We left home at 5.01 a.m.and were at Scotch Corner - to breakfast in the car park - by 9.22. We left at 9.45, passing the Scottish border at 9.48, 340 miles from home. Now we could start listing.
Skateraw harbour is one of our favourite places to stop, a sweeping sandy beach, rocky headlands and a frequently empty car park.
This morning there were two cars of dog walkers and the loos were locked. The constant stream of passing Gannets is a delight. Apart from a few Eider, Curlew and Shelduck and a female Wheatear, there were few birds. The tide was very low - which may have explained it. After a coffee, we drove to the north end of the bay and walked the tussocky grass to the headland in a strong wind. This added a Common Whitethroat, a Reed Bunting and fishing Sandwich Terns to the list. It was good to walk.
North Berwick is a most attractive Scottish seaside town with the obligatory, splendid, Links golf course. Our destination was the Seabird Centre where it is possible to walk around to a headland overlooking an island where Auks and Gulls nest. Bass Rock is distantly viewable, absolutely covered in nesting Gannets with hundreds more wheeling above and flying by
View from the shore
Bass Rock from the shore - photo using my DCM (Digital Camera Module through my Zeiss 84 scope)
We added Puffin, Razorbill, Guillemot, Fulmar and Kittiwakes here.
A leisurely drive along the south Forth coast towards Edinburgh with several stops, including Aberlady Bay and Longniddry. The latter offers extensive views of the Firth, where we found Red Breasted Mergansers, Common Scoter and a distant flock of Knot.
Our overnight stop is at Dreghorn, Edinburgh, Travel Lodge. Familiar and comfortable.
Me at my Laptop - a sneaky pic by Pam!
Friday May 1
No need for an early start, so it was 8.23 before we left for Loch Leven and the RSPB Vane Farm Reserve. A convenient gateway gave us scope views over the most distant part of the reserve, where there were at least 30 Mute Swans, unusual apparently. One Coot, many Tufted Duck and a few Wigeon.
Fortunately we then ate breakfast in the Vane Farm car park - it didn’t open until 10. A Blackcap sang between the car park and the centre and Pam saw a Blue Tit come out of the cigarette end box mounted on the wall. Apparently it’s nesting in there.
Blue Tit Nestbox
After a chat with the warden, we walked a small part of the woodland trail (very hilly) before climbing down to the first hide overlooking the lake. Four Pink-footed Geese remained from the thousands seen a few days before and, a few Greylag Geese. The latter look very svelte compared with the farmyard types at home. One Buzzard over the distant shore, a pair of lingering Goldeneye and three more Coot. The latter are usually gone by now too. The first of what was to become several, squally showers hit. As soon as it was over we retreated to the upstairs cafe/viewing area for a hot drink and a scope view of the Loch.
The warden had told us of two places further round the loch where we could park and view. The first stop involved too far a walk so we drove on to Burleigh Sands. Braving the blustery wind, we took the short walk to the shore and were rewarded with a close flock of around 30 Swifts accompanied by a few Swallows and Martins. Our first Swifts of the year which soon swirled away, they must have been well on passage. What an opportune time to arrive.
Methil/Leven Bay via Glenrothes, a beachside car park with great views of the sea, rocks and bay.
The last time I was here, I dressed my open wound knee replacements -after seeing a Masked Shrike - whilst Pam got me a bacon bap. We viewed for over two hours whilst the wind raged, rain pelted down and the sea grew ever choppier. The rain came from Pam’s side so I was able to have my window open to scope. It did ease from time to time and before we left, Pam stood out with her scope so that she could see the birds as well as I had. So many Lesser Black-backed Gulls amongst the Herring Gulls loafing at the river mouth and on the beach, wing colour ranging from palish grey to almost black.
Approximately 200 Common Scoter and, in a seperate flock, excellent views of 12 + Velvet Scoters. A few Long-tailed Ducks in their summer finery and, piece de resistance, an adult male Surf Scoter, brilliant yellow beak and white nape clearly visible. A few Guillemots and Razorbills amongst the constant passage of Gannets - once the rain eased, Bass Rock was clearly visible. Eiders appear everywhere as do Red-breasted Merganser.
