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The Highlands of Scotland 6 - 9th May 2000 |
Tuesday 4th May
I was sitting at my work in Hadleigh, Essex, slaving over three hot computers when I am summoned to the big office. "Would you be prepared to do a short business trip" my Boss asks. "Yes I would, but I notice that you haven't said where to". "Umm, Inverness" my Boss replies. Inverness! The land of Eagles, Capercaillie, Grouse and Ptarmigan! Quick, try my best not to show any excitement. "Yes sir, anything for the Company sir, be pleased to sir". I am then left to make my own travel arrangements for a two hour business meeting to be held at 0900 on Monday 8th May. First of all I telephoned Gatwick; day return flight £360.00 (good!). Then telephoned Railtrack, depart Monday return Tuesday, £170.00 (good again!). I then enquired as to how much it would be to leave Saturday and return Tuesday and I am told £93.00 (absolutely wonderful!!). I dutifully explained to my boss the different prices and also explained that, at great personal disadvantage, I would be prepared to put myself out, lose my weekend, and take the cheaper option, all, of course, for the good of the Company. My offer is warmly accepted with grateful thanks.
Friday 5th May
I packed my suitcase in order of importance; scope, binoculars, bird guide book, RSPB nature reserves hand book, wax jacket, woolly jumpers, thick shirts (after all this is the Highlands and it is early May) hiking boots and, oh yes, nearly forgot, a suit and tie for my business meeting. My suitcase now weighed as much as a small box girder bridge but I figured it had to be worth it for my first ever trip to the Highlands.
Saturday 6th May
Caught the 0710 train from Southend then on from King's Cross to Edinburgh due to arrive at 1320 for a 1340 onward connection to Inverness. The train arrived in Edinburgh at 1350 missing the Inverness train by ten minutes. I then have to wait thirty minutes until a mini-bus arrives to take me to Inverness. At this point mild panic sets in as I have someone from Avis meeting me with a hire car at Inverness station. I eventually arrive at 1725. The train that I missed was due to arrive in Inverness at 1707! If anyone can tell me how this is possible I would dearly love to know!
I checked in to my hotel, threw my case in the room and headed straight back out to the car. By God, I was determined that I was going to make the most of this. A quick glance at my RSPB nature reserves hand book told me that Fairy Glen was my nearest reserve. From Inverness taking the A9 north towards Wick, coming off after the bridge, right on the B9161, joining the A832 to just beyond Rosemarkie on the Black Isle. On the B1961, travelling at 60mph I suddenly spied a large Raptor in the top of a tree by the roadside, this caused a loud squeal of brakes, a cloud of dust and a near terminal experience to the old lady driving behind me. My first Raptor was a Common Buzzard. Over the next two days it soon became very apparent to me that there were Buzzards everywhere, every Loch, every valley and every mountain held at least one pair of Buzzards. At one point in my trip I was standing on a mountain and counted five in view at one time. By the end of the two days I would be driving along and a large winged shadow would fall on the road and I would just know it was a Buzzard.
Fairy Glen, although incredibly beautiful, did not seem to hold a great amount of varied bird life apart from Chaffinches and Willow Warblers (and Buzzard). By now it was 2030 so I was probably optimistic to hope otherwise. Oh well, it had given me a taste for this wonderful land and I had a full day tomorrow.
Sunday 7th May
Left hotel at 0630 and decided to go for the big one; Loch Garten and its Ospreys. From Inverness about 27 miles straight south on the A9 and well signposted. On arrival I enquired rather hopefully after Crested Tits. I was informed that Crested Tit had been coming to the feeders right up until last week (sound familiar?) but, since then, not a sign. Opinion had it that they had disappeared deeper into the forest to breed. I walked instead to the main Osprey Centre hide and there, right in font of me, were a beautiful pair of Ospreys. Through the hidden video camera we were treated to the glorious spectacle of three chicks in the nest being lovingly cared for by their parents. An hours watch at the hide produced Willow Warbler, Coal Tit, Goldcrest, Great Spotted Woodpecker and my first new tick; Redstart. Just as I was about to leave the hide a cry of 'Capercaillie' arose from my left. I turned quickly just in time to see a blur disappear into a tall clump of bushes and trees. Was it? maybe, but I haven't ticked it yet, besides I need an excuse to return one day.
