Quality not Quantity

Saturday April 30

Early to rise as I was wide awake. Opening the curtains to see a beautiful sunny morning, kept me up. Leisurely start though. I kept up with my Blog, hurt a toe on the corner of the bath and Pam did some tidying and sorting. 

Where to go? Bank holiday in the Cairngorms, skiing still well in progress, means that the Highlands are very busy and crowded. 
 The views of the Cairgorms were stunning, the tops a smooth, gleaming, deep white with fresh snow.  Much too extensive for a camers to do it justice but, I couldn't resist, trying from a guesthouse entrance just out of Aviemore.

 It was a good morning for searching for the woodland specialities, we drove to the coast via Lochindorb. The laybys overlooking the loch were populated with groups of birders looking for divers. Some had seen a Red-throat at the northern end, not whilst we were looking.
The light was right for the Common Gull breeding colony - and I'd found out how to set my new camera to rapid shots for flying birds. Here's a couple. Beautiful gulls.

Burghead is a favourite spot with us. We parked at the maltings end of the bay - next to a couple of Norfolk birders that Pam recognised. She got out to speak to them whilst I scoped the sea. Many Guillemots, Razorbills and the odd Puffin, Shags and Divers, streaming past over an increasingly turbulent sea. Lovely day but the wind had increased. The outside group saw a Green-veined White Butterfly, I didn't. The men had dipped on the White-billed Diver at Portsoy this morning, then, a message came through to say that one was being seen.  Off we went, leaving the western end of the bay for another time.

Portsoy is a very attractive 17C fishing harbour, previously renowned for its marble production and exporting. 
Reaching the harbour shore is a mystery every year. So many narrow streets, we end up taking a different route there and back again every time. We scoped from the eastern end, all on our own, constantly scanning the receding tide. More Guillemots and Razorbills, many Gannets flying in orderly rows towards Troup Head - Scotlands only mainland gannetry.
At last, I found a Great Northern Diver, it kept disappearing for Pam. Lost in the troughs and constantly diving. A Fulmar bumped up the list. 
Having noticed some birders and their telescopes on the headland at the west of the harbour, we moved the car and climbed up to join them. Tired of standing by now, it was a relief to find stone benches from which to survey. A helpful young man told us roughly which direction to scan, saying that there were 'six or seven' out there, feeding actively, often hidden in the swell. We both saw White-billed Diver, not well enough to satisfy but a good enough year tick. Sandwich Terns shouted their way past and there were even more auks here. Rock Pipits are a year tick. So many handsome 'proper' Rock Doves, nesting in the harbour walls.
It was late afternoon now, time for some more shopping on the way home, in a large Sainsbury's, which was much further west than we'd remembered. It was new last year. 
Armed with fresh milk, porridge pots, Voltarol and more toothpaste, we left for home, seeing an Osprey as we left the car park. Inevitably, we drove home via Lochindorb again.
 A few more Red Grouse efforts before the loch, which is very difficult to view when the low evening sun is glaring off the water.

Pam likes this one best

The southern end of the loch is best to look for  Black-throated Diver, they nest there. Persistence pays off. A Black-throated Diver appeared near to the far shore, spending five minutes splashing and diving, doing its ablutions. After a spell on the nest I guess, changeover is the best time to see them as they fish elsewhere and, the nest is invisible.
Pam found a Buzzard sitting atop a post in the moor across the loch. Could it be the Rough-legged rumoured to be about ? Too distant to be sure.
Nearing Carrbridge, a mighty Raven flew overhead, its huge beak inspiring awe. 
Such an enjoyable day, enhanced by the weather.

So tired again, getting older and still trying to cram as much in. An early night calls. Maybe I'll have the energy to put the moth trap together to-morrow.
 

 

Cold Awakening

Friday April 29

Pam peeped out of the curtains during the night and found that it had snowed. We must have been on the northern edge of the forecast snow belt. We were in no hurry to leave and much of it had turned to slush apart from the car's covering - 4 inches deep on the windscreen. I can't reach the centre of the latter - nor much of the roof - with the scraper but, we were safe to drive off at 8.30. 

The SatNav took us on a very scenic route to Vane Farm RSPB. It was beautiful. The roads were clear so no worry there, the hills and fields covered in snow, lambs gambolling in the white stuff with occasional sun to gild the high points.

It was very cold at Vane Farm RSPB. Scoping the huge loch and its surrounding area was a penance, especially as the only birds in view were at least 150 Tufted Duck, Mute Swans,  and a few hardy Sand Martins. I bet they were sorry they came. From the car park we saw Willow Warbler, Blackbird, Blue Tit and Goldfinch !

