Trip report- north Scotland
13th June 2012
Dates: 7th to 12th June 2012
Destination: north Scotland
Purpose of trip:
The purpose of my trip was my regular annual visit to the region to see bird and mammal species that are not found on a regular basis in Essex or East Anglia.
In addition, weather permitting, I hoped to be able to take some photos of northern landscapes.
Primary target areas:
The primary target areas for wildlife watching and/or landscape photography were:
Fife: Lindores Loch, Golden Loch, Black Loch
Perthshire: Glen Quaich and Loch of the Lowes SWT reserve
Speyside: Loch Insh, Loch Garten/Loch Mallachie RSPB reserve, Loch Vaa, Dulnain Bridge
Grantown-on-Spey area: Lochindorb
Inverness area: Loch Ruthven RSPB reserve
Sutherland and Wester Ross: north and west coast
Getting there and getting around:
I travelled up to Edinburgh by East Coast trains on 7th June 2012 and returned on 12th June 2012 having obtained an extremely good value advance return ticket for £47.70. I booked my return ticket via redspottedhanky.com and by using Tesco clubcard vouchers on this website, my ticket cost me nothing .... a bargain!
In Edinburgh, I hired a car from the afternoon of 7th June 2012 to the afternoon of 11th June 2012 from Hertz for £60.91 reduced by 6% Quidco cashback to £57.25.
On the nights of 7th and 11th June 2012, I stayed at Travelodges in Edinburgh.
On the nights of 8th and 10th June 2012, I stayed at Coire Choille bed and breakfast in Nethy Bridge.
On the night of 9th June 2012, I stayed at Hillside bed and breakfast in Durness.
Both bed and breakfasts are highly recommended for their location, facilities and hospitality!
This is a summary of my itinerary and route:
8th June 2012: Edinburgh – Fife lochs – Glen Quaich – Loch Insh – Lochindorb – Dulnain Bridge – Loch Vaa – Loch Garten/Loch Mallachie – Nethy Bridge
9th June 2012: Nethy Bridge – Inverness – Lairg – Loch Stack – Loch Laxford – Scourie – Tarbet and Sound of Handa – Kyle of Durness – Balnakeil Bay – Durness
10th June 2012: Durness – Loch Stack – Loch Laxford – Kylesku – Drumbeg – Stoer Point – Lochinver – Dundonnell and Little Loch Broom – Loch Ruthven – Loch Garten – Nethy Bridge
11th June 2012: Nethy Bridge – Loch Garten/Loch Mallachie – Loch of the Lowes - Edinburgh
Weather:
The weather during my trip was typically Scottish .... a mixture of sun, cloud, drizzle and rain.
Highlights:
During my short trip, I was able to record 104 bird species (a reasonable total for such a short trip) and 8 mammal species.
Trip list - north Scotland
With regard to the birds, I was able to add 19 species to my 2012 list plus 1 new species to my Scotland life list (Reed Warbler).
The major disappointment was failing to see a Golden Eagle for the first time since my 1993 trip despite some patient waiting and watching at a number of locations where I usually see these birds each year.
The most unusual sighting was that of a Stoat running around the rocks and seaweed at Balnakeil Bay.
The following summarises the notable wildlife species seen on my trip, many of the birds being first records for 2012.
