http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: Wildlife lowlight of the week en Sat, 30 May 2026 00:33:00 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19103&page=23#post-383979 Sun, 26 Apr 2026 21:13:07 +0000 chdot 383979@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><a href="https://archive.ph/2026.04.26-070904/https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/26048469.outrage-sale-scotland-endangered-wild-salmon/" rel="nofollow">https://archive.ph/2026.04.26-070904/https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/26048469.outrage-sale-scotland-endangered-wild-salmon/</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19103&page=23#post-383963 Sat, 25 Apr 2026 10:50:03 +0000 ejstubbs 383963@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Further to my post of 2 weeks ago, I stumbled across <a href="https://www.eastlothiancourier.com/news/25979322.swan-left-serious-injuries-dog-attack/">this article</a> in the East Lothian courier, dated 30th March this year:</p> <p><blockquote><strong>Swan left with 'serious injuries' after dog attack</strong></p> <p>...</p> <p>The spokesperson encouraged people to keep their pets under control and highlighted that this was not the first time a swan was injured.</p> <p>They said: “In 2024, the male swan died from a head trauma injury while protecting the nest when <em>people snatched the eggs and smashed them</em>.</p> <p>“After his death, the female hatched and reared a single cygnet which was killed by a loose dog after three weeks, dying in a ranger’s hands before it could be collected by the SSPCA for emergency care.</p> <p>“Last year, the swans failed to hatch a single egg after nine attempts to nest were disturbed by <em>people taking eggs and smashing them</em> and, on one occasion, a loose dog removing an egg from the nest.”</blockquote></p> <p>(FWIW, the penalty for such offences is up to six months in choky and an unlimited fine.) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19103&page=23#post-383912 Mon, 20 Apr 2026 16:11:36 +0000 chdot 383912@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/apr/20/cocaine-pollution-may-disrupt-behaviour-of-salmon-study-suggests" rel="nofollow">https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/apr/20/cocaine-pollution-may-disrupt-behaviour-of-salmon-study-suggests</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19103&page=23#post-383882 Thu, 16 Apr 2026 09:10:14 +0000 chdot 383882@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>“</p> <p>Sepa gave 400 Scottish lochs 'good' environmental status but only checked 54 of them </p> <p>Lochs are classified as having a “good” environmental status based on samples from other lochs many miles away – and as much as a decade old – prompting concerns that environmental regulation isn’t “fit for purpose”. </p> <p>“</p> <p><a href="https://www.theferret.scot/scandal-sea-lochs-scotland/" rel="nofollow">https://www.theferret.scot/scandal-sea-lochs-scotland/</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19103&page=23#post-383870 Tue, 14 Apr 2026 10:20:23 +0000 chdot 383870@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>“</p> <p>A funding deal to raise £100m from private investors for urgently needed nature restoration in Scotland has fallen through without the Scottish parliament being told.</p> <p>The Guardian has learned that Aberdeen, the investment firm, decided to withdraw from a partnership with the agency NatureScot to raise at least £100m for conservation projects from commercial and private investors late last year.</p> <p>Scottish government ministers did not disclose that when the Highlands Labour MSP Rhoda Grant tabled a question at Holyrood asking for an update on what was known as the nature investment partnership.</p> <p>“</p> <p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/apr/14/msps-not-told-about-collapse-of-funding-deal-for-scottish-nature-restoration" rel="nofollow">https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/apr/14/msps-not-told-about-collapse-of-funding-deal-for-scottish-nature-restoration</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19103&page=23#post-383862 Mon, 13 Apr 2026 12:55:37 +0000 Arellcat 383862@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>See also: Straiton Pond, which similarly has had its swan population reduced time to time, including recently, by uncontrolled dogs, uncontrolled fishing lines and goodness knows what else.</p> <p>However, I understand that adult swans can themselves be quite aggressive towards their young, a bit "You're old enough to leave home now. Get out and don't come back". </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19103&page=23#post-383861 Mon, 13 Apr 2026 12:16:38 +0000 ejstubbs 383861@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55204948540_fff883103c_z.jpg"></p> <p>The cob was nowhere to be seen when I took this photo by the canoeing lake at Musselburgh Lagoons yesterday :(</p> <p>There was, however, a good number of adult swans, plus a few adolescents from last year, swimming around at the mouth of the Esk. Which was nice.