Scottish Seabird Centre spring 2016 magazine

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wonders of nature Scottish Seabird Centre Members’ magazine

We won!

Bass Rock: BBC Countryfile Magazine’s Nature Reserve of the Year 16 Capturing our Coast 32 Stop Climate Chaos

Scottish Seabird Centre and the environment Sustainability and the environment are at the heart of everything we do. We have produced this magazine in an environmentally-friendly way. However, to help save trees and to reduce costs, you can receive your magazine by email – just contact membership@seabird.org or call +44(0)1620 890202.

Also, sign up to our enewsletters to be kept up-to-date with our latest news. You can do this at www.seabird.org

News

05 Membership 06 News from around the Centre

Features

08 Nature Photography Awards 12 Captain Flap 14 Puffin Fest 16 Capturing our Coast 18 Gulls 20 National Marine Centre 30 Simon Nelson 32 Stop Climate Chaos 34 Plastics

Regulars

22 Gift Shop 24 Seabird Café 26 Volunteers 28 Boats 36 Education 38 Wildlife Club 40 What’s on 44 Kids

Visit us

Find us

February, March, September and October Monday – Friday 10:00 –17:00 Saturday & Sunday 10:00 –17:30 April – August Monday – Sunday 10:00 –18:00 November – January Monday – Friday 10:00 –16:00 Saturday & Sunday 10:00 –17:00

Scottish Seabird Centre, The Harbour, North Berwick, EH39 4SS W: www.seabird.org E: info@seabird.org T: +44(0)1620 890202

Design: Wordpicturestory / www.wordpicturestory.co.uk

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Welcome from Tom We are delighted that the Bass Rock has once again won BBC Countryfile Magazine’s Nature Reserve of the Year.

Thank you to everyone who voted.

With the gannets now back on the Bass, we are all enjoying watching these amazing seabirds on the interactive live cameras in the Discovery Centre.

Well done to all the winners of the 10th Nature Photography Awards. The standard was exceptional this year and the winners selected by the judges and the voting public are world-class.

It was wonderful to receive support from the Heritage Lottery Fund for the idea of a National Marine Centre for Scotland.

This is an exciting project that will build on the success of the Seabird Centre over the last 16 years and help us to achieve even more of our charitable objectives.

We look forward to seeing you all at the Seabird Centre soon and, as always, thank you for your continued and valuable support.

Tom Brock OBE Chief Executive

Update from Laura Welcome to the spring edition of wonders of nature.

We have another featurefilled edition for you with everything you need to know for the months ahead.

We have introduced a new feature, Our Amazing Members.

If you know someone who deserves recognition in our members’ magazine, then we would love to hear about them. Past, present or future, young or old, there are no specific criteria – we would just love to hear what you’ve all been up to!

Make sure Puffin Fest is in your diaries for May – lots of fun to be had for fans of the clowns of the sea.

The Forth Ferry will be making a comeback from April. Thank you to everyone who hopped on the Ferry last year and to those who provided feedback.

This has enabled us to develop our offering for this year and lots of information about the great things to do either side of the Forth will be on our website very soon.

Scottish Seabird Centre magazine

Happy reading!

Laura Adamson Magazine Editor and Marketing Manager

04 Special thanks The Scottish Seabird Centre is an independent charity dedicated to inspiring people to appreciate and care for wildlife and the natural environment. Registered Scottish charity no.

SC025837. Registered in Scotland no. 172288.

Special thanks and editorial contributions

Our work would not be possible without support and funding from organisations, trusts and other donors, statutory and private. Thank you to all our supporters.

Editorial contributions This issue contains articles from three valued contributors.

A huge thanks to everyone who voted for the Bass Rock in the BBC Countryfile Magazine Nature Reserve of the Year Award. The Bass Rock beat off stiff competition from locations across the UK. To win once was amazing, but to win again is phenomenal.

Thank you from all of us.

Photography credits Images bring our magazine to life! We would like to say thanks to the following photographers: Laura Adamson, Sean Bell, Laurie Campbell, Steve Cox, Andrew Grieveson, Keith Hiscock, Colin Hattersley, Tony Marsh, Rob McDougall, Mo Thomson, Greg Macvean and Newquay Beachcombing

Simon Nelson Simon Nelson, the son of gannet expert and former Seabird Centre trustee Dr Bryan Nelson, is originally from Scotland, but has also lived in England, South Korea and Australia and has been calling Vietnam his home for the last two years.

An environmentalist, activist, writer and teacher, Simon loves exploring this wonderful green and blue planet we call home, laughing, drinking beer and dancing in the woods to banging techno as the sun rises. But he is perhaps happiest when he’s on the open road on his bicycle.

He has been campaigning to stop climate change for over 20 years, chaining himself to a coal fired power station, occupying the offices of fossil fuel companies, handing out thousands of leaflets and speaking at scores of meetings.

Most recently, he cycled 10,000 miles from Vietnam to the climate change conference in Paris with his partner Nguyen Kim Ngan. More details of their journey can be found at bike4afuture.com and you can read about his adventures on page 30.

Scottish Seabird Centre magazine

Gail Wilson Gail Wilson is Campaigns Manager at Stop Climate Chaos Scotland, where she has worked for the past seven years. Managing and coordinating the work of this diverse coalition includes organising varying scales of events, policy development, behaviour change projects, press and media work, and financial management.

Previously, Gail worked for two East African health organisations in Edinburgh and London. Seeing first-hand the impact that climate change has on communities in East Africa was a primary motivation for Gail shifting focus to work on climate issues. Read her article on page 32.

Kirsty Shand Kirsty Shand grew up in North Berwick and graduated last summer with a degree in International Tourism Management from Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen.

She has been volunteering with us since October and helps every week at the Wildlife Club, with marketing activities, in the office and in the Discovery Centre. Read her article on page 38.

05 Membership As a valued Seabird Member, we don’t need to tell you all about the fantastic benefits and opportunities our membership can bring.

Give the gift of membership

A gift that keeps giving As a self-financing charity, all of the income from Seabird membership goes towards the conservation and education work undertaken by our committed team of staff and volunteers.

Our Amazing Members Claire Barbara Rio Branco Turnbull Born: 13 April 1944

So, if you are looking for a unique gift that will inspire and benefit a friend or loved one, as well as supporting the charity, then Seabird Gift Membership is the answer!

With prices from only £1.80 per month it’s a cost that can be spread out over the year, which makes it even more affordable.

Membership can be bought either online or in the Gift Shop.

Claire was born in Sweden where her father was working at the British Legation in Stockholm for the Special Operations Executive, helping to organise Danish resistance to Nazi Germany.

Her father was from Edinburgh and her mother from Rio de Janeiro in Brazil; her mother was the daughter of the Brazilian ambassador in Copenhagen.

Following the end of the war, her family moved to Copenhagen in Denmark where, on 30 September 1945, her mother was tragically killed in a car accident. Although Claire was educated at Kilgraston School near Perth, she has spent a good deal of her life in Brazil and speaks Portuguese fluently.

Some years ago she came over to Scotland and has lived in North Berwick ever since. One of her main interests is the Seabird Centre and she is very proud to be able to become a supporter of an organisation with which she has such an affinity.

Claire also loves and cares for her two budgies called Mick and Daisy.

