Drumoig Wildlife Forum
Newsletters Information Sheets Gallery Places to Visit Wildlife Videos Events Archive
The aim of the Drumoig Wildlife Forum is to encourage residents of Drumoig to participate in creating a wildlife haven in and around our own gardens and plans to identify and record wildlife species seen. It also aims to support and increase numbers and species of wildlife through suggesting changes to garden and habitat management. This could include provision of water features, planting wildlife friendly plants, shrubs, hedges and trees and varying types of bird feeders and feed, putting up nesting boxes and creating habitat piles (branches, logs and leaves) piles.
The forum will also work with and share knowledge with wildlife organisations. The forum will encourage residents to record and submit their sightings which can be in their own gardens, or on the golf course and public areas of the development. Residents can also send in photographs of wildlife seen on Drumoig for the website. A regular newsletter is sent to all DRA members to keep them up to date with wildlife and other biodiversity issues. If you would like to submit any materials for the newsletter or would like more information, please contact the Martin Hepworth: [email protected]
The aim of the Drumoig Wildlife Forum is to encourage residents of Drumoig to participate in creating a wildlife haven in and around our own gardens and plans to identify and record wildlife species seen. It also aims to support and increase numbers and species of wildlife through suggesting changes to garden and habitat management. This could include provision of water features, planting wildlife friendly plants, shrubs, hedges and trees and varying types of bird feeders and feed, putting up nesting boxes and creating habitat piles (branches, logs and leaves) piles.
The forum will also work with and share knowledge with wildlife organisations. The forum will encourage residents to record and submit their sightings which can be in their own gardens, or on the golf course and public areas of the development. Residents can also send in photographs of wildlife seen on Drumoig for the website. A regular newsletter is sent to all DRA members to keep them up to date with wildlife and other biodiversity issues. If you would like to submit any materials for the newsletter or would like more information, please contact the Martin Hepworth: [email protected]
Protecting Endangered Species And Their Habitat In Drumoig
This area of rough grass to the south of Drumoig Way/Forgan Drive as you enter Drumoig is the habitat of some of the most endangered species of ground nesting birds in the U.K. and beyond.
Here, courtesy of Alec Burden, is a drone shot of the nesting area showing the main path used by ramblers and dog walkers (starting from the top of Comerton Place) and the numerous animal tracks criss-crossing the area.
Skylarks are on the red list of endangered and protected species, which means that they are at risk of extinction because of very rapid and critical decline in the skylark population arising from loss of habitat. The rough grass area by Forgan Drive has been home to skylarks for many, many years. Anyone walking in the area should stick to the recognised paths and keep their pets under tight control. Advice for pet owners about how to protect birds (and red squirrels and their kits, also a red listed endangered species) can be found at the RSPB and Wildlife Trusts websites.
The red list explained for U.K. birds can be found at RSPB and the British Trust for Ornithology.
A video capturing skylark birdsong in the grasslands south of Forgan Drive was recorded 9 May 2002. You can download the video at Skylarks in Forgan Drive courtesy Steve Norrie. They have been subject to a lot of disturbance and predation, increasingly from cats roaming free and from dogs. The area of new development in Drumoig has significantly reduced skylark habitat and Kirkwood Homes have helpfully appointed a firm of environmental consultants to advise them during the course of the housing development in an effort to protect any nests on the site. It is perhaps a little-known fact that all birds are protected by law during the nesting season (April-September).
The skylark is a plain looking, small brown bird with one of the most amazing patterns of flight and song of all British birds. It is a tiny brown speck of a bird that spirals high in the sky, until it’s practically a dot, where it hovers singing the most beautiful song. Pretty unique. It has inspired many poets - Wordsworth, Shelley and Rossetti amongst many others - and musicians. In the words of Rossetti set to music by Head:
The earth was green, the sky was blue:
I saw and heard one sunny morn
A skylark hang between the two,
A singing speck above the corn
As recently as the end of May 2022 Classic FM posted:
‘The Lark Ascending’ tops the Classic FM Hall of Fame 2022 in Vaughan Williams’ 150th birthday year. 18 April 2022.
Nesting
The RSPB advises that Skylarks nest on the ground, in vegetation which is 20–50 cm high. A decent length then. This vegetation must be open enough to give the birds easy access to the ground. They need to make two or three nesting attempts between April and August to sustain the population.
What can we do as a community to protect nesting and endangered birds?
Skylarks need tussocks and hummocks of uncut grassland to nest and to find the seeds, weeds and insects they depend on. We can’t provide miles of this in Drumoig but we can help by preserving what we’ve got.
DRA is exploring ways including signage and information for residents so that we are aware of the birds in the Forgan ‘grasslands’ and the small but important things we can do as Drumoig residents to protect them and sustain, and hopefully increase, their population.
Things to be aware of and actions we can take:-
Conservation practice is to try to preserve habitat so that skylarks can use it and to inform pet owners about the importance of not allowing cats and dogs to roam free between March/April and September when ground nesting species are nesting to give them a chance.
- pets roaming free through the Forgan Drive grassy area will decimate ground nesting species
- many pet owners may be unaware of the importance of this habitat and the risks that pets pose.
- a professional ecologist advises that this is not a large area though it is the largest in Drumoig but it is very important to skylark and other ground nesting species, such as grey partridge, also endangered.
We hope that in Drumoig we would seek to protect our declining and at-risk species by protecting their habitat and inform pet owners about the part that they can play in such conservation work in our home environment.
Acknowledgment: This material was taken from an article by DRA member, Margaret Wells in Drumoig Wildlife Newsletter 7 April-May 2022
Dates for the Diary
To be updated
Ongoing
To be updated
To be updated
Ongoing
To be updated
What's New
Injured wildlife wild birds or animals
If you come across wild birds or animals that are in danger or distress then please call the Scottish SPCA animal helpline on 03000 999 999. For more information on their wildlife rescue centre please go to: www.scottishspca.org and then click on the Wildlife tab.
