We stayed in Nethybridge at a lovely guest house opposite the playing field, called Tigh na Fraoch (initially recommended, I recall, by Delia Todd, and I also would now recommend it).
On Thursday 7th two red squirrels were in the garden to greet us as we went down for breakfast. A friend who lives at Tulloch called in at 9.00am to have a coffee and a chat with us. Then the holiday started in earnest with a drive down the Findhorn Valley. We had sparrowhawk, kestrel, peregrine, 5 buzzards and a large flock of fieldfare. We then drove on the Farr Road. It was a lovely clear morning, windy but warm. There were numerous species of fungi as we drove up at the side of the forest. This was the pattern for the whole week - wonderful specimens on the forest floor, in meadows, on trees etc. etc. Wish I'd taken a fungi book - but something had to go! (It was a toss up between this and the latest Barbara Erskine novel - and she won!)
The area round the carpark for Loch Ruthven looked as lovely as ever - I just love this place. We had no idea if the Slav. grebes were still there - we were just happy to be there ourselves. As we approached the hide we could see a bird out oin the water - a Slavonian grebe already in winter plumage. Two little grebe were seen too, then another 2 Slav.grebes from the hide.
We ate that evening in Aviemore and as we returned on the back road to see our friends at Tulloch, we saw another large flock of fieldfare near Loch Pityoulish. Our friend, who occasionally works for one of the local birding companies, said he hadn't seen them around yet so maybe they had only just arrived.
On Friday we drove north through Grantown then round Lochindorb. It was a beautiful sunny morning and the loch and moors looked stunning. Some red grouse flew from the heather near the track but stayed in view for some time. There seemed to be nothing on the loch until we got out the scope - one lone whooper swan and two red-throated divers, one in its summer plumage. This is the bird of the week so far. There was a shooting party on the far side of the loch with a line of beaters and plenty of dogs.
Drove through Forres then and to Brodie (?) Castle to make use of our NTS membership - it was closed!
Then to the hide overlooking Findhorn Bay. Here we had common tern, b/h gull, curlew, dunlin, oystercatcher. We sat on a bench on the main street watching the boats. Lots of butterflies around. Saw seals, pied wagtail and red-breasted merganser. Nimrods from RAF Kinloss behind us were taking off but the birds took no notice. Then we saw 4 turnstone by the water's edge. As the tide was in they were scurrying about on the concrete bank below us. Later as I walked down towards the harbour a large group of turnstone - maybe 20 - were pecking around the pebbles as the tide was going out. The sound they were making was lovely - it will stay with me for a long time. Each one of them was turning over pebbles and it made such a lovely sound. People were stopping to watch, wondering where the sound was coming from.
We had time when we returned, for a walk to Loch Garten and only about 10 mins. from the carpark we had 3 crested tits in some smallish trees. While I was looking at these 3, Bob was looking at another 4 in a nearby tree. This was the most I've ever seen together. And the trees didn't have leaves on so the views were very clear.
On Saturday we drove to the Black Isle and our first stop - the tide was way out at Munlochy Bay so not much to see - was Chanonry Point. Nothing to be seen in the bushes by the golf course. Lots of spectators on the point hoping to see dolphins. We were unlucky (not to see dolphins I mean) but had good views of two great skua, guillemot and razorbill on the water. Ringed plover were on the water's edge, redshank, dunlin and a few little stint.
On to Udale Bay then where we had our first view of dozens of wigeon, common gull, mallard, redshank, curlew, jackdaw, rook and hoodies.
As we re-joined the A9 a kite flew across the road - phew! Thought we were going to dip on this.
Swallows and house martins in abundance everywhere.
On Sunday 10th we had a lovely drive from Nethybridge through Newtonmore then Loch Laggan (passing through Glen Bogle!) stopping to take a photo of the castle. Then onto Spean Bridge and our favourite Morrisons at Fort William. The Corran Ferry took us onto Ardnamurchan and it wasn't long before we stopped to scan the loch and saw our first eider of the week with a group of mergansers nearby. Then the 20-odd mile drive to Lochaline for the ferry to Fishnish. I love this area too.