Scottish Seabird Centre magazine

06 News Here’s what we’ve been up to in recent months.

Lots of developments at the Centre!

Acting Discovery Centre Manager, Alex Turnbull, and his team have been developing our 5 star attraction.

New arrivals The weather that has greeted us early in 2016 has been ever-changeable, with storms hitting our coasts bringing heavy rain, gales and a blanketing of snow, but we have also had days of glorious winter sunshine.

The Discovery Centre team:

Don’t miss our mini expert talks which are on throughout the day and change every season.

Change has also occurred in the Discovery Centre with many new additions spread throughout, with one new addition soon to join our resident rockpool family. We currently have a Mermaid’s Purse in our tank and when the small spotted cat shark inside hatches, it will join the main tank.

The shark will not be a baby for long, however, and will grow to an impressive 10cm within the first few weeks of hatching. When it becomes an adult it will have grown to a metre in length! This particular species is found mainly on the sandy bottoms of seas and oceans. They are an opportunistic shark and their diet varies throughout their lifetime.

Many of you, I’m sure, will have already seen the small shark wriggling around inside the eggcase and we hope that you will come and visit us once it hatches.

Scottish Seabird Centre magazine

07 News

Discovery Centre developments The topic of eggcases and shells is poignant following our newly revamped Turtle and Ray Zone, with two new additions to the existing exhibitions. In the Ray area there are a variety of different eggcases on display, as well as ray models and illustrations.

All of these rays are found in Scottish and UK waters.

Try to match the eggcases to their adult forms and see what they will look like once they hatch. Mind your head for the king of rays, the manta ray that can be as wide as 7 metres! This ray species is the only one that is a filter feeder, with eyes on either side of the mouth and gills on the underside. Like sharks and skates, rays don’t have any bones, only cartilage.

As you enter the turtle area there are illustrations of some of the species that visit the UK; the leatherback sea turtle and green sea turtle.

The leatherback is the largest sea turtle in the world, growing up to 7 feet in length and weighing up to 680kg.

Despite nesting in tropical areas such as the Caribbean and parts of Africa, the leatherbacks will migrate over 6,000km to Scottish waters, including the Firth of Forth, to feast on their favourite prey, jellyfish. They can live for up to 50 years and by this time individuals may have migrated as much as half of the world. Their biggest challenge throughout their lifetime comes once they hatch as they try to make it from the nest to the ocean.

The hatchlings immediately face many challenges including predators such as gulls and foxes, as well as human interference, and this is demonstrated in our sea turtle display with the turtle race. Have a go and see if you can get a hatchling safely from the nest to the sea.

The Tidal Tank in the Discovery Centre has also had some new features added in the form of current generators. We have already seen some remarkable changes in the behaviours of the rockpool creatures inside the tank. The sea anemones have rapidly begun to move closer to the current generator, something we did not expect.

Scottish Seabird Centre magazine

In the wild, sea anemones use natural currents in order to catch small food particles with their tentacles. By moving closer to the source of the current they are trying to increase their chances of catching food. Many of the crab species in the tank are doing the same, moving into the direction of the current during our feeds to maximise their intake.

The Discovery Centre team hope to see you soon – and don’t miss our mini expert talks which are on throughout the day and change every season.

Many of you, I’m sure, will have already seen the small shark wriggling around inside the eggcase and we hope that you will come and visit us once it hatches.

08 Feature Thanks to everyone who voted in the Nature Photography Awards.

Huge congratulations to everyone who was shortlisted and our overall winners who now have the opportunity to enjoy prizes including trips to the Isle of May National Nature Reserve featuring workshops with judge Lorne Gill and former winner Tom Langlands; short breaks with Ardgour Estate and Ardtornish Estate; day trips with Isle of Mull Wildlife Expeditions and Rabbie’s Tours; memberships for the Scottish Wildlife Trust and vouchers for Northshots Photo Adventures.

In this edition of the magazine, we have a gallery of the judges’ winners, and there will be a gallery of the public’s selection in our autumn magazine.

Nature Photography Award stars:

The winners have been revealed!

The judges’ winners: 01

Creative Visions of Nature: Paul Collins, Swallow at Twilight 02

Environmental Impact: Tom Gardner, Fish Killed

by Algal Bloom 03

Landscape: Cameron Henderson, Lightning over the Harbour 04

Scottish Wildlife: Barry Forbes, King of the Road 05

World Flora: Yasmine Piening, Summer Flowers 06

Worldwide Wildlife: Katty Baird, Fulmar Reflection 07

Creative Visions of Nature: Jamie Mina, Kingfisher Environmental Impact: Charlie Davidson, Gannet 03

Landscape: Cameron Henderson, Lightning over the Harbour 04

Scottish Wildlife: Barry Forbes, King of the Road World Flora: Alan Edwards, Fungi in the Frost Worldwide Wildlife: Christopher McLeod, Hide ‘N’ Seek 07

Junior: under 12s: Anna Smart, Lonely Puffin

Junior: under 12s: Anna Smart, Lonely Puffin

Junior: 12 to 16: Jocelyn King, Parenthood

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Junior: 12 to 16: Freya Sanders, Topsy Turvy Trees 09

There will be a gallery of the public’s selection in our autumn magazine.

The winners selected by the public:

Staff and Volunteers: Lewis Henderson, The Pier Nature Condensed: Tom Ross, A Tale of the Bass 10

Nature’s Foragers: Sue Dudley, One Fell Swoop

Scottish Seabird Centre magazine

Staff and Volunteers: Lewis Henderson, The Pier Nature Condensed: Tom Ross, A Tale of the Bass Nature’s Foragers: Bob Humphreys, Kingfisher with Fish

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Scottish Seabird Centre magazine

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12 What’s on Brand new activities this Easter at the Scottish Seabird Centre.

This Easter, Captain Flap is making his debut at the Scottish Seabird Centre with a brand new interactive science show.

From 25 March to 10 April (Fridays to Sundays), Flap will need the help of Seabird visitors as he has crash landed his plane, Puffin One! He needs to learn the principles of flight so that he can repair his plane and re-programme his computer.

Why did the plane crash?

Does he need to redesign the wing or consider using a different type of fuel? During this interactive science show, Captain Flap will explore what can be learned from how birds fly so that he can finally make it home.

Not only that but Seabird Education Officer, Andrew Grieveson, will be hosting a range of workshops throughout the week, designed to get young flight fans out into the great outdoors.

On Mondays Andrew hosts Flying Fun with Bernoulli, which will involve a range of science experiments looking at how the pressure of the air around us can make things move in unexpected ways! Tuesdays are all about Flying Fun with a Lift, with the chance to make fizzy bottle rockets.

Interactive activities:

Captain Flap and Seaside Science Flying Fun Depending on the weather, Wednesdays will focus on Flying Fun with Kites or Paper Aeroplanes, with the chance to design your own kite or paper plane, which will then be put to the test to see who has made the most successful glider. Finally, on Thursdays, in Flying Straight, using cut-out birds and different weights, there will be a competition to see whose bird can travel in a straight line, aiming for the Bass Rock model.

In the Discovery Centre there will also be an egg-themed trail, as many of the seabirds seen via the interactive live cameras located on the Firth of Forth islands will be starting to lay their eggs. It is not only seabirds that lay eggs, but sea turtles and rays too, and they will be included in a programme of mini-talks from the Discovery Centre team. This will also include fish tank feeds and news flashes on what the gannets are up to on the Bass Rock, the world’s largest colony of Northern gannets.

