Rothes has had another uneventful week on Ilha de Unhocomozinho. She's staying in a pretty localised area, hanging round the west coast of the island. She seems to have a few favourite perches - at least as regards the numbers I get through from the satellite. That's about all I can say about her...

...Here at Abernethy it's gone manic. With the snow really shifting, we've been trying to get out and do all the things we haven't been able to do for months, with a deadline for getting them done fast approaching. Tracks are only just becoming driveable - but now we can we need them cleared...

The Osprey Centre is on its countdown to the new season. The new team arrived at the weekend, I'm sure before long they'll be blogging about all things Osprey. We've been installing the cameras (apparently the really good view of crossbills - one sat in the Osprey nest while Ross was still up the ladder a metre away from it) is quite normal for the day the nest cameras go up, but it was the best view I've ever had and I was standing on the ground. Richard's been doing all the millions of things that need doing before the start of the season as well as dealing with the powerline installation.

And to top it all the water's stopped working again. Hopefully that'll be back tomorrow...

Finally today is Douglas's last blog contribution - but he's had to go to get some emergency drinking water, so I'll put that up tomorrow when he's had time to write it...

That's it for now.

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As promised here's Douglas' last blog... Enjoy.

GOODBYE, SO LONG, FAREWELL

So, this is it, my farewell post. I am worried about mentioning the weather as one day after my last ‘blog’ the snow came down again! Surely, we are past the worst now.

I have been busy updating my c.v. as well as applying for jobs when they have appeared on the various web sites I have been searching; with all my newly acquired skills I have now been for several interviews and……I’ve landed a six month contract with the RSPB doing habitat enhancement work for the Slavonian grebes, I am very happy as it keeps me in this wonderful part of the world for a wee while longer.

Over the last few weeks, I have been watching a Pine marten from my kitchen window; these animals have been on my ‘want to see’ list for a long time and I have enjoyed their company on three separate occasions now. I think the severe weather had maybe forced it closer to the buildings to forage for food.

The forest is looking green again and the birds are in full song on a daily basis, I think it has been a long enough winter for everyone. The college where I gained my conservation qualification had a visit to the reserve today; it was good to see a new group of budding conservationists enjoying this place too.

So, to my thank you’s, first and foremost to all the team at Abernethy/Loch Garten for making my time here so enjoyable, to the RSPB for giving me this opportunity, to my college lecturer for his encouragement and of course, to all you people out there who care about our environment too, keep up the good work.

I don’t think my next post will involve a ‘blog’ but I have enjoyed doing these ones. I am now looking forward to building a successful career with the RSPB.

Best wishes to everyone

Douglas