A stroll about the promontory south of Port Ellen with a full array of flowers and wildlife
Port Ellen
Meet at the coastguard hut opposite side of the bay from the Coop
Coastal wildlife of the low shore and strandline. A later start to coincide with tides
Meet at the locked gate, Killinallan road end, east side of Loch Gruinart
The geology of the beach pebbles along the strand with Geologist, Dave Webster
Meet at the parking area by Kilchoman road end
A gentle walk around the coast, special flowers, butterflies and sea watching
Claddach/Currie Sands near Portnahaven
Meet at the parking area W3W suitably.bless.posting
Help maintain our nature area, clearing invasive pond weed and preparing access for pond dipping
Shorefield Ponds, Bruichladdich
Meet at pier for onward direction
Appreciate the array of wonderful plant life in the dunes.
Meet at the locked gate at end of the road, east side of Loch Gruinart, past the Oyster Shed 2pm
Suggested donation for walks: £5 Adults; £12 Family; INHT members £2
What: Join us for the seventh in our talk series with Islay Natural History Trust: Photographing Islay’s Wildlife with David Dinsley, Oa Nature Reserve Warden (RSPB).
Where: Islay Nature Centre, Main Street, Port Charlotte
More details:
All Species on the Edge talks at the INHT are open to the general public, free of charge. Donations to INHT are welcomed.
Any questions, email: nick.bone@rspb.org.uk
Coastal grasslands, peatland, flowers, butterflies and birds
Meet at beach cap parking area Machir Bay, 2pm
Suggested donation for walks: £5 Adults; £12 Family; INHT members £2
Make good use of the low morning tide and find out how to forage seaweed on the shore and learn what culinary uses you can put them to.
Sanaigmore at 11am. Meet at the parking area by the memorial.
Suggested donation for walks: £5 Adults; £12 Family; INHT members £2
What: Join us for the sixth in our talk series with Islay Natural History Trust. This talk with be led by Species on the Edge’s Sally Morris (Buglife) and will delve into the fascinating world of the Medicinal Leech.
When: Tuesday 19th May, 7:30pm
Where: Islay Nature Centre, Main Street, Port Charlotte
More details:
All Species on the Edge talks at the INHT are open to the general public, free of charge. Donations to INHT are welcomed.
Any questions, email: nick.bone@rspb.org.uk
Come along to the Nature Centre for a talk about whale sightings, what they reveal about our seas and how the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust use this data for conservation.
An illustrated talk by Ashley Kilgour
Islay Nature Centre, Port Charlotte, 11th May, 19:30
Everyone welcome
Refreshments available
Donations on the door
We are celebrating David Attenborough’s 100th Birthday with some Wildlife reverie of our own.
Friday 8th May
11am Nature Rangers Friday Event
Bio-blitz at Shorefield, Bruichladdich & Rhododendron Clearing
1-4pm Islay Nature Centre
Wild Isles viewing on our screens
Enthuse over our own wonderful Islay Nature & View our Bees and Aquarium Creatures
What: Join us for the fifth in our talk series with Islay Natural History Trust: Bringing Crexy Back. Louise Muir, Conservation Advisor with RSPB, will lead this talk on the iconic Corncrake (Crex crex).
Where: Islay Nature Centre, Main Street, Port Charlotte
More details:
All Species on the Edge talks at the INHT are open to the general public, free of charge. Donations to INHT are welcomed.
Any questions, email: nick.bone@rspb.org.uk
Friday 17th April
11.30 am to find rockpool creatures for the tanks at Port Mor
1 - 4pm - Islay Nature Centre
Nature arts and crafts for all ages
Inc. Simple willow weaving, Pyrography, Stone painting
Tea and Cake
Our Time is about a four-billion-year journey to a single moment in time, when one species gets to decide to protect all that it cherishes, or to stand by and watch as the climate crisis engulfs it all. The storyteller is a professor of geology, who did not understand what it all meant, until it was explained to him by the children of the world.
Parts of Our Time are set on Islay.
Alasdair Skelton was born near Loch Ness. He is Professor of Geochemistry and Petrology at Stockholm University, where he was Director of the Bolin Centre for Climate Research for 9 years. As a climate activist, he has supported the youth who created the climate movement. In his lifetime, he has witnessed climate change that would have taken four million years to occur naturally.
Copies will be available for purchasing at the “author discount” price. If you can’t come, but would still like to read the book, it can be purchased from Bloomsbury UK.
