Join us at Leith Community Croft for a playful gathering rooted in nature, foraging, and connection.
This is a guided, small-group experience designed to help you step out of the noise of daily life and into something a little softer, a little lighter — where curiosity, play, and presence lead the way.
Dates:
• Saturday, 2 May, 1-3pm
• Saturday, 16 May, 1-3pm
• Saturday, 30 May, 1-3pm
What to expect:
• A warm, informal welcome to the space
• Playful time outdoors (slow wandering, noticing, playful exploration of the land)
• Seasonal, nature-based practices (simple, accessible, and lightly guided)
• Building knowledge of seasonal plants and easy preparations
This isn’t a workshop in the traditional sense — there’s nothing to get right. It’s an invitation to slow down, follow your curiosity, and engage with the croft in a way that feels natural, relaxed, and a little bit playful.
Who it’s for:
• Anyone feeling overwhelmed, burnt out, or in need of a reset
• People curious about nature-based practices (no experience needed)
• Those who want a playful, supportive space with a touch of lightness and joy
Please wear comfortable, weather-appropriate clothing — we’ll be outdoors for the duration of the session.
Spaces are limited to keep the group small and personal.
The UK is set for a spectacular summer of butterflies – and everyone is invited to take part!
Leading wildlife charity, Butterfly Conservation, is calling on the public to prepare for a bumper summer of butterflies. This year, alongside its hugely popular Big Butterfly Count, the charity is launching something brand new – a vote to discover Britain’s Favourite Butterfly!
Famous for its annual Big Butterfly Count, in which tens of thousands of people spend 15 minutes counting butterflies, Butterfly Conservation is adding an exciting new milestone to the 2026 summer season as it sets out to discover which of the UK’s butterfly species takes the top spot in the nation’s hearts.
The call to action follows scientific evidence that proves counting butterflies boosts how connected people feel to nature and how motivated they are to protect it. Now the charity is encouraging people to vote for their favourite species, then head outside during Big Butterfly Count and see what they can spot this summer.
Kate Merry, Head of Engagement at Butterfly Conservation, said: “Over the last 16 years, more than 1.35 million Counts have been done by hundreds of thousands of people across the UK, spotting almost 13.8 million butterflies and helping us with our vital science and conservation activities.
“This year, we can’t wait to celebrate a bumper summer of butterflies by holding the first-ever vote to discover Britain’s Favourite Butterfly, before welcoming back the 17th annual Big Butterfly Count.
“Will the nation’s favourite species go on to reign supreme in the Count? Save the dates in your diaries to take part and help us find out!”
Britain’s Favourite Butterfly – Friday 15 May – Sunday 7 June
Britain’s Favourite Butterfly marks the first-time UK residents will be invited to champion their most-loved species.
Will the colourful Peacock take the crown? Or how about the understated Small White? Maybe it will be annual visitor the Painted Lady, or hedgerow fan the Gatekeeper.
The highly coveted title is up for grabs. The nation will decide…
Big Butterfly Count – Friday 17 July – Sunday 9 August
The 17th annual Big Butterfly Count is back and better than ever. Following hot on the heels of the first-ever vote to find Britain’s Favourite Butterfly, keen citizen scientists are encouraged to get out for the Count and see what they can spot.
Will the nation’s favourite species reign supreme in this year’s Count? Or will it have to share the summer top spot with another?
The vote to find Britain’s Favourite Butterfly will take place from Friday 15 May – Sunday 7 June, followed by Butterfly Conservation’s Big Butterfly Count from Friday 17 July – Sunday 9 August.
An Audience with Hamza Yassin: Talk, Q & A and book signing event
7.30pm on Saturday 11 April 2026, Adam Smith Theatre, Kirkcaldy, Fife
The SOC has long provided what our founders – back in 1936 – described as ‘a common meeting ground for all those interested in ornithology in Scotland’.
This year we celebrate 90 years of the Club fulfilling that original mission, and we’re delighted to commemorate this milestone by presenting a talk, Q & A and book signing from Scotland-based wildlife cameraman, author and TV presenter, Hamza Yassin.
Few naturalists have captured the hearts of the nation like Hamza. His infectious sense of wonder combined with his breathtaking filmmaking has engaged millions of viewers in the UK, including those who tuned in to watch his most recent series, Hamza’s Hidden Wild Isles on BBC.
