Cairngorms 24th -31st May (1 Viewer)

Spent a week in a cottage a mile from Boat-of- Garten and three miles from loch Garten, weather was good , some rain at the beginning of the week ,but
nice warm days by wednesday
listed 72 species with 6 lifers :t:
A quick summary of week.
LOCH GARTEN
three early morning visits, one afternoon and one early evening visit.
2-osprey at nest +chick, 5- crested tit,:t: goldeneye + ducklings ,common sandpiper,male redstart,spotted flycatcher,cuckoo, treecreeper.
2- red squirrel
got a brief, view of a crested tit 2nd morning, 3rd morning superb views of 4 well worth 5am starts

RIVER SPEY
one evening walk
2-grey wagtail ,goldeneye, common sandpiper,oystercatcher, tree pipit

FOREST LODGE
one early morning
1- female scottish crossbill drinking from puddle:t:
1-buck roe deer, 1- doe roe deer with fawn good views untill she spotted me, 1-red deer , red squirrel

GRANTOWN WOOD
one early morning
8- scottish crossbill (birds looked slightly larger, and flight call was alot deeper a sort of tirrup sound)
very brief view of what looked like tailend of female capercaillie, ( needed a better view no joy so not listing this one:C )
3- tree pipit, male redstart

LOCH MORLICH
three evening , one afternoon visit
1-red throated diver, goosander, pair of wigeon, common sandpiper,spotted flycatcher,sand martin, swift, yellowhammer.

FINDHORN VALLEY
two afternoons
1-(imm) white tailed eagle:t: 1-(imm) golden eagle:t: peregrine, buzzard, kestrel, pair of teal, curlew,oystercatcher, stock dove, raven,
loads of red deer, 2-red squirrel, 2-brown hare,
outstanding scenery with outstanding wildlife, the eagles are awesome

CARN BAN MOR
allday
3-ptarmigan,:t: red grouse, tree pipit,
2- mountain hare
when we reached the summit we had lunch, then heavens opened up didnt have chance to have a look around , rain all the way back to car,

CAIRNGORM MOUNTAIN
halfday
weather not good again cold and misty,
5- ptarmigan, 1-red grouse
dotterel were seen day before right by viewpoint ,sadly none today.

LOCH RUTHVEN
afternoon visit
2- slavonian grebe , little grebe,common sandpiper, curlew, oystercatcher, wheatear, female redstart, cuckoo

LOCHINDORB
morning
2- black throated diver :t: 2- osprey,red grouse + chicks,cuckoo,
conditions were perfect loch was almost flat calm , great views of divers & ospreys, ospreys were fishing saw one catch a fish on about fourth attempt
fantastic to watch.

FULL LIST
wood pigeon
jackdaw
kestrel
magpie
rook
carrion crow
lesser black back gull
black head gull
blackbird
curlew
oystercatcher
swallow
swift
house martin
buzzard
mallard
heron
tufted duck
coot
starling
chaffinch
redpoll
robin
willow warbler
siskin
pied wagtail
herring gull
song thrush
great tit
pheasant
house sparrow
lapwing
dunnock
goldeneye
great spot woodpecker
common sandpiper
treecreeper
spotted flycatcher
blue tit
bullfinch
osprey
greylag goose
cuckoo
redstart
sand martin
goosander
wigeon
red throated diver
meadow pipit
goldfinch
collared dove
scottish crossbill
tree pipit
mistle thrush
common gull
wheatear
slavonian grebe
little grebe
grey wagtail
red grouse
ptarmigan
goldcrest
mute swan
crested tit
white tail eagle
peregrine
raven
yellowhammer
golden eagle
teal
stock dove
greenfinch

Nice report. Didnt try the Caper watch at RSPB Loch Garten? Or perhaps none were showing as its too late in year.

Congrats on the eagles at Findhorn AndM. We blanked twice. I think I'm right in saying that the Caper watch ended on the 17th WB.

Rich

yes wolfbirder i was a week to late for caperwatch,school holidays for you:-O
thats the main reason i did early mornings in the hope of seeing one, would like to say i never ventured off tracks.

thanks rich, i was fortunate to see the eagles, especially on my first visit to cairngorms.
have to confess the white tail was picked up by another birder, this was on 28th.
pleased to say i got goldie myself, there were a few buzzard about, then eagle came over ridge with a buzzard mobbing it, this actually helped me appreciate the size of the eagle. we parked by the bridge this was on 29th

sorry forgot to put bt diver on full list, also missed three species, trying to read my scribble, jay ,coal tit, wren,