A trip to the Cairngorms: Day 2 Abernethy

Today started out with patchy cloud and sunshine, but by the afternoon it was constant drizzle. We began at RSPB Loch Garten and the Osprey Centre. The ospreys weren’t showing, but there were dozens of chaffinches and siskins battling for pole position on the feeders.

We walked from the Osprey Centre to Loch Garten and Loch Mallachie; chaffinches and coal tits were everywhere in the surrounding forests. Like our walk through Rothiemurchus, again there were common toads everywhere. Some alone, some mating and some groups a mixture of the two. Greylags flew in noisily to the small island on Loch Mallachie, but the loch was otherwise quiet, calm and clear.

Walking through the beautiful pine forests, I noticed the diverse understorey flora, so different to the forests and woods I’m used to exploring. They were full of fluffy and bouncy looking mosses, among other things and, of course, the wispy lichens hugging the trees. We could hear many goldcrests but only caught one glimpse of this tiny and quick little bird on a small trail towards Boat of Garten. It was at this point there was a sudden aggregation of birds; great tits, goldcrest, a tree creeper and more chaffinches.

Returning to the Osprey Centre through the drizzle, it was very quiet. All woodland birds seemed to have gone into hiding as we made our way back through the forest. However, the feeding station at the Osprey Centre was even more active than earlier in the day; bolshie siskins trying to push the chaffinches from the feeders, determined despite their smaller stature. A brambling brightening the sea of chaffinches with his stripes, a woodpecker feasting on peanuts and many fast moving coal tits; no ospreys today, but we held our hopes out for our wildlife safari the next day.

A trip to the Cairngorms: Day 1 Rothiemurchus

This is our second trip to the Cairngorms, we enjoyed it so much last year, we decided to come back in search of more wildlife, fresh air and great walks.

The most amazing thing about walking in this general area is the sheer abundance of lichen dripping from almost every tree – spiky, filamentous, hairy; the diversity and volume of this green fuzz is phenomenal. That, and being surrounded by almost constant bird song shows what an incredible place this is. Great, blue and coal tits, the latter a less shy and retiring and seemingly much more abundant bird than in Norfolk. Chaffinches pairing up, fighting and chasing each other; white flashes of wings and tails as they zip between trees in hot pursuit of each other. Unseen goldcrests trilled from somewhere and great spotted woodpeckers drummed, their percussions resounding from another unknown location, successfully remaining unseen.

Following one of the footpaths to Loch Eilein, we took a sidepath to Lochan Mor. This little loch was writhing with common toads by the bridge on which we stood, some just coming to the surface to sunbathe. Tearing our eyes away from the toads, drawn by a number of loud little grebes, and up to the stunning view (there were a lot of those!), it was evident there were other residents to this loch. Piebald ducks with a shocking yellow iris, a few male goldeneyes skimmed the surface and dived. A sleepy pair of goosander drifted with the slight current, occasional awoken by the grebes.

Back tracking to the main path, we had to watch our feet. Common frogs, toads and even a newt were sitting on the path. A few of which we tried to move to prevent their early demise from unwary walkers and cyclists.

On reaching Loch Eilein and making a quick visit to the shop for supplies, I almost missed our first red squirrel of our visit. Luckily, my husband was quick on the uptake with my camera for evidence. I just caught the flash of auburn moving through the silver birch and pines, with a flash of blonde gracing the end of tip of its luxurious tail. Despite the number of visitors and dogs, to which it seemed oblivious, it returned and foraged lower to the ground. A good omen for the next few days of wildlife watching.