Auchnerran Blog

Dr. Dave Parish describes exciting times at our demonstration farm in Scotland as the wader breeding season gets in to full swing.

On 2nd June we will be hosting a bumblebee identification course at GWSDF Auchnerran, delivered by the Bumblebee Conservation Trust.

It’s that time of year again when Auchnerran starts to come alive with the sounds of various species of wading birds, all proclaiming their territorial rights and starting to breed. 

Ahead of World Curlew Day, Dave Parish asks what can be done to help the species?

Along with the rest of the country, Auchnerran has had a fair dusting of snow. We took the opportunity to take photos of some of the beautiful winter wildlife on display.

The LIFE funded LaserFence project is testing a novel laser system for potential use as a deterrent for pest species of mammals, and we are now ready to test it on rats.

This is the week for our Big Farmland Bird Count across the UK and we have had another good build up to the event. GWCT Scotland ran an informative and fun Big Farmland Bird ID Day at GWSDF Auchnerran and one again in Northern Ireland.

2017 was a busy year on the Game and Wildlife Scottish Demonstration Farm at Auchnerran. We would like to thank all of the individuals and organisations that made it a success highlighting the importance of integrated land management for Scotland and the UK.

Ironically on a day packed with weather – including sunny spells, sub-zero temperatures and heavy snow showers, we set-up a new weather station today at the farm with colleagues from the James Hutton Institute. 

The last couple of years at GWSDF Auchnerran have highlighted the huge abundance of breeding waders on the site, with Lapwing, Curlew, Oystercatcher, Woodcock and Snipe present in droves. Here are a few photographs from the 2017 monitoring season.