Trip report - north Scotland
22nd June 2013
Dates: 18th to 21st June 2013
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.
However, this year's trip was very short commencing with travel up to Edinburgh by train on 18th June 2013 with a Bruce Springsteen concert at Hampden Park, Glasgow in the evening, 2 full days in north Scotland on 19th and 20th June 2013 and a drive down from Durness to Edinburgh and the train back home from Edinburgh on 21st June 2013.
Primary target areas:
The primary target areas for wildlife watching and/or landscape photography were:
Perthshire: Glen Quaich and Loch of the Lowes SWT reserve
Speyside: Loch Insh, Loch Garten/Loch Mallachie RSPB reserve, Dulnain Bridge, Forest Lodge
Grantown-on-Spey area: Lochindorb
Sutherland and Wester Ross: north and west coast including Handa Island
Getting there and getting around:
I travelled up to Edinburgh by East Coast trains on 18th June 2013 and returned on 21st June 2013 having obtained an extremely good value advance return ticket for £59. As usual, 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 18th June 2013 to the afternoon of 21st June 2013 from Budget for £75.67 reduced by 10% Quidco cashback to £68.10.
On the nights of 18th and 19th June 2013, I stayed at Travelodges in Perth and Inverness.
On the night of 20th June 2013, I again stayed at the excellent Hillside bed and breakfast in Durness.
This is a summary of my itinerary and route:
18th June 2013: Edinburgh – Glasgow – Perth
19th June 2013: Perth – Glen Quaich – Loch of the Lowes – Loch Insh – Loch Garten/Loch Mallachie – Dulnain Bridge – Lochindorb – Forest Lodge – Inverness
20th June 2013: Inverness – Braemore – Dundonnell – Kylesku – Scourie – Tarbet and Sound of Handa – Loch Laxford – Kyle of Durness – Balnakeil Bay – Durness
21st June 2013: Durness – Loch Stack – Loch Fleet – Inverness – 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 100 bird species (a reasonable total for such a short trip), 7 mammal species and 1 reptile species.
Trip list - north Scotland
With regard to the birds, I was able to add 12 species to my 2013 list.
The major disappointment, like my 2012 trip, was failing to see a Golden Eagle despite some patient waiting and watching at a number of locations where I usually see these birds each year.
The following summarises the notable wildlife species seen on my trip:
Glen Quaich: Black Grouse, Common Sandpiper, Curlew, Lapwing, Common Redshank, Oystercatcher, Whinchat, Brown Hare
Loch of the Lowes: Osprey, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting, Red Squirrel
Loch Insh: Osprey, Goldeneye, Common Sandpiper
Loch Garten/Loch Mallachie: Common Redstart, Spotted Flycatcher, Tree Pipit, Common Sandpiper
Dulnain Bridge: Common Sandpiper, Grey Wagtail, Common Buzzard
Lochindorb: Red Grouse
Forest Lodge: Crested Tit, Tree Pipit, Red Squirrel
Tulloch: Roe Deer
Inverness to Braemore: Wheatear
Braemore to Dundonnell: Merlin, Common Snipe, Red Deer
Dundonnell: Greenshank, Goosander, Red-breasted Merganser, Oysterctacher, Curlew, Common Sandpiper
Inchnadamph: Wheatear
Ardvreck to Kylesku: Common Buzzard, Stonechat
Kylesku: Arctic and Common Terns, Razorbill, Shag, Oystercatcher, Common Seal, Red Deer
Badcall: Red-throated Diver
Scourie: Ringed Plover, Oystercatcher, Whinchat, Twite
Tarbet: Black Guillemot, Eider, Shag, Oystercatcher, Peregrine, Rock Dove, Cuckoo, Wheatear, Stonechat
Handa: Red-throated Diver, Eider, Arctic Skua, Great Skua, Arctic Tern, Oystercatcher, Common Snipe, Fulmar, Puffin, Guillemot, Razorbill, Kittiwake, Shag, Red Grouse, Wheatear, Rock Pipit
Loch Laxford: Black-throated Diver, Eider, Black Guillemot, Razorbill, Greenshank, Oystercatcher, Curlew, Ringed Plover, Common Seal
Balanakeil Bay: Red-throated Diver, Black Guillemot, Razorbill, Shag, Sandwich Tern, Knot, Dunlin, Ringed Plover
Loch Fleet: Sandwich Tern, Greenshank, Curlew, Oystercatcher, Shelduck
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.
