20 May 2006 Blairgowrie to Strontian
Fortunately, although it had obviously rained through the night, it was dry to load the car. I set off about 8.45 and drove out past the 5 Lochs to Dunkeld, passing Osprey country but not seeing one.
The A9 was fairly busy, as always and it started to drizzle, then rained. It eased off for a while but climbing the Drumochter Pass the cloud was right down on the hill. I turned off at Dalwhinnie heading towards Fort William,. There was a lovely Reed Bunting sitting on a fence beside the road.
I decided to go and have a look at Castle Tioram, so turned off the 'main road' and drove along the River Shiel right to the end. A lovely view from there of the castle. Apart from 1 Mallard there were absolutely no birds to see on the water! Quite weird.
I didn't stay long there just enough time to have a bite of lunch before heading back to the main road, only to turn off almost immediately to go along to Kentra Bay. This is another lovely run, the bay itself superb. I carried on though right to the end of the road (I like to see where they go). Just a fishing croft (50p to park), er no I thought not much doing there for me, so I turned round and headed back. Going round a corner a Golden Eagle suddenly flew right across the road in front of me what a shock!
Then back to Kentra Bay again, this time up with the scope to see what was about, Hoodies, a pair of Greylag Geese, Oystercatchers and a Cuckoo calling.
Time now to be heading for my B&B on the way stopping at Ariundle Forest for a look-see and a cuppie. Very pleasant looking area for a walk, so will be back there sometime, if not this visit.
I found the B&B no bother (in the middle of nowhere just as I like it). Having sorted myself out in the room I went for a walk along the track to stretch my legs and to see what was about. Meadow Pipits, Red Grouse and at the forest I could hear Willow Warblers, Blackbirds and Chaffinch. Back at the B&B there are Siskin, Greenfinch and Mallards with 8 ducklings on the pond.
After dinner we were treated to 2 Red Legged Partridge wandering through the garden. Jim told me where to go to see Otters, Goldies and Sea Eagles, so I set off for a run along to the end of Loch Sunart and round the other side. I spent some time looking and scoping but didn't see any of them. Another couple came by in a car and told me they had just been watching an otter a bit further down the road! Grrr
Got back to the B&B for an early night as Jim is to take me out at 6 in the morning to see Black Cock.
Sunday May 21 2006
Well I did it! Up at 5.30 quick cuppie and met Jim downstairs at 6am. A really beautiful morning and the wind has dropped, just a light breeze, if that.
We walked along the track I took yesterday and after about 10 minutes Jim explained to me what to expect and do. Before rounding the next bend I was to get into the ditch and creep very slowly and quietly, keeping my head well down below the horizon. When I got to the corner, peer through the heather. A few more minutes and we were approaching the bend and we stopped to listen, That's them says Jim can you hear them that funny gurgling sound? It was very quiet but, yes, I could hear it that was a first for me. Into the ditch I got, fortunately it was dry! Crept along as quietly as I could to the bend peered round and there right in front of me was a Black Grouse strutting his stuff only yards away. Further up the track were another two. I watched fascinated for about a minute when something, presumably me, scared the closest one away, the others remained and Jim came up to join me. Then the other 2 flew, joined by another which we hadn't seen. Across the moor down to the trees below us. Out of sight. Eventually we picked up 2 of them eating at the top of one of the trees. Worth the early rise that.
Returning along the track Jim had a brief glimpse of a Golden Eagle which disappeared behind a hill before he could put me on to it. Two Cuckoos flew across in front of us! Then I picked up a Snipe sitting on a fence post. Jim nearly said a bad word then as he wished he'd brought his camera with him.
We parted at the house, Jim going in to get his camera in the hope the Snipe would show again and me to continue along the road to the wooded area at the end. Chaffinch, Willow Warblers, Robin and a Wren were all that were awake just then.
Breakfast proved exciting as a pair of Whinchat came visiting just outside the window. He put on a brilliant courtship display for us.
What to do the rest of the day? Ah well never been to Ardnamurchan! What a beautiful drive that turned out to be. Stopping at nearly every bay on the off-chance of Otter but still no luck. Pulling into one of the view points I had a brief sighting of a White Tailed Eagle. I sat for a while longer hoping he would re-appear but no.
There are a few little villages (well more a huddle of houses) along the road, and at one of them I saw a pair of Goldfinch. At Ardnamurchan lighthouse it was a bit breezy but not too bad. However the sea was very quiet as far as birds were concerned. A Gannet flew close in and there were some Terns feeding far off too far to identify unfortunately. Looked for some cetaceans but no luck there.
On the return journey I was treated to a display by a pair of Buzzards, tumbling and chasing each other brilliant moment that.
Monday 22nd May 2006
A quieter day is required. A Brambling on the feeder in the garden, good start to the day. At the end of Loch Sunart there is a salt marsh so stopped there for a while to scope about. A pair of Goosander were by an island then I saw a Greenshank.
I continued round to the South side of the Loch to look for Otters again, but still no luck. Then took the road over the hill to Loch Linnhe. Jim had said there may be Great Northern Divers there, but there were none visible today. It was very windy and the water quite choppy. However, I did manage to see Black Guillemot, a flight of about 20 Eider and a pair of Shelduck which came in for a wash at some fresh water.. A pair of Raven were flying about at the top of some crags.
Returning to Strontian the Greenshank was still there and now 4 male Goosander. I made another abortive attempt to see Otter and was rewarded with a Redshank instead, also a Sandpiper that hopped up onto the road saw my car and shot back again.
