DOCSLIB.ORG

Galloway Local Group

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Galloway Local Group . NEWSLETTER 49 AUTUMN 2011 Editor: Stephanie Dewhurst The RSPB speaks out for birds and wildlife, tackling the problems that threaten our environment. Nature is amazing - help us keep it that way The Royal Society for the Protection of a million Birds (RSPB) is a registered charity: voices for England and Wales No 207076; nature SAND MARTIN Scotland Charity No SC037654 GALLOWAY LOCAL GROUP GROUP LEADER’S REPORT Over the two days we raised £170 from the teas, Dear Members and a similar amount from another event in late July. What a relief it was when spring arrived after another long hard winter. And what a spectacular While on the topic of money you might like to know spring it was too with fantastic wild blossom and that from 1st April 2010 to 31st March 2011 RSPB marvellous spring flowers. I had the best show nationally raised £15,000 from used stamps and of cowslips ever all across one side of my knoll. £65,300 from old ink cartridges and mobile phones. The swallows returned on 10th April which was The total income since the appeal began for these earlier than usual but the awful weather in May and last two items stands at £325,000. This is such June resulted in their first brood failing. However, an easy way of raising much needed money for all they have raised two more broods since then the work RSPB does, all from items which would successfully. Now in high summer the air is filled otherwise just be thrown away so please continue with swallows hunting all those insects which plague to send these direct or bring them along to the group us and the barn owl which I had not seen for some meetings. Within 12 weeks of it being received, time is also out and about hunting. 91p in every £1 is spent on conservation work. In the last newsletter I mentioned the eight question- After Bobby Smith's enjoyable talk at the group naires, given out in January-February, which we had meeting on 15th February, he invited us to visit received back. The number increased to eleven and his artificial sand martin bank at a small reserve were discussed at the committee meeting in early near Lochmaben which took place in early June April. As a result we decided to change to the (report on p.4). As this was arranged after the last smaller venue at the Parish Church Hall, Queen newsletter had been distributed I regret that there Street commencing with our first meeting on 20th was no way of letting every group member know September. This change will, of course, be shown about the trip unless they heard the announcement on the programme so please be sure to go to the at the April meeting or saw it in the diary column of new place. Some of the other suggestions will also the Galloway News. be taken on board but we cannot please everyone! This year the group took part in the RSPB's “Love Once again some of us went along to Environment Nature Week” can collection in early June at Tesco's Day in Dumfries DGOne on 5th March, manning in Castle Douglas (the only supermarket to give their our sales table and, as usual, the event was very permission for the dates required). Five of us took well attended by families creating a really good part on a rota basis, two at a time, and I can tell you atmosphere with plenty of interest shown in all the Brian Nolan looked very fetching in his (rather hot) stalls. blue tit costume! Our total collection for the two days amounted to £755.10, so you can see shoppers A week later a few of us travelled up to Pitlochry in were very generous and interested in the RSPB. wintry conditions to attend the RSPB's Volunteers I understand one couple in Dumfries, where there is Day held in the comfortable Festival Theatre. This no formal RSPB group, did very well at Morrison's was a very good day with plenty of interesting collecting over £300. This makes a very creditable speakers and a nice buffet lunch but the drive home total exceeding £1000 for the whole region, about was through the remains of snow, then rain and one-sixth of the total raised in Scotland. finally fog on Fenwick Moor. I was glad I was merely a passenger! Galloway seemed quite balmy after all I hope you like the new programme for 2011/2012 that. and look forward to seeing you all again at our new venue on 20th September and at the Art Exhibition Later in March RSPB had organised a weekend we are planning at the Sulwath Centre from 15th to Craft Fair at the Sulwath Centre, Mersehead where 30th October inclusive. the group had the sales table and also served teas. Cynthia Douglas GALLOWAY RESERVES UPDATE JULY 2011 Mull of Galloway Life on the cliff edge this year has been at times Wood of Cree extremely blustery. The high winds in May created Following another hard winter which saw us carry misfortune for some guillemot and razorbill out a great deal of tree safety work on the reserve, birds with their eggs being blown off the cliff. More spring burst into life once again with a magnificent positively, the kittiwakes delayed laying until after show of bluebells, campion, stitchwort and wood the high winds and there are now chicks enjoying anemone. It has also been a good year for returning the long awaited sunny spells. Fulmars are also summer migrants into the wood with the first pied around albeit in low numbers, feeding young busily. flycatcher being seen on 28th March. The dry Puffins have been spotted flying around the cliff weather we had throughout April also