Anne's Journal

 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...

  Thursday May 22 I spent the morning in bed - the only way I can keep my legs up - trying to reduce the swelling. I enjoyed reading my book, but got increasingly anxious to be out and about. Via Porthgordon, we took the coastal B road via Buckie. The coast is very rugged here, rocks like jagged teeth. with large beds of boulders where the sea foams in, depositing glossy kelp on the shore. I could watch the incoming rollers forever. On to Portsoy. Although very sunny still, there's a cool northerly wind. Having the window open to scope the sea did not last long, nor did the shortage of birds encourage me to do so.  Lone Gannets passed by well out to sea, as did the occasional Guillemot. their whirring wings made them look like the kite aeroplane Sara had as a child. I played with it more often though. As always, plenty of gulls, Herring and a few Common. For the first time this trip, Cullen's ice-cream shop did not have a queue - and we could park outside. Out of a vast select...

Wednesday May 21  Lochindorb was our first destination, always a favourite. The first part of the road leads us through a Common Gull nesting area. Every post is gull topped, all the nests hidden from view, just the heads and shoulders of the sitting birds showing.    Sad to see a few corpses on the road, they do like to sit there and some of them didn't fly away in time. No birds on or beside the loch. Pam saw a pair of Red-legged Partridges scuttle away into the heather, soon after seeing a female Red Grouse, and then, at least three youngsters. Trying to catch them on camera was a problem as they ducked and dived into the heather, sometimes running over the top. Pam did better  than I, these are her photos.     Via Aviemore Tesco for papers, we then went back to the bridge where we saw Dipper last week.Yes, one adult and two young showed fairly distantly on a fallen tree. Pam also saw a Grey Wagtail, briefly, on the bridge. Loch an Eilein car park has al...

 Tuesday May 20 It was early afternoon by the time we set off, we needed to look for somewhere to eat. We took the Fort Augustus road from the A9n and found a small car park, labelled Littlemill, amongst the woods. The dramatic landscape of Littlemill has a fascinating story to tell. Glaciers from the last ice age carved out the landscape here. The retreating ice left us with the strangely named esker ridges and kettle hole lochans. The mosaic of woodland, wetland and heathland make Littlemill an oasis for wildlife. From colourful springtime flowers to summer butterflies and autumn fungi, there’s always something to see here. Reads as though it's worth a visit for those who walk. We enjoyed our short stay, listening to Siskin, and Willow Warblers, and a distant Cuckoo. Time is flying by, a last chance to catch up with a missed bird. One we are unlikely to see elsewhere this year, Slavonian Grebe. The only accessible site for us is Loch Ruthven RSPB reserve. It's far too...

  Monday May 19 My favourite outing in years past, was to Dunnett Head and Bay, going via the Flow Country from Helmsdale ,and returning via the faster coast road. A lot to drive in one day now, and I haven't been able to find suitable accommodation for an overnight stay.  The east coast must have been a very long route north before bridges were built across the many firths. First, the Kessock Bridge across the Moray Firth, then Cromarty Firth, followed by our destination, Loch Fleet. Why that's called a loch and the other indentations firths I don't know.  A lovely drive in dry, sunny conditions - yet again. The farmers are getting really worried at the lack of rain. Caribbean blue water, freshly green trees, and bright, golden, gorse-covered hillsides. The eastern shores of the loch, designated a National Nature Reserve, are reached via Dornoch and Golspie. There's a parking area for about eight vehicles from which we could view the, at least a hundred and fifty, Harb...

 Sunday May 18 Having looked at the excellent Where to Watch Birds in Scotland app last night, we decided to have a look at Whiteness, said to be an excellent place for roosting waders at high tide. The app also allows one to link to a satnav route. Whiteness is only forty five minutes west of here, near Fort George and Ardessier. According to owner Mike, the Germans who had the cottage before us left it very dirty. Pam noticed that the unused dishwasher had a slight leak. When Mike investigated, he found that it had been stopped mid programme and the bottom was full of dirty water. We didn't have to stay in, but we didn't leave until he'd finished. Hence the late start and short trip. We followed the satnav directions, ending up in Fort George, where was the unmarked Whiteness? Through a height restricted arch, we parked waterside in dunes covered in gorse. Lovely. Where were the birds? After an hour or so we drove back to the adjacent Findhorn Bay. More gorse covered dune...

