Pine Forest, Lochs and Moors.
Spend a day exploring the wonders of the magnificent Caledonian Pine Forest and tranquil lochs within the spectacular Cairngorms National Park.
The Caledonian Pine Forest, home to Crested Tit, Scottish/Parrot Crossbill as well as many other birds in spring and summer especially. Walk under the towering "granny pines", whilst listening for the distinctive trill of Crestie, or the chip chip overhead of Crossbills. In Spring,every tree seems alive with the song of Willow Warbler, Redstart sing their short melody from the tangle of branches while Tree Pipit perform their parachuting display. We may even catch site of an elusive Goshawk, displaying high over the tree tops.
We can start the day early looking for Black Grouse before venturing in to one of the local forests, depending on where the latest "hot spots" are for the key species.
Goldeneye, Red-throated Diver and Slavonian Grebe breed inhabit the lochs all in superb breeding plumage. We should see the stunning Black-throated Diver also on a wild and windswept moorland loch nearby where also Red Grouse scurry in the surrounding heather moor and a good chance of Short-eared Owl also drifting across the moorland. Perhaps a Merlin will dash by, chasing the many Meadow Pipts which flit amongst the Heather.
The Caledonian Pine Forest, home to Crested Tit, Scottish/Parrot Crossbill as well as many other birds in spring and summer especially. Walk under the towering "granny pines", whilst listening for the distinctive trill of Crestie, or the chip chip overhead of Crossbills. In Spring,every tree seems alive with the song of Willow Warbler, Redstart sing their short melody from the tangle of branches while Tree Pipit perform their parachuting display. We may even catch site of an elusive Goshawk, displaying high over the tree tops.
We can start the day early looking for Black Grouse before venturing in to one of the local forests, depending on where the latest "hot spots" are for the key species.
Goldeneye, Red-throated Diver and Slavonian Grebe breed inhabit the lochs all in superb breeding plumage. We should see the stunning Black-throated Diver also on a wild and windswept moorland loch nearby where also Red Grouse scurry in the surrounding heather moor and a good chance of Short-eared Owl also drifting across the moorland. Perhaps a Merlin will dash by, chasing the many Meadow Pipts which flit amongst the Heather.
The Moray Firth
One of the most beautiful and unspoilt coastlines in Britain, the Moray Firth, with it's sweeping beaches, tidal mud flats, many harbours and bays a birders delight . In early spring, Sea-duck should still be in good numbers. Long-tailed Duck, Velvet Scoter, Common Scoter all raft in the bays, joined by those divers and Slavonian Grebes still yet to settle on breeding grounds further north. A great place for rarity hunting as migration gets underway it has an impressive list of vagrant finds.....some such as the King Eider a fairly regular occurrence. Iceland and Glaucous Gull are regular and there are numerous sites to spend time looking at waders. I have been birding along this coast for many years, and each carefully selected spot reveals a slightly different range of birds....carefully planned to get the most from your day. There are ample facilities along the coast to take a break if you wish with some excellent local seafood pubs well worth a try.
The Black Isle
Situated just to the north of Inverness the Black Isle peninsula is surrounded by the Moray and Cromarty Firths. A mixture of forest and farmland habitats with an extensivce coastline. The tidal mud flats of RSPB Udale Bay home to thousands of wintering wildfowl and waders including Scaup, Long-tailed Ducks, Slavonian Grebes, Knot, Godwits and many more. Sprng and summer, the wide vairty of habitat a great place for Finches, Buntings, fishing Ospreys and seabirds from the colony at north Sutor. The famous Chanory Point one of the best places to watch for Bottle-nosed Dolphins as well as Skua passage in autumn and spring. Terns, Divers and auks pass by the point regularly. A species list of 60 plus a regular achievment with such a wide variety of habitats and varied coastline.We spend a full day exploring, the hide at Udale Bay or the shoreline at Cromarty perfect spots for lunch.
