Volunteer Wildlife Recording

Recording Sheets

Wildlife recording is very important for protecting and enhancing biodiversity. It provides information on where certain animals have been throughout the year. It is easy to do and we would really appreciate your help. All you have to do is print off a copy of the Volunteer Wildlife Recording Sheet (Adobe Acrobat format) or contact the Biodiversity Co-ordinator for a copy. Then while you are out on a walk simply take note of any species that are on the sheet.

We've listed them below with some brief details - click the species name for a photograph to help you to identify them:

Badger	Badgers are not common in Clackmannanshire.
Brown hare	Brown hares are quite common on farmland.
Otter	You may see otters on the Devon, Black Devon or Forth.
Mountain hare	Although they are not common you may lucky to see mountain hares in the Ochils.
Red squirrel	The local red squirrel population is in the east of Clackmannanshire. Note: the squirrels around towns are usually greys, which can look reddish but do not have tufted ears and are not as shy as reds.
Water vole	Water voles are very rare in the area. They are as large as Rats (20cm plus 10cm tail), but are more furry and do not have a pointy nose. Water voles live in grassy, shallow ditches in both urban and countryside areas.
Barn owl	Recently, there have been more sightings of barn owls in Clackmannanshire. Look for them in farmland where they hunt for small mammals.
Black grouse	Black grouse like different kinds of places to live, but are mostly seen in uplands near woodlands. The local population is likely to be a single pair above Tillicoultry.
Bullfinch	Bullfinches are brightly coloured birds, found in mature woodlands, hedges, parks and gardens.
Curlew	Curlews can be seen during the winter on the Forth Estuary and during the spring/summer in the Ochils where they breed.
Golden eagle	Although golden eagles seem more like a highland bird, they are occasionally seen in the Dollar and Muckhart areas. They are much larger than buzzards, with longer wings that are held in a 'V' shape while they soar on air currents.
Goldfinch	One of the most colourful finch in Britain, the goldfinch can been spotted in gardens, especially if you plant teasle, a favourite food!
Grey partridge	Grey partridges like to live in pastures and mixed farmland. If you seen their rusty heads be sure to note it on the record sheet as we would like to know how common they are in Clackmannanshire.
Lapwing	Lapwings like to live on wet pastures and wetlands by the Forth. In the spring they perform displays in the air, making loud throbbing sounds with their wings.
Linnet Skylark Tree sparrow Yellowhammer	Linnets, skylarks, tree sparrows and yellowhammers all live on farmlands and have been declining over the years nationally. Help us learn what is happening locally by recording all your sightings.
Peregrine falcon	Nearly 20% of all European peregrine falcons are in Britain. There are two breeding pairs in Clackmannanshire, located on the southern scarp of the Ochils.
Oystercatcher	With their carrot-like bills and loud cries, oystercatchers are difficult to miss. Look for them on wetlands, shingle banks of rivers and even on flat roofs!
Red kite	There is an RSPB red kite project in Doune, therefore you may see one flying over to our area. They have an obvious red forked tail.
Redshank	Redshanks like wetlands where they feed on wee beasties in the grass and pond edges. Their red legs are unmistakable.
Ring ouzel	Ring ouzels are also known as mountain blackbirds as they are very similar to the garden blackbird. Both males and females have whiteish crescents on their breasts and they live in the uplands in heather and pasture.
Shelduck	This colourful duck lives on the Forth Estuary.
Wigeon	Have a look for wigeon at Gartmorn Dam during the winter.
Lizard	The common lizard is the smallest of three British lizards. Their average length is 14 cm. Watch for them in log piles and along paths.
Ladybirds	Ten kinds of ladybirds have been recorded in the area. Next time you see a ladybird in your garden, see if you can identify which it is!
Large heath butterfly	Large heath butterflies live in boggy areas. The orange forewing is obvious and they can even fly in dull weather if the temperature is above 14oC.
Northern brown argus butterfly	The northern brown argus butterfly likes rocky areas in the hills where their caterpillars eat common rockrose flowers. It has a dark brown upperside with two white dots on the forewing on the Scottish variety.
Sticky catchfly flower	About 17% of the UK's population of sticky catchfly plants are in the Ochils! They are easy to grow in your garden and plants can be purchased from Jupiter Urban Wildlife Centre.