Over the last couple of weeks there has been a noticeable change...spring is definitely in the air at Forsinard Flows as the weather changes (I hesitate to say ‘improves’) and we start to see some of our summer migrants return to the flow country for the breeding season.
Already I have seen golden plover and meadow pipit from the Flows Lookout Tower on the Dubh Lochan Trail and common lizards basking on the boardwalk. Elsewhere on the reserve I have seen (and heard) skylarks singing and the buoyant flight of pied-wagtails skipping about. One of our volunteers was telling me about his dramatic first encounter with a male hen harrier this morning. He described to me watching the male sky dancing; climbing high before spinning and diving towards the ground; an amazing sight...especially if you are a female harrier!
So with this flurry of activity it seems appropriate that our visitor centre at Forsinard will be open again from 1st April (no joke!) until 31st October. The Flows Lookout Tower and self-guided trail are open year-round but now that the summer is fast approaching (note that sense of optimism) the visitor centre will be open 7 days a week from 9am until 5pm.
To welcome visitors to the centre we have another migrant from last year, Marina Bollo, who completed a summer season monitoring our peatland waders in 2015. Marina will be our Visitor Experience Officer this year and will be leading guided walks (Mon/Tues | May-August) as well as providing information and interpretation on the restoration work that the RSPB and Peatland Partnership is undertaking in the Flow Country.
We look forward to welcoming visitors to the reserve over the spring and summer and to helping people discover why the flow country is such an amazing and important place.
If you would like to find out more about the reserve check outrspb.org.uk/Forsinard or the Flows to the Future website attheflowcountry.org.uk