This may drag on a bit as I have to do it in small episodes!
We stayed in Boat of Garten in a s/c house (4 of us). Very comfortable & warm. Linen & electricity was included in the cost, which was very reasonable.
On our way we called in at Loch of the Lowes in Perthshire. We had passed here so many times and never visited. But now the ospreys were in residence there was an extra-special reason to be there. Lovely visitor centre. What fascinated me was the number of siskins on and around the feeders - as many as I've ever seen at one time. Good views of the two ospreys - one flying and one sitting out on a branch at the side of the nest. Goldeneye were displaying on the loch.
About 7 hrs after leaving home we reached the cottage. Within half an hour of filling the feeders, we had siskin & greenfinch on them. We tried to make a song thrush in a tree opposite into a waxwing, as our son had seen one in that same tree last year - the first recorded one for that area, we were told.
Met 2 pals, who were staying in Feshiebridge, for a meal at the Cairngorm Hotel in Aviemore.
Sunday
Up early and had 5 black grouse lekking in one place then 2 more from behind the wicker screen on the moor.
After the Grand Prix and a roast dinner, we visited the osprey centre where EJ was eating a fish on the camera tree and her fella was titivating the nest. Walked down to Loch Mallachie and back to the car park through the forest.
Later - after 5.00pm - we turned up at the trout farm to see if an osprey would be fishing, only to be told there was no entry after 5.00pm. Since the farm had been shown on TV (Spring/Autumn watch?) they were concentrating on the photographers. The man told us that the time after 5.00 was just for them, and sessions were being held starting early in the morning (£95 in the brochure). He said they were making "megabucks" "depending on the size of the photographer's lens" . At the early morning sessions a professional photographer is in attendance to give advice and teach beginners. A new pond has been dug out and this is going to be overstocked with fish which will hopefull attract the birds.
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Speyside: Part II
Monday
Destination today was Applecross. Lovely sunny morning. Our daughter-in-law spotted two specks in the sky as we drove into Glen Carron (?). We stopped and put up the scopes and as they came closer we could see they were golden eagles. Great views as they soared above the mountain ridge then came down in front. Their heads showed up beautifully in the sunshine. Further on there were mergansers, shelduck and teal on Loch Kishorn. Then up the Pass of the Cattle (Bealach na Ba). We parked short of the summit car park and, after putting on extra layers, we walked up to the radio mast. No ptarmigan seen although I thought I heard one until I saw a raven flying over us! We walked around on the plateau for a while, admiring the stunning scenery. My son insisted we walk right up to the cairn, seeing as we were there! (I've been known to go down a few Lakeland mountains when only a few hundred yards from the summit. He seems to think you have to make that extra effort to the cairn).
Had our picnic down in Applecross where we watched a common sandpiper and another unidentified wader. A wheatear on the wall as we climbed out of Applecross.
On the return journey we saw a big skein of greylag geese landing in a field near the Torre roundabout. Also a red kite seen near here, and another kite and a buzzard near the turnoff to the brewery.
Fish & chips for supper from the mobile van in Nethybridge.
Tuesday
Up to Tulloch Moor. Then to the fish farm where there were 10 tufted ducks. Bob & I walked from Loch an Eilan and took the road up into Glen Einich. The others walked anti-clockwise round the loch, hoping to see crested tit or crossbills at the far end. When we met up again none of us had seen anything exciting. There had been a goldeneye on the loch. We didn't even see a stonechat up the glen. But this is a beautiful walk - one of my favourites in the area. Weather was sunny but breezy.
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