Day 7

 Wednesday May 1

We were tired this morning. It was almost mid-day before we left for Loch Ruthven. Pam had suggested that we reverse our usual plan and visit the loch first, before going on to Findhorn.

Google maps took us on a very pleasant cross country route, missing out Inverness. Having parked roadside in our  usual place - not the car park, I started to scan the loch. It was empty, apart from two elderly  men fishing from a rowing boat. What! Fishing in a nature reserve? I continued to scope, eventually seeing a pair of Red-breasted Mergansers. All the while being accompanied by the incessant song of Willow Warblers, the sound of Scotland. At last, from apparently nowhere, a Slavonian Grebe appeared close in to the near shore line. It was quickly joined by another. Just as quickly, they both disappeared. 

Whilst she was standing outside, Pam heard a Cuckoo.

Instead of taking the Farr road to Findhorn Valley, we went to Carrbridge for fuel, before returning to Tomatin and the valley. 

 

Pam took this photo of the Carrbridge bridge, using my camera
 

We did not see Findhorn Valley at its best. After a morning and early afternoon of warm sun - 17C - the cloud rolled in and it became gloomy and overcast. Not good conditions for raptors to fly. On the way up. we noticed a pair of Red-legged Partridges roadside - not a bird we expect to see here, none are bred for shooting.

 


After half an hour's watch from the top car park,  it may have been longer, we gave up and drove back, seeing three Hares in a roadside field. They have Mountain Hares in the valley, but I think these were Brown Hares.

 


Home via  Lochindorb, still  no divers. There were a few waders posing in the soft evening light.





 

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

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

Scotland

Image
 Friday May 2 The Scottish  border  is only about five minutes away from Berwick. The  Saltire was proudly flying below another blue sky. No photos today, we missed the lay-by.  We discovered St Abbs Head only a few years ago, it's been a favourite since. We can park near the water's edge looking across at the, admittedly distant, nesting cliffs of mainly Guillemots and a few Razorbills.      The sea below held groups of loafing, washing, diving, birds. Shags occasionally flew in and I saw one Black Guillemot. Our next stop is always Cove, a small gathering of cottages on the cliff edge, looking down on a rocky cliff and coast, Cove is a picturesque village situated 18 miles northwest of the Scottish border with England. Famously Cove was home to “The Glasgow Boys” artists’ colony between 1883-1888 due to its unique beauty. This informal group comprised several influential painters of the time including Sir James Guthrie. Cove harbour is en...
Read more

Last Day

 Friday May 23 As martin had offered to help pack the car, Pam spent the morning packing cases, organising the kitchen, packing foodstuffs etc. One moth in last night's trap, another new one for here, a Grey Dagger.  Burghead is not far, and a good place to sit and watch for passing seabirds.The birding area is dominated by the oldest Maltings in Scotland. It was here that we saw a first for Britain in November 1990. After school on Friiday, we drove to a Travelodge in Edinburgh, then on to Burghead on the Saturday. My coat had been forgotten, ( a fishtail parka, the trendy birding coat at the time), so we stopped in Aviemore without success. Early afternoon on an overcast November day when it looked like dusk, we set off in front of the Maltings. One birder was walking towards us and uttered the comforting words 'it's still there'. We found the Grey-tailed Tattler quickly, feeding amongst the rocks on the shore. Relief and jubilation - and we were the only people there...
Read more