Our annual week-long tour to Scotland, based in the Highlands with a visit up to the Aberdeenshire coast, as well as the chance to catch up with a few additional birds on the way up and on the way back. If you like the sound of what we got up to, we have already got the dates for a tour to Scotland again in 2026 – you can see the details here and you would be very welcome to join us!
Sunday 30th March
A travel day today. Two of the group joined us in Norfolk early afternoon, and we set off in the minibus on the start of the long journey up to Scotland. It was slow going across through the Fens on the dreaded A17 and we stopped to pick up another member of the group just before we got to the A1M, near Newark. After a second stop at Ferrybridge Services to collect another, we eventually got to Darlington at 5.30pm, where we met the last two members of the group.
After checking in at the Premier Inn, we had an early booking for dinner at a pub in the town centre – it was Mother’s Day, and being a Sunday too they stopped serving early. The clocks had changed overnight and it was still very light. A Pied Wagtail flew over the square as we arrived in the town centre, and on our way back, a small group of Canada Geese over the edge of town and a Lesser Black-backed Gull on a roof were the only birds of note.
Monday 31st March
We set off early from Darlington, as we wanted to make a stop or two on the way up to our base in the Highlands. There are still roadworks on the A1 at Gateshead, and there was already a bit of traffic but we made it fairly quickly through. After stopping for breakfast in Alnwick, we continued north, on over the border and into Scotland.
Our first birding stop was at Gullane. The weather was glorious, with sunshine and wall to wall blue sky, but perhaps too good. There had been a drake White-winged Scoter with the scoter flocks on and off here all winter. The birds move up and down along the coast, but it had been seen off Gullane since at least the end of January. There were lots of scoter on the water when we arrived, but with a flat calm sea, many of them were a very long way out. We set about looking through.
At first, all we could see were substantial rafts of Common Scoter. There were lots of Eider too, plus several Long-tailed Ducks and Red-breasted Mergansers. We found a single Red-throated Diver and a Great Northern Diver, but the latter was diving all the time, and a scattering of Razorbills and Guillemots. Some distant Gannets were further out in the Firth of Forth. We were just about to walk on when three Velvet Scoters appeared, an adult drake and two immatures. There was no sign of the White-winged Scoter though, at least in the birds we could see.
A Blackcap was singing in bushes in front of us, our first of the year. We could hear Bullfinches calling, and a very smart male flew up into a small tree in front of us, followed by a female.
We set off to walk round to the north side of the bay, through the bushes above the top of the dunes. There were lots of Chiffchaffs in and singing, plus a couple more Blackcaps perched up, more Bullfinches, a Song Thrush and a Siskin over.
Cutting back down to the beach, we scanned the sea again. There were some nice close Long-tailed Ducks just offshore from here, and we finally got the Great Northern Diver in the scope on the surface. All we could find were the same three Velvet Scoters, though.
We walked back along the beach and had a quick scan from the car park again. Most of the scoter flock had drifted further west. We still could not see anything different, and we were now out of time. We picked up sandwiches for lunch in the Co-op in town and drove the short distance round to Aberlady Bay. It was beautiful weather to stop in the layby and eat overlooking the estuary. We could see a few waders, Curlews, Oystercatchers and Redshanks, plus small groups of Teal and Wigeon, and a few Shelducks. Then it was time to be heading on north.
As we were passing Loch Leven, we made a quick stop on the north side. There had been a flock of Scaup here on Saturday, a single Lesser Scaup in with the Greaters. When we arrived, it was surprisingly breezy now, in contrast to Gullane where it had been practically still. The Loch was very choppy with a bad haze over the surface. We managed to find the Scaup flock, but it was very distant out on the water, and impossible to pick out the Lesser in these conditions.
There were a few other ducks here, Tufted Ducks, a pair of Goldeneye, a Gadwall. A pair of Great Crested Grebes was out in the middle. We decided to move on quickly and see if we could squeeze in one last stop before we had to be in Carrbridge for dinner.
Up into the Highlands, it clouded over. Our last stop was to see if we could find an Osprey. Scanning the nest tree, it looked rather deserted, just a couple of Chaffinches in the nest. Perhaps this pair of Ospreys hadn’t returned yet? Then we noticed a dark shape through the trees round the far side and moving further up we could see one of the Ospreys perched in the trees behind. We had great views in the scopes, dozing, and occasionally looked round.
A male Great Spotted Woodpecker landed in a dead tree right in front, and stopped to preen with the Osprey in the background. Another Great Spotted Woodpecker, a female, was tapping in the pines off to our left.
Eventually we had to tear ourselves away and we were five minutes later than we had said we would be arriving at Carrmoor Guesthouse in Carrbridge, our base for the next five nights. Thankfully, we still had plenty of time to get checked in and sorted out before Christine produced a fabulous three course dinner for us, with several different choices for each course. We never go hungry staying here!
