Griswold’s Vacations 2023 (1 Viewer)

[JWN Andrewes]

Are you up here for the birds.........or the food ?

It always seems to be never less than both with Rich!

No wild swimming for the young 'un then, oh well. From personal experience with ours when they were younger, kids' ears are a right nuisance!! It'll pass.

Enjoy the rest of your trip, hoping for a smash and grab road trip of our own later in the week. Have to see what sticks till we can get away.

 

[JTweedie]

Left Neath at 03:00 yesterday. Quiet drive up. Stopped briefly at Barons Haugh reserve to look for the reported Waxwing but dipped. Nice place with some friendly dog walkers around. Didn’t spend long in the hide due to the strong smell of urine😳

Rich

You should have gone to the village of Torrance to the north of Glasgow where there was a flock of Waxwings in someone's garden for two days!

Baron's Haugh is one of the hotspots around here, just about anything can show up - it was also where I saw my first ever Nuthatch, it was one of the first sites in the area to have them nesting, although they've spread out to other places since then. I like it in summer sitting on the riverbank with Sand Martins flying a metre or so over my head.

Unfortunately the site has also been plagued by anti-social behaviour which you caught a whiff of in the hide!

 

[Julie50]

I once went to Pagham and interrupted two teenagers “making out” in a hide. I made a quick exit lol

 

[ClarkWGriswold]

Are you up here for the birds.........or the food ?

Bit of both Mr N😂

 

[ClarkWGriswold]

You should have gone to the village of Torrance to the north of Glasgow where there was a flock of Waxwings in someone's garden for two days!

Baron's Haugh is one of the hotspots around here, just about anything can show up - it was also where I saw my first ever Nuthatch, it was one of the first sites in the area to have them nesting, although they've spread out to other places since then. I like it in summer sitting on the riverbank with Sand Martins flying a metre or so over my head.

Unfortunately the site has also been plagued by anti-social behaviour which you caught a whiff of in the hide!

It wasn’t too bad John. It’s a problem in lots of places unfortunately. The people we met were very friendly. Nice to have a place like that so close to urban areas as well.

Rich

 

[ClarkWGriswold]

So we decided to head West yesterday. Didn’t start off too well as our favourite greasy spoon in Tarvie was closed! A little further down the road though was The Midge Bite Cafe at Achnasheen. Can recommend this place. The bacon, Haggis and brown sausage roll was spot. As was the flat white. And both of us enjoyed the gluten free lemon and blueberry cake.

Rain began to ease when we reached Kishorn. So the dog had a good run on the shingle beach. Red breasted Merganser were in the bay and Hooded Crow and Ringed Plovers were year ticks. Also some Rock(ish) Doves on the beach.

Headed over the pass of the cattle despite in being shrouded in cloud. Not a sniff of a Ptarmigan but you couldn’t see too far. At Applecross the bay was full of Common Seals, a few Mergansers and a couple of Great Northern Divers.

Round to Shieldaig we had a few more GND’s but unfortunately the restaurant we planned on eating at was closed. Decided to head back to the Nethybridge Hotel. Not sure if they’ve had a change of chef but the food seemed improved to us. And it was already pretty good. Can recommend the vegan hummus starter and the Chicken Caesar Salad.

 

[ClarkWGriswold]

Forgot to add we had both species of Eagle yesterday - Golden and White tailed Sea Eagle. More than happy with this.

 

[ClarkWGriswold]

Just got back from a walk around Abernethy Forest with the boy. A Great Tit was doing a great impression of a Crestie but other than a Treecreeper and GSW’s not a lot around. Didn’t matter at all though as I was just enjoying being out with the boy.

 

[Ian Bell]

Forgot to add we had both species of Eagle yesterday - Golden and White tailed Sea Eagle. More than happy with this.

Great stuff

 

[ClarkWGriswold]

Headed up to the Moray area this afternoon. Nice view of a couple of Red Kites by Lochindorb on the way. Very quiet at Burghead and Findhorn. And the rain was beginning to sting. So off we went. A quick stop at Alturlie Point was much more productive. Turnstones and Redshanks along the shore with Wigeon, Goldeneye, GCG, RB Mergansers etc. in the bay. After a bit of searching I managed to have good scope views of 8 Greater Scaup and a Slavonian Grebe. Both year ticks.

Rich

 

[ClarkWGriswold]

Stayed local today. A wander around Anagach Woods gave great views of a Treecreeper, Siskins and LTT’s. Also the first Crestie of the trip on the feeders.

Dipped on the Shrike just past Tomintoul. Did get chatting to a local Nethy birder though. He’s been really struggling with Caper this year. So perhaps no surprise we haven’t managed to see one.

A walk around Nethy have a couple of Sparrowhawks and the Dipper was on the river. Might get up a touch earlier tomorrow to look for Black Grouse.

Rich

 

[Julie50]

Hope you get the grouseRich

 

[ClarkWGriswold]

Hope you get the grouseRich

Cheers Julie. I know a rough area where to go. Haven’t seen one for a while.

Rich

 

[Julie50]

I’m off to Moseley on Saturday so will be back for most of the 6 Nations clash - will you be back?

 

[ClarkWGriswold]

I’m off to Moseley on Saturday so will be back for most of the 6 Nations clash - will you be back?

I’m hoping to get back in time. Though saying that I’m not sure what time kick off is?? I don’t hold out much hope tbh. I’m trying to convince my OH that Llanddulas is on the way home at the moment 😂

 

[Julie50]

KO 4.45pm - Moseley KO at 3pm and it takes about 15min to walk home -so I should catch most of it!

 

[ClarkWGriswold]

KO 4.45pm - Moseley KO at 3pm and it takes about 15min to walk home -so I should catch most of it!

Cheers Julie.

 

[ClarkWGriswold]

Dipped on Black Grouse this morning. Think I was in the right area as there was another birder there looking as well. Plenty of Red Grouse though.

Got back to the cottage and took the boy for a walk along the river. Then it was off to Cairngorm. Immediately a flock of c20 Snow Buntings flew over. Went over to the Furnicular Railway but was told dogs weren’t allowed. I’m sure he’s been up there before?? So the OH and the boys went up and I walked the boy. Not easy going at all. Decided to head back down when the path was covered in snow and more snow was coming down. Heard some Ptarmigan but couldn’t pick them out in all the snow.

Went back to the cottage and had very decent slice of coffee cake from the Nethy House Cafe. Just packing for the journey home tomorrow. Rather than cook we had a Chinese takeaway from The Snow Mountain in Aviemore. Very generous portions and pretty tasty.

Not sure where we’re off to next. Possibly a couple of nights away with Max in May to Somerset/ Dorset. And we’re looking to book to come back to Nethy for the New Year.

 

[Julie50]

Sorry you dipped the black grouse - sounds like you had a great time though

 

[Ian Bell]

The Black Grouse will give you a reason to come back.As If you ever needed one I hope you and the family had a great time.