Well, it’s certainly been cold up here – with temperatures dropping to -17°C on a few nights although seems to have warmed up to a comfortable 4°C yesterday.

In this harsh weather, the birds are really having a hard time so it is important to keep on feeding your local garden birds; if you live nearby we stock a wide range of bird food at the centre with members getting a 10% discount.

Our feeders are still really busy – counting up to 12 robins a day, 20 odd pheasants and literally hundreds of chaffinches plus all the regulars. Interesting sightings though have been brambling most days (one female every day and an occasional male) so inspect the chaffinches closely and it may be a brambling. Another sighting which proves how tough this weather is for the birds is a solitary reed bunting showing up at the feeders on consecutive days.

Still no pine marten appearances on our cameras but a mystery animal was seen by Peter at roughly half five this morning scampering across the meadow, low to the ground which stopped and looked directly at the car, eyes about an inch apart glowing in the headlights…but don’t get too excited it could still be a cat.

Our loch is still frozen, with little pockets of water appearing where the ducks appear to be congregating. We would like to put out a wee warning regarding the ice on the loch. We’ve had reports of people walking on Craiglush loch and would like to reiterate how dangerous this could be with no idea of the depth of the ice. So, it may look safe but please do not take any risks.