What a warm summer it is turning out to be here in Perthshire, with properly sunny days suiting us and the wildlife alike! That is of course, except for Saturday, the one day we needed sunshine as we hosted a free workshop and guided walk by the British Dragonfly Society’s Scottish officer Danielle, to learn to identify damselflies and dragonflies! Despite the drizzle we saw dozens and dozens of Common Blue Damselflies and learnt a lot more about where to look for them and how to get involved in their conservation- we have lots of information here if you are interested, just ask us next time you are in the VC!

On a similar note, we’ve had an exciting siting of a rare butterfly here this week- a Speckled wood. This butterfly is expanding its range in Scotland as the climate warms and is turning up in new places each year. Butterfly Conservation are looking for reports and sightings- ask us for a submission postcard or check out their website.

Elsewhere in the reserve we have been surveying for Beaver activity and vegetation impact – the resident family on the loch consisting of two adults and their two kits from last year, have been showing a remarkable preference for Rowan saplings recently around the loch. Interestingly initial results how that more than 80% of the small trees felled by the Beavers over the last 18months have already coppiced (i.e. regrown from the stumps).

Lastly, on the lochs we sadly we did have to catch a mute swan today on Craiglush with a badly broken wing ( thanks to the visitors at Craiglush House for reporting this to us) which was unfortunately not fixable and was euthanized to relieve its suffering by the SSPCA inspector who kindly came to assist. The swan seems to have had a bad collision with something- possibly during a fight or with a solid object. Sadly this leaves its mate alone on the loch without a spouse as swans are monogamous – hopefully next spring it might find a new young mate.

Ranger Emma