JWN Andrewes
Poor Judge of Pasta.
Very! It's been a few years since I've done it, but I seem to recall pitching up there at 05:00....
Good luck!
James
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Capercaillie guidetours? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Caledonian
- Start date
Very! It's been a few years since I've done it, but I seem to recall pitching up there at 05:00....
Good luck!
James
dave123
Well-known member
you might get them from the loch garten visitor centre. i've seen them at 11.30am
Caledonian
Well-known member
Good luck Amarillo!
If you had any luck during the trip, just post it here if you want!
Cheers,
Rik
If you had any luck during the trip, just post it here if you want!
Cheers,
Rik
Other than the Capercaillie Watch at Loch Garten,the birds should not be searched for.This is a critical time of year for the species and they should only be watched from the official station,that is Loch Garten.Please do not enter woods looking for them ?
No, I'm well aware of that. Was just wondering out of interest why they are active so early and what they are doing at other times
Capercaillie71
Well-known member
I'm not really sure why they are active so early. I suppose it may be something to do with their calls being more audible in the still of the dawn before the wind gets up. Despite what you might expect, the Capercaillie's calls are not very loud or far-carrying. I've found I have to concentrate quite hard to hear them at even 100-200 metres and once the wind starts to pick up later in the morning it can be very difficult to hear them at all.
As to what they are doing at other times of the day- feeding, mostly!
Caledonian
Well-known member
Just a few days back from my trip to the Capercailie.
I had a joyable holiday and what a lovely area. Never been there before but it was worth the effort.
I started my Holiday at Wednesday evening 25th of april and ended at monday 30th of April.
Ofcourse I did see the Capercaillie. In total I did 4 times the Caperwatch with the best luck at friday 27 of April with 2 males which one gave a good display, see also the pictures.
The weather was horrible on thrursday and friday, but good on Saturday and sunday but during the morning fog so the Capers not seen very well on those days.
A total of 85 species where seen during my stay and got my main species: Capercailie, Scottisch Crossbill, Crested tit and Ptarmigan.
With only a budget of 200 pound for 5 days including driving from Ayrshire, it is a lot of cheaper then a Bird guiding tour
Missed species where: Ring Ouzel, Snow bunting (al do I didn't got to the top of the cairngorm hill), divers and some common species. And ofcourse the possible snowy owl near spey
Some pictures of birding during my trip below in the links. Also you can see my total birding list of the trip!
Cheers.
Capercailie: http://observado.org/waarneming/view/67822465
Crested tit: http://observado.org/waarneming/view/67775678 and http://observado.org/waarneming/view/67794712
Dipper: http://observado.org/waarneming/view/67749497
Osprey: http://observado.org/waarneming/view/67722058 and http://observado.org/waarneming/view/67830994
hooded crow: http://observado.org/waarneming/view/67788696
Peregrine Falcon: http://observado.org/waarneming/view/67790001
Red Grouse: http://observado.org/waarneming/view/67727318
Red Deer: http://observado.org/waarneming/view/67832638 and http://observado.org/waarneming/view/67833145
Red Squirrle: http://observado.org/waarneming/view/67821184 and http://observado.org/waarneming/view/67806559
1 Cormorant 1 at Loch Insh
2 grey Heron
3 Mute Swan
4 Whooper swan 4 at Insh moor
5 Pinkfeet geese 24 a Insh Moor
6 Greyleg geese common at insh moor and 2 at Loch garten
7 Canada geese 2 flew over spey valley near Boat Garten
8 Mallard
9 Wigeon 6 at Loch garten, 2 at Loch Morlich, and 4 and Insh Moor
10 Teal 3 at Loch Morlich and 2 at Insh Moor
11 tufted duck 2 at Loch garten and 1 at loch Morlich
12 Goldeneye
13 Goosander male at loch Morlich and 3 at Insh Loch
14 Osprey the couple of Loch Garten and 1 at Loch Insh
15 Golden Eagle 1 far away but recognized well from Loch Garten, flew far away along the snow hills
16 Buzzard
17 Sparrowhawk 1 flew over Loch garten
18 Peregrine 1 flew very high in the sky, pictures token.
19 Red Grouse 4 from the cairngorms skicentre
20 Ptarmigan 2 from skicentre and 1 flew up during a walk east of the skicentre
21 Capercailie almost every morning seen during the Caperwatch, with a total of 2 males seen. also 2 female where seen those days but not viewed by visitors.
