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