Articles

Greenland

Dr Noel Williams of the Lochaber Geopark recently presented a lavishly illustrated talk to the Lochaber Natural History Society about the geology and wildlife of Eastern Greenland, which he has visited several times in a long career as a geologist and climber. The most recent field trip was undertaken in the summer past. The geology of Greenland has much in common with that of Western Scotland. This is not surprising as both landmasses are derived from rocks formed in the ancient continent of Laurentia, parts of which collided with other tectonic plates to form the rough outline of the British Isles that we know today. Indeed, the northern part of the Caledonian mountain chain formed by this collision can be found in north Greenland. Dr Williams pointed out that much of the landscape seen in Greenland today would be reminiscent of how our part of Scotland might have looked during the last series of ice ages, the last of which finished only some 11,000 years ago. The landscape has also been partly shaped by a series of volcanic events in the same way that volcanoes on Mull, Rum and Ardnamurchan have influenced that of Lochaber.

Starting his talk with a precis of how Scotland and Greenland are related, Dr Williams then took us through a scenic tour of his various adventures, highlighting some of the pertinent features of the landscape along the way. Many of the classic elements of glaciation can be seen in Greenland – 81% of which is still covered in ice. Examples seen included nunataks; jagged mountain tops still protruding above the ice, in the same way that Ben Nevis would have done. Another familiar feature was isostasy, essentially a resettling of land after the glaciers have retreated, which leads to earthquakes, as still experienced along the Great Glen today. Other evidence of recent glaciation that can shed light on more disguised Scottish geography included moraine deposits, delta fans, boudains, glacial striations and chatter marks.

The wildlife is also somewhat familiar, with vegetation comprising largely of arctic-alpine plants that can be seen on our own mountain tops. Although not widespread, some of the prettier plants stand out in an otherwise barren wilderness. These include the familiar harebell, large drifts of broadleaved willowherb, moss campion, alpine mouse-ear and catchfly, and patches of reindeer moss, which is actually a lichen. Evidence of a failed attempt to introduce reindeer to East Greenland was found, along with other signs of man including old igloos (made of turf rather than ice), and a fox trap designed to trap arctic foxes. Animals and plants are in general scarcely distributed, but snow bunting and ptarmigan were seen along with whales, seals and a fine set of fresh polar bear tracks, found alarmingly close to camp.

One of the objectives of Dr William’s latest trip was to examine the extensive Skargard Intrusion – a large block of volcanic rock that is several kilometres across. This is notable for its layering, rarely seen when lava forces its way through faults, and thought to be a result of circulation in the underlying magma. Exposures of rock on the outer part of the intrusion showed excellent banding to illustrate this point. Modern surveying techniques are producing further discoveries under the ice including a large canyon. One can only wonder at the intrepid nature of geologists and what they might yet find in this vast wilderness.

My Hill Days – Munro Bagger or Naturalist ?

Many of us enjoy a day on the hill and quite a few of us take a keen interest in what animals and plants we see while we are out and about. Over the last 50 years Peter Gordon has climbed many a hill, including all the Munros and Corbetts, and has taken great delight in the wildlife he has encountered along the way, to the extent that his motivation for getting onto the tops has been mixed, to say the least. Not only has he delighted in the physical exertion of the effort involved but also the encounters with birds, flowers, mosses and lichens, rock formations, light conditions, weather phenomena, and other idiosyncratic features that all go to make up a good day on the hill. Many of these have been photographed, and so Pete was able to share his enthusiasm in a recent illustrated to talk to the Lochaber Natural History Society. Pete, who is just retired from a long career with the RSPB, is the bird recorder for the British Trust for Ornithology in the Highlands and has a particular passion for alpine plants.

Based at Nethy Bridge, many of his excursions of late have been based around the Cairngorms. A photograph of a snowy owl on the trig point of the Ben Macdui summit attest to the possibilities of getting some great sightings there, along with those of resident species such as ring ouzel, ptarmigan, dotterel and snow bunting. However, some of the botanical specialities can be better seen in Lochaber, such as the diapensia near Glenfinnan, or drooping saxifrage in Glencoe. Most of Scotland’s hills are thought to be botanically poor, however, pictures of rare plants taken from around the whole of the Highlands were shown, from snow gentian (with moonwort also in the same frame!) and alpine fleabane on Ben Lawers, alpine catchfly in Angus, Iceland purslane in the Quiraing and Norwegian Mugwort on Cuil Mor, Sutherland. Sabbaticals have allowed Pete to spend time surveying mountain birds in Wester Ross, and also helping with a project to investigate the decline of dotterel on the Cairngorm plateau. Other wildlife was not neglected, with butterflies and dragonflies also discussed including a colony of mountain ringlet on the Grey Corries.

Inevitably there have been changes in the hills over a lifetime of Munro bagging. Amongst upland birds Pete has particularly noticed an increase in the numbers of ravens, whilst those of wheatear and golden plover have declined. There has been an increase in the prevalence of hill tracks, which at present are still not subject to any planning control, with the result that ugly scarring has often arisen. A more subtle threat is that from unregulated access by mountain bikes, particularly on the Cairngorm plateau where the habitat is very fragile. There is much yet to be enjoyed, however, and if you do see something of interest out on the hill please do report it to Peter, LNHS or the Highland Biological Recording Group. Unlike Pete, many hill walkers are not naturalists, and much remains to be discovered about what is actually on our local tops.

Plants of Ben Lawers

If there is one mecca in the British Isles for alpine botanists it is surely Ben Lawers in Perthshire. Ben Lawers is also one of the more accessible Munros and therefore subject to a range of visitor pressures, not to mention the depredations of over 3000 ewes. This is nothing new; botanists have been interested in the area since alpine saxifrage was first described by local man John Stuart in 1768. A number of further exciting finds led to a stream of visitors, particularly during the Victorian era. Most came armed with collecting baskets, and undoubtedly contributed to the decline of several species, although even then the effect of overgrazing was being deplored. In 1950 the National Trust for Scotland (NTS) acquired a good part of the mountain from Breadalbane Estate, and this became their first property to be bought specifically for its botanical interest. Since then NTS have tried to conserve and protect the rare plants and their upland habitats, and today there are no less than 17 nationally rare species of vascular plants that still occur, as well as many other species of flowers that are uncommon and very local in distribution. There are even more species of rare mosses and lichens, and in a world context lichenologists would claim that Ben Lawers is of even more importance for its lichen communities. To maintain this enviable status NTS have to work hard to maintain 32km of footpaths as well as managing sheep and deer. This poses a series of dilemmas to staff, as explained by NTS ecologist Dan Watson in a stimulating and informative recent talk to Lochaber Natural History Society.

Dan illustrated his talk with some stunning images of rare alpine plants with evocative names such as alpine fleabane, alpine gentian, drooping saxifrage and rock speedwell. Some of the less attractive plants are of even more interest to the botanical purist, such as the bristle sedge, a rather nondescript plant found nowhere else in Britain. Dan described how the plants are monitored, often requiring long days in foul weather under tricky ground conditions. In order to prevent losing track of the count of inconspicuous plants in rough ground a series of small flags are planted, adding colour to what can be an otherwise uniformly dreich scene!

A number of different, rare habitats are represented on Ben Lawers, which are specifically suited to alpine plants. Fragile cliff ledges, with poor soil and crumbling mica schists contain some of the rarest flowers, such as alpine fleabane. These are inaccessible to herbivores, but possibly at risk from climbers. Other notable vegetation includes rare montane scrubs such as the woolly willow. Broader, grassy ledges also support a range of plants amongst tall herb communities that include globeflower and melancholy thistle. Ben Lawers is particularly noted for its alpine calcareous grassland. This is characterised by cushion plants such as mossy saxifrage and cyphel. Snowbed communities flourish on the upper north-eastern slopes, which benefit from snow that lies long into the season, thus not allowing grasses to dominate. These are the preferred habitat of many of the rarer lichens and mosses. Another niche habitat can be found in alpine flushes, where water comes out of the rock and runs down the hill. These contain a number of rare grasses and sedges, as well as characteristic flowers such as hairy stonecrop.

These special habitats are under threat from a variety of sources, not the least of which is climate change. Although the effects of global warming on the microclimate of the Scottish uplands is far from understood, it is clear that plants that rely on freezing winters and prolonged snow cover will suffer as a result of increasing temperatures. The biggest immediate issue, however, is that of overgrazing. NTS have to manage a number of heritable grazing rights, which means that sheep are a fact of life, so there is a constant effort to protect some of the rare habitats from grazing. In some areas of grassland fencing has been erected, and tall herb communities are now flourishing there. High livestock numbers, together with, to a certain extent, visitor pressure, has also led to erosion of peat in many places. Experiments are ongoing to try and re-establish vegetation on denuded peat, by digging over the surface and scattering heather mulch on top. Fortunately plant collection is largely a thing of the past, but munro baggers and climbers can still lead to localised damage and erosion, particularly where unofficial paths form. Spiked walking poles are the betes noir of the Ben Lawers management team! NTS are very happy to encourage visitors to Ben Lawers, however, but if you do go to enjoy the botany please respect the fragile environment so that others can enjoy this special place for many years to come.