It's not far along the A9 to Dunkeld where we turn off for the Scottish Wildlife Trust's Reserve of Loch O'the Lowes. I believe that it's the site of the first Osprey nest in Scotland, must check that. (No it isn't, Loch garten is). Not easy to find as the signs merely say Nature Reserve. It's one of our favourite stops. A short walk down a wooded drive to the Centre to pay our dues and then sit and view the feeders through a large window. Not ideal photography conditions but very enjoyable.
Siskin, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Chaffinch - one with a cream head, named Blondie, Mallard, Pheasant, Yellowhammer, all feeding happily until scattered by a marauding Red Squirrel.

The latter was not constant, often seen scampering through the undergrowth, sometimes making a quick sortie into a distant peanut feeder. Quite delightful, its ear tufts and tail streaming in the wind.

The centre has the, now usual,  live camera stream showing on a screen in the centre. I watched the female Osprey stand, shuffle the eggs about and quickly sit down again.
Time to climb the stairs to the very narrow tower hide, where we found a couple hogging the two scopes,  a volunteer at the one in the corner. I sat at a back bench to set up my Swarovski , bad timing, the male came in, flew around a bit and went off again. The understandable excitement from the couple completely obscured my view. I was left to enjoy the female's head on the nest.
When the couple left, I scanned the large loch finding Canada Geese, Great Crested Grebes, Goldeneyes, one Mute Swan and a cloud of hirundines hawking the surface. Well over a 100, almost wholly Sand Martins with their buzzing contact calls. We saw one Swallow and one House Martin.
When the volunteer eventually realised that we were talking to her, she turned out to be a bit deaf and was trussed up like a Hobbitt. She had to remove her hood and woolly hat from one ear to hear. She'd also been on duty from 5-10 last night when the snow was blowing straight into the hide. She'd been very cold despite her hot water bottle. The male Osprey had brought in a huge headless salmon - they always eat the head themselves before presenting it to the female - so the bird probably wasn't hungry this morning. The volunteer stated that this female didn't like eels and if he brought her one, she'd accept it with disdain before  flying off to drop it.  Hobbitt  had also been to the Gambia in January and had been lucky enough to see one of last year's Lowes satellite tagged young. The birds are named after their appearance here e.g. LM 15 = Lowes Male No.15. LF = female.
A quick look from a lower and empty hide before returning for a hot drink and more feeder watching in the centre. Pam received a very good lesson on how to tell female Ospreys from males. I missed most of it but it's something to do with the amount of spotting on the chest and the shape of the black on the face. Must see if Pam remembers the exact details.
After a phone text from HSBC this morning, Pam was having a bank crisis. No HSBC in Aviemore but a very helpful RBS employee found the address of one in Inverness. Off we went. The SatNav found the area and Pam found the multistorey entrance which was ideal. The bank was in a shopping precinct.  So was a large M and S !! 
All sorts of weather now, ending with bulleting hail, seeming to dent my skin, as we walked back to the car.
Panic over, we decided to pay a visit to Alturlie Point to make the most of our enforced detour. The tide was way out in the firth but on its way back in. Hooded Crow amongst many Carrion Crows. Many Goldeneye, at least 15 Red-breasted Mergansers, two black-bellied Dunlin, Whimbrel, Redshank.  5 Scaup, one a male, were nearer to the far shore than to ours, my scope managed to pick them up.The pebbly shore with its seaweed tide drifts had many darting White Wagtails and dashing Meadow Pipits. This Grey Heron fished in the murk.

We'd followed what was obviously a tour group in two unmarked black minibuses, which had got to the end far sooner than us. I wanted to tell the leader about the Scaup, in case they'd missed them. Instead, Pam turned round and parked beyond where the group was scoping. The young be-spectacled leader then joined us to point out two summer plumaged Slavonian Grebes fairly close in, hidden from us by gorse. Excellent. I set up my scope and had time to find and enjoy them when a short woman very well clad against the cold, left the group saying, ' I thought it was you'. The third of we three musketeers (that's what the group called us), who spent a week with Heatherlea at their Mountview Hotel in Nethy Bridge for Pam's 75th birthday treat. She re-lived some of our more entertaining experiences and......the grebes had gone. No photos.
Good to see her again. Neither of us can remember her name though, frustrating.
The leader had also told us about an Iceland Gull in a ploughed field near the railway line. Many other gulls in the field + the inevitable corvids, the grotty juvenile (the adults are such a lovely white ),  Iceland Gull stood on a ridge at the back of the field.  Here's the best I could manage. At least it's identifiable.

