Loch Garten Nature Reserve (Highland)

Ospreys were extinct in Britain in 1916 due to persecution by humans. There followed an absence of over 40 years where ospreys were only seen occasionally. Then in 1959, a pair arrived in Scotland and stayed to breed. The location they chose was Loch Garten, in the spectacular Abernethy forest in the highlands. Ospreys have returned to breed there ever since. Since that pioneering single pair, the population of ospreys in Scotland has risen to about 200 pairs. There are now a few in England and Wales, too. Despite the increased population, their original breeding site at Loch Garten remains one of the most impressive places to see this fish-eating ...  Read the complete review

There can be few people in Britain who have not at least heard of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, or the RSPB as they are more commonly known. Many people will also know sufficient information about them to know that they are primarily involved in the protection of British birds, which involves the undertaking of conservation work to ensure that rare species survive for future generations to enjoy. Loch Garten in the Scottish Highlands is one of over 200 reserves managed by the RSPB. It is especially famous for its breeding Ospreys, a magnificent bird of prey driven to extinction in Britain at the early part of the 20th century. By the middle of ...  Read the complete review