Sunday, May 24, 2015

Some of the highlights of the main walk on Saturday were as follows:

Seven half-grown juvenile Goldeneye on the Spey at Kincraig, with a Sand Martin among the Swallows there, and an Osprey carrying a fish and labouring into a westerly wind.

A good showing of singing Blackcaps with singles at Kincraig, Invereshie House, the sculpture park, Feshiebridge and then, finally, Croft House.

Numerous singing Willow Warblers (and Chaffinches) all along the route.

Rooks nesting at Kincraig and feeding in surrounding fields.

Rook, Jackdaw and Swallow all visiting nest sites around Invereshie Farm, Mistle Thrush carrying food.

An Oystercatcher over Kincraig (and Aviemore), plus two Swifts (the only ones of the day). Two Reed Buntings singing there.

Squeaking Spotted Flycatchers and singing Redstarts and Tree Pipits all the way from Kincraig to Inshriach, then again in Rothiemurchus.

Many Siskins around the sculpture park and elsewhere. Four big Crossbills in deciduous trees there, calling loudly and nearly drowning out a singing Blackcap.

The walk through Inshriach added two Red Squirrels, two Great-spotted Woodpeckers, Meadow Pipit, Crested Tit, a single Tiger Beetle and more singing Redstarts and Tree Pipits. A walk up Kennapole Hill produced an interesting fungus (probably Mitrula paludosa / Bog Beacon) growing in damp woodland. At the top of the hill, a mournful, mewing call might have been made by a Golden Plover.

A pair of Mallards and a drake Goldeneye were on Loch Gamhna and a Cuckoo was calling at Ord Ban. The last Spotted Flycatchers, Tree Pipits and Blackcap of the day were at Croft House. A Whitethroat was also there (I seldom hear them in Strathspey/Badenoch).

Heading home, two Oystercatchers appeared to be attending a nest in the roundabout on the A9 next to Dunblane.