The main outing of today was to the ruined church and graveyard on the Rothiemurchus estate. On a beautifully sunny day, many birds were in song including Nuthatch, Chiffchaff (both firsts for me for that site), Willow Warbler and Blackcap. A walk down to the river produced two Ospreys, a Buzzard, Goldeneye, Mallard, Goosander, Common Sandpiper and Redstart (a singing male and a female feeding nearby). From there we headed to Loch Insh where three Common Sandpipers were interacting over the loch, one flying extravagant undulations quite unlike the normal surface-hugging flight of this species. Also down there were two Goldeneye and a pair of Teal. Finally, an evening visit to Insh Marshes found the landscape bathed in beautiful golden light. Many birds were active over the marsh including a Redshank singing and flying vertical zig-zags with the song reaching a crescendo at the top of each undulation. A Snipe flushed by one of the reserve staff got up in towering flight over the marsh. If I had been closer, I suspect I might have heard it drumming. Oystercatchers were at the back of the marsh but Lapwings and Curlews were dotted all over and frequently took to the air to display or sing. The drive home produced a single Roe Deer, a group of five Red Deer, an Oystercatcher standing on the road verge at Drumochter and a Common gull there feeding on roadkill.