On advice from the very helpful staff at the Osprey Centre I decided to head for the Findhorn Valley and possible Eagles. From Loch Garten rejoin the A9 heading north and take a right turn-off marked Tomatin. From the village of Tomatin take an undesignated road signposted to Coignafearn. This road is single track for about five miles before just becoming a footpath. The valley views are spectacular and indescribable. I reached the end of the road and started walking. After a mile or so I caught up with a birding couple from Yorkshire. This was a bit of luck as no-one else was around for miles and the more eyes the better. Meeting the couple marked a change in my fortunes as they did not seem to mind me joining them and, for the rest of the day, showed me that same camaraderie and friendliness that I have found in so many different birding people.
We walked for two miles without seeing anything (apart from Buzzards!) when my new friend suggested we return to his car as he had a book on the best birding spots in the UK. On the walk back we heard, frustratingly, the calls of Ring Ouzels all around but were totally unable to get a sight of one, the only thing being seen was a solitary male Wheatear along with Red Deer and Mountain Goats. After consulting the book, which turned out to be the excellent Collins Top Birding Spots in Britain and Ireland, a must for any bird watcher, we decided to head back along the road about three miles to a spot beside a wooden bridge recommended by the author of the book. We left our cars and started scanning the mountainsides. A Peregrine was soon picked up sitting on a rock in the heather. Just as we were admiring the bird the Peregrine was suddenly cast into shadow from above by a seven foot wingspan. Yellow talons outstretched the Peregrine was attacked in a great flurry of wings. What on earth would attack a Peregrine!? A Golden Eagle would! The Peregrine was soon seen off and, not one, but two Golden Eagles majestically rode the thermals on the mountainside, exactly, incidentally, where the guide book said they would. Our breathe was taken away and I had my second lifer. The Eagles eventually disappeared from view and we looked down from the bridge into the river, right in front of us a Dipper. My third lifer! I turned for my scope to get a real close look and, as I turned, against the far valley wall I saw a movement, a quick look through the scope and my fourth lifer in the space of ten minutes as two Hooded Crows descended to the river.
It seemed to us that the birds of prey had sorted out a thermal rota system amongst themselves. First two Buzzards rode the winds, as soon as they left the Eagles came back, the Eagles vacated stage left to be replaced by a Kestrel. After the Kestrel a Sparrowhawk followed, in turn, by the Peregrine again. This carried on without a break with only the three of us in the entire valley to admire the show. The finale was provided by the Peregrine when suddenly, from a very great height, its wings swept straight back and the bird dived near-vertically towards the far valley at what certainly appeared to be the 150mph that these birds are reputedly capable of.
My friends and I decided then to head for Loch Ruthven. This was best achieved by taking another gated, unmarked, single track road off to the left of the valley road we were on. I will not have to keep reminding you of the beautiful scenery from this road as every part of the Highlands is just as breathtaking. We stopped at one point on this road as we found ourselves amidst a flock of Siskin. These birds in their full summer breeding plumage are absolutely gorgeous. Arriving off of the B851 at Loch Ruthven it was soon discovered that the car park held a wealth of birds (as usual!). We had soon observed Willow Warbler, Meadow Pipit, Stonechat, and, with all around the sound of stones being struck together, Whinchat (and, by the way, Buzzard). The Loch lived up to its reputation as at least fifteen pairs of Slavonian Grebe were evident. I left my friends to photograph the Grebes and decided to return to the car park as, it seemed, this was where all the action was located. It soon became very apparent that I appeared to be sitting under one of the main raptor airways in the vicinity. A Buzzard appeared flying north, following the same path came an Osprey, I then had two further Buzzards and then, lower than the others, a female Hen Harrier. I watched the Harrier glide over the hillside and, just as I was about to take the scope from my eye, I became aware of movement near the top of the mountain. I focused in on my fifth and sixth lifers of the day a Red Grouse and Raven. A remarkable end to a truly remarkable day.
