01 Identity
Scottish charity record
- OSCR charity number
- SC001783
- Status
- Active
- Regulatory type
- Standard
- Designated religious body
- No
- Geographical spread
- A specific local point, community or neighbourhood
- Volunteers
- 1-50 volunteers
- Staff
- 0
- Postcode
- DG2 7AN
OSCR note: The SCIO was incorporated on 16 April 2012 as a result of a Change to SCIO application by SC001783 Isle Of May Bird Observatory & Field Station Trust, which was an unincorporated association registered as a charity since 05 May 1989.
02 Purpose and work
What the charity exists to do
The Isle of May Bird Observatory’s principal objectives are to encourage the pursuit of ornithology, for the benefit of the public, and to advance the education of the public by the study of the natural history of the Isle of May. The base of the Observatory is the Low Light on the Isle of May. From April to November the Trust arranges for the Observatory to be manned on a weekly basis by volunteers. Accommodation is provided in the Low Light on a self- catering basis. The Trust is responsible for the upkeep of the Observatory. Parties of up to six stay in the Low Light and keep records of all birds seen. Bird migration is studied and recorded. The Trust provides rings so that the persons manning the Low Light can ring birds and thus contribute to the national bird ringing scheme. The Observatory records are published in an annual report and made available to NatureScot and to national ornithological reports. In the summer months, work is done on seabirds which nest on the May.
Charitable purposes
- the advancement of the arts, heritage, culture or science
- the advancement of environmental protection or improvement
Beneficiaries
- No specific group, or for the benefit of the community
Activities
- It carries out activities or services itself
Constitutional objectives
To foster and encourage the pursuit of ornithology for the benefit of the public and to advance the education of the public by the study of natural history on the Isle of May. This will be achieved by
03 Annual returns
Income and expenditure history
| Year end | Income | Expenditure | Staff | Return received |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 December 2025 | £58,863 | £42,576 | 0 | 16 March 2026 |
| 31 December 2024 | £39,436 | £26,297 | 0 | 1 April 2025 |
| 31 December 2023 | £36,984 | £26,297 | 0 | 13 July 2024 |
| 31 December 2022 | £40,209 | £46,697 | 0 | 21 April 2023 |
| 31 December 2021 | £44,536 | £15,412 | 0 | 16 March 2022 |
Figures are those reported by the charity and supplied in the OSCR bulk download. Blank facts remain distinct from zero.
04 Contact record
Principal office or trustees address
- Address supplied to OSCR
- Sestri, 31 Maxwell Street, Dumfries
- Website supplied to OSCR
- www.isleofmaybirdobs.org
- Parent charity
- Not supplied
No direct external links on this profile. The official OSCR record and source documentation are available through BritDB’s dedicated source page.
05 Provenance
Source for this profile
© Crown Copyright and database right 2026. Contains information from the Scottish Charity Register supplied by the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator and licensed under the Open Government Licence v.3.0. BritDB is an independent service and does not claim to be the Scottish Charity Register.