We’re delighted to be welcoming him on the night to share his incredible experiences filming wildlife across the globe, and particularly in his beloved homeland of Scotland. Packed with stunning footage, charming personal stories and reflections, the evening will offer a glimpse into the life and work of one of the country’s most-loved natural history storytellers.
As the Club enters its 90th year, Hamza’s message feels more important than ever. Hamza truly believes that by engaging people in the joy of nature and what it has to offer, we can all gain a fresh perspective on the world around us and work together to protect it.
Don’t miss this inspiring celebration—a night of stories, stunning visuals, and a shared passion for nature that birdwatchers, wildlife enthusiasts, and fans of Hamza’s programmes will never forget!
Book your place now at https://tinyurl.com/38abp3c5 and be part of this milestone event in the Club’s history – 60% of tickets have already sold!
This event is suitable for attendees ages 12 and above. Young people under 18 years are welcome to attend, but must be accompanied by a parent/carer.
Everyone attending requires a ticket. All tickets are General Admission. Places range for £10 – £20.
SOC reserves the right to cancel or postpone this event due to unforeseen circumstances. Where participants are unable to join a re-scheduled event, a full refund will be given. With regret, ticket sales are non-refundable.
Legal targets to halt biodiversity loss and restore nature
The Scottish Parliament has passed the Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill delivering for both nature and people with ambition at its heart and showing respect for nature, for the land and the people who steward and care for it.
For the first time statutory targets will be in place to enhance nature and protect biodiversity in Scotland.
Biodiversity is essential for sustaining the ecosystems that provide food, fuel, health, wealth, and other vital services.
When set, the targets will ensure Scotland is on a bold and ambitious journey to be ‘nature positive’ by 2030 and has actively and substantially restored nature by 2045 in a way that works for communities the length and breadth of Scotland.
The Bill forms a key part of Scotland’s response to the twin crises of climate change and nature loss, and will give Ministers new powers to develop legislation relating to wildfire management, sustainable forestry management and our internationally important protected sites.
It will also update the legal framework for National Parks – particularly in light of their leadership role in tackling key environmental and societal challenges, including the nature and climate crises.
There will be a requirements for swift nest boxes to be placed in all new buildings, supporting urban biodiversity. Swifts are a species under significant pressure as cavity-nesting birds that historically relied on gaps and holes in older buildings for nesting sites.
Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy Gillian Martin said: “This Bill creates the strongest statutory framework Scotland has ever had for nature recovery and is the result of constructive work across the Parliament – sending a clear message that the Scottish Parliament stands firm in our commitment to protect and restore our precious natural environment.
“Biodiversity is in crisis, both globally and at home, but Parliament’s vote to pass the Bill shows we are determined to chart a different course. This Bill commits us to becoming nature positive by 2030 and restoring our natural environment by 2045. It is vital that future generations do not inherit the consequences of inaction and, instead, inherit a legacy of commitment and hope.
“By putting nature targets into law, we are ensuring that the government can be held to account for delivering real, measurable change. Scotland’s natural environment underpins our economy, our wellbeing and our quality of life. Protecting it is not optional – it is essential.”
Unsustainable deer populations are one of the biggest barriers to nature restoration and habitat recovery, causing overgrazing and preventing woodland regeneration. Provisions in the Bill will make it easier to control deer where they are impacting environmental work. This will help support the restoration of peatlands, regenerate forests, and protect habitats.
Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity Jim Fairlie said: “This Bill provides better tools to manage our deer populations in a way that benefits both the environment and rural communities and creates business opportunities.
“If we want healthy communities, sustainable food production and vibrant rural industries in the future, we need thriving ecosystems today.
“We all know now more than ever we must act to protect and restore nature – this Bill will ensure that happens.
“I want to see venison at the heart of our approach to deer management, and the provisions in this Bill will help us maximise the opportunities this can bring for rural Scotland. We will continue working closely with farmers, crofters and land managers to deliver real results on the ground.”
A new, global study led by Queen’s University Belfast reveals that tropical amphibians have evolved resistance to the most lethal wildlife pathogen recorded to date.
