IanF
Moderator
Tuesday 10th June
It was such a dull morning that we decided to do a little shopping in Inverness – mainly to replace some of the camera memory cards and batteries that had been stolen on Sunday. Fortunately there was a Jessops which was reasonably priced compared to Dixons! After re-equipping the weather looked a little brighter further north, so we headed north again along the A9 onto the Black Isle. We stopped off at the Information Centre at North Kessock and had a look around the porpoise displays and the tourist information centre which had very good displays on Red Kites, including a couple of video cameras covering nests with young and returning adults with food. The staff were well informed and gave us a few tips as to where we should look for ourselves. Sure enough, we had exceptional views of them near the Tore roundabout and at Culbukie. We headed west towards Cromarty taking in the RSPB Udale Bay hide. The tide was well out but we found plenty of Hooded Crow, Oystercatcher, Starlings, Fieldfare and Mute Swan. A little further along the coast we found a Red Breasted Merganser.
Oystercatcher
Next port of call was Forness on the south side of the Isle. The point by the lighthouse is known as a porpoise vantage point but the tide was still quite low and best views are afforded at high tide. We had a stroll along the beach to appoint overlooking Fort George and were rewarded with views of Herring Gulls collecting large winkles from the shallows, rising 15-20’ and dropping them onto the shingle shore. It took them five or six attempts to actually smash the shells to get at the flesh.
Herring Gull with Winkle
Herring Gull dropping Winkle
We then headed back south, taking in a diversion via Lochindorb to once again check for the Black Throated Divers. Again unsuccessful but we did see an Osprey and whilst busy taking shots of Herring Gulls and Black Headed Gulls hanging in the wind who should turn up but Bird Forum’s very own Digi-Birder and husband Keith – small World ! It was nice meeting up and having a pleasant chat about the places we had visited.
Common Gull
Black Headed Gull
That concluded our birding for the day and we headed back to Boat of Garten.
Wednesday 11th June 2003
A bright and sunny start to the day had me up at 5.00 am and heading over to the Forest Lodge area of Abernethy Forest. I stuck to the forest tracks and had a wander around hoping to spot Capers and Crossbills. I heard two Capers and got a tantalising glimpse of one bird that exploded from the top of a fir tree just about overhead nearly giving me a heart attack. I still find it hard to believe that such large birds and sit feeding in the tops of the spindliest of fir trees. There were plenty of other birds around to espy including Wren, Siskin, Chaffinch, Redstart and Common Sand Piper. Best of all though was a Golden Eagle that circled its way across from the Cairngorms before heading back in the same direction. By then the weather had turned and I just to say made it back to the car before the heavens opened. I beat a hasty retreat back to the chalet for breakfast.
Mid morning it brightened again so we headed back to Loch Morlich as we’d heard the previous evening of Red Throated Divers giving good views. Again we struck out but got exceptional views of several other species including half a dozen Treecreeper, Spotted Flycatcher, Crested Tit, and Hooded Crow, male and female Common Redstart and on the loch itself several Eurasian Wigeon. I was very pleased with the photos I managed to get that day.
Crested Tit
Spotted Flycatcher
Following a picnic lunch and with the sun still making an appearance we decided not to waste the good weather so next we headed down to Loch an Eilean on the Rothmericus Estate. Car parking was £2.00 but you do get discount in the shop and free entry into the Fish Farm to watch the Osprey coming into feed. They visit several times per day but we found around 4.20 pm the most consistent though this year there was only the one bird that we saw.
A pleasant amble around the loch yielded Common Redstart, Goldcrest, Mallard, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Chaffinch, Siskin, Pied Wagtail and Rook. We spotted another Golden Eagle circling as we made the detour to the small loch.
Come 5.15 pm we headed down to the fish farm to await the Osprey, but it only gave a distant view that day. Other birds around were Hooded Crow, Pied Wagtail, Blue Tit, Willow Warbler, Mallard and Tufted Duck.
Pied Wagtail
By then it was time for tea and that ended our birding for the day.
