BIRDWATCHING IN THE SCOTTISH BORDERS FREE FrontFront CoverCover Photo Dipper - LaurieLaurie Campbell Welcome to Birdwatching in the Scottish Borders This booklet is a guide to the best birdwatching sites in the Scottish Borders. The booklet has been produced by the Borders Branch of the SOC with help from individuals, local organisations and authorities. The Borders Branch of the SOC is always looking to receive records of bird sightings from anyone in the region to add to its own information as published in the annual Borders Bird Report. We welcome individual records and bird lists, such as from a day’s walk or a fortnight’s holiday, and not just of rarities. We particularly wish to receive observations from the maturing forests and indeed any site where you see birds that are not on the ‘expected’ list. If possible, please include a location, a grid reference and a date for each record. These should be sent to the Borders Bird Recorder, Ray Murray, by telephone to 01721 730677 or by email to
[email protected] The Scottish Borders and its habitats for birds Located in the south-east of the country, the 4600 square kilometres of the Scottish Borders have the warmest and driest summer climate in Scotland. Together with a varied topography extending from the coast to over 800m in the Tweedsmuir Hills, these conditions have produced a diversity of habitats for both breeding and wintering birds. Compared with some other regions the Scottish Borders is not noted for high-profi le birdwatching reserves or a large number of hides and other facilities; rather its diversity of birds requires that visits be made to many sites, usually involving short walks.