Peatland ACTION

About 20% of Scotland’s land area is covered in peat. Did you know, however, that this represents some 15% of the total global blanket bog area? All is not well in our bogs though. Some 70% of blanket bog and 80%of lowland raised bog in Scotland is damaged, not least the former Blar Mhor on the doorstep of Fort William. This matters, as it has been recently discovered that our peatland is a major reservoir of carbon that might otherwise be released into the air and seas, increasing the amount of greenhouse gases and acidity, respectively. As much as 25 times more carbon is tied up in Scottish peat than in all the plants found throughout the UK. Clearly Scotland has a vital role in protecting this resource and ensuring that this carbon remains locked up. Peatland has also been shown to act as a sponge, soaking up excess water and regulating the speed with which water is released downstream into a catchment area, and so has an important role to play in flood prevention. Water is also filtered and purified as it passes through peat, leading to improved quality. Peatlands are also an important habitat for wildlife, including many species of plants and insects that are found nowhere else. As many as 182out of 219 Special Areas of Conservation (the highest level of European habitat protection) found in Scotland feature blanket bogs. Threats include forestry, overgrazing and subsequent erosion, woodland encroachment, development pressure and climate change. As a consequence Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) are working hard to prevent further degradation of our peat resource and, indeed, are in the middle of an ambitious programme to restore large areas of peat bog. In a talk to the Lochaber Natural History Society recently, Christina Wood of SNH described the Peatland ACTION project, which aims to improve the situation.

Lead by SNH, Peatland ACTION is a three year project taking place throughout Scotland with a budget of some £5.7 million, most of which will be spent in the current financial year. It has a target of restoring some 6500 ha of peatland by March 2015, much of which has already been set into motion. This is a partnership project involving both Scottish Water and the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency, as well as Forestry Commission Scotland, a number of NGOs such as the National Trust for Scotland, RSPB, Tweed Forum and Shetland Amenity. A number of private estates are also becoming involved. Work entails first assessing the current condition of bogs, establishing whether existing damage can be reversed, and most importantly, how this can be achieved. This may include removal of existing forestry, blocking of ditches and channels to allow water inundation, re-seeding areas of exposed peat and applying novel techniques such as the brashing and mulching of scrub.

Although it is too early to determine the long-term success of the project, there are signs on iconic sites such as Blawhorne Moss that previously bare channels are becoming vegetated. A number of education officers are being recruited at present to ensure that the techniques and lessons learned in the ACTION project are spread and that the importance and plight of peat is drawn to the attention of the general public. Unfortunately no project officers have been active in Lochaber to date, but local estates such as Corrour have been involved in some of the literally ground-breaking work. As with many similar initiatives the success may ultimately lie in the hands of volunteers once the money runs out. There is hope, however, that peatland projects may well become the target for carbon sequestration money, in which companies offset their own carbon production by supporting the capture of carbon ecologically, elsewhere. In the meantime, next time you sink over your boots in a peat bog, think of the future of the planet!

Trees for Life – Restoring the Caledonian Forest

Ancient Caledonian Pinewood in the Highlands has been reduced over the years to a tiny fraction of its former range. Although this has been a gradual process since before Neolithic times, the future of the pine woodland has been severely threatened, and indeed, some existing woods are in a parlous state. It is not just the trees that are at risk but the whole range of biodiversity associated with them from rare flowers to ants and woodland grouse. Loss of woodland, particularly in the uplands, also has repercussions for increased flooding further down the catchment, and leads to a reduction of carbon storage, both in the trees themselves and in the peatland on which these were once grown. The forest in this sense encompasses not just the pine woodland but areas of dwarf-shrub heath and montane scrub above the natural tree line. Trees for Life are a Scottish charity committed to redressing this balance, as explained to the Lochaber Natural History Society on Monday night by Doug Gilbert, operations manager of their Dundreggan Estate in Glen Moriston.

Trees for Life was established over twenty-five years ago with the aim of restoring native forests and their constituent species, through engaging with volunteers, leading ultimately to the recreation of former forests and the re-wilding of meaningful tracts of land. One ambitious goal for Trees for Life is to restore an identified area of over 1000 square miles stretching from Glen Affric in the NE to Glen Shiel in the SW, bounded by main roads, but not containing any major roads within. A couple of projects in Lochaber are also being considered, by Loch Arkaig and also near Fort William.

One of the main threats to woodland regeneration is browsing by deer, and to prevent this deer numbers would have to be controlled and deer excluded by fences. These are removed by Trees for Life when trees are robust enough to withstand some browsing, and deer are allowed to return in sustainable numbers, as these are acknowledged to be an important part of the woodland ecosystem. Other activities obviously include replanting with suitable trees, collecting seeds of native provenance and propagating these, particularly of rare species such as montane willows and aspen. Almost all the work is carried out by volunteers. To date over a million trees have been planted by the charity.

Doug went on to describe the Trees for Life woodland at Dundreggan, which was formerly part of the Glen Moriston Estate and subsequently managed as a shooting estate by Italian owners. This comprises some 40,000 ha, only 150 of which are ancient woodland, mostly of birch, but with some pine, and significant areas of juniper. Somewhat serendipitously surveys of the estate have revealed that it has a hitherto unknown richness of biodiversity, particularly in the form of montane scrub. Large areas of dwarf birch have been found along with isolated plants of rare montane willows such as the tea-leaved willow. Even more surprisingly, perhaps is the wealth of invertebrate life that has been discovered including some species such as the dwarf-birch sawfly, and several aphid species that are new to Britain (i.e. not previously recorded). The area also appears to be particularly attractive to ants, and there is a good population of black grouse.

Work on the estate includes selective replanting of some areas, whilst carefully removing alien species such as Sitka spruce, often with a whole-tree mulching technique. Peat bogs are being restored to healthy condition with the help of SNH. An experimental area of woodland has been worked by wild boar to investigate their efficacy at bracken control, although this has only met with limited success. There is also a large and expanding tree nursery, which contains as many as 30-40,000 trees at any one time. Volunteers are welcomed and anyone interested should contact Trees for Life. It is hoped that LNHS members will have the opportunity to see the habitat and work at Dundreggan in a visit later in the year.

Glen Loy – Where Eagles Fly

Glen Loy, in the heart of Lochaber, was the subject of a talk to the Lochaber Natural History Society on Monday 15^th December given by Jon Mercer, with photographs by his wife Angela. Based at Glen Loy Lodge, Jon and Angela run wildlife holidays as well as B&B, and have built up an impressive knowledge of their local glen. This was well illustrated in the talk, which was linked to the publication of their new book ‘Glen Loy – Where Eagles Fly’.

Jon described the geological origins of the glen, and explained how the habitats we find today have been modified by human occupation. The Loy itself is a lovely river with waterfalls and meanders, frequented by Dippers. Although the glen has been extensively planted with exotic conifers, various patches of native woodland remain. Of particular interest is Coille Phuiteachain, an ancient pinewood which was established as a Reserve as long ago as 1931 by the Forestry Commission. This natural woodland gem has Oak, Aspen and Hazel as well as 300-year old Scots Pines, and is notable for its fauna and flora which include rare lichens and beetles.

Numerous mosses and fungi flourish in the wet climate of the glen, and a variety of orchids can be seen, such as Lesser Butterfly and Fragrant Orchids. Glen Loy is a good place to find woodland butterflies, notably the rare Chequered Skipper and the Pearl-bordered Fritillary; and more than a third of Scotland’s larger moth species have been recorded, including the scarce Argent and Sable and Narrow-bordered Bee Hawk-moth. Birdlife includes good numbers of Stonechat and Whinchat, with Golden Eagles and Dotterel on high ground. As well as occasional sightings of Red Squirrel and four species of Bat, visitors to the Lodge are regularly entertained by the local Pine Martens! Also increasingly seen in the glen are Wild Boar - these are spreading rapidly across Lochaber following a mass escape from Glen Dessary some years ago.

Drifting, Hitching or Losing your Way – How to get to Lochaber if you are a fish

Lochaber has a relatively impoverished fish fauna, in common with that of the rest of the Highlands. Only nine freshwater species are to be found, including three salmonid species, three species of lamprey, two species of stickleback and the common eel. All of these species are said to have a marine affinity in that they either still use the sea for part of their lifecycle, or could do so if circumstances dictated this. The reasons as to why we only have these species, how they got here and how they find their way back to Lochaber was explained in a fascinating talk to the Lochaber Natural History Society by Diane Baum of the Lochaber Fisheries Trust on Monday night. She also touched on such varied topics as the spread of non-native species in the region, including a digression on signal crayfish, the impact of fish farms on local populations, tracking fish movements and the use of genetics in determining the health of native stocks.

