The Galloway Glens Black Grouse project focusses on creating and enhancing habitat for Black Grouse and on promotion of the species and its habitat to key land managers, local people and visitors. The previous Black Grouse Project Officer, Ed Tooth, was promoted to a new role within RSPB and has now been replaced by Paul Anderson.
By way of introduction, Paul said:
It was 5am and getting light at Creag Meagaidh. The first performers were due, but any noise from me would end the show before it had even begun. Hunkered down in the tiny hide, I was freezing cold and losing the feeling in my legs. But it was my first black grouse lek and I was full of anticipation, so I barely even noticed.
And then it started. A sharp clatter of wings, a loud “shweee” and the first male landed five metres away in plain view. A second arrived straight after: same explosive landing, same guttural call. “Shweee”! It was almost within touching distance, so close I had to hold my breath. More joined and in no time, I was surrounded by eight males challenging each other in earnest. It was that ring-side view of one of Scotland’s great nature spectacles that sparked my interest in black grouse and started me on the path to my new role with the RSPB as Black Grouse Project Officer for the Galloway Glens.
Nature has always been a passion for me, but it has only been in the last few years that I have made the move away from a business career to work in conservation. As well as studying an MSc in ‘Biodiversity, Wildlife and Ecosystem Health’ and a PDA in ‘Ecological Surveying’, I have been lucky to work and volunteer for organisations such as Scottish Wildlife Trust as both Osprey Protection Officer and Assistant Ranger; James Hutton as the North East Scotland Biodiversity Partnership Assistant; Scottish Natural Heritage as an Ecological Surveyor; and WWF, researching the impact of fishing vessels on seabird behaviour.
I’m a Doonhamer so I am delighted to help in the recovery of black grouse in the South West. Unfortunately, the leks we have in the area no longer reach the size of the one I surveyed in the Highlands. Populations are a fraction of what they were, and it is more common now for only a single male to attend a lek. We currently have a fantastic group of volunteers surveying those leks, but we are always keen to get more people involved to increase the range we are covering. Likewise, we would appreciate any and all reports of black grouse that may be sighted across the region. Hopefully with this information we can get a more complete picture of just how populations are doing so please get in touch if you would like to help. Beginners are very welcome, and all training will be given by the RSPB.”
Paul’s contact details are: [email protected], 01556 670 464.
The project is jointly funded by the Galloway Glens Scheme, Forestry & Land Scotland and RSPB.
Nick Chisholm, Galloway Glens project Officer, said:
“It’s great to have Paul start in post and we are sure he will be able to ensure the success of this project continues. As Paul says, black grouse are one of the great wildlife spectacles of Scotland and we must do as much as we can to ensure their future. In recognition of the plight of Black Grouse the Galloway Glens, using funds from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, is pleased to support this project and the volunteers that work so hard with the RSPB to deliver it. “
Audio clip of a Black Grouse: https://soundcloud.com/wildlife-sound-recording/black-grouse