Tuesday 1st April
It was just getting light as we met outside for a short walk before breakfast. We walked down to the old bridge and scanned the river but couldn’t see anything up- or downstream. Taking the footpath beside the river, we hadn’t gone far when we heard a Grey Wagtail call and looked down to see one on the rocks in the middle of the water. There were lots of birds singing now: Song Thrush, Great Tit, Chaffinches and several Greenfinches. Despite the chilly start, it almost felt like spring.
We picked up a small bird flying over the firs in the distance, up beyond the road, a Crossbill. It flew towards us over the paddocks but stayed very high in the sky and going away from us now, it was too far to make out any detail or hear it. A pair of Oystercatchers were on the rocks on the edge of the river a little further up and flew out to the paddocks calling.
On to footbridge, we stood for a second scanning. A Dipper flew in and landed on the rocks right below us. Nice views feeding in the river, diving in below the fast flowing water. Then it flew off round the corner out of view. A pair of Goosander flew over and disappeared off downstream.
As we made our way round and up to the road, a Mistle Thrush was perched on the very top of a fir tree singing. Three Coal Tits appeared chasing each though the birches. Further on, we found a pair of Goldcrests in the trees in one of the gardens. Lots of Siskins were calling here, and flying back and forth overhead, before we eventually got a male in the scope, perched up in the top of spruce tree. Another male Siskin flew round doing its butterfly song flight. A Treecreeper appeared briefly in the trees across the road but disappeared further in before everyone could see it.
Back to the road, we had a look again from the bridge. One of the Grey Wagtails was now around the base. Then it was time to walk back round the corner for breakfast.
After breakfast, we headed out in the minibus. We stopped first to look at a small pool in the fields. There is more water here than normal this year, but despite that there were fewer birds, just four Little Grebes and two pairs of Teal. Several Oystercatchers were round the edge and a Mistle Thrush and a Curlew were in the neighbouring field.
Moving on, we headed over to an area of forest and parked in the small parking area at the head of the ride. We don’t go looking for Capercaillie any more and we avoid going into the forest first thing in the morning now, to minimise risk of disturbance when they are displaying. Sadly the population still seems to be crashing and they are a rare sight here these days.
As it was now mid-morning, we wanted to head in to look for Crested Tits and Crossbills before it got too hot. Ironically, the small car park at the head of the ride was full of cars and we found the woods full of dogwalkers with dogs off the lead, runners and mountain bikers. So much for minimising disturbance! We stuck to the main path and walked down towards an area which can be good for Crested Tits.
We hadn’t gone far when we heard Crested Tits calling. Scanning the pines, we found a pair in the trees, but they were mostly up in the tops and on the move all the time. One kept dropping down lower onto some bare branches. Even so, it was hard to get on but once you did it was possible to get good views. Then they melted back into the trees and went quiet, before all the group had managed to see them.
A little further on, still on the main path, we noticed a large, dark shape flying through the trees off to one side. A male Capercaillie! It swooped up and into a pine tree, where we could see it perched in the branches. It stood there looking out, though partly obscured, we could see its eye, part of its back, its tail. We got it in the scopes, and as it turned round we could see its bill properly now. After a minute or so, it flew across to another tree, so we moved on and left it in peace. What are the chances? We were just very lucky today, particularly given the amount of recreational disturbance here this morning.
Further down the path, we heard another Crested Tit calling. This time, we looked into the trees and found a pair flitting around an old tree stump. They kept disappearing in round the back and coming out with woodchips in their bills, flying up into the surrounding pines to scatter them on the wind. Backlit, it was great to watch. At one point, presumably the male passed a food item to the female.
We watched the Crested Tits for some time, continually returning to the same branches, great views in the scopes. Mission accomplished here, it was time to move on. As we walked back, a couple of Mistle Thrushes moved through the trees ahead of us.
We drove over to the Dorback valley next. There was a bit of cloud and it was surprisingly windy when we got out here. Coats and hats on, it was hard even to keep the scopes upright at times. A Raven flew over and, as we scanned the surrounding hillsides, several Common Buzzards came up, hanging in the air in the wind. A Red Kite drifted over.
As the worst of the cloud cleared through, the wind dropped a little though it was still blustery. A succession of small skeins of Pink-footed Geese flew over high above. Heading north, making their way back towards Iceland for the coming breeding season. A Skylark fluttered up singing behind us. A Sand Martin flew straight through without stopping.
It wasn’t long before the first Golden Eagle came up. A young bird, it came up from behind the ridge and gained a little height, before drifting across in front of us. Good views. It looked like it might come even closer but a Common Buzzard suddenly appeared above, dropping down steeply straight towards it. The Buzzard swooped at it – the Golden Eagle looked huge by comparison – the Eagle dipping a wing slightly and evading it. The two of them then circled up quickly until both were just dots in the sky.