Chytridiomycosis is a devastating infectious disease, caused by the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, or Bd, commonly associated with the alarming decline of amphibians worldwide.
These accelerating declines overtake the loss of most organisms on Earth, and this fungal pandemic disease, also referred to as a panzootic, is regarded as a predominant driver behind the massive global population declines and extinctions of frogs, toads, newts, and salamanders.
Published in the world-leading journal, Global Change Biology, the research compares previous data to more recent figures to examine the amphibian species infection status in tropical regions as well as in colder climates.
Dr Daniel Pincheira-Donoso from the School of Biological Sciences at Queen’s, the principal investigator on the project, said: “The idea that this infectious disease has been a dominant cause of the rapid loss of amphibian biodiversity has become a form of paradigm amongst the scientific community to produce volumes of data from thousands of species on a global scale.
“This collective effort created an opportunity for us to gather a comprehensive database spanning the global diversity of amphibian species, including the threatened and non-threatened, and all the thousands of species in which the presence of the disease has been tested.
“We now know that the role of this infectious disease in the extinction of amphibians is not exactly as we thought, with tropical species getting over the panzootic, while these panzootic effects are still ongoing in amphibians from colder climates.”
Dr Pincheira-Donoso adds: “An explanation is that the seasonality of colder climates added to the low density of amphibians in these regions may have acted as ‘natural lockdowns’ and ‘social distance’ effects that have made the impact of the pandemic slower, slowing down the evolution of their resistance.”
Many locations throughout the world have already been successfully invaded by one or more Bd variants, and these findings suggest that the most susceptible species have either already gone extinct or have undergone past declines and developed some form of tolerance to the disease.
This means there is the potential that these amphibian populations may coexist with Bd, and that a once declining species may have stabilised in numbers or even be in recovery.
This research indicates that there are region-specific and time-specific patterns of extinctions, with tropical amphibian species no longer experiencing declines of the same intensity and non-tropical amphibians continuing to decline further.
Luke Goodyear, a PhD Researcher from the School of Biological Sciences at Queen’s who led the research, commented: “This new research is very exciting as it shows two different ways this disease has affected amphibians.
“We see early signs of possible stabilisation in environments around the equator, which were initially hit very hard by the disease. Although many species are still at risk in these regions, it seems that the peak of devastation might be behind us.
“Then in colder climates, like Europe, we see the opposite. This is the first research to show the increasing impact on these amphibian species at this scale. Hopefully this can speed up conservation action while there is still time to prevent the mass declines we saw in tropical climates.”
FeatherSnap helps nature lovers get ready to count the birds with the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch: 23rd – 25th January 2026
FeatherSnap, the solar-powered, Wi-Fi enabled smart bird feeder, is proudly supporting the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch 2026 encouraging households across the UK to join hundreds of thousands of people taking part in the nation’s largest annual survey of garden birds.
Fun, free and open to everyone, the Big Garden Birdwatch provides a vital snapshot of how our most familiar bird species are faring. Every count helps build a clearer picture of the health of the UK’s bird populations and offers a simple, positive way for people to take action for nature.
Together, let’s make it count
Traditionally, birdwatchers have relied on sitting patiently in the garden, counting birds as they flit along fences or dart between feeders. FeatherSnap makes the process easier than ever, even when you’re not there to keep watch. Instead of guessing who popped by while you were out, FeatherSnap captures every visit automatically, making it simple to see exactly which birds are using your garden and how often.
In the lead-up to the bird count, taking place from 23rd – 25th January, Feathersnap is encouraging nature lovers to get their gardens bird count ready.
From practical tips on attracting birds into gardens and green spaces, to exclusive savings, FeatherSnap is offering 15% off feeders from 14th –31st January 2026 using the code FSRSPB15.
The perfect tool for effortless bird counting
Equipped with motion-activated cameras and AI-powered bird identification, FeatherSnap automatically captures high-resolution photos and videos of every visitor, delivering them straight to the FeatherSnap app.
Users can watch live, receive instant notifications, catalogue species and build a personal digital Bird Book – making it the ideal companion for observing, identifying and counting birds in support of the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch.
Throughout the campaign, FeatherSnap will also be encouraging users to share their favourite sightings across social media using #BigGardenBirdwatch, helping to spread awareness and inspire even more people to take part.
