This past week we have been lucky enough to have a fair amount of dry weather. I even saw the sun shining down upon us for a few days; I had to shield my eyes it was so bright! The forecast over the next few days is predicting cold and dry weather, nice and frosty with the potential for snow. Having checked the Met Office website earlier in the week, I had to laugh at their long term forecast, “There is greater than average uncertainty through this period, with no strong signal for any one weather type to dominate.” What does that even mean!

The good weather has brought the peregrines out (or maybe it’s brought me out to see them!). Both our falcon and tiercel were spotted last week whilst the volunteers and I were carrying out some work updating the peregrine watch site. They seemed in fine fettle, and although our peregrines don’t migrate, I do tend to worry about them if I haven’t seen them for a while. Our male is reaching a fine old age for a peregrine falcon so I like to see him doing well.

Sadly the walk up to the peregrine watch site is made the more difficult by a subsidence issue just beyond Corra Linn. We have had to divert the path up to the Hall of Mirrors and along the top path. Diversion signs are in place and the path has been blocked between Corra Linn and just beyond the view to the castle on the New Lanark side of the river. The reserve is still open to all but we have just had to change the path system a wee bit. The good news is that it will be repaired next week. We are erecting some safety fencing and moving the path back from the edge. It should, fingers crossed, be finished by the end of next week and the diversion will be taken down.

Thanks for your patience.

Laura Whitfield – Falls of Clyde Ranger