Tuesday 23 May 2006
Awoke to fresh snow on the tops this morning. After a good breakfast and goodbyes to Jim and Barbara, I set of South today to meet up with my sister at Kilmartin. Loads of Black Guillemot in the harbour at Ardgour which kept me amused for a while. Just as I boarded the ferry the rain came down in bucket loads. All the way then, the journey was punctuated by these really heavy showers. I stopped where I could along the side of Loch Linnhe but visibility was not that good unfortunately.
I stopped for lunch at a nature reserve at the side of Loch Creran, intending to go for a walk but down came the rain again and after half an hour showed no sign of stopping, so I headed for Oban to stock up on some supplies. More Black Guillemot in the harbour there, along with Mute Swan and the ubiquitous Mallards!
On the run from Oban to Kilmartin at the top of one of the passes, there was snow lying on the road!
I can't get over the number of birds to be seen in the Ardgour area, I'm sure I only scratched the surface. And the Cuckoos were everywhere, loads of them.
Wednesday 24 May
Horrid wet and windy morning. Pauline was writing post cards and I went up into the village to look at the Kilmartin Stones. - very interesting. Still rather miserable when I got back to the cottage so went along to the hide at Bellanoch Bridge. Lovely views from there. Redshank, Canada Goose, Bar Tailed Godwit, Great Black Backed Gull, amongst many others. In the afternoon the weather cleared so we drove along the Crinan Canal to Crinan and went for a walk in the forest. Three miles it said, allow 2-3 hours it took us nearly 4! We went up and up then down and up and up again. The views were wonderful. On the way back we saw a Golden Eagle. What a great afternoon that was. We also saw a flock of Long Tailed Tits and heard a Chiffchaff down near the waters edge.
Thursday 25 May
I was up soon after 6 and went back to the Bellanoch hiide before breakfast and added Sandpiper, Red Breasted Merganser Mute Swan. On the way back called in to look at the Mhoin Mhor Nature Reserve, what a lovely spot. The trail is only 600 metres but goes through a little wood with a board walk out onto the moss. I added Coal and Great Tits to my trip list.
We went for a run down Kintyre, calling in at West Loch Tarbet where the ferry leaves for Islay, lovely peaceful place that. Further along that road are a lot of places where you can park and get great views of Gigha, Jura and Islay. We stopped at all of them and saw basking seals, Golden Eagle and a Great Northern Diver. The last port of call was to Skipness, where we walked down to the shore and saw a group of Dunlin all in mating mode they have a lovely purring trill when they jump up and down and flap their wings great to watch. There were also Ringed Plover, Sanderling and Turnstones on the beach.
Friday 26 May
Wet, wet and more wet throughout the morning again. I drove down through Knapdale, to Keils and after opening 4 gates sat on the jetty trying to look out to sea but it was very murky. I met Pauline in Taynish Forest for lunch. The rain had cleared by then so we walked the trail along the track which goes right out to the headland (well Pauline did it!) I stopped to investigate a song I'd never heard before and got a WOOD WARBLER a lifer for me.
I continued along the track to meet up with Pauline coming back, and it started to drizzle again, so I took my specs off and put them in my pocket. When I put them on again later one of the lenses had come out as the screw had fallen off! Pauline lent me her glasses so I could see well enough to drive back to Tayvallich, then she drove me straight to Lochgilphead to find an optician who could fix them. We arrived there about 4.45 just minutes before they closed.
Saturday 27 May
Pauline and I had a late breakfast at the Museum where there is a camera link to a Jackdaws nest they were right at the back of the box so couldn't see much of them. We went our separate ways at about 11am. A drive that had been suggested by a BF member (Saluki) was through Kilmichael Glen so I thought I'd do that on my way home as it linked up with the Loch Awe road. It absolutely poured with rain to start with (fast wipers!). What a lovely glen that is, it took me about 3 hours to get through with the number of stops I had. I'm sure I saw an Eagle but lost it when I had to move my car to let a lorry through (the only vehicle I saw on the road!). Among the many birds I saw and heard were Hoodies, Whinchat, Lesser Black Backed Gull and Willow Warbler.
Unfortunately I didn't get many pictures of birds on the holiday, mostly due to the windy conditions
My thanks go to Jim (Gallus), Saluki and Andrew for finding me such great birding spots.
Trip List
Great Northern Diver
Gannet
Cormorant
Shag
Grey Heron
Mute Swan
Canada Goose
Greylag Goose
Shelduck
Mallard
Tufted Duck
Red Breasted Merganser
Goosander
Eider
Common Buzzard
White Tailed Eagle
Golden Eagle
Pheasant
Black Grouse
Red Grouse
Red Legged Partridge
Moorhen
Oystercatcher
Ringed Plover
Sanderling
Dunlin
Turnstone
Common Sandpiper
Redshank
Greenshank
Bar Tailed Godwit
Lapwing
Curlew
Common Snipe
Black Headed Gull
Common Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black Backed Gull
Lesser Black Backed Gull
Tern (species unknown)
Black Guillemot
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
Cuckoo
Swift
Skylark
Swallow
House Martin
Rock Pipit
Meadow Pipit
Grey Wagtail
Pied Wagtail
Dunnock
Wren
Robin
Whinchat
Stonechat
Wheatear
Blackbird
Song Thrush
Mistle Thrush
Sedge Warbler
Wood Warbler
Chiffchaff
Willow Warbler
Long Tailed Tit
Coal Tit
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Starling
Jackdaw
Raven
Carrion Crow
Hooded Crow
Rook
House Sparrow
Brambling
Chaffinch
Greenfinch
Siskin
Goldfinch
Bullfinch
Linnet
Reed Bunting
Excellent report Delia - glad you had such a good time. You really can't beat the west of Scotland.
Thats an impressive list Delia,well worth the trip.