Welcome To Haddo!

Hi everyone, and welcome to my first blog as the new VSO at Haddo House and Country Park. 

Previous office at RSPB Fowlsheugh
- slightly different to Haddo!

I’ve been in the job for nearly two weeks now- mostly spent getting to know all the other people who work in and around the park, house and estate and doing a lot of background reading to catch up on the regeneration project.

I’m not completely new to the area around Haddo- I’ve been up here since 2011 when I moved up to work for the RSPB on their North East Coast reserves, mostly based at Loch of Strathbeg up near Crimond but also working on the seabird colonies at Troup Head and Fowlsheugh.

Before that, I’ve worked for various nature and wildlife charities, doing everything from counting dolphins with Whale & Dolphin Conservation at Spey Bay, to talking about sharks at the National Marine Aquarium in Plymouth

Will be getting very familiar with this
view over the next few months!

I also spent three years with the English Osprey re-introduction project down at Rutland Water, so I’m looking forward to seeing a couple of them over Haddo lake in the spring. In the meantime, I’ve been getting more familiar with the autumn (winter?) wildlife around the park- Bullfinch and Water Rail by the lake and finally a single Red Squirrel (which have been very elusive every other time I’ve visited Haddo…) on my drive in yesterday morning.

The main part of my job will be working on the next phase of the regeneration project. This means developing the ‘people’ side of the park, encouraging more visitors, working with local schools and helping to run more and better events.

I’m also aiming to start some volunteer projects in and around the park and the house, including gardening, work parties and running regular mammal and bird surveys.

If you’d like to get involved with any of that (or if you just want to say hello and have a chat about Haddo) then I’m in the portacabin usually Monday to Friday and my door’s always open (unlocked anyway, the rain gets in if I leave it open). If I’m not there you can email me on haddovso@btconnect.com, leave a comment on this blog or contact me via Twitter www.twitter.com/Wild_NEScot

Diana Spencer,

Visitor Services Officer

Haddo House & Country Park