Thursday 12th June 2003
The day started off heavily overcast which followed a night of heavy rain. We began with a trip to Granton on Spey for a look around the shops, which didn’t take long at all. Around 11.00 am the sun came out and once again we called in at RSPB Loch Garten. We were rewarded with superb views of a male and female Capercaillie at the foot of the camera tower. He was strutting atop a log and the female was on the ground beside him. The warden pointed out that whilst it was great to see them together it was a sad event really as the female should at that time have been on the nest rather than wandering around. The presence of them both probably meant they hadn’t bred this year. We watched them through the scopes and on the video camera. Unfortunately the heat haze was too heavy for decent photos of them. A solitary Osprey arrived landing on a tree behind the camera tower and sat perched for quite a while. The feeders beside the Centre were quite active with Siskin, Greenfinch and Chaffinch. Four Red Squirrels were fighting over the peanut feeders.
At lunchtime we headed down to Kingussie and then across to Ruthven Barracks. There were dozens of Snipe around with almost as any Curlew. A Hen Harrier made two passes without success before leaving the area.
Curlew
We then made a brief visit to RSPB Insh Marshes but the hides were very busy and there wasn’t must activity birding wise. Best sighting had been of a Grey Heron! Last year the marshes had been very productive, but this time the reeds and grasses seemed far more lush, so even if birds were there, they’d be difficult to see.
We finished the day with a last visit to the Fish Farm where the Osprey circled overhead before heading up river and out of view.
Friday 13th June 2003
Our last full day in Scotland got off to a bright and sunny start following another night of heavy rain. We began with another run up onto the Black Isle to see the Red Kites. We found four birds hunting beside the A9 on our drive north but they provided no photo opportunities. Having heard about the marvels of Glen Feshie we headed west and basically ended up wasting half a day. The seven mile long single track road seemed never ending which along with the road works and drizzling rain made for a depressing time. We saw very few birds though we didn’t spend that long there. Even the loch was devoid of Divers. I’m sure it’s a more productive locality on other days. We headed over to Loch Ness calling in at Invermorrison and Urquhart Castle as by then the weather had cleared once more.
Loch Morlich having been our favourite site of the week, we decided to head back there for one last look around. We were rewarded with superb views of a pair of juvenile Great Spotted Woodpeckers and then a pair of Common Redstart.
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Common Redstart - female
Redstart - male
By then time was getting on so we headed back to the Winking Owl at Aviemore for dinner and then to Boat of Garten. All in all it had been a very enjoyable week. There were several species that we didn’t get to see this time such as Red Throated Diver and Crossbill, but I was happy with what we found.
After two years in the same area, I think we may try the west coast next year.
It was such a dull morning that we decided to do a little shopping in Inverness – mainly to replace some of the camera memory cards and batteries that had been stolen on Sunday. Fortunately there was a Jessops which was reasonably priced compared to Dixons! After re-equipping the weather looked a little brighter further north, so we headed north again along the A9 onto the Black Isle. We stopped off at the Information Centre at North Kessock and had a look around the porpoise displays and the tourist information centre which had very good displays on Red Kites, including a couple of video cameras covering nests with young and returning adults with food. The staff were well informed and gave us a few tips as to where we should look for ourselves. Sure enough, we had exceptional views of them near the Tore roundabout and at Culbukie. We headed west towards Cromarty taking in the RSPB Udale Bay hide. The tide was well out but we found plenty of Hooded Crow, Oystercatcher, Starlings, Fieldfare and Mute Swan. A little further along the coast we found a Red Breasted Merganser.
Oystercatcher
Next port of call was Forness on the south side of the Isle. The point by the lighthouse is known as a porpoise vantage point but the tide was still quite low and best views are afforded at high tide. We had a stroll along the beach to appoint overlooking Fort George and were rewarded with views of Herring Gulls collecting large winkles from the shallows, rising 15-20’ and dropping them onto the shingle shore. It took them five or six attempts to actually smash the shells to get at the flesh.
Herring Gull with Winkle
Herring Gull dropping Winkle
We then headed back south, taking in a diversion via Lochindorb to once again check for the Black Throated Divers. Again unsuccessful but we did see an Osprey and whilst busy taking shots of Herring Gulls and Black Headed Gulls hanging in the wind who should turn up but Bird Forum’s very own Digi-Birder and husband Keith – small World ! It was nice meeting up and having a pleasant chat about the places we had visited.
Common Gull
Black Headed Gull
That concluded our birding for the day and we headed back to Boat of Garten.
