Todays outing was to the Cairngorms where the highlights were: very confiding Ptarmigans at two sites, Red Grouse also showing well, lots of Whooper Swans and Greylag Geese still on Insh Marshes, plenty of Song Thrushes in Aviemore, a Common Frog and a Dor Beetle along the Alt Mor trail, three Dippers at two sites plus Crested Tit and Crossbill at Loch Morlich.
The full account was as follows:
Twelve Common Gulls at Blair Atholl showground.
20 Jackdaws on cropped grass near Blair Atholl with another seven at Newtonmore and 25 around the centre of Aviemore.

No Red Grouse in the Drumochter area (presumably they are either less visible now due to the absence of snow or they have dispersed back to higher ground).

Single Jackdaws carrying nest material in Dalwhinnie and Aviemore.

Six Lapwings over rough pasture just south of Dalwhinnie with three on improved grassland just before Newtonmore.

Five Feral Pigeons at Dalwhinnie.

Small numbers of Mallard on pools north and south of Dalwhinnie.

45 Greylag Geese on improved pasture just before Newtonmore (with Jackdaws) and groups of 50 and five (with Woodpigeons) on similar habitat just east of Newtonmore Golf Course.

A Hare near Newtonmore Golf Course.

Two groups of around 50 Woodpigeons on improved grassland between Newtonmore and Kingussie.

A single Black-headed Gull at Kingussie Station (the only one of the day).

Two Rooks at their colony in Kingussie with another ten in Aviemore.

28 Whooper Swans in small groups spread out across the Insh Marshes next to the railway line.

A single Buzzard (the only one of the day) behind Aviemore.

Two Oystercatchers on grassland just north of Newtonmore with two more on cropped turf at the Aviemore resort and another two over in the direction of the fish farm.

A Rabbit in the Aviemore resort with another beside the skiers’ car park on Cairngorm.

Three Song Thrushes and five Blackbirds feeding on rabbit-cropped turf at the Aviemore estate, with another Song Thrush and a Mistle Thrush south of the centre, a Song Thrush singing near the station and a Blackbird singing south of the centre, the latter two towards evening.

Lots of Robin, Greenfinch and Chaffinch song in Aviemore.

A singing Meadow Pipit in the skiers’ car park on Cairngorm and another at the fork in the ski road.

A singing Robin just above the Day Lodge on the approach to Cairngorm.

A male Ptarmigan (in mostly white but some mottled brown plumage) showing well as it called from a boulder half way up the Sron a Aonach ridge. His feathered feet and red wattles were particularly noticeable.

A pair of Ptarmigan (the male half-moulted into summer plumage, the female still virtually all white) next to the main Coire Cas ski run. The male was intent on shepherding the female so  paid little attention to me.

Lots of evidence of Ptarmigan activity around the top station including footprints in the snow, piles of droppings and a discarded feather (with a white tip).

12 Red Grouse scattered between the skiers’ car park and just above the White Lady Shieling. Most were single calling birds (mostly unseen, so they may have been in pairs) but a pair were flushed beside the main Coire Cas ski run and circled high over the White Lady Shieling before settling again.

Few birds in the forest bordering the ski road except for a single, singing Meadow Pipit, a single Great Tit, six Coal Tits and six singing Robins.

Heron’s Field, Glenmore held three Mistle Thrushes, three Woodpigeons and two Chaffinches, all feeding on the cropped turf.

A good selection of birds around the Glenmore campsite including singing Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Robin and Dunnock, single Woodpigeon, Crested Tit and Crossbill, two Dippers, a Mallard, a Blue Tit and a Crossbill.

Only six Siskins were heard/seen all day – four in Aviemore and singles at Heron’s Field and the Glenmore campsite.

Birds on Loch Morlich consisted of 10 Mallards and a distant Whooper Swan.

Quite a good day total of 36 species consisted of: Whooper Swan, Greylag Goose, Mallard, Red Grouse, Ptarmigan, Pheasant, unidentified diver, Buzzard, Oystercatcher, Lapwing, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Feral Pigeon, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Crested Tit, Coal Tit, Wren, Dipper, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Robin, Dunnock, House Sparrow, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, unidentified crossbill and Siskin.

Impressions of Strathspey in March:

The snow is retreating with none left at track level in Drumochter and incomplete coverage in the corries and on the plateau   

The days are starting to stretch with a fair amount of daylight left by early evening

There is lots of birdsong in the towns and villages but very little deeper into the forest or at higher altitudes.