Winter Wildlife

Some thoughts about nature at the coldest time of the year

Many of us tend to stay in the warmth of our homes as much as possible at this time of year in Scotland, and it’s easy to think that most animals and birds might be doing the same. However, that isn’t necessarily the case! There’s plenty of wildlife to be seen at this time of year if you know where to look.

We always love to get a walk in on a Saturday, even if the weather’s terrible we’ll visit a local park or a cemetery. This weekend we walked around Edinburgh’s Arthur’s Seat, where we saw even more Jackdaws than usual. These smart little crows nest in abundance around the hill, I love the subtle purple and green iridescence you can see in the wings of the individual below.

One of the things that I love noticing in winter is moss, now that most of the trees have lost their leaves, mosses add a wonderful dash of green to the winter landscape. Below is my favourite clump of moss ever, a perfect piece of Grey cushioned Grimmia (Grimmia pulvinata) which I saw in Edinburgh’s Liberton cemetery a few winters ago.

If it snows, look out for signs and traces of animals even when they’re not actually around. I found the feather below in Edinburgh’s North Merchiston Cemetery a few winters ago and was astonished to find out it came from a Woodcock, an elusive wader that hides in winter woodlands (and cemeteries too, it seems!)

Featherbase is a very useful website for identifying feathers from birds.

Also look out for tracks of birds and mammals in the snow or mud. The Woodland Trust has a beginner’s guide to identifying the tracks of some of the animals commonly found in the UK.

And what about insects? You may think there are no moths to be found in winter in the Highlands of Scotland, but you’d be wrong, as Patti explains over on Nature Unveiled

Winter’s Winged Wonders

So, wrap up in your warm clothes and go for a walk in a local greenspace, keep your eyes and ears open and you may be surprised by what you can find!

Good News for one of our most Iconic Birds of Summer

Excellent news for Swifts in Scotland, “all new buildings over a certain size must include ‘swift bricks’ as part of their design”, a change secured by the Scottish Green Party, read more here.

Creative Opportunities

Scotland’s Climate Stories is looking for stories (up to 1 000 words) about the climate crisis from people in Scotland. They’re looking for both fictional stories and non-fiction, and are interested in how people respond to the climatic crisis and what writing about it can affect how we feel. Find out more here.

If you sign up for The January Challenge from 64 Million Artists, you’ll receive a creative prompt every day during the first month of 2026. Sign up here.