enabled our edges and out at sea. However, there is no other key species: redstart, wood warbler, tree pipit confirmed breeding on the reserve as yet. and cuckoo (as well as many more) to advance on a large front and establish territories fairly quickly. The The Visitor Centre has successfully undergone dawn chorus was unbelievably busy and very noisy. refurbishment with new displays, information boards It has been a decent breeding season for most of and interactive materials available for all to enjoy. the bird species despite some predation and the Our CCTV system still continues to deliver live blustery weather we had in May. footage from cliff nests where visitors can really get a feel for life in the seabird colonies. Some damage had been inflicted on the reserve due to the high winds we experienced, with some fairly Work has been done on site to limit footpath erosion large branches coming down and trees being blown and help regenerate vegetation in areas worst over within the wood, well away from the trails. affected. There are also plans towards the end of the summer to create a wildlife garden in the unused Visitors have been using the new trails on our lighthouse garden. We hope to plant native shrubs Barclye extension and enjoyed fantastic views up giving benefits to passing migrants, plant wild and down the Cree Valley. Work is still ongoing on flowers and have picnic benches where visitors can our Woodland Pasture Trail and will be completed relax. towards the end of the autumn creating a three mile circular around the reserve with plenty to see. The Ailsa Craig trees in both our Phase One and Two continue to go Poor weather throughout spring and early summer from strength to strength; some saplings now stand has limited the time we have been able to spend on nearly two metres tall having only been planted last Ailsa Craig this year. Having only surveyed the year. colonies by boat this year, both the gannet and puffin colonies show encouraging signs of We are currently designing a new trail guide/leaflet expansion, with higher counts of puffin again this for the reserve, incorporating Barclye, which should year. There also seems to be healthy guillemot and be out by the end of the year. razorbill numbers with these birds crowding parts of the cliff edges in their thousands. Kittiwakes and Ken - Dee Marshes fulmars remain on the reserve in lower numbers Similar to Wood of Cree, many of the summer than previous years; however we hope for a good migrants returned at the start of April with the breeding year to raise their numbers. We also have woodland part of the reserve coming alive. Numbers resident ravens, peregrines, twite, whitethroat, and appear to be stable with more redstarts this year two great tits were spotted on the east side of the than in 2010. In the lagoon area, visitors have island. enjoyed watching the black-headed gull colony grow Will Cranstoun and develop. The highest count of individual birds Warden, Galloway Reserves reached over 300! We also had a pair of shoveler successfully rear two ducklings with redshank and lapwing also breeding in the lagoon margins. SCARE ROCKS Nuthatch, great spotted woodpecker and red squirrel The Scare Rocks are undoubtedly the least visited continue to visit the feeders outside both hides with of our reserves in Dumfries and Galloway, not ospreys and red kites regularly seen overhead. surprisingly as they lie about eight miles off the Mull of Galloway at the mouth of Luce Bay. Comprising Much of our ongoing conservation work on Ken-Dee Big Scare and the Little Scares they are officially still heavily revolves around the removal of non- part of the Mull of Galloway Reserve, but most of native plants and we also plan to review our visitors only get distant views from the Mull itself.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Dumfriesshire
    Dumfriesshire Rare Plant Register 2020 Christopher Miles An account of the known distribution of the rare or scarce native plants in Dumfriesshire up to the end of 2019 Rare Plant Register Dumfriesshire 2020 Holy Grass, Hierochloe odorata Black Esk July 2019 2 Rare Plant Register Dumfriesshire 2020 Acknowledgements My thanks go to all those who have contributed plant records in Dumfriesshire over the years. Many people have between them provided hundreds or thousands of records and this publication would not have been possible without them. More particularly, before my recording from 1996 onwards, plant records have been collected and collated in three distinct periods since the nineteenth century by previous botanists working in Dumfriesshire. The first of these was George F. Scott- Elliot. He was an eminent explorer and botanist who edited the first and only Flora so far published for Dumfriesshire in 1896. His work was greatly aided by other contributing botanists probably most notably Mr J.T. Johnstone and Mr W. Stevens. The second was Humphrey Milne-Redhead who was a GP in Mainsriddle in Kircudbrightshire from 1947. He was both the vice county recorder for Bryophytes and for Higher Plants for all three Dumfries and Galloway vice counties! During his time the first systematic recording was stimulated by work for the first Atlas of the British Flora (1962). He published a checklist in 1971/72. The third period of recording was between 1975 and 1993 led by Stuart Martin and particularly Mary Martin after Stuart’s death. Mary in particular continued systematic recording and recorded for the monitoring scheme in 1987/88.
