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NEWSLETTER
Central Borders Group
All change!
Issue No 15
April 2015
writes Malcolm Lindsay
At our April AGM , I stood down after completing 6 years as Chair of the Central Borders Group. I was apprehensive as I
began this post in 2009 but ,with the help of an excellent committee, I have enjoyed the work and challenges. I now hand
over to a new Chair, Lawrence Robertson. Lawrence is an energetically retired architect , well-known and well-connected
in the Central Borders through his work with the Selkirk Regeneration Company and with the Haining Trust . He will
undoubtedly bring new slants and fresh perspectives to our Group activities. Moving up to Vice-chair is another retired
architect, Alison Smith, who has been an extremely enthusiastic and effective committee member since 2013.
Our group secretary , Shirley McLaren , has decided to stand down after 13 years in post! She has been an absolute rock to
the group and will be greatly missed. Myra Middleton also stands down from the committee after many years of willing
and much appreciated service.
You may be sorry to hear that you have not seen the last of me! I am going to take over as Group Secretary and that should
ease any problems of continuity as the new office-bearers find their feet. Kate Bissett and Philip Munro are welcomed to
the newly appointed committee.
Easy Access Countryside by Susan Kevan
Spring/Summer Outings
This spring and summer we have arranged 4 outings covering a
variety of wildlife. There will be much to enjoy and learn!
SWT Reserves at Duns Castle and Bemersyde Moss
are included in the booklet on Countryside with Easy
Access in the Scottish Borders. Over 30 places are
mentioned in the booklet including great places to
look for wildlife such as Tweedbank , Lindean Loch
(pictured above), Jedburgh riverside, Newcastleton
Ponds and sites on the Berwickshire Coast. The path
surfaces are described , useful for all of us who
sometimes enjoy a visit on easy terrain. Copies are
available free of charge to disabled persons /groups
from the Scottish Borders Council Ranger Service on
0300 1001800—or can be purchased for £2 (plus
postage if needed) from Jedburgh Tourist Information Centre 01835 863170. It may be viewed
online on www.scotborders.gov.uk/countrywalks
We start at Glenkinnon on April 16th when Jean Murray will
teach us beginners’ steps in the identification of mosses. Then
on May 26th, again at Glenkinnon, Dr Ronald Campbell of the
Tweed Foundation will demonstrate aspects of freshwater
aquatic life using elecro-fishing techniques to catch the fish
(which will be released unharmed after study). On June 11th
Sarah Eno and Andrew Panter of SNH will lead a walk to
Murder Moss or other parts of the nationally important
Whitlaw Mosses (see item on page 3) and on June 27th
Malcolm Lindsay hopes the sun will be shining for butterflies
and day-flying moths at Thornielee.
Full details of all these trips are on the website in the “Events “
section of our website page.
Reserve Practical Work - A win-win activity !
A most welcome development of the last year or two has been the formation of a team of Practical Volunteers from our
group. Our Reserve Manager, Julian Warman, has now used us on a number of occasions at Din Moss and at Gordon
Moss . The work is manual and doesn’t involve us handling power tools. A certain level of fitness and mobility is needed,
but so is the ability to stop frequently to look at our surroundings and wildlife - and to chat! Great weather is almost
guaranteed. Everybody and everything benefits from our days out, so why not consider joining up.
Your countryside needs you! Please let a committee member know if you are interested.
Chemical Concerns
by Sarah Eno
On the SWT walk last summer to Glenkinnon, we saw the beautiful Fragrant Orchid in grassy slopes where bracken is
gradually encroaching and numbers of orchids apparently falling. I had mentioned Asulox which can be used for aerial
spraying of bracken (though its use is currently restricted by EU regulations). A question about its toxicity was asked
and, apart from the advice for stock exclusion for at least 14 days after spraying to prevent consumption of dying
bracken, as far as I can see from searches online, no link has yet been found between Asulox and ill effects on humans
(or other fauna).
But then many of these long used pesticides were subject to comparatively simple toxicity tests and of course it may be
that the necessary research has not been done, as was the case with neonicotinoids until impacts on bumble bees was
discovered. Now there is now a large and increasing body of scientific research linking these systemic insecticides with
widespread damage to ecosystems. For example, a recently published Netherlands study has found that the declines in
insectivorous birds strongly correlates with high surface water concentrations of one particular neonic pesticide. (See C
A Hallman et al, Nature, July 2014.)
Take another herbicide. Until recently, I thought if a weed control herbicide was really unavoidable then the active
ingredient glyphosate is acceptable because it degrades into harmless compounds on contact with the soil. That is the
commonly held view and might still be true. However, it has been found to accumulate in human breast milk (up to
1,600 times the level permitted in EU drinking water), and an 18 fold increase has been found glyphosate concentrations
in air and water samples in Mississippi between 1995 and 2007. A year ago FOE in Europe published a summary of the
problems with glyphosate (see http://www.foeeurope.org). One source in food crops comes from its use as a dessicant
– i.e. where sprayed on seed crops to promote consistent seed ripening. The chemical is transported through the plant
tissues and stays in the dried crop whether its grain, peas, or lentils.
So, whilst the use of Asulox on bracken may not be unacceptably harmful, do we really know? That is still a very valid
question, though if it gets deleted from the list of available pesticides it may become irrelevant.... until yet another one
herbicide comes along.