22 Black Grouse 1 male calling near Loch Garten and 1 east of Abernethy
23 Pheasant
24 Waterrail heard queeling at Insh Moor
25 Moorhen seen in spey valley but no Coot?!
26 Oystercatcher common at spey valley
27 Golden plover a group of 38 birds at Insh Moor
28 Lampwing common at spey valley
29 Common Sandpiper 4 at Loch garten, 4 at Loch morlich, 2 at Loch Insh, 2 at Eilein
30 Redshank common at spey Valley and Insh Moor
31 Curlew
32 Snipe 1 at spey Valley and 1 calling at Insh Moor
33 Black headed Gull
34 Common Gull
35 lesser black backed gull 3 flew over spey valley
36 Wood pigeon
37 Feral Pigeon
38 Collared dove 2 at Nethy bridge
39 Tawny owl male and famale calling from Nethy bridge
40 Great spotted Woodpecker
41 Skylark Spey Valley
42 Sand martin 16 at Nethy bridge/spey river
43 Swallow Several
44 Meadow pippit
45 Tree pippit a total of 8 where seen/heard
46 Pied wagtail
47 White wagtail 1 between pied wagtails at Spey Valley
48 Grey Wagtail 1 at Nethy bridge/river spey and 1 near Insh Moor
49 Wren
50 Dipper 1 at Nethy bridge/river spey
51 Dunnock
52 Robbin
53 Redstar at total of 8 where heard: 6 around Loch Garten, 1 at Aviemore and 1 at Insh moor
54 Song trush
55 Mistle Trush
56 Black bird
57 Blackcap 1 at Nethy bridge and 1 at Aviemore
58 Chiffchaff
59 Willow warbler
60 Goldcrest
61 Great tit
62 Blue tit
63 Crested Tit a total of 12 different territories where heard around Loch Garten and Nethy Bridge
64 Long tailed tit
65 Treecreeper
66 Jay 2 + 2 around Loch Garten
67 Jackdaw
68 Rook
69 Carrion Crow
70 Hooded Crow 1 where seen at spey valley near boat Garten and 1 at Insh Moor
71 Raven 1 was heared from Loch Garten
72 Starling
73 Hous sparrow
74 Chafffinch
75 Lesser Redpoll not in Loch garten region but common around Insh Moor
76 Goldfinch
77 Greenfinch
78 Sisken
79 Bullfinch 1 heard near Insh Moor
80 Crossbill common around Loch Garten and Loch Morlich
81 Scottisch Crossbill a minimum of 1 where heard near Loch Morlich, but not seen/heard at Loch Garten
82 Reed Bunting 1 at spey Valley and several at Insh Moor
83 Yellowhammer a minimum of 1 was heard at Nethy bridge
84 Red Breasted Merganser a total of 4 where seen on Loch Garten
85 Coal tit
On the way to the cairngorms a Magpie where seen flew over highway between Stirling and Perth.
Mammels during my trip where
1 Red Squirrle several near Nethy bridge
2 Roe deer
3 Pine marten only tracks and waste where seen
4 Hare
5 Rabbit
6 and during my way to Cairngorm several big groups of Red Deer between Pitlochry and Kingussie
groups where: 80, 90, 15, 11 and 40. Also during my stay 2 at Loch Morlich
I had a joyable holiday and what a lovely area. Never been there before but it was worth the effort.
I started my Holiday at Wednesday evening 25th of april and ended at monday 30th of April.
Ofcourse I did see the Capercaillie. In total I did 4 times the Caperwatch with the best luck at friday 27 of April with 2 males which one gave a good display, see also the pictures.
The weather was horrible on thrursday and friday, but good on Saturday and sunday but during the morning fog so the Capers not seen very well on those days.
A total of 85 species where seen during my stay and got my main species: Capercailie, Scottisch Crossbill, Crested tit and Ptarmigan.
With only a budget of 200 pound for 5 days including driving from Ayrshire, it is a lot of cheaper then a Bird guiding tour
Missed species where: Ring Ouzel, Snow bunting (al do I didn't got to the top of the cairngorm hill), divers and some common species. And ofcourse the possible snowy owl near spey
Some pictures of birding during my trip below in the links. Also you can see my total birding list of the trip!
Cheers.
Capercailie: http://observado.org/waarneming/view/67822465
Crested tit: http://observado.org/waarneming/view/67775678 and http://observado.org/waarneming/view/67794712
Dipper: http://observado.org/waarneming/view/67749497
Osprey: http://observado.org/waarneming/view/67722058 and http://observado.org/waarneming/view/67830994
hooded crow: http://observado.org/waarneming/view/67788696
Peregrine Falcon: http://observado.org/waarneming/view/67790001
Red Grouse: http://observado.org/waarneming/view/67727318
Red Deer: http://observado.org/waarneming/view/67832638 and http://observado.org/waarneming/view/67833145
Red Squirrle: http://observado.org/waarneming/view/67821184 and http://observado.org/waarneming/view/67806559
