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 about wildlife and being introduced to the joys of nature via our school visits programme. In total, 2,500 free visits are being offered to school-children this year.
Families are also most welcome and Saturday marks the start of our summer holiday wild challenges for children. Each week there will be an emphasis on a different activity from exploring wildflowers to brilliant birds and bug safaris. And this weekend kicks off with pond dipping. But don't worry if you can't make it - pond dipping kits are always available at the reserve on request!
Visiting the reserve as a child can lead to a life-long love of wildlife and birds and visitor Keith Garry is living proof of that. Keith first visited the reserve 45 years ago when his teacher Mr Muir organised a trip to Vane Farm (as RSPB Scotland Loch Leven was known back then) and "enthused him into wildlife." Keith subsequently became voluntary warden and, before that, spent all his weekends and school holidays helping at the reserve. Keith says:
"The first lagoon and island had just been formed, I took it upon myself to catch minnows and sticklebacks in the burn and relocate them to the lagoon in good numbers, The result was that later we had terns feeding on the lagoon. I then thought about how I could get them nesting on the island? My solution, with much scepticism from others, was to create a 1m square of ¾ gravel which I waded over in bags to create my tern nesting site. And it worked! I can't remember the species of tern that nested but they did nest on my small square of gravel!"
Photo credit: Ben Andrew (rspb-images.com)
Keith continues: "I have fond memories of many days, weeks and years helping at Vane Farm. I was 12 or 13 then – I am 57 this year and my interest in birds and, in particular all wildlife, has never diminished. I now fly birds of prey (they were always my favourite!) but also keep some 50 doves, 50 chickens, 12 wooducks as well as an eagle owl, harris hawk and a pair of little owls, all captive bred. I also feed a very healthy population of garden birds with some 20 feeders going all year!
And I blame this all on Vane Farm and probably on John Sapworth (then head warden) and Bridget Moore!"
So RSPB Scotland Loch Leven has a lot to answer for!!! I wonder how many of the children in the photo below (pre-1980s) also developed a life-long love of nature and wildlife?
Fay Pascoe also has fond memories of the reserve from 37 years ago and writes:
"I was responsible for school visits and also the training of what we then (and until quite recently) called teacher naturalists - several had been teachers. Children came free from Central, Tayside and Fife schools - their councils all contributed to the reserve. Some schools came very well prepared, others thought it was just a fun day out. Visits from the School for the Blind in Edinburgh were always fascinating - the children noticed all sorts of things that others did not.."
"Once we had the tunnel and could get over the road safely we introduced pond dipping, which was very popular. Most of the schools which visited were primary schools, but we did introduce a more specialised course for older classes, including what was then Sixth Year Studies - I think we did occasionally have teacher training days, and some University groups came and did their own thing."
Free school visits are now offered by RSPB Scotland Loch Leven to all schools across Scotland as part of our school visits programme. Here are pupils from Kinross High School making apple feeders in 2017.
And children from Oakbank School enjoying drawing and identifying birds in 1991.
Long may RSPB Scotland Loch Leven continue to educate and bring the pleasures of nature and the great outdoors to all children across Scotland!
Thank you to Keith Garry and Fay Pascoe for sharing their stories. Should you have any stories you would like to share with RSPB Scotland Loch Leven please email your story (50 words or less) and submit a photo if you have one to LochLeven50th@rspb.org.uk
Alternatively, drop your story into the visitor centre or post to; RSPB Scotland Loch Leven, Kinross, KY13 9LX. Please do not send in original copies of photos. We look forward to hearing from you!