Spaceport would threaten rare wildlife, RSPB warns

Mike Merritt

Wednesday April 01 2020, 12.00am, The Times

A major blow has been dealt to Britain’s first vertical launch spaceport, which is planned for Sutherland.

RSPB Scotland has officially objected to the scheme, saying it would threaten breeding dunlin, greenshank, golden plover and red-throated diver bird populations.

The organisation also said there had been a lack of detailed information over the £17.3 million scheme, including insufficiently robust surveys and uncertain mitigation measures to protect wildlife. It also had concerns over peatlands in the area.

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Generous grant will support curlew conservation in Sutherland

Published by surfbirds on September 13, 2019 courtesy of RSPB, surfbirds archive

RSPB Scotland is delighted to have received support from FCC Communities Foundation Ltd. for habitat restoration work at their Forsinard Flows Nature Reserve. FCC Communities Foundation Ltd. is a not-for-profit business that awards grants for community projects through the Scottish Landfill Communities Fund.

The reserve is located in Sutherland, nestled amongst the rugged peatlands, sheltered straths and mountains of the Flow Country, the largest blanket bog in Europe. It supports a wide array of wildlife – including dunlin, greenshank and hen harrier – and one area of the reserve, Forsinain Farm, provides a mosaic of grasslands and wetlands that is home to breeding curlew, one of Scotland’s most threatened birds. When properly maintained, wetlands like this are the preferred habitat for breeding curlew.

The curlew is the largest European wading bird and it is instantly recognisable with its long, downcurved bill, mottled brown colouring, long legs and distinctive ‘cour-lee’ call. The UK’s breeding population of Curlew is of international importance, being estimated to represent more than 30 per cent of the west European population. There have been worrying declines in the breeding population throughout the UK and across the globe, due to changes in land use and practices that drain or dry out their preferred wetland habitats.

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Rare birds threat could decimate giant Strathy wind farm plan

Credit: The Northern Times | 06/12/2013 | www.northern-times.co.uk ~~

The developers of a proposed 47-turbine wind farm near Strathy in Sutherland could be forced to reduce that number to only four.

This forecast has come from RSPB Scotland, as Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) this week confirmed it was continuing its opposition to the scheme in a bid to safeguard many of Britain’s rarest birds in the area.

Its experts say golden eagles, hen harriers, red-throated divers and greenshank are only some of the most iconic species which would be affected if the Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) plans for a Strathy South wind farm go ahead.

Continued

Wildcat camera trap in Sutherland snaps White's thrush

A camera set up to capture images of Scottish wildcats in Sutherland has photographed a bird species rarely seen in Scotland. 

The White's thrush breeds mainly in Siberia and Asia. 

It was photographed by a camera trap set by the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU), part of Oxford University's Zoology Department. 

The unit said it believed that it was the first recording of the species taken by a camera trap in Scotland. 

The photographic equipment has been set up in the Woodland Trust Scotland's Ledmore and Migdale Woods, near Bonar Bridge, to monitor for wildcats. 

Camera traps are triggered by changes in heat and motion and take photographs of animals passing in front of them. 

'Wonderful bonus' 

Project manager Kerry Kilshaw, of Oxford University, said she was delighted an image of a rare visitor was captured. 

Read on: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-22447693