Not long after, another Golden Eagle appeared, further back. This one started to display, folding its wings back and swooping down and back up again repeatedly. Eventually it lost so much height it disappeared down behind the hills and we lost sight of it.
We drove back to Nethy Bridge for lunch. It was lovely here out of the wind, in the sunshine. We should have just had the burbling of the river as the soudtrack but lots of people were obviously working outside in the good weather. A gardener working in a nearby garden had got his leafblower out and was trying to look busy, although he just seemed to be the blowing leaves around the drive. Builders working on a nearby house had set up outside with their powertools and were making a racket too.
After lunch, we made our way up beside the river. A lovely pair of Goosander were on the water, so we carefully walked behind them as they worked their way upstream. Remarkably tame, we followed them for some time before eventually they came back past us, riding the fast flowing water between the rocks. Otherwise, it was rather quiet along here this afternoon, though a delightful place to be in the sunshine.
Eventually we cut back up to the road. A pair of Bullfinches were feeding on the buds in a bush in one of the front gardens. We took a track up into the forest, finding plenty of Greenfinches and Chaffinches in the trees behind the houses. Several butterflies were enjoying the nice weather too, two Peacocks were around the flowers in one garden and two Commas in the paddocks a bit further up.
It was mid-afternoon now and there was not much activity around the feeders. We could see a few more Chaffinches in the surrounding trees and several Blue Tits and Great Tits coming in and out. Further on, we found a pair of Bullfinches, the female coming down to feed on the path ahead of us. We were hoping for Crossbills, but we hadn’t found any until we turned back and heard one calling. We stopped again to listen but it had gone quiet. There was compensation in the form of a Red Squirrel in the pines, which we watched as it jumped from tree to tree. A Great Spotted Woodpecker worked its way between the trunks.
Back to the minibus, we drove round and stopped by a different wood to try for Crossbills. In through the trees, we could hear a Chiffchaff singing. Climbing up along a narrow path, a Song Thrush flushed from the undergrowth ahead of us. Up to the top of the hill, it was still a bit breezy in the tops of the taller pines, and all we could find were just a few Siskins flying round. A Red Kite drifted over. We had given up on finding a Crossbill and were walking back when we heard one singing quietly. It was deep in the trees though and we couldn’t see it, it wasn’t perched up in the tops. We tried different angles but then it went quiet.
It had been a fantastic first day here, even if the Crossbills would have to wait. We made our way back to Carrbridge, and still had a little time to relax before dinner. Christine did us proud once again, despite falling earlier in the day and hurting her wrist. Jane, a friend from the village, had come to help and along with Christine’s mother too, we were well looked after as we always are.
Wednesday 2nd April
An early start today, we headed out to look for Black Grouse before dawn. We got ourselves into position when it was just starting to get light, still some distance away so we could get out quietly and stay within the outline of the minibus without moving. We could hear the bubbling calls of Black Grouse from time to time. Three black shapes on a grassy hillock in the distance gradually resolved into three male Black Grouse as the sun started to rise.
As the light improved, the views improved. We got the Black Grouse in the scope, and could see their lyre-shaped tails spread and puffed out white undertail coverts, the red over their eyes. Two more were on the top of the hill now, just visible. They were all evenly spaced out at first, not doing much. For a while it looked like they might give up completely too, as they stopped calling, folded their tails down, and started picking at the grass.
Thankfully it was only a brief interlude and they started displaying again. Now they moved towards each other on the top, a couple more appearing from behind the ridge, two groups of three, displaying at each other now. One male looked immature, and remained on the edge of group, further downhill. As the activity level increased, two males on the top leapt up at each other with their feet raised.
Several Roe Deer appeared out on the edge of the trees nearby. We could hear Redpolls calling behind us and four flew out and round overhead. When we heard Fieldfares calling, we looked up to see four flying over high heading north. On their way back to Scandinavia.
We figured that, if we left now, we still had the chance for another quick stop before breakfast. We drove up onto the moors and over towards Lochindorb. It was cold this morning, -2C in the shade, and there was still frost on the heather down along the side of the road. The sun was just coming up but was still behind the low hills beyond. We drove along slowly, scanning the moors.
We had just thought we might have to wait for the sun to get on the heather, when a male Red Grouse flew out from the edge of ditch beside the road. It landed a few metres in and stood there calling. Great views from the warmth of the minibus. It then worked its way back towards the edge of the road, stopping and calling again from the verge. Eventually, as we drove on, it flew across the road ahead of us and out over the heather the other side. Two grouse before breakfast!