A Surfing Male Eider
Dragging ourselves away, we drove to Dundee via St Andrews, stopping for a cuppa way out at the harbour entrance of Crail. Another lovely viewing spot but, with few birds. Finding the Travel Lodge in Dundee was an adventure as we entered via the Taybridge and the Lodge was on the A90. We just followed the signs for Coupar Angus, amazed to find no signs at all for the - major route - A90, until we reached it. A small lodge but newer than last night’s and better appointed.
Saturday May 2
We were awake, so we left the Lodge at 6.05 and arrived at Newburgh Golf Course at 7.40. A quick turn round from both there and the Anglers car park - a very high tide on the Ythan, just a myriad Eiders and a few Sandwich Terns. The same at Waulkmill, a Common Tern added to the list and about 150 Pinkfeet feeding in the field opposite. Even our beloved Collieston
was lacking variety and numbers. A single Red-throated Diver and one Guillemot on the sea, a Rock Pipit showed briefly. The visit to Meikle Loch was just as brief.
Bullars of Buchan came up trumps though. A mere quarter of a mile walk along the , admittedly, narrow and rough clifftop path, brought views of all three Auks, nesting Shags, Fulmar and Kittiwakes. All photographable but the latter three were in full shade.
View of Bullars cliffs
Puffin, Shags, Guillemots and Razorbills
We parked at Starnafin Farm RSPB Centre at 10.45 having added Corn Bunting on the approach road. We’ve never seen as many cars there, only three men in the Centre viewing area though.The feeders near the small garden outside hold Tree Sparrow, the only site in Scotland known to us. A Little Ringed Plover and a Black-tailed Godwit were the only waders, a male Green-winged Teal (at last)slept amongst the half a dozen others at the back of the pool.
Back to the main road in order to access Fen Hide which overlooks Loch of Strathbeg, a circuitous approach through industrial buildings, skirting an old airport - avoiding the many sheep and their scatty lambs. The approach to the hide is through gorse scrub, heavy with its buttery summer smell. Then, a longish boardwalk through swampy sallow bushes. A very good hour produced one Great White Egret, 7 Whooper Swans, one Shoveller and then.....500 of the thousand or so Pinkfeet in a distant field rose and flew down to the loch to bathe.The solitary white phase Snow Goose amongst them showed brightly both in flight and on the water, the Blue Phase showed less well as did the 3 Barnacle Geese. Back to the Centre to use the loo and to eat lunch before the 700 meters walk to Tower Pool Hide, our first visit there. By now the sun was warm but the wind had increased. A very nice hide overlooking an extensive marshy/multi flood area scattered with wildfowl and the most waders yet. Spotted Redshank was a Scottish tick as was a Pectoral Sandpiper. A couple of Ruff, a few Dunlin and one Redshank added to the view as did two distant Marsh Harriers quartering the reed beds.
Time to make tracks for Carrbridge, the drive took two and a half hours on very sharply bending cross-country roads. A and B had gone off with the keys to Silver Birch so we had to find Lindsay for the spares. Our first Red Squirrel raided the nuts near the Hotel and then ran across our bit of field. Delightful.
Red Squirrel
After shopping in Tesco at Aviemore, we ate at an Australian restaurant, the Roo’s Leap, manned by Scots! We’re both tired to-night, the reason we didn’t prolong our journey here by going on to Burghead. The latter is planned for to-morrow morning when it's high tide.
Sunday May 3
A much appreciated leisurely start after the last few days. We didn’t leave until after 9 o’clock. The Maltings end of Burghead Bay is a noted birding spot, we twitched a November Grey-tailed Tattler here some years ago. I settled to scope from the car window and almost immediately spotted a juvenile Great Northern Diver and the Yellow-billed Diver target bird. Pam rushed outside with her scope but the birds had drifted right and further out on the receding tide. We did re-locate them, thank goodness. It was great to see both birds together, the juv GND with its silver, straight pointing, bill, the Yellow-billed glistening golden and, slightly upward pointing. A group of arriving birders had seen an Iceland Gull at Lossiemouth yesterday so we gave it a go. No sign of one anywhere.
