Great News: we have found the Loch of the Lowes visitor centre safe and sound underneath all the storm blown trees and amazingly there is very little structural damage. The two large oak trees which fell on the roof have only done superficial damage and a structural engineer today declared the roof and porch safe to use so we can reopen next weekend!

We will be open as normal on winter hours from this coming weekend: Friday, Saturday, Sunday 10.30 – 4pm.

Meanwhile the hide and reserve walk are now open, so you can enjoy a stroll and a view of the loch and its birdlife anytime.

 We have good numbers of Goldeneye ducks on the Loch at the moment, in their finest breeding plumage, as well as Tufted Duck, Pochard, Great Crested Grebes and Cormorants and Mute Swans.

 There have been numerous close sightings of Fallow deer herds in the woods around the centre, including our local white hind who is often seen grazing over underneath the Osprey nest tree. I canoed over to the nest site today to check the tree and  its cameras,  and can report it is safe and sound- Scots pine really are amazing trees!

 Amazingly the continuing mild winter weather means our resident Red Squirrels are still conspicuously active and seen daily on our feeding station. It is also packed with woodland birds, with huge numbers of finches and tits, and woodpeckers, as well as some rarer birds such as Redpoll, Treecreepers, and Jays.

 Today it felt really rather mild and spring like here , but I don’t doubt there is still a sting in winter yet- let’s hope it isn’t too long coming or our birds will have been tricked into thinking spring is here and started courtship etc and may be badly caught out.

 Ranger Emma