Today we visited Anagach Wood
in search for Capercaillie but despite it being superb Caledonian Forest we had
no luck and I also dipped on a Woodcock flushed by three of the Yorkshire
birders.
After spending over an hour in
the wood we moved to the Findhorn Valley in the hope of seeing a Golden
Eagle. Conditions were better today and
we had at least fifteen Ravens and a couple of Buzzards as we moved down the
valley and six Lesser Redpolls were observed when we stopped for a drink. When we reached the car park at the far end
of the valley we still hadn’t seen any eagles but as we scanned Ian picked up a
bird of prey that was some distance away to the east. He was pretty sure that it was an eagle and
as it gradually came towards his initial identification was confirmed as it was
an immature Golden Eagle. It continued
to come towards us and finished gliding over the top of the hill to the
north-west of the road before disappearing over the edge. In all the time from when it was first seen
until it disappeared there was never a single wing-beat as it glided
effortlessly into the prevailing wind.
As everyone was discussing their satisfaction of the views it reappeared
and started to head over the valley and this time there wasn’t just one but it
was followed by a second juvenile, both passing almost directly over us and
away to the south, a magical moment.
Juvenile Golden Eagle
Juvenile Golden Eagle
Juvenile Golden Eagle
Juvenile Golden Eagle
Being delighted with the
sightings we headed back up the valley heading for the Black Isle and
specifically Dingwall, which is just north of the Black Isle, hoping for a
Ring-billed Gull. When we arrived in the
park there were a few gulls around the small lake but there was no sign of the
Ring-billed and a search of the ground in front of the Dingwall Academy had the
same result.
Adult winter Herring Gull
With no joy with the gull we
headed off to the Black Isle and specifically Jemimaville. We crossed the Cromarty Firth via the
Cromarty Bridge and started to head east only to find a notice saying the road
was closed with diversion signs. It
wasn't at all clear as to what road was closed as it was still assessable and
Ian took a risk and continued towards Jemimaville. We got as far as Udale Bay to find that was
where the road was closed and were only a mile or two from our destination. We spent the next half an hour or so,
initially travelling back west before heading east again towards Cromarty. We then took a turning hoping it would take
us to the southern shore of the Cromarty Firth, which despite getting concerned
at one point; it did lead us to our intended site. The diversion had also produced a couple of
Red Kites and two Hooded Crows. Once of
then shore we were able to scan the first and soon found our intended target
Scaup with c.400 being present but they were all rather distant. We also found six Eider, three Red-breasted
Mergansers and at least six Slavonian Grebes.
Finally we drove back west to view Udale Bay where we found c.200
Oystercatchers, a Ringed Plover, twenty-six Dunlin, two Bar-tailed Godwits,
circa fifty Curlew and circa thirty Redshanks.
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