As the season at Loch Garten begins to wind down, the team are still keeping a close eye on the progress of this year's juveniles as they make their first migration south. Has Tore finally taken the plunge and braved the Channel and has Bynack managed to get beyond France? To find out check out the latest post on the Loch Garten osprey diary.
The team at our Lands End event had an amazing, albeit brief, encounter with a friendly giant on Monday. It had been a quiet day, but the sea was perfectly flat and calm and the sky was overcast. Not much of a summer's day, but perfect conditions for sea watching. The team usually check the grey seal haul out when it's coming up to low tide. They started scanning the rocks expecting to see seals when suddenly a huge animal rolled over in the water, its long grey back breaking the surface with a tiny fin visible. Just once and it was gone. A 7 m minke whale had passed by the rocks probably looking for its next meal of plankton and fish. Fantastic!
Stop by and see the team this bank holiday weekend and see what else you can spot!
As the ospreys start to make their way south for the winter, the team at David Marshall Lodge, Aberfoyle, have turned their attentions towards some more of the locals. The web cam that used to focus on the osprey nest until it failed earlier in the season is now being aimed at one of the squirrel feeders, offering the chance to spot an adorable red squirrel coming in for a snack or even an elusive pine martin! The web cam is up and running between 10 am and 5 pm and you can watch it by clicking here. Or if you're north of the border you can pop in to see all the action live!
The feeders have a special purpose other than just giving our furry friends a free meal. Forestry Commission Scotland has set up double sided sticky tape on the underside of the lid box in order to collect hair samples from the wildlife taking advantage of the free food. These hair samples are then analysed to find out which species are using the boxes. This information is really important because David Marshall Lodge is right on the front line for grey squirrels moving up from the south and it will show whether grey squirrels are on the move into the red squirrel country in the north of Scotland.
This weekend is your last chance to get to know the wildlife of Filey and what better time to do it than the bank holiday weekend? We'll be at our viewpoint on the promenade ready to show you all that buzzes, chirps, scratches and wades around this lovely seaside town. So keep your fingers and toes crossed for sunshine, grab your bucket and spade, and stop by to see us on your way to the beach.
Regular updates are coming in on the whereabouts of Tore and Bynack as they embark on their first migration. Who is flying like a pro and who is suffering from a crisis of confidence? Head over to the Loch Garten osprey diary to find out.