    [Show full text]
  • Flood Risk Management Strategy Solway Local Plan District Section 3
    Flood Risk Management Strategy Solway Local Plan District This section provides supplementary information on the characteristics and impacts of river, coastal and surface water flooding. Future impacts due to climate change, the potential for natural flood management and links to river basin management are also described within these chapters. Detailed information about the objectives and actions to manage flooding are provided in Section 2. Section 3: Supporting information 3.1 Introduction ............................................................................................ 31 1 3.2 River flooding ......................................................................................... 31 2 • Esk (Dumfriesshire) catchment group .............................................. 31 3 • Annan catchment group ................................................................... 32 1 • Nith catchment group ....................................................................... 32 7 • Dee (Galloway) catchment group ..................................................... 33 5 • Cree catchment group ...................................................................... 34 2 3.3 Coastal flooding ...................................................................................... 349 3.4 Surface water flooding ............................................................................ 359 Solway Local Plan District Section 3 310 3.1 Introduction In the Solway Local Plan District, river flooding is reported across five distinct river catchments.
    [Show full text]
  • Parish Register of Applegarth 1694-1719
    Parish Register of Applegarth 1694-1719 Dumfriesshire Scotland transcribed from the Kirk Session records by Graham & Emma Maxwell © Kirk Session records — National Archives of Scotland references CH2/1220/1,2. © Transcription and indexes — Copyright Graham Maxwell 2010. Published by Scottish Indexes 13 Newington Road, Annan, Dumfriesshire, DG12 5JA [email protected] www.scottishindexes.com/publishing Notes on the Transcription Where have these records been found? The transcriptions that follow are of baptisms, marriages and burials which are to be found in the Kirk Session records of Applegarth & Sibbaldbie Parish, Dumfriesshire, Scotland. These records are held by the National Archives of Scotland in Edinburgh. The entries in the register are taken from two Kirk Session volumes: Volume 1 contains baptisms and marriages from 1694-1703; as well as four death entries from 1697-1702, and four baptism entries from 1763. Volume 2 contains baptisms from 1703-1719; marriages from 1703-1712; and a few mortcloth records from 1704-1715, as well as nine baptism entries from 1765-1766 and a marriage from 1763. These entries are not to be found in the Old Parish Registers of Applegarth parish kept by the General Register Office (Scotland) at New Register House in Edinburgh, which does not commence until 1749, and it is believed they have not been transcribed or indexed before. Calendar Although in England and Wales prior to the year 1752 the year began on March 25, Scotland had adopted the date January 1 as the first day of the year on January 1, 1600. Therefore, at the time of this register the calendar year begins on January 1, as it does today.
    [Show full text]
  • A Guide to Biological Recording in Scotland
    A Guide to Biological Recording t lan ' Produced by the Bipi gical Recording in ScotlaJ d Committee jj n i$ry.1977: Compiled By Alastgir Sommeryille~; PREFACE This manual is intended as a source of information about biological recording of all kinds, covering both the national distribution-mapping schemes and all of the other surveys and recording projects currently active in Scotland. It describes the aims of each scheme and gives an indication of the amount of work and degree of skill required from anybody wishing to participate. The appendices of addresses, reference works and distribution maps are intended to provide a useful way-in to potential recorders. It is hoped