Scotland - Day Two,Sunday 9th July 2023.

Today the plan was to travel from the hostel to Loch Maree and then onto Gairloch for our stay overnight.

Unfortunately the weather threw a spanner in the works for looking for insects,with heavy rain for the start to the day.

We made the journey towards Loch Maree,after an aborted attempt to visit Loch Ruthven,due to torrential rain.

The drive up to Maree was enjoyable,particularly after you get past Inverness and the view along the valley into Loch Maree itself is just stunning.

The best of the mornings sightings went to the stunning sight of 7 summer plumaged Black-throated Divers swimming along together from the Benn Eighe visitor centre car park.

These birds are just beautiful and it was a real pleasure to watch them at their main breeding site in the UK and in such an impressive setting.

After attempting to look for insects here and then at Slattadale,we gave up and headed over to Gairloch and decided to do some birding while the weather broke.

Loch Gairloch was pretty productive it has to be said,with a further 7 Black-throated Diver on the sea here,along with 11 Red-throated Divers,all in summer plumage,just stunning!.

Other birds seen included 2 Sandwich Tern,5 Common Tern,76 Guillemot,a Hooded Crow,a distant Bonxie sat on the sea.

A small group of 5 Harbour Seals were also seen resting on the rocky shoreline here.

After enjoying some lunch,the weather finally broke and it became sunny and we then headed back towards Loch Maree,when Tim spotted another Eagle just as we were leaving Gairloch.

We pulled in off the road and watched as this stonking bird soared around the hillside and then it was amazingly joined by a second.

We watched as this pair of Golden Eagles just soared around giving some stunning scope views,what an absolute privilege to see.

Three Golden Eagles in 2 days was beyond my expectations to say the least.

We then visited Slattadale and later Bridge Of Grudie,two absolutely cracking sites with regards to scenery.

I love this area!.

Loch Maree,Just Stunning.

Gairloch.

Loch Maree,From Slattadale After The Weather Broke.

Slioch,Taken From Bridge Of Grudie.

The Change In Colour And Shades On The Landscape Of The Mountains Was Spectacular.

Bridge Of Grudie.

Day One,Loch Garten Area & The Findhorn Valley,Saturday 8th July.

An organised weekend away with Tim and Mark primarily to look for Odonata,saw us having a very productive trip.

The following is what we saw:

Saturday 8th

After Tim and myself arrived just before dawn at the first site Duack Ponds,we had an explore seeing a few birds which included a handful of Crossbills and 2 Hooded Crow hybrids.

The next site we visited was the firepit pond near Loch Garten,while looking around the site,i was sure i heard a Crested Tit calling and then sure enough we enjoyed superb views of a scruffy moulting adult,as it foraged with a mixed tit flock.

It was really great to see and hear this species once again,after a 32 year gap.A few more Crossbills flew overhead here and also the ever present Siskins carrying out their bat-like display flights.

After meeting up with Mark,we checked the same sites as Tim and myself had earlier seeing a few more Crossbills and a visit to the famous Loch Garten saw us enjoying our first Osprey's of the trip and we had some really lovely views of a feeding Red Squirrel which was plundering one of the many bird feeders for peanuts.

It was my first visit here and i was duly impressed with this site and the surrounding area.

The final site we visited today,was another new site for me,the Findhorn Valley.

I had heard the famous stories of Golden Eagles being seen here and Tim had visited several times in the past and i was crossing everything in the hope we would see one.

To start we spent some time scanning from the car park area,getting some stunning views of a pair of Spotted Flycatchers feeding their brood of 4 fledgelings,a Merlin and a Common Sandpiper along the River Findhorn.

We then walked up the valley to an area Tim had seen Eagles in the past,seeing several Dark-green Fritillaries along the way and scoffing the local Bilberry's.

We stopped to scan when all of a sudden i spotted an Eagle!!!!,i could not believe it,as this immature female Golden Eagle flew towards us and then right overhead.

We watched as she soared around above us as a male Kestrel mobbed her,giving some great chances to appreciate the birds huge size.

I was in raptures and got pretty emotional,as it was a bird i had wanted to see for a long time and here i was watching one.

The bird eventually drifted off and we just sat and enjoyed what we had just seen.

The walk back to the car was great,as i was on a high now.

A few species on the way back included a Wheatear,2 Raven and a couple of Common Buzzards.

On the way back to our place of stay for the night,we popped into Avie Loch and saw the resident pair of Slavonian Grebes feeding their chick,which was another cracking bird species to add to this already memorable day.