Andrew Grieveson, Education Officer at the Scottish Seabird Centre, said: “This Easter we will be getting out into the great outdoors as much as possible. With such a stunning setting and so many amazing natural resources, our aim is to encourage visitors young and old to engage with nature in a fun and sustainable way.

Captain Flap Flies Forth From 25 March to 10 April, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays 14:00.

“Come rain or shine, it will be a fun-filled few weeks and we are looking forward to exploring the wonders of flight with Captain Flap and the Seaside Science team.”

Tickets are included with admission and will be allocated on a first-come, first served basis. Please request tickets on arrival at the Centre.

Workshops on throughout the week are designed to get young flight fans out into the great outdoors.

Scottish Seabird Centre magazine

Seaside Science Flying Fun From 28 March to 7 April, Mondays to Thursdays 14:00.

Part of the Edinburgh International Science Festival (www.sciencefestival.co.uk).

Come rain or shine, it will be a fun-filled few weeks and we are looking forward to exploring the wonders of flight with Captain Flap and the Seaside Science team.

14 What’s on We all love puffins and this year will be the third Puffin Fest!

Have a puffin’tastic time:

Puffin Fest

Puffin fun Scotland’s festival of puffins is back by popular demand, this year from 20 to 30 May. We will announce the full programme soon, but especially for Members, here is a little taster of what is to come! Featuring in this year’s programme will be some firm favourites plus a few extra treats.

Percy the Puffin’s Homecoming Adventure – interactive puppet show Wildlife Photography Workshop with Tom Langlands Puffin Party with Captain Flap, Forth One and Tammie Variety of Art Workshops with Mandy Thomson and Alchemy Arts Captain Flap Flies Forth show Puffin Scoping with Ranger Dave Wild And much more!

But you don’t need to wait until May to get excited about the return of our puffins – we will be on puffin watch from early April as we keep our eyes peeled waiting for them to be spotted via the interactive live cameras in the Discovery Centre. For those who can’t make it along, you can also see our wonderful puffins via the live cameras at www.seabird.org Plus, if you would like to recreate your own puffin look at home, then make sure you watch our brilliant YouTube video, which you can see here: https: //www.youtube.com / watch?v=uuo9IvDL7mw

Keep a lookout:

20 to 30 May

Scottish Seabird Centre magazine

Interactive cameras:

For those who can’t make it along, you can also see our wonderful puffins via the live cameras at www.seabird.org

16 Feature Join Dr Hannah Grist and the CoCoast team as they embark on the biggest coastal citizen science project in the UK!

Scottish marine experts are appealing for an army of ‘citizen scientists’ to help measure the potentially disastrous effects of this winter’s severe storms on the nation’s coastal wildlife and the Scottish Seabird Centre is giving Members the opportunity to get involved.

Changes in weather patterns, a key indicator of climate change, may have severely affected some of Scotland’s best-known animals and plants along our coast.

Now scientists at the Obanbased Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) want to train volunteers in monitoring and sampling coastal areas as part of Capturing Our Coast (CoCoast). This £1.7m project is funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and led by Newcastle University. It is the world’s largest ever coastal citizen marine science project and there are events taking place at the Seabird Centre on 14, 16 April and 29 to 31 May. CoCoast aims to train more than 3,000 citizen scientists from across the UK to help collect data about key species such as mussels, wading birds and hermit crabs. The results of the data collected will help inform future policy in conservation and marine protection and potentially give a better overall picture into how our climate is changing.

SAMS ecologist Professor Michael Burrows said: “Over the past few winters we have seen increasingly severe and frequent storms that are likely to be associated with rapid climate change. Alongside warming temperatures and ocean acidification, documenting how these changes are affecting our coastal habitats will be key evidence for influencing policy in the near future.

“Vulnerable rocky shoreline species can’t escape the weather and the storms we have seen during the last two winters are likely to become more frequent, with greater damaging effects.

“As scientists, we can’t be everywhere but people can tell us what’s going on in their own back yard and we can collectively gather the evidence to fit into the wider picture.”

Seabird Members interested in becoming a CoCoast citizen scientist can visit www.seabird.org and register to attend a training course where they will learn what to look out for and how to record important data.

Scottish Seabird Centre magazine

Tom Brock said: “Capturing our Coast is a vital project to understand the changes that are taking place with our wildlife. We are delighted to be supporting such an important initiative and it’s a perfect fit for our work as a conservation and education charity.

“This is a brilliant opportunity for anyone with a passion for our beautiful East Lothian coastline and outstanding wildlife to get involved in their conservation, as well as meeting and engaging with other like-minded groups and individuals.”

Dr Hannah Grist, the SAMSbased CoCoast project officer for Scotland, said: “The beauty of this project is that people with no, or little, scientific background can work alongside academics to provide extremely important data for environmentalists and governments, and ultimately play a part in how their local coastline is managed and protected.”

FREE Capturing our Coast training days will take place at the Seabird Centre in April and May. Visit www.seabird.org for info.

To all ‘citizen scientists’:

Capturing our Coast

Tom Brock OBE:

We are delighted to be supporting such an important initiative and it’s a perfect fit for our work as a conservation and education charity.

Wildlife wonders:

Glorious gulls

Breeding numbers in the UK have fallen by around 30 per cent over the last 15 years or so.

19 Feature Our friend, PR-guru and wildlife expert, Keith Broomfield, introduces the world of the herring gull.

The next time you pass a playing field or park and see a flock of feeding herring gulls, it is worth stopping for a moment to observe their behaviour. If scrutinised closely, it is usually possible to see some of the gulls engaged in the rather bizarre act of rapidly stamping their feet up and down, almost as if running on the spot.

It has been likened by some to a gull version of Riverdance, but it is in reality a rather clever feeding tactic, for the vibrations caused by the rhythmic patting of the feet mimics the vibration of raindrops, thus causing earthworms to come to the surface to then be snapped up by the hungry bird.

Such behaviour characterises the very soul of the herring gull, which is hallmarked by opportunism and an ability to be at home in a variety of environments. It is a bird equally content following a trawler at sea, as it is turning over the surface of a rubbish tip or scavenging the contents of discarded fast food containers on a Saturday night.

The herring gull is a bit of a glutton, knowing that if it doesn’t bolt its food down quickly, then there is every chance it will be the victim of piracy from another bird.

An oval-shaped lemon sole or plaice accidentally discarded on a fishing quayside presents no problem at all, with a gull being able to expand its gape to such an extent as to swallow the flatfish whole.

For much of the 20th century the herring gull was one of our most successful birds, with numbers increasing rapidly, but recently the population has fallen for reasons still not fully understood. Breeding numbers in the UK have fallen by around 30 per cent over the last 15 years or so.

It does appear, however, that urban nesting pairs are faring better than those in rural colonies. When I lived in Aberdeen I recall some of the streets being inundated with scuttling young gulls that had just tumbled down from their rooftop nests without yet having mastered the art of flying. Mayhem would ensue as they ran down the pavements with wings flapping in a desperate bid to get airborne.