 Saturday May 17 Yesterday was our earliest start, to-day our latest. After a call for papers at Elgin Tesco, we took the coastal tourist route east. turning off for Portessie. Stopping for my meal at Buckie, we saw our first Eider ducklings. Just two of them. had there been more? Turning left immediately after passing under the railway viaduct which dominates the town, we parked sideways on beside the sea wall. From there, we had a splendid view of the incoming tide dashing against the rocky coast. I couldn't manage a photo from the car as some Germans parked their VW camper in the way.  Another cloudless day with very little wind is not good for birding. There were plenty of Herring and Common Gulls around, a few Gannets passing by out to sea with a few Eider bobbing up here and there. I read - in between hopeful scoping. Then, one of the Gannets flew closer inshore. I fired off  a few shots with varied success. Most of them need the contrast altering, I can only do tha...

 Friday May 16 Some time ago, I used to cut out pertinent 'Where to watch' articles from the magazine 'Birdwatching' , particularly Scottish sites. Shortly before coming away, I re-found them. One was about Glen Cannich, very near to the better known Glen Affric. It said that it was a good glen for birding, especially from the car. That sounded ideal for us.  Google maps took us to the small village of Cannish from which we turned up a single track road, through heavily wooded hills, beside the stony mountain river Cannich. Fortunately there was very little traffic as passing places were few and far between. Another cloudless day in which to enjoy the stunning scenery. During occasional stops, we added Treecreeper to the trip list, Spotted Flycatcher and Garden Warbler to the year list.  When the mix of deciduous and coniferous trees thinned out , we reached upland moors and our first sighting of Red Deer. We saw two groups,  both made up of youngish males, their de...

 Thursday May 15 Almost as far as the end of our lane, I looked at my watch and changed our destination. It was far too late to drive to Glen Affric.  We went to the Black Isle again, thinking that it was  the best chance of seeing some waders. They've been very thin on the ground.  As soon as we got onto the isle, it was time for my meal, we stopped at the car park overlooking Munlochy Bay. The tide was in, two Red Kites spiralled about, a Grey Heron and a Shelduck were the only other birds about. On to Chanonry Point where we watched a few Common Terns and a mass of gulls. It was unusual to see a large ship pass by, bound for Inverness Docks I should think.    Driving to Udale Bay along the inland route, takes us through the woods where we saw Crossbill last time, not today. We had the bay and hide area all to ourselves this time. We have seen the remaining grassy island at high tide, covered in waders in the past. I counted a hundred and twenty Oysterca...

 Wednesday May 14  Pondering what to do today,we decided to try Loch Insh and Glen Feshie. We had cards to post so stopped on the bridge at Carrbridge so that Pam could walk to the Post Office. Whilst she was away, I enjoyed watching several House Martins and Swallow swooping into the eaves of the Carrbridge Hotel and out over the river. As Pam returned she looked up and saw a party of seven Swifts fly, screaming, over and also into the same eaves before departing. They did this enough times for me to see one of my favourite birds and our first this year. Looking back, it was the birding highlight of the day. Glen Feshie is lovely, we chose to go to Uath Lochan parking area towards the start of the Glen to have lunch.A Coal Tit investigated the surrounding trees, we enjoyed the sunshine and drove on to the end of the road.  No birds and the river now completely hidden by trees. Must remember that they grow.We did hear a Wood Warbler sing in an area in which we couldn'...

  Tuesday May 13 The .8 of a mile from our cottage to the main road, has definitely two, or probably three, singing Sedge Warblers. Birds scatter from the lane in front of the car, usually Linnets and Goldfinches. At last, for me, a pair of Bullfinches made an appearance. Pam saw them a few days ago. The headland from which we sea watch in Burglead is part of an ancient Pictish fort. Wiki has a long description of the area's historical importance. This afternoon's birding from there was disappointing. There were even fewer birds than the last time we were here. Gannets, auks and even the gulls, were in single figures. We did add Rock Pipit to the year and trip list. The Hooded crow which hopped its way along the rocks was not a bright specimen, but the first photographable one.  After an hour or so, we moved on to explore some of the woodland in the area, parking at the gateways to some of the rides, the latter also popular with dog walkers. At one of them, Pam put some seed a...

