After weeks of lockdown, nothing sounds more appealing than a long wildlife walk. We interviewed Andrea Hudspeth, founder of Aquila Ecology, to learn all about their tours, children’s activities and fun wildlife facts. Here’s what she said.
How would you describe Aquila Ecology in one sentence?
We help people to learn about and love nature through engaging tailored experiences in beautiful Scottish landscapes.
What can people expect from one of your wildlife tours?
A personalised and friendly service. People who come out with us start out as strangers and leave us as friends.
What do your customers love most about wildlife tours?
Seeing the wonderful Scottish wildlife and learning about our personal experiences over the years.
Do you offer other services aside from wildlife walks?
Apart from walks and tours, we offer wildlife holidays to different parts of the UK, nature-based children’s activities, ecological consultancy, and survey skills training.
What do you like most about guiding people through a wildlife tour?
Sharing stories with people. We get many overseas clients and it’s great hearing about the wildlife where they come from.
Which wild animals can people spot in their gardens this month?
This is a great time to look out for butterflies. Most species will be on the wing by mid-June, and if you have a garden pond this is also a great time for dragonflies and damselflies.
Do you have any tips for making home gardens more wildlife-friendly?
Dig a pond! This is the quickest way to create new habitat in your garden which will benefit a huge array of wildlife; from the creatures living in it to those attracted to the water for drinking, bathing and feeding. Watching a pond develop over time is also a fascinating activity.
Is there anything else you would like to say to our readers?
Whilst we all have to look at doing things differently in a Covid-19 world, getting out in nature is one of the best things we can all do to improve our mental health. One positive thing that has come out of the crisis is people having the time to reconnect with nature again. We hope this will continue and that we can expect to help more people to love Scotland’s nature like we do.
Follow Aquila Ecology on social media:
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/aquilaecology/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/AquilaEcology
YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq1X5k-t9OIW6WJEJJZRSsw
