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Cairngorms - dotterel (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Arbu
- Start date
Michael Frankis
conehead
Hi Arbu,
Welcome to BirdForum!
Keep a good eye open on any reasonably flattish ground above about 1100 metres. Mid August is getting on the late side, but I'd think there's a good chance at least a few fledged juveniles will still be around. Don't expect to see any in bright breeding plumage, though.
Michael
Welcome to BirdForum!
Keep a good eye open on any reasonably flattish ground above about 1100 metres. Mid August is getting on the late side, but I'd think there's a good chance at least a few fledged juveniles will still be around. Don't expect to see any in bright breeding plumage, though.
Michael
jpoyner
Well-known member
Had a flock of 16 male Dotterel two weeks ago, no chicks present at all. Usually this is a sign they are about to depart, which seems most of them have. A search last Sunday found only one very elusive male. A poor breeding season due to bad weather. I think that by August you will be pretty lucky this year to find any Dotterel left on Cairngorm.
JP
JP
mike coleman
BF Irregular
A thorough search of the Cairngorm Plateau today yielded one - the most forlorn, scruffy male Dotterel ever, I hope it lives for another two weeks, let alone stays up there! Got a stunning male Snow Bunting though, which made up for it!
Arbu
Well-known member
Went on 17th August to Ben Macdui, as planned. As you suspected, no sign of any dotterel, although having approached from Braemar I didn't have much time to explore the summit plateau in any case, because it's such a long walk in. But I did see two snow bunting shivering on the top in a hail storm, a golden eagle, ptarmigan, red grouse, a redstart, crossbill, arctic hare, four roe deer and great views, so still quite a succesful day.
Will try again another year earlier in the season.
Will try again another year earlier in the season.
mike coleman
BF Irregular
Wow! Good day! I recommend the middle of May to the middle of June for Dotterel going on the last few years, any later and they are becoming increasingly hard to pick up, and have all left the plateau by the end of July since 2001.Arbu said:
DJ Sideboard
Well-known member
Arbu said:
Good man!. Thats the proper way to get to MacDui!. Did you do a round trip via Carn a' Mhaim and Derry Cairngorm?. Thats one of my favourite Cairngorm walks.....last did it in March 2003 in a pre-dawn to dusk epic, it was hard work because there was still plenty of snow high up, but did see all four grouse en route.....
mike coleman
BF Irregular
You easterners are all mad.........DJ Sideboard said:
DJ Sideboard
Well-known member
mike coleman said:You easterners are all mad.........
Absolutely!
But the walk into the Cairngorms from our side is splendid. I can't bear the area around the ski centre on your side, and how they got permission to build that railway, I do not know. Saw it for the first time this summer, can't believe what an eye sore it is....
mike coleman
BF Irregular
You can say that again, luckily within five minutes of the car park, the railway is but a distant memory, and there is just a nice couple of hour stroll up to the Ben!DJ Sideboard said:
Arbu
Well-known member
No I flew up from London in the morning, got a hire car and drove to the Linn of Dee, setting off about midday. So getting to the top of MacDui was about all I could manage.
Anyway I think I'm going to try again around the middle of July this year. Sounds as if I'll have reasonable chances, although still a bit later than ideal?
£50 first class return tickets to Aviemore from London available at the moment with East Coast.
lewis20126
Well-known member
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