Scottish Seabird Centre magazine

One gull that I have real admiration for is the great black-backed gull, the scarcest of our regular breeding species. One can never fail to respect the opportunistic nature of our gulls, and this is no better illustrated than by the great black-backs that haunt the tributaries of some of our east coast rivers during early winter.

They are on the scavenge for the bodies of spent salmon (kelts) that have just spawned, and the sight of a great blackback swooping between the alders by the banks of a gushing spate river is as great a natural spectacle as any I have ever witnessed.

Closely related to the herring gull is the lesser black-back gull, which has also declined in recent years. Possible reasons include the phasingout of discards from fishing boats and more household rubbish getting recycled.

This article was first published in the Dundee Courier.

Brilliant news:

Confirmation of development funding of ÂŁ290,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) along with initial support for a ÂŁ3.5million bid for the project.

21 Feature Update from Project Director, Grace Martin.

It has been a very busy time since the last update in the Members’ magazine and we have been working very hard to progress plans to create a ‘National Marine Centre’ for Scotland.

It was brilliant news to have confirmation of development funding of £290,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), along with initial support for a £3.5million bid for the project.

Initial support means the project meets HLF criteria for funding and HLF believes the project has potential to deliver high-quality benefits and value for lottery money. We now have up to two years to submit fully developed proposals to secure a firm award.

Latest news:

National Marine Centre

We have also had part funding from other donors, including Scottish Enterprise and the Imlay Foundation, and it is very encouraging to see others demonstrating their support for the project.

Just to give you a bit more background about what could potentially happen, the key focus is to develop the conservation and education work undertaken by the charity.

In terms of the physical presence, the existing Education Centre building will have an additional floor added to accommodate the demand for school visits and an extension will be wrapped around the existing Centre, creating vital additional space for new exhibitions and events.

We have undertaken some initial work with architects and designers to produce some outline drawings and concepts. We will continue to develop these in consultation with the local community, partners, Members, visitors and funders as the project progresses to ensure that the existing landmark buildings are improved and enhanced.

The project team is also developing, and at the time of going to print, we are looking forward to the arrival of a Project Officer and a Fundraising Manager, who will be working closely with the team to drive the project forward.

Over the next 18 months the project team will be working with a range of consultants, identifying partners and progressing opportunities to increase the reach of the Centre right across Scotland – and there will be consultation with Members and others, so we will certainly keep you updated.

In the meantime, please keep an eye on www.seabird.org for further news and project developments.

Scottish Seabird Centre magazine

22 Gift shop Our Gift Shop Manager, Marion, takes us through a few highlights from the current items available.

Retail therapy:

Scrummy, classic, inspired, natural, beautiful, stylish, authentic.

Daffy’s gin Daffy’s is a gin like no other, created from the finest grain spirit, distilled on an ancient copper pot whisky still with Lebanese mint and the finest botanicals to create a gin that is classic, complex, perfectly balanced and fresh with a world of intrigue.

They have invented a ‘slow cook’ distillation process, distilling for 9.5 hours instead of what would normally be around 4. This, like slow cooking in food, allows them to keep great depth of flavour and finesse with none of the harshness or burn.

The illustration on the bottle is by the artist Robert McGinnis whose first piece of work was the Breakfast at Tiffany’s poster with Audrey Hepburn. He also painted the James Bond artwork in the 60s and 70s, Barberella and many others.

Priced £34 for 70cl

Scottish Seabird Centre magazine

Angela Faulkner Having spent her childhood in the Worcestershire hills, and the years since in the South Shropshire countryside, the natural patterns and themes found in Angela’s art are a product of a lifetime’s cultivation.

Angela has produced prize-winning gardens and exquisite flowers, some of which were chosen for the Chelsea Flower Show.

The next landmark in her career is the creation of the greetings cards company: The Angela Faulkner Collection Ltd, which has brought new challenges, such as how to condense a design into a small area, yet still convey interest and appeal. This technique has been refined and today Angela offers a range of 300 card designs, gift-wrap, notebooks, mugs and shopping bags.

Prices from: £1.25

John Beswick Owned by Dartington Crystal, John Beswick was first established in 1894 and has become a famous name associated with fine ceramic models and gifts. The Gold Street works in Longton produced a wealth of lifelike animal pieces, that were widely sold and collected.

In 1948, John Beswick secured the right to reproduce a range of ten Beatrix Potter earthenware characters. In 1952, the company began manufacturing a range of Disney characters including Snow White, Mickey Mouse and Bambi.

In 1969, the Beswick business was sold to Royal Doulton and production was continued until 2002 when manufacturing ceased. The Gold Street works was demolished in 2003.

In 2004 the Beswick name and product design rights were purchased and is now part of the Dartington Crystal group of brands. Made using the same traditional skills in modelling, making and hand decorating, the current Beswick collection continues the proud heritage of fine quality and detail in every piece.

Prices from: £18.25

Scottish Seabird Centre magazine

24 Café We are looking forward to the warmer weather when we can sit out on the decking without our jackets and scarves!

Café news

Farewell from Lewis In May I will be leaving Scotland to work in New Zealand for six months, followed by another six months exploring East Asia.

Gluten-free Did you know we cater for gluten-free requirements. We are looking at lots of new options for the Seabird Café, however we wanted to highlight some of the gluten free options that are currently available.

Having worked at the Seabird Centre since the summer of 2008, my role here has seen me through eight years of education, including high school and my HND – for that I will always be grateful.

It’s been a pleasure working with so many friendly people throughout my time here, customers and colleagues alike, who have helped me grow as a person and in confidence.

I’m looking forward to the new opportunities, experiences and endeavours New Zealand and Asia will have to offer. Bon Voyage Seabird friends!

Congratulations to Lewis and his brother Cameron who were winners at the Nature Photography Awards!

Our soup is always gluten-free and we can offer oatcakes instead of bread Seabird deck As the warmer months are on their way, don’t forget that the Seabird Centre offers East Lothian’s only seaside sun deck! What better spot is there to enjoy stunning sea views while tasting lovely fresh produce from the Seabird Café! Not only that, but well-behaved doggies are welcome. We will provide water bowls, the odd doggie biscuit and lots of cuddles for good pups, so please feel free to bring them along with you (if they promise to behave).

Scottish Seabird Centre magazine

For yummy sides, select fries, chips and cheese, beans, Mediterranean vegetables and dips Without the dressing, the smoked fish platter is a lovely fresh option, as are the feta salad, oak smoked salmon salad and Cajun chicken salad Baked potatoes are available with the following GF fillings: cheese, cheese and beans, egg mayo, vegetable and mozzarella, tuna mayo, bacon and mozzarella, prawn marie rose, coronation chicken.

From our head chef, Ian, a scone recipe to try at home.

Makes approx 5 8oz self-raising flour

Beat 2 eggs and 1 tablespoon of milk.

½ teaspoon of baking powder

Add half to mixture to start, stir in and add a little at a time until it all comes together into a ball. You can use your hands to make all the mixture into a ball.

1½ oz caster sugar 3oz margarine 2 medium eggs 1 tablespoon milk Sieve flour, baking powder and sugar into a big bowl, rub in margarine with fingers until it resembles breadcrumbs.

Turn oven on to heat, make sure the temperature is at 220°.

