Scotland Birding Trip Summary May 2014

 Scotland Birding Trip Summary May 2014

Our birding trip to Scotland took in visits to Loch of the Lowes and Loch Garten as well as the fours days birding in and around Grantown-on-Spey and visits after that to the Ythan Estuary at Newburgh and RSPB Fowlsheugh. In total we saw 113 bird species and added six new life ticks to our UK list. These were Black-throated Diver, Slavonian Grebe, Ptarmigan, Dotterel, King Eider and, some may think oddly, our first Little Stint. We added twenty-four birds to our year list which, after the holiday, stood at 168 species. Out UK life list now stands at 227 species. Still a long way to go but all the more reason to get out there and see what we can.

Numbers apart there were several highlights to the trip. We saw lots of Ospreys both on and off the nest, at reserves and out in the wild where we got the closest view yet of an Osprey fishing. A couple of Short-eared Owls was welcome and White-tailed Eagle is always an awesome sight. We were a little disappointed in not seeing a Golden Eagle but you can’t have everything. We did get Peregrine Falcon, Kestrel and Buzzard as well so we did not do too badly. Some of our target birds for the trip were met with great views of a Ptarmigan. A somewhat distant view of a Dotterel was still a big plus. An even briefer view of a Crested Tit gave us a lot of pleasure too.

Perhaps the main reason I wanted to return to the area in Spring was to see the Black-throated and Red-throated Divers in their breeding plumage and we managed that. Not only did we see first hand the extravagant breeding plumage but we also saw some fascinating behavior from the Red-throated Divers.

With the RSPB estimating that there are only around 30 pairs of breeding Slavonian Grebes that was a particularly great sight. Of all the British Grebes this surely has to be the most beautiful.

The star of the show, however, is just the natural environment. Standing at the side of the River Findhorn in Strathdearn Valley looking for Eagles whilst Red Deer cool themselves in the river and Mountain Goats roam the mountain sides is a brilliant experience and for once the us of the term “awesome” is not an exaggeration.

Standing on the observation platform up Cairgorm looking at the barren landscape that still manages to keep Ptarmigan, Dotterel, Ring Ousel and Mountain Hares in food was another grand experience. If we did not manage to see Snow Buntings, well that is just a reason to go there again.

Walking in the Abernethy Forest, the last great forest of Caledonian Pine left, listening to Song Thrushes, Tree Pipits and Spotted Flycatchers or out at the Moray coast looking for sea birds and spotting an Osprey fishing in  the sea, the Dolphins at Chanonry Point; all these were memorable parts of our holiday.

Whilst we considered it well worth while using John as our guide, we now feel that we know the area around Grantown-on-Spey better than before and the last day there on our own meant we could do exactly what we liked at the pace that suited just us. As it happens we had some great birds that day and also got our 100th bird around Grantown –  Long-tailed Tit.

This was another interesting feature of the area. Despite going to many watery places we only saw two Coots and no Moorhen ! Jays are rare and Magpies almost unknown.

Away from Grantown we saw both sides of the precarious life of birds with the Ospreys at Loch of the Lowes – one egg predated and the other two probably infertile or left to get too cold to survive  – and the thriving birds at Loch Garten we saw feeding three healthy chicks. Our search for the King Eider on the Ythan Estuary on a glorious sunny day was another great experience. Watching hundreds of Common Eider asleep and waiting for the sole drake King Eider to wake up and show us his fabulous head was a test of patience but one that was interspersed with irresistible shows of Terms plunging deep into the water in front of us over and over again and baby Seals just a yard away from our feet, not yet old enough to be wary of people. Our final visit to the cliff-top walk at Fowlsheugh was also an eye-opener. I never knew that such a place existed in the area for really close views of nesting Fulmars as well as vast numbers of Guillemots and Razorbills and the classic call of thousands of Kittiwakes all calling at the same time. We will definitely be going back there again !

So, all in all, another wonderful visit to Scotland. How long before the next one ?

Bird Sightings : Scotland May 2014

 My Summary of our trip from his blog

We started off with a visit to Loch of the Lowes where we got our first Osprey of the season but better was to come when we dropped in at RSPB Loch Garten later the same day and saw not only the female sitting on the nest but three chicks and then the male bird arrived with a fish and the female fed the chicks – fantastic ! On the night of the 26th we met John Poyner of Highland Nature who was again to be our guide for three days of guided birding in the Highlands.

On the 27th May we concentrated on the local area around Grantown, visting Lochindorb, Carrbridge, Avie Lochan, Loch Morlich, Old Spey Bridge and Dorback. This gave us Black-throated Diver, Slavonian Grebe, Red-throated Diver and Black Grouse and Short-eared Owl.

On the 28th May we walked in the Abernethy Forest before ascending Cairngorm. In the afternoon we headed for Strathdearn and the Findhorn Valley before ending up at Chanony Point. This gave us Ptarmigan, Dotterel, White-tailed Eagle and Dolphins.

On the 29th May we walked in the Anagach Forest near the hotel before heading for the Moray Coast where we got Little Stint, Yellowhammer, Common Eider, Fulmar and Gannet. After touring the various bays on the coast we ended up at Roseisle Forest and Dunes where we got Osprey, Common Scoter and, at last, Crested Tit !

On the 30th May, our last day at Grantown on Spey, we revisited some our favourite spots and again saw White-tailed Eagle, Black and Red-throated Divers, Osprey, Slavonian Grebes and Peregrine Falcon. In the evening near the hotel we finished off our Grantown adventure with roding Woodcock !

We left on the 31st and visited the Ythan Estuary at Newburgh where we got at least three kinds of Tern and thousands of Common Eider. Among them was our target bird, a drake King Eider.

