This has been the first really wintery week-end of the season. Plummeting temperatures (-5 degrees) meant lethally slippery paths needed de-icing and the last vestiges of green and gold in the landscape turned silver with frost.

We are delighted to welcome two new volunteer rangers – Emma and Kirsten  who have fitted straight in, sanding paths and filling feeders for hungry wildlife.

During the winter season at Loch of the Lowes the staff and volunteers attend to a lot of behind the scenes activities. Our 2013 event programme is being planned for the reserve and for the visitor centre, including new topics for both children and adults. Talks and speakers have to be organised and dates decided upon, taking annual local events into consideration.

We also go out and about! Did you see us at Perth Christmas Market last weekend? If not why not catch us at Santa Day in Dunkeld next Saturday! We also took part in the Perthshire Amber Festival Wheelbarrow procession which was great fun but also highlighted the plight of the Red Squirrels. Our rangers are game for a laugh – wearing their crowns of leaves with gusto and there was even a special guest appearance from Sandy the Squirrel! (photo above thanks to Phil Hannah)

At present, while builders are refurbishing our double decker hide on the loch side, we are also creating a ‘Hide’ for children to enjoy when they visit: inside the visitor centre building.

If you are in the Dunkeld area on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday throughout the winter, please come and enjoy our “Warm Winter Wildlife Watching” week-ends. There’s plenty for the children to do with crafts, quizzes,  scavenger hunts and wildlife themed Storytelling with Lindsey Gibb. While adults can relax with a warming cuppa and observe the lively antics of woodland birds and red squirrels right outside the viewing window.

Cherry