Wednesday 11th June 2003
A bright and sunny start to the day had me up at 5.00 am and heading over to the Forest Lodge area of Abernethy Forest. I stuck to the forest tracks and had a wander around hoping to spot Capers and Crossbills. I heard two Capers and got a tantalising glimpse of one bird that exploded from the top of a fir tree just about overhead nearly giving me a heart attack. I still find it hard to believe that such large birds and sit feeding in the tops of the spindliest of fir trees. There were plenty of other birds around to espy including Wren, Siskin, Chaffinch, Redstart and Common Sand Piper. Best of all though was a Golden Eagle that circled its way across from the Cairngorms before heading back in the same direction. By then the weather had turned and I just to say made it back to the car before the heavens opened. I beat a hasty retreat back to the chalet for breakfast.
Mid morning it brightened again so we headed back to Loch Morlich as we’d heard the previous evening of Red Throated Divers giving good views. Again we struck out but got exceptional views of several other species including half a dozen Treecreeper, Spotted Flycatcher, Crested Tit, and Hooded Crow, male and female Common Redstart and on the loch itself several Eurasian Wigeon. I was very pleased with the photos I managed to get that day.
Crested Tit
Spotted Flycatcher
Following a picnic lunch and with the sun still making an appearance we decided not to waste the good weather so next we headed down to Loch an Eilean on the Rothmericus Estate. Car parking was £2.00 but you do get discount in the shop and free entry into the Fish Farm to watch the Osprey coming into feed. They visit several times per day but we found around 4.20 pm the most consistent though this year there was only the one bird that we saw.
A pleasant amble around the loch yielded Common Redstart, Goldcrest, Mallard, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Chaffinch, Siskin, Pied Wagtail and Rook. We spotted another Golden Eagle circling as we made the detour to the small loch.
Come 5.15 pm we headed down to the fish farm to await the Osprey, but it only gave a distant view that day. Other birds around were Hooded Crow, Pied Wagtail, Blue Tit, Willow Warbler, Mallard and Tufted Duck.
Pied Wagtail
By then it was time for tea and that ended our birding for the day.
Thursday 12th June 2003
The day started off heavily overcast which followed a night of heavy rain. We began with a trip to Granton on Spey for a look around the shops, which didn’t take long at all. Around 11.00 am the sun came out and once again we called in at RSPB Loch Garten. We were rewarded with superb views of a male and female Capercaillie at the foot of the camera tower. He was strutting atop a log and the female was on the ground beside him. The warden pointed out that whilst it was great to see them together it was a sad event really as the female should at that time have been on the nest rather than wandering around. The presence of them both probably meant they hadn’t bred this year. We watched them through the scopes and on the video camera. Unfortunately the heat haze was too heavy for decent photos of them. A solitary Osprey arrived landing on a tree behind the camera tower and sat perched for quite a while. The feeders beside the Centre were quite active with Siskin, Greenfinch and Chaffinch. Four Red Squirrels were fighting over the peanut feeders.
At lunchtime we headed down to Kingussie and then across to Ruthven Barracks. There were dozens of Snipe around with almost as any Curlew. A Hen Harrier made two passes without success before leaving the area.
Curlew
We then made a brief visit to RSPB Insh Marshes but the hides were very busy and there wasn’t must activity birding wise. Best sighting had been of a Grey Heron! Last year the marshes had been very productive, but this time the reeds and grasses seemed far more lush, so even if birds were there, they’d be difficult to see.
We finished the day with a last visit to the Fish Farm where the Osprey circled overhead before heading up river and out of view.
Friday 13th June 2003
Our last full day in Scotland got off to a bright and sunny start following another night of heavy rain. We began with another run up onto the Black Isle to see the Red Kites. We found four birds hunting beside the A9 on our drive north but they provided no photo opportunities. Having heard about the marvels of Glen Feshie we headed west and basically ended up wasting half a day. The seven mile long single track road seemed never ending which along with the road works and drizzling rain made for a depressing time. We saw very few birds though we didn’t spend that long there. Even the loch was devoid of Divers. I’m sure it’s a more productive locality on other days. We headed over to Loch Ness calling in at Invermorrison and Urquhart Castle as by then the weather had cleared once more.
Loch Morlich having been our favourite site of the week, we decided to head back there for one last look around. We were rewarded with superb views of a pair of juvenile Great Spotted Woodpeckers and then a pair of Common Redstart.
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Common Redstart - female
Redstart - male
By then time was getting on so we headed back to the Winking Owl at Aviemore for dinner and then to Boat of Garten. All in all it had been a very enjoyable week. There were several species that we didn’t get to see this time such as Red Throated Diver and Crossbill, but I was happy with what we found.
After two years in the same area, I think we may try the west coast next year.