Loch Flemington added one Little Grebe to the trip list but very little else around. We saw an Otter here last year........just a dead Badger this time!
Until now the day had been bright with a brisk wind keeping the temperature down. We had seen clouds dropping rain in the distance but our first squall was as we arrived at Alturlie. The roaring wind lashed the rain which had some hail in it, against the passenger side of the car. Pam’s window and roadside remained dry....as did the entire road just two hundred metres further on. The tide was at its lowest, the only interesting bird, Hooded Crow.
A surprise Red Kite flew overhead as we drove along the A9 just south of Inverness.
Layby 151 on the A9 south of Inverness did not keep us long. We were looking for the regular Ring Ouzel on the steep hillside. The fast and, heavy volume, traffic makes so much noise that it drives me mad - so I depart.
A short visit to the chalet and then, another of our favourite drives, along Lochindorb. No sign of any Divers on the way north up the lochside but one Black-throated preening and washing on the way back south. We must have seen a dozen Red Grouse with several display flights and half a dozen Common Sandpipers along the loch shore.
Male Red Grouse and Common Sandpiper
A pair of Red-breasted Mergansers silhouetted against the dropping sun and a Short-eared Owl flew off a roadside post onto one further away on our approach. No room to stop and photograph, too much hurtling traffic.
Station Road was empty of the usual Golden Plover resting on the meadow during migration, maybe another day....
The weather forecast for the later part of the week is pretty dire, we shall have to try for the specialities in the next couple of days.
Monday May 4
Capercaillie morning. Up at 4.40, away by 5.10, queueing at Loch Garten RSPB by 6.25. We’re not as fast as others, all the viewing hatches were occupied by the time we got to the hide, we had to crane for a view past two very fidgety women who kept changing position. Whilst waiting, the ospreys took pride of place. EJ was sitting on the eggs and her mate on watch in the camera tree when an intruder flew in and disturbed the scene.
View of Osprey Nest from the RSPB Hide
View of EJ sitting using DCM
The good news... we were in pole position when the warden at the forward hide arrived to announce he’d take the first ten to look through a scope he’d got trained on a male Caper. Excellent - even if the view was distant - it was of a complete bird. So often it is a head and a beak. I spent 5 minutes photographing delightful Red Squirrels on the feeders near the centre entrance. The warden called them tree rats....which is right really but, they’re very attractive ones.
Tulloch Moor next for a single male Black Grouse which soon flew away. We were the only viewers this morning.
Time for breakfast but we returned the ‘pretty way’ via Lochindorb. Mainly so that I could try some photography when the light was the right way, no sun at all though. This lovely Wheatear posed on the loch beach.
After eating, the very attractive drive to the Cairngorm funicular, through pine forest at first, past Lake Morlich and then, rugged mountainside, to the parking area. The funicular is fast, comfortable and non-scary in comparison with the chairlifts of the past. We managed, for the second year, to see a male Ring Ouzel on the way up. No more Layby 151......
Straight to the viewing area and an almost gale force wind. Still patches of snow around the Ptarmigan restaurant - the wall thermometer read 2.25C and it felt like it.
We took a side each to scan and Pam spotted two Ptarmigan below which showed well in the scope - which I had to hold down. After a welcome hot chocolate and a browse in the shop, down again and a drive to Findhorn Valley. We lunched at the river confluence where we usually see Dipper. No sign of it to-day but a lovely Grey Wagtail. We did see a Dipper just past the deer farm at a river bridge. Not at all hopeful of seeing any raptors in the very strong wind......and we didn’t. Apart from a Kestrel. However, we did add a Raven, hugging the ridge above us.
As usual, no birds on the Farr Road which is an experience in itself but, the best way to drive to Loch Ruthven, there’s always hope. Not even a Cuckoo to-day. A welcome improvement is that I don’t have to get out to open the gates, they have a cattle grid-protected, rough side way.