Also at this site where my first breeding Goldeneye to be seen in the UK,with a female with one duckling and a further 2 females.

Duack Ponds,Nethybridge.

Loch Garten.

Raft Spider,Loch Garten,Guarding Its Young.

Red Squirrel,Loch Garten.

The Findhorn Valley.

Dark-green Fritillary,Findhorn Valley.

First Views Of The Female Golden Eagle.

Great Size Comparison,Between The Eagle And This Male Kestrel.

A Very Happy Me After Watching The Biggun!.

 

Castle Howard & Yorkshire Arboretum,Sunday 1st July 2023.

A day out today with Tracey and Clara visiting the lovely Castle Howard and Yorkshire Arboretum saw us having a lovely day out.

After travelling through the peaceful Yorkshire Wolds,we eventually made it to this lovely stately home.

To start we explored the lovely house first after enjoying a hearty brekkie,the best way to start the day in my opinion.

The house was very nice inside,particularly the very impressive dome,but for me,the outside architecture and gardens/grounds of the estate were my favourite areas.

The very impressive Atlas Fountain and Great Lake made for a great setting.

After enjoying the impressive house and gardens we walked over to the nearby Yorkshire Arboretum and explored the grounds along with the Red Squirrel re-introduction project.

A couple of the Squirrels gave some lovely views,but not close enough for photos,as they kept getting flushed by other visitors.

The following are my favourite photos of our lovely day out.

Yorkshire Arboretum.

The Obelisk.

An Impressive Building.

The Atlas Fountain.

South Lake.

Temple Of The Four Winds.

The Great Lake.

The Very Impressive Dome.

The Antique Corridor.

Local Patch Update,Sunday 18th & Sunday 24th June 2023.

 A couple of decent visits to the local patch over two weekends,saw typical summer birding continuing,with a couple of nice sightings bird wise on the 24th and some nice breeding records in the notes.

The following is what i recorded over the two visits:

Sunday 18th June

WEBS count day,saw a decent start at Winter's first thing saw an adult Green Sandpiper dropping in before heading high west,with 8 Mute Swan,115 Greylag,4 Drake Teal,8 Coot and the 3 juvenile Grey Herons present again.

3 Oystercatcher and 2 pairs of Redshank on the marshes along with a singing male Cetti's Warbler were the highlights here.I really am praying one of the pairs of Redshank will be successful in raising a brood.

The only surprise around the Skitter today were a pair of unseasonal Pink-footed Geese associating with the Greylag families and a flock of 5 Teal.

The former looked in good health and were fully winged,so maybe just on their summer holidays here.

The best of the sightings from Goxhill Marsh,was the wonderful sight of 3 recently fledged juvenile Cetti's Warbler clambering about in the brambles with their distinct clicking contact calls to their parents,just great to watch.

Sunday 24th June

A more productive visit today than the 11th,started off nicely at Winter's first thing with a flock of 7 Common Tern flying west.

The main lake held 161 Greylags,12 Mute Swan,3 juvenile Grey Heron7 Tufted Duck,7 Coot,47 Mallard,3 Little Grebe,1 Little-ringed Plover,3 Oystercatcher and a good count of 151 Black-tailed Godwits.

The latter are now using the site,as the water levels have dropped slightly and it is ideal now for them to bathe.

Around the bushes 5 Cetti's Warbler,3 singing males and at least 2 fledged juveniles was a good showing.Other species included 3 juvenile Lesser Whitethroat,2 juvenile Bullfinch and a female Roe Deer.

A wander back to the car to dump some clothing and the scope,saw 4 Crossbill fly over west calling,a very welcome year tick and only the second time i have recorded them on the patch.

Marsh Lane held a few nice sightings,mainly breeding birds,with a pair of Yellowhammers watched feeding young at the nest,which was great to see and another positive was a pair of Grey Partridge in suitable breeding habitat.

The best sighting along Skitter Road,went to a Treecreeper in Redhouse Wood,only the second sighting of the year.

Not much in the way of surprises at the Skitter unfortunately today and the Pink-footed Geese from the previous visit had also moved on to pastures new.

The marshes held 1 pair of Redshank still,hopefully these will be successful in raising their chicks to fledging.

Hopefully things will start to liven up now on the patch and some nice Waders or Terns will arrive.

Cetti's Warbler Fledgling,Goxhill Marsh,18th.

Lackey Moth Caterpillar,East Halton Skitter 18th.

Pink-footed Geese,East Halton Skitter,18th.

Buck Roe Deer Arriving At Goxhill Marsh After Swimming Across The Humber,18th.