After a few weeks of staring down at a giant, sandy hole, it’s great to see the road back in place in front of the visitor centre at RSPB Scotland Loch Leven. The B9097 has been diverted around the underpass works since early in the project, which was the only way to prevent the road being closed altogether. But with the road back, and the hole finally looking like an underpass, it won’t be long until the traffic restrictions…

RSPB Scotland Loch Leven's Writer in Residence Anita John brings us the latest sightings from the reserve. She writes, two exciting sightings have been made at RSPB Scotland Loch Leven in recent weeks: the return of the ospreys and the arrival of a hummingbird hawkmoth!

The latter was sighted on the buddleia outside the RSPB shop and we marvelled as this tiny hummingbird-like moth extended its proboscis to taste…

We’re very pleased to announce that the fantastic new path through the courtyard at RSPB Scotland Loch Leven is now complete! The path runs from the edge of the car park, past the main entrance to the visitor centre and the toilet block, out to where it will eventually join up with the path that goes through the underpass.

The old cobbles did look nice, and we’re sad to see some of them go, but they created…

Bioblitz, beetles and building work

It’s been a busy couple of weeks at RSPB Scotland Loch Leven. Chris Packham dropped in on July 14 as part of his two week Bioblitz Campaign. It was the first day of his journey visiting 50 sites across the UK highlighting the extent to which our wildlife is under threat.

Around 150 people joined in with our Bioblitz at Loch Leven, and we found an amazing array of species…

As work on the new accessible underpass at RSPB Scotland Loch Leven picks up pace, here’s an update on what’s been happening.

Construction work started on our new underpass back in May, and it’s been amazing to watch all the changes taking place each week. The bulk of the work is going on right outside our visitor centre, with a great view down into the site from the café window, so it’s easy to keep track…

RSPB Scotland Loch Leven's Writer in Residence Anita John brings us the latest sightings from the reserve and writes: A glorious day of sunshine at RSPB Scotland Loch Leven! The verges are ablaze with flowers, butterflies and bees and there is a heady thrum of insect sound - the idyllic sounds and sights of high summer!  Butterflies abundant among the vibrant splash of grasses and blooms include the common blue, the…

RSPB Scotland Loch Leven's Writer in Residence Anita John brings us the latest sightings from the reserve and writes: It is a day full of bird sound at RSPB Scotland Loch Leven - skylarks singing, cuckoos calling, lapwings peewiting and black-headed gulls squawking, the latter from their noisy island nursery where their chicks have hatched and are beginning to venture forward into the world. 

The chicks can be viewed…

RSPB Scotland Loch Leven's Writer in Residence Anita John brings us the latest sightings from the reserve and writes: The territorial fights and flights are in full swing at RSPB Scotland Loch Leven as the breeding season advances apace.

Twenty seven lapwing nests have been counted on the reserve so far and the chicks are already out and about in the Bumblebee Meadow. Venture too close and you may be startled by…

We’re launching a crowdfunding campaign to help everyone access the countryside around Loch Leven! Can you help? http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/loch-leven-underpass/

For those who don’t know, we’re building a new accessible underpass at RSPB Scotland Loch Leven. This has been a dream of so many people for so long, that we can hardly believe it’s actually happening! But the construction workers are now on site,…

Regular visitors to RSPB Scotland Loch Leven may have noticed a few changes to the site over the last few weeks, particularly in the area to the east of the visitor centre. We needed to fell a number of trees and bushes, and change the layout of the viewing screen in the picnic area.

It’s all in preparation for the construction of a new easy-access underpass to help people safely cross the busy B9097. There's an old…

RSPB Scotland Loch Leven's Writer in Residence Anita John brings us the latest sightings from the reserve:

If two swallows make a summer then one swallow must make spring official! And the first swallow was sighted over RSPB Scotland Loch Leven on 12th April which means the reserve will soon be full of their screeching cries and swooping flights once more.

The lapwings have already started nesting with 12 nests…

RSPB Scotland Loch Leven's Writer in Residence Anita John brings us the latest sightings from the reserve:

A blustery day at RSPB Scotland Loch Leven with a cold easterly wind sending many birds to find shelter, with others seeming to enjoy the wild conditions.

There were curlews aplenty to be found in the Bumblebee Meadow, their presence highlighted by a flock of starlings flying over in tight formation, sparking…

RSPB Scotland Loch Leven's Writer in Residence Anita John brings us the latest sightings from the reserve:

A cold and blustery day at RSPB Scotland Loch Leven but signs of spring are beginning to show!

