Conservation Project Supports Caithness Wading Birds

Wading birds in the Brough area of Caithness will now have a better chance at nesting at St John’s Pool thanks to the efforts of a group of local countryside volunteers, Highland Council Countryside Rangers and Army Cadets.

This Saturday 11th March, the group built two platforms on St John’s Pool which create the ideal resting and nesting places for waders such as oyster catchers and terns.

The conservation team built the platforms on shore, carried them into the pool and attached them to scaffolding. Once covered in shingle the platforms are ideal for wading birds as they make simple scrapes in the shingle in which to lay their eggs. By nesting on the raised platforms they will be protected from predation by otters and foxes.

The team also built wooden tern shelters to allow chicks to hide from any attack from birds above and these will be placed on the platforms, gravel beds and islands around the pool. Numbers painted on the shelters will help visitors to the nearby John Corbett memorial bird hide locate and check progress of young birds as they hatch.

The John Corbett memorial hide is at the pool so that anyone wishing to can watch the many birds, otter and roe deer that visit the site in relative comfort and without disturbing the wildlife. St John’s Pool is off the road on the north side of St. John`s loch about half a km. west of the village of Brough.

To keep nature watchers up to date on the wildlife visiting the pool, a website on St Johns Pool is being set up and linked to www.caithness.org.

Funding for this project was provided by Scottish Natural Heritage, CSV Action Earth and Julian Smith.

This project has been organised by Highland Council’s Planning and Development Service Caithness Rangers and are supported in their work by Scottish Natural Heritage.

For further information please contact: Mary Legg, Senior  Countryside Ranger, The Highland Council Planning and Development Service, Caithness Tel: (01847) 821531