Repair work at Loch of Mey bird hide

Caithness Countryside Volunteers have recently painted the Jimmy Gunn memorial hide at the Loch of Mey and carried out odd job repairs inside. The repairs were necessary due to vandalism caused earlier this year.

The hide is well used by locals and visitors as a good place to view the wild fowl and waders that use the loch. Loch of Mey is part of the Caithness Lochs Special Protection Area (SPA) and it qualifies for this protection because of the number of whooper swans and greylag geese wintering there. It is also the wintering roost of one of the Caithness flocks of Greenland white fronted geese which are a protected species that makes it illegal to shoot this schedule one bird.

The volunteers November project will be helping to tidy up the disused graveyard at Ballachly, the graveyard itself is worth a visit because of its interesting stones.  They will then carry on with the annual bird box build in December.

The Caithness Countryside Volunteers are run through Rangers with The Highland Council’s Planning and Development Service and are constantly recruiting new members. Anyone interested in joining or receiving further information can contact Kirsty Rosie on 01955 607758 or e-mail kirsty.rosie@highland.gov.uk