• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Alan Watson Featherstone

ECOLOGIST, NATURE PHOTOGRAPHER AND INSPIRATIONAL SPEAKER
FOUNDER OF THE AWARD-WINNING CHARITY TREES FOR LIFE

  • Home
  • Public speaking
  • Writing
  • Photography
  • Events
  • Shop
  • Blog
  • About me
  • Contact

Biodiversity of the Findhorn Hinterland area in Moray, Scotland

Biodiversity of the Findhorn Hinterland area in Moray, Scotland

The Findhorn Hinterland is an ecologically-rich area of sand dunes, lichen heaths, woodland and other natural habitats on the Findhorn peninsula on the Moray Firth coast in northeast Scotland. It is nationally important for its diversity of lichen species, with over 180 recorded there, including some that are Nationally Rare and endangered, as well as a species of lichenicolous fungus that has not been recorded anywhere else in the UK.

The Findhorn Hinterland Trust is a small local charity that has management responsibility for a key part of this area, and in my role as one of the charity’s Trustees I have a particular interest in, and focus on, the remarkable biological diversity of the site. This presentation highlights some of the wide range of species that occur there, especially the smaller organisms that are often overlooked.

This inspiring and illuminating talk covers a large variety of different fungi, invertebrates of all sorts, from spiders and sawflies to aphids and ladybirds, and the interesting and unusual ecological relationships that link many of these organisms to each other, through processes such as the formation of galls, parasitism and predation.

Special attention is given to some of the rare and unusual lichens that are a key ecological feature of the area, with many photographs illustrating both the diversity of species and the spectacular miniature ‘forests’ that they form in the dune heath areas. This presentation provides a literal eye-opening experience of the very special ecosystems on this part of the Moray Firth coast, which are largely unknown to most people, and which are highly threatened in other coastal areas of Scotland.

If you would like me to give this talk to a group or at an event, please contact me.

Primary Sidebar

My TEDx talk – Restoring the ancient Caledonian Forest.

TEDx TEDx – Restoring the Caledonian Forest

Recent posts

  • The abundant life of dead wood, part 1
  • Gannets galore, part 2
  • Gannets galore, part 1
  • A shieldbug extravaganza, part 2
  • A shieldbug extravaganza, part 1

News

  • We have one place available on our workshop, ‘A Rewilding Journey’
  • New video: A Sense of Wonder
  • 2022 Caledonian Forest Engagement Diary now available
  • Lessons from Nature webinar recording now available online
  • ‘A Rewilding Journey’ workshop 16-23 October

I’m speaking at…

  • 'A Rewilding Journey' workshop scheduled for 14-21 May 2022 in Glen Affric – 14 May 2022–
    21 May 2022
  • A Rewilding Journey: Rewilding the World and Ourselves – 14 May 2022–
    21 May 2022

Over on Twitter…

Alan Watson FeatherstoneFollow

Ecologist, nature photographer and inspirational speaker. Founder of the award-winning charity Trees for Life.

Alan Watson Featherstone
AlanWatsonFeat1Alan Watson Featherstone@AlanWatsonFeat1·
13 May

Kittiwakes are nesting on the sandstone cliffs of the Moray Coast just now. Between couples exhibiting pair bonding behaviour, single birds advertising their availability & squabbling neighbours at the densely-packed nesting sites, there are a lot of red tongues on display!

4
Reply on Twitter 1525012752980492288Retweet on Twitter 15250127529804922882Like on Twitter 152501275298049228817Twitter 1525012752980492288
Retweet on TwitterAlan Watson Featherstone Retweeted
wilder_actionPaul Wright 🇬🇧🇯🇲🇸🇰@wilder_action·
11 May

Missionary

Reply on Twitter 1524284999414865920Retweet on Twitter 1524284999414865920282Like on Twitter 15242849994148659202976Twitter 1524284999414865920
Retweet on TwitterAlan Watson Featherstone Retweeted
AllBugsGo2KevinAll Bugs Go To Kevin@AllBugsGo2Kevin·
11 May

I saw, for the first time, an Aedes sp Mosquito feeding on a Box Turtle today. I was thrilled to get a capture!

Reply on Twitter 1524196149548273668Retweet on Twitter 1524196149548273668189Like on Twitter 15241961495482736681701Twitter 1524196149548273668
Load More...

Copyright © 2022 Alan Watson Featherstone | Wikipedia | LinkedIn