My business meeting over at 1130 I had the hire car until 1700 and one last raptor that I simply had to find for the set - the Red Kite. The Black isle is reputed to be a stronghold of this beautiful raptor so I was back on the A9 and heading north. Leaving again on the A832 and heading 
for Rosemarkie. I took a left onto the B9161 to visit Udale Bay, my third RSPB reserve. There was not too much of interest at Udale apart from six Whimbrel on the mud flats - two months earlier and the wintering birds would have been marvellous. Heading round to Cromarty I had not seen a sign of Red Kite at all (plenty of, guess what though!), I remembered that, as I crossed the bridge from Inverness onto the Black Isle, I had passed a tourist centre with a large picture of a Red Kite outside on a board. This seemed to be the place to ask. Straight down the A382 again and back to my starting point, I soon found that this was indeed a very good choice as this turned out to be the RSPB run North Kessock Red Kite Information Centre. After watching the brilliant Red Kite videos and buying the obligatory Buzzard sweatshirt I made my enquiry as to Red Kites. The centre staff were more than happy to help and told me that if I took the A9 north, took a left onto the A835, I would definitely see Red Kite as they were always there. (kiss of death!!) I travelled the length of the A835 and, you guessed it, nothing at all (apart from Buzzards). I turned right onto the A862 and decided to head south. I shot past a large raptor in the top of a tree and, at great risk, reversed 200 yards. I hurriedly set the scope up and saw.....an immature Buzzard (you would have thought I would have learnt by now). I carried on on the A862, turned left to come back on to the A832 and ended up back at the tourist centre. OK, one more trip down the A835 to Dingwall and back, after two days of raptors I couldn't let this one escape me could I?
Down to Dingwall round the roundabout and returned to the bridge and the tourist centre on the A9 and saw nothing (except that B word again). At this point I tried to calm down and reconsidered. The people in the Kite Centre had said that, although they couldn't verify it, they had heard that a Red Kite had been seen a few days ago near Avoch half way up the A832 (again!). 1605 found me sitting forlornly on the harbour wall at Avoch, my hire car due back at 1700 and a thirty minute drive to drop it off at the airport unless I wanted to pay another full days rental. I was just thinking 'ten more minutes' then I am off to the airport, home and, next week, Wales, when I became aware of a commotion off to my left and above the trees from a group of Crows. Another poor Buzzard being mobbed. If I had had ten pence for every time that I had seen this happen over the last day and a half I would have had an extra £1.30 to go home with. The Crows came nearer and I got my binoculars on the suffering raptor. White flashes at the end of the wings - Buzzard! Turning now, lightish head, pretty red on top, not a surprise because I had noticed that in strong sunlight Buzzards do look very red - Buzzard! Wings look very thin though and the wings appear quite angled on that last turn - Buzzard? Nice forked tail though........FORKED TAIL!! At last a beautiful, beautiful Red Kite my seventh and last tick. Grinning like an idiot all the while, I hurriedly returned my hire car to Inverness airport with ten minutes to spare.
Tuesday 9th May
And so ended my first but certainly not my last trip to the Highlands. One and a half days reminiscent of my early birding days where nearly everything was a new tick and I was returning with seven. This part of the Highlands is the most beautiful part of the country that I have ever had the privilege to visit. I would strongly advise any of our members to visit this area for the birding sights that you will never see around our own local area. My advice to anyone following in my route is to go in early May. On average the weather is pretty good at this time and from 1600 onwards is the time to watch the mountains and valleys for the amazing and plentiful raptors riding the thermals in this region. I have to return very soon myself, after all, Crested Tit and Ring Ouzel escaped me on this visit.
We tend, after a while, to take for granted our own local patches and their associated 'common' birds. We marvel (and rightly so) at the wondrous sight of scenes such as these previously described but on two occasions on this trip I was reminded that every part of the UK has its own joys to offer. The first came in the Osprey Centre, when our Scottish friends mentioned how lovely it would be to see a Whitethroat and were bemoaning the fact that they had not heard a Chiffchaff so far this year! The second was with my friends from Yorkshire, when I said that I had seen one Gannet (off of Minsmere) My Northern friend said "I live near Bempton Cliffs and going to see a Gannet would be like going to the zoo!"
And finally, the weather?................Bright blue every day and temperatures of more than 20°, I nearly melted!
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Author: Graham Mee
All images courtesy of RSPB image library: www.rspb-images.com
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