This week's guest blogger is the wonderful Fine Wohlfahrt, who is currently on an internship with RSPB Scotland. .
Fine is at university in Germany, and came to Scotland to volunteer with RSPB to get some practical experience of working within nature conservation. She has been an absolute joy to have around the reserve, pitching in with everything from repairing fencing out on the reserve to working in the cafe, and bird surveys to public events. The next part of her internship takes her to the RSPB's Scottish headquarters in Edinburgh to work with the ecology team there.
Here she shares a few tales of what she' s been up to during her time as a residential intern at Loch Leven....
I’ve been volunteering for the RSPB for nearly three months now, most of the time staying at RSPB Loch Leven Nature Reserve. I started in September, when the swallows were about to leave and pink footed geese and whooper swans were coming in. I learned a lot about wildlife on the reserve - especially waders and water fowl – roosting or feeding here and also how to manage a nature reserve - geese counting, grazing and water management. I loved being out in this beautiful landscape, working alone or with other enthusiastic people.
But RSPB is not all about birds, so alongside working with the other volunteers I had my own project, a little investigation about water voles. After a survey in a raised bog in 2002 there was no further knowledge about the water vole population on the reserve. Once crouched down in the rushes I explored a completely new world, which is easily overlooked while standing. Runways, droppings and burrows in a variety of forms and sizes. Although I found out that our water vole population no longer exists, this survey – my first - was a great experience and good practise for my course (I study land use and nature conservation in Germany) and future work.
Another very exciting project was working with the East Scotland sea eagle team in Perth. After 5 years of releasing birds we collected data about their dispersal. Since they all carry a transmitter we are able to track them, so we not only know their rough position but also the identity of the birds. It’s always exciting to pick up a signal but of course it’s even better to see the real bird! Although they’re not too seldom to be seen in Fife, their massive wingspan is just amazing and it’s always a pleasure watching their majesty while circling above in the sky.Even if there were no white tailed eagles around, every day tracking was an opportunity to explore Scottish landscape and wildlife. This alone was worth those months away from home, not to mention all the other experiences! Thank you, all the Team of Loch Leven Nature Reserve, for these magnificent weeks of nature experience!