 Monday May 12 It was Pam's pronouncement, I thoroughly agree. Everywhere we go in this area there are large swathes of Gorse, Dandelions and Broom in flower. Then, there is the odorous Oilseed Rape. Where the dandelions have finished flowering, roadside verges are full of gossamer clocks waiting for the wind. Today, we left the coast and drove inland to Cairngorm, via a quick stop at Broomhill Bridge. Plenty of Sand Martins buzzing about, no Dippers.  The road to Cairdgorm climbs in a series of shallow hairpin bends to the Funicular car park. As we approached, many cars parked along the verges was a surprise. Then it wasn't. Barriers across the road and a large notice showing parking charges. It used to be free. Having looked at the entry levels, we used the 20 minutes of free parking to eat lunch before leaving. Part of the way down, I took advantage of a roadside gravel verge to take a photograph of Loch Morlich and the vista beyond.   I remembered a small bridge over ...

 Sunday May 11 Portsay  to birders, is a place where White-billed Divers rest offshore during spring migration. When boat trips were possible, numbers well into the teens were seen. The boat is now based at Oban on the west coast, number reporting has stalled. One bird was reported off Portsoy at midday today ,which raised our pretty low hopes of seeing one. Despite scoping for well over an hour, no diver species were seen. The weather is too good. Plenty  of other activity though, some quite close for sea birds. The Gannets were the most distant. Guillemots. Razorbills, Eider Duck, Shags and Herring Gulls much closer. Best was three Puffins, actively fishing in front of us. I didn't expect that, I thought that we would miss them this year. We drove home under a heavy overcast sky, we're not used to cloud cover. The forecast promises more fine, sunny, weather in the north. I always like to take a photo of a Sottish Greylag goose, they always seem to be warier and, altoge...

 Saturday May 10 Starting with the moths .....  It didn't take long to sort the trap. Another two moths but, again, different from before. Poor photos - IPhone, through dirty pots. Lunar Thorn - Scottish sub species   Water Carpet  Our main destination was the lovely Findhorn Valley, or Strathdearn. We first visited one February when we didn't know better, We did have to leave the area early due to snow, but the day in Strathdearn was memorable. Our one and only view of a Stoat in winter white plumage, the almost fabled Ermine. Today, apart from the sun-bathed stunning scenery, was not memorable. Very few birds and no mammals. We added Raven, Red-legged Partridge, Pheasant (!) and Grey Wagtail to the trip list and I added Common Sandpiper to my year list. Taking the high moorland road to Farr is an anticipated event. The road is single track with very few passing places, popular with touring motorcyclists. In the seven miles travelled we saw three birds, two Meadow P...

 Friday May 9 This morning's moth trap held four moths. The photos are from my IPhone. Mating White Ermine   A Lychnis   and a Brown House Moth (now deceased). We promised ourselves an easier day, indeed it was.  In the morning, Pam took the car to a local garage, recommended by Mike (owner here). The tyre pressure warning light has been on ever since we left home. Our own garage turned it off and said it was 'over sensitive'. A b. nuisance is more apt. The tyre pressures remain correct, a thousand miles or more after it came on. It doesn't do much one's peace of mind. £3 later, we can read the milometer again and the light is off. Such a warm, sunny day, most unlike the Scotland we know and love - as it has been all week. Today was the warmest and most cloudless. We had a real oldie outing. Shopping at Tesco, before sitting in the small western car park at Burghead, looking at the sea. In between scoping, I read the newspaper and did puzzles, whilst Pam was happy t...

 Thursday May 8 The day started at Culbin Forest where we could use our Kentish Glory lure for only the second time. Not with any real faith, the lure is very old and is reputed not to have been the best when new. Back we went to the same area as previously (10+ years ago), to find that the trees had grown tremendously, The Glory prefers stands of young birch, well spread out.  Broomhill Bridge has always been an absolute certainty for Dipper. Dozens of Sand Martins were zipping about, no Dipper. Dorback next, the only birds two different male Stonechats.   Dulnain river is never an easy view. The road is very busy and one has to cross metal guard fencing to reach the river wall. We don't do that any more! Pam saw a distant Common Sandpiper, out of sight for me. The hoped for Dipper and Grey Wagtail were not seen.  We then took a previouisly unknown and very pleasant B road to Carrbridge. Halfway there, our second Golden Eagle flew past overhead, hassled buy a smalle...