Nairn and Surrounding area!! 27/04/24 to 12/05/24 (1 Viewer)

[Original PaulE]

Just home from a highly enjoyable trip north. This first post was our first full day in the area, managed to see the White-billed Diver at Burghead Bay, couple of Velvet Scoters as well, quick trip to Loch Garten where we didn't manage a Crested Tit but did see some Red Squirrels and an interesting Crossbill 😀 Well we were in the right area could be!!! Lots more pics on the blog at the link below. More posts to follow, though could be a while, a few pics to sort!!

Holiday in Scotland Day 2: Diver Search!

After yesterday's long drive, we wanted to stay local to our base and with a White-billed Diver being reported from Burghead Bay it was a ...

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[Original PaulE]

Our second full day, saw us hit Lossie Forest and Beach, has to be said there are some fantastic beaches in the area, it turned into an Osprey fest with 3 birds fishing in the surf as we walked along. Apparently there have been up to eight individuals fishing the river mouth and sea over the last few weeks. The forest was less forth coming and the hoped for Crested Tits remained elusive!! But plenty of good birds seen along with the Ospreys, Divers, Terns and Gannets along the beach, Yellowhammer, Brambling and Tree Sparrow elsewhere among the highlights. More details and lots more pics on the blog at the link (it's not all Ospreys, although it could have been😁😁 )

Holiday in Scotland Day 3 Ospreyfest!

After yesterday's failure to find a Crested Tit we decided to try the Lossie Forest. I have discovered the Scottish Ornithological Society's...

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[Original PaulE]

RSPB Troup head the main destination today. Gannets galore, with a few Puffins, loads of Fulmars and plenty more to see, my first visit, lovely to have a Seabird Colony all to ourselves. A nice Short-eared Owl put on a bit of a show. Wheatears and Yellowhammers also featured heavily and nice to hear a Corn Bunting. On to Loch of Strathbeg where the reported Green-winged Teal showed distantly, but the Tree Sparrows and Yellowhammers in the Carpark showed well. Finished at Bowfiddle rock where some Dolphins were seen, I think they were Bottlenose but happy to be corrected! As ever alot more pics on the Blog at the link

Holiday in Scotland Day 4 Trouping the Gannet

Today we headed to Troup Head an RSPB reserve, a Seabird Colony, think Bempton Cliffs without the Health and Safety or 100s of idiots with...

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[Original PaulE]

Continuing the holiday posts and excursion over to the West Coast, for a ferry ride to Stornoway and back. I have had good trips on this ferry in the past with Skuas and Dolphins, unfortunately despite or perhaps because of the lovely weather, it was a bit slow, a few pairs of Puffins dotted about, some Divers, a very friendly Hooded Crow and an incompetent Mouse the best of it!!! As ever a lot more pics on the blog at the link!

Holiday In Scotland Day 5: Ferry nice day!

As my regular reader will remember we do like a Ferry trip, with some memorable excursions had in recent years, The Ullapool to Stornoway fe...

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[Original PaulE]

Another day, some more great birds, Slav Grebes at Ruthven and an Eagle getting a hammering from a Peregrine in the Findhorn Valley. More pics of both on the blog at the link

Holiday in Scotland Day6: Slavtastic Day

Well after all the walking and Ferry Trips we were flagging a bit, so decided today would be a good day to head to Loch Ruthven in the hopes...

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[Original PaulE]

Day 7 and we decide to hit the mountains, the mighty Cairn Gorm and the trains not working😱😱 We had to walk up! A brilliant day crowned by amazing views of Snow Buntings in their breeding finery!! Ring Ouzel and Wheatear seen as well, though the scenery is was definitely a highlight!!
Lot's more pics, maybe too many Snow Buntings, on the blog at the link

Holiday in Scotland Day 7: Because it's there!

 Today was our anniversaryððð so to celebrate we decided to do some mountaineering, as you doð I'm so romantic!!! Regular readers will ...

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