St Abb's Head National Nature Reserve NTS

16/06/2026

SSE renewables are attempting to move forward their plans for Berwick Bank by changing to a phased approach.

This means they may only have to provide compensation measures in smaller chunks.

Attached is a link to the RSPB website which breaks it down into smaller chunks, including what you can do to take action. This includes emailing the marine directorate, Scottish Ministers and signing the latest petition.

It’s not too late to speak up for our seabirds!

National Trust for Scotland

The developer of Berwick Bank offshore wind farm has applied to change its plans for a development forecast to kill thousands of seabirds.

14/06/2026

It’s count season! At this time of year the team are flat out trying to count every single seabird that calls this place home! This video gives a flavour of what it’s like on a good day - it’s been a battle with thunder at lightning at times! 🌩️

It’s a privilege to get to carry out this work and all the data feeds into the seabird monitoring programme, a national database that uses our seabird stats to build a picture of how they’re doing.

It’s too early to release any figures but we’ll update once the counts are complete. Wish us luck, we’re seeing Guillemots in our sleep! 🐦

National Trust for Scotland

28/05/2026

🔊 Use your voice!! The brilliant team at the Scottish Seabird Centre have launched another e-action campaign, looking at messaging all the recently elected MSP’s to ask them to cancel Berwick Bank windfarm.

The projected impacts are severe, with 2808 Guillemots, 815 Kittiwakes, 261 Gannets, 154 Razorbills and 66 Puffins set to be lost in the first year alone. We support green energy but this development is quite simply in the wrong place for seabirds.

This is a chance to keep shouting up for nature and letting them know you don’t want to see thousands of seabirds lost at the hands of this development. Help us shout as loud as we can! 🌊

National Trust for Scotland
Scottish Seabird Centre

https://www.seabird.org/cancel-berwick-bank-offshore-windfarm?fbclid=IwdGRjcASFOPdleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEeBRAOqkJocq7SgUUnxZKl42tbOfWcJLVoCMvr36iKDGIVznMy3WHr-KJlOVE_aem_L0E_6AK0sDuR0nXUyHZ79g

Berwick Bank threatens to be the deadliest windfarm for birds anywhere in the world.

27/05/2026

A brood of seven grumpy Great T**s in an old leaflet box out the back of the office. If given space, nature can thrive in the most unlikely of places. 🙂

15/05/2026

Although they don’t breed here at St Abb’s Head, we see Bonxies on passage, sometimes heading north to breeding grounds or lingering offshore pirating food off the other seabirds!

Their populations have been smashed by avian flu but still they keep on going - an emblematic Scottish species, with Scotland hosting a significant percentage of the world’s population!

Give the Bonxie a vote (sorry Small Tortoiseshell, you are beautiful too 😬 )

🏆 The Scottish Animal World Cup continues!

Today’s match sees the great skua take on the small tortoiseshell butterfly. You decide who goes through to the next round, so get your votes in now!

‘Like’ for the great skua, ‘love’ for the small tortoiseshell butterfly.

The great skua - or bonxie - has a fierce reputation. Nicknamed the “pirate of the sea”, this powerful seabird is known for stealing food from other birds - but Scotland is home to most of the world’s great skuas, and we’re working hard to help their numbers recover after avian flu. You can spot them at places in our care including Canna NTS, Fair Isle, Iona, Mingulay, Pabbay & Berneray, St Abb's Head National Nature Reserve NTS, St Kilda, Staffa and the Treshnish Isles.

The small tortoiseshell butterfly offers a very different kind of challenge. With its bright orange wings edged with blue markings, it's a familiar sight in gardens and grasslands, and often one of the first butterflies to emerge in spring. Its caterpillars feed on nettles, while adults enjoy nectar from a wide range of flowers. You might spot them at places in our care including Ben Lawers National Nature Reserve NTS, Greenbank Garden NTS and Inveresk Lodge Garden NTS.

This year’s competition is helping us shine a light on our Plan for Nature - our long-term commitment to protect and restore nature across the places in our care. From wetlands and woodlands to coasts, rivers and open landscapes, healthy habitats are vital if species like these are to thrive in the future.

So, who gets your vote? Voting for this match closes tomorrow.

14/05/2026

The wildflowers are starting to really pop on the cliffs, the Thrift in particular looking absolutely GLORIOUS right now!!!!💥

National Trust for Scotland

13/05/2026

Orca going south off the lighthouse NOW! St abbs village / Eyemouth could be best bet! Around a few hundred meters off and not living at pace 🙂🌊

12/05/2026

Orca north very distantly off the Head this evening, last seen around 2010 heading away from Souter point in the direction of Fastcastle after feeding off there for a short time.

Minimum 8 animals including an enormous bull!

So great to have them back!!! 🤩🌊

06/05/2026

Here’s a peek through the window into the frantic and chaotic world of a Gannet colony! The adults are constantly fighting for space and all around there is gentle courtship and balletic dance displays. The more you watch the more you see! 🤩

26/04/2026

Here are a few pictures from our volunteer Roger from an amazing Orca encounter yesterday!

They were seen hunting seals close inshore before slowly travelling off to the north, great to have them back after last year and hopefully this is the first of many sightings this year! 🤩

National Trust for Scotland