Site of the Month: Garnock-Irvine Estuary (January 2023)
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The confluence of the River Garnock and the River Irvine encompasses a range of interesting wildlife sites, some of which are difficult to access, but others that can be viewed easily from a gentle walk along Irvine Harbourside. It contains the …
Site of the Month: Girvan-Ayr Coast (November 2023)
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This stretch of coast is internationally significant for its geodiversity and is particularly known for its volcanic and palaeontological interests, including the fossilised remains of ancient spores dating from 360-350 MYA. It’s not just the very old biodiversity fossilised in …
Site of the Month: Hannahston Community Woodland (August 2023)
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Hannahston, at Drongan, has a history of coal extraction with opencast mining in operation until as recently as 1996, when reclamation of the site into a community facility began. As a result, most of the trees are still fairly young, but …
Site of the Month: Loch Ryan (November 2022)
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Loch Ryan is a large sea loch, best known as the departure point for ferries to Northern Ireland, but is also a very important wildlife site. Its marine life has been studied over many years, and includes beds of Eel Grass Zostera marina and scarce species of …
Site of the Month: Lowther Hills (July 2023)
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Heather moorlands are at their most colourful in July and August and the Lowther Hills are some of the best in our region. The moorlands around Wanlockhead, on the the border with South Lanarkshire, are dominated by dwarf shrubs, principally …
Site of the Month: Lynn Glen (January 2024)
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Located just south of Dalry in North Ayrshire this site is of considerable geological interest. The 320 million year old limestone formations have been carved by the water exposing a wide range of marine fossils including corals, bivalves and conodonts, which …
Site of the Month: Mabie Forest (May 2023)
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Mabie is a large forest on the edge of Dumfries, owned and managed by Forestry & Land Scotland. It has a network of footpaths and bike trails, but the best area for wildlife tends to be around Lochaber Loch, which is …
Site of the Month: Merrick Kells (February 2024)
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In the heart of Galloway, the Merrick Kells is a fantastic example of habitats carved by glaciers during the Pleistocene (the last Ice Age). The area is home to important moraines which may help us to unravel mysteries on the climate and …
Site of the Month: Ness Glen (March 2023)
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Ness Glen is a narrow, steep-sided wooded ravine of the River Doon, situated approximately 3km south of Dalmellington. It supports a rich and diverse moss and liverwort flora, more typical of west coast sites found further north, and includes several nationally scarce …
Site of the Month: South Ayrshire Coast (June 2023)
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The wildlife of South Ayrshire is not as well recorded as other parts of SW Scotland, but there are some fantastic habitats to be explored, most notably along the coastline between Glen App to Ayr. Plunge-diving Gannets Morus bassanus are a frequent site, with their …
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