The main reason we have so few species is that fish were slow to colonise Scotland after the last ice age, less than 12,000 years ago, and indeed most that have arrived have come from the sea. The life cycle of the Atlantic salmon is well known and understood (at least the freshwater part) , but did you know that smolts from the River Lochy take about four days to acclimatise in Loch Linnhe before heading out through the Corran Narrows and out to the open sea? Likewise they use chemical cues from specific locations along their journey up-river to navigate to the exact place where they were born. Nevertheless 10-20% of salmon ‘get lost’ and end up in the wrong river system, which prevents inbreeding in any one population. Escapees from salmon farms are also capable of navigating back to their place of origin, and although not as well-adapted for this as wild fish, many do manage to breed, often with the latter. Studies show that in terms of ‘genetic distance’ there are still significant differences between local populations and fish farm populations, and indeed, that there are distinct differences between fish from each of the different Lochaber river systems.

Other fish such as brown trout and even Arctic charr (although not to date in Scotland) may also return to the sea to feed before spawning. Similarly lampreys tend to have a marine phase to their life cycle, although much less is known about these. The brook lamprey has, however, largely reverted to a freshwater existence, but still masses in spawning clumps in certain burns, and is relatively common in Lochaber. It is thought as water bodies become more nutrient-rich (as is the case with fertilisation from fish farms and other agricultural nitrification), there is less need for fish to move to the sea to feed and therefore they remain in freshwater. In larger water bodies different populations of trout, for example, may start to become distinct, as a precursor to speciation. The large ferox trout of Loch Arkaig and Loch Lochy are a case in point, with populations having formed of large fish that have largely switched to a fish-eating existence, and that have adopted separate spawning areas. Eels famously migrate into freshwater as elvers, with adults returning to the sea to spawn. The reasons for this are unclear, although the presumed spawning grounds are in the remote and relatively empty Sargasso Sea, which might offer safety for the spawning adults, eggs and juveniles. The latter drift on oceanic currents until reaching the richer feeding grounds of coastal waters.

Other species of fish have been introduced to the region by fishermen, either for sport (rainbow trout, pike), as a way of ‘improving’ existing trout stocks (pike) or as bait fish (minnow, stone loach). The commonest of these are pike and minnows, which are very well distributed around the region. Quite often trout, in particular, have often been introduced into waters that had previously never seen fish. Needless to say, any introductions have largely unseen and unknown consequences of the aquatic life of a water body, not always leading to changes for the better.

The talk was followed by a lengthy and lively discussion on all things fishy, with Diane claiming that this was the first audience that had warmed to her desires to run a fish watching expedition. Hopefully LNHS will be able to call on her services to fulfil that wish in the not too distant future.

Highland Seashore Biodiversity Project

In common with the rest of the Highlands, Lochaber enjoys a diverse and extensive coastline, home to a huge variety of marine organisms from winkles to whales. Although national surveys have been carried out to determine just what lies under our seas, by their nature there is much left to discover. Local naturalists can play an important part in this, and to help them identify their findings a three–year project has been established by Highland Council. In a recent talk to the Lochaber Natural History Society, biologist Dr James Merryweather gave a description of the Highland Seashore Biodiversity Project. The project has been set up to promote recording of marine life, raise awareness about marine biodiversity in the general public and to provide training in the identification of seashore life. Over 60 people attended a Seashore day at Traigh last summer as part of the public outreach programme, where children, in particular, were enthused by the strange and wonderful creatures to be found along the shore.

A number of training days have already been held in the Skye and Plockton areas, and attended by local recorders, and it is hoped to arrange a recording / training day in Lochaber soon. Outings have been times to coincide with low spring tides and on the latest outing participants were delighted to find riches such as peacock worms and a flame shell, normally only experienced by divers. For further information about training the project co-ordinator, Janet Ullman, can be contacted via www.highlandbiodiversity.com. A wealth of material to promote learning has been supplied to trainees. These include a DVD containing 9 Highland Seashore lectures and a field course manual prepared by Dr Merryweather recently published as the User-friendly Seashore Guide. This contains a simple dichotomous key enabling identification of organisms through a series of yes/no answers. The next big event to be held locally by the project will be a Seashore Arts and Culture Festival to be held at Glenuig on Sunday 18^th May, to coincide with the Wild Lochaber Festival.

The importance of recording in being able to monitor what is going on in our seas was stressed by Dr Merryweather. A couple of examples serve to illustrate this. On the Great Barrier reef, Australia, over half the coral cover has been lost in the past 27 years through a combination of bleaching, storms and pollution leading to eutrophication. This has promoted favourable conditions for the development of the crown-of-thorns starfish, an invasion of which has accounted for as much as 43% of the loss of coral. Closer to home we could see similar effects on our own biodiversity hotspots, as continued growth in fish farms leads to dead zones around sea cages and spreading pollution. Apparently the sewage from one medium sized farm produces the same amount of sewage as 50-60,000 people, and as this is deposited straight into the sea it is not difficult envisage the long-term damage that could be done. Careful monitoring of our local marine biodiversity will at least inform us of what these effects are.

Press release 19/2/14

Before there were Fish

The links between Fort William and the Ancient Life of Mistaken Point, Newfoundland, is not immediately obvious, but local geologist, Noel Williams, provided some in a fascinating talk to the Lochaber Natural History Society on Monday night. At a Scottish Mountaineering Club meeting held at the Alexandra Hotel he struck up a conversation with Dick Allen, one of the discoverers of one of the oldest fossils on earth. Dick discovered this primitive, fern-like imprint as a schoolboy in 1957, whilst climbing on cliffs in Charnwood Forest, Leicestershire. The fossil was called Charnia after the location where it was found. The fossil was all the more remarkable in that the rocks in which it was found date from the Pre-Cambrian era, some 565 million years ago, which at the time were thought to be too old to bear fossils. Charnia therefore predates the “Cambrian explosion” in which life suddenly started to blossom and diversify. It is also a ‘missing link’ between single-celled life forms and more complex organisms. It is likely that Charnia itself was not a plant, as it lived in very deep water and therefore would not have been able to photosynthesize, but filtered food from the water in a manner akin to sea-pens. The structure was interesting in that growth of the ‘fronds’ appeared to have a fractal, repetitive pattern, long since abandoned by other organisms. This must have been very successful at the time, as it is thought that Charnia flourished in ancient seas for perhaps as long as 20 million years.

Since Charnia was first recognised there have been other sites identified where Charnia-like fossils have been found, and the most famous of these, was discovered in 1967 at Mistaken Point, Newfoundland. This has since become something of a geological Mecca, which is currently in the process of applying for World Heritage status. In 2012 Noel undertook a motorbike trip across America and on the way back home he organised a visit to Mistaken Point. He was able to provide an account of his trip to this foggy and windswept part of the world, not unlike this part of Scotland, but on the Western Atlantic seaboard. ‘Mistaken Point’ was so called because the headland was often mistaken for Cape Race which ships had to round to get past Newfoundland. This lead to numerous tragic shipwrecks.

Visits to the fossil reserve can only be undertaken as part of a pre-booked, ranger-led tour, and Noel fortunately joined the very last one of the season. Guests are escorted on a guided walk to a large slab of exposed rock, where they have to swap their own footwear for protective slippers in order to help conserve the fossils. Over a thousand fossils can be seen on this slab, and more occur on neighbouring rocky headlands.

Many of the rocks in the Mistaken Point area were laid down by underwater avalanches known as turbidity currents which created distinctive layers with graded bedding on the sea floor. These layers eventually formed rocks called turbidites. The delicate structures of the fossils themselves were preserved because from time to time nearby volcanoes erupted vast quantities of very fine volcanic ash into the air. This ash fell to the sea floor and engulfed all the creatures living there – not unlike the story at Pompeii.

As the ancient rock layers are now being pounded by the sea the fossils in them are at risk. So in 2009 a silicone cast was made of the entire slab and this means the fossils can still be studied even if erosion wears away the fossils themselves. This part of America was once linked to the rocks that now make up Scotland. It is not inconceivable that Charnia once flourished in waters off what have now become our shores, though rocks of this age in Scotland have been metamorphosed, so no evidence has survived.

Press release 22/1/14

Freshwater Pearl Mussels

When the Romans first invaded Britain they had treasure on their minds – gold, tin and pearls. The pearls were not from oysters, but freshwater pearl mussels, a species sadly in serious decline across much of its former range in Western Europe. Scotland was famed for both its abundant populations of pearl mussels, and also the high quality of the pearls. In Britain good populations of pearl mussels can yet be found in the extreme north and west of Scotland, although they used to be in rivers throughout the western part of the British Isles. There are still pearl mussels thriving in some of our local rivers, so it was pertinent for the Lochaber Natural History Society to hear something about the ecology, cultural aspects and conservation of these fascinating creatures from expert Dr Iain Sime of Scottish Natural Heritage.

The freshwater pearl mussel is perhaps our longest lived animal, growing to an age of 100-120 years and the size of a man’s hand. It has very exacting requirements, needing clean, well-oxygenated, fast-flowing rivers with mildly acidic rock and patches of fine sand or gravel. Adults bury themselves partly in the substrate by means of a muscular foot and filter food out of the water. They have a complex life-cycle which involves the release of millions of tiny larvae from each female. These larvae must then be washed over the gill filaments of salmonid fish, where they have to attach and grow. Some six months later larvae let go of their hosts and hope to be washed into a suitable part of the river where they can bury into the river bed. Needless to say survival rates are miniscule, and this together with very slow growth rates accounts for the longevity of the lucky few.