In the big metal bowl add one of the following if you don’t want plain scones to your mixture – 1 handful of raisins or – 10 cherries Or any other ingredients you like.

Roll out onto a floured workbench until it is about an inch thick, cut into whatever shaped scones you like, put on baking tray that has been sprinkled with flour.

Brush top with leftover egg mix.

Cook for 7 mins, turn tray and cook for a further 5 mins (approx) until golden brown.

26 Volunteers Sandy Forrest, Chair of the Volunteers, takes us through their latest work.

It seems like no time at all since the last magazine report, and yet when I re-read my last magazine I realised that I was talking about summer and the stunning wildlife to be seen on the cameras!

The staff in the Discovery Centre offer daily talks giving excellent insight on the sea creatures in the large tank, while the Tidal Tank continues to be a visitor focus as anemones change shape due to the height of the tide.

We have greeted quite a few visitors from other lands over the winter, with some Volunteers doing their best to remember school days’ French and German or a little bit of Dutch. We are therefore looking forward to our new translations of the Discovery Centre Information sheets – we have now received Czech, Dutch and French with Cantonese, Hungarian, Italian, Mandarin, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish as ‘works in progress’. We are still looking for someone who could translate into Danish, Japanese, Norwegian, Polish, Swedish and any of the Balkan countries, to have cover for the majority of our visitors. If you could help, please contact me or leave a message at the Seabird Centre with your contact details.

We assisted with the annual stocktake which consists of counting every item in the Gift Shop, checking its barcode number and entering the total on a sheet. We save the staff a lot of extra hours of work.

The Volunteers were also delighted that Education Officer Andrew has managed to re-introduce the Wildlife Club on Friday afternoons – some Volunteers assist at the Club, while the rest of us save our plastics, cardboards and containers to be used as art and craft materials.

The multi-talented Volunteers have added waitressing to their skills, distributing the haggis, neeps and tatties to guests at the successful St Andrew’s Night showing the film Sunshine on Leith, and this was repeated in January at the sell-out Burns Night Supper, where Whisky Galore was shown.

The Volunteers main event of 2015 was our Christmas Coffee Morning which raised a record £700, mainly due to the fabulous support from Members, staff and Volunteers in preparing a groaning homebaking stall. Excellent raffle prizes, a gift stall, books and tombola added to the takings of a very enjoyable fundraising exercise.

Scottish Seabird Centre magazine

We recently met to discuss our fundraising events for 2016 – two Coffee Mornings are already booked in, with the first on Saturday 14 May and the second in December. We would welcome any ideas and suggestions from Members to try to vary our events. At the back of our mind is the need for extra funding over the next few years to help support the Centre during the proposed National Marine Centre developments. The future is pretty scary in terms of the money needed and the upheaval involved, but at the same time it is a very exciting time to be involved!

It is certainly possible to be both a Member and a Volunteer – many of us are. We are always looking for new Volunteers to increase our coverage of the Discovery Centre, particularly at weekends, thus freeing up staff to give talks on the birds, seals or the fish tank. Do think about joining us, even if you live at a distance and only visit occasionally. We do work hard but at the same time we have a lot of fun, and enjoy being with friends of a similar mind-set, that of caring for the environment and the wildlife around us. family.forrest@btinternet.com

Team players:

What we’ve been up to!

Volunteering:

We are always looking for new Volunteers to increase our coverage of the Discovery Centre.

A big year ahead:

Isle of May

All aboard:

Pre-book your seats on the Seabird Isle of May landing trips. There are general and photographic trips to choose from, all departing from North Berwick and heading out on board our rigid inflatable boats.

29 Boats The Isle of May National Nature Reserve is owned

by Scottish Natural Heritage and it’s a big year for this stunning location as the island has two major landmark celebrations.

It is sixty years since the designation of the May as a National Nature Reserve (NNR), the highest accolade and protection a wildlife site can be given (one of only 47 in Scotland).

Some key dates for your diary!

26 March Island opens to the public

On top of this, the famous lighthouse constructed by the Stephenson family is celebrating 200 years since its construction and operation on the island. Alongside four awards the new visitor centre received, the May has a lot to celebrate during 2016. Why not be part of it and visit the magical isle?

20 – 21 August 200 Years Celebration of Lighthouse

Pre-book your seats on the Seabird Isle of May landing trips. There are general and photographic trips to choose from, all departing from North Berwick and heading out on board our rigid inflatable boats. Here are the key facts: Trips run from April to Autumn, subject to weather and sea conditions Boats are fast and waterproofs are provided Trips last approx. 4 hours, with at least 2 hours on the island Adult £45, child £39 (7+ only) – age 16+ for photographic trips 10% discount for Members of the Seabird Centre Not suitable for anyone with back ailments or who is pregnant No food outlets on the island, but there are toilets. Visitors are permitted to take food but must bring all litter back to the mainland and dispose of it properly.

11 – 12 June

Seabird Weekend

26 – 27 July

Family Fun Days

3 – 4 September Open Doors Weekend (all buildings) 1 – 2 October Seal Weekend and photography competition closes

The Forth Ferry is back!

Regular sailings to Anstruther and North Berwick Following a fantastic foray into this new excursion in 2015, the Forth Ferry is back in April 2016. A huge thank you to everyone who took the time to give their feedback – this has been an invaluable resource of information that we have used to make plans for the new season ahead.

Check out www.seabird.org for all the details of the trip, plus some top tips on activities to do on either side of the Forth.

If you have some recommendations of places people should explore, activities that are a must-do, top places to eat, drink, or even stunning walks or cycle paths, then head over to Facebook, Twitter and Instagram with #FFRecommends.

Scottish Seabird Centre magazine

Tackling climate change:

The long road ahead

31 Feature Our journey to Paris reinforced just how important the talks in Paris were, representing one of the last opportunities to prevent catastrophic climate change.

Simon Nelson’s climate change adventure is an inspiring and motivating read.

One of the wonderful things about riding a bicycle is that you really get exposed to nature. And when you are riding a bicycle from Vietnam to the Climate Change Conference in Paris you get exposed to a lot of nature.

Sometimes it’s the kind of nature that you don’t really want to be exposed to. The cold, the rain and the head winds that sap your spirit. Other times it’s the kind of nature that fills you with joy. The tail wind that sends you flying across the desert. The birds singing in the blossomladen trees. The cold blue waters of a mountain lake. The world truly is beautiful but we’ve witnessed how climate change is threatening the very survival of numerous ecosystems, along with the humans that depend on them.

Our journey commenced in the Mekong Delta, one of the regions most at risk from climate change. With an average elevation of only 1.5 metres and sea levels expected to rise by at least 1 metre this century, it’s not hard to see why. Already farmers’ fields are becoming too salty to grow rice. In China we saw the arid lands that are growing at a ferocious rate, farmers’ fields are drying up and the soils are blowing away.

In the mountains across Central Asia, people told us about the decline in winter snows and that the snow was starting to melt earlier due to warmer temperatures which were reducing the availability of water.

Our journey to Paris reinforced just how important the talks in Paris were, representing one of the last opportunities to prevent catastrophic climate change.

Unfortunately our leaders failed to take that opportunity. Whilst glowing praise has been heaped upon an agreement which seeks to limit warming to 1.5°C, the detail within it ensures that 1.5°C is not achievable. In fact, the pledges made in the agreement will lead to warming of 3.5°C this century.

