'RSPB Scotland', Richard Watt

Wed, Oct 7th 2015 at 7:30 pm - 8:30 pm

RSPB 'giving nature a home' (Image of lapwing courtesy of and with permission of RSPB)

Lapwing - Image courtesy of and with permission of RSPB

Richard Watt, our speaker, has been described as ‘passionate about the environment’ and, from his illustrated talk to our members, it was clear that this was the case.


Richard started by giving a brief outline of the history of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds saying that strangely it was the manufacture of elaborate millinery that provided the momentum for the foundation of, initially, the Society for the Protection of Birds whose first president was the Duchess of Portland. However the use of wings and feathers to adorn hats continued well into the early 1920s when Pearsons magazine featured a front cover of a lady with a hat made with egret plumes. Some text on the magazine’s cover referred to the continuing unacceptability of this practice which was causing great suffering to the population of great white egret and other birds.


In 1954 George Waterson (of the bookseller family) became director of the RSPB. During the war, as a POW, he had studied birds and he came to recognise the part that enthusiasts could play in the protection of birds. Starting with the reintroduction of ospreys and two crude observatories, the practice developed into a successful 24 x 7 volunteer watch and visitor attraction throughout the UK. Local business prospered from the visitors and, as such, came to support the protection activity.


In the first six weeks of activity, the Loch Garten site had 14,000 visitors and, since 1959, there has been over 200 pairs of osprey nesting in Scotland.


But the RSPB subscribes to the ‘web of life’ - a balanced eco system - so it is not just birds that are of interest to the RSPB. Richard gave several examples of how changes to farming and land management can help to decrease the decline in various species. He listed ten birds that had declined in numbers from 1970 to the present day - this included the Dunnock (-30%), skylark (-59%) & turtle dove (-95%).


The current work of the RSPB includes Protection, Research, Education with over 75% of income from individuals. In Scotland it has 2,000 volunteers all subscribing to ‘if there’s no home for nature, there’s no nature’.


Following an opportunity for questions, John Sellars gave the Club’s vote of thanks.


Report by Ian Greig


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