I am sad to say that I have spend little time on the reserve in the past week because I have hurt my foot, at the moment I can put little weight on it and a website (reputable I might add), tells me it, ‘usually goes in time’. Needless to say it his hard to remain positive so I have been vicariously living through my Ranger Team in a bid to boost my mood!

If you follow us on Facebook you may have heard that the otter we keep seeing up near Bonnington Linn is in fact a mink, this makes me happy because instead of missing amazing sightings of an otter, I’m just missing amazing sightings of a mink. They can be troublesome creatures, especially for water voles but considering we don’t have suitable habitat for little ‘ratty’, I am not to upset, especially as I know our local otters will fend them off in good time.

Adam recently saw a garden warbler, which I am sure I have seen but not knowingly. This has caused me to ‘up my game’ and do a little bit of research so next time I will know I saw them! Having just read about them on the RSPB website, I think I am going to struggle, this is what they say, ‘A very plain warbler with no distinguishing features (a feature in itself!). It spends a lot of its time in the cover of trees and bushes and can be more difficult to see than its relative, the blackcap. Despite its name it is not really a garden bird, except in mature gardens next to woods. Its song is similar to that of a blackcap, but has longer mellow phrases.’ Wish me luck!

Laura Preston – Scottish Wildlife Trust, Falls of Clyde Ranger
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