Bird viewing sites in central Scotland

[suby99]

Hi,
I will be in Scotland for 3 weeks in June in the area of Kenmore and Kinlochard (Macdonald Forest Hills Resort). Are there any good bird viewing sites in or near those areas? I will have a car to drive around to the sites.
Cheers!
Robin
__________________________________________________ ____
Canon 350D, Sigma 170-500mm, Berlebach 8023, Jobu Jr gimbal

[gordon hamlett]

Hi,
I will be in Scotland for 3 weeks in June in the area of Kenmore and Kinlochard (Macdonald Forest Hills Resort). Are there any good bird viewing sites in or near those areas? I will have a car to drive around to the sites.
Cheers!
Robin
__________________________________________________ ____
Canon 350D, Sigma 170-500mm, Berlebach 8023, Jobu Jr gimbal


Have a look at http://www.birdofpreytrail.com/ which details some of the best raptor watching points in the area.

HTH

Gordon

[delia todd]

Hi Robin

Ah, the Trossachs - lovely area but you rather have to 'work' for your birding.

However, there is the Birds of Prey trail through the forest, I think you can get details at the David Marshal Lodge in Aberfoyle. There they also have a webcam, I think, on an Osprey nest.

There is a Red Kite feeding station at Argaty near Doune.

More generally for a list of what you might see in the area, there is this web site, which lists the birds in the Queen Elizabeth Forest Park.

An RSPB reserve at Inversnaid on the shores of Loch Lomond.

I'm not quite sure what you mean by 'in the area of Kenmore and Kinlochard' they're um... not very close to each other. Are you having a 2 centre holiday?

A bit early in the morning for me just now but I may have some more thoughts later.

Here's a few websites to be going on with:


Inversnaid RSPB (http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/i/inversnaid/index.asp)

Birds of Prey Trail (http://www.incallander.co.uk/prey-map/birds%20of%20prey.htm)

Aberfoyle Ospreys (http://www.rspb.org.uk/birds/brilliant/sites/aberfoyle/index.asp)

Argaty Red Kites (http://www.argatyredkites.co.uk/)

D

[Capercaillie71]

I drove past the Kinlochard Forest Hills on Wednesday. Lovely part of the country, but probably not the best (or at least easiest) birding area. If you are happy to go for longish walks, you will probably see quite a bit, but by and large the birds don't offer themselves up to you in that type of habitat.

The David Marshall Lodge at Aberfoyle does have an Osprey webcam, but I don't think you can see the birds in the flesh from there. Delia's website links probably list the main bird attractions of the area.

Ironically, the most obvious birds that I saw in that area on Wednesday were Canada Geese!

[suby99]

A quick reply...yes, it is a 2 centre holiday...a week in each area. Plenty of time to do a a walkabout!

I will look at the websites you listed.

Thank you!

Robin

[delia todd]

Ok then Kenmore - a bittie closer to me LOL

First off I'd suggest exploring Taymouth Castle Golf course area, which has mature broad-leaved trees, and the young River Tay running through

Drive along Loch Tay, stopping wherever possible (plenty of laybys) and search the loch for anything, then continue on to Rannoch Station - I've seen Crossbill there sitting on telegraph wires! Return on the other side of the loch, again stopping wherever you can, to scan the water.

A nice scenic walk which would give you some woodland birds and probably Dipper is The Birks of Aberfeldy (http://www.scottish-towns.co.uk/perthshire/aberfeldy/walks/Birks-o-aberfeldy.html)

Loch of the Lowes at Dunkeld would be worth the run - the Ospreys should be on the nest then. Good hill walks in this area too.

Another place well worth going to is

Killiecrankie (killiecrankie, wildlife)

Hope these help - I've perhaps more ideas, depending on how much time you have and how much walking you want to do

D

[suby99]

Thank you Delia and all. It is possible that I will look into all the sites you've listed! I have also added Loch of Kinnordy to the list. My wife and I are looking forward to visiting the Scotland countryside. My third trip to Scotland and my wife has lived in Scotland for a number of years (her mother is Scottish and father is Canadian).

Cheers
Robin

[Maltings]

" It is possible that I will look into all the sites you've listed! I have also added Loch of Kinnordy to the list. "

Loch of Kinnordy is a really great site, a mile from Kirriemuir, with 3 hides and a great variety of species.
When you're tired sitting, head up Glen Clova and take a walk up Glen Doll.

[delia todd]

Hi Maltings and welcome to BF

You're right I love Kinnordy and was there this afternoon - Rooks building their nests now and the Black Headed Gulls have returned (wonder if they'll manage to breed there this year - they didn't seem to do too well last).

No sign of an Osprey though

I really must get up Glen Clova again, not been up there for a long time as we seem to do Glen Moy instead usually.

D

[Capercaillie71]

Loch of Kinnordy is a really great site

It's years since I was last there, but I remember it for my first (and so far only) Black necked grebes, swimming about right in front of the hide in full breeding plumage. There was also a Slavonian grebe there at the time too. Do the BN grebes still occur?

[delia todd]

Hi Capercaillie

I'm afraid the BN Grebes haven't been there for a long time now (and I've never seen Slav's there either).

Talking to one of the wardens a few years ago they seemed to think the BN's have moved to another loch on private property - I didn't ask further.

D

[Capercaillie71]

I'm afraid the BN Grebes haven't been there for a long time now

Thanks Delia, that's a shame. Still, I'll have to pay a visit again soon - I drive down the A90 (within five miles of Kinnordy) at least once a month, so it's not like it's far out of my way!