Ray Collier Country Diary - 50th Local Nature Reserve
25th February 2008 -50th Local Nature Reserve
The Merkinch area lies in the north west part of the City of Inverness and it has an ancient and chequered history. At one time it was involved in the shipbuilding industry and distilling was important with a number of distilleries in the area. Perhaps even further back is the association with farming as the name Merkinch is derived from the Gaelic meaning "island or meadow of the horses". Many people’s memories of the area involves the Kessock Ferry that crossed the Moray Firth from a pier in South Kessock. The short trip was notable for the fact that one or two grey seals often used to follow the ferry backwards and forwards. The last ferry, the Rosehaugh, stopped in 1982 when the Kessock Bridge was opened.
Now the area has another claim to fame as it has become the 50th Local Nature Reserve (LNR) in Scotland and the first permanent one in the Highlands. There was a LNR at Munlochy Bay which lasted from 1975 to 1985 but it was de-designated because of access problems for ther general public. There is a LNR at Findhorn Bay and another on the Isle of Lewis in the Western Isles so it seems incredible that with so many outstanding wildlife areas in the Highlands as such, that Merkinch is the only one. A number of organisations have been involved including Merkinch Greenspace, Greeninverness, the Highland Council and British Waterways. The development is even more important to those people who were involved in the proposed waterfront centre that, unfortunately, had to be abandoned.
The total area of the site is 54.7 hectares and includes part of the Beauly Firth with extensive mudflats at low water, freshwater lagoons, tidal pools, salt marsh and scrub. One of the best places to see the firth is from the car park at South Kessock and many waders and wildfowl can be seen there including greylag geese shown on the photograph. When the tide is out grey and common seals can be seen on the mud banks and the bottle nosed dolphins can often be seen fishing as the tide flows. The freshwater and tidal pools attract large numbers of herons, teal, mallard and common snipe and it is the most likely place in the Highlands you will see a kingfisher. At this time of the year the scrub attracts flocks of finches including bramblings and other visitors from Scandinavia such as fieldfares and redwings. People like to visit the area as a walk whilst others take their dogs, hopefully on leads. Bird watchers haunt the area especially the water bodies looking for the elusive water rail that is so secretive. There have even been records of otter there but at such a site they are likely to be completely nocturnal. Botanists visit the site to see the attractive beds of bulrushes, an aquatic plant that grows in a few sites around Inverness but virtually nowhere else in the Highlands. So what does the designation mean to the very many people that visit the area already and to the rich wildlife to be found there? One essential part of the plans for the area is the production of a Management Plan and funding has already been earmarked from a number of bodies including the Scottish Natural Heritage. A consultant will be appointed to produce a management and interpretation plan plus a website. Due regard will be taken for facilities for the disabled. The steering group has also secured enough funding to pay for a launch event, probably in the spring of 2008.
The Merkinch area lies in the north west part of the City of Inverness and it has an ancient and chequered history. At one time it was involved in the shipbuilding industry and distilling was important with a number of distilleries in the area. Perhaps even further back is the association with farming as the name Merkinch is derived from the Gaelic meaning "island or meadow of the horses". Many people’s memories of the area involves the Kessock Ferry that crossed the Moray Firth from a pier in South Kessock. The short trip was notable for the fact that one or two grey seals often used to follow the ferry backwards and forwards. The last ferry, the Rosehaugh, stopped in 1982 when the Kessock Bridge was opened.
Now the area has another claim to fame as it has become the 50th Local Nature Reserve (LNR) in Scotland and the first permanent one in the Highlands. There was a LNR at Munlochy Bay which lasted from 1975 to 1985 but it was de-designated because of access problems for ther general public. There is a LNR at Findhorn Bay and another on the Isle of Lewis in the Western Isles so it seems incredible that with so many outstanding wildlife areas in the Highlands as such, that Merkinch is the only one. A number of organisations have been involved including Merkinch Greenspace, Greeninverness, the Highland Council and British Waterways. The development is even more important to those people who were involved in the proposed waterfront centre that, unfortunately, had to be abandoned.
The total area of the site is 54.7 hectares and includes part of the Beauly Firth with extensive mudflats at low water, freshwater lagoons, tidal pools, salt marsh and scrub. One of the best places to see the firth is from the car park at South Kessock and many waders and wildfowl can be seen there including greylag geese shown on the photograph. When the tide is out grey and common seals can be seen on the mud banks and the bottle nosed dolphins can often be seen fishing as the tide flows. The freshwater and tidal pools attract large numbers of herons, teal, mallard and common snipe and it is the most likely place in the Highlands you will see a kingfisher. At this time of the year the scrub attracts flocks of finches including bramblings and other visitors from Scandinavia such as fieldfares and redwings. People like to visit the area as a walk whilst others take their dogs, hopefully on leads. Bird watchers haunt the area especially the water bodies looking for the elusive water rail that is so secretive. There have even been records of otter there but at such a site they are likely to be completely nocturnal. Botanists visit the site to see the attractive beds of bulrushes, an aquatic plant that grows in a few sites around Inverness but virtually nowhere else in the Highlands. So what does the designation mean to the very many people that visit the area already and to the rich wildlife to be found there? One essential part of the plans for the area is the production of a Management Plan and funding has already been earmarked from a number of bodies including the Scottish Natural Heritage. A consultant will be appointed to produce a management and interpretation plan plus a website. Due regard will be taken for facilities for the disabled. The steering group has also secured enough funding to pay for a launch event, probably in the spring of 2008.
posted by Corinne @ 10:55 AM
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