As for all pesticides, the best thing is to avoid them altogether by use of strong elbow grease applied early before the
target species becomes a big problem. If anyone wants to know more about bracken control there is a huge literature
of experience and research available – start with googling especially www.grazinganimalsproject.org.uk
What a Load of Rubbish !
Watch Groups
by Mike Betts
It is said that birders go to the most beautiful countries in
the world, but when they get there they go to the grottiest
places such as sewage farms or rubbish dumps. This was
certainly true at the rubbish dump in Guwahati, the capital
of Assam, one of the few remaining places where one can
see the endangered Greater Adjutant Storks, which I
photographed there in November 2014.
Watch Groups are the children’s branch of the SWT.
Currently we have only one group in the Borders– the
thriving group at Newcastleton - see their website at
http://scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/things-to-do/activities
-for-children/newcastleton
Children attending Watch groups tend to be at P3-P7
level. With recent changes to school times Friday afternoons are proving an attractive time for meetings.
We would very much like to see a group set up in the
Central Borders (Galashiels had a successful group until a
few years ago). Leaders (at least two are needed) of a
Watch group do require lots of energy & enthusiasm but
support would be available from SWT , Ranger services etc
Further information on Watch groups is available at
http://wildlifewatch.org.uk/
Anyone interested in setting up a new group in the Central
Borders should initially contact Donna Mathieson ,
SWT People and Wildlife Officer 0131 312 4712
dmathieson@swt.org.uk
Whitlaw Mosses Alert
The Whitlaw Mosses, situated between Selkirk and St Boswells , are
the best example of northern fen habitat in Great Britain. They
contain a large assemblage of birds, vascular plants, mosses and
invertebrates including several national rarities. The mosses are
designated as an Site of Special Scientific Interest. They have, until
now, also had National Nature Reserve status.
SNH have now decided to “de-declare” the NNR status of the Mosses
on the grounds that the sites are used infrequently by the public at
large. NNRs, it seems, must now exhibit a “Wow Factor” and be
engaged in attracting large numbers of visitors. However this is just
not achievable for the Mosses , situated in a low population area and
with issues of visitor safety in potentially dangerous wetland terrain.
The loss of NNR status will put at risk the necessary ongoing management (especially regular reed-cutting) and wildlife monitoring
which has until now been carried out by SNH locally and which has maintained the Mosses in good condition. Considerable
concern about the resourcing of future management has been expressed by many Borders wildlife groups , including SWT Central
Borders. This has led, through the leadership of the Southern Upland Partnership, to the setting up of a group , “Friends of the
Whitlaw Mosses” . The first remit of the “Friends” is to request SNH to re-examine the decision to “de-declare” the NNR status of
the Mosses. If this cannot be achieved we will be looking at aspects of ongoing management and monitoring. It may be that our
Central Borders Volunteer practical work team will find a role to play here.
Winter Wolves of Greater Yellowstone – January 2015
by Hilde Paxton
Organised by Aigas Field Centre, Jim (hubby) and I embarked on a 7 day adventure to the US National Parks of Teton and
Yellowstone. It became an unforgettable experience of snow clad landscapes with an abundance of birds and wildlife, as
well as hot springs and geysers.
In a group totalling six, we were guided by our own ‘mountain man’, Kevin,
who was our fountain of information, and never failed to take care of us.
We spent the first two nights at Kelly campus near Jackson, Wyoming. The
views of the Teton Mountain
Range were stunning, and
immediately we were spotting
wildlife. Bald eagles, mule
deer, elk (thousands), raven,
musk rat and big horned
sheep. We spotted ruffed grouse, kingfisher, nuthatch, pine grozbeak and
chickadee. We were taken on a sledge ride, pulled by two heavy horses,
through an elk refuge, and were able to get close to the elk, for photos. The
scenery was spectacular, and the weather was kind.
A visit to the local museum/gallery enlightened us to the local history, as well as view beautiful
paintings of local wildlife.
We travelled from there to Old Faithful Resort. Enroute we saw a red fox curled up on the snow. By
this time we had transferred to a snowmobile with
tracks. An American pine martin scavenging from a
bin posed for a while as we took photos.
Old Faithful was awesome! We watched it in late
evening as the sun went down, and a coyote walked
past, keeping one eye on the dozen or so
spectators. In the summer there can be as many as
3000 people watching each eruption. A walk around
the geothermal features early the next morning
was fabulous, as was another Old Faithful eruption.
We moved on again, and were rewarded with
views of bison herds, and occasional moose.
Ponderous and powerful, they were interesting to
watch as they ‘ploughed’ the snow to reach the
meagre vegetation below.
Our next two nights were spent in Cook City, which
is your classic ‘one horse town’. The snow plough
stops here in the winter! An early start was imperative, into the Lamar Valley. We were rewarded with sightings of a pack of
wolves, as well as individual wolves attempting to contact their pack by howling. It was a wonderful experience. We
continued to see bison, big horned sheep, coyote, as well as a long distance spot of a beautiful white, mountain goat. Later
we also saw a herd of pronghorn.
We spotted 26 bird species and 13 mammals on our visit.
All in all I do not believe we will ever top this trip!