The evening before we started our trip we had a family evening meal. Big mistake! While we were munching away, with phones turned off, a Ring-necked Duck turned up at our favourite reserve - ARGH!
So (day 1) the following morning we started our Scottish holiday by going to Burton, trying unsuccessfully to locate the duck - sadly it had flown overnight. However we did manage to stumble onto a pair of Grey Partridge - we'd seen them before, but usually at a distance, so very nice for them to hang around while I got a photo or two.
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| Grey Partridge |
This an be the way of birding - sometime what you are looking for isn't there (or is in hiding!) yet there is always something interesting to see; it's a rare occurrence that a day is a complete blank! The rest of this first day was spent travelling north - we were having to take things gentle as our transport, a battered Skoda called Betsy, had developed turbo-whine, and we were a little nervous of her making her way all the way round!
Day 2 saw us start at Musselburgh, near Edinburgh. The draw here was a Surf Scoter (, And this time we were not disappointed! I'm afraid no photos, too far off to be worthwhile, but cracking views through the scope. As well as the Surf Scoter, amongst the Common Scoter were also a number of Velvet Scoter, another new bird for us, with white wing flashes. We had a glimpse of what what looked like the American White-winged Scoter, but sadly couldn't re-find it to confirm - still two new birds for the day isn't bad,
Further offshore were a number of divers, including Red-throated and a Great Northern, Closer in we saw a Goosander feeding on a flat fish, and several Eider (also known as Cuddy Ducks after St Cuthbert), probably the sexiest sounding ducks ever!
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| Goosander |
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| Eider |
From there we headed into the High;lands, making a stop at the Loch of Lowes to catch up on the resident Ospreys, and at the same time treated to a close view of a Great-crested Grebe fishing for supper.
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| Great-crested Grebe |
After a number of stops we reached Boat of Garten, our base for a number of days, so had a quiet supper in the hide, overlooking the local loch - what a lovely way to spend an evening!
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| Loch Garten |
Day 3 was a right mix of ups and downs.... There had been a Ring-necked duck reported on a loch near the Ythan estuary, so a chance to make up for the one missed in Burton... So we travelled across to near Aberdeen, to find that there was no sign of it today!! Dipped again - ARGH!!
Still we got to meet up with Ythan's famous spring-time visitor. Amongst the Eider in the estuary (and there are a lot of them!) is one drake King Eider, a most colouful character, with a splendid quiff. What can you call a king with a quiff but Elvis of course ! Elvis was a little shy, so no photos this time, maybe next year!
On the way back to Boat we had a most stunning sunset from the coast - splendid. However as we journied back we became aware of another issue - a horrible loud booming noise that drowned out even the whining turbo indicated that one of the rear bearings had decided to give up the ghost - so we had to crawl back at a sedate 30mph. Sigh.....
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| Sunset over North-Aberdeenshire coast |
Day 4 saw an emergency call to a garage in Aviemore, and we had to abandon Betsy in the hope that the bearing could be ordered/delivered/changed in a day. So with this enforced change in plans we headed up the hill into Craigellachie Nature Reserve. The woods rang with the spinning-coin call of Wood Warblers while we climbed up the path.
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| Craigellachie NR |
Eventually trees gave way to moorland, and I was treated to a fine view over Aviemore towards Cairngorm, with a finely balanced cairn on top - someone had clearly had fun!
As well as the singing Wood Warblers we also found a pair of Pied Flycatchers checking out a nest box, while further down we saw a pair of Chaffinches feeding young.
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| Pied Flycatcher |
A great unplanned day, but it was with some relief that we rang the garage and found that they had exceeded our expectations, and managed to sort the bearing within the day - we were mobile again. We were warned though, 'Be careful with that turbo though, it could go any time if you stress her. Not worth the risk of trying to change it, could make it worse! Should last the trip if you're gentle'. Sigh, still slow driving, but at least it would be a lot quieter !!
Day 5 - a fine day for one of our most anticipated trips - up the side of Cairngorm. The weather was kind, but never to be taken for granted - on a previous trip we had seen the path (and everything else) disappear in front of our eyes as a wave of snow had blown up the valley with just a minute or so's warning, so even in the sun we carried a rucksack with waterproofs and survival shelter, map and compass etc. Thankfully this time there were no surprises.
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| Red Grouse |
As on previous tips we encountered Red Grouse. Ignoring their calls of 'Go back, go back' we continued up to the base of the cliffs, where found our quarry - Ptarmigan. I confess I rather like the breeding plumage we find them in here, especially the browner females - it reminds me somewhat of the WW1 'Dazzle' camouflage used on ships. As we sat there a shadow falls over us; a peregrine glides over, and as it does so it pulled its wings in, and rapidly accelerated into a stoop, shooting across the hillside. Magical, and a splendid day, a time to let the stresses fall away.
