Readers' records flooding in as our summer nature survey ends

Published on Monday 23 June 2008 21:49

OUR June Wildlife Watch came to an end last night, with readers from around the country sending in sightings of the creatures they saw in their gardens and in the countryside.

The summer round of The Scotsman's quarterly nature survey, which is supported by the Scottish Wildlife Trust (SWT), began on Friday and continued over the weekend.

All records and photographs will be passed on to Biological Recording in Scotland (Brisc) and distributed among its network of local records centres and local biological recorders.

The data will be held by Brisc and may be used in conservation work. Over time, it is hoped that the information will help to build up a picture of how Scotland's creatures adjust to our changing climate.

Thank you to everyone who took part and remember it's not too late to send in your records: see the panel to the right.

Here is a selection of readers' records and comments:

&#149 WHAT a rewarding weekend. A gang of 20 goldfinches with four young. A sparrowhawk swooped into the garden for a meal but luckily the goldfinches scattered. A young speckled robin explored the feeding cage, while an angry thrush tried to get in. Blue tits feeding young and greenfinches. Off to the golf course, where another sparrowhawk hovered. Then a pair of yellowhammers and grey wagtails. Back to the garden, when the weekend was complete with the sighting of a pair of bullfinches. The pesky grey squirrel did not appear.

Clark Cross

Linlithgow, West Lothian

THIS little fox comes to see my neighbour and I each night.

Ian Tickell

Edinburgh

I SAW a bee at Auchencruive gardens in Ayrshire.

Alister Denham

Ayrshire

SEEN over the weekend: field mouse feeding on bird nut holder. Rat at same location. Three grey squirrels, green woodpecker and greenfinches. This apart from assorted grandchildren and family.

Sandy Smith

Pittenweem, Fife

HOW TO JOIN IN

IT'S not too late to send your records and photographs into The Scotsman Wildlife Watch.

To be helpful, your record should include the name of the species, the date you saw it and where you saw it (including a postcode or six-figure grid reference where possible). You should also include your name and contact details.

Records can be e-mailed to or posted to: Wildlife Watch, The Scotsman, 108 Holyrood Road, Edinburgh, EH8 8AS.

The records will be passed on to Brisc and distributed among its local record centres. The details may be used in conservation work. A selection of readers' notes and photographs will be published in The Scotsman. Look out for more this week.