Blog
The haunting lament of the golden plover
It was like a haunting lament in tribute to this upland wilderness, a mere whisper in the wind yet with an underlying depth that was beautiful and hypnotic. It was the piping call of a golden plover - a mournful voice that reflected the very soul of the Scottish...
How beavers can boost biodiversity in Strathspey
Sometimes it is better to let the mind wander and imagine the creatures that might be around you rather than seeing them in the flesh – and that is exactly what I did from my vantage point overlooking the Insh Marshes near Kingussie on Strathspey. It was dusk and the...
The hectic life of the gannet
As I approached the clifftop at Troup Head in north Aberdeenshire, the intoxicating aroma of briny sea air suddenly enveloped my senses and ahead of me the white-cloaked forms of gannets swirled in the air on outstretched wings. With excited anticipation, I increased...
The return of the red kite
The piercing grey eyes of this young red kite drew me irresistibly into their wild depths, reflecting the rolling fields and woodlands that lie in the shadow of the Braes of Doune. This was a bird of unparalleled beauty, elegant lines and russet feathers, and...
Flowers of the sea breeze
Colin Gibson, who wrote the much-loved weekly nature diary for The Courier between 1954 and 1998, adored the Arbroath cliffs, which were often featured in his columns. He wrote: “Carlingheaugh Bay and Castlesea Bay – what wonderful places for wildflowers are the...
Enchanted by the frog chorus
I heard the frogs before seeing them – a pulsating, rhythmic hum that ebbed and flowed across the afternoon air. This frog chorus was hypnotic and alluring, and accompanying their gentle croaks were the rougher ‘qwark-qwark’ calls of mating toads. I was on the...
Why cities are rich places for wildlife
A male blackbird busily turns over fallen leaves in search of worms and a flock of goldfinches twitters in a tree above – but I am not out in the wilds of the countryside, but instead near the centre of Aberdeen at the start of the Deeside Way by Duthie Park. The...
The wild aura of the Insh Marshes
By Keith Broomfield The flat expanse of the Insh Marshes swept away in the distance, glowing ochre under the soft autumnal light. From my vantage point on a slope in Lynachlaggan wood, my mind visualised the intricate mosaic of pools scattered across this rich,...
In search of the ptarmigan
By Keith Broomfield It was like searching for a needle in a haystack – instinct told me that ptarmigan were watching my every move on this 3,000ft high boulder field in the mountains by Glenshee, but their cryptic plumage had merged these subarctic grouse...
Grasses – delivering the air we breathe and the food we eat
By Keith Broomfield The names roll deliciously off the tongue – fescues, bents, and Yorkshire fog – and which represent among our most ecologically important organisms of them all – the grasses. Grass is so ubiquitous that we tend to take it for granted as an integral...
An inspiring encounter with a beaver and her kit
An evening stroll along my local river - nightfall was approaching and I could sense a stirring in the air, as if the creatures of the gloaming were about to emerge. I scanned the opposite bank in hope of spotting an otter or a kingfisher, but it was a dark, furry...
On the trail of the white-pawed fox
By Keith Broomfield As far as accessibility was concerned, this was the fox den from hell, which to reach involved wading knee-deep across a tumbling river followed by a scramble up a steep, nettle-infested bank. I had first noticed the site on the far bank of the...
Paradise in a nutshell at Knoydart
By Keith Broomfield They were flowers of the sea breeze, a sweeping carpet of yellow-dazzled colt’s-foot that swept along the wild Knoydart foreshore in a shimmering celebration of the beauty of a west highland spring. Often described as Scotland’s last wilderness,...
The marvel of evolution
Adaptive radiation is a fascinating aspect of evolutionary biology where a common ancestral species develops into a wide variety of different others, each one adapted to the niche parameters of their specific environment. The famous Darwin’s finches in the Galapagos...
A magical otter encounter
A piercing whistle whirls across the damp air from the far bank of the River Devon. I know it is an otter but as I peer through a tangle of alder and willow branches, I see no movement. Another whistle, even louder this time, and then I spot the otter running along a...
Glorious chatter of redwings in the gloaming
By Keith Broomfield As the diminishing light of dusk gathered over the hill pasture in the strath, redwings swept up from the green-spiked rushes ahead of me, dancing and bobbing in the air before alighting on the top of a beech that stood proud in a nearby...
A close encounter with a marine leviathan
By Keith Broomfield A large, mushroom-shaped creature pulsed into view through the briny underwater haze like a mysterious alien from another world. I slowed my breathing through my snorkel tube and watched it glide past, awed by its size and intricate frilled...
Fritillaries and fascinating fungi at Glenshee
The oystercatcher was agitated by my presence, and its piercing ‘kleep, kleep’ call rang around the grounds of Glenshee Parish Church by the Spittal of Glenshee. This bird was a concerned parent with young hidden in among thick grass nearby and was keen to see me off...
An extravaganza of wildflowers in the Trossachs
By Keith Broomfield A wonderful artistic palette of blue, pink, yellow and white unfolded before my eyes in this corner of the Trossachs where the sun shone down bright and the gentlest of breezes riffled the bee-buzzed air. As I made my way up the track from...
Bewitched by the natural treasures of the sea
After having forsaken snorkelling during winter, a strong hankering engulfed my soul to get back into the water and become immersed once more in the wild riches of the sea. I had also become consumed with the wish to snorkel by a pier because such places provide...
Revealing the secret life of a Scottish river
Using a pair of trail cameras, I have been monitoring a shallow offshoot creek of my local river where a diverse array of wildlife was captured on film. Teal were the principal stars that appeared daily. They adore this little creek because the calm, shallow confines...
The miracle of salmon
By Keith Broomfield The salmon launched itself from the churn at the bottom of the falls like a guided missile, tail flapping, and flanks glinting under the late autumnal sun. It was a powerful leap, but the angle was terribly askew, and the hen salmon landed...
Marine heaven in Fife
With mounting anticipation, I kicked my flippers and glided towards a cluster of rocks by the low tide mark. The excitement was fuelled by the knowledge that this section of the shore by Elie in the East Neuk of Fife had previously delivered wondrous marine life...
Five-star review for ‘A Scottish Wildlife Odyssey’
I was thrilled when my new book – A Scottish Wildlife Odyssey – recently gained a five-star review from Scottish Field magazine. The review said: “I dare you to open this book up to any page, read the text with fresh new eyes and not fall in love with the way Keith...