</p> <p>I just wonder whether there might be a link between this latest dog-attacks-swan incident and the goings on at Blackford Pond last year and the year before, which ended up with the pond swanless despite a whole new family being imported from Granton last summer. I'm thinking along the lines of some idiot going around setting their XL Bully or whatever at local wildlife in an attempt to compensate for their personal inadequacies? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19103&page=23#post-383800 Sun, 05 Apr 2026 12:43:13 +0000 chdot 383800@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/apr/05/rice-whales-extinction-trump-gulf-mexico" rel="nofollow">https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/apr/05/rice-whales-extinction-trump-gulf-mexico</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19103&page=23#post-383748 Tue, 31 Mar 2026 09:13:30 +0000 chdot 383748@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/mar/31/a-national-scandal-trawlers-scour-seabeds-of-supposedly-protected-uk-waters" rel="nofollow">https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/mar/31/a-national-scandal-trawlers-scour-seabeds-of-supposedly-protected-uk-waters</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19103&page=23#post-383369 Fri, 06 Mar 2026 09:25:40 +0000 chdot 383369@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/mar/06/mass-stranding-whales-scottish-beach-report" rel="nofollow">https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/mar/06/mass-stranding-whales-scottish-beach-report</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19103&page=23#post-383248 Tue, 17 Feb 2026 10:28:31 +0000 chdot 383248@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>“</p> <p>Scottish ministers have been privately urged to back plans for a golf course on a coastal wildlife site. This has been condemned as “backdoor lobbying that tries to bypass the rules”. </p> <p>“</p> <p><a href="https://archive.ph/2026.02.17-091726/https://www.theferret.scot/backroom-lobbying-on-coul-links-golf-plan-under-fire/" rel="nofollow">https://archive.ph/2026.02.17-091726/https://www.theferret.scot/backroom-lobbying-on-coul-links-golf-plan-under-fire/</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19103&page=22#post-383152 Tue, 10 Feb 2026 14:23:11 +0000 chdot 383152@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/feb/10/ticking-time-bomb-iran-shadow-fleet-old-tankers-risking-catastrophic-oil-spill" rel="nofollow">https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/feb/10/ticking-time-bomb-iran-shadow-fleet-old-tankers-risking-catastrophic-oil-spill</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19103&page=22#post-383052 Mon, 02 Feb 2026 18:07:44 +0000 gembo 383052@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Saw four swans spread out along the canal on way in and three of the four on way back so maybe i am wrong again<br /> What I do know is that in the badlands between Currie and Juni Green I was subject to a squirrel attack, Fokker jumped out a tree on to my back wheel. THe bike ground to a halt and I turned with trepidation expecting to have to extract Nutty from my spokes.<br /> But it had just used the mudsgaurd as a trumpet and scattered off. Though broke my rivets and folded the mudguard up inside itself so I made a fair racket going into town - i fixed but any time i hit a bump the fender returned to bouncing off the wheel. THe lovely Chris at The Bicycle Service cable tied it back together. Tricky as rack in way but he is fab at these intricate jobs. So we live to ride another day </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19103&page=22#post-382955 Thu, 22 Jan 2026 17:50:57 +0000 gembo 382955@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Looks like the Lochrin basin is down to one swan and i am guessing two of the Wester Hailes swans are moving east. Who knew swan killed other swan and indeed their own cygnets if they dont fly away when teenagers down to the flock at Musselburgh [bevy, herd bank, wedge].<br /> In better news six gosanders on canal between the two opposing swan factions </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19103&page=22#post-382721 Sun, 11 Jan 2026 16:45:47 +0000 chdot 382721@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>“</p> <p>A Highland estate which Scotland’s wildlife agency says failed to stop rampant deer from harming protected areas has received nearly £1.5m in public subsidies… including £139,000 for deer fencing.