Happy Halloween! While we gorge on sweets bats are building up their fat reserves and preparing for months of hibernation. RSPB Scotland’s Allie McGregor shares five facts about one of our favourite spooky species.

Species in Scotland

There are 9 species of bat that can be found in Scotland. We have the brown long-eared, whiskered, noctule, Natterer’s, Daubenton’s, Leisler’s, and three kinds of pipistrelle – common…

An ambitious partnership project which will work towards safeguarding internationally important Orkney wildlife has received support from the National Lottery and the EU’s LIFE programme. RSPB Scotland’s Kirsty Nutt shares the great news and the importance of the project.

Ground-breaking project for Orkney wildlife gets green light                                                                            

We have some wonderful news!

The Orkney Native…

J is a keen volunteer on the Rare Invertebrates in the Cairngorms project, which is working to improve the conservation fortunes of some of the Cairngorms National Park’s rarest species. She has an important role monitoring key sites for species such as the small scabious mining bee, and looking for new sites that might be hiding the other rare invertebrates. J has shared with us some of her experience of working…

The 16th of October marks World Food Day, which aims to raise awareness of worldwide concerns such as food poverty, health, and the environment. Science Communication student Sophie Goodchild shares the challenges and opportunities that we are faced with while we strive to become a good food nation. 

Why becoming a Good Food Nation is Necessary for Wildlife Conservation

Happy World Food Day!

Today is a day to celebrate…

While some species leave the UK for winter, many others are arriving. Pink-footed geese, sanderling, and whooper swans are just some of the species we can expect to be joining us soon as they arrive from the arctic, northern Europe, and Scandinavia. RSPB Scotland's Allie McGregor writes five facts to know about migrants arriving this winter.

Five facts about Scotland’s winter migrants

1. Where do they come from…

Thank you to those who have been following our Save Coul Links campaign. A few of you have been getting in touch recently to find out what’s happening and what you can do to help. Kate Bellew, our Senior Conservation Planner explains the latest news as the case heads towards a public inquiry.

Coul Links Inquiry Process Kicks Off

Following an overwhelming public response, the Coul Links proposals have been ‘called…

RSPB Scotland has recently launched it's partnership with NHS Shetland for 'Nature Prescriptions'. The benefits of contact with nature can include improvements in mental health as well as physical. On World Mental Health Day it is important to encourage increased awareness, understanding, and support worldwide for sufferers of mental illness, and anyone who experiences threats to their mental health and wellbeing…

The Inner Forth Landscape Initiative (IFLI) was an exciting programme of work toward conserving and enhancing the unique landscape and heritage of the upper reaches of the Firth of Forth. The programme came to an end in September, but the partnership will continue as Inner Forth Futures, building on the great work which has already been done. In this blog Sue Walker, IFLI Communications Officer, reflects on the amazing…

Autumn is a busy time of year for the team at our Insh Marshes reserve with changing seasons and new visitors. It's just one of many exciting times of year on the reserve. Karen Birkby, Reserve manager, speaks about why Autumn is one of her favourite seasons on the reserve and how the wildlife on the marshes might be affected by the upcoming A9 dualling plans.

How will the wildlife of Insh Marshes fare when the A9…

Scotland’s wintering population of wigeons will be arriving over the next month. RSPB Scotland’s Jess Barrett brings you five facts you need to know about these ducks.

Five facts you need to know about wigeons

1. Male wigeons are very distinctive

Wigeons are smaller than mallards with a round head and small bill. The males have very distinctive plumage with a yellow forehead, pink breast and grey body…

Summer is certainly over in Scotland, and autumn winds have replaced the gentle summer breeze. Heather Beaton, Uists Warden, shares the joys of spotting the species arriving with the change in weather.

Migrants arrive on autumn winds

The wind has changed in the Outer Hebrides now. Gone are the soft, warm winds of summer, with the gentle scent of salt and a longing to be outdoors and up in the high hills. In their place…

Those of you following the campaign to Save Coul Links will know that we’re part of a group of conservation organisations fighting to stop proposals for a golf course on this triple protected wildlife site. Coul Links is one of the Scotland’s national treasures and is designated as a SPA, Ramsar site and SSSI. Kate Bellew, our Senior Conservation Planner, explains the latest news on the Coul Links campaign.…

Last week's Programme for Government announcement reflected the lack of commitment to a Good Food Nation Bill that the Scottish Government has been promising for years. Vicki Swales, RSPB Scotland's Head of Land Use Policy, explores the reasons why new food legislation is crucial.