Such warming would be catastrophic and would most likely cause the collapse of human civilisation and the destruction of much of life on earth. It is up to us to ensure that doesn’t happen.

In Europe we saw the destruction wrought by flash flooding. However, perhaps most frightening of all, was the ongoing water crisis in Iran. This year nearly two thirds of the country’s provinces are experiencing ‘water shortage’ or a ‘critical water situation’. As the climate gets drier and hotter, as many as 50 million people could be forced from their homes in as short a timeframe as 30 or 40 years.

Scottish Seabird Centre magazine

32 Feature The Seabird Centre works in partnership with Gail Wilson, who is the Campaigns Manager at Stop Climate Chaos.

Global warming is changing the temperature of the world’s seas and oceans, including around the coast of Scotland. As a result, the seabirds that are so familiar at the Scottish Seabird Centre, as elsewhere, are being dramatically affected by these changes.

In December 2015, at the UN climate talks in Paris, world leaders agreed a new global deal to tackle climate change. This is incredibly important as it is the only international framework in place to address this crucial global issue.

The problem, which will be well-known to many Seabird Members, is complicated, but the main issue is that warmer sea temperatures are forcing species to move further north.

Just before the talks began, hundreds of thousands of people from across the world took to the streets to make their voices heard.

At Scotland’s Climate March in Edinburgh, over 5,000 people from across the country gathered to make their voices heard. So many people speaking out on climate change for the sake of the things that matter to them, the things that are affected by climate change.

Many of the seabirds in the Firth of Forth feed on a once-plentiful and reliable diet of sandeels. But sandeels in turn feed on plankton and that plankton is moving north as the water temperature increases. The temperature increase is of course imperceptible to us, but impacts significantly upon other species.

Reliant on this food chain, some of our favourite species, such as kittiwakes and puffins are being drastically affected. For example, the population of kittiwakes in Scotland has declined by over two thirds since the 1980s.

Seabirds are one of the many things that are already significantly affected by global warming.

Serious storms and flooding in various parts of the country this winter were a stark reminder of another. The Met Office confirmed that ‘all the evidence’ shows that recent storms in the UK were, in part, due to climate change.

Many other things people care about that are affected include alpine species, mountaintop snow and glaciers, coffee, cocoa and other harvests, and the people whose livelihoods depend on them. You can find out more at www.fortheloveof.org.uk.

What is important now is that political leaders turn their climate commitments into action.

Here in Scotland, there is a key opportunity this year for political parties to set out how they will create a low carbon country with the Scottish Parliamentary elections taking place on 5 May 2016.

Stop Climate Chaos Scotland, a coalition which counts the Scottish Seabird Centre among its diverse membership, has outlined ambitious policies we believe parties must commit to if this is to be achieved.

You can write to party leaders today to tell them you want to see climate ambition become climate action. It’ll only take a few minutes – go to www.stopclimatechaos.org / elections-2016.

Scottish Seabird Centre magazine

Global warming:

Seabirds and climate change UN climate talks in Paris: World leaders agreed a new global deal to tackle climate change. This is incredibly important as it is the only international framework in place to address this crucial global issue.

34 Feature Imogen Elizabeth Lowe is currently studying for a MSci in Biological Science from the University of Aberdeen, focusing her subject choices around animal conservation, welfare and behaviour.

The plastic age has caused an epidemic. When did you last have a plastic free day?

Can you remember? Used to make everything from water bottles to DVDs, shoes, chewing gum and even cosmetics, the problem is where do the 300 million tonnes of plastic goods end up?

Plastic persists as pollution for more than a hundred years. Much of it is large and visible, the types of things marine animals mistakenly eat or become entangled in. However, plastic particles about the size of lentils (microplastics), 5mm or less, also contaminate environments and are the most abundant plastic form in the oceans.

Initially, microplastics were a dream. Microbeads are smooth, perfectly spherical plastic balls that don’t result in the skin damage that rough shell can induce.

Hence, they were used to replace natural exfoliates in toothpaste and cleansers, with these inexpensive and gentle products now dominating the market.

Small beads, big issues:

As particles get smaller their effects can spread to every level of the food chain.

Plastic fibres were also produced. These are woven into clothing, making items lighter and weather resistant, but also expanding available styles, cuts and colours.

However, in environmental terms they are disastrous.

Both beads and fibres are small enough to pass through waste water treatment plant filters. Estimates say that with every use, facial scrubs release between 4,594 and 94,500 microbeads and with every wash, 1,900 of the tiny fibres in synthetic garments are shed. So, every flush down the drain results in plastic entering our seas. On top of this, primary microplastics join already abundant secondary microplastics. Derived from larger plastic breakdown, these particles are what all macroplastic debris will ultimately become.

Scottish Seabird Centre magazine

As particles get smaller their effects can spread to every level of the food chain. When ingested, they cause the same digestive problems as their larger counterparts. However, they can also escape digestive tracts and enter animal tissue.

As if this is not enough, the particles can absorb pollutants and trace metals, some even containing toxic chemicals from the outset. Following intake, particle density and contaminant chemical concentration increases in animals as they get higher up food chains, eventually ending with the top predators – and for many marine systems that means us.

Once we let these products into environments there is no effective removal mechanism.

Human microplastic exposure could stem from anything from the fish we choose to eat to the salt we put on our chips. Life, and plastic, is your creation, but be careful that one doesn’t destroy the other.

Life in plastic

36 Education It has been a little over six months since I gained the post here of Education Officer, and I have thoroughly enjoyed it. It has been in many ways challenging, but wonderful!

There are lots of exciting projects coming up for our Education department, including the launch of the Junior Tour Guides which will see local school children offering tours to other school groups.

Education update from Andrew

Scottish Seabird Centre magazine

As a secondary school teacher, there were aspects of the job which were new to me, particularly the large number of primary school children that the Centre attracts. However, I have found the enthusiasm and engagement of these children hugely inspiring, and I feel that many lifelong interests in marine life and conservation have been sparked in the time I’ve worked here.

One of the most exciting challenges has been finding ways to educate so many ages and abilities, from nursery school children to university students. This aspect of the role has allowed me to use a high level of creativity.

One aspect of the job that has been greatly rewarding is running the Wildlife Club on behalf of the Scottish Seabird Centre and the Scottish Wildlife Trust. This is a wonderful way of engaging primary school children in all aspects of nature and wildlife, and has allowed me the chance to explore a variety of outdoor activities with a group of enthusiastic local children. Our Volunteers have been a great help in this project and you can read more about this from Kirsty on the next page.

As for the future of education at the Scottish Seabird Centre, there are a number of exciting new projects that we can expect to see over the next few months.

One new project will be our Junior Tour Guides scheme, in which a group of children from Law Primary School will be delivering a tour of the Centre to visiting school children. They will be dressed as characters from North Berwick’s history, such as lighthouse keepers, fishermen and Edwardian tourists to show how attitudes towards our marine environment and its wildlife have changed over the years. Rehearsals have now begun, and already I can tell this will be a wonderful scheme to help children understand the role they too can play in protecting our seas.

I shall also be working with another year group from the school as part of the John Muir Award, a scheme that allows children to learn about a wild area and how to protect it. This year they have chosen the coastline, and so shall be learning about the life on our local beaches and taking steps to conserve it. I plan on building closer relationships with other schools around the region, using regular enewsletters to keep them informed of our education programme.

