Forest Merlins in Scotland, J. Orchel: 1st Ed: Scottish Wildlife: Ornithology

 A Report On The Galloway Forests Merlin Project 1986-1989

This detailed and thorough work was inspired by the author's discovery of a Merlin nest in a tall Sitka spruce within a mature forest in Galloway in 1982 when many ornithologists were greatly concerned about the decline of the Merlin and the loss of its traditional nesting places in deep heather due to afforestation.

In the best tradition of British scholarship, this independent report draws on the expertise of foresters, rangers and wildlife managers of both private forests and the Forestry Commission working in close partnership with the Hawk and Owl Trust over a period of several years. The Country Landowners' Association have been staunch supporters of this project, backing Jack Orchel's scientific and historical research as a basis for practical guidelines for conservation of the Merlin and its breeding habitat in British forests.

This report makes a very important contribution to the study of Merlins in Scotland. It reveals that the species is capable of adapting to changing land use in our uplands and can at least stabilise its numbers and hopefully recover, if undisturbed, in well planned forests where a mosaic of moorland habitat is retained to allow the bird to continue to hunt successfully. I am particularly pleased to write this foreword as my family has, for over 500 years, managed a considerable part of South West Scotland, where the main study has taken place. A report of this kind will surely lead to greater knowledge and understanding of this delightful and popular little bird, known locally as the "wee blue falcon"

I hope that the creative wildlife management guidelines in this publication will commend themselves to all country lovers, including foresters, so that more wildlife managers can be employed in the private sector, perhaps with the help of government and EEC incentives, leading to a recovery in Merlin numbers and ensuring the future of the species, not only in Scotland but elsewhere in Britain's uplands.