</p> <p>Loch Choire Estate in Sutherland allowed its deer population to reach such levels that in 2023, NatureScot stepped in to cull dozens of the animals in order to prevent further impacts to rare peatlands, woodlands and other habitats, with taxpayers footing the bill.</p> <p>“</p> <p><a href="https://www.theferret.scot/this-highland-estate-took-1-5m-in-taxpayer-cash-but-let-deer-run-riot-across-protected-areas/" rel="nofollow">https://www.theferret.scot/this-highland-estate-took-1-5m-in-taxpayer-cash-but-let-deer-run-riot-across-protected-areas/</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19103&page=22#post-382639 Mon, 05 Jan 2026 11:47:50 +0000 chdot 382639@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/jan/05/elite-falcons-middle-east-illegal-trafficking-trade-british-birds" rel="nofollow">https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/jan/05/elite-falcons-middle-east-illegal-trafficking-trade-british-birds</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19103&page=22#post-382619 Sun, 04 Jan 2026 14:25:16 +0000 chdot 382619@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><a href="https://www.theferret.scot/million-lice-eating-fish-died-at-salmon-farms/" rel="nofollow">https://www.theferret.scot/million-lice-eating-fish-died-at-salmon-farms/</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19103&page=22#post-382508 Thu, 18 Dec 2025 16:06:26 +0000 ejstubbs 382508@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/dec/17/police-investigate-after-white-tailed-eagles-go-missing-across-uk" rel="nofollow">https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/dec/17/police-investigate-after-white-tailed-eagles-go-missing-across-uk</a></p> <p><blockquote>Three police forces are working to solve the mystery of the missing birds. On 26 September, a satellite tag belonging to a fledged eagle chick was recovered from the River Rother, near Petersfield in Hampshire. It had been removed from the bird using a sharp instrument. Sussex police are looking for information from anyone who was in or around Harting Down and Petersfield on the evening of 20 September.</p> <p>On 13 September, a satellite tag belonging to a white-tailed eagle was recovered near Gwgia Reservoir, Tregynon, and Dyfed Powys police in Wales are asking anyone who was at or around the reservoir between 11am and 1pm or on access land near Bryn y Fawnog between noon and 3pm on 13 September to come forward.</p> <p><strong>Another eagle’s tag stopped transmitting in the Moorfoot Hills area south of Edinburgh.</strong> The last transmission was sent on 8 November and Police Scotland are investigating.</blockquote> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19103&page=22#post-382489 Tue, 16 Dec 2025 19:04:48 +0000 chdot 382489@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/dec/16/ministers-weaken-biodiversity-planning-rule-nature-england" rel="nofollow">https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/dec/16/ministers-weaken-biodiversity-planning-rule-nature-england</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19103&page=22#post-382126 Sat, 22 Nov 2025 15:34:17 +0000 chdot 382126@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><a href="https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/badger-setts-deliberately-blocked-longniddry-golf-club-5409314" rel="nofollow">https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/badger-setts-deliberately-blocked-longniddry-golf-club-5409314</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19103&page=22#post-381911 Sat, 08 Nov 2025 12:17:29 +0000 ejstubbs 381911@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@pringlis: <em>Tricky one really, it is natural for foxes to eat swans but doesn't seem fair to have delivered them fresh meat and then abandon them. The swans are a lovely amenity and it'd be a shame if there aren't at the pond any more.</em></p> <p>Sounds like the fox[es] would have to be dealt with before any more reintroduction of swans is attempted.</p> <p>I swung by Blackford Pond yesterday for the first time in several weeks and there was just the one swan left; an adult, I think female. (<u>Lots</u> of mallard, many more than I remember seeing last time I was there, but no tufties that I could see in the brief time I was there.)</p> <p>Also did not see the young heron that I reported on the highlights thread a while back. I last saw it on 17th October, when it appeared to have caught a rat and was trying to work out how to eat it. What I found concerning was that there are bait boxes all round the pond, and I can't help thinking that eating a poisoned rat would not do a heron much good. (Nor a fox, for that matter.) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19103&page=22#post-381628 Sun, 19 Oct 2025 14:10:07 +0000 gembo 381628@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Pike which are not native to the water system are eating the ferox / brown trout of loch corrib. Anglers are gleefully killing the pike, Pike lovers are up in arms.