Over the bridge and up along the road on the hillside beyond, we stopped for a quick scan of the south end of the loch. Several Greylag Geese were on the water and a couple of Curlews on the bank, with another Red Grouse in the distance tucked down and hard to see.
Then we picked up a diver in the distance, flying down over the far side of the loch from the north end. As it got further down, it turned and started to fly towards us. As we suspected, it was a Black-throated Diver in breeding plumage. We could see the white chequerboard patches on its back. It circled round and we hoped it might land back on the loch, but then it came right over the minibus before heading off strongly south and away.
Driving on, a Red Squirrel ran across the road ahead of us and up into the trees. Four Goldeneye were on the loch just beyond the lodge entrance. Several Oystercatchers, Redshanks and Curlews were on the edge of water around the north end and in the sheep fields the other side of the road, but there was nothing on the water this end now. We turned around and drove slowly back, stopping to scan as a Kestrel came up from the castle on the island briefly. Then we had to head back or we would be late for breakfast.
After breakfast, we drove over to the Findhorn Valley. Making our way slowly in up the narrow road, the valley and the river below looked beautiful in the sunshine and blue skies. We stopped by a small bridge to take photos and have a quick scan. A pair of Grey Wagtails were flitting about on a side stream and then feeding on the side of the road just beyond. Two Sand Martins flew up the valley past us and continued on. A small group of Red Deer were feeding in the distance, on top of the hillside opposite. There were just a few Common Buzzards up.
We tried again a bit further on, but still couldn’t see anything else flying yet, so we continued on to the car park at the far end. We got out and set the scopes up to scan the surrounding hillsides. A couple of Ravens came up over the ridge behind us and flew back and forth, and there were some more Buzzards over the hillsides in the distance.
Once again, we didn’t have to wait very long before a Golden Eagle appeared. It came up distantly over the top of the hills on the far side of the valley. We were watching it circle up when a second Golden Eagle appeared, lower down. They kept disappearing behind the hills and then coming back out again, they were up for some time. One seemed to drift off left, we could see it over the top of a hill further round and then we looked back to see two still circling together, so possibly there were three Golden Eagles here this morning.
One of the group spotted a Peregrine over the ridge behind us but lost sight of it, and then we heard calling overhead. We looked up to see three birds chasing each other round above us. It seemed like a pair and a second female. They flew back and up over the ridge behind before the third bird drifted off down the valley. When we heard something singing behind us, we looked over to see a male Wheatear half way up the hillside. We watched it flicking between the rocks in the sunshine.
As it was such a lovely day, we decided to go for a walk further up the valley. We were hoping there might be an early Ring Ouzel in. A pair of Stonechats flitted ahead of past in front of the houses. A Peacock butterfly flew up from the grass and then also a Small Tortoiseshell, our first of the year. We scanned the trees and rocks as we walked on, but all we could find were a few Chaffinches singing and lots of Meadow Pipits in the grass.
When we got to a bridge over a small stream, we stopped to scan. We had only seen a couple of Buzzards since we left the car park, and there were no raptors up over the surrounding hills now. A Dipper zipped upstream under the bridge but carried on up without stopping, before most of the group could see it. It was time for lunch so we walked back. We ate our sandwiches in the car park in the sunshine, still scanning the hills but it had gone quiet even here now. A Pied Wagtail walked around in the car park.
After lunch, we moved on. We drove back down the valley and took the small side road up towards Farr. There were lots of cones on the spruce trees here and we remarked how they looked good for Crossbills. Then half way up the hill, we heard one calling. We stopped quickly and got out, just in time to see a couple flying round between the trees. One landed in view briefly but unfortunately seemed to drop deeper in before we could get a scope on it.
There were lots of other birds here too, which were distracting. Several Redpolls and Siskins flew in and out of the trees. We quickly parked the minibus off the road further up, so we could have a proper look. We had good views of the Redpolls now, coming down to drink and landing in the low birches nearby. They looked good for the Redpoll formerly known as Mealy – they have all been lumped now into one species, but we think it is still worth trying to identify them to form. They were rather pale, one in particular landed and through the scope we could see very noticeable bold white wingbars.
We had great views of the Siskins too, several males were singing and one kept returning to the same tree. A couple of times it performed its butterfly songflight in front of us.
A couple of the group picked up a raptor coming in quite low behind us. It was being mobbed by something much smaller – a Golden Eagle being mobbed by a Common Buzzard! Great views now as it circled right in front of us, a real treat after the very distant views of the others earlier this morning. Then we lost sight of it as it drifted across and behind the trees on the other side of the road.
We continued to scan, while we looked to try to refind the Crossbills. What was presumably the same Golden Eagle we later picked up way off in the distance to the south. We had a brief glimpse of an Accipiter but as soon as we picked it up it disappeared behind some trees and didn’t come out the other side.
