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Category Archives: Species of the month
Species of the month – the greenshank
Andy Douse, SNH’s Senior Ornithologist, tells us about these vocal waders you might be lucky enough to spot (and hear) at this time of year in the far north of Scotland. Back in early April, I’m sitting on a bare … Continue reading
Species of the month – rowan
The rowan tree (Sorbus aucuparia) has deep roots in Celtic folklore, thanks mostly to its bright red berries, which have long been associated with spirits and all things magic. But never mind the myths; the rowan is a ubiquitous feature … Continue reading
Posted in Species of the month
Tagged fruit-eating birds, red berries, Rowan, thrush
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Species of the month – lions of the sea
Any guess what this is? It is, of course, a star-forming region in the carina nebula, courtesy of NASA, ESA, N. Smith (University of California, Berkeley), and The Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA). How about this? Imagine a sunny warm day … Continue reading
Posted in biodiversity, Marine, sea life, Species of the month, Uncategorized
Tagged biodiversity, Coast, diving, images, jellyfish, leatherback, lion's mane, marine survey, nature, Orkney, photography, Scappa Flow, Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage, SCUBA diving, SNH, turtles, Wildlife
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Species of the month – wasp
I saw a wasp upon a wall And did not like his face at all: And so the creature had no time To wonder whether he liked mine. ‘Plain Murder’, A.G. Prys-Jones. The maligned common wasp (Vespula vulgaris) … Continue reading
Posted in Species of the month
Tagged common wasp, insects, species of the month, Vespula vulgaris, wasps
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Species of the month: North Atlantic gannet
Killer acceleration, ultra-streamlined body, wrap-around airbags and dazzling speeds – we’re not talking supercars here but a seabird. In fact, the biggest seabird in the North Atlantic, with a wingspan of just under 2 m: the northern gannet. For the … Continue reading
Posted in biodiversity, Birds, Marine, photography, sea life, Species of the month
Tagged Bass Rock, biodiversity, Bird, birds, Coast, gannet, gannets, images, nature, North Atlantic gannet, photography, Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage, Shetland, SNH, St Kilda, Wildlife
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Species of the Month – a remarkable ant
When we think of pilfering in the natural world we may think of magpies or jackdaws, but birds aren’t the only species that are capable of a bit of theft. Our August Species of the Month is a rather unconventional … Continue reading
Species of the month – heather
The name is so closely associated with Scotland that it seems part of the very fabric of the nation. Whisky, bagpipes, red deer stags, porridge, heather: each might seem to have aspects of cliché or stereotype about them, but each … Continue reading
Posted in Species of the month
Tagged bell heather, common heather, heather, ling, muirburn
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Species of the Month – corncrake
The sound of corncrakes calling on summer nights was once a feature of meadows across Scotland. But both flower-rich grasslands and corncrakes have become scarce. For more than 40 years, Scotland has been home to almost all the corncrakes that … Continue reading
Posted in Species of the month
Tagged Benbecula, Coll, Corncrake, North Uist, Orkney, Outer Hebrides, South Uist, Tiree
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Species of the month – Scottish primrose
This small plant is one of the very few species found in Scotland and nowhere else in the world. Within Scotland, it grows in only a small part of the north mainland coast and some of the islands in Orkney. … Continue reading
Posted in Flowers, Species of the month
Tagged flowers, northern Scotland, Orkney, Scottish primrose, Yesnaby
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Species of the Month – Trout
The native range of the brown trout (Salmo trutta) extends from Iceland and the White Sea in the north, to the Atlas mountains of Morocco in the south, making them one of the most widespread freshwater fish in Europe. They … Continue reading
Posted in Species of the month
Tagged brown trout, ferox trout, Loch Awe, sea trout, Trout
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