Scotland - bird watching - Brief Article

LEGENDARY FOR ITS RUGGED COASTlines, spectacular highlands, ancient woodlands and verdant glens, Scotland is an ideal destination for birders with an eye for drama. The Scots have always taken great pride in the natural beauty of their countryside, and they've recently made their inspiring landscapes even more inviting with new facilities and opportunities for naturalists.

In areas both settled and remote, visitors can join various ranger-led walks. For the more active, orienteering events and well-marked cycle trails make exploration especially rewarding.

Scotland is home to a great number and variety of bird species, including the most golden eagles and peregrine falcons in Europe and some of the greatest concentrations of seabirds in the world. Many species -- including gannets, puffins, guillemots, and kittiwakes -- nest on cuffs over 900 feet high. Many thousands of wintering wildfowl feed and roost among the country's estuaries and salt marshes. The great sweeps of white shell and sea-meadows of the west coast and pristine islands, such as Shetland and Skye, are rich in ground-nesting birds and colorful displays of wildflowers in early summer. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) reserve on North Uist is a fine example of Scotland's pristine natural habitats.

Only one hour from Edinburgh, the Bass Rock is dramatically situated near the mouth of the Forth River. Boat trips are available from nearby North Berwick. During the breeding season, more than 70,000 North Atlantic gannets (over 25 percent of the world's population) flock to Bass Rock, creating an enchanting spectacle. This year heralds the opening of The Scottish Seabird Centre at North Berwick Harbour. Using state-of-the-art remote cameras from various strategically located observation areas, visitors can now see a range of species up close, in their natural habitat, without disturbing them.

Also notable this year are The Millennium Forest for Scotland projects, a series of 77 initiatives throughout the country designed to extend and enhance native natural habitats. Visitors to Perthshire, in the heart of Scotland, are invited to celebrate the survival of the country's ancient woodlands with the aid of new, way-marked trails enhanced by multimedia technology. This project -- Scotland's Ancient Woodlands: A Trail from the Past to the Future -- also involves walks at Crinan in Argyll and Abriachan on the shores of Loch Ness.

COPYRIGHT 2000 American Museum of Natural History
COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group

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