Firstly, our resident red squirrels are being seen more frequently foraging for food  - their tree climbing agility and nut-finding antics never failing to amuse!

This year, their antics can be enjoyed as part of…

RSPB Scotland Loch Leven's Writer in Residence Anita John brings us the latest sightings from the reserve and is helping to gather stories as part of the 50th anniversary celebrations. Anita writes:

The latest count of pink-footed geese to whiffle into Loch Leven in November was 13,151. It was a privilege to see the "pinkies" depart in the early morning and return to the reserve at dusk. 

"Pinkies" departing…

RSPB Scotland Loch Leven's Writer in Residence Anita John brings us the latest sightings from the reserve and is helping to gather stories as part of the 50th anniversary celebrations. Anita writes:

Happy 50th Birthday RSPB Scotland Loch Leven!

50 Golden Years at RSPB Scotland Loch Leven!

On 29th October 2017, exactly 50 years to the day since RSPB Scotland Loch Leven was first opened by the 6^th Earl Lord Mansfield…

RSPB Scotland Loch Leven's writer in residence Anita John brings us the latest sightings from the reserve and is helping to gather stories as part of the 50th anniversary celebrations. Anita writes:

The pink-footed geese have swooped in from Iceland and Greenland to return to their winter feeding grounds at RSPB Scotland Loch Leven. Six thousand "pinkies" were sighted on St Serf's Island in early October and large…

RSPB Scotland Loch Leven's writer in residence Anita John brings us the latest sightings from the reserve and is helping to gather stories as part of the 50th anniversary celebrations. Anita writes:

Autumn is in full swing at RSPB Scotland Loch Leven - elderberries and blackberries are heavy on the branches while the rowan berries and wild raspberries have mostly been eaten. Butterflies can still be sighted as can…

RSPB Scotland Loch Leven's writer in residence Anita John brings us the latest sightings from the reserve and is helping to gather stories as part of the 50th anniversary celebrations. Anita writes:

RSPB Scotland Loch Leven was officially opened 50 years ago this month, on 29 October 1967. Here are some highlights from the past 50 years - a taster from our photographic timeline which will be on show at the reserve…

RSPB Scotland Loch Leven's writer in residence Anita John brings us the latest sightings from the reserve and is helping to gather stories as part of the 50th anniversary celebrations. Anita writes:

RSPB Scotland Loch Leven is a great place for mute swans and other waterfowl to gather for their annual moult. On my last visit there were 50 or so Mute Swans on the loch, including a dam with her six cygnets. It usually…

RSPB Scotland Loch Leven's Writer in Residence Anita John brings us the latest sightings from the reserve and is helping to gather stories as part of the 50th anniversary celebrations. Anita writes:

The annual arrival of ospreys has caused a ripple of excitement to stir through RSPB Scotland Loch Leven in recent weeks as these majestic birds of prey make their annual migration south to West Africa from their breeding…

Freya Playford, the 2017 Learning Assistant intern at RSPB Scotland Loch Leven, writes about her experiences on the reserve this summer.

Hello there! My name is Freya Playford and for the past five months I have been the Learning Assistant Intern at RSPB Scotland Loch Leven as part of my university placement. As my time here sadly comes to a close, I have been asked to share some of my experiences with you lovely people…

Assistant warden, Anna Jemmett, writes about her experience of successfully tracking a rare beetle at RSPB Scotland Loch Leven.

Thanatophilus dispar is an endangered species of carrion beetle. It is classed as critically endangered in the UK and is globally rare. Loch Leven is one of only two places it has been recorded in Scotland It is a very special little beetle and we are lucky enough to have it on reserve here…

RSPB Scotland Loch Leven's writer in residence Anita John brings us latest sightings from the reserve and is helping to gather stories as part of the 50th anniversay celebrations. Anita writes:

The first swallows have fledged at RSPB Scotland Loch Leven and can be seen on the rafters outside the toilets waiting for their parents to arrive with food. It won't be long before they take to the air themselves.

RSPB Scotland Loch Leven's writer in residence Anita John is helping to gather stories of the reserve in 2017 as part of the 50th anniversary celebrations. Anita writes:

Education has always been a crucial part of our work here at RSPB Scotland Loch Leven, ever since the reserve was first created in 1967. This year, since the beginning of April, 1,500 school-children have spent time exploring the reserve, learning…