Glen Quaich: Black Grouse, Common Sandpiper, Common Snipe, Curlew, Lapwing, Common Redshank, Oystercatcher, Kestrel, Wheatear, Brown Hare
Amulree – Aberfeldy: Cuckoo
Drumguish near Insh: Roe Deer
Insh: Red Deer
Loch Insh: Osprey, Goldeneye, Common Sandpiper, Great Spotted Woodpecker
Inverdruie near Aviemore: Bullfinch
Aviemore: Common Buzzard
Lochindorb: Red Grouse, Common Sandpiper, Common Redshank, Oystercatcher, Lapwing
Dulnain Bridge: Dipper, Grey Wagtail, Common Buzzard
Loch Vaa: Slavonian Grebe, Goldeneye, Red Squirrel
Loch Garten/Loch Mallachie: Crested Tit, Spotted Flycatcher, Common Redstart, Goldeneye, Common Sandpiper, Red Deer, Roe Deer
Nethy Bridge: Siskin, Coal Tit, Red Squirrel
Boat of Garten: Common Buzzard
Evanton - Ardross: Red Kite
Lairg - Laxford Bridge: Common Buzzard, Cuckoo, Willow Warbler, Wheatear, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Siskin, Common Sandpiper, Red Deer
Loch Laxford: Black-throated Diver, Greylag Goose, Wheatear, Lesser Redpoll
Scourie: Common and Arctic Terns, Eider, Shag, Oystercatcher, Ringed Plover, Common Sandpiper, Little Grebe, Common Buzzard, Atlantic Grey Seal
Tarbet and Sound of Handa: Red-throated Diver, Great Skua, Arctic Skua, Gullemot, Razorbill, Shag, Fulmar, Common Sandpiper, Twite, Wheatear, Atlantic Grey Seal
Kyle of Durness: Eider, Red-breasted Merganser, Sandwich Tern, Dunlin, Curlew, Oystercatcher, Hooded Crow
Balnakeil Bay: Great Northern Diver, Red-throated Diver, Black Guillemot, Razorbill, Shag, Fulmar, Gannet, Sandwich Tern, Dunlin, Ringed Plover, Curlew, Oystercatcher, Stoat
Durness: Rock Dove, Wheatear
Rhiconich: Common Buzzard
Clashnessie: Wheatear
Stoer: Wheatear
Stoer Point: Great Skua, Gannet, Guillemot, Razorbill, Kittiwake, Shag, Fulmar, Rock Pipit, Wheatear
Clachtoll – Lochinver: Cuckoo, Wheatear, Common Buzzard
Dundonnell: Grey Wagtail, Common Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Hooded Crow, Red Deer, Mountain Goat
Little Loch Broom: Goosander, Curlew, Oystercatcher, Common Buzzard
Loch Glascarnoch: Red Kite
Loch Ruthven: Slavonian Grebe, Red-throated Diver
Tomatin: Red Kite
Dunkeld: Common Buzzard
Loch of the Lowes: Osprey, Reed Warbler
Destination: north Scotland
Purpose of trip:
The purpose of my trip was my regular annual visit to the region to see bird and mammal species that are not found on a regular basis in Essex or East Anglia.
In addition, weather permitting, I hoped to be able to take some photos of northern landscapes.
Primary target areas:
The primary target areas for wildlife watching and/or landscape photography were:
Fife: Lindores Loch, Golden Loch, Black Loch
Perthshire: Glen Quaich and Loch of the Lowes SWT reserve
Speyside: Loch Insh, Loch Garten/Loch Mallachie RSPB reserve, Loch Vaa, Dulnain Bridge
Grantown-on-Spey area: Lochindorb
Inverness area: Loch Ruthven RSPB reserve
Sutherland and Wester Ross: north and west coast
Getting there and getting around:
I travelled up to Edinburgh by East Coast trains on 7th June 2012 and returned on 12th June 2012 having obtained an extremely good value advance return ticket for £47.70. I booked my return ticket via redspottedhanky.com and by using Tesco clubcard vouchers on this website, my ticket cost me nothing .... a bargain!
In Edinburgh, I hired a car from the afternoon of 7th June 2012 to the afternoon of 11th June 2012 from Hertz for £60.91 reduced by 6% Quidco cashback to £57.25.
On the nights of 7th and 11th June 2012, I stayed at Travelodges in Edinburgh.
On the nights of 8th and 10th June 2012, I stayed at Coire Choille bed and breakfast in Nethy Bridge.
On the night of 9th June 2012, I stayed at Hillside bed and breakfast in Durness.
Both bed and breakfasts are highly recommended for their location, facilities and hospitality!
