Dave Sexton, our Mull officer, brings you the tale of Skye and Frisa, a pair of sea eagles on Mull who over their 21 years together have successfully raised 22 chicks. Of course we could have just reported that a sub adult 1994 male paired with a mature 1992 female in Territory 18 and have fledged 22 chicks. But it is February, the month of love, after all…

When Skye met Frisa – a love story

Skye and…

Five facts you need to know about Big Garden Birdwatch

It’s getting closer to one of our favourite times of year: Big Garden Birdwatch! The 2018 survey is nearly upon us and many of you have already registered to take part. If you haven’t already you can do so here. We love hearing from you over the three days of Birdwatch about the feathered visitors you’ve recorded in your gardens. In the run up to the…

This is the final post in a six part blog series about rare insects in the Cairngorms. A new project launched last year to save six endangered invertebrates in the north of Scotland and project officer Gabrielle Flinn has been a closer look at each one of these species. This time, it's the turn of the pine hoverfly. The Rare Invertebrates in the Cairngorms project is a partnership involving RSPB Scotland, the Cairngorms…

Blue tits are lively, attractive little birds that live in wooded areas and regularly turn up in gardens, particularly if there are peanuts on offer. The vivid blue cap sets this bird apart from other tits, making it relatively easy to identify. The great tit, as the name suggests, is bigger and coal tits have no blue, green, or yellow on them. Up to 750,000 pairs of blue tits nest in Scotland and they are found all…

With Big Garden Birdwatch 2018 rapidly approaching RSPB Scotland’s Jess Barrett takes us through all things Birdwatch in this blog.

Get ready for Big Garden Birdwatch 2018!

Did you know that Big Garden Birdwatch is the largest wildlife survey in the world? It’s not long now until we’ll be asking you to spend an hour of your time counting the birds you see in your garden – you can register on…

This blog is written by Fiona Weir who is the Programme Manager of the Giving Nature a Home in Glasgow project for RSPB Scotland. 

In September 2017 I met with Agnes Leith at her home in East Kilbride. Agnes and her friend Pauline had been in contact with the RSPB about her husband’s nature diaries and I went along to meet them and read the diaries over tea and biscuits. It was clear straight away that they had been…

Stuart Benn, from RSPB North Scotland, brings us this blog on lynx - a closer look at their possible reintroduction to the UK. All photos were taken by Pete Cairns.

For the last few years, I’ve been one of the people within the RSPB thinking about whether lynx could ever be reintroduced to the UK. During that time I’ve spoken to many others both here and abroad, listened to their experiences and learned from what they…

Welcome to the ninth instalment of our work on the Shiant Isles Recovery Project. Here Jack Ibbotson, Molly Heal, and Johnny Tayton give us a glimpse of life on the islands while undertaking survey work for the project. The project is an initiative to remove non-native black rats from the isles in order to provide safe breeding sites for Scotland’s globally important seabird colonies. It is part funded by the EU LIFE+ programme…

What’s been top in 2017 – nature highlights from the year

With the end of 2017 rapidly approaching we thought we’d take a look back at some of our nature highlights over the past year. There’s been so much happening this year you can’t help but be inspired to get out exploring Scotland and seeing some incredible wildlife!

Winter thrills

The start of the year kicked off with some great…

Coul Links, a rare coastal habitat, in under threat from proposals to build a golf course. We're one of a partnership of conservation organisations along with Buglife, Butterfly Conservation Scotland, Plantlife Scotland, Marine Conservation Society and Scottish Wildlife Trust campaigning to save it from destruction. Here's an update on some of the recent coverage about the site and development plans.

Coul Links…

Coul Links, a rare coastal habitat in East Sutherland, is under threat from proposals to build a golf course. We’ve been campaigning in partnership with Buglife, Butterfly Conservation Scotland, Plantlife Scotland, Marine Conservation Society and Scottish Wildlife Trust to save it from destruction. Here Isobel Mercer, policy officer at RSPB Scotland, provides an update on the latest stage in the efforts to save Coul Links…

For the last few years RSPB Scotland has been involved in a legal challenge regarding consents granted to four offshore windfarms in the Firths of Forth and Tay which many of you may have been following. Here our director Anne McCall reflects on the recent decision by the UK Supreme Court to decline our application to appeal against these consents.

RSPB Scotland will continue to do all it can to protect Scotland’s outstanding…

Charlotte Mackenzie, Communications and Youth Officer at RSPB Scotland, fills us in on a great community project taking place in Durness.

