Thursday, 16 February 2012

Information Boards

Watermead Country Park

Map Info
Nearest Town: 
Thurmaston
County: 
Leicestershire
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Information
Wildlife Description: 

Birds

Tufted duck, Coot, Mallard, Mute Swan, Great Crested Grebe, Grey Heron, Cormorant, Kingfisher, Pochard, Shoveler, Bullfinch, Common Gull, Crow, Dunlin, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Goosander, Lapwing, Shelduck, Tree Sparrow, Wigeon, Wren, Canada Goose, Moorhen

Butterflies and moths

Speckled wood, Small White, Large White, Gatekeeper, Cinnabar moth, Small Skipper, Ringlet, Peacock, Red Admiral, Comma

Dragonflies and Damselflies

Brown Hawker, Common Blue Damselfly, Blue-tailed Damselfly, Banded demoiselle damselfly

Insects

Soldier Beetle, Green Bottle, Speckled Bush-Cricket,  

Other Vertibrates

Grass Snake, Grey Squirrel

 

The Loons and Loch of Banks

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Facts
Size (Hectares): 
100
Classification: 
Sites of Special Scientific Interest
Environment Type: 

Marshland and lochans

Region: 
Orkney
Site Managed By: 
RSPB
Address: 

10 Albyn Terrace
Aberdeen
Aberdeenshire
AB10 1YP
Tel: 01224 624824

Map Info
Grid Reference: 
HY246241
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Information
Place Description: 

The reserve at The Loons is situated to the north and west of the Loch of Isbister and is a natural site with unimproved paths and trails, therefore the access in and around this site may not be suitable for all visitors.

Habitat: 

The Loons has been put forward as a candidate for designation as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) under the European Habitats Directive. The Loons and the Loch of Banks are two separate sites, in fact over one kilometre apart, the RSPB lumps them together into one nature reserve. The reserve consists of basin mires and comprise more than 100 hectares of marsh, grassland, mire, flush, swamp and open water, of which 81 hectares are owned by RSPB. This reserve can flood entirely in winter and remains very wet throughout the summer.

Wildlife Description: 

This is an excellent site for migratory wildfowl and breeding birds where the visitor can spot hundreds of Ducks and a large numbers of White-Fronted Geese. Wigeon, Lapwing, Redshank, Shoveler and Pintail breed in nationally important numbers, with six pairs of the latter species representing 15% of the UK population. The reserve holds high densities of small birds; everything from Sedge Warblers and Reed Buntings in the reedbeds to Twite, Linnet and Skylarks in more open ground. The areas of rough grassland also provide cover for the Orkney vole, and the reserve is a magnet for hunting birds of prey such as Hen Harriers, Kestrels and Short-Eared Owls. Many species of Dragon and Damselfly can be seen around the reedbeds and pools on the reserve and Otters are sometimes seen too.

Directions: 

3 miles north of Dounby on Orkney Mainland

Best Time to Visit: 

The best time to visit is probably in the Spring and  Summerwhen all of the wading birds are displaying and then breeding. There is no access road or paths to the marsh, but good views can be obtained from the road and hide.

Coll

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Map Info
Nearest Town: 
Arinagour, Coll
Grid Reference: 
NM167563
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Information
Place Description: 

The Island of Coll  and is some 53 miles from Oban and is 13 miles long and 3 miles wide, with many unspoilt white sandy beaches.The isle of Coll is a small hebridean island some four miles west of Mull and enjoys a mild climate with a high sunshine record. Coll has a population of around 200 all-year residents, and much more in the summer months.

Habitat: 

An island with sand and rocky coastline, machair, hills and lochs.

Wildlife Description: 

Corncrake, Puffins, Gannet, Manx Shearwaters, Melin, Hen Harrier, Divers, Redshanks, Bar-Tailed Godwit, Purple Sandpiper, Lapwing, Sea Eagles, Snipe, Skylark, Barnacle and Greenland White-Fronted Geese and Long Tailed Duck  are just some of the birds the visitor can see. There are also colonies of Common and Grey Seals and also Otters.
When the machair, which is smooth turf growing on a lime rich soil of ground seashell fragments is in full flower, over 300 types of flowering plants can be found, including many species of orchids. This area also supports important insect populations including two rare types of bee - the Great Yellow Bumblebee and a mining bee called Colletes floris as well as Butterflies, Dragon and Damselfy's.

