Day 6

 Tuesday April 30

Weather  is  always problematic when planning a day in the Cairngorms. We struck it lucky, we had dry weather with good visibility all day. Our birding day started at Lochindorb with Common Sandpiper, Lapwing and Red Grouse.

 

No sign of any divers. On to Nethy Bridge where a very swollen river left no mud banks or islets for roosting birds. A small area of grit held a Dipper which I could see from the car. Brilliant. The sandy banks are ideal for Sand Martins to nest, thirty birds were swirling about, having a look at the bank and then off again.

I'd been given a site for Crested Tit , Google maps couldn't find it, the local shop didn't know either. A passing local gave Pam directions which led us to Dell Woods. The area, although very pleasant, bore no resemblance at all to my original instructions. Siskin, Coal Tit and Chaffinch seen, we drove on to Dornock. This used to be a reliable Black Grouse area for us but new fences, horses and other changes have put paid to that. But, Pam did see one Black Grouse. It flew away from the roadside as we drove along. She stopped and reversed - no sign. A very raucous noise alerted us to the presence of four Guinea Fowl, running wild. Where did they come from? 

 

A Mistle Thrush was busy collecting nesting material, more Siskin and Coal Tits, where next?

We couldn't visit the area without driving up Cairngorm mountain to the site of the funicular railway and ski lifts. The car park is now clean and tidy, it no longer looks like a building site. The railway  is out of use again. It was open all winter for snow sports but is now undergoing further work. The continual disturbance seems to have put paid to the breeding Ring Ousels.

Hector MacAulay MBE, Managing Director of Balfour Beatty’s Regional business in Scotland, said: “We are working hard to complete this programme of remedial works as quickly as possible, deploying multiple teams simultaneously to safely reinstate this unique attraction and resume service before the next winter snowsports season.”

Time to turn for home. A stop to check the Black Grouse lekking mound on the way to Lochindorb was a relief for both of us. One Black Grouse was quietly feeding at the bottom of the mound. 

This is the original photo, taken with a 500MM lens before editing. 

 

Before long we'd spotted another two, all three birds well spread and distant. Heavily cropped photo.



Still no sign of any Black-throated Divers on Lochindorb although one had been seen earlier. We drove home for a late supper.



 


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Day 12

Image
 Monday May 6 Most of the morning was occupied getting in touch with the car insurance people and then Autoglass - then waiting for Autoglass to get back to us.  A  stone chipped our windscreen on the way through Skye, since then its become a one foot plus horizontal crack on Pam's side. End result. We take the car to Lewis or Skye or wait until we get home. The garage here 'doesn't have the equipment to deal with the sensor in the front screen'. Ian, Heather's husband, says he does them all the time! Ah well, live with it.  Almost the first bird we saw as we drove north was a lovely male Hen Harrier. It was distant but I had to try, one of these days I'll get a decent photo. Original photo before editing, taken with 500mm lens    Edited     As we drove down to Loch Paible, a flock of fifteen Whimbrel dropped in to the near corner.We needed to turn the car, by which time the birds had gone, this Wheatear posed nicely for me.    A short d...
Read more

Moth Migration

Image
 Wednesday October 9 Like birds, moths migrate when the season and weather conditions are right. Recently, we have had easterly winds with a mouth watering fall of birds which we have been unable to walk and see. Many Yellow-browed Warblers, Eastern Crowned Warbler in Shetland, a possible Amur Stonechat and an Asian Desert Warbler in Norfolk. Our moth traps have had a reasonable sprinkling of the migrant moths - although some could be breeding here by now. Palpita Vitrialis Scarce Bordered Straw Delicate   and Rusty Dot Pearl
Read more

Day 19

Image
  Monday May 13   The day started slowly and ended at a gallop. A morning spent doing chores meant an even later start than usual, well past mid-day. Loch Druidibeg was the intended destination but we missed the turning and ended up at Loch Eynort. Both are in South Uist, but Druidibeg is not signposted on the northern approach. We even found a parking space in the small six car parking area, where we sat looking at a pretty empty sea. Eventually, Red-breasted Merganser, Shags, a Great Northern Diver and an Otter on the sea and Willow Warbler, Chaffinch, Robin, Blackbird, Dunnock, Cuckoo, and a Lesser Redpoll from the small wood alongside. AS we reversed away, Pam noticed the reg plate on the car beside us. It was WOC, Ian and Sue's car. We left them a note and drove on in the rain. We found Druidibeg this time. RSPB Scotland Loch Druidibeg, a community nature reserve formed in partnership with local crofters and the community estate. It is a Special Protection Area and Site...
Read more