Nairn and Surrounding area!! 27/04/24 to 12/05/24 (1 Viewer)

[Original PaulE]

Just home from a highly enjoyable trip north. This first post was our first full day in the area, managed to see the White-billed Diver at Burghead Bay, couple of Velvet Scoters as well, quick trip to Loch Garten where we didn't manage a Crested Tit but did see some Red Squirrels and an interesting Crossbill 😀 Well we were in the right area could be!!! Lots more pics on the blog at the link below. More posts to follow, though could be a while, a few pics to sort!!

Holiday in Scotland Day 2: Diver Search!

After yesterday's long drive, we wanted to stay local to our base and with a White-billed Diver being reported from Burghead Bay it was a ...

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[Original PaulE]

Our second full day, saw us hit Lossie Forest and Beach, has to be said there are some fantastic beaches in the area, it turned into an Osprey fest with 3 birds fishing in the surf as we walked along. Apparently there have been up to eight individuals fishing the river mouth and sea over the last few weeks. The forest was less forth coming and the hoped for Crested Tits remained elusive!! But plenty of good birds seen along with the Ospreys, Divers, Terns and Gannets along the beach, Yellowhammer, Brambling and Tree Sparrow elsewhere among the highlights. More details and lots more pics on the blog at the link (it's not all Ospreys, although it could have been😁😁 )

Holiday in Scotland Day 3 Ospreyfest!

After yesterday's failure to find a Crested Tit we decided to try the Lossie Forest. I have discovered the Scottish Ornithological Society's...

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[Original PaulE]

RSPB Troup head the main destination today. Gannets galore, with a few Puffins, loads of Fulmars and plenty more to see, my first visit, lovely to have a Seabird Colony all to ourselves. A nice Short-eared Owl put on a bit of a show. Wheatears and Yellowhammers also featured heavily and nice to hear a Corn Bunting. On to Loch of Strathbeg where the reported Green-winged Teal showed distantly, but the Tree Sparrows and Yellowhammers in the Carpark showed well. Finished at Bowfiddle rock where some Dolphins were seen, I think they were Bottlenose but happy to be corrected! As ever alot more pics on the Blog at the link

Holiday in Scotland Day 4 Trouping the Gannet

Today we headed to Troup Head an RSPB reserve, a Seabird Colony, think Bempton Cliffs without the Health and Safety or 100s of idiots with...

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[Original PaulE]

Continuing the holiday posts and excursion over to the West Coast, for a ferry ride to Stornoway and back. I have had good trips on this ferry in the past with Skuas and Dolphins, unfortunately despite or perhaps because of the lovely weather, it was a bit slow, a few pairs of Puffins dotted about, some Divers, a very friendly Hooded Crow and an incompetent Mouse the best of it!!! As ever a lot more pics on the blog at the link!

Holiday In Scotland Day 5: Ferry nice day!

As my regular reader will remember we do like a Ferry trip, with some memorable excursions had in recent years, The Ullapool to Stornoway fe...

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[Original PaulE]

Another day, some more great birds, Slav Grebes at Ruthven and an Eagle getting a hammering from a Peregrine in the Findhorn Valley. More pics of both on the blog at the link

Holiday in Scotland Day6: Slavtastic Day

Well after all the walking and Ferry Trips we were flagging a bit, so decided today would be a good day to head to Loch Ruthven in the hopes...

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[Original PaulE]

Day 7 and we decide to hit the mountains, the mighty Cairn Gorm and the trains not working😱😱 We had to walk up! A brilliant day crowned by amazing views of Snow Buntings in their breeding finery!! Ring Ouzel and Wheatear seen as well, though the scenery is was definitely a highlight!!
Lot's more pics, maybe too many Snow Buntings, on the blog at the link

Holiday in Scotland Day 7: Because it's there!

 Today was our anniversaryððð so to celebrate we decided to do some mountaineering, as you doð I'm so romantic!!! Regular readers will ...

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[Original PaulE]

Well after our efforts yesterday, we had a rest, watched Ipswich pip the mighty Leeds to promotion, the other half is a tractor girl so you can imagine the situation, I was definitely regretting some of the comments I made when we beat them 4 nil earlier in the season 😂 I was gracious in defeat and we had a nice wander on a beach local to Nairn, highlight was watching Sandwich Terns plunging into the water!! A heron trying to eat an eel was something to see as well! Nice to have some views of Sandmartins having a preen in the car park as well!! Lot more pics on the Blog at the link

Holiday in Scotland Day 8: Staying Local

After our mountaineering exploits yesterday, still buzzing from the Snow Buntings, we decided to stay local today, a lay in, a walk around...

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[Farnboro John]

Mouse is a Wood Mouse. Much too far North for Yellow-necked and with that warm brown uppers contrasting with white underside it's obviously not a House Mouse.

