Scotland Trip Day 2 : Grantown on Spey Environs : 27th May 2014

We met for breakfast and the decision based on the weather was that we would spend our first day in the area that surrounds Grantown-on-Spey, an area that includes forest, rivers, glens and grouse moors. We loaded up the minibus and headed off first for Lochindorb. En route we crossed the moors and saw several Red Grouse including a pair of adults with several young that struggled comically to run through the heather. In the more open fields there were very large numbers of nesting Common Gulls (they are indeed “common” here) and Oystercatchers. Curlew flew over and little flocks of Lapwing rose up as we drove along. As we drove past woodland we saw Red Squirrels and Rabbits.

Lochindorb [mapref 29]

When we reached Lochindorb we quite quickly located a Black-throated Diver in full breeding plumage and as it rotated in the water we could clearly make out its splendid and extravagant plumage. This was a bird I had long wanted to see and this whole holiday was based on the desire to see both Black-throated and Red-throated Divers in their summer plumage, a sight that can only be seen on their northern breeding grounds.

On the water there were a number of Ducks but surely the prize of spot of the day that had gone to the Diver was bound to be rivaled when we at first saw a perching Short-eared Owl on the far side of the loch and it was soon to be joined by an Osprey that perched in a nearby tree. I dare say it will be a very long time before we again get a Short-eared Owl and an Osprey in the same scope image! A Buzzard seemed like small beer after that but, in fact, they are not so common up there as down in the north of England.

Carrbridge [mapref 26]

We left Lochindorb and headed up to Carrbridge. En-route we saw Pheasant and Red-legged Partridge and heard a Redstart. We stopped off at a lay-by where some youths had parked up and started a camp fire. We probably put them off because they left shortly after we arrived. They left their fire burning which John, our guide, reported to the powers that be because it was liable to cause some damage to the surrounding heather and gorse. From an elevated position we scanned the local fields and located a few Golden Plover in nice breeding plumage. There were numerous Willow Warblers singing away and we got some good close views of birds perched on small shrubs near the path. A Raven flew overhead and we followed it in our bins as it disappeared into the distance. We drove on from there to the hotel’s hide at Avielochan.

Avie Lochan [mapref 24]

Our next target bird was the Slavonian Grebe, a rare British bird that is supposed to breed at Avie Lochan. The Grant Arms Hotel, based at Grantown-on-Spey and where we were based for our guided birding tour, built a hide overlooking this lochan specifically for it’s guest’s benefit and requiring a permit from the hotel to use. As we drove down the small track to the hide just at the start of the lochan we could already see a female Slavonian Grebe on a nest. The RSPB reckons that there are only thirty nesting pairs in Britain and we were looking at one of those nests !

We entered the hide which is well hidden behind behind a row of small trees and bushes. It has quite a narrow aperture to look onto the loch from and can only seat half a dozen people but we crammed in and started to get lovely views of a pair of Slavonaians, then two and eventually I think we saw six birds in total. A stunning bird it puts even Black-necked Grebes in the shadow. There was also a Little Grebe on the water as well as a few roosting Gulls. On the water there were also Wigeon and Mallards and at the waters edge, Common Sandpiper and Oystercatcher. In the bushes surrounding the hide we got close views of a Song Thrush and there were several Willow Warblers, Dunnocks and Pied Wagtails. Over the water Swallows and Sand Martins swooped. A fantastic location and one that you feel privileged to have access to. A testament to the fantastic support for birding that the Grant Arms Hotel provides. An ever-present fishing gillie keeps a close eye on visitors to see that they have the required permits and that they are not disturbing the birds.

Loch Morlich [mapref 22]

We next went to the much larger Loch Morlich and at a little picnic spot overlooking the loch we managed to get a somewhat distant view of a Red-throated Diver. As the light changed and as it slowly came towards us we started to be able to see the beautiful red colouring on the front of its neck and the striping on the back. It is hard to believe that such a muted colour combination can be so remarkably striking, There wasn’t a lot else on the water but we watched this bird for a good half hour whilst we ate our lunch.