FeatherSnap’s resident Ornithologist and Research Specialist,Maria Kincaid, said: “The RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch is a fantastic and hugely important initiative.
“I’m a huge proponent of citizen science – the more people that get involved, the better the data we can gather. It also helps people feel connected to the scientific process, providing a valuable snapshot of how birds are coping during winter, when they need our support the most, and helping to track population trends over time.”
“At this time of year, there’s very little blooming in our gardens to support insects. While most birds continue to rely on natural foraging, studies show that garden feeders can provide valuable supplementary support during lean periods – while also giving people an unrivalled close-up view of the wildlife right on their doorstep.”
Here, Maria shares her top tips for creating a bird friendly garden and getting bird count ready:
Make sure your feeders are filled and maintained. It’s incredibly important to make sure that we’re not only regularly filling our feeders, but cleaning and sanitizing them as well – this helps to prevent the spread of diseases, and make sure that we’re not feeding spoiled food.
Fill your feeders with high calorie/nutritionally dense food – suet is a great option for winter as it’s an easy to digest fat full of calories. Thistle, sunflower seeds, and nut mixes are also great options.
Feeder placement matters too. keeping feeders either within three feet of windows or more than ten to reduce the risk of collisions, hanging them around five feet high for both access and squirrel deterrence, and positioning them near cover, without creating hiding spots for cats.
Providing water is also very important during cold snaps – having open water is a limiting factor in the winter, so providing a bird bath is an excellent choice. If it’s regularly freezing, consider a heated bird bath, or adding a heating element. The goal is to make sure that the water doesn’t freeze, not to have it be spectacularly warm.
Lastly, having a lot of cover available, whether it’s shrubs or a brush pile, makes for great roosting spots for birds, as they can get away from the wind and cold. Creating a brush pile in the corner your garden will also create a great foraging space.
New study led by Edinburgh Napier University shows how rough conditions affect faithfulness
Wild seabirds are more likely to split up in windy weather, according to a newly published study led by Edinburgh Napier University (ENU).
The paper, published in the journal Animal Behaviour today (4 November) reveals that environmental conditions before the breeding season appear to have an impact on mate faithfulness – whether birds reunite with the same partner to breed each year, or ‘divorce’ to form a different pair.
Researchers from ENU, the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH), and Biomathematics and Statistics Scotland (BioSS) analysed data collected over the course of two decades from more than 1,500 birds on the Isle of May National Nature Reserve, in the Firth of Forth, and compared them with late winter weather records to understand their breeding habits.
The study focused on European shags (Gulosus aristotelis), given their long lifespan and tendency to change partners between breeding seasons. While the birds analysed for this study had a fidelity rate of 45%, this varied markedly from year to year.
Although age and previous breeding success have been established as strong predictors of mate faithfulness, this paper demonstrates how weather conditions in the lead up to the breeding season are also a significant factor affecting seabird mating habits. Out of the weather conditions analysed, wind speeds had the strongest effect on whether couples stayed together.
Importantly, birds that remained with the same partner tended to lay eggs earlier, which is strongly tied to how many chicks they rear.
The findings are significant given that climate change is bringing about warmer and windier weather conditions.
Ecologists are now calling for further investigation into how shifting environmental conditions could disrupt social relationships among wildlife.
“It is a time when adults are returning to colonies and preparing to breed. When conditions are tough – particularly when it’s windier – it appears that ‘divorces’ are more frequent.
“Until now, the effects of pre breeding weather conditions on faithfulness have been largely under-appreciated. Our study suggests that it warrants further consideration.”
Co-researcher Professor Francis Daunt, from the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, said: “This study is one of the few to test how changing environments influence social behaviours in wildlife.
“It is excellent to see our long-term data used to tackle these important questions, given the current concerns about the impacts of future climate change.”
New study examines how the HPAI epidemic affected local seabird colonies
Seabirds that survived recent bird flu outbreaks have continued to reproduce, although overall breeding performance remains notably low, according to a new study.
The paper, led by Edinburgh Napier University’s Dr Sue Lewis, in a collaboration with conservation scientists and staff from the RSPB, the Scottish Seabird Centre and the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology has been published by the international avian science journal Ibis.
