Monday 30th June: On leave

Tuesday 1st July: The new Summer Assistant arrived, though same name as last year's - Steven - and on a large Kawasaki. Start him off on the traditional first job for a Summer Assistant, giving the large aquarium in the visitor centre its annual clean out. James reported on the meeting on Signal Crayfish held yesterday by SNH at Clydebank. Still no threat of anything actually being done.

Wednesday 2nd July: In the office all day. Put Steven on to adding in the last six months data from the temperature recorders into the spreadsheets with the results graphs, which means dealing with some pretty tortuous formulae and keeping a cool head in amongst the layers of spreadsheets. Main thing today for me was sketching out where we should take samples for genetic analysis for to try and work out a sampling programme for this summer.

Thursday 3rd July : Gave the Peebles fish trap its weekly clean in the morning, then in the office all the rest of the day, working out the genetics survey strategy and arranging the electric-fishing programme for the summer.

Friday 4th July: Monthly combined staff meeting in the morning, report to the bailiffs on the planned genetics survey and its uses. Out at lunchtime to buy waders for Steven and replace those for James and Kenny - electric fishing should start next week. Office work in the afternoon, more fieldwork planning.