that bringing together all the schemes in this way will give readers of this manual some idea of the scope of the investigations being carried out and the part that they might play in improving the knowledge we have of the plants, animals and habitats of Scotland. BRISC would like to thank all the scheme organisers who have been so ready to enlighten us about their projects, the Biological Records Centre, Monks Wood for their support and the Nature Conservancy Council for the financial help to publish this manual. Any factual or implied errors in the text are, of course, entirely ours. CONTENTS Page National Distribution Mapping 5 chemes in progress - Summer 1976 6 Plants: Marine Algae 6 Larger Fungi 6 Lichen 9 Mosses and Liverworts 9 Ferns and Horsetails 9 Flowering Plants, Grasses and Ferns 9 Floras 10 Rare Plants 10 Plant Conservation 10 Animals: Marine Dinoflagellates
    [Show full text]
  • Annandale Wayannandale Way
    We took a walk on the We took a walk on the Annandale Way On the horizon the hills climbed so that the sun could nestAnnandale between them. Way We took a walk in Annandale and at the end we asked, The Annan ran softly and smooth its golden ‘Can we walk the whole way?’ cool waters rustling like leaves. t n c i n g h e S c o n h a t t e i s h d S a n o l w g a i n y t a C r o b a e l s e t C a n d r i v e r v a l l e y s w w w . s u l w a t h c o n n e c t i o n s . o r g ...For walkers after fairy tale dreams, there’s nothing like the Annandale Way... Hoddom Primary School ...Annandale Way, Annandale Way, What wonders lie within you today? Annandale Way, Annandale Way, There’s lots of things that we can say. ...For walkers after There’s your countryside filled with mystery. a life-changing There’s your paths filled with history. Annandale Way, Annandale Way, experience when will you cease to amaze me? Annan Academy there’s nothing better than the Annandale Way... Hoddom Primary School ...For walkers after Landscapes! Surprises! Nature! Fun! there’s nothing better than the Annandale Way... Hoddom Primary School ...The cows were ...I’ve heard the screaming prisoner cowering from rain. dying in pain, in the dungeon of Spedlin Tower! I have heard the fast The wind howled footsteps trip trapping of the Jardine- Pattersons running over my weary through the trees.
    [Show full text]
  • Scottish Birds
    ISSN 0036-9144 SCOTTISH BIRDS THE JOURNAL OF THE SCOTTISH ORNITHOLOGISTS' CLUB Volume 9 No. 4 WINTER 1976 Price 7Sp SCOTTISH BIRD REPORT 1975 1977 SPECIAL INTEREST TOURS by PER'EGRINE HOLIDAYS Director s: Raymond Hodgkins, MA. (Oxon)MTAI. Patricia Hodgkins, MTAI a nd Neville Wykes, (Acct.) All Tours by scheduled Air and Inclusive. Most with guest lecturers and a tour manager. *Provisional SPRING IN VENICE . Mar 19-26 . Art & Leisure £139 SPRING IN ATHENS ... Mar 22-31 . Museums & Leisure £125 SPRING IN ARGOLlS ... Mar 22-31 . Sites & Flowers £152 PELOPONNESE . .. Apr 1-15 ... Birds & Flowers £340 CRETE . Apr 1·15 .. Birds & Flowers £330 MACEDONIA . Apr 28-May 5 . .. Birds with Peter Conder £210 ANDALUSIA .. May 2·14 . Birds & Flowers £220* PELOPONNESE & CRETE ... May 24-Jun 7 . .. Sites & Flowers £345 CRETE (8 days) . , . May 24, 31, June 7 ... Leisure £132 NORTHERN GREECE ... Jun 8·22 ... Mountain Flowers £340 RWANDA & ZAIRE . Jul 15·Aug 3 ... Gorillas with John £898 Gooders. AMAZON & GALAPAGOS . .. Aug 4-24 ... Dr David Bellamy £1064 BIRDS OVER THE BOSPHORUS ... Sep 22-29 ... Eagles with £195 Dr Chris Perrins. KASHMIR & KULU . .. Oct 14-29 ... Birds & Flowers £680* AUTUMN IN ARGOLlS ... Oct 12·21 ... Birds & Sites £153* AUTUMN IN CRETE ... Nov 1-8 ... Birds & Leisure £154* Brochures by return. Registration without obligation. PEREGRINE HOLIDAYS at TOWN AND GOWN TRAVEL, 40/41 SOUTH PARADE, AGENTS SUMMERTOWN, OXFORD, OX2 7JP. Phone Oxford (0865) 511341-2-3 Fully Bonded Atol No. 275B RARE BIRDS IN BRITAIN AND IRELAND by J. T. R. SHARROCKand E. M. SHARROCK This new, much fuller, companion work to Dr Sharrock's Scarce Migrant Birds in Britain and Ireland (£3.80) provides a textual and visual analysis for over 221 species of rare birds seen in these islands.
