• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

The Loch Garten Ospreys (1 Viewer)

Ian Whittle

Well-known member
Hi anybody up in the highlands!
I am visiting the area (staying in Aviemore) for a week August 2nd, anybody recomend any places to visit to get good views of raptors?
I know of a few but allways looking for new experiences!
Thanks
 
Hi Ian
I was at Heatherlea Nethy Bridge at the begginning of June and had good views of the Loch Garten Osprey also Caper (male & female great loo's).

We tried all over the place for Golden Eagle, Findhorn valley is usually good but we only saw Buzzards finally getting a result at Loch Strathconon.

You want the Black Isle Inverness for red kite, just drive along they come out and say hello!!!!

If you want Ptarmigan without the climbing i.e. Cairngorm try Applecross it's a great drive up there!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hope this of some use, have a great week.

Peter
 
I've done the drive to Applecross, Ian... you'll not be wanting to take your artic!!!
 
Nah! The Applecross road is far too easy now that they have widened the road, put in extra passing places and crash barriers.

The first time we did the drive, we met a car coming down at the first hairpin. Such was the fear on his face and his intense concentration on a bit of road six inches in front of him, he was totally unaware of our car.

Choose a good day though - the view ain't so good in low cloud <grin>

Gordon
 
So, when you say "widened", you mean you didn't use to be able to get both sides of the car on the tarmac at the same time???

And by "crash" barriers - you mean those things you scrape along that stop you falling into oblivion???

Ri-i-i-i-ght!
 
I did say it was scary <grin>

For some reason, my wife who was driving at the time didn't want to look at the ring ouzel I had found.

Now, even half size coaches do the trip though it is interesting watching them do 7-point turns round the hairpins. Even more fun watching the faces of the passengers.

Gordon
 
Quite amusing when you can't even see the hairpins, let alone Ring Ouzel,due to the blizzard (well it was June 2nd, what did you expect).
Back to the original question...
If you can be bothered going to the West coast from Aviemore then the Glenelg/Bernera area (where you get the ferry to Skye) is a good place for Golden Eagles. If not then Glen Affric or Glen Strathfarrar (NW of Loch Ness). Never seem to see many eagles round the Cairngorm/Aviemore area, perhaps too many people?
Hen Harriers are present in quite a few areas but not always easily seen, the Skiing area at the Lecht (A939 Grantown - Ballater) was usually quite good for them.
 
Hi Ian,

At the beginning of June we had a week in Scotland too, staying at Boat of Garten near Aviemore.

Our best views of Osprey were at RSPB Loch of the Lowes, signposted from the A9 at Dunkeld. The top level of the hide gave superb views of the nest, far better than we ever saw at Loch Garten where the birds were a lot more distant. We called there on our way both north and south. It opens at 10 am as does Loch Garten. Watch along the A9 there too as we saw several Buzzard when travelling north and south.

Loch Garten was very good for both male and female Capers - the male was sat on a log by the Osprey nest wih the female beside him on the ground - was that the day you were there Golfnut ?

The Black Isle was definitely the place for Red Kite, right along side the A9. As you cross the bridge from Inverness make sure you call in at the first layby on the north side as there are several cameras covering the Red Kite nests, there were young on the nests when we were there, but I guess they may be gone now. The staff were very knowledgeable about where to get the best views though and there was plenty of information about them.

We struck out in the Findhorn Valley this year for raptors other than for Osprey, but we didn't go to the top of the valley this time, which is where we saw four Golden Eagles last year. Buzzards were a plenty last year too.

Even better views of Ospey can be found at the Rothmericus Fish Farm just south of Aviemore, where around 5.30 pm every day at least one bird does a fly past and sometimes catches it's tea in the lake. They charge £1.00 entry fee, though if the same day you visit Loch an Eilean, an excellent small loch for small woodland birds including Crested Tit, Crossbill and Redstart, then you can get in the fish Farm for free as you will have paid £2.00 for the car parking ;-)

Our best biridng locale of the week though was without doubt the paths to the south side of Loch Morlich, the red and white marked paths. We had a couple of visits and had our best bird counts there.

Hope this helps.
 
Hello
I will be taking my first proper "Mainland" holiday next year and I've also decided on Scotland (place called Ullapool I think), can someone tell me which Applecross road you are talking about so I can avoid it like the plague!
Ta
Pete.
 
Its a minor road from the A896 near Sanachan at the head of Loch Kishorn to Applecross and is the highest altitude road in Britain.
Ptarmigan are (so I'm told) seen around the radio tower on the top of Sgurr a' Chaorachain by the roadside.

It is seriously spectacular though once you get up through the aforementioned hairpins at the start of the road even if you can't see Ptarmigan like I didn't on my one visit there! :(
 
Hi Pete,

You probably won't like the 'wee mad road' round Inverpolly just north of Ullapool then either <grin>

Seriously, there are no problems driving there - no-one is going very fast and there are plenty of passing places. If you really are scared, you can always do the loop the other way round, heading west from Torridon on the A896 and turning right onto the a minor road just after the village of Shieldaig.

All the scenery there is stunning with some amazing west coast sunsets over the islands and wondeful Scottish hospitality. Plenty of wildlife cruises out of Ullapool and three main loops to explore - Inverpolly, Beinn Eighe and Applecross.

If you get the chance, get the boat over to Handa for a magical wildlife experience - getting mobbed by skuas (jaegers) en route to some fantastic seabird cliffs.

Gordon
 
Thanks Gordon,
My friend has been on the road and he sent me some pictures of it today.. Looks a great road! I cant wait to have a drive on it.
Not sure me driving and looking out for Ptarmigan, ring ouzel etc is going to be a good idea though :))))
 
huge car park at top so no problems. scan towards radio mast for ptarmigan or walk up the obvious path

drop down to Applecross, scan the bay for auks, divers (loons) etc waders and rock pipits on foreshore. chance of golden and white-tailed eagle.

either continue round coast or do the mountain again in reverse

Gordon
 
Think I am going to need a few weeks up north at all these sites, but looking forward to the applecross road, just have to go there now!
Thanks again!
Ian
 
To put an end to this thread!
Had a great time in the Highlands and especially Mull, saw just about everything I hoped for and more, findhorn was as I had been told, and white Tailed eagles close up were an experience and a half on Mull. thanks everybody for your comments, I noted them and they came in use!
Cheers
Ian
 
Warning! This thread is more than 21 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top