The 2022 City Nature Challenge is fast approaching and while you can take part on your own, RSPB Scotland are running a number of public events in Edinburgh and Glasgow that provide a family friendly and accessible experience to first time recorders in the east and west. Read on to find out more!
On Saturday 30 April from 10am-1pm we will be conducting a partially led walk around meadows we've been planting with the community around Crookston Castle. This is a great chance to get to know some of the hard work communities have been putting into improve local greenspaces and get some species ID experience. Please contact Joe.Boyle@rspb.org.uk for more information.
Then on Sunday 1 May, members of our Giving Nature a Home team in Glasgow are working at Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum to provide a full day of activities. From 11am-12:30pm there will be a guided bird walk around Kelvingrove Park. If you'd like to take part, contact Colleen.Turner@rspb.org.uk to book a place in advance then meet at Kelvingrove reception in the main hall. After a break for lunch (not provided) we'll be pond dipping from 1pm-2pm, wildflower sowing and plug planting from 2pm-3pm and finally running a biological recording ‘treasure hunt’ around the grounds and park with prizes for the most finds and best discovery. So bring your phone! Other RSPB Scotland staff will be offering guidance on the Kelvingrove Trail and helping with wildlife recording on Kelvingrove grounds throughout the day as well. You can attend one activity or all of them; just contact Colleen at the aforementioned email if you would like to know more or confirm your attendance for certain activities.
Then on Monday 2 May we will be running a family wildlife workshop from 10am-1pm at Hamiltonhill Claypits Local Nature Reserve. Activities will include a local bioblitz, with pond dipping and bird and invertebrate identification. Come along and learn about some of the wildlife in the north of the city and experience a wonderful local nature reserve. If you have any enquiries, please contact Joe.Boyle@rspb.org.uk.
Our events in Edinburgh begin on Saturday 30 April at the Salisbury Centre, where there will be a mindfulness and biodiversity session conducted from 11am-1pm for anyone interested in further connecting to nature and gaining knowledge of the wildlife around them. Then on the same day at Leith Community Croft, you can take part in Leith Community Crops in Pots' family day from 2pm-4pm, identifying species and gaining experience with the iNaturalist app. Bookings or questions can be directed to Katie.ONeill@rspb.org.uk.
In Roslin there will also be the Beltane Community Nature Walk at Oath Roslin which meets at the Roslin Chapel on Sunday 1 May at 3:45pm and continues from 4pm-5pm around the area. Participants must book in advance by contacting oath.roslin@gmail.com for what promises to be a calm and peaceful experience exploring the nature of the area.
Our final activity in the east is on Monday 2 May at Lauriston Agro-Ecology Farm from 10am-1pm, where you can attend an event for families and individuals to survey local wildlife with the assistance of both professional and amateur wildlife recorders - and put in some last-minute entries! Contact Katie.ONeill@rspb.org.uk for more information.
Good luck and we hope to see you all there!
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Register for Greater Glasgow iNaturalist project: City Nature Challenge 2022: Greater Glasgow · iNaturalist
and helping out with animal recording on the Kelvingrove grounds all day long on the Kelvingrove Trail Please contact Colleen at the above-mentioned email if you have any questions or would want to confirm your participation in any of the programs.