Once on Mull we went straight to Loch na Keal to get our first 'fix'. We scanned the loch continually but nothing was visible. No raptors seen. Drove as far as the footpath to Ben More then turned back. Large flock of greylag geese on the short grass by the edge of the loch. Our guest house was in Aros and overlooked the forest where Haggis (?) and Oatie were born and reared. We unpacked then drove to a forestry carpark overlooking the Sound of Mull. Had a picnic then went to Tobormory. Saw our first stonechat on the fence.
On Monday it was raining. Visibility pretty poor but some brightness later. Drove down Loch na Keal, then Glen More and back via Salen - then towards the Ulva ferry on the other bank of the loch. We were looking for otters but none were seen. The we took the road from Aros towards Dervaig for 5 miles or so. A wildlife tour bus had pulled up and was scanning the hillside so we joined them and had brilliant views of a white-tailed eagle on a grassy mound on the horizon. We watched it for some time after the bus had left but were bothered a bit by midges. It was still raining. And while we were looking elsewhere the eagle took off and we lost it. It had a blotchy, untidy look about it but was an adult.
On Tuesday we drove up the main road with our destination being Lochbui on the south coast. Stopped just short of the mussel farm on Loch Spelvie and Bob picked out a big dog otter on some rocks just out in the water. It came onto our side of the rocks to eat something it had caught then returned to the water and came out again - brilliant views. Watched it for 20 mins.
The weather was good today - high white clouds and sunshine. We parked near the standing stones at Lochbui but didn't walk to them as it would have been very wet and boggy. We'd seen the stones on the last two visits. Scanned the hills in front of us as we saw a pair of golden eagle there last year.
Our daily visit to Loch na Keal was successful today. We passed the farm as we approached the loch and in the first gateway two couples were watching white-tailed eagles over the other side. There were 2 adults and 2 juveniles. A yellow wing tag was noticeable on one of the juveniles but we couldn't read a letter. One of the adults really laid into one of the young ones - it had it on the ground with its talons attacking it. The juvenile flew off into a tree then away altogether. One of the light-coloured adult birds was watched for some time on the edge of the sandbank, with another bird on a gate and one very visible in the top of a dead tree. We watched for an hour or so, with other birders stopping to watch too. A carload of Belgian birders was as thrilled as we were.
As we turned away from looking at the eagles, wondering what had spooked a flock of finches, a sparrowhawk flew by carrying (presumably) a finch. It took it to a small crag opposite and we turned back to the eagles!
On Wednesday the weather was good in the morning, but very windy. We walked up Loch Ba. Nothing on the water but it was very rough with the wind. On the way back we saw a golden eagle soaring in front of the hill just to the left hand side of us. It flew around for a while then settled on the horizon.
We drove on the far side of the loch next and had a picnic in the car, as it was now raining hard with very low mist. We were amazed to see a pair of swallows feeding young in a nest under the eaves of a cottage (Killiemor Cottage). This on the 13th September!
We left for home the next day - braving the horrendous weather on the motorway.
Bird List:
Red-throated diver
Little grebe
Slavonian grebe
Cormorant
Grey heron
Mute swan
Whooper swan
Greylag goose
Wigeon
Mallard
Tufted duck
Eider
Red-breasted merganser
Red kite
Sparrowhawk
Buzzard
Golden eagle
White-tailed eagle
Kestrel
Peregrine
Red grouse
Pheasant
Oystercatcher
Ringed plover
Lapwing
Little stint
Dunlin
Curlew
Redshank
Common sandpiper
Turnstone
Great Skua
Black-headed gull
Common gull
Lesser black backed gull
Herring gull
Great black backed gull
Common tern
Little tern
Guillemot
Razorbill
Woodpigeon
Collared dove
Swallow
House martin
Meadow pipit
Rock pipit
Grey wagtail
Pied wagtail
Wren
Whinchat
Stonechat
Wheatear
Blackbird
Fieldfare
Mistle thrush
Goldcrest
Crested tit
Coal tit
Blue tit
Great tit
Treecreeper
Jackdaw
Rook
Carrion crow
Hooded crow
Raven
Starling
House sparrow
Chaffinch
Greenfinch
Goldfinch
Siskin
Linnet
Mammals:
Hare
Red deer
Fallow deer
Rabbit
Otter
Red squirrel
Wild goat
(As usual I will be writing a more detailed report for my own records, and for friends. If anyone is interested in reading this then please let me have your e-mail address as I don't know how to send a Word document by PM, and I'll send it when it's finished).
Sandra
