Glasgow
Events and Talks
Visit to Broadwood Loch, Cumbernauld
Date: Sunday 17 November 2024
Time: 10.30am to 1.30pm approximately
Leader: Clare Winsch
Rendezvous: Meet at Broadwood Loch car park, Orchardton Road, Cumbernauld G68 9GQ. The entrance is marked by a blue archway for “Broadwood Loch”. (what3words: hats.estimates.ritual)
There are no public toilets at Broadwood Loch.
Join us to explore an easy loop through three contrasting habitats on good quality level paths.
Broadwood Loch was created in 1994 when a dam was built across Mosswater to alleviate flood risk downstream. In just 30 years, a combination of open water, bog and woodland has created a rich variety of habitats for birds, butterflies, plants and insects. A good quality, level path forms a two mile circuit around the loch, skirts the bog and meanders through the woods.
Bring a packed lunch in case it’s a nice day and we might sit outside beside the loch.
Talk: Seabirds: the Crown Jewels of Scotland’s Wildlife
Date: Wednesday 27 November 2024
Time: 7.30pm – 9.30pm
Venue: Hyndland School, Clarence Drive, Airlie Theatre.
Speaker: Professor Bob Furness
Scotland holds some of the most important, and best studied populations of seabirds in the world. Scotland “punches above our weight” in terms of scientific papers on seabird ecology and we have world-leading long-term studies (many by amateurs and local ringing groups, not just professional researchers). However, many of our seabirds are now in decline, and recently there have been unprecedented outbreaks of avian influenza in seabird colonies. Rapid development of offshore wind farms represents a new pressure on seabirds now added to impacts of climate change, fisheries, invasive mammal predators and pollution.
Seabirds provide impressive wildlife experiences around Scotland but will we be able to conserve these populations? Despite government promises, we still don’t have a Scottish (or UK) seabird conservation strategy, but the legal protection now afforded to seabirds might provide an opportunity to improve their conservation status.
Bob was fortunate in converting a childhood enthusiasm for ringing seabirds and watching them from the clifftops of Shetland into a career studying seabird ecology. Thirteen years ago he moved from an academic position as Professor of Seabird and Fishing Interactions at Glasgow University to working part-time at MacArthur Green on impacts of offshore wind farms on seabirds and for eight years as a member of the Board of SNH (now NatureScot).
Christmas Party at Hyndland School
Date: Wednesday 11 December 2024
Time: 7.30pm – 9.30pm
Venue: Hyndland School Library, Lauderdale Gardens
A light-hearted evening including a quiz, members’ wildlife photographs and festive refreshments.
