SCOTTISH Natural Heritage (SNH) is warning motorists that collisions between deer and vehicles increase in certain parts of Scotland at this time of year.
Car accidents involving deer can peak at this time of year, as the clocks go back. With the nights starting earlier, the peak commuting time coincides with deer coming out to feed on grass verges near roadsides.
From next Monday until Monday November 14, electronic variable messaging signs will warn motorists at key locations on the main trunk roads in Scotland, such as the A9 Inverness-Perth road and the A82 along Loch Ness-side.
There are more than 7,000 deer-related motor vehicle accidents every year in Scotland, on average causing about 70 human injuries. The economic value of these accidents is £5 million.
Across the UK, it is estimated that there could be up to 74,000 deer-related motor vehicle accidents a year, resulting in 400 to 700 human injuries and about 20 deaths, with a cost of over £17m.
Recent research projects show that the incidence and economic impact of deer vehicle collisions on trunk roads in the Highlands remain a problem - particularly roads in North-west Scotland, such as the A835, where a higher risk may be presented by red deer moving between summer and autumn mating ranges.
The advice to drivers is to try not to swerve suddenly to avoid hitting a deer, as a collision into on-coming traffic could be even worse.
Only brake sharply and stop if there is no danger of being hit by following traffic. Try to come to a stop as far away from the animals as possible to allow them to leave the roadside without panic, and use your hazard warning lights.
After dark, use full-beams when there is no oncoming traffic, as this will illuminate the eyes of deer on or near a roadway and give you more time to react. But dim your headlights when you see a deer or other animal on the road, so that you don't startle it.
Report any deer-vehicle collisions to the police, who will contact the local person who can best help with an injured deer at the roadside. Do not approach an injured deer yourself, as it may be dangerous.
Wake-up call
THE SNOW didn't last long last week, but it was a real wake-up call. At Cairngorm we were having a little sweepstake on the date of the first covering of the car park, and it was won (by an outsider!) with the earliest date anyone had suggested.
'Help!', I thought: there are rather a lot of end-of-season jobs to do. We can't clear away all the interpretive signs and guide ropes during the half-term holiday while there are still quite a lot of people out enjoying the walks. But if the ropes marking the summit path are left to freeze into the snow, they won't be moved until next year's thaw.
The ropes were pretty impressive in any case. One day the wind abated sufficiently for us to be able to take visitors out on a 'Walk @ the Top'. The ropes were coated in rime ice so they were like six-inch-thick pipes, and dragged on the ground under the weight.
Rime ice forms when wet cloud is blown past an obstruction, so it covers everything with ice, which builds up towards windward. There were flags of ice more than a metre long on the weather station at the summit, so we didn't stand under them.
It was always the plan to offer the Walk @ the Top from May to October but not in winter, because it takes so much equipment and technique to walk safely on snow that the proposal was rejected.
In light wind conditions, with soft, squeaky new snow and lots of stones showing on the path, we decided to give it a go. The children in the parties had a ball, especially in the trackless return down the Marquis Well hollow.
So the weather changed, the rime ice fell off the tower and the ropes, and now we can do all the jobs that need to be done before the winter sets in properly. Now, where are those winter tyres?
Sad loss
SAD TIMES at our house just now. After years of enjoying having hens in the back garden, something clever and determined has picked off the last two.
Hens are a great way of recycling your edible waste, provided it's not too salty or meaty. They greet every new offering with great curiosity, raking it over roughly and pecking out their favourite bits with gusto.
They were good for garden pests, taking care of all the slugs we offered, though we usually gave the slugs a chance by hiding them in the pile, and I'm sure lots got away.
This month's 'Country Diary' was submitted by Nic Bullivant, head ranger with Cairngorm Mountain Ranger Service.
If you would like to report something for inclusion in the 'Country Diary', please get in touch with Nic on (01479) 861327 or by e-mail at nic.bullivant@cairngormmountain.org
