Awakening to a hearty
breakfast at the B&B, we were glad we made the decision not to go for the
Loch Garten Caper Watch for dawn as one of our fellow guests had spent a
frustrating morning there with no sightings of these stunning Scottish birds
apart from on the remote cameras!
With absolutely beautiful
weather forecast, we decided to make a quick stop looking for Crested Tits
again. With plenty of suitable habitat, we walked through the forest, listening
out for that distinctive call and raising our bins to any small birds flitting
around the tree tops.
The ‘chip chip’ call of a Crossbill flying overhead was
the only sign of bird life, the small feeder at the side of the path deserted
from any avian visitors!
Then suddenly “Caper!” Alex pointed straight ahead and we both watched in awe as a male Capercaille came flying right past us and away in to the trees!
Our second Red Squirrel of the trip! |
Then suddenly “Caper!” Alex pointed straight ahead and we both watched in awe as a male Capercaille came flying right past us and away in to the trees!
Absolutely amazing and
completely unexpected!
Even though the encounter
lasted no more than 30 seconds, we both enjoyed incredible views as this
turkey-like Scottish speciality noisily crashed through the forest, the white
on the tail clear to see against the jet black feathers. What an experience!
Completely elated, we had anticipated Capercaillie to be the hardest of the 3
to track down, but we had completely jammed in on one without even trying!
With no sign of the Crested
Tits we decided to head off for bird number two of my targets – Ptarmigan.
Stopping off at a roadside site for Capercaillie on route drew a blank, so we
headed up the slopes to the Cairngorm ski centre car park. The views even from
here were absolutely stunning, with the snow covered mountain tops shining in
the sun, the glorious lochs below glistening in the light.
Taking the small tram up to
the summit, we were met with a biting cold air and absolutely fierce winds!
Battling through, we gingerly made our way up the slope, careful not to slip on
any of the treacherous sheets of ice covering the rock. With Alex’s previous 3
visits up the mountain resulting in Ptarmigans straight away, we were slightly
concerned as to how long it was taking us to track them down.
Large numbers of white and
speckled Ptarmigan feathers scattered across the mountainside reassured us that
they were here, it was just a matter of finding them!
Several Snow Buntings joined us for company, then just as we had reached the top – Ptarmigan! A pair were sheepishly dodging through the rocks just below us, the male’s beautiful red eye crest shining out in the sun. We followed them down the rocks and watched as they darted out of sight, eventually heading back up the mountain slope and battling against the winds! I was struck by just how fluffy their little feet were, and it was amazing to see them at such close quarters!
Heading carefully back down
the mountain, it was a complete surprise to stumble across a second male and
female! Where had they been during our hours search! These two seemed much more
settled, happily pecking at the green shoots peeking out from under the snow and
allowed a much closer approach.
Eyes streaming from the harsh winds, we enjoyed
excellent views as the two went about their business, happy for us to get as
many photos as we desired! The female in particular was especially smart, still
retaining most of her winter plumage with fantastic speckles of olive and gold
dappled within.
Several Snow Buntings joined us for company, then just as we had reached the top – Ptarmigan! A pair were sheepishly dodging through the rocks just below us, the male’s beautiful red eye crest shining out in the sun. We followed them down the rocks and watched as they darted out of sight, eventually heading back up the mountain slope and battling against the winds! I was struck by just how fluffy their little feet were, and it was amazing to see them at such close quarters!
Battling the fierce winds on the slope! |
After a quick lunch in the
aptly named Ptarmigan café, we headed back down, enjoying views of the beautiful
loch overlooking the mountain and wondering whether any snowy owls were lurking
in the distant peaks….
With Crested Tits still yet to find, we drove back to Loch Garten again, this time parking in the Loch Garten Nature Reserve Car Park and following the trail round to the small Loch Mallachie. Plenty of tits were chattering in the trees above, with Great and Coal Tits all dashing about, then Alex suddenly exclaimed “I can hear a Crestie!”. Pricking my ears and listening to the sounds of the forest, sure enough we could hear that distinctive call – coming from right above our heads!
With Crested Tits still yet to find, we drove back to Loch Garten again, this time parking in the Loch Garten Nature Reserve Car Park and following the trail round to the small Loch Mallachie. Plenty of tits were chattering in the trees above, with Great and Coal Tits all dashing about, then Alex suddenly exclaimed “I can hear a Crestie!”. Pricking my ears and listening to the sounds of the forest, sure enough we could hear that distinctive call – coming from right above our heads!
For a few panicky moments I
just couldn’t get on the bird, Alex trying his best to give better directions
than “It’s on that branch” – there were lots of branches! Eventually I locked on
to it, perching flat against the trunk and perfectly still, hence why I had
such trouble locating it. Eventually tilting its head from side to side, the
beautiful little crest was wonderful to see, and we watched as the bird proceeded
to fly around the tree tops for several minutes, its call betraying its
location.
I’ve seen Crested Tits in both France and Spain before, so it was great to finally catch up with these delightful little birds in the UK!
I’ve seen Crested Tits in both France and Spain before, so it was great to finally catch up with these delightful little birds in the UK!
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