No one is going to get rich fast from freshwater pearls, not least because it is illegal to sell these. It may also take several thousand mussels to yield a single quality pearl. Cultivated pearls are now available for pennies. Nonetheless pearl fishing continued in Britain until the pearl mussel was protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act in 1998. There has been a long history of pearl fishing in Scotland, which continued on the Tay, in particular, until into the 1970s. Often pearl fishers were somewhat roguish characters, and clashed with water bailiffs, who indeed were specifically employed to protect pearl stocks in the sixteenth century. Traditional pearl fishermen were skilled at selecting likely molluscs in which pearls might be found, and often took measures to protect stocks. Itinerant workers were less discriminate, however, and may even have been given the rights to fish for pearls as part payment for their labours. This often led to catastrophic declines in numbers, and some rivers, in Sutherland, for example, have never fully recover from this.

Illegal pearl fishing still takes place today, and is best evidenced by piles of discarded shells – a sorry end for such ancient creatures. Mussels have become extinct in both the Nevis and the Lochy in the past few decades, and various incidents have been reported in recent years from other rivers in western Lochaber. This is not the only threat to mussels, however. As they have a high requirement for clean water, then pollution incidents, river engineering or even bank-side maintenance can have a deadly effect of increasing sediment and choking the mussels. A recent high profile case involving pollution upstream of a mussel bed in the Eden in Cumbria led to a successful prosecution. On the positive side attempts are being made to cultivate mussels artificially and to translocate animals under permit from healthy populations in order to restock rivers from which they have vanished. Over the next two years there will be an active campaign locally to raise awareness about freshwater pearl mussels and potential threats to their survival. If anyone comes across evidence of illegal interference with known mussel beds then please report it to the police or SNH.

Press release 18/12/13

Ancient Pinewoods of Scotland

There is a common misconception that Scotland was once covered by wall-to-wall pine in the Great Forest of Caledon. This myth was busted once and for all by Scots Pine enthusiast Clifton Bain at a talk to the Lochaber Natural History Society (LNHS) on Monday 15th December. In fact most of ‘our’ pine had disappeared as a consequence of climate change by 5000 years ago, long before man could have a significant impact. However, shockingly little of the pinewoods that did survive has made it through to the 21st century, with as few as 38 ‘old-growth’ pinewood remnants identified as having survived the further depredations of man, sheep and deer. Clifton gave us a fascinating history of how pinewoods have been changed over the years and the reasons for this, along with a heartening message that the tide finally seems to have turned. Modern attitudes towards conservation have led to great success in allowing many pinewoods, once thought moribund, to regenerate and thrive again. Thus the future of Scottish pine, unique in its ability to survive our western maritime climate, now looks hopeful?, along with the panoply of iconic residents that it is noted for. These include some of our favourite Scottish species such as red squirrel, pine marten, capercailzie, crested tit, twinflower and wood ant.

The speaker’s fondness for pinewoods has by no means been restricted to academic research. He set himself the task of visiting all the blocks of remaining ancient pinewood in Scotland 25 years on from a previous survey he made, and 50 years after the original categorisation by Steven and Carlisle. He is therefore well placed to comment on changes over the last half century. To make the journey more memorable, this time around his means of getting to these sites was by public transport, bike and Shanks’ pony. This all proved to be achievable, fortunately for us, although not without some effort in reaching several of the remoter pinewoods, such as are found locally in Glen Barrisdale, Ardgour and Loch Arkaig. Some of the highlights of his trip, and the adventures he had along the way were recounted, along with plenty of illustrations of glorious old pines. In order to allow others to experience these woods for themselves he has produced a book, “The Ancient Pinewoods of Scotland – a travellers’ guide”, published by Sandstone Press in 2013. Clifton’s enthusiasm appeared to be shared by his audience, as copies fairly flew off the shelf after the meeting.

Press release 28/3/13

Greenland – Rocks and Wildlife

Greenland is the largest island on the planet and is covered by the biggest ice sheet outside of Antarctica. Away from the coastal regions the geology of the country can only be guessed at. For many years mineralalogist Professor Ian Parsons has been travelling to Greenland on field expeditions, and he shared some of his experiences with the Lochaber Natural History Society at a recent meeting. This has not been without difficulties, as he regaled us with stories of travel delays of a week or more due to bad weather and visions of tents flying away in the middle of the night. Add to that the need to be armed against the threat of polar bears and ferociously cold temperatures, and we soon came to appreciate that Ian is made of hardy stuff himself. He gave us a whistle stop tour of Greenland describing its culture, geology and the wildlife he has seen. In many respects this is a landscape shaped by fire and ice, and comparisons with similar areas in and around Lochaber were made. Changes in ice cover and temperature have had a profound effect on the population of the island, which has been abandoned on more than one occasion.

Even at the most northerly latitudes, wildlife could be found, including the ubiquitous crows and gulls as well as various hardy arctic-alpine plants. The arctic fox is one of the commonest of mammals and will approach closely in the hope of finding a ready meal. Sadly the only polar bear Ian has seen has been a dead one. Hunting is still a way of life here and the local supermarket boasts aisles devoted to guns and ammunition. Other changes are afoot. Climate change is having a significant impact on the melting ice sheet, freeing up coastal plains for livestock and cultivation. Tourism is being encouraged. More significantly important deposits of several rare minerals have been located, and mining is set to shape the future and the economy of the region. In another pertinent comparison to Scotland, Ian explained that Greenland is now seeking full autonomy from Denmark. The future of this hitherto pristine country lies very much in the balance.

Press release 22/2/13

Conserving Wildlife in Lochaber’s Forests

The Forestry Commission for Scotland manages some 500sq km of land in the Lochaber Forest District. Somewhat surprisingly, only half of this is afforested, which means that a wide variety of habitats have to be taken into consideration, providing a wealth of opportunities for wildlife. In a fascinating insight into the role of FCS in managing the national forest estate for biodiversity, Environment Forester Henry Dobson gave the Lochaber Natural History Society a talk about his job, and what it entails. This proved to be extremely varied and often technical, with Henry providing advice to his colleagues on topics as diverse as where and when to fell, what to leave, when to cull deer, and how to encourage native flora and fauna, from ospreys to butterflies to wild flowers.

Ancient woodland is a very scarce commodity throughout the UK, yet about 20% of Lochaber’s woods are either natural or on previous ancient woodland sites (PAWS). Care is taken to protect existing ancient woodland, even to the extent of ‘halo-thinning’, ring felling around existing venerable trees that have good coverage of lichens and mosses in order to help them recover in advance of more widespread felling. Natural regeneration is allowed to take place after felling of conifers on former PAWS that are known to contain a good remnant flora and fauna indicative of native woodland. This process is helped by selective grazing, using a flying herd of Highland cattle that are used to keep down coarse grasses, bracken and scrub. This allows young saplings to thrive, by grazing and trampling at specific times of the year. Conversely, inappropriate browsing is controlled by deer culling. A scientific index of damage in an area is taken into account in deciding where to focus efforts on reducing deer numbers. Deadwood is also a critical component of local ecosystems, and active management of this provides a critical habitat for up to one third of all species at some part of their life cycles.

Species protection is a key component of FCS policy, and the Commission is the lead partner in the Species Action Plans for several important native species, which include, in Lochaber, Black Grouse, Red Squirrel, the Pearl-Bordered Fritillary and Chequered Skipper butterflies and Wood Ants. For each of these, populations have to be identified and forestry work tailored so as to protect their homes and prevent disturbance. This work is taken further in micro-managing open habitat for optimal colonisation of butterflies, as at the reserve at Allt Mhuic. Floating rafts in lochs included in the forest estate have been provided for the rare black-throated diver to nest on. As well as a plethora of bird and bat boxes, feeding stations have been provided for red squirrels to allow public viewing, platforms have been erected to encourage ospreys to nest in appropriate places, and to encourage the white-tailed eagles. As well as benefitting the birds themselves, this work helps to ensure that such nests will not hinder forestry operations unduly in the future. Where existing raptor nests are identified, no-disturbance zones are established around these according to the terrain, the rarity of the species and its sensitivity to disruption. Similarly, badger setts, squirrel dreys and otter holts have to be noted and avoided, following a precise set of guidelines. The nests of most bird species are protected during the breeding season.

Other projects include planting of Juniper clusters to help boost the Lochaber population of this rather scarce and declining species. On the mountains above the forest edge a very rare habitat exists for alpine scrub, and rare plants such as mountain willows and dwarf birch are often physically protected and encouraged to thrive. The estate even includes wildflower meadows at Savary, where it is hoped that upland hay meadow, a rare vegetation type, can be re-established. The opening-up of river and burnside margins to allow re-establishment of fish stocks and the regeneration of native marginal vegetation is also routinely carried out where this is likely to be beneficial. Much of this work is carried on unseen, but it provides much comfort that things are happening to safeguard our natural heritage in Scotland’s forests.