Eventually we had to move on. We drove on up over the moors on top and down past the Farr Wind Farm. There seem to be lots of proposals for more wind farms all over the hills here, we had seen an information board about another in the car park at the top of the valley. An unseemly gold rush to cash in on the need for clean energy and the relaxation of any response to environmental concerns in planning of infrastructure projects. What will be left of the eagles when the moors are carpeted in turbines?
Down the other side, we drove round to Loch Ruthven. Parking in the car park, as we walked in along the path we could see two Slavonian Grebes distantly out on the water. The views were better from the hide. They were mostly distant at first, several pairs, in the end we counted at least six birds. Most were looking very smart in full breeding plumage, though one was a little more patchy still. It was getting time to leave when they started to chase each other, the patchy bird got chased right over much closer to the hide, and we had great views in the scopes now.
There were a couple of Little Grebes too, one right in front of the hide. We could see it swimming underwater as it dived. A couple of Goldeneye were right over the far side. Several Red Kites drifted over, there were a few Common Buzzards over the hillside beyond and a Sparrowhawk circled over briefly.
Then it was time to head back to Carrbridge again.
Thursday 3rd April
We didn’t have an early outing this morning, but after a slightly earlier breakfast, we set off up to the Aberdeenshire coast, about one and a half hours drive away. The road follows the Spey valley, and we passed several whisky distilleries on the way, but we had no time to stop today. When we got to Portsoy, we parked at the old harbour and walked up to the dolphin statue to scan the sea. It was another very bright and sunny day, the sea was flat calm but looking out it was quite hazy at distance. A Rock Pipit was flying around the rocks and flew up to the old gable ruin next to the statue.
There were several Eiders just off the rocks in front of us and a liberal scattering of Long-tailed Ducks a little further out. Small groups of Razorbills were everywhere and a few Fulmars, Kittiwakes and Gannets flew past. There didn’t seem to be many divers though, just a single Great Northern Diver straight out from us and several Red-throated Divers off the East Head. They were all rather distant though, perhaps no surprise given the weather. We could see a couple of Black Guillemots on the sea off Redhythe Point to the west.
We decided to walk round to Redhythe Point, first finding a path up onto the clifftop behind the quay and then following the footpath round above the beach to the west. There were some men working on drainage work on the footpath out to the head, loading stone in an open area in the gorse as we passed, ferrying it out to the headland in a dumper truck.
We stopped to look at several Yellowhammers by the path and couple flew out into the bare field to dustbath with a Skylark. Another Skylark flew up singing. A Linnet in the field was flushed by the dumper truck and flew up to the fence, where it perched singing. When it flew off, presumably the female came up from the field below.
Out on Redhythe Point, we sat on the clifftop in the sunshine. There were Shags and Kittiwakes nesting on the rocks below, great to watch their comings and goings, the squabbles and interactions between the pairs.
We had better views of the Black Guillemots here, much closer than we had seen earlier. At one point, we had a great view of one on the sea right below us.
There were more divers from here, but they were mostly rather distant. Several more Great Northern Divers included one moulting into breeding plumage. We found a few more Red-throated Divers too, but no sign of any White-billed Divers today. The bills on some of the Great Northern Divers were catching the sunlight, making them look very pale, more like White-billed Divers, a very common identification pitfall for the unwary.
We were just about to walk back when we spotted a ringtail Hen Harrier flying in over the sea. It was some way out at first, gradually making its way in and moving west before it eventually flew in over the headland towards Cullen, chased by a Herring Gull. A bit of a surprise to see one flying in off the sea here.
It was time for lunch now, so we walked back to the harbour. There were several Linnets on the gorse, which was all in flower and smelling deliciously of coconut. A male Yellowhammer was perched on the bunker ruin.
The men working on the path had stopped for their lunch break. Where they had been loading the stone was now quiet and we stopped to photograph a pair of Stonechats on the gorse just behind the vehicles. Perched above the yellow flowers, they looked stunning in the sunshine. As we walked round behind one of the trucks another bird flew out of the gorse, a Corn Bunting. It flew round behind us and across the path, so we walked back out and found it perched in the gorse on the edge of the field. Then it flew up onto the fence where we got in the scope. A very nice bonus.
Most of the Long-tailed Ducks were now gathered in a single flock just offshore, and we counted at least 75 as we passed. Back in Portsoy, a Peacock and a Small Tortoiseshell were flying around the path in the sunshine. A Gannet dived into the water off the rocks just beyond. Down to the quay, we took our sandwiches up to the dolphin statue so we could eat and watch.
The wind had started to pick up and we could only see what was presumably the same single Great Northern Diver offshore again. A boat then motored through and even that disappeared. We were just finishing lunch when one of the group spotted a Red-throated Diver actually in the harbour. It was diving repeatedly, fishing. From up on the harbour wall we had a great view of it, at one stage surfacing just below us with a fish which it quickly gulped down.