Our last birding location of the holiday was at RSPB Fowlsheugh where we had fantastic views of nesting Fulmars and added a number of cliff-nesting sea birds to our holiday tick list which ended up at 101 for Grantown and 113 for the whole holiday. This included six life ticks and twenty-four year ticks.

 John Poyner’s Summary of our trip from his blog

Spring Migration Short Break

31/05/2014

Day 1.

The day starts with us heading off to the large area of moorland surrounding Grantown where we are soon getting excellent views of Red Grouse as they parade at the roadside, as well as a large colony of Common Gulls nesting in the heather. An Osprey fishes one of the remote large lochs just a few miles away, with two Short-eared Owls hunting over the moors in the distance as we search for our main target Black-throated Diver at one of their most easterly breeding sites.

They prove quite elusive for a while, but we finally manage to track one down, preening and showing well in the scopes from the road-side layby. What a stunning bird in full summer plumage.

The clouds gather rather ominously adding atmosphere to this vast moor as we head for another area in search of Golden Plover and Hen Harrier.

After only a short walk, we are amazed to locate a male Hen Harrier perched in a lone dead tree in the distance, a great find! Returning to the vehicle a small group of Golden Plover gather in the grassy field, giving good views in their full summer plumage.

We then have lunch at the Grant Arms private hide on a small loch where Slavonian Grebes breed, with up to four birds showing well throughout, a great bonus to our day to see this stunning grebe in breeding plumage so well.

Moving on to another larger loch we finally find our other target of the day, Red-throated Diver, with a pair showing quite well from the parking area once the light improves for us.

A search for Ring Ouzel higher up the road is not as successful, a singing bird eludes us despite much scanning and we return back down to the Strath to be greeted by a torrential downpour and thunderstorm which cuts short our hunt for Crested Tit somewhat.

After dinner we set out around 8pm back up on to the moors in search of Black Grouse and Owls. It’s a calm clear evening, perfect for birding, the heavy showers dying out as the day cools. As soon as we arrive, we spot six Black Grouse males sitting at a nearby fence, some still lekking with tails fanned. As we watch a Short-eared Owl appears quartering the grassland, then drops down on unsuspecting prey to deliver back to it’s nest. A Redpoll flies overhead landing in a nearby plantation and Red Grouse call from the heather as the light begins to fade. Though at this time of year even by 10pm it’s barely getting dark.

Day 2

We start with another look for Crested Tit, where one was heard briefly but still no good views proving how elusive they can be at this time of year when breeding.

We then head up Cairngorm Mountain, the easy way on the funicular railway, getting a sighting of a female Ring Ouzel sitting on a fence carrying food as we go as well as a Mountain Hare dashing through the heather as we pass.

The weather seems to have settled for us and cloud is keeping well of the tops so perfect for scanning for our target birds.

It wasn’t long before we’d spotted one of them, a male Ptarmigan sitting on a nearby ski fence as well as female nearby on the ground. The bird on the fence remains long enough for plenty of photos, thought the Dotterel we finally manage to pick up on a lower slope just a little too far for any decent shots.

We are soon back on the road and heading to a glen in search of Eagles and other raptors, the weather is ideal and a great spot for lunch while we scan.

It’s quite a wait, we get a couple of views of Peregrine and Kestrel then at last, a White-tailed Eagle soars in to view and climbs high above us before drifting off in to the blue. Making up for a rather brief glimpse of a Golden Eagle as we arrived.

Our final stop of the day is Chanonry point on the Black Isle, hoping to catch up with some Dolphin action. We are not disappointed as within minutes of arriving, several Bottle-nosed Dolphins appear close in shore just off the point. The sea is fairly quiet on such a calm day, a few Gannets and Auks in the distance and we just manage to glimpse fly-by Common Scoter just as we are about to leave. We return to the A9 via a minor road through farmland, stopping to admire a group of Tree Sparrows on a feeder as well as Yellowhammer and Linnet on roadside fences. Just as we join the A9 we manage to spot a Red Kite as it soars over nearby fields, surprisingly the only one we see, hopefully not due to the recent dreadful poisoning incident.

Day 3.

The day starts with a walk through the Pinewoods adding super views of a parachuting Tree Pipit to our list and great views of Red Squirrels at the Grant Arms feeders giving great photo opportunities. Crestie still remain ever elusive, with not even a brief calling bird, we still have a chance of finding one on the coast so fingers crossed! It’s then on to spend the rest of the day on the Moray Firth where our first stop is Spey Bay in glorious sunshine. Common and Arctic Tern fish just off the river mouth and we spot a small group of migrating waders resting on the tide line. It’s a mixed flock of Ringed Plover (looking like northern “tundrae” race, several Dunlin and a paler smaller bird asleep, initially thought to be a Sanderling. Getting it in the scope once it wakes we are surprised to see a stunning Little Stint in full breeding plumage! The flock flies briefly but then settles again giving some great views in the scopes.

We move on and have lunch at Lossiemouth, checking the gulls for anything unusual before making our way further along the coast east. At Roseisle we manage to find a single Common Scoter on the water and several Eiders, though many of the wintering sea-duck have now departed.

A shout of “Osprey” by a child paddling causes us to look above him and sure enough, a bird is making it’s way along the shore on a fishing expedition.

Final bird of the day AT LAST, is a view of Crested Tit in the car park, just sitting long enough on a branch for Mark to snap a photo!

Our finally tally for the three days was 98 species seen and 102 including “heards”. Thank you to Bill, Anne, Mark, Tracy and Sheena for joining me on the Holiday it was a pleasure and some great birding.