Historically, Mute swans were recognised as ‘royal birds’ and many were bred and kept in captivity either as status symbols or for food. Now no longer eaten or held in ‘swanneries’, our native Mute swans are found across the Tweed in all available habitats. For many years, the estuary of the Tweed at Berwick has […]

Always love to see the Heron. A magical bird. One appeared the first afternoon I was moving into a flat in Peebles, perched on the neighbour’s fence. It was a great welcome. This special memory was shared at Tales of the Riverbank, a joint Tweed Stories and Riverwoods event celebrating the Tweed and its riverside […]

I swim in the River Tweed all year round, she has become a playful companion in my life and I often have wildlife encounters particularly when I’m alone in the water. When you are just a bobbing head you no longer present such a threat to the wildlife, particularly birds. I have crept up to […]

After the Second World War, an unusual figure became part of life in the Scottish Borders: Wojtek, the Polish soldier bear. Adopted as a cub by Polish troops in the Middle East, he travelled with them across the Mediterranean and through wartime Italy, where he became famous for helping carry ammunition during the Battle of […]

Raised in Kelso the river Tweed was always close, whether swimming in the Cobbie Pool, dismissive of stories of danger and drowning or trout fishing, usually unsuccessfully on the Teviot. Work took me away from the Tweed for most of my working life, only to return to Birgham on retirement. By this time I had […]

Golden Eagles have always been a proud element in Scottish wildlife. People will tell you that a glimpse of an eagle soaring high over mountains and lochs is a memory to be treasured for a lifetime. However, despite the overall increase in eagle numbers throughout much of Scotland, this growth has not been seen in […]