Press release 23/1/13

Breeding Scoter in Scotland

The Common Scoter is a handsome black duck that spends most of its life at sea, coming onshore to breed in remote areas of Northern Europe. Sadly, for reasons not fully understood, these ducks are in serious decline, particularly in the UK, where it is in danger of becoming extinct as a breeding bird. Scotland is the scoter’s stronghold, with 50 pairs nesting annually in the Highlands, almost all confined to either a small area of the Western Highlands or the Flow Country. Thousands of birds from further north visit the coast off Scotland in the winter, where they can form large aggregations, such as in the Moray Firth. We are fortunate in this area to have populations still breeding successfully on three large hydro-lochs to the north of Fort William, and therefore it was fitting that Dr Mark Hancock, a research scientist with RSPB, came along to the Lochaber Natural History Society on Monday to give a presentation on conservation measures being considered.

Scoter are shy and secretive breeders, as well as being rare, so research has had to be focused on the survival of ducklings. By examining a range of factors that appear to have an effect on this aspect of breeding success the RSPB hope to identify key issues that can be manipulated to improve the chances of survival. The two habitats in the Highlands are rather different – large, deep lochs formed by hydroelectric dams in the West and small, very shallow lochans in the Flow Country. In each area a number of lochs were identified that were known to sustain breeding scoter, and these contrasted with others of similar size and location where scoter no longer breed or have never bred. Factors that were examined were physical attributes of the lochs such as water depth, temperature, clarity and substrate, predation by both mammals and birds, food availability and accessibility, and wider variables indicative of climate change, for example. A picture has emerged of fish being a key influence on the availability of the aquatic invertebrates on which the scoter feed. Lochs with fewer, larger trout were seen to have more and larger insects available than in those with large numbers of small fish. Predation was generally seen not to be a limiting factor, except upon larger ducklings, when high numbers of mammals such as pine marten often led to movement of ducks away from the loch. Scoters were also seen to be more successful in the larger lochs where the depths at the margins were not too great and a substrate suitable for invertebrates was more accessible. Although research is ongoing it is suggested that regulation of water levels in the hydro lochs would appear to be a promising way forward, whilst in the Flow Country manipulation of trout numbers by fishing would be useful. In the meantime either the RSPB or LNHS would be very grateful for any records of scoter sightings, either from inland lochs or off our coast, to get a better picture of what is happening.

Press release 12/12/2012

Lichens in Lochaber

There are more species of lichen in Britain – around 1900 – than there are of vascular plants. Of these, some 1600 are found in Scotland. Not only are these often overlooked organisms a local speciality, but many are found nowhere else in the world. Some lichens only grow in Lochaber. We therefore have an international responsibility for ensuring that these populations continue to live here. The Lochaber Natural History Society (LNHS) was therefore fortunate to hear an enthusiastic talk from local lichenologists Anna Griffith and Andy Acton. Lichens, essentially an obligate association between algal and fungal partners, come in many shapes and forms and live in almost all habitats. They have a variety of uses as, food and shelter for other creatures, some have medicinal properties, they are an indicator of air quality, and once were widely used in the production of dyes. Some of the local leafy tree lungworts and the orange crustose lichens found on rocky shores are readily recognised, if we were just to pay a little more attention whilst out and about. Some rare and interesting species grow right on the tops of our mountains, where little else can be found, but the real jewels in the crown are the lichen communities that grow in the ‘Atlantic Rainforest’ along the western seaboard. The warm, moist climate along with clean air and comparatively little interference provides ideal conditions for lichens to grow, particularly in our oak woodlands, remnant patches of Caledonian pine and hazel woods.

A number of internationally important species found locally were illustrated. These have often been given catchy English names to help identification. The Yellow speckle-belly, for example along with its rarer cousin, the Norwegian speckle-belly, grow in local oakwoods. Goblin Lights were first discovered in crevasses on Ben Nevis. Last winter a party of naturalists led by Andy and Anna went hunting for ‘blackberries and custard’ in hazelwoods near Duror, and were successful in finding one of the largest extant colonies in the world. As with all species, however, some lichens, particularly the more-specialised, are under threat. Climate change, pollution, forestry, inappropriate livestock husbandry and development all pose a threat. Fortunately with a bit of careful planning, much can be done to mitigate the effects of developments such as hydro-schemes that are becoming increasingly common in the area. Andy showed how avoidance of key trees and areas of habitat can easily be achieved, given the right co-operation. Lack of knowledge about what lichens are present and their habitat preferences is often a limiting factor. However, a survey in potentially sensitive areas such as woody ravines often favoured for hydro schemes, can do much to help prevent problems. Experts from other countries are apparently amazed to see the abundance and diversity of lichens in Lochaber, so it would be criminal if we allowed this to disappear.

Press release 20/11/2012

Hope for the Wildcat

The Scottish wildcat is a beautiful and iconic species of the Scottish Highlands, which has been seriously declining in numbers. Depending on which survey you believe, there may be only about 400 true wildcats, or perhaps even as few as 35 (which would make the wildcat functionally extinct). A significant problem in recent years has been hybridisation with domestic and feral cats, to the extent that no-one knows how many pure wildcats are really left. It is thought that because of the remoteness of some areas of Lochaber that we may well have some of the best surviving populations of wildcat. So it was timely that a national expert involved in wildcat surveying, Adrian Davis, came along to give an update on the situation to a packed meeting of the Lochaber Natural History Society (LNHS) on Monday night.

Adrian explained that one of the main difficulties of wildcat conservation is that the wildcat is very hard to distinguish from tabby feral cats, domestic cats or hybrids. Remarkably to date no genetic, DNA-based tests have been developed to identify the true wildcat, and this may not even be possible. There are, however, a suite of seven coat characteristics, that when taken together can be used to make a confident identification. This is really only possible with a cat in hand, however, dead or alive. Even good camera images, which are extremely rare, are of limited value. The features of note are bold stripes, a thick rounded tail with stripes and a black tip, and a black dorsal stripe that ends at the base of the tail.

Sightings of wildcat often only involve fleeting glimpses, and not surprisingly, reports often fail to make the distinction between wildcats and other cats. This was a major drawback in the last major wildcat survey organised by Scottish Natural Heritage from 2006-2008, in which there was a paucity of good records. One possible reason is that very few reports were submitted by estates. A previous survey in the 1980s had included many records from dead cats, as until very recently wildcats had no legal protection. Now wildcats are strictly protected, but are still regarded by some as vermin, or as a possible hindrance to planning proposals. An information and education programme has been doing much to remedy this situation, and a national conference was held by SNH in September to develop an urgent action plan for wildcat conservation.

A new and exciting project that Adrian is working on with the Scottish Wildcat Association (SWA) is the establishment of a Wildcat Haven. The objective is to ultimately create a zone north and west of the Great Glen fault with a sustainable population of healthy wildcats that is free of feral cats, through a process of neutering and elimination of diseased animals. Remote areas of the Ardnamurchan peninsula have been chosen for a pilot project, and the first task has been to try and find out what cats there are there by the use of camera trapping, public surveys and consultation with estates. Live trapping of feral cats has taken place, and these have been neutered to prevent them breeding with other cats. The health of the feral population has been assessed as disease poses a huge risk to small, vulnerable populations of true wildcat. Some feral cats were indeed found to carry nasty diseases such as feline AIDS, and were euthanized. The next stage is to trap what are believed to be genuine wildcats, so that their health status can also be determined, and blood samples can be taken to try and develop the elusive genetic test. If funding can be found, this project will continue for at least the next eight years.

Wildcats roam widely, and are particularly attracted to areas rich in prey such as rabbits, so may occasionally visit the periphery of settlements even as large as Fort William. If you own a domestic cat please consider having it neutered if it is allowed out of the house. Please also report any possible sightings to SWA at www.scottishwildcats.co.uk or to LNHS. It would a be real tragedy if we could not even save this uniquely Scottish animal in the 21^st century.

Press release 30/10/2012

Grand Canyon Adventures

Travelling across the US along the fabled Route 66 on the back of a Harley Davidson is the stuff of many men’s dreams. That is an end in itself, but for the enquiring mind a road trip offers many other opportunities. So it was doubly gratifying that local geologist Noel Williams was able to make his dream trip and fulfil an ambition to explore the rocks of the American mid-west this summer. The Grand Canyon is the Mecca of many a geologist, and Noel not only managed to visit it but to explore its ancient history and grandeur by making a full return trip to the bottom of the canyon. At a packed meeting of the Lochaber Natural History Society Noel recounted his adventures with the aid of a multitude of slides.

The Grand Canyon has a depth of 4,400 ft at the point at which Noel descended, equivalent to a reverse hike down Ben Nevis and back up, but in temperatures that exceeded 40^oC by midday. The descent traverses millions of years of geological time, with the oldest rocks at the bottom dating back more than 1700 million years. The rocks above the Canyon were eroded away some 70-30 MYA exposing a multitude of layers of soft sedimentary rock, laid down successively under ancient seas. These are responsible for the striping so readily apparent from photographs. The Canyon itself is relatively recent in origin, having been formed some 5000 years ago by river erosion. Remarkably, the exact mechanism for the formation of the Canyon is still much debated. Noel showed us stunning vistas of the Canyon as he made his descent through layer after layer of geological history until the mighty Colorado River was reached at the bottom. The hike was hazardous, not only because of the extreme heat, but also because walkers have to make way for mule trains on the narrow and tortuous trails. The dangers became soberingly apparent as his ascent was halted to allow the recovery of the body of someone who did not make it. However, the greatest threat to Noel’s day was that he forgot the location of his precious Harley on his return to the car park. We are fortunate that he lived to tell the tale and share his American adventures with us.

