford Forum area of Dorset, where she roosted overnight. Tragically, on her flight the next morning, she struck overhead power lines. She broke her wing and was taken to the vet, but was put to sleep as they couldn’t save her. Luna was recovered close to the power line shown in the Google image. The red dot was he...
Wednesday, 28 August 2019
Migration progress Luna stopped overnight in the wooded valley beside the coast near to Lythe on 20 August. The next day, she moved on again, continuing her way south to Lincolnshire. She flew 151km, stopping overnight in a woodland belt near Ulceby Cross, close to the A1104 road. Overnight roost for Luna in Yorkshire near to Lythe 19 August Heading south Crossing the Humber into Grimsby...
Monday, 26 August 2019
Foraging for mushrooms and other wild-growing ingredients is one of the most fun and rewarding activities you can get up to in Scotland's forests. Not only do you get to see and hear all the wonders of the wild woods... you get to taste them as well! As our feature on foraging explains, there are some very important safety considerations to pay attention to when foraging for any wild foods, and...
Wednesday, 21 August 2019
Luna flies south The migration of the main nest’s young ospreys has begun. Luna left Tweed Valley, and her first stop was Minto On 19 August at approximately 3:15pm, Luna, one of the main nest young ospreys left Tweed Valley and set off in a south easterly direction. Overnight in a tree north of Minto, in the Scottish Borders The first part of her journey was a flight of 32.84km to nort...
Tuesday, 20 August 2019
The hunt is on at the wildlife-rich coastal forest of Tentsmuir this August, as staff from Forestry and Land Scotland and Butterfly Conservation Scotland team up to track down the elusive and endangered Lunar Yellow Underwing moth. Over the past decade, the Lunar Yellow Underwing has become exceptionally scarce in Scotland. As far as our experts are aware, Tentsmuir is the moth's sole surviving s...
Wednesday, 14 August 2019
Sadly, this week is my last week for the summer osprey season… but it has been a great year at the main nest and the three young ospreys are doing really well. They give the impression of feistiness and strength, especially when compared with last years young ones. The youngsters hanging out There have been some superb name suggestions sent to us, and eventually, we decided on a lunar theme....
Friday, 09 August 2019
Mrs O and her three young but very grown up ospreys. All three young ospreys from the main nest are now flying and the good news is that they are returning to the nest to feed. Mrs O and SS are still here and SS is still bringing fish back for the young offspring, but there is a definite shift in the attitudes and personalities of the three young birds. By far the most assertive is 302, the you...
Wednesday, 31 July 2019
First flight The first successful flights have been achieved by the main nest’s young ospreys this week. The young male was first to take flight, with his sisters following his lead over the next two days. 302 takes to the air for the first time from his elevated position on the branch On a scorching 25 July - the hottest day of the year - the three young ospreys were on the nest without th...
Wednesday, 24 July 2019
Wing-flapping exercises The main nest osprey chicks are eight weeks old this week! This week, the fortunes of the young male osprey have turned about; he has been the underdog of the brood for much of his growing life. He was regularly last in the queue to be fed by Mrs O; so much so that he learned to hang back instead of lining up with his more powerful sisters. The week started off with muc...