Directions: 

Coll is reached by ferry from Oban, Landing at Arinagour on Coll. Contact Caledonian MacBrayne.
Tel: 08705 650000.
The RSPB Reserve is located 6 miles west of Arinagour, Isle of Coll, on the B8070 road.
 

Best Time to Visit: 

Spring and Summer for breeding birds, Insects and Wildflowers.

Wood of Cree Nature Reserve

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Facts
Environment Type: 

Deciduous woodland and river

Region: 
Dumfries & Galloway
Site Owned By: 
RSPB
Site Managed By: 
RSPB & Cree Valley Community Woodland Trust
Address: 

South and West Scotland Regional Office
10 Park Quadrant
Glasgow
G3 6BS
Tel: 0141 331 0993
 

Contact Information: 

Cree Valley Community Woodlands Trust

Official Website: 
Website
Map Info
Nearest Town: 
Newton Stewart
County: 
Dumfries & Galloway
Grid Reference: 
NX381708
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Information
Place Description: 

The Wood of Cree is the largest ancient wood in southern Scotland and has a history of intensive management. Most of the oak trees show evidence of coppicing which started during the 17th century and continued until the mid 20th century. The wood was virtually clear felled by 1920. The Woodland Management is aiming at returning it to high forest, enhancing the biodiversity and extending the area of deciduous woodland habitat, and developing visitor access. The RSPB has recently purchased land adjacent to Cree Wood and is in the process of planting some 250,000 native seedlings of Oak, Birch, Ash,Alder and Willow. This will create around 670 acres of new woodland and, through sensible management, will significantly extend precious habitat for populations of threatened woodland birds like the black grouse. It will also create a larger continuous complex of native woodland up the Cree Valley.
 

Habitat: 

Very picturesque woodland that is carpeted in Bluebells and Primroses in Spring, streams, glades with nature trails and an Otter viewing platfom over the river. There is a car park and picnic area with tables and benches. The RSPB plans to re-establish the natural flood plain along the River Cree to help create areas of wetland that will benefit breeding wading species including Oystercatcher, Lapwing and Curlew – as well as the Otter. Grazing livestock would help to keep these areas in optimum condition for breeding waders, and help prevent scrub from encroaching.

Wildlife Description: 

Cree Wood is host to an important population of Red Squirrel. Pine martens can also be seen in the wood, along with Red and Roe Deer, Barn Owls, seven species of bat and particularly birds, like the Wood Warbler, Redstart and Pied Flycatcher. It is also one of the best places in Scotland to see Willow Tit at the edge of its northern range. Dippers and Grey Wagtails breed along the banks of the burns that flow through the woodland and Herons can be seen fishing while Buzzards soar overhead. The waterside marshes and meadows are home to Water Rails, Grasshopper Warblers, Reed Bunting and Sedge Warblers as well as many species of Dragonfly. In winter the riverside viewing platform is an excellent site for watching Goldeneye, Teal, Mallard Ducks and Whooper Swans.

Directions: 

Car: Travelling north along the minor road from Newton Stewart through Old Minnigaff then turn left past Monigaff church and continue along the minor C50 for a further three miles till you reach the car park.

Best Time to Visit: 

Spring and Summer for breeding birds and Autumn and Winter for migratory wildfowl.

Dogs are only allowed on public footpaths and bridleways. Visitors are welcome to bring their dogs,  provided they are kept under control.

Loch Maree Islands

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Facts
Site Managed By: 
Scottish Natural Heritage
Address: 
Reserve Manager SNH Reserve Office Anancaun Kinlochewe Ross-shire IV22 2PA Tel: 01445 760254.
Official Website: 
Website
Map Info
Nearest Town: 
Poolewe
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Information
Place Description: 
Loch Maree (loch Ma-ruibhe in Gaelic) is a loch in Wester Ross in the Northwest Highlands of Scotland. At 20 kilometres long and with a maximum width of 4 kilometres, it is the fourth largest freshwater loch in Scotland.
Habitat: 
The cluster of islands consist of three large and forty small islands, set in the widest part of Loch Maree, which sits in pine-green contrast to the dark mountain beyond. The islands woodlands are among the least disturbed in Britain and their trees, bogs and bays are havens for may kinds of wildlife.
Wildlife Description: 
The loch is an important breeding site for Black-Throated Divers while Sea Eagles and Ospryes hunt for fish around the islands. Otters can be seen around the shoreline while Red Squirrels and Red and Roe Deer inhabit the woodland.
Directions: 
Ten miles northwest of Kinlochewe, off the A832 road. There is a limited bus service from Inverness.
Best Time to Visit: 
There are no visitors facilities but there are nature trails along and around the loch itself, while from May to August boat trips operate from the Loch Maree Hotel (tel: 01445 760288), which also has a viewing hide.