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| Cairngorm |
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| Male Ptarmigan |
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| Male Ptarmigan |
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| Female Ptarmigan |
Day 6 saw us driving along one of our favourite lochs - usually a safe bet for divers, the loch itself was bare. However I got a glimpse of movement behind us in one of the parking places, and I see chicks - Reg Grouse chicks!! How wonderful; while I've seen many Red Grouse before I've never seen their chicks. A smart red-brown cap, and already with thick fluffy legs.
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| Red Grouse chick |
A regular in the fields at this time of year, and very high on the cute list, young lapwing roam, parents never too far away; great little characters, and well-worth watching.
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| Lapwing chick |
One of the animals we did miss on Cairngorm were Mountain Hares; sadly it seems the 'secret' culls have been having their sad effect; still we found this hare today - I confess I'm not sure if this is a Brown Hare or a Mountain Hare - there's a lot of white on the ears; perhaps someone who knows more could drop me a line?
The next day (7) was always going to be a long one - leaving Boat of Garten to head up to Thurso. A final walk in the local woods revealed lots of small green butterflies, I think Green Hairstreaks. We also found large mounds by the path, around 4 foot high, mounds that kind of shimmered - these are Ant cities, a mass of movement. Some of these could be 100's of years old. Sadly too many have been destroyed by people not recognising them for what they are.. The woods here are ancient and fascinating. Each time we visit we but scratch the surface. No Capercaillie seen this year, not even Crested Tits. Still, it gives an excuse for a return trip.
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| Green Hairstreak |
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| Ant Mound |
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| Wood Ants |
One of the reasons for heading to Thurso was to visit RSPB Forsinard Flows on the way. This is an amazing place, one of the largest areas of bog in Europe; it looks very empty, but in reality is brimming with life, with nesting waders and hunting raptors, loads of pools, with insects and plants such as Bog Bean and Cotton Grass. I just wish we'd had longer there, and look forward to returning soon. The hide looks amazing, and yet is a really simple structure close up, with a great trail through the bog - really strange to feel huge slabs of stone bouncing as we walk on them.
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| Hide at RSPB Forsinard Flows |
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| View from hide at Forsinard Flows |
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| Surveying the bog |
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| Bog Bean |
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| Cotton Grass |
Day 8 saw us visiting Dunnet Head, the northernmost point on Britain's mainland. Thankfully the foghorn at the lighthouse wasn't in use, and we had excellent views of the Fulmar, Guillemots, and Puffin on the cliffs below. We were less amused to find someone flying a drone over the cliffs; why anyone would feel that it is acceptable behaviour at a nature reserve is beyond me. It would have pleased us no end if a passing Skua had taken a dislike to the drone and taken it out, but sadly none did. It was also a surprise at how many people climbed over the fence saying 'Danger cliff edge' to try and get photos over the edge. The recently instituted NC500 driving route seems to have drawn all sorts of visitors, some of whom have clearly left common sense at home :-(
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| Dunnet Head Foghorn |
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| Dunnet Head Lighthouse |
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| Fulmar |
Seeking quieter locations, we went first to St John's Pool, with many terns of different types; Brutish (relatively) Sandwich Terns, Common Terns, breeding Arctic Terns. While there we were told of a Marsh Warbler in the area. Well, we probably heard it, but not a chance of seeing it! Sadly another one on the 'still-to-be-seen' list! Still, a wonderful place, and well worth a visit. From there we went on to Harrow Pier. As usual, at first glance it looked empty. Given time for the eyes to settle in, and the shoreline was alive with Ringed Plovers, Dunlin, Turnstone, Twite, Eider and Shag. It pays to be patient! There were good number of the Ringed Plover, and they became quite possessive of their little patches of seaweed, rushing at trespassers with heads down low and tails raised in a threat gesture.
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| Ringed Plover |
As we explored the harbour we found this plaque, and had to do a double-take - quite why the lead guitarist of Led Zep would re-open this particular pier is not clear...
Returning back to Thurso for the night we stopped at a loch, and was treated to a private performance of a Red-throated Diver, complete with song. While not matching a Black-throated Diver for tunefulness, it certainly gave Jimmy Page a run for his money :-)
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| Red-throated Diver |
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| Red-throated Diver |
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| Red-throated Diver calling |
And that's enough for this stage of the journey - next time we'll continue westward into Sunderland. As we do, what awaits us, will the weather hold, will Betsy make the journey? To be continued...
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