One last scan before packing up, we found a single Black-throated Diver on the sea just beyond the harbour. It was back on to us at first, we could see the soft grey back of head and neck, and the distinctive white flank patch. Eventually it turned and we could see it was an adult just moulting into breeding plumage, just getting the chequerboard pattern on its back but still with a non-breeding head and neck.
Eventually we managed to get away and drove further west, to Lossiemouth. The wind was very blustery now and coming from the east wind had a bit of a chill to it too. We wanted to see the Purple Sandpipers, but we couldn’t find any sign of them around the piers today. As we walked up to the far end of the north pier, checking the rocks and sea defences, two Sandwich Terns flew past just offshore, our first of the year.
It was probably too windy for the waders to be roosting out here today, so we thought we would try further round the headland, where it might be a little more sheltered. We walked down the road and out onto the back of the stony beach beyond. Scanning along the shore, we found a group of waders gathered on a small rock just offshore further down. Through the scope, we could see there was a mixture of Sanderlings and Purple Sandpipers, plus a few Turnstones in with them.
We walked further down the beach for a closer look. There were more than we thought, the waders packed in, particularly around the rockier parts at either end. We counted at least 96 Purple Sandpipers, but there were likely to be more on the far side of the rocks which we couldn’t see from the beach too.
It had taken longer than expected to find the Purple Sandpipers and with a long drive ahead it was already time for us to be heading back to Carrbridge. As we drove back inland, we could see lots of Pink-footed Geese coming up from the fields ahead of us, several large skeins, at least a thousand or more birds in total. Some whiffled down on the left while another skein lifted over the field on the right as we drove past. Pausing before heading on north to Iceland.
It was about an hour’s drive back to Carrbridge, the last part of it over the beautiful moor road. We were a bit later than usual, so only time for a quick break to freshen up before it was time for dinner. Haggis and neeps on the menu tonight for those who wanted it – delicious!
Friday 4th April
Up early before breakfast today, we decided to make an early visit to Cairngorm, before it got too busy. It was just getting light as we arrived at the Coire na Ciste car park and, as we pulled in, a grey and white Mountain Hare ran off from the verge and across the parking area. We stopped, got out quickly and walked down to far corner of car park but we couldn’t see any further sign. It must have kept on going. We walked back up to the viewpoint and were admiring the view when we heard a Ring Ouzel singing further up. As we went over to look, it flew across calling and landed in the top of a small pine tree over the far side where we got it in the scope.
We were just walking over, when we noticed a female Crossbill fly up into the top of a small pine tree on the edge of the car park. An odd place to find one, we wondered whether it had possibly come down to drink. It flew off and we lost sight of it and the Ring Ouzel had now disappeared round behind the building. As we walked up to look, a pair of Crossbills now appeared in some small birches beside us. They flew to another low pine tree by the building where we had great views of them now.
The female Crossbill dropped to the ground, while the male stayed singing quietly above. The female then flew back up to join him. The male was noticeably large-billed but the female was comparatively rather small-billed. We watched them bill tapping, then they flew off calling. The flight calls were Scottish/Parrot type, and presumably based on bill sizes they had to be Scottish Crossbills.
With too many distractions at Coire na Ciste, we didn’t have much time now so we drove up to the top car park for a quick look there. We walked up for a quick look around the buildings but there was no sign of any Snow Buntings. Several Meadow Pipits were chasing around the lower ski slopes. We heard another Ring Ouzel calling from the mountain garden and had a brief view of it in the tops of the trees as we walked round. By the time we got round from behind the buildings it had flown off and there was no further sign. We had to be getting back or we would be late for breakfast.
After breakfast, the plan was to head off to look for raptors. Slightly surprisingly, we hadn’t run into a White-tailed Eagle yet so that was one we wanted to look for. On the way, we stopped briefly at Avielochan, where two Slavonian Grebes were out on the water with a couple of Goldeneye.
On to Insh Marshes, we parked by Ruthven Barracks and walked up the slope to scan from the top. A couple of Common Snipe were displaying overhead, flying past with their tails spread but not drumming. There were lots of other waders here, Curlews and Redshanks singing, and Lapwings tumbling. A pair of Whooper Swans was out in the middle of the marsh and lots of Pink-footed Geese were feeding on a grassy field further back. Another skein of Pink-footed Geese flew high north, on their way.
Several Common Buzzards were up already when we arrived. Scanning the tops of the Monadhliath Mountains beyond the main road, we found a couple of very distant Golden Eagles, both immatures. Then an adult Goshawk came up out of the trees below the hills and started displaying, slow flapping as it circled up. A juvenile Goshawk flew across a bit closer and a Red Kite circled in the distance too.