Dead or stranded marine mammals (seals, dolphins)
If you come across any dead or stranded marine mammals then you should report them to the Scottish Marine Animal Stranding Scheme at one of the following:
Website: www.strandings.org
By telephone: 07979 245893 or 01463 243030
E-mail: [email protected]
Facebook: facebook Strandings
These reports are particularly useful to the research work being undertaken by the School of Biology, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews.
South Scotland Golden Eagle Project
A project to reintroduce Golden Eagle to southern Scotland is underway. To read more about this go to Golden Eagles south of Scotland
Injured wildlife wild birds or animals
If you come across wild birds or animals that are in danger or distress then please call the Scottish SPCA animal helpline on 03000 999 999. For more information on their wildlife rescue centre please go to: www.scottishspca.org and then click on the Wildlife tab.
Dead or stranded marine mammals (seals, dolphins)
If you come across any dead or stranded marine mammals then you should report them to the Scottish Marine Animal Stranding Scheme at one of the following:
Website: www.strandings.org
By telephone: 07979 245893 or 01463 243030
E-mail: [email protected]
Facebook: facebook Strandings
These reports are particularly useful to the research work being undertaken by the School of Biology, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews.
South Scotland Golden Eagle Project
A project to reintroduce Golden Eagle to southern Scotland is underway. To read more about this go to Golden Eagles south of Scotland
Useful Links
Wildlife organisation websites ( most are mobile friendly apart from those with * )
British Trust for Ornithology - www.bto.org (*)
Fife Council Biodiversity - Fife Biodiversity
Fife Red Squirrel Project – FRSP
Plantlife Scotland- Plantlife
Royal Society for Protection of Birds - www.rspb.org.uk
Scottish Ornithologist Club - www.the-soc.org.uk
Royal Horticultural Society - www.rhs.org.uk
Scotland’s National Nature Reserves - www.nature.scot
Scottish National Heritage - www.snh.gov.uk
Scottish Wildlife Trust - www.scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk
Woodland Trust Scotland - www.woodlandtrust.org.uk
Wildlife organisation websites ( most are mobile friendly apart from those with * )
British Trust for Ornithology - www.bto.org (*)
Fife Council Biodiversity - Fife Biodiversity
Fife Red Squirrel Project – FRSP
Plantlife Scotland- Plantlife
Royal Society for Protection of Birds - www.rspb.org.uk
Scottish Ornithologist Club - www.the-soc.org.uk
Royal Horticultural Society - www.rhs.org.uk
Scotland’s National Nature Reserves - www.nature.scot
Scottish National Heritage - www.snh.gov.uk
Scottish Wildlife Trust - www.scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk
Woodland Trust Scotland - www.woodlandtrust.org.uk
Species Identification Websites
Amphibians and Reptiles
www.froglife.org
www.herpetofauna.co.uk (*)
Bats
www.bats.org.uk
Bees
www.bumblebeeconservation.org
Birds
www.bto.org (*)
www.rspb.org.uk
www.the-soc.org.uk
Butterflies
Butterfly Conservation
Caterpillars
Butterflies
Moths
Fungi
Wild Mushrooms
First nature
Amanita Photo library Fungi (*)
Hares
Hare Preservation Trust
Hedgehogs
Scottish Wildlife Trust
Hoverflies
Naturespot Taxonomy
Insects
Buglife
Royal Entomological Society
Mammals
Mammal Society
Woodland Trust
Moths
UK Moths
Butterfly Conservation
Red Squirrels
Fife Red Squirrel Group (*)
Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels
Trees and Shrubs
Woodland Trust
RHS
Wildflowers plants and fungi
Plantlife
Wildflower Finder
Wildlife Watch Spotting Sheets
Wildlife Watch Spotting Sheets (*)
Wildlife Gardening
NEW - A guide to Gardening for Wildlife - April 2020 - Wildlife in Your Garden
Wildlife in Your Garden - www.wildaboutgardens.org.uk
Wildlife Gardening - www.wildlifetrusts.org
Pond Conservation - www.pondconservation.org.uk
RHS - Encouraging wildlife to your Garden - www.rhs.org.uk
Amphibians and Reptiles
www.froglife.org
www.herpetofauna.co.uk (*)
Bats
www.bats.org.uk
Bees
www.bumblebeeconservation.org
Birds
www.bto.org (*)
www.rspb.org.uk
www.the-soc.org.uk
Butterflies
Butterfly Conservation
Caterpillars
Butterflies
Moths
Fungi
Wild Mushrooms
First nature
Amanita Photo library Fungi (*)
Hares
Hare Preservation Trust
Hedgehogs
Scottish Wildlife Trust
Hoverflies
Naturespot Taxonomy
Insects
Buglife
Royal Entomological Society
Mammals
Mammal Society
Woodland Trust
Moths
UK Moths
Butterfly Conservation
Red Squirrels
Fife Red Squirrel Group (*)
Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels
Trees and Shrubs
Woodland Trust
RHS
Wildflowers plants and fungi
Plantlife
Wildflower Finder
Wildlife Watch Spotting Sheets
Wildlife Watch Spotting Sheets (*)
Wildlife Gardening
NEW - A guide to Gardening for Wildlife - April 2020 - Wildlife in Your Garden
Wildlife in Your Garden - www.wildaboutgardens.org.uk
Wildlife Gardening - www.wildlifetrusts.org
Pond Conservation - www.pondconservation.org.uk
RHS - Encouraging wildlife to your Garden - www.rhs.org.uk