Can you spot a badger at Baron’s Haugh? A Kingfisher near Carluke? A Damselfly in Dalzell Estate?

These three species have been unveiled as the latest species of the month in the Clyde and Avon Valley Wildlife campaign for April to June, including activities during the Easter holidays, listed below.

The campaign runs for the duration of 2017, offering the chance for children to find out more about local wildlife, visit local nature reserves, take part in wildlife spotting events and help contribute to the iRecord wildlife database.

Two competitions are taking place under the campaign which can be entered by children 12 and under.

The first is the Clyde and Avon Valley Wildlife Challenge #CAVWChallenge. Complete the 12 species checklist to be awarded with a certificate and be entered into a special prize draw.  Join in with wildlife spotting events, download your own spotting guides and enter your findings to iRecord, to tick off the 12 species that you are challenged to find on the checklist. Download spotting guides and the checklist, and link to iRecord at www.clydeandavonvalley.org. Join in the conversation on social media using #CAVWChallenge.

The second is the Clyde and Avon Valley 500 Words Competition (open to children ages 5 – 9 and 10 – 12). Children are invited to pick one of the 12 species (listed below) to write a fictional story or poem about in under 500 words. Each entrant will be awarded with a certificate and be entered into a special prize draw. Entries will be judged on originality, plot, characterisation, language and enjoyment by a panel of expert judges: Cherry Bowen (author of the New Lanark trilogy), the Lanark Writers Group and South Lanarkshire Countryside Rangers. Download the 500 Words Competition full guidelines and submission form from www.clydeandavonvalley.org.

The #CAVWChallenge spotting events for April – June are as follows:

• Bug Hunt at RSPB Baron’s Haugh, Motherwell, Wednesday 12 April, 10:30am – 12:30pm. Book at baronshaugh@rspb.org.uk / 07872 814 911. £4 adults, £2 children, FREE to RSPB members
• Family Woodland Adventures at Scottish Wildlife Trust Falls of Clyde, Thursday 13 April, 1-3pm. Book at www.scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk. £10 per child
• FREE Castles, Craigs and Creatures at Cartland Craigs, Lanark, Wednesday 10 May, 7:30-9:30pm. Book at 01698 421 668
• FREE Cleghorn Glen Dusk Wildlife Walk, Lanark, Thursday 11 May, 7:30 – 9:30pm. Book at 01698 421 668
• Dawn Chorus Walk at RSPB Baron’s Haugh, Motherwell, Saturday 13 May, 6 – 8am. Book at baronshaugh@rspb.org.uk / 07872 814 911. £4 adults, £2 children, FREE to RSPB members
• FREE Family Badger Watch at Scottish Wildlife Trust Falls of Clyde, Friday 12 May, 6:30 – 9:30pm. Book at lpreston@scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk
• FREE Nature Ninjas at Chatelherault Country Park, Saturday 13 May, 10am – 12:30pm. Book at projectofficer@scottishbadgers.org.uk / 07565 813 401
• FREE Beasties at Braidwood at Braidwood Pond, Saturday 13 May, 10:30am – 12 noon. Book at louisa.maddison@southlanarkshire.gov.uk

The campaign focusses on one species per month that can be found throughout the year in local woodlands such as Chatelherault Country Park, RSPB Scotland Baron’s Haugh, Dalzell Estate and Scottish Wildlife Trust Falls of Clyde. The species are goosander, otter, great spotted woodpecker, kingfisher, badger, blue tailed damselfly, bats, candlesnuff fungus, comma butterfly, nuthatch, roe deer and salmon.

The Clyde and Avon Valley is home to a fascinating array of wildlife. The area is home to the Clyde Valley National Nature Reserve (NNR) which is one of the ecologically richest areas of Scotland, as well as other spectacular woodlands. The woodlands are often hidden in dramatic river gorges, creating ribbons of wild land that lace the local landscape where nature thrives.

“We’re urging people to discover more about this amazing landscape and the wildlife that can be found within it through this campaign,” says Chris Waltho, South Lanarkshire Council Countryside and Greenspace.

He continues, “As well as offering opportunities to get out and about and learn about these wonderful species from the expert activity providers, participants are contributing vital statistics to local wildlife records when they input their findings to iRecord. The prizes offered are a bonus!”

Full details of the events, visit http://www.clydeandavonvalley.org/join-in/events

The Clyde and Avon Valley Wildlife Challenge and 500 Words Competition must be entered by Sunday 31 December 2017. The campaign is a partnership project between Heritage Lottery Fund supported Clyde and Avon Valley Landscape Partnership, North Lanarkshire Council,  RSPB Baron’s Haugh, Scottish Natural Heritage, Scottish Wildlife Trust Falls of Clyde and South Lanarkshire Countryside Rangers. Find out the full details for the campaign at www.clydeandavonvalley.org.

Sarah O’Sullivan, Communications Assistant at Clyde and Avon Valley Landscape Partnership, sarah.osullivan@clydeandavonvalley.com, 01555 663 430