Finally we picked up a young White-tailed Eagle. It seemed to come up some way further up the valley, from over towards Loch Insh, and then flew slowly towards us over marshes, flushing all the Pinkfeet from where they had been grazing. Before it got to us, it turned south east and started to circle over the low hills beyond.
It was mobbed first by a Raven, then two Common Buzzards descended vertically from the sky with their wings folded back. The White-tailed Eagle did a couple of barrel rolls as they tried to mob it, turning upside down and threatening them with raised talons. Amazing to watch. The only problem with this was that it lost quite a bit of height, so it then started to circle up again and continued to drift away with the two Buzzards in attendance until it was lost to view. Another Golden Eagle appeared mobbed by two Buzzards lower down in the same direction now too.
A large school group appeared, walking down along the road from Kingussie and then up to the Barracks. Speaking to some of the staff, it was an end of term treat, a Chicken Run! Several of the teachers were dressed up as chickens and after a twenty minute ceilidh for the kids in the barracks the idea was that they would be given a head start to run back to school. If any of the pupils caught them, they would win a prize. Much as we were tempted to stay and watch the chaos, we decided to was time to move on.
We drove over down the road to the RSPB reserve at Insh Marshes. It was lovely here in the sunshine, although all the feeders were empty. We walked over to the viewpoint. There were more of the same waders here and another Common Buzzard circled low overhead. The Pinkfeet flew up from the grass, across in front of us and landed off to our left. Looking through, we found a single Barnacle Goose in with them.
We decided to head round to Loch Garten for lunch, but on the way we stopped off to check up on the Osprey nest we had visited on Monday again. One was perched on the nest as we arrived but dropped off back before we could get set up. Thankfully, it flew back in and was promptly joined by a second, both the pair are back already. We had some great views now in the scopes.
The female kept flying off and returning with nest material. The male stood and mantled over the edge of the nest, and they even attempted to mate briefly at one point. Great to watch. The only worrying thing was that the male appeared to have a bad eye and kept closing it. Hopefully nothing too serious.
When we could tear ourselves away from all the activity, we drove over to Loch Garten. We ate our sandwiches in the sunshine in the car park and afterwards walked up for a quick look at the new Visitor Centre. There were several Coal Tits by the path and a pair of Great Spotted Woodpeckers around the feeders. We were slightly surprised to find that the Ospreys here were not back yet. Apparently they are always later and were expected now any day (postscript: the first Osprey returned here on 6th!).
Over to the Two Lochs Trail, we went for a walk down towards Loch Mallachie. It was very quiet in the pines at first, not helped by it being warm and early afternoon. The view of the Loch was stunning in the sunshine and we were just taking some scenic photos of it when we heard a Crested Tit calling. It quickly went quiet but walking a short way along the path by the loch we found flitting around in the tops of pines a little further along. Typical views of Crested Tits at this time of year.
Back on the main path, we continued round the loop and on the way back another Crested Tit flew up from low down in front of us. It was joined by a second and we watched the pair feeding in the pines above the track.
We had enjoyed such good views of the Crossbills early this morning, it had not been necessary to go chasing after them today. Back to the minibus, now we decided to drive over to a different wood, where we had thought about going this morning before we saw the pair on Cairngorm. Crossbills had been few and far between this week. It may be the time of year, they may be breeding, but in all the woods we had visited there didn’t look to be a lot of cones on the pines, although the spruce cone crop was much better.
Walking in along the path, it was very quiet here too again at first. We just heard one or two Chaffinches and Siskins. Some way in, we heard Crested Tits calling and found a pair low down in some young pines by the path. Unfortunately they saw us and quickly retreated back up into the tree tops. We could still hear them and see them occasionally.
A Crossbill had called a couple of times but not clearly, while we were watching the Crested Tits. We had just decided to head back and try the woods the other side of the road when one of the group saw a male Crossbill fly up into the top of a pine tree. We got it in the scope and with an intermediate sized bill, it looked to be another Scottish Crossbill type. After a couple of minutes it flew off, followed shortly after by the female, but neither called as they went.
We walked back and tried the other side of the road now. It was beautiful Caledonian forest to be walking through but very quiet now. We wanted to stop off in town to pick up some flowers and chocolates for Christine, her mother and Jane, so we decided to head back. It was widely agreed that the portions of soup were the biggest yet – pea and ham tonight, it was seemed to defy the laws of physics and fit into the bowl without spilling. Followed by fish and chips (as usual, a variety of different options were available).
Saturday 5th April
We would be starting to long journey back south today, birding on the way. We packed up and then, after breakfast we said goodbye to Christine and to two of the group who were heading on to Mull for a few days. It was a fairly smooth drive down, bar a five minute delay at one set of temporary traffic lights on the A9 for cutting down a block of trees next to the road. We had seen lots of areas of recent clear fell this week. With timber prices up, it seems like landowners are cashing in.