However, this year's trip was very short commencing with travel up to Edinburgh by train on 18th June 2013 with a Bruce Springsteen concert at Hampden Park, Glasgow in the evening, 2 full days in north Scotland on 19th and 20th June 2013 and a drive down from Durness to Edinburgh and the train back home from Edinburgh on 21st June 2013.
Primary target areas:
The primary target areas for wildlife watching and/or landscape photography were:
Perthshire: Glen Quaich and Loch of the Lowes SWT reserve
Speyside: Loch Insh, Loch Garten/Loch Mallachie RSPB reserve, Dulnain Bridge, Forest Lodge
Grantown-on-Spey area: Lochindorb
Sutherland and Wester Ross: north and west coast including Handa Island
Getting there and getting around:
I travelled up to Edinburgh by East Coast trains on 18th June 2013 and returned on 21st June 2013 having obtained an extremely good value advance return ticket for £59. As usual, 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 18th June 2013 to the afternoon of 21st June 2013 from Budget for £75.67 reduced by 10% Quidco cashback to £68.10.
On the nights of 18th and 19th June 2013, I stayed at Travelodges in Perth and Inverness.
On the night of 20th June 2013, I again stayed at the excellent Hillside bed and breakfast in Durness.
This is a summary of my itinerary and route:
18th June 2013: Edinburgh – Glasgow – Perth
19th June 2013: Perth – Glen Quaich – Loch of the Lowes – Loch Insh – Loch Garten/Loch Mallachie – Dulnain Bridge – Lochindorb – Forest Lodge – Inverness
20th June 2013: Inverness – Braemore – Dundonnell – Kylesku – Scourie – Tarbet and Sound of Handa – Loch Laxford – Kyle of Durness – Balnakeil Bay – Durness
21st June 2013: Durness – Loch Stack – Loch Fleet – Inverness – 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 100 bird species (a reasonable total for such a short trip), 7 mammal species and 1 reptile species.
Trip list - north Scotland
With regard to the birds, I was able to add 12 species to my 2013 list.
The major disappointment, like my 2012 trip, was failing to see a Golden Eagle despite some patient waiting and watching at a number of locations where I usually see these birds each year.
The following summarises the notable wildlife species seen on my trip:
Glen Quaich: Black Grouse, Common Sandpiper, Curlew, Lapwing, Common Redshank, Oystercatcher, Whinchat, Brown Hare
Loch of the Lowes: Osprey, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting, Red Squirrel
Loch Insh: Osprey, Goldeneye, Common Sandpiper
Loch Garten/Loch Mallachie: Common Redstart, Spotted Flycatcher, Tree Pipit, Common Sandpiper
Dulnain Bridge: Common Sandpiper, Grey Wagtail, Common Buzzard
Lochindorb: Red Grouse
Forest Lodge: Crested Tit, Tree Pipit, Red Squirrel
Tulloch: Roe Deer
Inverness to Braemore: Wheatear
Braemore to Dundonnell: Merlin, Common Snipe, Red Deer
Dundonnell: Greenshank, Goosander, Red-breasted Merganser, Oysterctacher, Curlew, Common Sandpiper
Inchnadamph: Wheatear
Ardvreck to Kylesku: Common Buzzard, Stonechat
Kylesku: Arctic and Common Terns, Razorbill, Shag, Oystercatcher, Common Seal, Red Deer
Badcall: Red-throated Diver
Scourie: Ringed Plover, Oystercatcher, Whinchat, Twite
Tarbet: Black Guillemot, Eider, Shag, Oystercatcher, Peregrine, Rock Dove, Cuckoo, Wheatear, Stonechat
Handa: Red-throated Diver, Eider, Arctic Skua, Great Skua, Arctic Tern, Oystercatcher, Common Snipe, Fulmar, Puffin, Guillemot, Razorbill, Kittiwake, Shag, Red Grouse, Wheatear, Rock Pipit
Loch Laxford: Black-throated Diver, Eider, Black Guillemot, Razorbill, Greenshank, Oystercatcher, Curlew, Ringed Plover, Common Seal
Balanakeil Bay: Red-throated Diver, Black Guillemot, Razorbill, Shag, Sandwich Tern, Knot, Dunlin, Ringed Plover
Loch Fleet: Sandwich Tern, Greenshank, Curlew, Oystercatcher, Shelduck