Weekend Break...

Just back from a weekend away with my girlfriend in the Cannich area. Our accommodation was just a few miles South of Drumnadrochit at Torcroft Lodges and I highly recommend them if you are planning a stay in the area. The lodges were spacious and clean and had more than everything you need for a great trip. The lodge is also ideally located to explore the fantastic surrounding environment including the Loch Ness area, Glen Affric, Glen Strathfarrar and Glen Cannich.

It wasn't a birding weekend but of course I am always on the lookout. Around the lodge there were plenty of Blackbird, Chaffinch, Blue Tit, Great Tit and Greenfinch around with most of them in song. A heron and a Buzzard was seen flying over and a Tawny Owl calling nearby at night.

We got extremely lucky with the weather. On Saturday it was a bit cloudy but stayed dry and the weather on Sunday and Monday was superb almost feeling like Summer at times it was so warm. We visited Plodda Falls, Corrimony Cairn, Glen Affric and Craigmonie Wood. There weren't really many birding highlights but I did make up for missing thrushes with 3 Mistle Thrush seen on the way to Dog Falls in Glen Affric and a Song Thrush seen in the forest itself. Spent plenting of time searching for a sight of Golden Eagle but no luck.

View down Glen Affric

On Monday morning after vacating the lodge we went for a walk through Craigmonie Wood at the back of Drumnadrochit. Some really lovely Oakwoods and the weather made it feel like it should be much later in the year and packed full of birds. My girlfriend did, however, hear a Jay calling and after a bit of searching I came across 3 of them.

All in all a very relaxing and enjoyable weekend.

Year List Additions:
74. Mistle Thrush
75. Song Thrush
76. Jay