The traffic was not too bad round Edinburgh. Just beyond, we cut across country, taking the A68 inland through the Borders and then down into Northumberland. Our first birding stop was at a series of old gravel pits near Powburn, where we were hoping to find a Ring-necked Duck, a Scaup and a Garganey. The ducks had been reported on the westernmost lake, but all we could find there were just a few Tufted Ducks, Wigeon and Teal.
We tried the next lake along, but just found more of the same plus a few Goldeneye. While we were scanning here, someone walking back along the road behind us asked if we were looking for the Ring-necked Duck. Another birder, he kindly let us know that everything was actually on another pool, and gave us directions to walk round there.
As we walked up, we quickly spotted the drake Ring-necked Duck out on the water. It was diving continually but we quickly got a good look at it in the scopes. The male Greater Scaup then appeared nearby, and at one point we had both in the same scope view. A much better view here of Scaup than at Loch Leven on the way up. Someone leaving told us that the drake Garganey was over in the far corner, so we walked up and found that too, feeding along the far edge.
There had apparently been a Little Ringed Plover on another pool behind us earlier. There was no sign now, just two or three Ringed Plovers. We kept looking back while we were watching the ducks and eventually the Little Ringed Plover reappeared. It fed for a while on the stony edge, then flew off again back to the river beyond. There were also a few Common Snipe and Lapwings around the pools here. Several Sand Martins flew over.
The most bizarre experience of the trip was when two more birders walked up and we realised it was this correspondent’s old biology teacher from Norwich and his wife. Who could have predicted that! After a catch-up, he told us he had been looking for the long-staying American Wigeon at Druridge earlier, but that there was no sign this morning. Our resident NE England source (Luke!) had also told us that there was lots of cover on Budge Field, so the American Wigeon could be hard to see. We had been planning to call in there next but now we wondered whether it was worth it. It was only around 30 minutes away, and on our way down, so we decided to call in anyway.
Someone was leaving Budge Screen as we arrived, and confirmed there was still no sign of the American Wigeon. Just about the first bird we did see was a Little Gull hawking over the pool in front of the hide. A 2nd summer, with not quite black underwings yet and just developing its dark hood. Lovely views.
Several wagtails were feeding around the edge of the water, and looking closely we could see they were three White Wagtails with a pair of Pieds, spring migrants. There were more Sand Martins here too, but no other hirundines. One of the group found a pair of Grey Partridge at the back, then another pair flew out from the behind trees to one side of the hide. A small group of Pink-footed Geese was loafing in the grass at the back too.
We kept scanning through the groups of Wigeon feeding on the grass but they were all Eurasian, no sign of the drake American Wigeon. We wondered if it might be somewhere out of view in the rushes. A female Marsh Harrier appeared and drifted over. We could see it had red wingtags, and managed to get some photos and read the code. It turned out it had come from Norfolk! It was also rather helpful and flushed all the ducks out from the rushes at back, and there was still no sign of the American Wigeon.
Checking back through the recent sightings of it, we saw that the American Wigeon had been reported briefly once from East Chevington a few days ago, the next pools up the coast. We decided to have a quick last look before we had to be on our way south again. It was about ten minutes’ drive round, and we parked at the south side of Druridge Country Park and walked down.
The main pool at East Chevington looked like the most unlikely place for any self-respecting Wigeon, with mostly reeds around the edges rather than nice grass to graze. We didn’t hold out much hope, but walked out to where we had a good view. A couple of Wigeon were out in the middle, so we set up the scopes. They were Eurasian, but as we started to scan further round we found about a dozen more on the far edge. And the drake American Wigeon was with them! It was distant, and the light was not so good, but we had clear views of it, both on the narrow strip of grass at the back and then swimming around out on the water.
Mission accomplished, and a really nice bird to finish on. We set off back to Darlington, which took a little over an hour. We checked into the Premier Inn again and it felt slightly like déjà vu! An amazing amount had happened in the week since we were last here, lots of good memories and an awful lot of good birds. Over dinner in the Beefeater next door, we compared notes on our best bird of the trip. Not surprisingly, Capercaillie came top all round.
Sunday 6th April
Just the final leg of the drive home today. We left Darlington early and stopped for breakfast at Ferrybridge Services, where we bid farewell to another member of the group. The A1 was not busy so we were quickly down to Newark and even the nasty roundabout at the A46/A17 junction was no problem this morning. We dropped another person off here and then continued on down the A17 back to Norfolk. We arrived back in sunny Hindolveston just after midday where the remainder of the group said their goodbyes and went our separate ways.
