Wildlife Workshops
As part of the Ross and Cromarty Local Biodiversity Greenspace Community Wildlife Audit Project, The Highland Council’s Countryside Ranger for Easter Ross Martin Hind is running a series of workshops to help people get involved in recording the wildlife on their doorstep.
Martin said: “Over the last two years hundreds of sightings and signs of badgers, red squirrels and other species have been added to the knowledge of the local area including many new records for setts and new sites for rarer species including the great crested newt. People who have attended previous workshops have been very busy recording and passing on information. The workshops are open to anyone who is interested in getting involved and I hope new volunteers will come along and help us to get a clearer picture of how our local wildlife is doing.”
The first workshop will take place on April 16 from 6.30pm to 9.30pm at Ferintosh Village Hall. Led by Amphibian specialist Dr David O’Brien, the workshop will show how to survey for amphibians, including frogs, toads and the three newts we have in the Highlands, and help contribute to the biological records for the area followed by a field visit to local ponds for practical surveying techniques. Attendees are expected to take part in the National Amphibian & Reptile Recording Scheme (NARRS).
On Saturday 18 April there will be a Reptile survey workshop at Crannach Field Centre in Garve from 10am until 2pm led by Dr Martin Gaywood. People coming along will be shown how to survey for reptiles including slow worms, adders and lizards in the Highlands and how they can contribute to the biological records for the area. The session will also include a field visit to local sites for practical surveying techniques.
In May Moths and Butterflies will be the subjects of a workshop which starts at 8pm on Saturday 16 May in order to prepare and set up traps for a workshop on the following day from 9.30am to 3.30pm which will be led by Tony Mainwood from the Butterfly Conservation Trust Scotland. People attending will get the chance to study the moths trapped overnight and learn helpful ID techniques the professionals use. The day will include a field visit to a local Pearl Bordered Fritillary site.
The three remaining workshops will feature plant identification, butterflies and dragonflies.
On June 29th from 10am to 4pm Su Cooper from Plantlife will be showing attendees how to identify common flowering plants and demonstrating easy survey methods for monitoring local habitats. Following the workshop people will be able to get involved in the Plantlife Common Plant Survey and contribute to local records and monitor of climate change.
Findon Hall is the venue for the Butterflies survey workshop on Saturday July 4th where participants can learn survey techniques and tips for identification before visiting a local woodland to put their new skills to the test.
The final workshop in the series takes place at Strathpeffer Community Centre on Saturday 18 July from 10am to 4pm and will look at Dragonflies. The day will begin with a look at these fascinating creatures and their habitats before a field visit to a local site to try and spot them.
Places on all the workshops are limited and must be booked in advance by contacting Martin Hind on 01349 868563 or emailing martin.hind@highland.gov.uk