About the Isle of May Bird Observatory
The Low Light - home to the Observatory (Jonathan Osborne) The Isle of May Bird Observatory is Scotland’s oldest bird observatory, founded in 1934. The observatory is administered by a charitable trust (The Isle of May Bird Observatory and Field Station Trust) and manned by volunteer observers between March and November. The Observatory was founded by a group of young Scottish ornithologists and has continued to depend on the enthusiasm of amateurs who come to the island, usually for a week at a time, to maintain observations. The living accomodation is housed within the Low Light, a former navigational lighthouse. The Island lies 5 miles off the Fife coast in eastern Scotland. It is a National Nature Reserve owned and managed by Scottish Natural Heritage and is internationally important for its populations of breeding seabirds particularly Puffins Fratercula arctica. The island is a major landmark from many coastal locations in eastern Scotland sitting low in the water at the mouth of the Firth of Forth. It is best seen from the Fife coast where it dominates the seascapes from the fishing villages of the East Neuk; Crail, Anstruther and Pittenweem.Explore this website further to learn more about the observatory, the island and its birds If you would like to visit the Isle of May Bird Observatory please contact the Bookings Secretary, Jonathan Osborne, at jonathan@osborne108.fsnet.co.uk or jonnobird@hotmail.co.uk Bookings for 2012 can be made from 1st January 2012 (for members), from 1st February to 31st March (for birdwatchers and naturalists) and from 1st April for all other interested parties. PLEASE NOTE: The redevelopment of the Observatory facilities at the Low Light will take place in 2012 from July to October and so accommodation on the island will be severely restricted during this period. Please contact the Bookings Secretary for further information. *Latest - Limited edition prints now available in aid of the Development Appeal (see below) The Observatory is now closed for the year - Bookings will begin again in January 2012 - Annual Report 2009 now available (see below) Something for everyone - from seabirds (puffins on lookout duty - May 2011) to migration and ringing (grasshopper warbler - May 2011) (Pics Jonathan Osborne) Isle of May BIrd Observatory Development Appeal
The Isle of May Bird Observatory Trust is appealing to everyone to donate funds to help them upgrade the facilities at the observatory to enable it to continue and improve its contribution to ornithlogy into the future. In particular, improving the facilities at the observatory will enable better occupancy rates and thus help monitor bird migration through the island at key times and to contribute to the monitoring of the internationally important breeding seabird colony including its Puffins. Please contribute what you can and help us make the observatory fit for the future! DONATE BY POST: A cheque (payable to Isle of May Bird Observatory Development Appeal) can be sent direct to: Niall Campbell, Hon. Treasurer, Isle of May Bird Observatory Trust, 15 Warriston Crescent, Edinburgh EH3 5LA or download a donation form which contains more information about the plans for the development and a "gift aid" declaration (enabling the observatory to increase the value of your donation if you are a UK taxpayer, at no additional cost to you) You can download the donation form in the attachments section at the bottom of this page  * Limited Edition Prints For Sale * Two of Scotland’s most distinguished bird artists
are very kindly offering for sale limited edition prints in aid of the Isle of
May Bird Observatory Appeal. Keith Brockie and Derek Robertson both have a long
association with the Isle of May and much of their work has been inspired by
the island. Keith will shortly be publishing a new book on the May and Derek
will also shortly be publishing a book on Puffins, drawing on the May. The Isle of May prints offer will allow you to buy first class limited edition prints reflecting the island and its birds and at the same time make a contribution to the Isle of May Development Appeal. Each print will provide you with a vivid reminder of life on the May. Reproductions of the two prints are below. Both are printed on A3 (16.5 x 11.7 in. / 420 x 297 mm.) sheets of conservation quality watercolour paper with fine art, lightfast inks. Each print costs £50 plus postage and packing of £5 (irrespective of the number of prints). If you would like prints, please write to the Treasurer of the Isle of May Bird Observatory (Niall Campbell, 15 Warriston Crescent, Edinburgh EH3 5LA) with a cheque made out to the Isle of May Bird Observatory Development Appeal, saying how many and which prints you would like.   Eider and Puffins Keith Brockie Puffins Derek Robertson 2011 NEWS... - for the latest bird news, click here: http://www.isleofmaybirdobs.org/news  Back copies of most previous reports (except 1989, 1993, 2001, 2004 and 2005) are also available from Stuart Rivers. To see the full list of Reports and prices, please have a look at the attached document at the foot of the page. Keep up to date with SNH happenings on the island through The Isle of May NNR Wardens blog just click on: http://isleofmaynnr.blogspot.com/ Bookings: If you would like more information, please contact the bookings secretary by clicking on this link www.isleofmaybirdobs.org/how-to-visit. IOMBO on Facebook!
Join the Isle of May Bird obs Facebook Group - more info, recent photos and news there click on http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=101629733427 IMAGES
A page has been added for visitors photos. Any images from your visit to the island or bird obs can be sent as a jpeg file of less than 1MB to the website news editor at birdnews@isleofmaybirdobs.org |