Press release 23/4/2012

Alien Invaders

Silently and stealthily our waters are being invaded. A whole host of Invasive Non-native Species (INNS), from colonial sea-squirts to choking wireweed and ravenous Red King Crabs, is encroaching on Scottish waters and some species have already been here for years. Dr Liz Cook from the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS), near Oban, recently apprised the Lochaber Natural History Society of the situation in an illustrated presentation in Fort William. We really do not know how many new species there are, or where, as no systematic surveys had been carried out until a national Marine Aliens project was established in 2004, the Scottish element of which is being undertaken by SAMS. These aliens can cause major economic losses in local marine industries, with a conservative estimate of £7.1 million per year in the UK aquaculture industry alone. Colonisation of mussel ropes by sea squirts, for example, can lead to such an increase in weight that conventional lifting gear can no longer cope. Predatory species such as king crabs may have profound effects on marine ecosystems, with knock-on effects for the fishing industry, whilst beds of Sargassum seaweed (wireweed) choke out other species and foul boat propellers. Sargassum has already been recorded in Loch Sunart and Teacuis, and Japanese skeleton shrimps are known to foul the cages of local salmon farms.

The most important source of vectors is the worldwide shipping traffic, with unintentional guests being carried right around the world. It is estimated that over 7,000 marine species may be found in the 3-5 billion tonnes of ballast water that is being moved around the oceans at any one time. Ships also carry a variety of species on their hulls, and a 2006 survey found that an average of four INNS was being carried on yachts moored in Scottish marinas. Other means of spread include aquaculture, fisheries, drift, stocking, canals and climate change. Monitoring of invasives is a difficult and specialised task, even for the 22 target species considered in the Marine Aliens project. Settlement panels have been developed that give an assessment of the presence and density of species such as the colonial tunicate Didenum vexillum. It has been shown that this sea squirt was attracted to panels after less than two weeks at Largs. Identifying the problem is one thing; doing something about it is another. The cost of eradication of D. vexillum from Largs alone has been estimated to be a prohibitive £1.3 million. In a cost-benefit analysis SAMS have shown that the best option appears to be containment and management.

New Zealand appears to be taking the lead in the prevention of colonisation by INNS, with strict laws regulating the cleaning of hulls and emptying of ballast in their waters. Scotland has produced guidelines, but no actions are compulsory. It is likely that we will have to adapt to the presence of marine aliens and accept that we will see changes in our marine fauna and flora in the future. In the meantime it would greatly help SAMS if the public could report sightings of INNS, and a number of pamphlets have been produced to assist with identification.

Press release 13/3/2012

Mink Menace

The North American mink first escaped from fur farms in Western Scotland in the 1960s, and has since spread to colonise the whole of the region. Smaller than an otter and larger than a stoat, the mink has come to occupy a hitherto vacant slot in the local food chain, of that of a medium-sized waterside predator. As such it has wrought havoc upon local wildlife that would have had no previous experience of mink, and therefore no natural defence against its predation. This is particularly true of seabird colonies found on small off-shore islands. These include breeding populations of nationally rare and uncommon species such as terns and common gull, and also more numerous species such as herring gull and oystercatcher. Once a mink accesses these poorly-defended breeding colonies it has been known to go on killing sprees, wiping out a whole season’s worth of chicks or eggs in a single night. Not surprisingly, those adult birds that do survive do not tolerate many seasons of this and eventually move off, leaving the islands bereft of seabirds. For the last 22 years Dr Clive Craik has been studying the populations of breeding seabirds on no less than 155 islands between Mallaig and West Loch Tarbert / Loch Fyne in Argyll, and monitoring both the effects of mink upon these, and the efficacy of trapping mink on breeding success. He updated the Lochaber Natural History Society with the latest results from his studies in a graphically illustrated talk in Fort William on Monday 12^th. March.

The bad news is that on the islands studied, where mink have been present they have all but eradicated any ground-nesting birds. In 2010, for example, 76 had lost their breeding seabirds. The good news is that on a further 32 islands where mink trapping was carried out, seabirds bred successfully on 22, and in 2011, on 21 of 28 islands where mink trapping took place. Mink trapping is both time-consuming and costly, however. Recent work using breeding ‘rafts’ adapted from mussel farm rafts protected with mink-proof fences and traps that attract the mink has proved successful, with both common tern and common gull flourishing on these. Dr Craik has also shown that islands further out in the sea, greater than 1km from shore, also tend to be mink–free, although not always suitable for all species of seabirds. Displaced herring and greater black-backed gulls, themselves fierce predators, may well prevent other birds from nesting on these remoter islets. Fortunately some of the more distant islands such as Coll and Tiree, have yet to be colonised by mink. Dr Craik also presented a wealth of evidence to suggest that discarded fishing gear is also responsible for significant mortality amongst these beleaguered seabird populations. Seabirds are a significant feature of our beautiful coastline, and a major visitor attraction for many nature-lovers. Control of mink must be continued and supported if future generations are to enjoy these birds. Care with discarded fishing tackle will also help.

Press release 17/2/2012

Dino Stampede – Tracking Dinosaurs in Scotland

Scotland contains some of the oldest rocks in the world, and as a consequence has a fossil record dating back over 500 million years. Indeed, some of the world’s most notable fossils have been found in Scotland, providing vital clues as to how life evolved on earth. These include the first animal to ever breathe on land, Pneumodesmus, around 440 million years ago (MYA), and the first animal with a backbone known to walk on land with its legs pointing forward, Pedereps, some 350 MYA in the early Carboniferous period. Indeed, we have our own rich fossil beds here in Lochaber, particularly at Lochaline and Kilchoan, where the remains of animals that once lived in shallow tropical seas can be found. The stories of these and other amazing Scottish fossils were recently related to the Lochaber Natural History Society by one of Scotland’s experts, Dr Neil Clark, the curator of Palaeontology at the Hunterian Museum, Glasgow.

Dr Clark, is however, perhaps best known for his interest in Scottish dinosaurs, and it is this group that occupied most of a lively and engaging talk. To date all the known Scottish dinosaur discoveries have come from the Trotternish peninsula of Skye. Although the finds have not to date included spectacular near-complete specimens, they are notable in that they consist of dinosaur bones from animals that lived in the mid Jurassic period, some 230MYA, which is poorly represented globally. Remains from a number of major dinosaur groups have been discovered to date including the large vegetarian sauropods (such as Diplodocus), armoured dinosaurs (like Ankylosaurus), small, meat-eating carnosaurs, and much larger predators, typified at a later date by Tyrannosaurus rex. These bones have all been found on rocky beaches and the first only as recently as 1992. The first evidence of dinosaurs to be found was not of bones, but of footprints, and several well-preserved tracks remain in sedimentary rocks uncovered during the winter storms. The most significant of these is a group of large and smaller carnosaur prints, all travelling in the same direction – the first evidence that carnosaurs operated as family units with probable care of their offspring. The Skye footprints have been filmed by Australian scientists wishing to shed further light on their own prints, the supposed Dino Stampede, of the title.

Many more dinosaur fossils may yet be waiting to be discovered in Scotland, and not just on Skye. People of all walks of life have turned these relics up, so anyone with an interest might strike it lucky. If you do be sure to let Dr Clark know. He is also currently working on a book about Scottish gold, so if anyone has any information about finds, particularly from Lochaber, please contact him at Neil.Clark@glasgow.ac.uk .

Press release 3/2/2012

Ribbon of Wildness

The watershed of Scotland extends from Peel Fell on the English Border to Dunscanby Head in Caithness; a distance of some 745 miles. The route of the watershed by definition does not cross running water, and so rivers run either side to the Atlantic or the North Sea. On the way it passes through Lochaber, reaching its western-most point in Glen Dessary. The mooted path that follows the watershed, mostly upland in character, has been christened the ‘Ribbon of Wildness’ by Peter Wright. His solo journey along the route was described in an entertaining and informative talk to the Lochaber Natural History Society in January.

The walk was spread over a period of 9 months, starting in January 2005. Apart from the new town of Cumbernauld, which straddles the watershed, only around 20 houses can be seen from the route, which passes through some of the most remote and wild areas of Scotland. The watershed transverses many protected areas, such as 5 National Nature Reserves, 71 Sites of Special Scientific Interest, 37 Special Areas of Conservation, 28 Special Protected Areas and 11 National Scenic Areas, as well as a plethora of other nature reserves, and scenic land managed by charities such as the National Trust for Scotland and John Muir Trust. Despite this, much of the watershed is unprotected. Peter’s thesis is that the watershed links the wilderness areas of Scotland in one continuous route, and that this should be recognised as such. He promotes the Ribbon of Wildness in his book of the same name and advocates that it should be given formal recognition. This would prevent the construction of developments or barriers that would detract from wildness or people’s ability to access it. Although to walk the watershed is a mammoth undertaking as an entirety, people can experience sections of the route for themselves, and this will soon be aided by Peter’s forthcoming publication of short walks along the watershed.

