Just returned from 10 days in the Highlands of Scotland and Orkney.Stopped at Carrbridge near Avimore for the first 2 nights.A wander through the forest at Loch Garten produced Redstart and Crested Tit(only the 2nd one I've seen),plus of course the Ospreys from the RSPB centre.Both birds present plus 3 chicks this year after last years non-event.Red Squirrel seen outside the centre feeding from a feeder,also Siskin on the feeders by the entrance gate.An evening drive round Lochindord produced Golden Plover and Red Grouse,both with young,on the moor,with Common Sandpiper and Redshank on the loch side.No sign of any divers ,but on the drive back 2 splendid summer plumaged Black-throated Divers were seen not more than 50 feet from the shore giving exceptional views.
On the Monday drove up to Gills Bay for the ferry to Orkney.Red Kite and Buzzard seen enroute.The crossing was calm with plenty of bird activity.Birds seen included Fulmar,Gannet, Arctic and Great Skuas,Kittiwake,Arctic Tern,Guillemot,Black guillemot,Razorbill and Puffin.
Had 3 days on Orkney,only stayed on the Mainland,didn't get to any of the other islands,still there's always another year.Visited various attractions and did a bit of birding.Birds seen included nesting Arctic Skuas,at least 4 Short-eared Owls,mainly sat on fence posts at the side of the road giving great views.A bit smaller than I had imagined.Hooded Crow,all the usual gulls,Turnstone,Ringed Plover and Wheatear.Don't complain about the price of petrol,on the Orkneys it was 90.4p a Litre,compared with 84.9p near the top of the country and 79.9p in Inverness.
On Thursday we left the island and headed for Ullapool.Summer plumaged Great Northern Diver seen fron the ferry.The drive down to Ullapool was quite eventful,encountered the worst thunder storm I've ever been in,it was coming down that hard and fast we had to stop twice as the wipers couldn't cope with it and I couldn't see where I was going.
After a night at Ullapool it was back down to Carrbridge for the remaining 4 days.Decided to go round by the coast first and have a look at Gruinard Island for White Tailed Eagle.Saw a bird hanging in the wind over the island but couldn,t be sure wether it was an Eagle or not.
Back down at Carrbridge got 2 Red-throated Divers at Loch Morlich.Went back to Lochindorb for the next 4 evenings but only got distant views of the divers.The high spot of the holiday was the Black-throated Divers at Lochindord,the low spot was breaking my number one rule and not having my camera with me on that first night,I could have got some great photos.
Total number of birds seen 90,including quite a few year ticks.