Insh Marshes / Glenmore (24/03/13)...

Yet again the entire country seems gripped by Winter whilst the Black Isle and Inverness area has none! The last few days have had plenty of flurries but no snow has settled and is a long way from some of the conditions being seen elsewhere.

Three of us decided to head South to Insh Marshes today partly for some research for coursework and also for a day. Plenty of Buzzards seen on the way and as we neared Kingussie the conditions started to change with plenty of snow on the hills and blizzard conditions although when we parked up at the RSPB carpark the sun was out with plenty of snow on the ground. 

We took a walk around the reserve starting at the circular hide. The marsh was fairly quiet with 14 Whooper Swans, a lone Great Black-backed Gull and a couple of crows. We continued round exploring the Aspen woodland (the main reason for visiting) and spotted plenty of Roe Deer and some Ravens but unfortunately no Hen Harriers about. The reserve seemed very quiet which wasn't a surprise considering the conditions but a small opening in the woodland was busy with Great Tit, Blue Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Chaffinch, Treecreeper, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Reed Bunting and plenty of Lesser Redpoll.

The fields across from the carpark also held some Greylag Geese and a couple of Oystercatcher. We carried on North along the backroads passing through Insh village itself to Inshriach forest which produced a albeit brief view of a female Capercaillie a first for me. We then headed further up the road past Inshriach Nursery which we noticed had a tea room so it was time to turn back and get some tea and cheesecake. The tea room called The Potting Shed turned out to be fantastic. Not only was the tea and homemade cheesecake excellent but half of the tea room was surrounding by a viewing window looking out on 16 large peanut feeders that were absolutely covered in birds only a couple feet away. I never seen so many Coal and Blue tits in one place. There was also Great Tit, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, a single Goldcrest and the best of all a female Great Spotted Woodpecker. I could have stayed there all day (and night when they supposedly are visited by Pine Marten). It was the most luxurious "hide" I have ever visited (short video HERE).

We then decided to head up to the car park at the Ski Centre at Cairn Gorm but conditions were bad enough to close off the road so we decided to go for a walk around Glenmore Forest looking for more Aspen. The forest was very quiet as expected with on and off blizzard conditions. We did however manage to see 2 Crested Tit, a pair of Bullfinch, Treecreeper and Coal Tit.

All in all it was a pretty good day and I always love being out in Winter conditions, however, with my trip to Finland it has felt like winter to me for almost 7 months now so some proper signs of Spring would be greatly appreciated...

Year List Additions:
92. Lesser Redpoll
93. Capercaillie (Lifer)

Glenmore (07/03/13)...

Spent most of the day down in the Cairngorm National Park today, more specifically Glenmore forest to carry out some survey plots required for college coursework. Wasn't the nicest of days to be out as it was fairly misty, wet and miserable but the day was brightened up on the way back to the minibus when 4 Crested Tit were spotted, my first of the year.

It's always nice to see Crested Tit as it just reminds of the Highlands and how lucky I am to live here. But, I also had some fantastic encounters with Crested Tit during my time in Finland. I visited a feeding station a few times at Ounasvaara Hill in Finland where I was able to see several Crested Tit just a couple metres away, they really weren't bothered by my presence. Below is one of my favourite photos I was able to get even though I was seriously losing light and the feeding station was under a large Norway Spruce tree meaning flash was required.

Crested Tit - Ounasvaara - 14/12/12

Year List Additions:
85. Crested Tit

PLEASE KEEP READING:

As some of you might already be aware it has come to light recently that significant areas of the Cairngorms National Park are under threat from development (including a whole new town near to Aviemore) which would destroy parts of important habitats that are home to important species. A website has been created to raise awareness of the issue and to raise funds to help challenge these decisions legally. The campaign is called Safeguard The Cairngorms and the website can be visited by clicking HERE. If the Cairngorms National Park means anything to you please take some time to read and watch the video below. You can also follow the Twitter feed with updates HERE.

Glenmore....

A trip to the Cairngorms National Park today, more specifically Glenmore Forest Park in changeable weather (snow/hail showers and sunny warm periods) produced my first Crested Tit of the year. Other birds seen were Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Great Tit, Buzzard, plenty of Willow Warblers, a Greater Spotted Woodpecker heard and not a lot else really. Weather wasn't great for getting the camera out but I did manage to get a decent picture of a Willow Warbler in the Alt Mhor carpark at lunch. Probably the clearest view I have had of one.

Willow Warbler - Phylloscopus trochilus

Layby 151...

Apologies for the cheesey title which sounds like a low rate horror movie but today I headed down Aviemore way with my girlfriend for the day. I had heard and read that Ring Ouzel (one of my most sought after species) is regularly seen from layby 151 on the A9 so I had to stop in for a look on my way South. We pulled over into the layby and scanned the scree slopes and the heather either side of the road. First sight was a pair of White Wagtails at the roadside but not Ring Ouzel. We stayed there for awhile and I managed to see some Mountain Hares still in their white coats and then two birds flew over the ridge. On closer inspection it was a pair of Peregrines! A life tick for me and a bird I just never managed to spot before. So no Ring Ouzel but still very pleased and we continued down to Aviemore.

I have lived in the Highlands for just over 23 years now yet I have never been up to the Cairngorm summit. So even though the weather wasn't great we decided to head up there for a bit of fun. We made our way up to the main car park where the weather was very changeable and the summit was shrouded in mist and cloud. I had read that Ring Ouzel, Wheatear and Snow Bunting were very possible from the viewing platform and was excited to get up there. We made our way up on the funicular railway, had a quick look at the exhibition then out onto the viewing platform. Wind chill was minus 6 degrees Celsius with heavy snow and visibility down to 30 metres.

"View" from the top.

The worst bit was there were definitely no birds about that could be seen, but it was still fun and we had a coffee in the Ptarmigan restaurant. After a couple hours spent up there we caught the funicular back down to the main car park.

Whilst scanning over the hillsides I spotted some movement about 100m away in the heather. I tried to keep my focus on it and lost it a couple times but it turned out to be an impressive looking male Red Grouse another life tick for me and my girlfriend managed to spot a female with him too.

Male Red Grouse

Not long after that a small herd of Reindeer came over the ridge and right into the car park which delighted many of the visitors, my girlfriend included.

Within the herd were what seemed to be two very pale (albino?) youngsters.

We then made our way down as it started chucking it down with rain with a couple more Red Grouse seen briefly from the road, and headed for home. A wet day but a good day