I met with the Arnhall Moss group last week to hear about the work they have been doing to keep this Nature Reserve – one of the few remaining raised bogs in lowland Aberdeenshire – a special place.

Over the past years birch trees have invaded Arnhall Moss and begun to dry out the area. The new habitat of birch woodland supports a different range of insects and birds making the reserve a spectacular place to visit with much wildlife to see. Common woodland and wetland birds such as wren, great tit, blue tit, coal tit, redpoll, mallard and moorhen are abundant and mammals such as pipistrelle bats, roe deer, foxes and stoats, either live on or use the site.

Over the past years a number of successful events, such as Bat and Moth nights, Beastie Safaris and the annual Moss Mop Up have been held, an information board has been produced and installed and the paths around the site have been upgraded.

The Local Nature Reserve can be visited at any time. Access is taken from Denman Park, opposite the shopping centre at Westhill.

Please take the time to visit – I’m looking forward to a walk-about with Sally who has a wealth of knowledge on the Moss and who is also the newly-elected chair of the group.