Ben Lawers National Nature Reserve

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Facts
Classification: 
National Nature Reserve
Environment Type: 
Mountain and upland.
Site Owned By: 
National Trust for Scotland
Address: 
Ben Lawers National Nature Reserve (NTS) By Killin Perthshire Phone: 01567 820397 / 01567 820988
Contact Information: 
NTS Ranger ServiceLynedochMain StreetKillin FK21 8UWTel: 0844 4932 136E-mail: benlawers@nts.org.uk
Official Website: 
Website
Map Info
Nearest Town: 
Killin
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Place Description: 
Britain's 10th highest mountain, Ben Lawers, 1214m, is well-known for its unique range of mountain plants. It is renowned for its outstanding flora. The alpine calcareous grasslands, treeline woods and rocky slopes support a diverse range of flowering plants, lichens and bryophytes.
Habitat: 
The soils on Ben Lawers are unusually rich at high altitude and support a superb collection of arctic-alpine plants and mountain scrub amidst fine upland scenery and is a botanical mecca, being home to rarities such as the Alpine Forget-me-not Myostris alpestris, Alpine Gentian Gentiana nivalis, Mountain Sandwort Minuartia rubella, Alpine Meadow-grass Poa alpina, Alpine Saxifrage Saxifraga nivalis, Alpine Lady's Mantle Alchemilla alpina and Moss Campion Silene acaulis.
Wildlife Description: 
Wildlife that can be spotted on the reserve include Red Deer, Birds of Prey, including the Golden Eagle, Osprey, Red Squirrels, Grouse and Ptarmigan.
Directions: 
Ben Lawers lies on the north side of Loch Tay, near Killin, within Breadalbane. The car park lies on a minor road off the A827 road, six miles from Killin. Parking -
Best Time to Visit: 
June to August for rare alpine plants

Balranald Nature Reserve

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Facts
Size (Hectares): 
640 hectares
Environment Type: 

Coastal, machair, grassland, lochs.

Region: 
Hebrides
Site Managed By: 
RSPB
Address: 

North Scotland Regional Office Etive House Beechwood Park Inverness IV2 3BW Tel: 01463 715000

Contact Information: 

Nr BayheadNorth UistWestern IslesTel: 01876 560287

Official Website: 
Website
Map Info
Nearest Town: 
Balranald
County: 
Western Isles
Grid Reference: 
NF706707
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Information
Place Description: 

Balranald Nature Reserveset is mostly set on machair (extensive low-lying fertile plain) is a haven for waders and seabirds as well as some beautiful carpet machair flowers and associated insect life. A Visitors/Information Centre provides an explaination of the importance of traditional crofting agriculture for corncrakes and other wildlife. There is a circular nature trail through the croft land of the reserves, which is 3 miles in length, isitors should allow around 2-3 hours to complete it. The trail goes through wildflower-rich machair and round a bird-rich headland. A wide selection of wildlife can been seen, from wading birds to the elusive otter.

Habitat: 

The habitats include rocky headlands, sandy bays, dunes, machair, grassland, marshes and lochs. The machair, the wonderful grassland dominated by dozens of wildflowers that is unique to the west coasts of Scotland and Ireland, is spectacular when in flower.

Wildlife Description: 

Balranald Nature Reserve is famous for corncrakes that are now one of Europe's most endangered species and whose last stronghold is the Scottish Islands. There are also many other species here such as Twites, Skylarks, Meadow pipets, Corn Bunting and House Sparrows that feed near the car park. Many Hebridean and Western Isles, including Coll, Tiree and the Uists, now have corncrake populations that are numbering over 100, with Islay and Iona not too far behind. So successful has the conservation and management for corncrakes been in this region that several young birds from the islands have now been re-located to boost a reintroduction scheme in East Anglia.

