The National Trust for Scotland hopes the travels of a rare white-tailed eagle will encourage more people to visit its sites across Aberdeenshire.
Mar’verick, named after the Top Gun fighter pilot, was born at the Mar Lodge Estate and has since travelled to 20 Trust locations.
Tracking data provided by RSPB Scotland shows the eagle has travelled from the Aberdeenshire estate, up across the north of Scotland and all the way down to the Isle of Arran between January and April.
Until 2020, white-tailed eagles had not bred successfully in Deeside which makes his nesting at Mar Lodge even more special.
Mar’verick’s adventure has inspired the charity to encourage the public “to spread their own wings” this summer and retrace his journey in Scotland.
The Trust is hosting 90 events at its north-east location this summer, including a wildlife trail weekend at Haddo House on August 4-5 and a history re-enactment weekend at Castle Fraser on August 19-20.
‘Trust’s number one adventurer’
Ian Hawkins, regional director for the north-east, said: “The summer months are upon us and it is fantastic to see so many supporters, visitors and members enjoying our places.
“It is our charity’s privilege to share Scotland’s nature, beauty and heritage with everyone, and we are very grateful to all of our supporters who make this possible.
“By being part of the National Trust for Scotland, and visiting our places, you are helping protect, share and enjoy the outdoor spaces and incredible historic buildings where memories are made.
“Over the coming months, we have some exciting projects coming to fruition which will give our supporters even more experiences to share this summer.
“Mar’verick has proven himself to be the Trust’s number one adventurer, visiting over 20 places since the beginning of this year.
“With a place for every interest, age and passion, we can’t wait to see people rise to Mar’verick’s challenge and see how many Trust places they can visit over the coming months.
“Through the careful conservation work the Trust is doing across Scotland to restore natural habitats and create the right environments for wildlife to flourish, the charity’s places are home to a wide range of thriving wildlife and continue to welcome new species, such as hen harriers and white-tailed eagles.”