This is a summary of my itinerary and route:
8th June 2012: Edinburgh – Fife lochs – Glen Quaich – Loch Insh – Lochindorb – Dulnain Bridge – Loch Vaa – Loch Garten/Loch Mallachie – Nethy Bridge
9th June 2012: Nethy Bridge – Inverness – Lairg – Loch Stack – Loch Laxford – Scourie – Tarbet and Sound of Handa – Kyle of Durness – Balnakeil Bay – Durness
10th June 2012: Durness – Loch Stack – Loch Laxford – Kylesku – Drumbeg – Stoer Point – Lochinver – Dundonnell and Little Loch Broom – Loch Ruthven – Loch Garten – Nethy Bridge
11th June 2012: Nethy Bridge – Loch Garten/Loch Mallachie – Loch of the Lowes - Edinburgh
Weather:
The weather during my trip was typically Scottish .... a mixture of sun, cloud, drizzle and rain.
Highlights:
During my short trip, I was able to record 104 bird species (a reasonable total for such a short trip) and 8 mammal species.
Trip list - north Scotland
With regard to the birds, I was able to add 19 species to my 2012 list plus 1 new species to my Scotland life list (Reed Warbler).
The major disappointment was failing to see a Golden Eagle for the first time since my 1993 trip despite some patient waiting and watching at a number of locations where I usually see these birds each year.
The most unusual sighting was that of a Stoat running around the rocks and seaweed at Balnakeil Bay.
The following summarises the notable wildlife species seen on my trip, many of the birds being first records for 2012.
Glen Quaich: Black Grouse, Common Sandpiper, Common Snipe, Curlew, Lapwing, Common Redshank, Oystercatcher, Kestrel, Wheatear, Brown Hare
Amulree – Aberfeldy: Cuckoo
Drumguish near Insh: Roe Deer
Insh: Red Deer
Loch Insh: Osprey, Goldeneye, Common Sandpiper, Great Spotted Woodpecker
Inverdruie near Aviemore: Bullfinch
Aviemore: Common Buzzard
Lochindorb: Red Grouse, Common Sandpiper, Common Redshank, Oystercatcher, Lapwing
Dulnain Bridge: Dipper, Grey Wagtail, Common Buzzard
Loch Vaa: Slavonian Grebe, Goldeneye, Red Squirrel
Loch Garten/Loch Mallachie: Crested Tit, Spotted Flycatcher, Common Redstart, Goldeneye, Common Sandpiper, Red Deer, Roe Deer
Nethy Bridge: Siskin, Coal Tit, Red Squirrel
Boat of Garten: Common Buzzard
Evanton - Ardross: Red Kite
Lairg - Laxford Bridge: Common Buzzard, Cuckoo, Willow Warbler, Wheatear, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Siskin, Common Sandpiper, Red Deer
Loch Laxford: Black-throated Diver, Greylag Goose, Wheatear, Lesser Redpoll
Scourie: Common and Arctic Terns, Eider, Shag, Oystercatcher, Ringed Plover, Common Sandpiper, Little Grebe, Common Buzzard, Atlantic Grey Seal
Tarbet and Sound of Handa: Red-throated Diver, Great Skua, Arctic Skua, Gullemot, Razorbill, Shag, Fulmar, Common Sandpiper, Twite, Wheatear, Atlantic Grey Seal
Kyle of Durness: Eider, Red-breasted Merganser, Sandwich Tern, Dunlin, Curlew, Oystercatcher, Hooded Crow
Balnakeil Bay: Great Northern Diver, Red-throated Diver, Black Guillemot, Razorbill, Shag, Fulmar, Gannet, Sandwich Tern, Dunlin, Ringed Plover, Curlew, Oystercatcher, Stoat
Durness: Rock Dove, Wheatear
Rhiconich: Common Buzzard
Clashnessie: Wheatear
Stoer: Wheatear
Stoer Point: Great Skua, Gannet, Guillemot, Razorbill, Kittiwake, Shag, Fulmar, Rock Pipit, Wheatear
Clachtoll – Lochinver: Cuckoo, Wheatear, Common Buzzard
Dundonnell: Grey Wagtail, Common Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Hooded Crow, Red Deer, Mountain Goat
Little Loch Broom: Goosander, Curlew, Oystercatcher, Common Buzzard
Loch Glascarnoch: Red Kite
Loch Ruthven: Slavonian Grebe, Red-throated Diver
Tomatin: Red Kite
Dunkeld: Common Buzzard
Loch of the Lowes: Osprey, Reed Warbler