Tuesday 8 September 2009

Scotland

Sorry for the lack of posting (again) but I spent the last week of my holidays in Scotland.
We set off from Cornwall on the 26th and arrived back last Sunday (11 days). Instead of doing the easy thing and catching the train up to Aviemore we worked our way up over 3 days in the car, spending a night at my auntie's and a full day on the Isle of Mull.
After spending a extremely stormy night in Oban we caught the Calmac ferry over to Mull.
We had arranged a birding tour with Peter Hall of Mull Wildlife Tours (which is the best way to see Mull's wildlife in a day.) From a very good day of birding on an amazing island I had managed 5 Lifers, (Hooded Crow, Razorbill, Black Guillemot, Eider and Golden Eagle)
But unfortunately no White Tailed Eagle :-(

Best image of Golden eagle I could manage ^^, as if flew over I panicked and got all the settings wrong so a silhouette is the best I could get.

Next day we packed up the tent and started the long drive up to Aviemore. Arriving in Aviemore in the afternoon we quickly set up the tent and headed off to Loch Morlich and Loch Garten (RSPB Ospreys). No Lifers from Loch Garten and Loch Morlich.

Meadow Pipit, Farr Road, Nr. Findhorn Valley

Osprey on nest, Kincraig ^^

yes, we got there...
We spent 4 days in the Cairngorms where I got 2 lifers, Osprey at Rothiemurchus Fish Farm and Crested Tit at Loch an Eilein car park.

A very noisy image of one of the fishing ospreys at Rothiemurchus Fish Farm.


Red Squirrel, Loch an Eilein Car park.

On the way back to my Aunties in Telford we spent a day at Leighton Moss. I got 3 lifers from Leighton Moss, Common Tern, Spotted Redshank and Greenshank. No positive sightings Marsh Harrier but we did have a possible fly over the road. Back in Telford we paid a visit to Sandwell Valley RSPB, a nice reserve considering its location. 2 lifers Ruddy Duck and Snipe.

I will post the rest of my best images over the next few days here

Also since I have been back from Scotland I have ticked Ruddy Shelduck, Knot, Sanderling, Whinchat, Baird's Sandpiper and Wryneck but I have dipped on Lapland bunting, Buff-Breasted Sandpiper, Little Stint, Citrine Wagtail and Spotted Crake. After all those Lifers I am now on 159.
##I have just noticed the size of images when you open them to full screen, sorry about that I must have resized them wrong##

3 comments:

  1. Hi Ashley. Great post and some lovely shots. I like the Pipit. A GE is a GE even in silhouette! Good to see your life list going up!

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  2. Yes but not as good as your Eagle Shots!!
    Thanks

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  3. Well you have been busy travelling with camera. Good to see you had some success. I may be wrong but I think now when you post on the blog yahoo gives you an option to post small, medium, large images. So you upload then select the size. (not sure if this resizes your original or not?)

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