Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks have sent us an update on their enterprising gateman Peter. In the May issue of Strathdearn Newsletter we heard how he had befriended a pair of coal tits. The word has obviously got around that birds receive a friendly welcome at the A9 gateway to Tomatin substation, for now he has many more visitors, some of them quite rare. Louise Anderson from S.S.E. writes …
Knocknagael – Tomatin project – February 2019
Our gateman Peter is quite the bird charmer
Back in May 2018 we introduced the community to our gateman Peter via an update in the Strathdearn newsletter.
The 2 Coal Tits he managed to rescue and bring back to health last winter have clearly spread the word wide and far on Peter’s love for birdlife how welcoming the area around the A9 compound gatehouse is.
He has had over 30 different species of bird visit him and his bird feeders these include; Great Spotted Woodpecker, Siskin, Twite, Wren, Thrush, Yellow Wagtail, Goshawk, Jay, Woodpigeon, Partridge, Greenfinch, Bullfinch, Chaffinch, Swallow, Yellow Wagtail, Gold Crest (Britain’s smallest bird), Pied Wagtail, Blackbird, Dipper, Buzzard, Red Kite, Heron, Sparrow Hawk, Hedge Sparrow, Wood Cock, Tree Creeper, Great Tits, Coal Tits, Blue Tits, Long Tailed Tits, Gold Finch, House Martin and a Brambling all the way from Iceland.
However, it’s not just birds that love to visit our friendly gateman, he’s also had visits from red squirrels, a weasel and a lizard.