Press release 20/12/2011

Sea Pinks and Samphire – Saltmarsh and Shingle on the West Coast

Lochaber is noted for its mountain and coastal scenery, but few people associate this part of Scotland with salt marshes or shingle beaches. These are neglected habitats, often with their own unique flora and fauna, that are an important part of our local landscape, yet relatively unknown. Both provide a dynamic barrier between the sea and the land, often mitigating the action of the waves, and are therefore increasingly important in relation to climate change and potential rises in sea level. Plants and animals living there must be resilient to physical forces of wind and water, and above all have developed a tolerance for salt. The Lochaber Natural History Society was therefore privileged to hear more about these hidden gems from chairman Dr. Ian Strachan at the recent Christmas meeting. Having recently retired from Scottish Natural Heritage, Ian is now able to devote much of his time to field work and has undertaken habitat surveys of these important biological habitats on behalf of his former employers. During the course of the last year he has surveyed no fewer than 75 salt marshes and 50 shingle beaches up and down the west coast, including a good number in our own area. The objective of the exercise was to accurately map the vegetation communities and catalogue the species of plants occurring in these localities in order to provide a benchmark for future studies and to assess their biological importance and structural integrity.

Ian gave us a run through of both of the features of the habitats and the plants (and animals) that are found there. He also outlined some of the threats posed to these, including overgrazing, pollution, alien invasives such as cord-grass, gravel extraction and littering. The talk was filled with interesting facts and images. Samphire, or glasswort, is a succulent plant found low on the shore and enjoying a resurgence in popularity as an addition to salads, or even as a cooked vegetable. Formerly it was harvested and burnt to produce soda, used in the manufacture of glass. Sea-pinks, or thrift, form a glowing pink carpet that can cover a salt-marsh in June, and a particularly good example can be seen locally at Kentra Bay. The shore at North Ballachulish is a fine example of a shingle bank. The upper shore is well-vegetated and peculiar in having a small woodland of blackthorn scrub actually growing on the shingle. The fields behind this are probably more notable for their wonderful display of bluebells in the spring. These are also thought to grow on shingle, and in doing so have been largely protected from cultivation.- an unexpected, but welcome attribute of an unusual habitat.

Article for Oban Times and Lochaber News - November 2011

Alpine treasures threatened by climate change - Talk by Dan Watson on 16/11/2011

Glencoe is world-famous for its outstanding mountain scenery and the bloody massacre. Perhaps less well-known is its importance for a wealth of plants and animals, including rare alpine species. On Monday 14^th. November the Lochaber Natural History Society (LNHS) was treated to a talk by Dan Watson, the ecologist for the National Trust for Scotland (NTS) with responsibility for monitoring the flora and fauna on both the Glencoe and Ben Lawers properties. Glencoe is protected at both national and European level (as well as being part of the Lochaber Geopark – a world designation). In order to ensure that the many different specialist habitats remain in a favourable condition, as well the populations of individual plants within these, regular monitoring has to take place, at least on a 6–year cycle, and more often for rare plant populations. These include specialities such as Drooping saxifrage and Highland Saxifrage, relics of the last ice-age that are still hanging on in Britain in very small numbers. Often these rare alpines are only found on the most inaccessible ledges, out of reach of hungry deer and sheep. Naturally this makes them very difficult to find by ecologists too, and it is no coincidence that Dan’s hobbies include hill running! NTS also participate in a number of other national surveys, for example collecting data for the forthcoming bird and butterfly atlas updates.

Amongst the many different habitats that are listed in the European Glencoe Special Area of Conservation, are unusual habitats such as Alpine Calcareous Grassland, Alkaline Fen and towards the foot of the glens, Alder Woodland. Semi-permanent snow-beds are a rare and ephemeral habitat that is threatened by warmer springs, and there is evidence to suggest that the area of lying snow has decreased significantly in the last thirty years. Dan discussed the conflicts of management that occur with different habitats, often found side-by-side – some requiring no grazing at all to protect rare plants on ledges, and others needing grazing to keep down growth of coarse grasses and scrub encroachment. Deer being the most significant grazers in Glencoe, the subject of control was inevitably raised. NTS has a controversial deer culling policy in order to control numbers, however this has apparently led to improved survival rates through the severe winters experienced in the last couple of years. It is clear that the treasures of Glencoe are subject to many threats, and to date there has been mixed success in maintaining and/or improving both species populations and habitats. Clearly though, if NTS were to do nothing then these would be in a far worse state, and the ongoing monitoring effort is a very important part of maintaining biodiversity on the hills.

Article for Oban Times and Lochaber News - November 2010

Scotland’s seabirds in their millions!

Dr Andy Douse, Senior Ornithologist with SNH, gave a fascinating talk about Seabirds at last week’s meeting of Lochaber Natural History Society, based on his many years of experience in Scotland and abroad. Scotland has huge numbers of breeding seabirds – over five million, more than the human population! These numbers give us an international responsibility for many species, from Puffins and Guillemots to Gannets and Shags. But how are they counted? The last full census, Seabird 2000, was a huge survey involving many people. Andy described the varied techniques used, which even included an endoscope for species in burrows. The next census is being considered for 2013-17 although the financial situation puts some doubt over this. Yet the state of our seabirds is an excellent ‘barometer’ for the health of our seas and oceans.

Major censuses combined with annual monitoring at key colonies around Scotland show that seabirds have had mixed fortunes in recent years. For example Kittiwakes and Arctic Skuas have been declining rapidly, whereas Gannets are flourishing with new colonies being established. Seabirds are vulnerable to many pressures from man’s activities. The introduction of predators such as cats, rats, mink and even hedgehogs to islands around the world has caused the decline and extinction of many species. Commercial fishing has depleted food stocks, whilst climate change is causing many complex impacts. The huge quantities of floating plastic in the world’s oceans is a great worry – it lasts for so long. For example, fulmars have been found with their stomachs full of accumulated plastic particles which restrict their ability to feed. The speaker ended by outlining the latest applications of technology to seabird research, such as the use of tiny ‘geolocators’ which give us fresh insight into the amazing lives of seabirds.

The next speaker will be Dr James Merryweather of Skye and Lochalsh Environment Forum, who will give a talk on the wildlife and ecology of native woodlands entitled ‘You call that a woodland?’. It will take place on Friday 10^th December at the Alexandra Hotel at 7.30pm, all welcome.

Article for Oban Times and Lochaber News - November 2010

Bees, Wasps and Ants – not just stingers!

Dr Murdo Macdonald of Strathpeffer gave the first talk of the season to Lochaber Natural History Society last month, entitled ‘Bees, Wasps and Ants of Northern Scotland’. Using examples from Lochaber and elsewhere in the Highlands and Islands, with some superb photographs, Murdo conveyed his enthusiasm for these fascinating insects.

Members were told about bumblebees, which are important natural pollinators. Some need our help - the Great Yellow Bumblebee, like the corncrake, was at one time widespread, but is now almost restricted to the Hebrides, the Northern Isles and the coast of Sutherland and Caithness. There are many other types of wild bees, wasps and ants to be found in our area, each with its own special way of life. The audience was particularly interested to hear about Wood Ants, which build their prominent domed nests in woods of oak and birch as well as pine. They play a major role in the ecology of these woods. Their nests may be centuries old, but are easily damaged.

Murdo is Records Manager for the Highland Biological Recording Group and has co-authored an atlas and guide to Highland Bumblebees. He plans to produce a similar publication on Ants next year. He finished his talk by appealing to the Society to fill some gaps in our knowledge of bees, wasps and ants in Lochaber. For example, could we confirm a possible sighting of the Great Yellow Bumblebee in Ardnamurchan, and just where do Wood Ant nests occur locally?

The next meeting will be on Friday 19^th November when Dr Andy Douse of Scottish Natural Heritage will talk about Seabirds and the threats they face, from Scotland to the Falklands, Australia and New Zealand. The meeting will be held at the Alexandra Hotel in Fort William at 7.30pm, all are welcome!

Article written for ‘The Highland Naturalist’, journal of the Highland Biological Recording Group, April 2010.

Lochaber Natural History Society

The Lochaber Natural History Society held its 250^th meeting recently, at which I had the sad duty to report the passing of Jim Rowbottom, our founder and past chairman. He died on 8^th March 2010 in Raigmore Hospital following a series of operations after breaking his hip in a fall.

Jim Rowbottom and his wife Tina founded the Society in 1969. Remarkably Jim was chairman for 36 years, up to 2005, when he passed the baton on to me - but still remained on the committee. The botanist Joan Clarke from Ballachulish was also a founder member, and another eminent botanist Alf Slack (my predecessor as BSBI VCR for Westerness) was on the committee for many years. Ro Scott was also an active member during her time working for the Nature Conservancy Council in Lochaber.