Why nothing less than a new food law will do

For the past two years the Scottish Government has been promising to bring forward a…

It has been a brilliant year for white-tailed eagles on Hoy with chicks for the first time in over 100 years and a successful Eaglewatch for visitors all summer. Lee Shields, RSPB Scotland Warden based on Hoy, shares all the exciting news in this blog.

Success for Hoy's white-tailed eagles

It has been an exciting year on our Hoy nature reserve, with the news that two white-tailed eagle chicks have successfully left…

Jill Harden, Reserves Archaeologist at RSPB Scotland, shares some of the intriguing historical finds to be seen at RSPB Scotland Forsinard Flows, which is in the Flow Country right in the north of mainland Scotland. 

Archaeology on the wild side

Ben Griam Beg with Ben Griam Mor beyond – a long walk in

Ben Griam Beg stands at the SW corner of the Forsinard Flows reserve overlooking a vast swathe of open peat…

Following an amazing public response to our e-action campaign for Coul Links, we welcomed the recent news that Scottish Ministers have decided to call in the controversial golf proposals which threaten this triple protected wildlife site. Senior Conservation Planner Kate Bellew outlines the next steps and how to keep updated as the campaign to #SaveCoulLinks continues.  

Fantastic news for Coul Links! Controversial proposals…

Swallows will begin heading south soon away from Scotland and come the start of October will have left us for another year. To celebrate these quintessentially summer birds while they’re still here RSPB Scotland’s Jess Barrett brings your five facts you need to know about them.

Five facts you need to know about swallows

1. Their autumn migration takes six weeks

Swallows get away from Scotland before the…

Over the last few weeks we have received several enquiries regarding licences issued by Scottish Natural Heritage for otherwise protected birds including swifts, robins, and others. The information about these licences was released by Scottish Labour towards the end of July.

Response to licences granted by Scottish Natural Heritage

The bare summaries of species licences that were released a few weeks ago by SNH raised…

Coul Links is a unique and internationally important wildlife site under threat from a golf course proposal. RSPB Scotland is part of a coalition of environmental experts, including Buglife Scotland, Butterfly Conservation Scotland, Plantlife Scotland, the National Trust for Scotland, the Scottish Wildlife Trust and the Marine Conservation Society, who have been working together to help save the site.

We are currently…

James Silvey, Species and Habitats Officer (All Nature) at RSPB Scotland takes a look what a recent paper on mountain hare numbers means for the species

Catastrophic declines of mountain hares: what RSPB Scotland believes should happen next

In 2015 and 2017 RSPB Scotland led a coalition of 10 other environmental organisations in calling on the Scottish Government to impose a moratorium on mountain hare culls on grouse…

A blog from RSPB Scotland's Kat Jones, who stayed on the islands for a week with her husband and teenage daughter, helping out Jack Ibbotson and John Tayton from RSPB Scotland with some of the Shiant Isles Recovery Project work in the islands and falling in love with a magical place.  

A visit to the Shiants

Today’s task was checking rat bait stations around Garbh Eilean. The Shiants were declared officially rat free…

Amanda Biggins, an Assistant Conservation Officer based in Aberdeen, describes monitoring the breeding success of Aberdeenshire’s newest arrival

Crane-spotting

Common cranes have been an annual sight along the coast of Aberdeenshire for a number of years, during spring passage. However, breeding was only proven in 2012, when a pair nested and fledged one chick. This was the first confirmed breeding attempt of…

As this summer's dolphin viewing at Aberdeen's Torry Battery prepares for its finale weekend, Dolphinwatch Visitor Experience Officer, Laura Watson describes the summer season and what else there is to look forward to over the coming months.

Dolphinwatch 2018: what a summer so far!

10 May marked the launch of the RSPB Dolphinwatch project based at Torry Battery in Aberdeen. The high vantage point is the perfect…

Coul Links is an internationally protected dune system on the East Sutherland coast. It’s currently under threat from golf course proposals that have been given the go-ahead from Highland Council. We’re campaigning to save this incredible place – here’s five cool things you need to know about this place.

Five cool things you need to know about Coul Links

1. Coul Links is home to lots of rare…

The Scottish Government has moved to expand an internationally important wildlife site in south Scotland. Isobel Mercer, policy officer, gives more detail about this welcome decision to address some of the damage inflicted on this important area for nature by the opencast coal industry.

Welcome decision for Scotland’s protected areas

RSPB Scotland were delighted by the recent announcement that the Scottish Government…