Saturday, October 26, 2013

The weather portents were not good, but the monthly wander in Strathspey went ahead regardless. As it turned out, the rain stayed away until nearly 6pm. Mostly the sun shone and the wind remained fairly light,
Birds seen on the train journey north included three Red Grouse at Drumochter and flocks of both thrushes and finches in Badenoch. In Aviemore, a single Redwing called overhead and a pair of Collared Doves flew in. The walk itself started at the ski car park. Views from up there were excellent. No snow yet, but the yellow of the Birches and orange of the Larches made for a very colourful scene.
Red Grouse and Meadow Pipit were around the ski car park but no Snow Buntings appeared. Dropping down the Allt Mor path (still one of my favourite trails anywhere), birds heard or seen included Carrion Crow, Goldcrest, Coal Tit and Robin.
The stretch of the Abhainn Ruigh-eunachan where it enters Loch Morlich held two noisy Dippers. Nine swans keeping to the centre of the loch turned out to be Whoopers. Birds round the south side of the loch included Redwing, Crested Tit and Dipper. Three Goosanders were on the loch itself. Ten Goldeneye were actively feeding in the south west corner where three more Goosander loafed on rocks. In the forest there were quite a lot of Blaeberries that the Mallards and other wildlife haven't found. The highlight of the walk happened here with a remarkable "dog fight" involving 14 Ravens and six Buzzards high over the start of the Sluggain Path. The first birds noticed were two Ravens calling as they flew over. These birds kept flying upwards until it was clear that they were joinging a larger group higher up. The flock consisted of wheeling Buzzards and small parties of Ravens (I noticed two groups of five each, flying in fairly tight formation). All were milling around and lunging at eachother from time to time. However there was no sign of a larger raptor which might have been the cause of the behaviour. Eventually, all the birds drifted north east until they disappeared somewhere over Craiggowrie. The nine Whooper Swans then put on a show of their own as they took off from the loch and repeatedly circled over the forest honking loudly.

Nineteen Greylag Geese flew over the forest near "Piccadilly". Redwing were in small numbers at scattered sites. Fieldfares were thin on the ground. Crested Tits were at four sites and crossbill sp. at two. Eight Long-tailed Tits were at Whitewell and twenty Redpoll were at a very colourful Tullochgrue. 

Looking north from the top of the Allt Mor trail (above)

Half-way down the Allt Mor trail (above)

Loch Morlich from the south east corner (above)

Loch Morlich from the west end (above)

Autumn colour at Tullochgrue (above)

More colour at Tullochgrue (above)

Autumn Birches below Tullochgrue (above)