Explore Abernethy is in a fantastic location, with plenty of wildlife to be seen in the local area. In fact, many of the UK's rarest species can be found in Abernethy forest.

If you take a walk along the Explore Abernethy Riverside path or into the nearby Dell Woodlands National Nature Reserve in Nethy Bridge you may spot Red Squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris) and wild birds such as the Crested Tit (Parus cristatus) on the new squirrel and bird feeders. Alternatively you can stay at home and check out the new squirrel camera at Abernethy Primary School. Red squirrel                  Crested tit

Wood ants are very important for the forest, as they clear dropped pine needles to make large dome-shaped nests. They eat all sorts of minibeasts, as well as 'milking' aphids for their honeydew

Wood ants ( Formica spp. )

CAPERCAILLIE ‘...properly in Gaelic ‘Capal coille’, ie : the wood horse, being the chief fowl of the woods. He resembles and is the size of a turkey cock, of a dark grey and red about the eyes. He lodges in bushy fir trees and is very shy...’ ( Shaw 1770 ) Nowadays, a 'Caper' can always be seen on the roof of the village shop...

Capercaillie ( Tetrao urogallus ) To see a Checklist of Vascular Plants in Nethy Bridge by Andy Amphlett, Ian Green & Sarah Smyth for the Botanical Society of the British Isles, please click on the link below. Vascular Plants in Nethy Bridge

Because only 1% of the original Scots Pine forest survives today, much of it's wildlife is now quite rare...

CRESTED TIT ‘nesting... in a powdery, decayed pine stump, barkless and bleached. …Upon a basis of powdery dust, the nest… was composed of green dry moss, with a superstratum of red deer’s hair. The lining was formed of blue hare’s fur. The old nest had also feathers of grouse in the lining and tufts of cotton grass in the structure’ ( Harvie – Brown 1895 )

Pine marten ( Martes martes )

The Pine Martin is much larger than you may expect - about the size of a domestic cat (although much thinner). They are rarely seen, and very timid. Although they used to be widespread throughout Britain, habitat destruction, hunting for fur and gamekeepers traps have all taken a huge toll.

Twinflower ( Linnaeus borealis )