Author Archives: Alan Watson Featherstone

Biodiversity – what’s new on the land now

Orange cup-like fungi (Neottiella rutilans) amongst moss in the dune heath area on 8th November 2025.

A new species of springtail seen for the first time, magnificent and unique fungi, plus a lesson in camouflage from a wolf spider – these are some of the finds in the lens of Alan Watson Featherstone. By Alan Watson Featherstone Although we’re moving into the more dormant time of year in terms of the […]

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Biodiversity – what’s new on the land now

Orange cup-like fungi (Neottiella rutilans) amongst moss in the dune heath area on 8th November 2025.

A new species of springtail seen for the first time, magnificent and unique fungi, plus a lesson in camouflage from a wolf spider – these are some of the finds in the lens of Alan Watson Featherstone.By Alan Watson FeatherstoneAlthough we’re moving into the more dormant time of year in terms of the biodiversity out […]

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New species in the Hinterland

From a couple of linnets, a ‘zombifying’ fungus and fly that’s been recorded only twice in Scotland so far, there have been some significant biodiversity discoveries in the Hinterland this summer. As part of my role as the charity’s Land Trustee, I carry out detailed photography and research to identify the biodiversity on the land […]

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Rare species

The focus of our Dune Restoration Project  The Findhorn Hinterland Trust’s new Dune Restoration Project will be a central and important element of our work for the next few years, and its core purpose is to ensure that there is good habitat on the land that we manage for the rare species that live in […]

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The Bough Breaks

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Survey for True Bugs on the Hinterland

As part of the Findhorn Hinterland Trust’s ongoing work to identify the biological diversity that occurs on the 35 hectares of land that we are responsible for managing, we commissioned a survey of the true bugs, or Hemiptera, and barkflies, or Psocoptera, on the site in the summer. This was carried out by Joe Botting, […]

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Hinterland Biodiversity – Spiders on the Land

As part of the Findhorn Hinterland Trust’s work to identify the biological diversity that occurs on the 35 hectares of land that we are responsible for managing, I commissioned a spider survey of the site, which took place between the end of April 2019 and the end of August 2022. The survey was carried out […]

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FHT Biodiversity – Summer Discoveries

With the warmer than normal summer weather we’ve had here at Findhorn this year, it has been an unusual and different season for biodiversity, and especially insects, on the Hinterland area. For example, one of my main insect groups of interest – aphids – have been conspicuous largely by their absence. Only a few of […]

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Biodiversity Weekend Retreat with Alan Watson Featherstone 10-12 June

Enjoy this short video with Alan sharing about this uique retreat. To book your place please click here.

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The importance of dead wood in the forest

In much of our modern day world, the conventional view of dead wood is often that it is unsightly, untidy and a waste if it is left lying around in a woodland, and that it should be tidied up, taken away and used for some human purpose. Sadly, this reflects a lack of understanding of […]

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Findhorn Hinterland Trust, Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO) SC045806
228 Pineridge, Findhorn, Forres, Moray IV36 3TB