Loch Ruthven was extremely choppy with no birds in view from the car park.
Me walking to the hide (another sneaky pic)
We had to brave the wind again to walk the tree root, rock strewn, track to the hide, along the sloping banks of the loch. One Slavonian Grebe hove into view and we saw another on the walk back. We’ve never seen as few before but the reeds are still not tall enough for them to nest. Too early I reckon.
To-morrow’s plans depend on the weather forecast, which doesn’t look good.
Tuesday May 5
To-day’s plan was to look for the elusive Crested Tit, reportedly very scarce this year. Maybe the very cold and snowy winter? -15C during the day for ten days and, -22C at night. We walked down the side of Loch Garten to Loch Mallachie, an over two miles round trip through Scots pine, prime territory. No sign at all. We added Goldcrest to the week’s list, the rest was the usual Coal Tit, Chaffinch and Willow Warbler. It was quite sheltered in the forest but we met a howling wind at L Mallachie.
We see Mistle Thrushes every day, a real Highland bird.
Wednesday May 6
A better looking day than forecast. We made an early departure for Culbin Forest, our last Crested Tit attempt. I saw a Peregrine just after we left the Lochindorb road but Pam couldn’t stop in time.
Wellhill parking, at the east end of Culbin Forest first. Then, a good walk as far as the small, partially tree hung, ex gravel pit. More a pond really. At the far end, I heard a loud chip and there was a family of five Scottish/Parrot Crossbills above us, one young begging for food. A surprise Jay had flown across in front of us as we left the car. A Scottish tick I believe. Back to move on to Cloddymoss,the western forest entrance, this one has some deciduous trees. A Blackcap sang and flew from post to post and a superb male Redstart was actively feeding - silently.
The steady rain began at Nairn. What to do now? All the options we explored were not much use in the conditions so we made for petrol at Tesco, Inverness, via Alturlie. The tide was still in, although ebbing fast. A scope scan to lee brought views of a small flock of 15 Long-tailed Ducks and 8 Scaup, 2 male, 6 females. We saw 300 of the latter here two years ago.As the sky looked more promising, we gave Findhorn Valley a go. Although the visibility was quite good and the rain lighter, no birds flew apart from 2 Curlew and a Ring Ouzel. The herd of shaggy feral goats was on view but very few Red Deer to-day.
Back to listen to Test Match Special and download Pam’s photographs.
Thursday May 7
My favourite trip to-day, along the east coast to Dunnet Head via Loch Fleet, Helmsdale and Thurso - and I wasn’t disappointed. Setting off in rain at 4.44 a.m., and then, meeting squally sleet showers , the car lashed by a very strong wind, was not an auspicious start. There were already notices of gales posted for the Kessock Bridge. It didn’t actually stop raining until after Loch Fleet where we stopped at The Mound for an early breakfast. The Mound pool had two feeding Greenshanks to pad the thin wader trip list. The local Osprey had flown overhead earlier, too fast to photograph.
The road north skirts the coast until the turning inland towards Thurso. The sea was magnificent in its wind driven turmoil. Awesome.
No birds of note until we stopped at Dunnet Bay and Castletown. The bay was a mass of choppy, white-topped breakers, the wind blowing the tops back the way they came. Dozens of Gannets dived around us,
at least a hundred Terns of three varieties patrolled the bay entry and a flock of Dunlin and Ringed Plover scudded restlessly around from one part of the beach to another. I want to tell them to save their energy. None of the usual Divers, Auks and Skuas to-day. Where are they? The pager is atill reporting numbers of Skuas flying north along the west coast so, maybe they haven’t arrived yet? We’re no earlier than other years when we’ve always seen Bonxie and Arctic.
After a short debate, we decided to attempt the exposed three and a half mile drive to Dunnet Head. Stopping off at St Johns, we walked to the hide, barely able to stand in the wind. Just some lovely Arctic Terns disputing nesting sites with Black-headed Gulls for our efforts - and a Starling taking nesting material to its concrete nesthole.
