Nairn

History

The History of Nairn is a broad and diverse topic spanning its Palaeolithic and Mesolithic roots before recorded history, to the Picts and the visitation of Roman general Agricola, its possible founding under the name Ekkailsbakki by Sigurd, Earl of Orkney, its royal burgh status under David I, its strong links to monarchs and regents of Scotland and its strategic position in multiple wars and famine.

Geography

Formerly part of the Supercontinent of Rodinia as evidenced by the discovery of Dalradian Supergroup rocks, Nairn encompasses a position on the mouth of the River Nairn and is fronted by the North Sea at the Moray Firth with two extensive beaches, the east beach being predominantly sand with dune vegetation (such as marram grass) and the west having more rock though becoming more sand as it reaches the river mouth. The Culbin Sands forms part of one of the most extensive areas of stabilised blown sand in Britain. The soil by the coast is largely a thin and loose organic layer developing directly on the sand and this has been strengthened in areas such as Culbin for forestry. The town itself is predominantly flat rising from sea level to in Fishertown and the majority of the town sitting at above sea level. Sections of Nairn do reach as high as near Balblair. The low ground near the coast is fertile and the soil rich free loam over sand or gravel. In the town thin, rather acidic soils are present throughout. The alluvial plain has shown Permo-Triassic sandstones, thick accumulations of Jurassic sandstones and dark shales, and erosion by ice sheets. Excavation can reveal dark, muddy glacial deposits, with occasional fossils and shells. As the land rises south we see Conifer forests and on the higher slopes we see heather moorland and montane vegetation. The wider Nairnshire and Moray area is 28% woodland, one of the most-wooded areas in Britain. Nairn is predominantly surrounded gently rolling mounds and hills of mixed-used agricultural and forestry usage upon a glacial landscape. The surrounding areas reach a height of at the Hill of Urchany south of the town. The land remains fertile and primarily consists of granite below. The hydrology of the surrounding…

Most-observed species

• Herring Gull

  Larus argentatus Pontoppidan, 1763 · Aves
  3,144
• Carrion Crow

  Corvus corone Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  2,888
• Eurasian Oystercatcher

  Haematopus ostralegus Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  2,636
• Common Wood-Pigeon

  Columba palumbus Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  2,263
• Mew Gull

  Larus canus Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  2,170
• Black-headed Gull

  Chroicocephalus ridibundus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  1,879
• Eurasian Blackbird

  Turdus merula Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  1,805
• Eurasian Curlew

  Numenius arquata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  1,788