SNH Area News East Highland
Correspondents: Tim Dawson, Pete Moore, Kenny Nelson
Clearwater revival?
The future of Loch Flemington near Croy looks clearer thanks to some ground-breaking work. The loch is an internationally important home to breeding Slavonian grebes (shown above), great crested newts and a rare water plant called slender naiad. In recent years, however, fertiliser run-off from surrounding farmland has created regular summer blooms of algae. The murky water makes it difficult for the grebes to find food and they’ve not bred there since 2001. The algal blooms have also affected angling for the local fishermen. Experts have suggested using
‘PhosLock’, a chalk-like substance that binds to the excess fertiliser and locks it into the loch bed. This should lead to the water quality rapidly improving, which will be good for the grebes, the fishing and all the other wildlife on the loch. This is the first time PhosLock has been used in the Highlands, and the local community and other public bodies are backing the trial. The results will be studied closely to gauge the success of the work and learn how to tackle this problem in other places.
Solar-powered eagles
We’re taking part in a project that aims to find out how young golden eagles in the Cairngorms react to people disturbing them.
Over the last three years, solar-
powered satellite transmitters have been fitted to three young eagles to give us an insight into how they live and their movements. The transmitters allow us to track what they do and where they go.
Since these first ‘taggings’, we’ve had a transmitter fail after two months and another being recovered when the eagle carrying it (named Alma) was poisoned after two years. However, tracking results from these birds all add to the emerging picture. And the third transmitter, attached to a bird called Tom, continues to relay information about his life in the southwest Cairngorms. This year the project is aiming to
track up to seven more birds, including adults, in a partnership between various organisations and estates. You can find more information on the eagles and other tracked birds by visiting
www.roydennis.org
Shot in the dark
We’ve been supporting an innovative photography project in Wester Ross to help people recover from mental ill health. ‘Shot in the dark’ has allowed people to develop digital photography skills, such as setting up and taking a good photograph (like the one above) and using computers to change and present pictures.
John McNaught, the project
worker, has helped the 20 folk taking part learn new skills and meet new people, and this has built people’s confidence. “Many have become so involved with the project that they’ve bought their own cameras and set up their own Flickr web page,” remarked John. “Some people have got to grips with technology for the first time, while others have developed a genuine talent for photography. And all of them have been able to meet the goals successfully that they set for themselves.” The people taking part also got out and about into the Wester Ross countryside, including a trip to Loch Maree Islands NNR. The project organisers hope to build on this work and are seeking funding to develop a social enterprise using the photography skills that people have learnt.
www.snh.gov.uk
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