08 June, 2016
Meet the Isle of May’s warden
To mark the Isle of May’s 60th anniversary as a national nature reserve, David Steel of Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) will be giving a presentation about the island and its spectacular wildlife.
The talk will take place in the Dreel Halls (Lower Hall), High Street West, Anstruther on Monday, 20 June at 7.30pm. The talk is free and open to all. Teas and coffees will be provided.
David, SNH’s reserve manager on the island, said, “I’m looking forward to telling people all about the spectacular wildlife that makes the ‘Jewel in the Forth’ so unique, from its 46,000 pairs of puffins to the largest grey seal colony on the east coast of Scotland. Discover what it’s like to live and work on the island for up to nine months of the year and how my team and I make the magical isle our home for the summer.”
Other events planned for the season include family fun days, an art exhibition, a photography competition and a seal weekend.
Known locally as 'The May', this small island sits on the edge of the Firth of Forth. The island's importance for seabirds has drawn scientists to its shores for many years and the May is home to the oldest continuously running bird observatory in the UK. The May is also a regular haunt for grey seals, often seen lounging on the shoreline rocks. This island is a historical gem and it's been a place of pilgrimage for centuries with an early island monastery. The May was also the site of Scotland's very first lighthouse, built in 1636, while the current, castle-like lighthouse was designed by the engineer Robert Stevenson.
ENDS
MEDIA QUERIES - For more information, contact SNH press & public relations officers for Scottish Natural Heritage, Vicki Mowat on 0131 316 2659 or vicki.mowat@snh.gov.uk (Tues-Fri), or the main SNH press office on 01463 725 020 or 022.ENDS
Isle of May National Nature Reserve is one of about 50 NNRs in Scotland. NNRs are special places that look after some of the best of Scotland’s nature on behalf of everyone who lives or visits Scotland, and they provide unique opportunities to visit, enjoy and learn more about Scotland’s nature. For more information, see www.nnr-scotland.org.uk.
Contact information
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- SNH Media
- snhmedia@snh.gov.uk
NatureScot is Scotland's nature agency. We work to enhance our natural environment in Scotland and inspire everyone to care more about it. Our priority is a nature-rich future for Scotland and an effective response to the climate emergency. For more information, visit our website at www.nature.scot or follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/nature_scot
’S e NatureScot buidheann nàdair na h-Alba. Bidh sinn a’ neartachadh àrainneachd na h-Alba agus a’ brosnachadh dhaoine gu barrachd suim a chur ann an nàdar. Tha e mar phrìomhachas againn gum bi nàdar na h-Alba beairteach agus gun dèilig sinn gu h-èifeachdach le èiginn na gnàth-shìde. Tha an tuilleadh fiosrachaidh aig www.nature.scot no air Twitter aig https://twitter.com/nature_scot