What: Join us for the fourth in our talk series with Islay Natural History Trust: Terning the Tide – Common, Arctic, and Little Tern, with Nick Bone (RSPB), Species on the Edge’s Project Officer for Islay
When: Thursday 2nd April, 7:30pm
Where: Islay Nature Centre, Main Street, Port Charlotte
More details:
All Species on the Edge talks at the INHT are open to the general public, free of charge. Donations to INHT are welcomed.
Any questions, email: nick.bone@rspb.org.uk
What: Join us for the third in our talk series with Islay Natural History Trust: Bats on Islay with Kelly Bow, Species on the Edge’s Bat Conservation Trust Project Officer.
About: Little is known about Scotland’s islands’ bat populations relative to their mainland counterparts. That’s why, here at Species on the Edge, we’re working with communities across Scotland’s coasts and islands to survey and monitor these special, mysterious mammals. In this talk, Kelly Bow will introduce us to Islay’s resident bat species, and explain our work to learn more about, raise awareness of, and support our coastal and island bats.
When: Thursday 26th March, 7:30pm
Where: Islay Nature Centre, Main Street, Port Charlotte
More details:
All Species on the Edge talks at the INHT are open to the general public, free of charge. Donations to INHT are welcomed.
Any questions, email: nick.bone@rspb.org.uk
Short official business and round up of activities and accounts for financial year April 2024 to April 2025. Anyone interested in joining the committee please get in touch. New team members are always welcome!
Followed by an illustrated presentation by Dave Wood, RSPB manager of the Oa Reserve titled “Scottish Chough, Dung Beetles and Veterinary Medicines”
Followed by tea and cake
Donations welcome on the door.
Paperwork for the AGM will be sent in a separate email to all members. If you would like a copy and are not a member, please get in touch.
We look forward to seeing folk at the talks for interesting wildlife chat, tea, cake and a blether.
An illustrated presentation by Linda Robertson, secretary of Western Galloway Beekeepers Association.
Followed by tea and cake
Everyone welcome.
Donations welcome on the door
Join Species on trhe Edge for the debut talk of their new series in partnership with INHT. In this two part talk we will hear from:
Mhairi Hume, Butterfly Conservation, on “An Introduction to Marsh Fritillary Monitoring”
Kelly Bow, Bat Conservation Trust, on “Introducing the Bats of Islay”
All Species on the Edge talks at INHT are open to the general public, free of charge.
Donations to INHT are welcomed
Gentle stroll through the woods to view the Autumn changes, fruits, seeds and fungi.
2pm meet at Bridgend Woodland car park
Expert guide Gary Turnbull will help you discover the birdlife on the mud and saltmarsh of Bridgend Flats. Autumn migrants and early Winter visitors.
2pm meet at track Carnain/Cross Houses Corner
What-three-words: Shuttle, Faded, vintages
NR 319627
Help us clear encroaching vegetation to make it better for the ducks and wildlife and improve access for our pond dipping activities for children
2pm Bruichladdich Pier for onward direction
Bring wellies or waders if you have them. Rakes would be useful as well!
Join local ranger Craig Walker for a walk of widlife and foraging discovery. Uncover the evidence of all the amazing nature that exists on the diverse Islay coastline, and which is delicious. If you want to survive the apocalypse don’t miss it!
2pm Kilchoman beach car park
Seashells and other strandline finds. What creatures are they and where did they come from?
Meet at 2pm at the cattle grid by the end of the airport runway on beach access road
A wealth of sea creatures to be explored in rockpools.
Meet at Port Charlotte, Port Mor campsite car park at 2pm.
Toilets available.
Foraging and advice on cooking with seaweeds on the shore
Starts at 2pm. Meet at the Port Wemyss bus shelter
Pond dipping and minibeast hunting.
Meet at Bruichladdich Pier for onward direction.
Toilets available and accessible to pushchairs within 30m.
Learn all about the honeybee, our bees in the observation hive explained. Interpret the bee dances and a honey tasting session
Starts at 2pm at Islay Nature Centre, Port Charlotte
Hermits, Prawns and little fishes at Swan Pool
Meet at Port Ellen byt the coastguard hut at 2pm
Meet at Port Charlotte, on the beach below the nature centre at 2pm
Toilets available
Hermits, Prawns and little fishes at Swan Pool.
Meet at Port Ellen, by the coastguard hut at 2pm.