We left here and made one of our many visits to the Abernethy Forest [mapref 25] in order to try for Crested Tits. This time we had no luck but there was a Redstart around. We moved on again for our final stop of the afternoon at Old Spey Bridge

Old Spey Bridge [mapref 27]

We parked the car and approached the old bridge on foot. Immediately we saw two Grey Wagtials playing on the stones of the bridge. On the water were several Goosander and Goldeneye and a single Dipper hopped from rock to rock crossing the river from one side to the other. We watched a Common Sandpiper as it fed on something in the mossy material covering the rocks at the rivers edge balancing almost impossibly on the verticals of the rocks. A Chiffchaff was heard again, though we never did see one all holiday.

We spent some time there before driving home pretty tired and ready for some food. We had one last birding shot though after dinner and this was to to Dorback to see if we could see Black Grouse.

Dorback

Dusk is very late at this time of year in the highlands so it was still quite light when we got to the valley at around 9pm. We were in luck, though, as there were half a dozen Black Grouse loafing around in a desultory manner only occasionally getting up the muster to raise their white tail feathers and strut around for a bit in a sort of min-lek. Apparently they are pretty much done by now and will slowly leave their lekking grounds to moult. On this point we were told that our chances of seeing a Capercaillie as they are already hidden away moulting by now.

As we watched the eerie sound of a Curlew broke the evening silence and Roe Deer could be seen in the distance. Meadow Pipits sang and flitted from post to post and both Song and Mistle Thrushes were still about. The evening was rounded off by a long look at a Short-eared Owl quartering the fields below us at the edge of a plantation of pine.

This was the perfect end to a fantastic day and, of course, it was much better we got the Black Grouse at night rather than first light in the morning which is about 3.30am here !

Bird Sightings : Lochindorb

Species	Count
Greylag Goose	20
Mallard	8
Common Teal	2
Tufted Duck	4
Red Grouse	14
Black-throated Diver	1
Osprey	1
Common Buzzard	1
Northern Lapwing	12
Eurasian Oystercatcher	20
Common Sandpiper	1
Eurasian Curlew	1
Common Gull	60
Common Cuckoo	1
Short-eared Owl	1
Common Swift	8
Northern House Martin	20
Common Blue Tit	4
Eurasian Blackbird	6
Pied Wagtail	6
Meadow Pipit	6

Bird Sightings : Carrbridge

Species	Count
Red-legged Partridge	1
Common Pheasant	10
Common Buzzard	1
Northern Lapwing	20
European Golden Plover	8
Eurasian Oystercatcher	20
Eurasian Jay	1
Common Raven	1
Barn Swallow	10
Willow Warbler	6
Common Redstart	1
Eurasian Blackbird	4
Common Starling	10
House Sparrow	8

Bird Sightings : Avie Lochan

Species	Count
Greylag Goose	12
Eurasian Wigeon	2
Mallard	6
Tufted Duck	2
Little Grebe	1
Slavonian Grebe	6
Eurasian Oystercatcher	1
Common Sandpiper	1
Common Redshank	1
Black-headed Gull	4
Herring Gull	8
Lesser Black-backed Gull	4
Great Black-backed Gull	12
Common Wood Pigeon	2
Eurasian Jackdaw	6
Carrion Crow	4
Collared Sand Martin	10
Barn Swallow	10
Willow Warbler	2
Eurasian Blackbird	2
Song Thrush	1
Dunnock	1
Pied Wagtail	2
Chaffinch	4

Bird Sightings : Loch Morlich

Species	Count
Mallard	2
Red-throated Diver	1
Black-headed Gull	4
Common Chiffchaff	1
Meadow Pipit	1

Bird Sightings : Old Spey Bridge

Species	Count
Mallard	4
Common Goldeneye	4
Goosander	4
Common Sandpiper	1
Black-headed Gull	6
White-throated Dipper	1
Common Chiffchaff	1
European Robin	1
Grey Wagtail	2

Bird Sightings : Dorback

Species	Count
Common Pheasant	2
Black Grouse	7
Eurasian Curlew	1
Short-eared Owl	1
Song Thrush	1
Mistle Thrush	1
Meadow Pipit	6

View 27/05 08:28 in a larger map

Scotland Trip Day 2 : Grantown on Spey Environs : 27th May 2014