Wednesday, August 25, 2021

The first notable birds of today's trip up north were an adult and two juvenile Little Grebes on Loch na Creige in the Griffen Forest park south of Aberfeldy. Pitlochry had nesting House Martins and Swallows with Dipper Grey Wagtail and Goosander on the river and a Nuthatch calling in Port-na-Craig. A dead Wood Mouse was on the footpath next to the railway in the town centre. The drive north from there was made more enjoyable by the pink of Rosebay Willow-herb and the yellow of Ragwort and possibly St John's Wort in the verges. The Lupins of a few weeks ago seem to have "gone over" and the Heather appears also to be past its best (although some very purple patches persisted here and there). My first stop in Badenoch and Strathspey was Glebe Ponds where two Teal were lurking among the Mallards, domestic ducks and domestic geese. Two or three Moorhens were also present and a Sparrowhawk flew over being mobbed by a cloud of Swallows. A Robin's Pincushion gall was on a rose bush near the entrance gate. With the low morning sunshine now very stong, viewing was difficult at the next stop, Loch Insh. However Canada Goose, Greylag Goose, Mute Swan, Mallard and Goldeneye could just about be picked out. Two juvenile Common Gulls posed an initial identification challenge. A Jay called from nearby woods and a Hooded Crow x Carrion Crow hybrid flew over. Moving on, a Pheasant was on the road at Street of Kincardine and a Great Spotted Woodpecker called in the RSPB Loch Garten car park. The main event of the day was a guided walk around the Speyside Fields for Wildlife fields at Ballymore and Mains of Tulloch (below). Birds were fairly scarce at this, the hottest part of the day, although a Common Buzzard flew over the second site. However it was very interesting to learn more about the project and meet some of the patrons and supporters. Establishing and maintaining these fields requires a lot of work and significant financial outlay. However the benefits, in terms of the numbers of both pollinators and granivorous birds making use of them are remarkable. A busy day came to an end with the sun setting pink and orange over the Drumochter hills and a cream-crown Marsh Harrier and ring-tail Hen Harrier going to roost. The last bird of the day was a Barn Owl quartering a roadside field in the half-light.