The Three Lochs......Day 10

 We usually spend a lot of the week driving East and back again along the A86 but this was our first journey along this road on this particular adventure. The road takes us East to Newtownmore, Kingussie and then on to the Cairngorms.

 We stopped in Newtownmore to check out the one charity shop there and while we were getting out of the car a young Red Squirrel scampered across the road. Hoping to get another sight of it we followed the path it had vanished down but to no avail. Giving up on our search we decided to head straight up to the Cairngorms car park. There was still snow about and the driving wind and rain kept us from walking to search for Grouse and Snow Buntings.

Rainbow with Loch Morlich in the background.   

 With the weather not easing up, we headed back to lower altitudes where we hoped the more sheltered areas would provide some birding. Walking through the pine forests we could see plenty of Great, Blue and Coal Tits, Siskins, Chaffinches and a Great Spotted Woodpecker. We then parked at Loch Morlich to look for Goldeneye, 3 were seen on the loch. 

Loch Morlich

 There were plenty of Mallards on the shore ambushing us for food.

 After a chippy lunch break in Aviemore we continued on to Abernethy Forest aka Middle-Earth. We had noticed this tree on the way in and couldn't resist re-enacting a scene from one of my favourite movies, The Lord Of The Rings, Fellowship Of The Ring.

 Walking back to the car park Majella spotted movement on the road, it was a Toad.With cars coming up to park I thought we'd best help it get off the road quicker and so carried it to the roadside.

 Loch Garten

Down the trail to the visitor centre the usual array of birds were flittering between the trees. We were only too happy to provide them with some extra food though this Great Tit was trying to get 'ahead' of the queue. 😉

 There was constant activity on the feeders at Loch Garten Osprey Centre.

 As we left Boat Of Garten I managed to get a quick photo of this Roe Deer chilling in the field.

 The drive back took quite a bit longer than expected as the Sun setting over the mountains and the varying cloud cover kept changing the awesome light, so there were stunning views at every turn along Loch Laggan and Glen Spean.

Loch Laggan

 We arrived back at Tulloch and Robert was out in the farmyard along with Chester, so I had to get a quick selfie (with Chester not Robert 😉)

 It was finally going to be a dry night again so before we settled in for the evening I set up the trail cam once again hoping for more Scottish mammal action.

Photos by Stuart Pike & Majella Fox

Thank you again for all the views on my blogs. It is always appreciated and hopefully you get some enjoyment reading through them.

Just a couple of days of this current Scotland trip to go but still plenty more Wildlife to share with you all.

Stay safe.

 

30 Days Wild:Day 18 - A Wildlife Welcoming To Pembrokeshire

  Day 18 was mainly taken up by the long journey south to Pembrokeshire, South Wales.It took us around 8 hours including  3 breaks to get here.We arrived in gorgeous sunshine and I quickly started to do the important things first like rebuild my Moth trap and check my trail cam.
  John's house is a haven for wildlife, surrounded by fields and woodland with a highly active array of feeders that can be viewed from the sofa.It is in fact impossible to do anything on the pc or watch tv without closing the curtains first as its just one distraction after another with numerous birds and mammals entertaining you through the window.
  Blue Tits, Great Tits, House Sparrows, Robins, Dunnocks, Chaffinches and Magpies were all visitors to the garden within the couple of hours after our arrival and all had young tagging along.Another flash of black and white sounded the arrival of not another Magpie but this stunning Great Spotted Woodpecker.

A family dispute between Mr & Mrs Chaffinch

  Blue Tits

  Juvenile Robin

  Willow Tit, something I have never seen on a garden feeder before.

  They can be a nuisance for a lot of people but the most fun was watching 4 Grey Squirrels including a younger one finding the best way to destroy the Squirrel-proof defences.

  Not squirrel-proof anymore lol

  This youngster thought it could camouflage itself against the wooden post and not be seen.

Squirrel Globe of Death, 2 running in circles after each other inside and outside the cage.

  With 51 species of Moth(check in tomorrow for details) trapped on the first night too it looks like been an exciting week, just in the garden.No Badgers on the trail cam on the first night but there is activity nearby so hopefully I will get some footage during the next few days.