All's Well...........

Saturday April 29

Neither of us was in a hurry to start the day. I finished a book on my Kindle, Pam pottered about in her nightie. Just like home on non mothing days !

The local paper shop had a Telegraph for me, the Saturday edition is my favourite, that left only anti-histamine pills for Pam to buy in Aviemore. Occasionally small clusters of spots appear, a result of the Shingles she had last year. Where should we go to avoid the Bank Holiday weekend crowds.

Nethy Bridge and Broomhill Bridge. Yes. A Dipper, perched on a small twig before flying across the river. 

Dorback next, our Black Grouse spot. Not to-day. A distant black blob was a possibility but viewing, is very difficult. A Buzzard on the way back raised the ante.
Lovely views of the Cairngorm heights, with enough snow to make it interesting.

We spent an hour in Loch Garten car park, watching the feeders, which were almost empty. Nothing was tempted by our scattered seed. Blue, Coal and Great Tits, Great Spotted Woodpecker and a myriad Chaffinches visited. Photographers encircled the feeders, families came and went, So did we. No Crested Tit to-day.

Anti-histamine pills, tick. 
We drove up Cairngorm, some snow lying in relict patches along the high parts of the way, more in the gullies along the tops, dirty ridges along the car park edge where a snowplough had pushed it. Nothing compared with last year's fall.

The lovely road to Feshiebridge passes Inchriach, one of my favourite Alpine nurseries. No more, it is now a cafe with self catering accommodation, all the plants gone. I discovered this on the web when researching something for MH. Not tempted by the cakes, straight on to Glen Feshie and Uath Lochan. 

More families and children - and dogs. Not a bird in sight, not even an ubiquitous Willow Warbler. 

We view Loch Insh from a lay-by west of Kincraig, beside a railway line. Hundreds of Swallows hawking the water, fishermen anchored in small boats, a dozen Tufted Ducks, one Grey Heron thigh deep in the reed bed and........ a pair of handsome Red-throated Divers.

Time to go 'home' to cook the food bought yesterday. Pam did all the veg preparation, I chopped the carrots, celery and mushrooms and completed the savoury mince, ending up with enough for nearly two weeks for one person.  Pam loves vegetables and they bulked out the meal considerably. It was meant to last her the week but we're already planning how to best take it to Mull.

Six o'clock. Still light enough. Lochindorb called. A Cuckoo flew across the approach road before the loch turning, our first of the year. 
No stopping for Red Grouse to-night, straight to the loch. The divers nest at the south end of the loch, empty water for us. 

There is a stately Ash tree at the northern end of the loch, past the hunting lodge, which Pam photographs every year. It is lovely in its still naked-branched candelabra shape, small green curls appearing at the tips. 

Scanning the lake I saw a superb Black-throated Diver just sitting there. Excitement all round. Ever optimistic, and/or foolish, I took some photographs before a car appeared and we had to move on. In time to see a Common Sandpiper and two Redshanks.

Very little light left, we sped home, opening the door to a delicious smell. I wish I wasn't on diet !

I set up the suitcase, 40 watt actinic, moth trap in the back garden whilst Pam got the meal. I then checked the few pics I took to-day. Here's the most reasonable one of the Black-throated Diver.