Notes from The Arran Naturalist

The Annual Clyde Eider Survey is taking place this year from 7th to 30th September. Organised for nearly thirty years by Chris Waltho, the data collected shows the post breeding population of Eiders in the Firth of Clyde is in decline. Chris’s latest report “Clyde Eider News No22 August 2024” can be accessed using this …

Brodick Country Park: The Story

The summer is an especially busy time for the NTS Rangers at Brodick Country Park.  They do an amazing job – from monitoring vegetation and bracken bashing in Glen Rosa, to organising a programme of exciting activities and events for locals and visitors, to sea shore scrambles with COAST. They even manage to fit in …

The Big Butterfly Count

There are just a few days left to join the Big Butterfly Count –  feeling inspired, the Arran Natural History Society recently spotted these beautiful Heath butterflies: Do you know your large heaths from your small heaths? Large heaths are on the wing just now but have a short flight period. They are slightly bigger …

The Giant Fossil Centipede Trail of North Arran

With the exciting news of a UNESCO Geopark delegation visiting Arran over the last few days, here is a piece from The Arran Naturalist (Issue 1, summer 1978) on the Arthropleura Trail in the North of Arran, a fossilized set of footprints which can be found a little further round the coastline from Hutton’s Unconformity, …

A Holy Isle foray in two times

Holy Isle, May 2024. Featured image shows Sea thrift (armeria maritima). All photo credits The Holy Isle Project, Arran. For more wild flower images see the holy isle project Facebook page post 16th May. “Whilst walking on the coastal path towards the south, to my delight, I saw a vast array of wild flowers. Excitement …

Herbal Lore

A short piece from The Arran Naturalist, Issue no. 4, Spring 1980, Journal of the Arran Natural History Society, on the ‘Yellow Flag’, “which can be seen today, in glorious profusion on our lovely island of Arran.”       Photo credits C and E Rodeck, taken around Corrie 31.05.24           …

Notes from The Arran Naturalist

All about Lichens…. Last week the National Trust Rangers reported on a recent visit by Lichenologists to Arran. Members of the British Lichen Society held one of their annual field trips here, and their work will provide the Rangers with a list of species they have identified. This will help to track changes in the …

The Arran Naturalist revisited

Notes from The Arran Naturalist, the Journal of the Arran Natural History Society. Issue 8. 1985. Featured image shows original artwork from the front cover, by Lesley Williamson.  

The 2023 Arran Bird Report is out now!

Published every year since 1980, the annual Arran Bird Report is a “must” for anyone interested in the birds of Arran.  Where are most bird species seen on Arran? How many different types of owl are on Arran? When was the last Ptarmigan seen on Arran? For all your birdwatching questions on Arran, the best …

Arran Natural History Society April meeting

Arran Natural History Society’s final meeting of the 2024 spring season will be a talk by Community of Arran Seabed Trust’s Marine Protected Area Project Officer Lucy Kay titled ‘Fifteen years of research in Arran’s marine protected areas – what have we learned?’. The community on Arran has been proactively campaigning for better protection and …