They studied breeding success in Northern Gannets at the Bass Rock in Scotland and Bempton Cliffs in England during 2023.
Bird flu had a devastating effect on seabirds across Europe and North America between 2021-2023, with gannets, known for their spectacular plunge dives, among the hardest hit. Outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) occurred at all but one gannet colony across their North Atlantic range in 2022, causing mass mortalities on an unprecedented scale.
For this study, scientists compared the breeding success of birds with black eyes – a striking side-effect of an HPAI infection – and those with normal, pale blue eyes.
Overall, they found that breeding success of birds with black eyes did not differ from birds with blue, suggesting that gannets who survived HPAI infection were able to raise chicks just as effectively as those that showed no sign of a past infection.
Breeding success across both groups in 2023, however, was still markedly lower than long-term records – with nest failure rates almost doubling.
At the Bass Rock – which was home to the world’s largest colony of the species before the epidemic – pairs fledged an average of just 0.56 chicks, compared to 0.78 in the 1960s. Meanwhile at Bempton Cliffs, success averaged 0.62 chicks per pair, down from a pre-epidemic mean of 0.81 between 2009 and 2021.
A black-eyed gannet with a chick. Picture credit: Amy King
The authors of the paper believe the dip could be down to birds having to form new partnerships after the death of their long-term partner and less experienced breeders making up a larger share of the population, in combination with a density of nests after mass mortality. The summer heatwave of 2023 may also have played a role.
The findings highlight the complex consequences of disease outbreaks in wild populations, showing that even when survivors appear healthy, impacts to the wider ecosystem can persist.
Lead researcher Dr Sue Lewis, from ENU’s Centre for Conservation and Restoration Science, said: “While it is reassuring that gannets that recovered from avian flu are able to breed, the overall reduction in breeding success is a serious concern.
“The results suggest that population recovery may be slower than hoped, even if survivors are still able to breed.
“Survivors are breeding as well as their peers, proving that gannets are remarkably resilient birds. But with bird flu still circulating and climate extremes adding new pressures, continued vigilance is needed to ensure that these majestic plunge diving birds remain part of our coastal environment for generations to come.”
Dr Jude Lane, from RSPB’s Centre for Conservation Science said: “HPAI has had a devastating impact on many of our seabird populations, which are already facing increasing threats from development and climate change.
“Long-term monitoring will be key to tracking their recovery and understanding whether HPAI infections have hidden effects on survival or behaviour.
“However, it is essential we also take steps to secure long-term resilience for seabirds, such as protecting feeding grounds and reducing bycatch.”
Gannets diving at the Bass Rock. Picture credit: James Glossop
Emily Burton, Senior Conservation Officer with the Scottish Seabird Centre Conservation Team, said: “Black-eyed gannets are now a common sight on Bass Rock, serving as a reminder of the devastation that was caused by bird flu.
“It’s reassuring that this research has found that these survivors are breeding just as successfully as other gannets.
“However, the slow rate of recovery is deeply concerning, particularly when considered alongside the growing threat to seabirds from climate change and poorly sited offshore windfarms.
“Further action is urgently needed from the Scottish and UK Governments to ensure these special birds are protected, their populations can recover, and their future is secured.”
The John Muir Trust publishes three key manifesto asks for the upcoming Scottish parliamentary elections
In May 2026, voters in Scotland will head to the polls for the last time before we hit the critical 2030 deadline for nature and climate action. The next cohort of parliamentarians and the Government will have the monumental task of delivering a nationwide effort to restore nature by 2030.
Wild places are absolutely critical to the success of this national mission. Without proper protection for wild places, nature will not be able to rebound.
With so little time left, the Trust has decided to focus its advocacy efforts on three key asks.
To reach the Scottish Government’s nature restoration targets, we need a significant reduction in Scotland’s deer population. For this to happen at scale, it also needs happen at pace. The National Deer Management Plan financially rewards landowners and land workers who are being proactive and enabling nature restoration by carrying out sustainable deer management.
We are asking political parties to commit to:
The principle of a National Deer Management Plan
Funding that plan by redirecting existing subsidies to total £59 million over the first four years of its implementation
Increasing the annual deer cull from 180,000 to 250,000
Such actions will help triple Scotland’s total woodland creation target while saving £900 million in taxpayers’ money. They will enable natural regeneration and colonisation at scale – creating an additional 350,000ha of native woodland. And they will put an end to peatland degradation caused by overgrazing and trampling.