I hope to encourage more children to visit us as part of the Children’s University network, and develop a stronger curriculum for older children and students. In this way I’m hoping that we can further strengthen the high standard of education we provide.

Andrew:

I plan on building closer relationships with other schools around the region, using regular enewsletters to keep them informed of our education programme.

Scottish Seabird Centre magazine

38 Wildlife Club Back by popular demand, the Wildlife Club continues to go from strength to strength. Here's an update from Volunteer, Kirsty Shand.

The Wildlife Club meets at the Scottish Seabird Centre on Friday afternoons during term time and is divided into three different groups (the Wee Buds, Junior Twigs and Senior Branch), meaning all ages of primary school children are catered for.

Each week has a different wildlife / conservationbased theme involving an educational part and a practical part, which frequently takes place outdoors.

In just a few short months, we’ve covered so much!

We offered a helping hand to the wildlife in our gardens by building bird feeders and a home for bumblebees We learned about the origins of cave paintings and made our own cave paintings and jewellery using shells collected on the beach We helped the local Countryside Ranger clear Ragwort off North Berwick Law, a weed which is poisonous to the ponies living there. The ponies were so grateful they decided to come and thank us themselves!

We found out where fossils come from before making dinosaur finger puppets and door hangers Our competitive spirits surfaced (at least amongst the Volunteers!) when we learned about the Ice Age before splitting up into teams and building our own Ice Age shelters on the beach We turned detective and enjoyed a wildlife ramble through North Berwick Glen, kitted out with factsheets to help us identify our local wildlife

The children’s enthusiasm is infectious and I always look forward to Friday afternoons. I’m sure everyone involved comes away from the Wildlife Club with memories that will stay with them for a long time. Of course, working with children often results in unintentional funny moments. One of my favourites was on the bus coming back from the National Museum of Scotland when one of our Junior Twigs decided to try and guess the ages of the Volunteers. Before I go any further, let me tell you that I’m 26 and often mistaken for being younger than that.

My age according to a certain Junior Twig? 42!

I laughed for days!

If you’d like to find out more about the Wildlife Club, please email education@seabird.org and we’ll be delighted to help.

We enjoyed a trip to the National Museum of Scotland.

Along with much, much more!

Scottish Seabird Centre magazine

40 What’s on Interested in wildlife? Love the outdoors? Join the RSPB for a wild weekend!

Scotland’s Big Nature Festival 2016

Join RSPB Scotland for a wild day out the whole family can enjoy at Scotland’s Big Nature Festival this spring! The popular event is returning to the beautiful Levenhall Links in Musselburgh on Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 May. Visitors will be treated to a packed programme of wildlife talks, hands-on workshops, guided walks, birdringing demonstrations and seabird cruises.

There will also be a host of exciting activities like pond-dipping, mini-beast hunts and storytelling for the kids! They will be joined during the weekend by presenters from children’s TV including Rory Crawford, who co-presents a show meeting children and their animals.

Recognised as one of the country’s best spots for birdwatching, Levenhall Links has been specifically created from reclaimed land for the benefit of wildlife, with hundreds of bird species being recorded there including: green and common sandpipers, sand martins, lesser redpolls, meadow pipits, curlews, willow warblers and whimbrels.

This year, RSPB Scotland has chosen the puffin as the featured bird species for the festival. They will be highlighting all the good work being carried out to conserve these colourful creatures, including a four year LIFE funded project to secure the Shiant Isles, in the Outer Hebrides, as a haven for seabirds.

Puffin’tastic:

This year, RSPB Scotland has chosen the puffin as the featured bird species for the festival.

Tens of thousands of birds live on these islands including 10% (65,200 pairs) of the UK’s breeding puffins. However, they’re also home to invasive non-native black rats which consume eggs and chicks, impacting the productivity of seabirds. Last winter, a rat eradication programme took place on the Shiants and, over the summer, the RSPB will monitor the success of seabird breeding to see what effect this has had.

Scotland’s Big Nature Festival is now in its fifth consecutive year, with more than 6,000 visitors attending in 2015. Levenhall Links can be accessed easily by bus, rail, car and bike; and with live music, scrumptious local food and over 100 stalls waiting to inspire you about nature, it’s an event that’s not to be missed!

For more information and to buy tickets, head to: bignaturefestival.org.uk or find RSPB Scotland on Twitter and Facebook for all the latest updates.

Ticket prices: £12 adults, £10 concessions, £2 children, under 5s go free.

Scottish Seabird Centre magazine

41 What’s on A fan of the arts? Don't miss these events.

Fidra Fine Art in North Berwick To 10 April 2016 Open weekends 12:00 – 17:00 House for an Art Lover in Glasgow To 18 April 2016 Open Monday to Sunday 10:00 – 17:00 Artwork inspired by global travel and a thirst to study diverse cultures will be on show at two Scottish galleries this March and April.

Ian Cook’s Compass Points is not simply about travel but a genuine curiosity into the life and culture of the world’s indigenous peoples. What started out as a means to seek out creative inspiration for his work, travel has imbued Ian with a deep sense of compassion and tolerance towards other cultures. An empathy that is strongly apparent in his work.

In his own words…

“Virtually all the works in these two exhibitions originate in source and statement from Central and South America and Central Europe. They are a fusion of past and present elements, consisting in some part of biblical / mythical references and contemporary syndromes. Some of them personify man’s relationship with the land he arrogates or

the animals he tends; others pertain to folklore and ancient cultural beliefs that still resonate in today’s society.

For these reasons the human figure, in its search for greater spiritual understanding and enlightenment, prevails throughout the works.”

The show at House for an Art Lover is as a result of a prize awarded to Ian for work at the RSW Exhibition in 2015 and by collaborating with Fidra Fine Art in North Berwick, Ian is able to exhibit a broader range of work to a much wider audience.

Competition time Win two tickets for the opening night of Breakfast at Tiffany’s!

Exclusive Members’ competition Truman Capote’s classic novella has been adapted for the stage by Pulitzer Prize-winning finalist and Tony and Olivier Awardwinning playwright Richard Greenberg (Take Me Out, Three Days of Rain), and contains memorable songs from the era as well as original music by Grant Olding (One Man, Two Guvnors).

Scottish Seabird Centre magazine

In the starring role of Holly Golightly is Verity Rushworth, who played Donna Windsor in Emmerdale for 11 years, a role for which she won a British Soap Award this year.

Based on Truman Capote’s beloved masterwork, Breakfast at Tiffany’s is set in New York in 1943. Fred, a young writer from Louisiana, meets Holly Golightly, a charming, vivacious and utterly elusive good-time girl. Everyone falls in love with Holly – including Fred.

But Fred is poor, and Holly’s other suitors include a playboy millionaire and the future president of Brazil. As war rages on in Europe, Holly begins to fall in love with Fred – just as her past catches up with her.

To be in with a chance of winning two tickets to the opening night at the Kings Theatre, Edinburgh, Monday 30 May, 19:30, simply answer the question below.

Who wrote the original Breakfast at Tiffany’s?

