Tips for Scottish Specialties (1 Viewer)

[Killip]

Hello All,

I am up in the Cairngorms on Sat, and I am making time for a spot of birding. I have never seen Crested Tits, Scottish Crossbill or Ptarmigan before.
Is it the wrong time of year to be searching for any of them?

Any advice would be very appreciated. Locations, Time of Day, whether or not I have any chance

Thanks in advance:t:

 

[Gander]

Hi Killip,
I was in Aviemore on holiday last year and saw Ptarmigan from the Funicular railway on Cairngorm mountain. That was in July.

 

[Killip]

I was thinking of heading there after Loch Garten in hope of Cresties.
I will be going for the American white winged Scoter and King Eider tomorrow. Ptarmigan at Cairngorm Mt would be icing on the cake if I got them all

 

[devon.birder]

When I was there in early May someone had hung a fat ball in the left corner of the Osprey Centre car park and Crested Tits were feeding on it. I presume the fat ball was hung by photographers. Roger

 

[Gander]

I was thinking of heading there after Loch Garten in hope of Cresties.
I will be going for the American white winged Scoter and King Eider tomorrow. Ptarmigan at Cairngorm Mt would be icing on the cake if I got them all

I also visited a place called Loch an Eilean. I had my three kids with me, so there was no chance of seeing any birds, but it is known that Crested Tits visit the bird feeders at the lodge next to the car park. The loch is very close to the road into Cairngorm mountain, so may be a good option if Loch Garten doesn't work out for the Crested Tits.

I can also strongly recommend a visit to the nearby Inshriach Nursery (Garden centre). They have a little cafe there with windows that have feeders a few feet away. The cafe serves all sorts of prize winning home baked cakes that you can eat watching masses of finches on the feeders,with Red Squirrels making visits, and even the odd Pine Marten.

Hope this helps. Let me know how you get on.

 

[Farnboro John]

Garten is a good spot for Cresties, if not around the car park or reserve centre then the footpath from the Loch Mallachie car park is a good bet, especially if you listen for their buzzing calls.

Good luck with Scottish Crossbill, I'm not sure many on here even believe in them these days.

John

 

[Kibet]

Anagach Woods in Grantown-on-spey have Crossbill. Whether they were scottish or common, when I looked up the call I could not compare. They were right at the top of the pines, so you may get a crick in your neck.

Never saw crested when I was up there, only seen them in Portugal.

 

[Killip]

Great advice everyone thank you.

I will post my results back on here on next week and let you know how i've got on with your help.

I haven't even seen Red Squirrels in the wild either, so another bonus to look forward to

 

[DMKSlater]

Had Crested on the path from the kiosk to the main visitor centre at Garten on Tuesday this week, as previous post says learn the call it makes finding them a lot easier. Ptarmigan from the viewing platform at the Ptarmigan restaurant. Ring Ouzel feeding young in car park near main building lower level.

 

[Killip]

Well, that was eventful. Thank you everyone.

After surprisingly easy and superb views of the American White-winged scoter and King Eider I arrived at Loch Garten at 10:40pm - Does it ever get dark at this time of year? I sat watching what I think were Daubenton Bats flying over the Loch, and then folded myself into the back of my partners tiny car. I woke up 3ft shorter with a limp at 5:30am. Stepped out of the car rubbed my eyes grabbed the Bins and scanned the trees. The first bird I saw was a CRESTED TIT in the same tree I was sleeping under. Very Jammy. I saw a further 5, and I was also greeted by 3 GS Woodpeckers, 2 Tree Creepers, lot's of Siskin, Chaffinch, Wrens, Robins, various other tits, Swifts and Martins and a surprise Common Sandpiper at the edge of the Loch on the road

unfortunately my trip to Cairngorm Mt was cut short due to time, a 350 mile journey ahead and lots of rain. So I cowered in my car and scanned the mountain tops. All I managed was some suspiciously shape rocks with dustings of snow. No Ptarmigan on this trip, but I will be back in 3 weeks for a full week of leisure.

Thanks all

 

[DMKSlater]

Glad you had a good trip. good luck with the Ptarmigan on your return they are always in the area so your chances are high

 

[Alcina]

No Ptarmigan on this trip, but I will be back in 3 weeks for a full week of leisure.

Thanks all

I don't know if this will reach you in time, but if you want ptarmigan I have found two options that work. They are on Cairngorm itself, but they quickly leave when the droves of innapropriately clad mountain hikers and runners appear. My advice is to make sure you are able to reach the summit by 7am at the latest. How long this takes depends on your fitness. Do be aware, if you haven't been there before, that you ARE allowed to walk up the track to the restaurant (the first time I did it I assumed that track was private and went up the footpath on Windy Ridge!) If you take a book to read you can always wait a few hours for the first Furnicular down, and save yourself sore legs!

A MUCH easier option is to drive west to the Applecross pass. At the top there's a car park/big layby. Cross the road and walk up the track opposite to the weather station. Again, it's advisable to be there before the first dog walkers of the day, who tend to flush the ptarmigan. However, this in a much shorter and less strenuous walk than Cairngorm.

 

[ClarkWGriswold]

I don't know if this will reach you in time, but if you want ptarmigan I have found two options that work. They are on Cairngorm itself, but they quickly leave when the droves of innapropriately clad mountain hikers and runners appear. My advice is to make sure you are able to reach the summit by 7am at the latest. How long this takes depends on your fitness. Do be aware, if you haven't been there before, that you ARE allowed to walk up the track to the restaurant (the first time I did it I assumed that track was private and went up the footpath on Windy Ridge!) If you take a book to read you can always wait a few hours for the first Furnicular down, and save yourself sore legs!

A MUCH easier option is to drive west to the Applecross pass. At the top there's a car park/big layby. Cross the road and walk up the track opposite to the weather station. Again, it's advisable to be there before the first dog walkers of the day, who tend to flush the ptarmigan. However, this in a much shorter and less strenuous walk than Cairngorm.

You didn't have to leave the car park in May Alcina. :t: Can be combined with some decent food at The Applecross Inn.

Rich

 

[jpoyner]

I don't know if this will reach you in time, but if you want ptarmigan I have found two options that work. They are on Cairngorm itself, but they quickly leave when the droves of innapropriately clad mountain hikers and runners appear. My advice is to make sure you are able to reach the summit by 7am at the latest. How long this takes depends on your fitness. Do be aware, if you haven't been there before, that you ARE allowed to walk up the track to the restaurant (the first time I did it I assumed that track was private and went up the footpath on Windy Ridge!) If you take a book to read you can always wait a few hours for the first Furnicular down, and save yourself sore legs!

A MUCH easier option is to drive west to the Applecross pass. At the top there's a car park/big layby. Cross the road and walk up the track opposite to the weather station. Again, it's advisable to be there before the first dog walkers of the day, who tend to flush the ptarmigan. However, this in a much shorter and less strenuous walk than Cairngorm.

I don't think there is any need to set off so early. Ptarmigan pay little attention to hikers and indeed in winter are often found close to the hundreds of skiers on the hill. I was on the hill last week mid-afternoon with five male birds sitting quite happily right next to the busy Ben Macdui track....though few of the walkers actually noticed them!

A walk in to any of the northern Corries should get you birds.