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Easy Ptarmigan? (1 Viewer)

Adam W

Adam W

Well-known member
Thats probably a contradiction in terms I know but I've just booked a holiday in the Inverness area in May next year and Ptarmigan is a bird i'd love to see but if I'm honest I doubt i'm physically up to climbing up to a mountain top and have even less chance of convincing the other half to do so, so I just wondered if there is anywhere where there is a realistic chance of seeing them realitively easily?
 
Cairngorm is pretty reliable. No walking involved if you take the funicular train up and view from the terrace once your'e up. You will need your scope, as views tend to be a little distant. I saw five Ptarmigan the last time i was there in May 2009.
 
Adam,

Scope views of Ptarmigan, if not somewhat distant, can be secured from the top of Cairngorm reached via the venicular railway and without having to walk up to the summit. It's also worth checking but I think you can now book guided walks from the restaurant which are run at specific times?

If you want to venture further from the speyside area, there are other good vantage places such as Glenshee and Applecross (west coast).

I've uploaded a typical scope view you might expect - this one taken last spring.
 

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Thanks lads that sounds promosing I have to look into that.

I've been to Glenshee a couple of times in the past but never even really thought about looking for Ptarmigan there, Its probably a little far from where we are staying this time but just incase is there a particular place to look for them there?
 
Applecross are the easiest, though a long (but nice) drive from Inverness. Probably closer than Glenshee all things considered? Certainly not much in it.

Drive to the top and walk to the weather station only a hundred metres.

Failing that I would book on the walk at the top service at Cairngorm with the rangers as you can get the train and then go and do a walkabout at the top.Pretty reasonable if memory serves.
 
A wander along Lairig Ghru, start from the Sugarbowl Car Park on the way up to Cairngorm, towards the Pools of Dee usually turns up some close views in the summer. The lefthand side seem to be the most productive.

Chris
 
Thanks again everyone, Applecross does appear to be closer than Glenshee and close enough to be a possibility.
 
Applecross is fabulous.... unless you have an old car with dodgy brakes. The fact that you can drive to Ptarmigan height is a clue!
 
Cairngorm. Was there in May and saw them flying about below the railway as we went up, but not from the top... whiteout probably didn't help.

From the base-station we walked round the hill to the right, into the bottom of the corries (20-30 mins, not steep at all) and had stunning views there.
 
I've seen them twice at Cairngorm too and I don't think a scope is really necessary. Of course it'll help if they're off in the distance, but each time I saw them they were well within binocular view, and they're not particularly skittish birds either so often come quite close to the building at the top of the railway. You may also see ring ouzels here as well.
 
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Another vote for Applecross. I had an excellent day on the peninsula in April with Birding Ecosse. We took the pass of the cattle to get great views of ptarmigan (and golden eagle) and then had a drive round the peninsula adding divers, slav grebes, black guilliemot and the most amazing views. Well worth the drive.
 
This may say more about my fitness than Marcus' guess at distances :smoke: but I think it's a little further than 100 metres. I think it takes about 15 mins. I agree with everything else though. This place is superb and has given us the best view of a Golden Eagle that we've ever had.

Some on the forum have been lucky enough to see Ptarmigan from the car park itself. Also the Applecross Inn does a very decent meal.

Have a great trip,

Rich
Marcus Conway - ebirder said:
Applecross are the easiest, though a long (but nice) drive from Inverness. Probably closer than Glenshee all things considered? Certainly not much in it.

Drive to the top and walk to the weather station only a hundred metres.

Failing that I would book on the walk at the top service at Cairngorm with the rangers as you can get the train and then go and do a walkabout at the top.Pretty reasonable if memory serves.
Click to expand...
 
B :)I was there in May and told that you can get them at the top of Glen Coe which has a stair lift to the top., might be worth a shot as well as the spots mentioned already.
 
This May conditions were severe in the the first half of the month with falling snow and sub zero temps. Normally mid April onwards the hills can be relatively safe on a clear day if you are sensible.

Please keep this in mind - people die here every year!

A simple rule of thumb if you are thinking about it is if you can't see the top don't bother. Trying to find Ptarmigan in the cloud base is possible but not easy. The Ptarmigan will be here another day.

Just apply some common sense and you should score easily.
 
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