We also walked to the cliff edge at the Head, protected by some railings on which we leaned to try and keep our bins still, The forecast Force 8 gale had arrived here.
We usually return by a different route, across the Flow Country via Forsinard, maybe it would be reasonable in the wind, although it’s very exposed and bleak at it’s highest ranges.
A White Wagtail strutted its stuff across a stream bridge
We lunched as soon as there was a convenient spot, stopped at the RSPB centre (in the station) to use the conveniences and bemoan the lack of birds. I actually dozed off.....About 3 miles north of Helmsdale, on the A897, I opened my eyes and saw two raptors, one large and one small, rise over the ridge. There was a convenient passing place in which to stop, in time to see a 1st winter Golden Eagle being mobbed by a Buzzard. Great. The Buzz really did look small next to the Eagle. We also saw a Peregrine, Pam’s catchup, and another Raven.
The Mound again for a leg stretch and a cuppa. Pam wanted to try the loop track via Bonar Bridge which Bridget and Aileen had told us about. I didn’t think it was very sensible to add miles at this stage of a long day but....off we went. A birch lined track soon gave way to bleak moorland. It seemed a long way and was birdless to boot! Pam nearly back-tracked, just as the loch which is a the halfway point hove into view, we continued. Well on the way down the hillside, a parked car, its occupants standing outside with scope, bins and long lens camera gave us a clue that they might be on to something ! They’d been watching a Golden Eagle for the past hour. It soon re-appeared and we watched it flying, occasionally landing on the ground, then being mobbed by a Red Kite. A wonderful interlude and well worth the extra miles. Sorry Pam......
Apart from a small group of Twite a little further down the dale, no more stops until Tesco for fuel. Two more Red Kites near the Tore roundabout.
More rain and gales forecast for to-night.
Friday May 8
After a leisurely start, a third visit to Station Road came up trumps. Five Golden Plover rose and flew off, strongly, as we arrived.
Having realised that I had not photographed one of the area’s most common birds, Siskin, and the speciality, Osprey, we went on to Loch Garten. The Siskins at the feeders there are much tamer than ours at the chalet.
EJ, the female, was sitting on the eggs high up in the distant tree, her head just showing aover the top. No sign of Odin, the new male, named for a Scandinavian god as he’s thought to come from there. As he’s unringed it’s an educated guess.
The warden manning the kiosk at Garten had told us that Crested Tits had been seen at Hayfield in Glenmore Forest. We parked there, started walking, heard and saw a Tree Pipit and down came the rain. We didn’t fancy getting wet, so drove on to Glen Feshie and Uath Lochans, a new place for us. Sitting having lunch in the parking area, a Treecreeper flew in to the tree next to the car, shortly followed by a male Redstart. We decided to do the white trail, just under a mile in length, around the lochans. For the first time, a Redstart actually sang to advertise its presence, as did two Tree Pipits perched on top of small firs. A party of Common Crossbills, including three red males, chipped their way across the clearing. A good place, we’ll come again. On to our usual spot in Glen Feshie where a Mountain Hare lolloped its way along the river bank. A most surprising place to find one. Just past the Kincraig road, two Ospreys flew overhead, probably going to Loch Insh. I took a hasty shot through the open sunroof as one flew overhead.
Making a quick decision, we decided to go on the funicular to the tops again. Unfortunately we just missed a train so the time available was the minimum. So much snow , even down to the car park. We braved the viewing platform for a very short time - the snow hadn’t been cleared, we had to squelch through it - and the wind was bone chilling. After a hot drink, the return ride. A handsome male Ring Ouzel posed boulder top and a Raven flew across the car parking area.
Our last outing was Lochindorb for the regular Red Grouse viewing and both Black-throated Divers, one sitting on the nest, the other close by. Unfortunately, the other side of the loch. A male Wheatear fed amongst the pebbles at the edge of the loch and a Kestrel hovered above the treeline. Six Buzzards had an aerial altercation, talon grappling and jockeying for position before dispersing.
Lochindorb
To cap a lovely day, we heard Strauss score the winning runs to beat the West Indies by 10 wickets in the first test match.
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