Did anyone else hear birds singing last week? As the days grow longer, it seems they are beginning voice their approval! It is a gentle reminder to us all that our seasons are fleeting and we should enjoy these brisk winter days while we can. With the breeding season hotting up and birds beginning to mark out their territories for the coming year; it is the perfect time for me to go on the hunt for the elusive, and annoyingly rare, ‘Falls of Clyde Nuthatch’.

As many of you are aware, last year my seasonal ranger saw one up by Corra Linn, but I am yet to see one here on the reserve. We also know that they breed in Castlebank Park in Lanark but they are yet to make the Falls of Clyde there home. If I don’t see one soon I will start thinking they are avoiding me.

I know not all nuthatches have an aversion to me as I saw two in Cumbria at my parent’s house over Christmas. It was a pretty amazing sight, our feeders are only a couple of feet from the front window. As I had my face eagerly pressed up against the glass, there they were, flitting back and forth from the peanut stand.

A gentleman who has had more than one close encounter with nuthatches is Mr Ward from Hamilton (I bet you thought I had forgotten about you!). He sent me some wonderful photographs back in October and I have been waiting to share one of them with you ever since! This photo was taken at Chatelherault Country Park, which, like us, is part of the Clyde Valley Woodlands National Nature Reserve. Thank you so much for sending them to me; it was such a lovely surprise.

Laura Preston – Scottish Wildlife Trust, Falls of Clyde Ranger
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