Scottish Nature Notes

David Hunt, RSPB Scotland's Seabird Recovery Officer, tells us about a trip to Fidra in the Firth of Forth working alongside incredible volunteers to ensure the island remains a happy summer home for our puffin visitors.

RSPB Scotland’s Allie McGregor shares her experiences attending marches and rallies and gives some of her tips for making the most of it and staying safe.

Heather Beaton, RSPB Scotland Warden on Uist, shares her thoughts on our newest reserve, Loch Druidibeg, South Uist, Outer Hebrides…

RSPB Scotland’s Allie McGregor talks about craftivism and shares some of her tips for making the most of the creative campaigning tool.

In this blog, RSPB Scotland’s Parliamentary Officer Nora Casey explains how to contact and work with your MSP when campaigning for nature and climate change.

On September 20th RSPB Scotland will be supporting the UK Student Climate Network alongside many other groups and individuals across the globe for the General Strike 4 Climate. In the lead up we will be posting some blogs about different ways you can get involved in campaigning and activism. In this blog, RSPB Scotland’s Allie McGregor takes a look at how you can use social media platforms in your campaigning.

This summer, a new poetic form was born – the Cairngorms Lyric. RSPB Scotland’s Jen Mullen finds out more.

RSPB Scotland’s Allie McGregor shares five facts about ring ouzels.

RSPB Scotland's Kirsty Chalmers shares a bit about Volunteers Day, which will be held in September to celebrate and thanks the volunteers that make our work possible.

Jess Tomes, RSPB Loch Garten's Visitor Operation Manager, shares a bit about how the team and visitors celebrated a very important anniversary at the reserve recently: 60 Years of Operation Osprey.

You may have seen the recent news about the efforts of locals to try to prevent the little terns that nest at Lossiemouth beach being disturbed. Margaret Sharpe, one of the volunteers who helped fence the area and monitor the birds, shares entries from her diary revealing the tense ups and downs the terns faced this year. If you want to know how they got on, you’ll have to read to the end.

RSPB Scotland have called for the introduction of a proportionate and effective means of regulating grouse moor management practices, via the introduction of a licensing system underpinned by rigorous monitoring and enforcement.

Last month, we held a pilot Corncrake Festival, the first ever on Skye, and what a festival it was! RSPB Scotland’s Jen Mullen tells us more.

RSPB Scotland’s Allie McGregor visited the Botanic Gardens recently to check out the Below the Blanket exhibition; A series of art installations inspired by the awe-inspiring Flow Country. Here she shares a little bit about the exhibition.

Earlier this summer in June RSPB Scotland’s Jess Barrett attended a week long study visit to the Odra Delta in Poland, funded by Erasmus+ and coordinated by ARCH Network, to learn about the nature found there and the conservation practices associated with it. In this blog she gives us the top five highlights from her time in Poland.

RSPB Scotland's Allie McGregor shares 5 things you should know about Scotland's awe inspiring marine wildlife and environment.

Over the last few months, RSPB Scotland has received specific reports of three raptor collisions with wind turbines, at two different wind farms in the Scottish Highlands. Kate Bellew, Senior Conservation Planner, explains the potential conflicts between wind turbines and birds of prey.

RSPB Scotland's Anna Brand explores the link between our natural environment and our right to food.

RSPB Scotland Species and Habitats Officer James Silvey tells us about the common glow worm and the survey hoping to find out more about them.

RSPB Scotland's Allie McGregor tells us about her weekend exercise in seabird spotting.

RSPB Scotland’s Allie McGregor explores why we should be using peat-free compost; especially as the climate crisis heats up.

RSPB Scotland Community Events Officer, Ally Lemon, describes how a new project in Fife is putting the links between food, farming and wildlife on the map.

Find out about how RSPB Scotland staff and volunteers have been helping common terns by providing alternative nest sites.

Aberdeen has a growing reputation as one of the best places in Europe to watch bottlenose dolphins from an urban site. Obviously wild dolphins don’t arrive to a schedule, but the team have seen them on every day they have been on site this year and are hoping for a glorious summer of dolphin watching with special family events throughout the holidays too. Dolphinwatch Visitor Experience Officer Emily Burton tells us more…

RSPB Scotland's Species and Habitats Officer James Silvey discusses taking an evidence-based approach to the current unsustainable practise of mountain hare management.