1 Cormorant 1 at Loch Insh
2 grey Heron
3 Mute Swan
4 Whooper swan 4 at Insh moor
5 Pinkfeet geese 24 a Insh Moor
6 Greyleg geese common at insh moor and 2 at Loch garten
7 Canada geese 2 flew over spey valley near Boat Garten
8 Mallard
9 Wigeon 6 at Loch garten, 2 at Loch Morlich, and 4 and Insh Moor
10 Teal 3 at Loch Morlich and 2 at Insh Moor
11 tufted duck 2 at Loch garten and 1 at loch Morlich
12 Goldeneye
13 Goosander male at loch Morlich and 3 at Insh Loch
14 Osprey the couple of Loch Garten and 1 at Loch Insh
15 Golden Eagle 1 far away but recognized well from Loch Garten, flew far away along the snow hills
16 Buzzard
17 Sparrowhawk 1 flew over Loch garten
18 Peregrine 1 flew very high in the sky, pictures token.
19 Red Grouse 4 from the cairngorms skicentre
20 Ptarmigan 2 from skicentre and 1 flew up during a walk east of the skicentre
21 Capercailie almost every morning seen during the Caperwatch, with a total of 2 males seen. also 2 female where seen those days but not viewed by visitors.
22 Black Grouse 1 male calling near Loch Garten and 1 east of Abernethy
23 Pheasant
24 Waterrail heard queeling at Insh Moor
25 Moorhen seen in spey valley but no Coot?!
26 Oystercatcher common at spey valley
27 Golden plover a group of 38 birds at Insh Moor
28 Lampwing common at spey valley
29 Common Sandpiper 4 at Loch garten, 4 at Loch morlich, 2 at Loch Insh, 2 at Eilein
30 Redshank common at spey Valley and Insh Moor
31 Curlew
32 Snipe 1 at spey Valley and 1 calling at Insh Moor
33 Black headed Gull
34 Common Gull
35 lesser black backed gull 3 flew over spey valley
36 Wood pigeon
37 Feral Pigeon
38 Collared dove 2 at Nethy bridge
39 Tawny owl male and famale calling from Nethy bridge
40 Great spotted Woodpecker
41 Skylark Spey Valley
42 Sand martin 16 at Nethy bridge/spey river
43 Swallow Several
44 Meadow pippit
45 Tree pippit a total of 8 where seen/heard
46 Pied wagtail
47 White wagtail 1 between pied wagtails at Spey Valley
48 Grey Wagtail 1 at Nethy bridge/river spey and 1 near Insh Moor
49 Wren
50 Dipper 1 at Nethy bridge/river spey
51 Dunnock
52 Robbin
53 Redstar at total of 8 where heard: 6 around Loch Garten, 1 at Aviemore and 1 at Insh moor
54 Song trush
55 Mistle Trush
56 Black bird
57 Blackcap 1 at Nethy bridge and 1 at Aviemore
58 Chiffchaff
59 Willow warbler
60 Goldcrest
61 Great tit
62 Blue tit
63 Crested Tit a total of 12 different territories where heard around Loch Garten and Nethy Bridge
64 Long tailed tit
65 Treecreeper
66 Jay 2 + 2 around Loch Garten
67 Jackdaw
68 Rook
69 Carrion Crow
70 Hooded Crow 1 where seen at spey valley near boat Garten and 1 at Insh Moor
71 Raven 1 was heared from Loch Garten
72 Starling
73 Hous sparrow
74 Chafffinch
75 Lesser Redpoll not in Loch garten region but common around Insh Moor
76 Goldfinch
77 Greenfinch
78 Sisken
79 Bullfinch 1 heard near Insh Moor
80 Crossbill common around Loch Garten and Loch Morlich
81 Scottisch Crossbill a minimum of 1 where heard near Loch Morlich, but not seen/heard at Loch Garten
82 Reed Bunting 1 at spey Valley and several at Insh Moor
83 Yellowhammer a minimum of 1 was heard at Nethy bridge
84 Red Breasted Merganser a total of 4 where seen on Loch Garten
85 Coal tit
On the way to the cairngorms a Magpie where seen flew over highway between Stirling and Perth.
Mammels during my trip where
1 Red Squirrle several near Nethy bridge
2 Roe deer
3 Pine marten only tracks and waste where seen
4 Hare
5 Rabbit
6 and during my way to Cairngorm several big groups of Red Deer between Pitlochry and Kingussie
groups where: 80, 90, 15, 11 and 40. Also during my stay 2 at Loch Morlich
Last edited:
Caledonian
Well-known member
Ring ouzel on migration, RTD, BTD and slavion grebes I have already in Inverclyde region (wintertime)
but thanks for your comments. Don't know yet if I will be there next year. We will see, but centainly somewhere in the future!
Edit: Just saw your website dave, very nice one! good prices as well! al do I didn't have the money this year... cheers
but thanks for your comments. Don't know yet if I will be there next year. We will see, but centainly somewhere in the future!
Edit: Just saw your website dave, very nice one! good prices as well! al do I didn't have the money this year... cheers
Last edited:
Caledonian
Well-known member
Btw, I got Crestie and Red squirrel on the feeder infront of the Hostel. see also the pictures in comment above.