John

 

[Original PaulE]

Mouse is a Wood Mouse. Much too far North for Yellow-necked and with that warm brown uppers contrasting with white underside it's obviously not a House Mouse.

John

Ah thanks for that John we weren't sure persistent little chap anyway made several attempts to get up the pole!!!

 

[Original PaulE]

Day 9 hang in there folks, well over halfway through now!!! Tarbat Ness and the surrounding area today, a beautiful area, A Dolphin, a Bonxie and plenty more besides, though we couldn't find the reported Iceland Gull, the only disappointment from another enjoyable day in Scotland!!! A lot more pictures on the blog at the link!

Holiday in Scotland Day 9: Tarbat Ness

Today we decided to head to Tarbat Ness lured by sightings of an Iceland Gull, we drove through heavy rain, the only rain we had all holida...

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[Original PaulE]

Day 10 and a walk along the mighty Findhorn River, not the casual stroll you would imagine, quite difficult terrain but well worth the effort, Dippers, Grey Wagtails and other species you'd expect in the habitat, but the River stole the show, fabulous views around ever bend! Rapids, Glides and even a Waterfall. Lot's more pics on the blog at the link! Couple of very short Videos as well!!

Holiday in Scotland Day 10 : The Mighty Findhorn

Today we decided to go and look for Dippers along the Findhorn River. We have been using the Scottish Bird Clubs app Where to Watch birds ...

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[Original PaulE]

Day 11, Another great encounter with a Red Squirrel and some good views of the Long-tailed Ducks near Lossiemouth Harbour. A large Skien of Pinkfeet was of interest, this was on May the 7th so was quite surprised to them still about!! More detail and more pictures on the blog at the link!

Holiday in Scotland Day 11: Squirrels and Ducks

May 7th We started to day at Loch Spynie in the hope of seeing the Garganey that had been reported the day before, typically no sign, but t...

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[Original PaulE]

Only a couple of days to go, stick with it!! 😂 Another day another Beach, Findhorn this time after a walk through the Woods at Culbin, Wheatears probably the highlight, but lots of other stuff seen, lots of Green Beetles in the Forest, Think they maybe Green Tiger Beetles but maybe wrong!!!
Lots more pics on the blog at the link

Holiday in Scotland Day 12 : Ants & Wheatears

 May 8th We stayed local again today, visiting Culbin Forest, where we once again failed to find Crested Titð, could hear plenty of Coal T...

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[Original PaulE]

Penultimate day, so we tried, without success to connect with a Golden Eagle, but Creag Meagaidh was a nice place to dip in to be fair, lots of small birds about notably Lesser Redpolls and Bullfinch. Some pretty impressive Highland Cows and a Mountain Hare on the way back to Nairn was a bonus! Lot more pics on the blog at the link

Holiday In Scotland Day 13 Creag Meagaidh

May 9th With just 2 days of holiday left we headed to Creag Meagaidh (Yeah I can't pronounce it either!) in a last gasp attempt to find a Go...

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[Original PaulE]

Finally got around to completing my posts on our brilliant holiday in the Nairn area, in my defence I've been doing a bit of birding and stuck at work a lot! Anyway it was another lovely sunny, warm day which seems strange as I'm currently freezing in southern England, it's June FFS!! A walk on a beach, a trip round a castle, thought I'd got away with it this year! Finishing off in Lossiemouth with the Long-tailed Ducks! Highlight was an Arctic Skua which powered past and watching Gannets plunging into a mirror like sea just off shore, pics are predictably bad, but they are blooming quick!!! Another Osprey as well, nice to see so many along the coast!! Plenty more pics on the blog at the link!

Holiday in Scotland Day 14: Castles and Beaches

May the 10th Our final full day in Scotland and Margie suddenly realised we hadn't been to a Castle!! Damnation I thought I'd got away wit...

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[Ian Bell]

Enjoyed reading about your adventures and seeing your photos. Glad you both had a great time and hope you return In the future.

 

[Original PaulE]

Enjoyed reading about your adventures and seeing your photos. Glad you both had a great time and hope you return In the future.

Thanks Ian , yes it is a fantastic area, the beaches amazing, we were lucky with the weather. I reckon we will return fairly soon to be honest!!

 

[Harbour]

Paul, Can I also add my appreciation for your entertaining blog and great photos, not just the recent trip but also as you are detailing plenty of places in Sussex/Kent that my wife and I will surely visit in the future as we devote time to our new pastime of birding, Best wishes, Nick

 

[Original PaulE]

Paul, Can I also add my appreciation for your entertaining blog and great photos, not just the recent trip but also as you are detailing plenty of places in Sussex/Kent that my wife and I will surely visit in the future as we devote time to our new pastime of birding, Best wishes, Nick

Thanks Nick , glad you find the blog useful, glad someone reads it to be honest 🤪 lots of great places to visit along the south coast I'm sure you and your wife will have a great time l, it's a great hobby !!