Deciding to go 'home' the pretty way, via Lochindorb, meant more awful traffic jams approaching Nairn. It was great to turn off on the Grantown road. Poor light by the time we got to beloved Lochindorb. This Common Gull stood against what light there was, as did the only Red Grouse we saw. I hope for better photos later.

Towards the middle of the empty loch, Pam called a Roe Deer on the hillside, looking at us challengingly - or was it just wary - from a distance (of course).

Craigowrie Cottage in Boat of Garten was a welcome sight. I emptied the car, carrying the stuff as far as the, still unpainted, front door, Pam sorting the inside. Lovely and warm too, all the heaters on. I finished Thursday's Blog, sorted to-day's photographs and retired to bed.
I wrote this on Saturday morning, rising early on a beautifully sunny morning. 

Here We Go

Thursday April 28

After two hectic days spent readying the house, plants, garden and cat carers for three weeks absence - and a little packing - it was a relief to drive away at 5.45 a.m. I never feel that we are going anywhere until I have left Norfolk, reaching the A1 is the first waymark. 
Although we'd had to de-ice the car before leaving, the sun shone out of a cloudless sky - until we hit several patches of fog - suddenly leaving them for clear blue again. As  we drove north, the cloud thickened. The first longish stop was near the wooded area at the far end of the car park at Scotch Corner, mid morning for an early lunch. We then walked to an M and S outlet, buying far too many goodies and to-night's meal - for the exercise!
A short splodgy shower heralded our approach to the  white cross on dark blue background Saltire, which marks the Scottish border. Then, our first one of those lit-up motorway signs saying 'Snow forecast'......
North Berwick is our first birding stop. A short one to-day as it wasn't productive. Close diving, Gannet torpedos from the white-dashed but distant Bass Rock, a few Greater Black-backed Gulls and no sign of any auks. More light showers now, other parts dry as we approached Cove.
Cove is a very small settlement, hugging the clifftop high above a rocky inlet. Apart from a pair of Fulmar snuggling together on the cliff and a few sparrows, nothing to see to-day - we always have to check.
Skatteraw is even smaller. The road is first right off the A9 after Torness Power Station, then another right past a small group of houses which includes a large aviary from which a Snowy Owl surveys cars passing by. There are also Tree Sparrows in the bushes here.
The bay is horseshoe shaped, rugged rock enclosed with a small mud/sand beach. The power station, high on the clifftop, looms over it, making Sizewell look positively elegant. It's a known birding site, the wooded gully a migrant hotspot. 
Part of the John Muir Coastal Trail, a few rucksack clad, bed-rolls dangling, walkers were sat at the lone picnic bench in the rain smatter. Pam and I walked up the grassy path towards the power station until we got to a large and heavily fenced area. It turned out to be the site of an old lime kiln, the remaining brick clad shaft even more securely fenced. A good view from here but no shelter from the, becoming more persistent and icy, rain. Back to the car for a hot drink. Pam then returned to the enclosure with my camera as well as hers, to photograph the bay and the large clump of Primroses in flower. These are her photos.

 

Birds? We saw: Whimbrel, Wheatear, Curlew, Gannet, Shag, Red Breasted Merganser, Eider, White and Pied Wagtail, Willow Warbler and Meadow Pipits.
Time to leave the A9 for the coastal trail to Edinburgh . First stop North Berwick, the mass of white-dashed Bass Rock with its summit of swirling Gannets dominating the eastern view. That was all to-day. A group of close Gannets torpedo diving, almost splashless, into the near sea, the highlight.
Well....... hey've made Longniddry Bents car park into a P and D and bulldozed earth banks preventing us from parking near the edge as we used to. More and more thuis is happening. We risked the £60 no ticket fine to scope the mouth of the Forth with its waiting cargo ships. Lovely. Several flotillas of delightful Long-tailed Ducks in breeding plumage, a few Scoter further out. Three Sandwich Terns at last.
Edinburgh traffic is horrendous - especially during the evening rush hour. On the bypass too. It took an eon to get as far as the Forth road bridge crossing. I attempted to photograph the new Queensferry road bridge under construction, through the mass of struts and stancions. We were horrified when we heard on the news last night that a 60 year old man had died in an accident on the bridge that morning. No wonder it was deserted.
 New Queensferry Forth Road Bridge 

We were very tired when we arrived at Glenrothes Premier Inn. We usually stay in Travelodges but this Premier Inn was cheaper and in the right location. In bed before 10, I had a good night's sleep in a very comfortable bed.