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During both World Wars the main thrust of Germany’s U-boat campaigns concentrated on the Western approaches to the British Isles, the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea, which were far more lucrative and safer for U-boats to operate in than the … Continue reading →

An article kindly sent by John Swallow, regular Isle of May Bird Observatory visitor, on his first week-long visit in Spring 1985. Enjoy John’s reflections of his first stay at the Obs and the highs and lows of early spring … Continue reading →

The Isle of May Bird Observatory officially turns the ripe old age of 85 this month. Scotland’s first observatory and the UK’s longest running! Here is page one of the chatty log which begins on 28th September 1934 with the … Continue reading →

As posted back in early April,thanks to funding support from SNH, we began and have now completed the renewal of the Bain Trap. The Bain trap is arguably one of the most successful traps on the island for catching migrant … Continue reading →

Thanks to funding support from SNH we have begun the renewal of the Bain Trap, one of the Heligoland traps on the island used to catch migrant birds for ringing. Having been first built between 1948 and 1949 it was … Continue reading →

The chatty logs, held in the observatory provide an informal account of the observatory’s 75+ years of operation. News and items of interest and the occasional extract from past log books will appear here…