Jim was a fine naturalist, with a particular interest in Highland birds and mammals and their conservation, though he also travelled widely abroad. His passions included golden eagles and other raptors, but above all, otters, which he spent many hours observing and filming around the Lochaber coast. Jim was a gentle, considerate man who did much to stimulate interest in wildlife and conservation through the Society. Recently he expressed concern to me about declining otter numbers locally, basing this on an impressive tabulation of his numerous observations over a long period.

The principle activity of the Lochaber Natural History Society is the winter programme of illustrated lectures, but we also hold occasional field meetings and it is hoped to increase our recording activity in future years.

Ian Strachan, Chairman

Article written for Newsletter of BRISC (Biological Recording in Scotland) March 2009

What’s so special about…Lochaber

Introduction

Extending from Creag Meagaidh in the east to Canna in the west, and taking in Britain’s highest peak (Ben Nevis), deepest freshwater loch (Morar), and most westerly mainland point (Ardnamurchan), Lochaber is one of the richest parts of the country for biodiversity. Formerly a District of Highland Region, it has retained its name and identity as a sub-division of the Highland Council area since 1996. It has been my good fortune to live and work in Lochaber for 20 years, and as a naturalist I am quite convinced that there is nowhere better to be; not only because of its known interest, but also because there is so much more to be found - you can go just about anywhere and have a good chance of turning up something new. The purpose of this article is to give an introduction to the area and hopefully encourage visiting naturalists to make and submit records!

For biological recording purposes most of Lochaber falls within Vice-County 97 (Westerness) but inevitably the boundaries do not match, with the Small Isles of Rum, Canna, Eigg and Muick included in VC104 (North Ebudes), and the Glencoe/Rannoch Moor area in VC98 (Main Argyll).

Geology plays a major part in the ecological richness of Lochaber, with the Tertiary igneous rocks of Morvern, Ardnamurchan and the Small Isles supporting a distinctly different range of habitats and species when compared with the Caledonian metamorphic and igneous rocks of the north and east. The whole of Lochaber is a Geopark and more information on its geology can be found at www.lochabergeopark.org.uk. Other important factors include the wide altitudinal range, diverse topography, steep climatic gradients, and relatively clean air and water, but past and present land and water use, management and exploitation of natural resources have all had a major influence.

Habitats and species

Lochaber has an exceptionally rich marine fauna and flora, associated especially with its many sealochs, notably Lochs Sunart, Ailort, Linnhe, Leven, Moidart and Nevis. Important habitats include rocky reefs, deep-water muds, maerl beds, tidal rapids and beds of unattached knotted-wrack Ascophyllum nodosum ecad mackaii. Notable species include the giant sea-pen Funiculina quadrangularis and dense beds of flame shells Limaria hians. Around Ardnamurchan and the Small Isles submerged rock and sandbanks are also important habitats. The surrounding seas provide essential feeding grounds for basking sharks, cetaceans such as harbour porpoise and minke whale, and numerous seabirds including guillemots, gannets and Manx shearwaters.

The long and convoluted coastline, which is largely undeveloped, is rich in habitats and species, with natural transitions from land to sea. The coastal cliffs of the Small Isles have important colonies of breeding seabirds and raptors, including Manx shearwater and sea eagle. Coastal grasslands, heaths and scrub on the more basic rock types, such as in the Small Isles, are of particular interest for their flora e.g. thyme broomrape Orobanche alba and insects such as the transparent burnet Zygaena purpuralis. Fragments of saltmarsh, sand dune and machair occur in places such as Kentra Bay and Sanna; Lochaber's sheltered coast also supports a large population of otters.

Lochaber is famous for its woodlands, particularly of oak and birch. Many of these are highly oceanic in character, with the best representation in Europe of species-rich 'Atlantic' communities of mosses, liverworts, ferns and lichens. Especially fine examples occur around Loch Sunart, Loch Moidart, Loch nan Uamha and Loch Shiel. On limestone, basalt and other base-rich rocks, woodlands dominated by ash, hazel and alder occur, also with a rich associated flora. Undisturbed hazel scrub can be especially valuable for lichens such as Norwegian specklebelly Pseudocyphellaria norvegica and for hazel gloves fungus Hypocreopsis rhododendri. In the central glens there are important remnants of Scots pine woodland. The fauna of these various woodland types includes rare insects such as the chequered skipper and pearl-bordered fritillary, and mammals such as pine marten, wildcat and red squirrel.

Lochaber has some of the most significant mountains in Britain for biodiversity. Well known areas include the Ben Nevis range, Glen Coe, the Isle of Rum and the basalt peaks of Morvern, but there is also much upland interest elsewhere in the district, and many hills remain to be surveyed in detail. An outstanding range of upland habitats is represented - wet and dry heaths, calcareous grassland, tall-herb ledges, montane scrub, rock and scree, snowbed and summit vegetation. The flora is very rich, with rare Arctic-Alpines such as drooping saxifrage Saxifraga cernua, diapensia Diapensia lapponica and arctic sandwort Arenaria norvegica, and many rare or scarce lichens and bryophytes. The upland fauna includes many notable insect species such as mountain ringlet, as well as mountain hare, ptarmigan and important raptor populations, with exceptional numbers of breeding golden eagle.

Lochaber has an abundance of freshwater habitats, associated with its high rainfall and glaciated topography. Running waters are typically fast-flowing and are important for salmon and trout, as well as invertebrates such as the freshwater pearl-mussel Margaritifera margaritifera and the distinctive insect fauna of river shingle. Standing waters are typically nutrient-poor, ranging in size from deep, glaciated lochs such as Lochs Lochy, Shiel and Morar to tiny hill lochans. Important faunal species include common scoter, red and black-throated divers, otter, arctic charr and dragonflies. Several notable plant species such as slender naiad Najas flexilis, pipewort Eriocaulon septangulare, club sedge Carex buxbaumii and pygmy-weed Crassula aquatica also occur in specific lochs or their fringing wetlands.

The peatlands of Lochaber are also of particular interest – not surprising perhaps with our high rainfall! In the west, unusually intact bogs such as Claish Moss, Kentra Moss and Blar na Caillich Buidhe display distinctive patterns of bog pools and moss hummocks; whilst in the southeast, Rannoch Moor is a vast mosaic of blanket bog, peat-stained pools and lochans. Important bog plants include Rannoch rush Scheuchzeria palustris, dwarf birch Betula nana, brown-beaked sedge Rhynchospora fusca and scarce bog-mosses. Three nationally scarce dragonflies, the white-faced darter Leucorrhinia dubia, the northern emerald Somatochlora arctica and the azure hawker Aeshna caerulea breed in bog pools, and bogs are also important for breeding birds such as greenshank.

Enclosed, unimproved grasslands and rush-pastures are an important but declining feature of Lochaber, mainly associated with crofting areas such as Inverroy, Glen Coe and Strontian. Where traditional management is maintained, the flora is colourful with notable species such as greater and lesser butterfly-orchids Platanthera chlorantha and P. bifolia, whorled caraway Carum verticillatum and globeflower Trollius europaeus, and a diverse fauna. Several grasslands rich in waxcaps have been found, but the fungal flora of Lochaber is rather poorly known.

Nature Conservation and recording

As indicated above, Lochaber has many habitats and species of national and international importance. There are 35 Sites of Special Scientific Interest notified for their biological interest, as well as 13 Special Areas of Conservation designated under the EU Habitats Directive and 4 Special Protection Areas under the EU Birds Directive; but these are only part of the story, and a large part of Lochaber’s interest lies beyond, in the wider countryside and adjacent seas.

Much of Lochaber is in (potentially) good hands. As well as five National Nature Reserves owned by SNH (Rum, Ariundle, Glencripesdale, Claish Moss and Glen Roy), various other sites are managed directly or indirectly by conservation bodies e.g. Rahoy Hills, Eigg and Doire Donn (SWT), Glenborrodale (RSPB), Glencoe and Canna (NTS), Ben Nevis and Corrour (JMT). Forestry Commission Scotland is a major landowner and manages extensive areas of woodland and hill ground for biodiversity, whilst several other estates are in sympathetic hands (private or community) e.g. Knoydart and Ardtornish. There are plenty of localised problems to address of course, such as poor woodland regeneration, rhododendron invasion, habitat fragmentation, overgrazing, uncontrolled burning, loss of cattle, and mink predation. Some of these issues are being tackled but much remains to be done.

Further details of Lochaber's biological richness and conservation issues can be found in 'Living Lochaber: the Local Biodiversity Action Plan' (Highland Biodiversity Project 2004, available at www.highlandbiodiversity.com). The Lochaber Biodiversity Group is currently reviewing the plan and is promoting various projects in Lochaber. The Lochaber Natural History Society holds monthly indoor meetings from October to March and field meetings in the summer. The Highland Biological Recording Group includes Lochaber in its coverage and records can be submitted via their website www.hbrg.org.uk . All help welcome!

Ian Strachan

Ian is chairman of Lochaber Natural History Society, BSBI Recorder for Westerness and a founder member of the Lochaber Biodiversity Group; he also writes on natural history as ‘Highland Darter’. He is employed by SNH as Terrestrial and Freshwater Ecologist in the Policy and Advice Directorate.