Even though osprey watch is still continuing , the Ranger team of Emma and her volunteers have already started the early summer fieldwork on the other Perthshire reserves, and this week have been enjoying the glory of wildflowers as they come into their prime.

On our smallest local reserve Brerachan Meadow , in Strathardle, we have been surveying standard botanical transects to ensure the biodiversity is stable or improving-  meaning our traditional meadow management is working. It is cloaked currently in Globeflower, Cranesbill , Pignut and the nationally scarce Spignel- glorious!

At Tummel Shingle Islands of Ballinluig and Tomdachoille we’ve been getting started on Himalayan Balsam removal- a never ending task on these lovely riverside reserves. This weed threatens to take over the banks and wetlands of these islands , which are vital habitats for some many of our native species, such as the magnificent Common Gull breeding colony on the shingle banks.

At Keltneyburn Meadow its all about Orchids this time of year- this botanical gem of a reserve has a spectacular diversity of wildflowers, and 8 species of native orchids. Here we count the rarest flowers individually, and have started removing Bracken that threatens them. We’ve also been doing some pond surveying here to check its health- its in great shape and is packed full of damsel and dragonfly larvae, and newt tadpoles!

If you’d like to learn more about the meadow and its flowers, the ranger is hosting a Guided Wildflower walk here on Friday the 1th of July, 11am-2pm. For more information call 01350 727337.

Remember if you’d like to know more about any of these reserves, how to visit them or how to get involved in helping look after them, check out the reserves page of our website here: http://scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/visit/reserves/  or get in touch with Ranger Emma.