Category Archives: citizen science

The Great Scottish Squirrel Survey returns!

The Great Scottish Squirrel Survey returns back in-person for its fourth year this autumn. Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels is calling on people all over Scotland to explore outdoors and look out for tufted ears and bushy tails between 10-16 October … Continue reading

Posted in biodiversity, citizen science, mammals, NatureScot, Squirrels | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Monitoring the not-so-common Common Crane in North East Scotland

Today, we welcome back guest blogger and ace photographer Ron Macdonald, who takes us on an amazing visual and auditory journey following common cranes in North East Scotland, as he volunteers for RSPB to help monitor and understand this recovering … Continue reading

Posted in biodiversity, Birds, citizen science, Ecology, photography, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A blizzard of butterflies – “an incredible day” counting northern brown argus

The northern brown argus, at this time of year, is in its twilight months as a hungry caterpillar. The larvae will begin to pupate in May and emerge as butterflies to brighten up small patches of the Scottish countryside through … Continue reading

Posted in citizen science, coastal, Insects, Moths and butterflies, survey, Uncategorized, Volunteering | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Mapping the Birds of South East Scotland – A Celebration of Citizen Science in Action

This week’s blog is written by Mike Thornton, a NatureScot operations officer in the Lothians, and a keen volunteer citizen scientist. Mike has worked on a range of citizen science projects, including the Birds in South-east Scotland 2007-13, a Scottish … Continue reading

Posted in biodiversity, Birds, citizen science, conservation, Volunteering | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

A quest to learn more about humpback whales in Scotland

As part of Scotland’s Year of Coasts and Waters, Ron Macdonald, chair of the North East Biological Records Centre and an avid humpback whale watcher, introduces a blog by Lyndsay Macneill, a talented and enthusiastic citizen scientist who discovered a love of whales … Continue reading

Posted in biodiversity, citizen science, Year of Coasts and Waters, Year of Coasts and Waters 2020 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Celebrating Volunteers’ Week 2020 and Thinking Ahead

By Alison Matheson, SNH Policy and Advice Officer Today sees the start of Volunteers’ Week 2020.  Volunteers’ Week is an annual celebration of the contribution that millions of people make across the UK through volunteering. Over the last few months, … Continue reading

Posted in citizen science, SNH, Uncategorized, Volunteering | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Moths on the move

Mike Thornton, SNH Operations Officer for the Forth Area, describes how integral moths are to Scotland’s biodiversity, and why it’s crucial to know how their populations are changing. I lift the egg cartons out of the moth trap, slowly revealing … Continue reading

Posted in Argyll National Nature Reserves, biodiversity, citizen science, climate change, conservation, Ecology, moth, science, Scottish Natural Heritage, SNH, survey, Volunteering | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Ardnamurchan’s unique day-flying moth

Each year in early summer, volunteers from various parts of Scotland travel west to survey a rare, striking and elusive day-flying moth – the New Forest burnet, at the only site it occurs in the UK.  Since becoming extinct in … Continue reading

Posted in biodiversity, citizen science, climate change, conservation, Ecology, Flowers, Insects, Land management, moth, Projects, Protected Areas, Research, Scotland's Protected Places, Scottish Natural Heritage, SNH, Species Action Framework, SSSI, Uncategorized, wildlife management, woodlands | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Remarkable achievements at Ben and Glen Nevis

Over the last five years, the Nevis Landscape Partnership has achieved what it says on the side of its bus – carried out a programme of 19 projects, with tremendous volunteer support. This £3.4 million scheme has had a tangible … Continue reading

Posted in Access, citizen science, Community engagement, conservation, Diversity, Ecology, Flowers, Lichens, mosses, paths, plants, Projects, Scottish Natural Heritage, SNH, survey, Trail, Uncategorized, Visitor centre, Volunteering, wild flowers, wild land | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Sea-searchers recognised for 31-year contribution to marine conservation.

SNH has supported Seasearch in Scotland for many years now. The skills and enthusiasm of their union of marine life investigators has in turn supported our own research. Some of our marine team are Seasearch volunteers in their free time. … Continue reading

Posted in Awards, biodiversity, citizen science, coastal, Community engagement, conservation, mapping, Marine, Marine Protected Areas, MPA, MPAs, Priority Marine Features, Research, sea life, SNH, survey, Uncategorized, Volunteering, Year of Coasts and Waters 2020 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment