A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE - DECEMBER



Following on from last months blog when I highlighted the Scottish Wildlife Trust reserve at Montrose basin and the adjoining visitor centre, this month I will give an insight into St Cyrus National Nature Reserve. The reserve, which can be seen from various points of the golf courses, lies about 1 mile north and is separated by the river North Esk.

A view from the 3rd Medal tee  looking over Montrose beach

towards the cliffs at St Cyrus.



 Any visitors to Montrose who have a spare couple of hours should try and include a to visit this scenic beach and natural dune land.

Looking South back towards Montrose.

 A high line of cliffs form the backdrop to the reserve. Fulmars can be seen nesting here in the spring and summer months. Peregrine Falcons live on the cliffs year round and usually raise one young, which can often be heard shrieking around the skies in early July.
 It is also these volcanic cliffs that provide the dune land with shelter, which help a number of plants species to survive at their northern UK limit. Many of the plants growing at St Cyrus are more commonly found in southern and eastern England. This micro climate together with soils produced by the volcanic rocks allow plants such as meadow saxifrage and hairy violet to grow in large numbers. Together with the vast array of wild flowers, butterflies and moths also thrive here, with many different species to be seen.

A great example of the extensive dune land.



 The sheltered dune grassland also has pockets of gorse growing here and there which add another splash of colour throughout the year. These bushes also provide nesting sites for a number of birds. Both the stonechat and the more unusual whinchat breed here.

The walled Kirkyard can be seen in the distance.



  There are a number of old fishing houses and an old ice house which were once used by the salmon fishermen, their nets and equipment. Nether Kirkyard, said to date back to 1242 can also be seen nestled under the cliffs. The small building in the corner of the graveyard was used as a watch hut to guard against body snatchers.

The visitor centre.



 The small visitor centre at the start of the reserve was once a lifeboat station, however it now stands high and dry after the river North Esk crashed through the dunes and straight out to sea in a storm fuelled with flood waters from melting snow in 1879.

A few photographs together with and a video clip which were taken on the courses over December  can be seen below.

 Velvet Shank.

These mushrooms were found growing on a healthy looking gorse bush to the left of the 6th Medal fairway.

Herring Gull.

Burrow in burn bank.

I believe this is a burrow made by a water vole. The holes are in the side of the burn banking that crosses the Broomfield course. There are two entrances, one at each side of the clump of reeds. There are also a number of other holes along the length of the bank.. So far, only one of the greens staff has had a sighting and he thought it looked like a water vole. Hopefully in the future I will manage to get a photo of the vole. If it is indeed a water vole then it would be a great addition to life on the links as they are very rare with numbers falling by more than 90% since the 1970's

Robin.

And finally, a photograph of a robin. One of the birds most associated with Christmas time. It is during the winter months that sightings of this familiar bird are most common.



I have been asked by a season ticket holder if I could explain why there are always some gorse bushes in flower on the golf courses no matter the time of year. So next month I will write a feature on this colourful bush and will again include any other photographs of interest taken through January.

Les Rae,

First Assistant,

Montrose Golf Links Limited.