This page carries some of the highlights from our quarterly reports to SNH. These reports are available from our Stirling office on request.
Highlights from the current project (2008/9 to 2010/11)
January to March 2011
- Wester Moss SSSI declared as BC’s third reserve in Scotland. Press release taken up by BBC.
- Successful workparty held at Wester Moss, organised by the owners, Stirling Council - large area of young pine removed. Local residents attended, as well as members from both East and SW BC Branches.
- Two BTCV apprentices recruited and based in our Stirling Office – Daisy Shepperd, on a Natural Talent raised bogs apprenticeship, and Alex Hogg on a Natural Community apprenticeship.
- Significant progress made on making data more accessible to SNH and their SEARS partners. Talk given at Holyrood to MSPs from all parties on the importance of BC’s datasets, as part of Scottish Environment Week.
- Another very enjoyable and interesting Recorders’ Gathering, with excellent feedback.
- New Branch displays, leaflets and the annual newsletter produced, and two leaflets updated.
- Grant application to SNH successful.
October to December 2010
- We held a very successful Members Day on 30 October, with over 120 present. Our 1000th member in Scotland received a gift, as did Duncan Davidson, our Outstanding Volunteer of the Year
- At our Cambridge AGM, Roy Leverton received our ‘Life time Achievement Award’ for his contributions to knowledge of Lepidoptera, his generous assistance given to new recorders, his superb moth photography and his dedication to butterfly monitoring
- We have been successful in securing two BTCV placements, one focussing on lowland peatlands (joint with Buglife), the other on getting communities involved in our work. Both commence early in the New Year.
- A substantial amount of time spent on developing projects and funding applications. Applications were submitted to SNH and to the People’s Postcode Lottery ‘Dream Fund’ in conjunction with Buglife Scotland.
- It is pleasing that other conservation bodies are increasingly coming to us to be partners in landscape-scale projects.
- An assessment of volunteer input to our work in Scotland estimated that it is equivalent to nearly £½ million.
July to September 2010
- First ‘Big Butterfly Count’ held in July, with good response from Scotland www.bigbutterflycount.org
- 1000th member in Scotland to be celebrated at Members’ Day in October.
- New colony of Dark Bordered Beauty located, making three in Scotland (and four in the UK).
- Many other exciting sightings of UK BAP species from our volunteers, including new sites for Marsh and Pearl-bordered Fritillaries, Chequered Skipper, Argent & Sable, Anania funebris, Forester, Narrow Bordered Bee Hawk-moth, Small Dark Yellow Underwing and Slender Scotch Burnet.
April to June 2010
- International Year of Biodiversity celebrated at both our reserves, Allt Mhuic (Loch Arkaig) and Mabie Forest on 22 May, with over 100 local people attending.
- The Mabie Forest event also saw the launch of the new ID guide to the butterflies and day-flying moths of Ayrshire and Dumfries & Galloway, and a new nature trail leading to the reserve.
- Another very successful Recorders’ Gathering at Battleby held on 24 April, with 100 recorders present. Well-received presentation on Pine-tree Lappet moth by Forestry Commission Scotland.
- Launch of the new 'Rural Priorities' prescription for conservation grazing in woodland by the Minister on 27 April, with butterflies and moths featuring heavily.
- Our stand was again very popular at Gardening Scotland, part of the ‘Garden for Life’ marquee.
- Launch of corporate sponsorship with Marks & Spencer and ‘Big Butterfly Count’ at Royal Highland Show on 24 June, and preparations for Big Butterfly Count in July/Aug www.bigbutterflycount.org
January to March 2010
- Publication of annual newsletter: 6000 copies, to go to all BC members in Scotland, volunteers, organisations, and all those who have contributed to postcard surveys
- Publication of new ID guide to Ayrshire and Dumfries & Galloway butterflies and day-flying moths
- Aspects of our work in Scotland was presented at three conferences. With the many talks also given, approx 430 people were informed of the work of BC Scotland
- We now have over 1,000 individual members in Scotland (nearly 15,000 in UK)
October to December 2009
- Launch of the Scottish Borders Butterfly Atlas at Harestanes Visitor Centre on 28 November. Many local recorders present, speakers were from Borders Council and SNH. The book was a joint project between the local records centre nd our East Scotland Branch, and was funded by SNH, Awards for All and FCS. Good local publicity generated.
- Our proposals for a peatland restoration project with Buglife are generating a great deal of support, and appear to complement other new initiatives. We are also discussing the possibility of a new peatland nature reserve.
- There is also much interest in our ideas for a simple biodiversity indicator for urban greenspace.
- Demand for articles, talks and literature from a wide range of groups continues at a high level.
July to September 2009
- We held a successful trial promotional event at Butterfly World and Dobbies, Edinburgh on 14th July, with local volunteers and staff from HQ.
- Excellent results have been obtained from the surveys for Mountain Ringlet and Mountain Burnet.
- Numerous educational events have been supported by volunteers
- We have had a very large response to the Small Tortoiseshell survey
- We had an excellent Members’ Day at Birnam on 26th September. Over 90 attended, and heard about the pros and cons of the SRDP and about Darwin’s work on the pollination of orchids by moths.
- We received continued media coverage relating to the Painted Lady ‘invasion’
April to June 2009
- Increasing numbers of educational events are now run by volunteers
- Good response for Small Tortoiseshell survey (we also received many postcards for Peacock and Orange-tip!)
- Very good Recorders’ Gathering at Battleby – the talk by Mark Shaw on parasitoids proved very popular. 90 attended.
- Good weather meant lots of volunteer surveys & monitoring carried out, with excellent results for Narrow-bordered Bee Hawk-moth, Marsh & Pearl-bordered Fritillaries, Chequered Skipper and Mountain Ringlet.
- Plenty of media coverage relating to the Painted Lady invasion, moths moving north, and the low butterfly numbers
January to March 2009
- The Cairngorms butterfly identification leaflet has been reprinted, and a new Lothians & Borders butterfly and day-flying moth ID leaflet been produced and distributed.
- The Scottish newsletter has been printed and will be sent to 2000 addresses in mid-April.
- The Scottish Government funded the production of 50,000 Small Tortoiseshell postcards
- The BTCV Natural Talent moth apprentice has been appointed, Amy Huff
October to December 2008
- Publication of the new Highlands Butterfly Atlas by Highlands Branch & Highlands Biological Recording Group - based on over 40,000 observations from more than 750 recorders (comparable figures for the 1998 Atlas were around 7,000 and 150 respectively).
- Very successful Member’s Day held at Battleby on Oct 25, opened by Dr Ian Jardine. Over 120 members present, including our new Chairman, Maurice Avent.
- Good levels of publicity continued, including coverage of the Highland Atlas and sites to see butterflies
July-Sept 2008
- Despite poor summer weather, new colonies of Marsh Fritillary and Small Blue located, and monitoring established at several new sites
- Peacock postcard & web survey proving successful, over 1000 records received
- 11 moth training events supported
- 6 other training events were run
- Much publicity obtained, for weather and climate-related stories, and our landscape areas (“survival zones”)
- The Peacock postcard & on-line survey proved very successful, with over 2000 records received, primarily from the Highlands, the main target area. The balance between postcard records and those received online was roughly even.
Contact
Email your comments or requests for more information to our Stirling office.
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