    [Show full text]
  • St Ann's – Millhousebridge
    St Ann’s – Millhousebridge – Hoddom Distance St Ann’s – Lockerbie 20km (12½ miles) Lockerbie – Hoddom 14km (9 miles) You may wish to walk this section in two days, with a break in Lockerbie Source St. Ann’s From the A701 one mile north of St Ann’s (OS Map 322 Johnstonebridge r e t GR072, 953) head up through Hazelbank Plantation, ANNANDALE WAY a W down to Blackburn Cottage and over fields past e Great Hill M74 f ry 287m Greenbeck and Heathfield farms. A series of minor roads, B723 D paths through pastureland, and plantation bring you past Lochbrow, through Spedlin’s Flow and Corncockle to the road between Templand and Millhousebridge. Turn left here, following the ‘Lockerbie’ sign, to Templand Millhousebridge down the banks of the Annan. If, stopping in Lockerbie turn left after Applegarthtown Millhousebridge leaving the Annandale Way, walking along quiet roads Applegarthtown into the town. If you’re carrying on turn right along the Mill Loch road through Gallaberry Plantation across Dryfe Water, Lochmaben along quiet roads to Lockerbie Memorial Garden. Here is Kirk Lockerbie . Loch B7068 . a second opportunity to enter Lockerbie along the A709. H Castle A709 i g Continuing south, cross the main road through the Loch h Hightae U plantation that makes up Eskrigg Nature Reserve. Follow Mill Loch p ; j on through Pilmur, Southfield along a minor road, drop Hightae o y B7020 Burnswark f towards Kettleholm where you turn right walking with the u Hill l a Water of Milk to your left and through the plantation past Kettleholm 287m s g Milkbank Kennels.
    [Show full text]
  • 2 Phillips/Bradley
    Proc Soc Antiq Scot, 134 (2004), 17–51 PHILIPS & BRADLEY: DEVELOPER-FUNDED FIELDWORK | 17 Developer-funded fieldwork in Scotland, 1990–2003: an overview of the prehistoric evidence Tim Phillips* & Richard Bradley* ABSTRACT The paper is in two parts. The first presents a digest of the prehistoric evidence recovered by developer-funded archaeology between 1990 and 2003 and compares it with the results of projects funded by Historic Scotland. The second reflects on the wider significance of this material in relation to past and present research on Scottish prehistory and its implications for the archaeology of Britain and Ireland. PART ONE independent commercial archaeological units have conducted this fieldwork. There have also Tim Phillips been several hundred field surveys undertaken The National Planning Policy Guideline for in advance of afforestation and linear schemes Archaeology and Planning (NPPG5) states: such as road building and pipelines. The Scottish archaeological units have an The primary policy objectives are that they enviable record of publication of their most [archaeological remains] should be preserved important excavations, but the full extent and wherever feasible and that, where this proves not content of this work has never been quantified. to be possible, procedures should be in place to ensure proper recording before destruction, and Because of the requirements of planning subsequent analysis and publication. (Scottish legislation, destruction or damage to the known Office 1994, para 4) body of standing monuments is limited. This report aims to provide an overview of the This document goes on to advise that the planning prehistoric evidence revealed by this work and authorities should, ‘ensure, where appropriate, to consider it in relation to the results of more that the prospective developer arranges for an ‘traditional’ archaeology.
    [Show full text]
  • Dumfries & Galloway
    What to See & Do 2013-14 Explore: Dumfries & Galloway NaturalNatural WondersWonders Over 150 attractions to choose from, inspiring ideas for great days out Glorious GardenGardenss Enjoy thrilling activities, from 7stanes mountain biking to the longest zip Outdoor AdventureAdventuress wire in the UK www.visitdumfriesandgalloway.co.uk Welcome to... Dumfries & Galloway Exotic gardens blessed by the warm Gulf Stream 06 Five 7stanes mountain biking centres 34 Robert Burns once lived in Dumfries 04 01 02 03 04 05 Disclaimer VisitScotland has published this guide in good faith to reflect information submitted to it by the proprietor/managers of the premises listed who have paid for their entries to be included. Although VisitScotland has taken reasonable steps to confirm the information contained in the guide at the time of going to press, it cannot guarantee that the information published is and remains accurate. Accordingly, VisitScotland recommends that all information is checked with the proprietor/manager of the business to ensure that the facilities, cost and all other aspects of the premises are satisfactory. VisitScotland accepts no responsibility for any error or misrepresentation contained in the guide and excludes all liability for loss or damage caused by any reliance placed on the information contained in the guide. VisitScotland also cannot accept any liability for loss caused by the bankruptcy, or liquidation, or insolvency, or cessation of trade of any company, firm or individual contained in this guide. Quality Assurance awards
