The Future of our Valley is under threat ...
Wildlife in the Valley
The Borthwickwater Valley is a haven for wildlife, with many protected and endangered species.
Nature sacrificed for wind farms and pylons, when Scotland today produces ten times the energy it needs and pays Wind Farm companies millions of pounds to turn them off.
See the list below with how many rare birds and animals we have in the valley here
Borthwickwater Valley resident Colin Scott has photographed the following beautiful animals and birds in our valley. Help us ensure that they remain protected.
Discover the amazing array of birds and wildlife you will find in the Borthwickwater Valley.
Along with the sheep and cattle, you will find the following birds and animals up on the hill where the wind turbines are planned in the Borthwickwater Valley. Wind turbines are not kind to nature.
In the UK it is estimated that between 10,000 and 100,000 birds are killed by turbine blade strikes annually.
The estimated annual losses of bats killed by wind turbines are about 30,00 bats per year. ALL UK species of bats are protected by law.
Just some of the birds and animals found in and around our Valley
- Breeding Mute Swans - these are big heavy birds that require clear takeoff and landing routes - these will be severely restricted by the turbines - big heavy birds are vulnerable to blade strike.
- Range of breeding geese/ ducks/ grebes - geese and larger ducks (Golden eye used to overwinter up on the Moor, all vulnerable to blade strike)
- Range of ground nesting birds - Curlew, Red Grouse, Black Grouse - Curlew are particularly vulnerable to blade strike as they rise in alarm -
- Breeding Buzzards, Hen Harriers, Merlin, occasional Osprey
- Breeding Ravens, Crows, Kestrels and Sparrowhawks. Occasional Goshawk
- Skylarks, Cuckoo, wood pigeon, Grey and Pied wagtails, Tawny Owl, Common Sandpiper, Heron
- Otter, Roe deer, Brown Hares, Badger and Fox, Mole, Field Mice, Weasel, Common Vole, Stoat.
- Red Squirrels
- European Eel as well as salmonoids in the Muselee burn
- Common lizard, adders but have only found skin casts, newts, frogs, common toad
- Bats
- Damsel and Dragon flies
- House Martins - congregate in large numbers on the loch in late spring after their migration north
- Swallows & Swifts use the Valley EVERY summer, in large numbers
- Oystercatcher and Lapwing breeding - Lapwing breeding on Philhope where the turbines are planned
- Red Kite, Jackdaw, Jay, Goosander, Dippers, Barn Owl, Sand Martins, Fieldfare, Redwing, Redstart, Kingfisher, Greater Spotted Woodpecker, Magpie,
- Range of small birds (goldcrest, long tail tits, crossbills, nuthatch, tree creepers, redpoll, goldfinch, starlings, song and mistle thrush, blackbird, greenfinch, bullfinch, chaffinch, blue/great/coal tits, wren, dunnock, siskin, reed bunting, willow warbler, spotted fly catcher, robin, stonechat)