Why do wagtails wag?
Blogs
Grey wagtails, Motacilla cinerea, are a daily sight here at Falls of Clyde. They are more colourful that their name suggests, with distinctive lemon yellow belly and underparts, to contrast …
Life on the Loch
Blogs
With summer just around the corner for Loch of the Lowes’ 50th year under the protection of the Scottish Wildlife Trust, all of its residents, permanent or visiting, are …
The Ospreys of Montrose Basin
Blogs
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 …
Identifying Birds’ Eggs
Blogs
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 …
These are a few of my favourite things… Part 2
Blogs
This final part of my blog covers another couple of birds that I have enjoyed seeing at the Basin, and a couple of things I would eventually like to see …
Snipe Spotting
Blogs
Snipe are medium-sized wading birds that are part of the family Scolopacidae. They inhabit wet grassland areas, preferring boggy or muddy ground. You’ll often find them in small groups. They …
Winter Is Coming
Blogs
As the weather turns decidedly more wintery and the last of the autumn leaves are blown from the trees, leaving only their skeleton silhouettes, it’s a good time to turn …
Winter Visitors
Blogs
We’ve been seeing a lot of winter visitors lately in Montrose, especially when the rowan trees were full of berries! Here’s a look at a few species that you …
A Hoopoe at Montrose Basin?!
Blogs
It’s always exciting when a rare bird is reported on the Montrose Basin reserve – it gives the visitor centre this special ‘buzz’ when birdwatchers come filing in asking about …
Birds Eye View
Blogs
One of my favourite events in nature’s calendar is the migration of geese from North to South just before our winter truly begins. In the past few weeks the …