    [Show full text]
  • Birdwatching in Dumfries & Galloway
    Dumfries & Galloway is renowned for the birdwatching opportunities provided along the shores of the inner Solway Firth – and rightly so. The Solway is one of the most important estuaries in Britain holding up to 40,000 wildfowl and 83,000 waders during the winter period This is the 4th Edition of a hugely popular booklet collated by Dumfries and Galloway Council Ranger Service. There have been new reserves created since the 3rd edition, whereas others have been upgraded with new facilities since the last publication in 2004. Few birdwatchers take the time to explore inland parts of Dumfries and Galloway or visit at a different time of year, yet the region offers such a range of habitats that there is good birdwatching in every season. This booklet gives an introduction to the best and most easily accessible birdwatching sites in Dumfries and Galloway. Key to abbreviations and symbols DGC Dumfries and Galloway Council FCS Forestry Commission Scotland LNR Local Nature Reserve NNR National Nature Reserve NSA National Scenic Area NTS National Trust for Scotland RSPB Royal Society for the Protection of Birds SNH Scottish National Heritage SWT Scottish Wildlife Trust WWT Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust 15 Birdwatching site Viewing from car Disabled access Hide CCTV Closed Circuit TV 1 Nith Estuary, Glencaple WIGTOWNSHIRE The Rhins of Galloway The Rhins is especially noted for the breeding seabird colonies at the Mull of Galloway and the overwintering species that frequent Loch Ryan. Corsewall Point, at the northern tip of the peninsula, is the best autumn seawatching site in Dumfries and Galloway. Mull of Galloway 2 1.
    [Show full text]
  • Dumfriesshire
    Dumfriesshire Rare Plant Register Christopher Miles An account of the known distribution of the rare or scarce native plants in Dumfriesshire up to the end of 2015 Rare Plant Register Dumfriesshire 2015 Orobanche rapum-genistae, Greater Broomrape, Lochar Moss NY0177 2 Rare Plant Register Dumfriesshire 2015 Acknowledgements My thanks go to all those who have contributed plant records in Dumfriesshire over the years. Many people have between them provided hundreds or thousands of records and this publica- tion would not have been possible without them. More particularly before my recording from 1996 onwards plant records have been collected and collated in three distinct periods since the nineteenth century by previous botanists working in Dumfriesshire. The first of these was George Scott- Eliott. He was an eminent explorer and botanist who ed- ited the first and only Flora so far published for Dumfriesshire in 1896. His work was greatly aided by other contributing botanists probably most notably Mr J.T. Johnstone and Mr W. Stevens. The second was Humphrey Milne-Redhead who was a GP in Mainsriddle in Kircudbright- shire from 1947. He was both the vice county recorder for Bryophytes and for Higher Plants for all three Dumfries and Galloway vice counties! During his time the first systematic re- cording was stimulated by work for the first Atlas of the British Flora (1962). He published a checklist in 1971/72. The third period of recording was between 1975 and 1993 led by Stuart and particularly Mary Martin after Stuart’s death. Mary in particular continued systematic recording and recorded for the monitoring scheme in 1987/88.
    [Show full text]
  • Calgary Claver Spring 2020 Volume 5, Issue 1
    Calgary Claver Spring 2020 Volume 5, Issue 1 Calgary Claver PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE As I approach the end of my term as President, I am pleased to say that the Club has accomplished much in the past year! The Singers completed the production of Ay Waukin’ O and it was available for distribution before Christmas. St. Andrews Day was celebrated with another enjoyable event at the Canyon Meadows Golf and Country Club. We had a successful Burns Supper at the new/old venue, the Westin Hotel, where we were welcomed back after many years’ absence. There were some transitional issues which have been addressed for next year’s event, wherever it might be. I want to take this opportunity to thank all those involved in ensuring that all these events happened and for their success. Plans are now under way for a return trip to Scotland in 2021 with performances by the Singers in a number of venues. Our Club is recognized worldwide for its enthusiasm, activities, talent and hospitality; however, we face a number of challenges in the future and this is shared by many Burns organizations, not the least of which is our aging demographic and difficulty in finding members to serve in key positions. Times are changing and we must be prepared to follow suit. 1. Stormy Arbroath 2. Carluke Sunset (Elizabeth Morrison) The major challenge that we are now facing is COVID-19 and how this will impact us in the 3. The Brow Well near Dumfries near and distant future is impossible to predict and things will have changed between the time that I write this, and you read it.
    [Show full text]