This policy is supported by all major landowning environmental charities alongside Scottish Environment LINK, Stop Climate Chaos Scotland, the Scottish Rewilding Alliance, Community Land Scotland and the Scottish Tenant Farmers Association. It is being co-developed with the Association of Deer Management Groups as part of a pilot scheme for 2025-26 announced by the Scottish Government in its last Programme for Government.
Read more about the National Deer Management Plan here.
Introduce a CELT (Carbon Emissions Land Tax) Bill
The Carbon Emissions Land Tax is a great example of a tax that enacts the key principles of Polluters Pay and Just Transition. It is a grown-up, transparent behavioural-change tax that rewards nature and climate conscious landowners and penalises those who are unwilling to manage land in the public interest.
The tax will help local communities build wealth and resilience in the face of the climate and nature crises. The tax would be implemented on a local authority level, and the proceeds would therefore also go back to the local community. Earmarked for climate and nature initiatives, this revenue would empower local councils to fuel a growing environmental sector, providing livelihoods in rural areas.
Here, we are asking political parties to commit to:
Introducing a CELT Bill by May 2026
Ensuring that the CELT Bill follows the principles of behavioural change taxes by creating an escalating system for tax rates over time
Ensuring that the CELT Bill applies to all large landowners in Scotland, defined as owning over 1,000ha.
Doing all of the above will result in three essential outcomes. It will remove 6m tonnes of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere annually by 2040. It will enable nature restoration at an unprecedented scale by positively impacting more than 60% of Scotland’s land, owned by the approximately 800 largest landowners. And it puts the Polluter Pays and Just Transition principles into action by disincentivising harmful environmental practices, while ensuring revenue from the tax is reinvested in the communities most affected by polluters.
Our Carbon Emissions Land Tax proposal is supported by over 50 organisations, community groups, trade unions, churches and businesses representing over a million people in Scotland. It is also backed by a 4-to-1 majority of Scots according to a YouGov poll.
You can find more details about the tax mechanism and answers to common questions here.
Legislate for a new Nature Restoration designation and review the planning system
In difficult times, we must make choosing nature easier. The Nature Restoration designation does just that by giving communities, private and charitable landowners the choice and autonomy to protect wild places now and into the future.
This new designation focuses on reducing the threats and pressures to nature and biodiversity, as opposed to current designations which focus on protecting the little that is left, condemning the country to work from a degraded baseline.
Rather than protecting specific characteristics, the new Nature Restoration designation focuses on combating a variety of threats, from INNS to pollution, helping us empower nature to do what it does best: grow, diversify, thrive. This is a nature designation for the 21st century that allows nimbleness in the face of changes brought on by the climate and nature crises.
In challenging times, we must make it easier to choose nature. The new Nature Restoration designation empowers communities, private landowners, and charities to protect wild places – now and for generations to come.
Unlike existing designations that focus on preserving what little remains, this forward-looking approach tackles the root causes of biodiversity loss. It shifts us away from a degraded baseline and toward a thriving future.
Rather than protecting isolated features, the Nature Restoration designation addresses a wide range of threats – from invasive species to pollution – giving nature the space and support it needs to grow, diversify, and flourish.
This is a designation built for the 21st century: adaptive, ambitious, and responsive to the twin crises of climate and biodiversity. It’s a bold step toward restoring Scotland’s natural legacy.
In this case, we are asking political parties to commit to:
Creating a new statutory designation aimed at setting aside land as areas where natural processes take the lead
Ensuring that the new designation protects land from industrial developments
Designating 10% of Scotland’s land as nature restoration areas.
Doing this will once again bring three essential outcomes. It will institutionalise the land management concepts that underpin nature restoration. It will protect areas of land of low biodiversity value from development long into the future.
And it will popularise the concept of nature restoration among the wider public, prompting people to see landscapes through a rewilding lens.
As we get closer to election day, the John Muir Trust’s policy team will be busy lobbying behind the scenes to get these commitments on party manifestos. To be successful, we will need strong public support.