Please email, write or phone with your answer, name and membership number by Friday 29 April. Good luck! www.breakfastattiffanys.co.uk www.facebook.com / tiffanysonstage @Tiffanysonstage

42 What’s on Seabird events not to be missed this spring!

Capturing our Coast 14 and 16 April 29 to 31 May Pre-booking essential FREE

Scottish marine experts are appealing for an army of ‘citizen scientists’ to help measure the potentially disastrous effects of this winter’s severe storms on the nation’s coastal wildlife and the Scottish Seabird Centre is giving people (age 18+) the opportunity to get involved. Capturing our Coast is a £1.7m project funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and led by Newcastle University.

It is the world’s largest ever coastal citizen marine science project. See the Conservation section of www.seabird.org for more info.

Captain Flap will explore what can be learned from how birds fly so that he can finally make it home.

Captain Flap Flies Forth Friday 25 March to Sunday 10 April Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays 14:00

Captain Flap has crash landed his plane, Puffin One! He needs to learn the principles of flight so that he can repair his plane and re-programme his computer. Why did the plane crash? Does he need to redesign the wing or consider using a different type of fuel?

During this interactive science show by the North Berwick seaside, Captain Flap will explore what can be learned from how birds fly so that he can finally make it home.

Tickets are included with admission and will be allocated on a first-come, first served basis. Please request tickets on arrival at the Centre.

Seaside Science Flying Fun Monday 28 to Thursday 7 April Mondays to Thursdays 14:00

Walking with Birds Wednesday 13 April FREE 10:30

Around Vogrie Country Park. Meet at main car park – note, small fee for parking.

Contact: Gordon Spiers 01875 820971, 07763 467790 or gordonspiers@ gmail.com. New members are always welcome. Please contact the group coordinator, Tony Elger (01620 842525) for further details. Please wear sturdy footwear and allow for all kinds of weather. If you have binoculars, do bring them with you.

Also events in May and June.

Puffin Fest Friday 20 to Monday 30 May

Join us for a fun-filled 10 days for Scotland’s festival dedicated to puffins! Check out www.seabird.org for details of the programme soon – or pop into the Centre and pick up a leaflet from the start of May.

Join Education Officer, Andrew Grieveson, for different interactive activities throughout the week. Learn about the wonders of flight, make fizzy rockets, create kites and aeroplanes to challenge friends to competitions.

Puffin Fest:

Scotland’s festival dedicated to puffins!

Scottish Seabird Centre magazine

44 Kids We would love to hear from younger readers about what you would like to see in our Members’ Magazine – get in touch! marketing@seabird.org

Fun learning:

Rockpool school

Well done to Thomas!

Thanks to all little ones who took the time to fill in our Alien Invasion sheets last year – there were some fantastic designs!

Caroline Vevers, who coordinated the competition, selected this design by Thomas McLachlan. Thomas, who is age 7, was born in Edinburgh but currently lives in Cheshire. Well done to Thomas, who is pictured here with his design and his prizes!

Rockpool ramble wordsearch This Easter and summer we are encouraging big ones and little ones alike to get out into the great outdoors in a fun and sustainable way!

That means explore rockpools and enjoy searching, but make sure you treat all the wildlife with the respect it deserves.

To get you in the mood, here’s a wordsearch inspired by all things rockpool!

P W N C E Y F S R D T G W G K

Rockpool Ramble:

G E B W L W T A A E U L P A M E O R V A A R M Z E P Y O A B P N C I R R R K O W M X L P H M K O F W O P U R A L G L Q V I U I M W I R Y S E I N Z B A K S S G E C N P H S K L E H W H L U S H N O K E B L E N N Y F L F I E U A E L O B Z K Q J D O N U P L X F L E A L B A Z G R L Z K R C K E K R I E Q G E L C A N R A B G W C M G R O B R I T T L E S T A R P K P D W L R L J U G H P F A E G I P I A W K Z D L E I L Z T O L H

Find your favourites: ANEMONE BARNACLE BLENNY BRITTLESTAR CRAB LIMPET LUGWORM MUSSEL PERIWINKLE PRAWN RAZORSHELL SEAWEED STARFISH URCHIN WHELK

Scottish Seabird Centre magazine

Spotting local birds:

Gull Guide!

A guide to telling apart the gulls you may see on the Firth of Forth. Tick off the ones you’ve seen!

Black-headed gull Small gull, light grey back, red legs and beak. Dark-brown head in summer, white head with black ear spot in winter.

Herring gull Large gull, light grey back, pink legs, large yellow beak with red spot. Juveniles speckled with brown spots.

Lesser black-backed gull Large gull. Similar to herring gull, but with darker grey back and yellow legs. Also large yellow beak with red spot.

Greater black-backed gull Very large gull. Similar to herring gull, but with very dark grey to black back and light pink-brown legs. Large yellow beak with red spot.

Kittiwake Small gull, mostly white with a light grey back, yellow beak and black legs. More wary of humans than most gull species.

Fulmar Not actually a gull, but a petrel (shown by the long, tubular nostrils on top of the beak).

White with grey back, pink legs and beak.

WIN AN ANNUAL FAMILY PASS TO NATIONAL MINING MUSEUM SCOTLAND Did you know that National Mining Museum Scotland has a train station right on its doorstep? The Borders Railway was re-opened in September 2015 and sees passenger trains running half hourly from Edinburgh, through Midlothian and into the Borders.

Why not hop on the train and visit our award winning, 5 star attraction? It offers a fantastic day out for the whole family!

Simply answer the following question for your chance to win an Annual Family Pass.

In what year did the Waverley Line between Edinburgh and the Borders close?

Send your answer by email to marketing@nationalminingmuseum by 30th April 2016*. * By entering this competition you agree to be added to our mailing list and will receive our monthly e-newsletter. You may unsubscribe at any time.

45 Dirleton Avenue, North Berwick, East Lothian, EH39 4BL 01620 895057 / 07981 982464 info@fidrafineart.co.uk www.fidrafineart.co.uk

“SILENT SPACES” Cate Inglis, Thomas Cameron and Jayne Stokes PREVIEW: FRIDAY 15TH APRIL FROM 6 – 8pm EXHIBITION CONTINUES: UNTIL SUNDAY 15TH MAY OPEN SATURDAY & SUNDAY FROM 12 – 5pm MIDWEEK APPOINTMENTS VERY WELCOME.

GOOD FRIDAY RACEDAY Featuring

FRI 25 MAR

The Royal Mile handicap

Kids Go Free*

*Children 17 years and under when accompanied by an adult

Visit www.fidrafineart.co.uk to view all the work and further information.

Easter fun at Scottish Seabird Centre Included with admission www.seabird.org 01620 890202 Scottish Charity no SC025837

OPEN ALL YEAR DISCOVERY CENTRE · BOAT TRIPS · CAFÉ · GIFT SHOP

NORTH BERWICK | 8-14 AUGUST 2016

T S E U G H U A T 4 P 8-1 6 E K E E S ! 201 T A D 16

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National Museums Scotland Scottish Charity, No. SC011130

Opening 25 March 2016

Discover the plane that can take off from here Amazing aircraft. Unforgettable stories. One incredible day out.

East Lothian, just 40 minutes from Edinburgh. www.nms.ac.uk/flight

111622 - NMOF Seabird Centre Magazine 129x183mm v1 SA.indd 1

04/03/2016 09:35

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