Lights, camera, action for Clyde Muirshiel hen harriers as Springwatch fever hits As millions of people tune in to the BBC"s Springwatch series, Glasgow"s own small-screen wildlife stars have just made their own TV debut as the live camera pictures roll at a Discover Clyde Muirshiel Wildlife Project, near Lochwinnoch.

While armchair wildlife watchers have been treated to fantastic views of wildlife during the three-week series, they can now get out and see them for themselves at the Muirshiel Visitor Centre - just half an hour from the city centre.

The project gives visitors a unique opportunity to experience the day-to-day lives of one of our rarest raptors through breathtakingly close CCTV camera footage live from Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park. So far, the hen harrier family consists of three eggs, and staff and visitors alike are already glued to the screens to watch how things develop. Already this season, this project has allowed visitors to see TV highlights from previous years as well as encounter the harriers at first-hand on guided walks with the help of RSPB staff and volunteers and Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park Rangers.

The hen harrier still remains one of our most threatened birds, although changing attitudes and wildlife viewing projects such as this one are helping to reverse this trend. The central moorland core of the Regional Park has been designated as a Special Protection Area because of the number of breeding Hen Harriers.

Senior Ranger up at Muirshiel Country Park Ken McGinigal said: 'We"ve already seen some amazing display flights or "sky-dancing" from the Clyde Muirshiel hen harriers on our guided walks this year and with the live cameras now rolling, it"s a great chance for people to easily experience their own piece of Springwatch or should I say "Ringwatch" right outside Glasgow. This years female has been ringed but so far we haven"t been able to read her number'.

To make it easier for visitors without their own transport, there will be a FREE bus running to Muirshiel Country Park from Lochwinnoch (the Railway Station, RSPB Nature Reserve or Castle Semple Visitor Centre) each Saturday afternoon from 14 June until 19 July. So with the live pictures rolling it will be "Birds by Bus"! The bus leaves at 1pm - good timing for getting the 12.15 train from Glasgow Central or the 12 13 train from Ayr changing at Kilwinning, this gives time to join the 13.30 guided walk as well as see the footage or to have a self guided walk or even a BBQ. For more information tel 01505 842 803 and to book a place on the bus or the guided walk.

For those coming by car there are brown signs from the A373 to direct people to Muirshiel Country Park, as well as yellow AA road signs to direct people to the project. Anyone interested in volunteering on the project should contact the RSPB Reserve in Lochwinnoch.

The Hen Harrier viewing project is just one of a number of wildlife viewing activities and events taking place this season in conjunction with the RSPB to provide greater opportunities for the public to "Discover Clyde Muirshiel Wildlife". Please look on the Regional Park website www.clydemuirshiel.co.uk or the RSPB website www.rspb.org.uk for more event details.