Directions: 

By car: The resere is three miles north of Bayhead. Turn for Hougharry off the A865. Bus: A Post bus service runs past the reserve. Contact Royal Mail for details.

Best Time to Visit: 

Spring and Summer for wildflowers, breeding birds, dragonflies and butterflies. Autumn and Winter for migratory birds. In early May it can be an excellent site for watching skuas on passage. Pomarine and Long-tailed Skuas often pass by in large numbers if there are strong W to SW winds. Over 200 have been recorded on a single day under favourable conditions.

Fairy Glen

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Facts
Region: 
Highland
Site Owned By: 
Highland Council
Site Managed By: 
RSPB
Contact Information: 

Tel: 01463 715000nsro@rspb.org.uk

Official Website: 
Website
Map Info
Nearest Town: 
Rosemarkie, on the Black Isle north of Inverness
County: 
Highland
Grid Reference: 
NH732580
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Information
Place Description: 

Fairy Glen is an RSPB site situated close to the town of Rosemarkie, north of Inverness. The glen is well wooded with beech, rowan, ash and oak, and carpeted with Blue bells and Primroses in the Spring. The Fairy Glen was once the scene of a well-dressing ceremony, where the children of the village decorated a pool, next to a spring, with flowers. This ensured the fairies kept the water supply clean.

Habitat: 

Fairy Glen is a small area of broadleaved woodland set in an attractive steep-sided valley. A fast-flowing stream runs through the glen with two lovely waterfalls at the upstream end.

Wildlife Description: 

Red Squirrels are commonly seen, while in the woodland valley keep an eye out for the Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Goldcrest, Treecreepers, Woodcocks, Sparrowhawks, Tawny & Barn owls, Red kites and buzzards. While along the stream Dippers, Grey Wagtails, Kingfishers and Herons are common.

Directions: 

By Car: From the direction of Inverness, drive through Rosemarkie village, passing the Plough Inn on the right and round the sharp left hand bend. After approx 150 m, you will see the car park on the right. By Bus: Regular buses from Inverness and Cromarty stop in the Highland Council-owned Fairy Glen reserve car park.

Best Time to Visit: 

Dogs are welcome under close control. You can walk with your dog on any land in Scotland but ask you to keep your dog close to you, preferably on a lead, especially between 1 April and 30 June, the season many birds nest on the ground. The path to the waterfalls runs for approx 1.25 miles. The steps and uneven surface make a lot of the path unsuitable for wheelchairs and pushchairs.

Dunnet Head RSPB Reserve

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Facts
Size (Hectares): 
27 hectare
Environment Type: 

High cliffs and grassland

Region: 
Caithness
Site Owned By: 
Ben Colson
Site Managed By: 
RSPB
Address: 

Etive House Beechwood Park Inverness IV2 3BW Tel: 01463 715000

Official Website: 
Website
Map Info
Nearest Town: 
Thurso
County: 
Caithness
Grid Reference: 
ND201766
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Information
Place Description: 

Dunnet Head is mainland Britain's most northerly point. On a clear day the visitor can enjoy some of the most extensive and breath-taking views to be found anywhere in the United Kingdom. These stunning views extend from Cape Wrath situated at the north-western tip of mainland Scotland, right through of Duncansby Head at the north-eastern tip. Looking inland, the view includes the sharp peaks of Morvern and Maiden Pap. The RSPB only started to manage this site in May 2008 and, as yet, there are no visitor facilities beyond the car park apart from some interpretation panels. .

Habitat: 

High cliffs and grassland. As part of its management of the site, the RSPB is considering establishing some arable crop and wild flowers to encourage insects and birdlife to the area.

Wildlife Description: 

The cliffs at Dunnet Head, which are 90 metres high in places, are a very important settlement for many seabirds and is of national significance for kittiwakes and guillemots, while other birds like puffins, fulmars, razorbills, shags and cormorants also breed there. The grassland on the top of the cliffs provide an ideal habitat for corncrake, great yellow bumblebee and twite.

Directions: 

Car: From the A836, take the B855 north to Brough for two miles (3 km) until you reach Dunnet Head.

Best Time to Visit: 

Spring and Summer for breeding birds, Autumn and Winter for migratory birds.

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