Corncrake and cake!

One of my earliest memories is being given some paints by my granny so my passion for art must have started at a very young age!  I was then given every encouragement by my mum and one of those teachers who just helps whisks you along the path that you know you…

Record numbers of barnacle geese arrived at our Mersehead reserve in Dumfries & Galloway this year, warden Rowena Flavelle tells us a bit more about these birds and the site. 

Once late September arrives, every morning is filled with anticipation, have the barnacle geese arrived back at Mersehead? These geese have an incredible migration of 2,000 miles from their Arctic breeding grounds in Svalbard returning to…

Anne McCall, Director of RSPB Scotland, recently spoke at the European Environment Bureau Conference. Here she reflects on the conference and the importance of co-operation for our environment.

Brexit or no Brexit: the environment needs international governance and cooperation

Anne speaking at the EEB Conference

It's a cliché but also entirely appropriate: the environment really does know no boundaries. …

Sheila George, our land use policy officer, spent a week at our RSPB Scotland Forsinard Flows reserve. In this blog Sheila fills us in on how her time was spent and on the amazing landscape that makes up the reserve.

Forsinard Flows: where size matters

I’m recently back from a fantastic week of volunteering at Forsinard Flows. If you haven’t been, here are a few reasons to get up there:

It’s all about scale…

This year's annual survey of corncrake numbers in Scotland show that numbers are at their lowest level since 2003. In this blog Paul Walton, our head of habitats and species, takes a closer look at these birds, the work done to help them so far and what now must happen to ensure corncrakes remain a breeding species in Scotland.

Scottish corncrakes in decline

To hear corncrakes calling from Hebridean meadows…

Barn owls are classic, much loved birds of the countryside, recognisable by their heart-shaped faces, buff back and wings, and pure white underparts. Population estimates suggest we have up to 1000 breeding pairs nesting in Scotland and although they are nocturnal, you may be able to spot one hunting voles along field edges or roadside verges. The best time to keep an eye out is at dusk. Here are five facts we thought…

For many of us spotting our first geese of the autumn is a sure sign that colder days are on the way. Find out more about these annual visitors to Scotland and some of the places where you can see them in this blog by RSPB Scotland's Jess Barrett.

Skies alive with geese

“Honk honk!” has to be one of my favourite bird calls to hear at this time of year when out on a coastal walk, wrapped up against the crisp cool…

Coul Links is a rare duneland habitat on the Sutherland coast which is being threatened with destruction by plans to build a golf course. Here RSPB Scotland’s conservation officer Alison Searl recalls a year of nature at Coul Links and why we’re part of a coaltion of conservation organisations campaigning to save it. Details on how you can help by submitting objections are included at the end. 

A year of nature…

This is the fifth post in a six part blog series about rare insects in the Cairngorms. A new project launched this year to save six endangered invertebrates in the north of Scotland and project officer Gabrielle Flinn will take a closer look at one of these species each month. This time, it's the turn of the small scabious mining bee. The Rare Invertebrates in the Cairngorms project is a partnership involving RSPB Scotland…

Our Loch Lomond reserve is an amazing place for wildlife and a great place to visit to feel inspired by the natural world. Since the beginning of the year Susannah Ramsay has been an artist in residence at the reserve. Find out why she was drawn to Loch Lomond and the work that has come from her time spent there, including a special event taking place later this month. 

The Essence of Place: An outdoor audiovisual inst…

Waxwings are sprightly, stocky birds, smaller in size than a starling and easily recognisable by their prominent crest. They also have a black ‘eye mask’, a colourful pattern on their wings, and the tips of their flight feathers end in ‘spikes’ that look like pieces of bright red wax. They’re a favourite with wildlife fans and during our most recent Big Garden Birdwatch they were recorded in nine times more gardens…

RSPB Scotland's head of planning and development Aedán Smith sets out what we believe is at stake with regard to the Judicial Review into the Forth and Tay offshore windfarms.

Forth & Tay Judicial Review: what we believe is at stake?

As previously reported RSPB Scotland has applied to the Supreme Court for permission to appeal the Inner House, Court of Session Opinion on our Judicial Review of the decisions…

Today the Scottish Energy Minister Paul Wheelhouse announced to MSPs the Scottish Government's decision to ban fracking. Here RSPB Scotland's climate and energy senior policy officer Alexa Morrison outlines why we welcome this and what it means for wildlife and climate.

The Scottish Government ruling out fracking is a win for climate and wildlife – and for the precautionary principle

Last year, the SNP…