If you go down to the woods today.....

.............You might meet Carol from the Co-operative in a slightly worrying bunny suit and lots of wildlife rangers with furry animal puppets (what is the collective noun for wildlife rangers?).
Whats going on? Well without breaking the official secrets act I can tell you that Brodick Ranger service have called in mainland reinforcements to help them prepare for the primary schools workshops during the festival, so Lucy from FCS and Linda from Eglington joined Kate Corinna and Liz for some seriously creative sessions at Shore Lodge last week.
The workshops will be sponsored by th Co-op, who are becoming one of our key partners. The picture is of Carol presenting the rangers with a cheque for £655 at an Arran Banner photocall! Look out for the article in this week's Banner: www.arranbanner.co.uk
Thank you!

A cold and crisp seashore safari.

After the wild weather of recent weeks the team at the Arran Wildlife Festival were VERY relieved that the day of our seashore safari for local businesses dawned cold and crisp!
We had a fantastic afternoon poking about in rockpools on the beach. The hands stayed warm enough to find some amazing looking beasties, fish, invertebrates, starfish and a few mysteries too. Thanks to Kate Sampson from the NTS Rangers, Howard Wood from COAST and Graeme Walker from SNH who lent a hand.
Afterwards we enjoyed a drink at Lamlash Golf Club and a chat about the 2009 festival and plans for 2010. A perfect end to a fab day.
Gerard Tattersfield from the Auchrannie Resort gets up close to a starfish.

Some of the diverse life to be found at low tide on a rocky shore, even at the end of November!


Answers on a postcard please? (Clue- it appeared to have an armoured body and was about an inch long...)

The moon rises on a perfect afternoon on the beach.

Whiting Bay Primary School wins a turtle

Remember the Cool Seas Roadshow at last years festival? All of the island's primary school children took part in a fantastic day of marine themed activities including life sized inflateable sea creatures.

The children created wonderful collages of sealife and best composition was judged by Howard Wood of the Community of Arran Seabed Trust. It was pure coincidence that Whiting Bay school won the competition (Howard is a resident in the village!).
In recognition of their fantastic artwork, last week the school won an adopted turtle, under the Marine Conservation Society's "Adopt A Turtle Scheme". Under the scheme, for as little as £3 a month, you can support the work of the MCS and other conservation groups in protecting turtles around the world. Whiting Bay Schools turtle was funded by the Wildlife Festival.

The children were presented with a certificate and information pack, as well as a toy turtle to enjoy.

To adopt your own turtle and to find out more about the scheme visit http://www.mcsuk.org/marineworld/adopt-a-turtle/turtle+adoption

Somethin’ Rottin’ in Sannox

On Saturday 12 September Graeme Walker from Scottish Natural Heritage clearly demonstrated that there was somethin’ rottin’ in Sannox.

During a two hour guided walk starting at the Fallen Rocks car park at North Sannox he shared his passion for the incredible world of fungi with over thirty residents and visitors. Well over thirty species of fungi were found and Graeme displayed his extensive knowledge in a most interesting way. The spontaneous applause of the participants at the end of event was a clear measure of their enjoyment of the experience.

Arran Wildlife Festival Chairman Jim Cassels said “This Fungus Foray was an excellent taster for the 2010 Arran Wildlife Festival which will take place from the 12^th to19^th May 2010 and involve over 70 guided walks, talks and events.”

Press Release: Fungus Foray to Launch the Arran Wildlife Festival

The Arran Wildlife Festival will be putting the “fun” in to Fungus with a special Fungus Foray on Saturday 12^th September.

Prepare to be amazed when you join Graeme Walker from Scottish Natural Heritage for a free guided walk at North Sannox to find out about incredible fungi and the astonishing hidden world beneath the soil. The two hour woodland stroll will start at North Sannox Carpark (NS015465) at 1pm.

Graeme said “The Arran Wildlife Festival takes place in May each year which is great for most local wildlife but not the ideal time for spotting fungi so we thought we would do something Autumnal to launch the next festival with a Fungus Foray. On this walk we will prove just what a rotten place Arran really is!”

Arran Wildlife Festival Chairman James Cassels is pleased to be launching the dates for next year’s festival. “We are already excited about plans for next year and are keen to get started. The 2010 festival will take place from the 12^th-19^th May and we will be celebrating our fifth year,” he says, “next Saturday’s Fungus Foray is a taste of what the festival offers so put these dates in your diary now and expect something really special in May.”

Last May the 2009 Wildlife Festival attracted hundreds of visitors to over 70 guided walks, talks and unusual events. Over the coming months the organisers are looking forward to presenting the highlights of the festival to meetings around the island. For more information please see the website www.arranwildlife.co.uk or email info@arranwildlife.co.uk. The festival co-ordinator Lucy Wallace can be contacted on 07825 644161.

Image credit: Amethyst deceiver (Laccaria amethystina) Graeme Walker

Arran Wildlife Festival Photography Competition: Winners Announced

During the Arran Wildlife Festival there was a photography competition for images of wildlife taken during the festival (13th-20th May). The standard of many entries was high, and in the adult category the competition was intense. However, local photographer Steve Ewart who was judging the competition felt that Leslie Holburn's image of a black guillemot taken at Imachar on the 15th stood out from the crowd. The picture captures the charismatic nature of this species perfectly, and shows off the brilliant red of its feet and inside the beak.
Meanwhile, in the under 18s category, local photgrapher Bailey Robinson aged 10 ran away with the top prize with his photograph of mallard drakes in his grandmothers garden. The judge felt that it was a good effort for a young photographer. Mum Angela said, "I think winning has spurred him on to start taking more photographs and the book he won will help him do that".

Images from the 2009 Festival

View of Ailsa Craig and the Isle of Pladda from Kildonan.

Intrepid seafarers brave the choppy waters for a once in a lifetime trip to RSPB reserve Ailsa Craig, home to 40,00 pairs of gannets, as well as guillemots, puffins and razorbills.

Rob Logan of Forestry Commission Scotland has a license to check barn owl nests and during the festival people were able to watch him do this (from a safe distance). Barn owls are protected by law and it is illegal to disturb them unless like Rob you have a license issued for a specific conservation purpose.

On board the Holy Isle ferry with Howard Wood from the Community of Arran Seabed Trust, finding out about Scotland's first No Take Zone in Lamlash Bay.


On the summit of Holy Isle.

The Seawatchers set up camp at the Southend of Arran. Amongst the many seabirds seen, a rare pomerine skua was spotted.


Terry Southall rings a song song thrush at Kildonan.


Kirk and Gen get help making a bug box from their dad, joiner George Inglis at the Family Fun Day.

Jenny Meade of COAST at the fun day.


Fiona Laing is chair of the Arran Natural History Society and Kate Sampson head ranger at NTS Brodick Castle, Country Park and Goatfell Property.


Graeme Walker of SNH practicing for his Bats and Beer presentation later that evening.


Ross Kerr has a go with the black grouse radio tracking equipment.


Gay and Andy Christie from Hessilhead Wildlfie Rescue Centre.


Tom Vella Boyle of the Community of Arran Seabed Trust at the Fun Day.


The staff at Brodick Co Op volunteered to help with the tea room and ran a raffle.


Liz Maclean, manager of Brodick Co-op gets into the spirit of the Fun Day.


Gemma Totty has her face painted at the Family Fun Day.


Community of Arran Seabed Trust divers demonstrate the marine wildlife of Lamlash Bay on board Arran Power and Sail's RIB.