Earlier in the month I led a tour for just one client around Speyside and Black Isle, fairly nearby north of Inverness. The idea was for him to clean up on the Scottish specialities. Seeing as it was early June we had missed our golden opportunities to see Capercaille and lekking Black Grouse. Added to that, the weather during our five day stay wasn't the best. But despite the disadvantages we still managed to bag over 100 species including beauties like Ring Ouzel, Ptarmigan and Dotterel.
We dipped on Crested Tit (although we may have heard them) and Scottish Crossbill. We based ourselves at the famous Grant Arms Hotel in Grantown-on-Spey near Aviemore and Loch Garten.
One of our favourite spots was Lochindorb, a large loch some 10 miles away from the hotel. We found some interesting birds there like a lone Pink-footed Goose amongst the hundreds of Greylags, Merlin, Redpolls and best of all a hunting Hobby one evening - a scarce bird this far north.
A great time was had on this trip. Come and join me next year!
Lochindorb - our local patch
Families of Greylags on Lochindorb
The gorgeous Loch Morlich in the Cairngorms
A male Ring Ouzel on the Cairngorms
The house that has the best view in the world!
Dippers
Female Yellowhammer
Male Yellowhammer
Red Grouse
Slavonian Grebe
Species list
Black-throated Diver
Great Crested Grebe
Slavonian Grebe
Little Grebe
Cormorant
Shag
Grey Heron
Mute Swan
Pink-footed Goose
Greylag
Canada Goose
Shelduck
Mallard
Gadwall
Wigeon
Pochard
Tufted Duck
Eider
Goldeneye
Red-breasted Merganser
Osprey
Buzzard
Sparrowhawk
Kestrel
Hobby
Peregrine
Merlin
Red Grouse
Ptarmigan
Red-legged Partridge
Pheasant
Moorhen
Coot
Oystercatcher
Ringed Plover
Dotterel
Lapwing
Dunlin
Common Sandpiper
Redshank
((Greenshank))
Curlew
Black-tailed Godwit
Woodcock
Snipe
Black-headed Gull
Common Gull
Herring Gull
Lesser Black-back
Great Black-back
Common Tern
Sandwich Tern
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
Cuckoo
Swift
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Skylark
Sand Martin
Swallow
House Martin
Meadow Pipit
Tree Pipit
Pied Wagtail
Grey Wagtail
Dipper
Wren
Dunnock
Robin
Wheatear
Stonechat
Song Thrush
Mistle Thrush
Blackbird
Ring Ouzel
((Blackcap))
Whitethroat
Sedge Warbler
Willow Warbler
Chiffchaff
Goldcrest
Spotted Flycatcher
Great Tit
Coal Tit
Blue Tit
Long-tailed Tit
Treecreeper
Magpie
Jay
Jackdaw
Rook
Carrion Crow
Hooded Crow
Raven
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Linnet
Redpoll
Goldfinch
Greenfinch
Bullfinch
Reed Bunting
Yellowhammer
106 species
((heard))
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