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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Martin Fagg" data-source="post: 1802996" data-attributes="member: 50232">Thanks for all your posts folks. Just got back last night after a crippling eleven hour drive. Man, I'm tired <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" />Bad news was no cresties or eagles but considering this wasn't a birding holiday but my honeymoon, I didn't do too badly.Every birder I met hadn't seen cresties. I think the cold has hit them hard and \I was told that they would be sitting on eggs right now so would be harder to see anyway. Also crossbills are very few. The last week in the Cairngorms was still pretty cold. Down to minus one or two at night with snow flurries fairly often in the day. Up there it was like winter here in Norfolk. One birder I met said that the west coast is a lot warmer with summer birds like willow warblers having arrived already but in the Cairngorms it was still winter.Saw male capers displaying to females at Garten caperwatch and also one female by chance on the edge of a track near Forest Lodge. The first time I went to caperwatch I didn't stay long enough to see them because the place was too crowded by a bus load of people with one of the wild life tour companies. It was more than I could bear. It felt more like a zoo than a birding trip. Just after, while watching black grouse on Tulloch Moor, I met some other birders who had left for the same reason.I went back to caperwatch again two days later and had fantastic views after the crowd had died down. Most people just ticked and left, leaving the centre to just a few people who stayed on for more views. I reckon you wouldn't stand a chance of seeing them as well on your own and this way you wont disturb them. Having been a doubter at first I now thoroughly recommend caperwatch. Marvellous <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" />Also saw slav grebe at Loch Ruthven and goosander there. Also mergansers on Loch Garten one evening. No divers though.Although I didn't see as much as I'd have liked, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Just being in wild woods at dawn on a cold cold day was brilliant. And being able to walk around for hours without seeing anyone- such a change from birding in Norfolk where you have to check your pager so as to work out where to go to have a chance of birding on your own and not be part of a crowd!Can't wait to come back.Best wishesMartin</blockquote>

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