</p> <p>Saw the boroughmuir cygnets last wednesday three hatched, two made it to near adulthood </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19103&page=22#post-381626 Sun, 19 Oct 2025 11:44:17 +0000 jdanielp 381626@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I was surprised to see the Boroughmuir cygnets gone as well... I don't remember seeing them attempting any flights, which worries me slightly, but I only pass by briefly a few times each week so it seems plausiable that they learned how to fly and successfuly departed from the canal without me seeing any evidence recently. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19103&page=22#post-381622 Sat, 18 Oct 2025 22:43:22 +0000 pringlis 381622@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>There's a lot of drama at the moment around the Blackford Pond swans. The SSPCA moved them there in association with Friends of Western Harbour, but since then it seems all but two have been predated by foxes. There have been requests to remove the remaining ones away again but the SSPCA have said they won't assist as they consider this a natural event, and apparently they can't be removed without their consent. Complaints have been submitted. Tricky one really, it is natural for foxes to eat swans but doesn't seem fair to have delivered them fresh meat and then abandon them. The swans are a lovely amenity and it'd be a shame if there aren't at the pond any more. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19103&page=22#post-381621 Sat, 18 Oct 2025 16:50:38 +0000 Rosie 381621@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>There's one swan in the Water of Leith by Roseburn Park. I haven't seen a goosander there this year - there used to be loads. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19103&page=22#post-381619 Sat, 18 Oct 2025 11:00:14 +0000 Rosie 381619@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Oh I will be glad that the cygnets have gone for a new life rather than having been eaten. As for food, people are always chucking food at them. However perhaps that isn't enough to sustain, or not the right kind of food. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19103&page=22#post-381618 Sat, 18 Oct 2025 10:05:08 +0000 ejstubbs 381618@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Adult swans chase their offspring away before the next breeding season starts. The time of year that this happens varies. If the habitat is not particularly rich in swan-sustaining resources (primarily pond weed) then the cygnets may be persuaded to leave in the autumn, giving the adults sole access to the food source over the winter. In places which offer more prolific food resources the adults may tolerate the youngsters for longer. Occasionally some cygnets may be tolerated into the next year's breeding season.</p> <p>I don't know how much swan grub the canal might offer - my guess is not as much as a healthy pond or lake, so departing immatures at this time of year is perhaps not wholly unexpected.</p> <p>I took a brief stroll around Blackford Pond yesterday and there was only one immature swan still there, out of the four that were transported there with their parents from Western Harbour, per pringlis' post on the Highlights thread a few weeks ago. The adults were still there. The missus was there the previous week and there were two young'uns present. Blackford Pond isn't particularly big, and seems to be going through another period of grotty-looking water, so maybe the parents decided it was time for the juniors to fend for themselves elsewhere. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19103&page=22#post-381614 Fri, 17 Oct 2025 18:32:44 +0000 Rosie 381614@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Union canal today. The adult swans were on a grassy bit on the other side of the towpath behind the student flats. Two adult swans. No cygnets. No sign of them. Is that the end of them? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19103&page=22#post-381593 Thu, 16 Oct 2025 08:24:18 +0000 jdanielp 381593@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The Kingsknowe Rat was dead (or at least stunned) on the canal towpath near the Bridge 8 Hub yesterday evening. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19103&page=22#post-381532 Sat, 11 Oct 2025 11:05:25 +0000 chdot 381532@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/oct/11/number-of-wild-bee-species-at-risk-of-extinction-in-europe-doubles-in-10-years" rel="nofollow">https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/oct/11/number-of-wild-bee-species-at-risk-of-extinction-in-europe-doubles-in-10-years</a> </p>