Montrose Basin

The Waders Are Returning!
15 July 2019

It’s mid-July, Summer is in full-flow, and birdwatchers are already thinking “Wow, I can’t wait for Autumn to arrive.” What you’ll see at Montrose Basin very much depends on the time of year – July is great for osprey spotting and watching terns and sand martins, and in July 2017 we were delighted to have regular sightings of a juvenile kingfisher returning to the visitor centre perches after breeding season. But this time of year can be very quiet otherwise.…

Discovering the History of some of Montrose Basin’s Birds
26 June 2019

Have you ever spotted a bird in your garden that has a ring on its leg and have you wondered what this ring actually means? At Montrose Basin we often see birds with rings or tags on them and this means we get to find out a lot of interesting information about their history. FC6 © David Reynolds Bird ringing is a way of tracking and identifying individual birds to keep a record of their movements…

Volunteering at Montrose Basin – Life Beyond the Classroom
07 June 2019

My name is Jay, and I have just completed my second year at the University of Dundee, where I am studying to become a Primary School Teacher. In March-April this year, I undertook an 8 week voluntary placement at Montrose Basin Visitor Centre as part of the module Learning from Life, which provides a unique opportunity for students to gain some experience outside the classroom. At the beginning of my time at the Visitor Centre, I was admittedly very anxious…

Be Nice to Nettles
18 May 2019

So, they may not be your favourite plant and they’ve certainly earned themselves a bad reputation. But we’re here to change your mind about nettles, as we think they’re definitely under-rated and all-in-all a fantastic plant! Here are a few reasons why nettles are so great; They provide wonderful habitats for a whole host of wildlife. They’re a staple food source for a wide range of invertebrate species. If you’re into foraging, they can also be made into tasty meals…

The Ospreys of Montrose Basin
24 April 2019

Visitors to the Montrose Basin are often surprised to hear that an osprey has been sighted that day, but the reserve has actually become a very popular fishing spot for a whole variety of these birds of prey. The Basin’s osprey visitors take advantage of the tides, arriving at low tide to catch fish out of the shallower water, and then perching on fence posts with freshly caught fish once their usual driftwood perches have been completely submerged in water.…

Identifying Birds’ Eggs
21 April 2019

Have you encountered fragments of bird egg shells in your garden, in the woods or when you’re out and about? They can be interesting finds, but which birds do they come from? This illustrated guide with our top tips will help you identify some of the more common shells you’re likely to find. If you find egg remnants on the ground, they’re likely to have been carried away after hatching by parent birds and discarded. They tend to drop them…