What's the buzz?

Grantown, Ballater, Kingussie.....Ballater, Kingussie, Grantown....Kingussie, Grantown,Ballater

The Cairngorms Big BioBuzz Day - 22nd May 2010 - aimed to get as many people as possible involved in recording and enjoying wildlife close to three towns.

Birds, flowers, lichens, bugs, frogs, bees, dragonflies, trees, squirrels, moths, butterflies, fish, mosses, fungi, ladybirds, beetles, spiders, newts, bats, water voles, ants, earthworms, damselflies

. . . those are some of the categories of plant and creature catalogued and celebrated on Big BioBuzz Day. It's been a major way for the Cairngorms National Park to mark 2010 International Year of Biodiversity.

Teams of experts were on hand to help give guidance and information at base camps in each town. Through the day and night wildlife rangers and others led walks to see, hear and appreciate wildlife.

This was great fun and accessible to many ages and abilities. But there were also many activities that didn’t involve identifying wildlife.

During the day, at different places, there were arts and crafts activities, storytelling, facepainting and more. Those who wanted to get stuck-in to some serious conservation work helped to dig a new pond at Grantown.

Photographs, stories and observations were shared at basecamps. No one knew in advance how many species would be recorded. Results are now being compiled. Were there more butterflies at Ballater, moths at Grantown or fish at Kingussie? That was part of the challenge. What is certain is that there were plenty of surprises and plenty of fun.

Wildlife on the doorstep. Biodiversity close to home.

**That’s the Buzz.**

For more information, contact Stephen Corcoran, Cairngorms Biodiversity Officer:

stephencorcoran@cairngorms.co.uk
Tel: 01479 870528

Thanks for funding support for the Big BioBuzz go to Scottish Natural Heritage and the Cairngorms National Park Authority