Birding Photography

Birding Photography

Wednesday 14 March 2012

Scotland

   A tour of Scotland with some plans of where to go and what to see.
the weather how ever had other idea's of what was going to be possible. Misty,Cloudy and drizzle prevented a lot. the high tops where for ever hidden in cloud and so we never got to go high. Still a good and enjoyable trip and can't wait to go back.

   En route from home. travel was through the night and so didn't get to see a lot until around  6-30 Friday morning and mostly birds were corvids and buzzards, a few pinkfoots and 1 Oystercatcher at Stirling on a traffic island on the A9. 
   Arrived at Glenmore Forest campsite and immediately had rested Tit on a feeder along with Chaffinch and Coal Tits. by the time my Camera was set though all that was left was a Red Squirrel robbing the nuts.


    We headed off Saturday Morning with a wander around the lanes and a stop at Poorhouse wood Grantown on Spey. had dipper and Corvids, Buzzards, Pinkfoots around the lanes and in the woods Scottish and Common Crossbills High up but nothing else except more Coal tits. Was hoping for Capercaillie hat trick as the last two time I have been here I have had a male Caper but not to be this time.
   arrived back at the motor home and my wife Angela wanted to know why a big black Turkey would be loose in the woods here in Scotland as one was just outside 20 minutes ago. now does that take the piss or what.
   We headed away from the Cairngorms through Inverness and down the side of Lochness. No Monster just a Red Kite. then arrived at our next campsite at Uig Isle of skye with worse weather and visibility condition's than in the Cairngorms.
   following morning brought slightly clearer visbility and Eider out on the bay were found along with Raven, Rock Dove and Hoodied Crows




   Hung around at Uig for two nights in the hope the weather would clear but not to be so headed south.
next camp site we stayed at was Glen Nevis at the foot of Ben Nevis and we never saw more than half way up with all the low cloud.. Did get a bullfinch here as well as a loud Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming first thing in the morning. Also a pair of Goosander on the river.

   We left Scotland and headed South with our next stop Cumbria and a site at Methop Fell that produced Nuthatch and Treecreeper and 2 female with 5 male Goosander.

   Now sat at a Midland Campsite just off the M42 and got this Pied Blackbird LOL nice never come across this befor but have seen one all white back in the 80's at a london park.