Scotland Holiday Day 4: Strathdearn and Loch Ruthven, 1st June 2016

Scotland Holiday Day 4:  Strathdearn and Loch Ruthven, 1st June 2016

We started the day off going to the Findhorn Valley (actually Strathdearn) with the idea that we might see some Eagles. On our way down the valley a Roe Deer jumped out in front of our car from our right, turned and looked at us and then smartly jumped out of the way to our left. I was recording our drive from Grantown on Spey to the end of the valley so this should be recorded on the video.

We stopped at the Farr Road bridge where we got some nice Curlew singing and a couple of Common Terns. There were also good numbers of Sand Martins and Swallows and some Common Gulls. In the fields at the back there were numerous Woodpigeons, several Curlew and a family of Red-legged Partridge with chicks. In the field at the back were also numerous Hares and Rabbits.

We continued to the end of the public road and pulled into the usual layby. Several other birders turned up including John Poyner who had previously been our guide around the area. In the end there were about eight people all looking together in all directions for Eagles but apart from two or three sightings of black blobs that might have been Eagles, nothing more definite emerged. We did get around half a dozen Ravens playing around in the sky for quite some time and they might well have been one family. We were encouraged by this because Ravens can be precursors to Eagles. But not this time.

We did see a Buzzard a couple of times and also a Kestrel but that was it for the big birds. There were plenty of House Martins and a few Jackdaw. There were plenty of Red Deer up in the mountains and we also saw a small group of Mountain Deer. The day had turned into a beautiful one with a wonderful deep blue sky.

Our next port of call was the RSPB reserve at Loch Ruthven. The shortest way to get there from where we were was to take the Farr Road, a road only really usable in decent weather and pretty much single track. It ascends over the moors to Farr but we turned off before Farr and went down to Loch Ruthven. I filmed this journey as well which will be interesting to look at again.

We stopped at “The Steadings” hotel for a cup of tea and a sandwich, which was interesting if a bit like sitting in a stranger’s living room, before driving on to Loch Ruthven. Some of the books suggest that there is something there by way of “visitor experience” but there really is not. There are no loos, no café but there is one hide from which we managed to see two Slavonian Grebes and two Little Grebes. Apart from that there was nothing else much. It is usually punted as being good for Osprey and Red and Black-throated Divers but we didn’t see any and didn’t meet anyone who had, It was lovely in the sun but we felt a bit let down and didn’t really have the time to do the woodland walk there which is quite extensive.

We drove from Loch Ruthven nearly to Dores and then the road that goes through Culloden and past the scene of the battle. Eventually it joins the road from Nairn down to Grantown. Part of this was extraordinarily beautiful – at least in brilliant weather. I probably missed recording the best part of the journey but I got some of it before the memory card ran out. As we did this journey we came across three Red Kites on the Farr Road and a single Red Kite later on. Kestrel and Skylark were also very nice although we had to settle for switching the car off and just listening to the latter. It never did take flight.

When we joined the Old Military Road that runs down to Grantown we decided to drop in at Lochindorb since it is only a slight diversion off this road. We didn’t get any Divers or Ospreys but we did see and hear three Curlew displaying and challenging each other, their ascending, bubbling cries making a magical aural backdrop to the sun drenched loch. Like so many of the experiences of the day, a bit light on birds but full of fantastic scenery and atmosphere.

Bird Sightings : Grantown on Spey

Bird Sightings : Findhorn Valley

Bird Sightings : RSPB Loch Ruthven

Bird Sightings : Miscellaneous, Highlands

Bird Sightings : Lochindorb