We left Gatley at 9:00 am on Tuesday 13th May stopping at Annandale Services
for lunch and then on to the Loch of the Lowes near Dunkeld where we visited
the hides. A pair of Ospreys were jealously guarding a nest at the top of a
pine. Nearby Siskin, Redstart, Treecreeper called and sung and a Cuckoo flew
over.
As we sped further north to Kingussie, a third Osprey was feeding on a fish
on the opposite side of the Tay. We arrived at the Duke of Gordon Hotel at
7:00
pm.
The 14th of May was spent on Speyside and the Cairngorms with a visit to Lochindorb
mid afternoon where a magnificent pair of Blackthroated Divers in full breeding
plumage cruised close to the bank. Common Sandpiper were on the shore and Golden
Plover on a nearby peat bog. In the morning, Loch Morlich produced upwards
of 40 Scottish Crossbills, two family parties of Crested Tits gave fantastic
views;
on the water was a pair of Goldeneye, small numbers of Teal and Wigeon, a pair
of Redthroated Divers in breeding plumage displayed on the loch where there
was also a third bird and another Osprey circled overhead.
At Loch Garten in late afternoon Siskins massed on the feeders.
Two Ospreys lurked near the nest and a male Capercaillie gave all too brief
views feeding on the heather in front of the hide.
The 15th found us going north almost as far as Ullapool to Gruinard Bay and
Gruinard Island (the infamous Anthrax Island from WWII). The magnificent mountains
of
the North West were snow covered. At Dundonnel a pair of Twite fed just in
front of the coach and nine magnificent Rock Doves fed among sheep close by
Little
Loch Broom. Eider and Red Crested Merganser were on the sea as we moved on
to Gruinard Bay and Island. A pair of Black Guillemot were on the sea and several
shag, while a pair of Great Northern Diver in full breading plumage cruised
along
with a third in part summer plumage. Some had brief views of a Harbour Porpoise.
A pair of Ravens over the sea was the prelude to fantastic views of an adult
White tailed Eagle overhead mobbed by Buzzards and once briefly by a Peregrine.
In the late afternoon there were two Slovenian Grebes on the loch at the Flideity
Inn with up to 14 on Loch Ruthven. On the Black Isle Red Kite flew overhead
and Hooded Crow were widespread in the northwest.
On the 16th of May we visited Ythan Estuary and the cliffs at the Bullers of
Buchan north of Aberdeen on the east coast. High tide on the estuary found
masses of Artic, Common, Sandwich and Little Terns feeding frenziedly on the
high water
line. Common seals were hauled up on the beach among masses of Eiders. Among
the pink thrift flowers on the cliffs were masses of nesting sea birds – Kittiwakes,
Shags, Fulmars, Guillemots and Razorbills with small numbers of Puffins and
a few Gannets offshore. Among the golden gorse were a nesting pair of Stonechats,
Linnets and Yellow Hummer.
The 17th of May was spent around Cairngorm – Ptarmigan displayed on the
slopes, Snow Bunting sang and Reindeer fed. The road to Tomintoul provided
a pair of Golden Eagle while our only Red Squirrels gave splendid views at
Nathy
Bridge. In the evening a Dipper bobbed by the Burn at Kingussie and next morning
we were on our way home.
On the 18th of May Insh marshes produced bubbling Curlew, chippering Snipe
and a singing Redstart before we headed south past Dunkeld with a roadside
Jay and
finally lunch Annandale where highlights included Dunnock, Sedgewarbler, Moorhen
and nesting Oystercatchers.
We got home at 7:00pm
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