Pam's Idea of a Short Driving Day

Friday April 28

Away shortly before nine - Loch O Lowes doesn't open until 9 , or so we thought. The A9 is only a quarter of a mile away from the TraveLodge and Dunkeld a forty minute drive. Loch O Lowes is a Scottish Wildlife Trust reserve which has two hides overlooking a long used Osprey nest , high in the top of a tree on the other side of the loch.
Several workers walking about, a sprinkling of cars in the car park and locked doors to Reception. The tower hide is open to members 24/7, reception and shop at 10 a.m. We sat in a hide until it was opening time, the only other occupants a nest watcher totally pre-occupied with trying to get on line on her IPad mini (Electricity cut !) and a dour, non-responsive and dumb older woman. Mother?
Having had a good look at the sitting Osprey's head,


a pair of mating Great Crested Grebes, a few pairs of Goldeneye and some Mute Swans, we went back to reception. There's a great plate glass viewing area overlooking birch forest with a myriad feeders set up. We sat expectantly before one of the workers appeared, taking the next fifteen minutes filling the feeders. Couldn't that have been done before opening time?
Some of the birds continued to feed, the others gradually returned. A dozen Mallard scavenged the ground, Siskin, Chaffiches, Yellowhammers, Coal, Blue and Great Tits, a pair of Great Spotted Woodpeckers 


and a Dunnock emptied the feeders. Not as fast as a Red Squirrel, which spent at least ten minutes eating at one feeder. 


It's a wonder he could scamper away - and he didn't return whilst we were there.
An oddly coloured Pheasant glowed in the filtered sunshine.


Photographic opportunies are temptingly good, doing so through reflective and dirty glass mars results.
There was a webcam in the corner so that we could keep an eye on the nest.
One of the young women in charge of the shop, is a moth-er. She admired my lapel badge of a Hummingbird Hawkmoth. We had a discussion about the society's lack of funds, no money to buy her a fleece let alone a bulb for the moth trap. She's also had experience with using pheromones for attracting Kentish Glory. This year's batch works, as it's in glass tubes instead of a rubber bung.
Driving around the shores of the loch was a delight. Hazel and birch sprouting fresh leaves, a carpet of Wood Anemones, 


a few Violets and some Ladies Smocks amongst the multi trunked trees. The tender curls of emerging bracken echoed their autumn colour.


 This was when Pam decided that she hates the small crowded Tesco at Aviemore so much that she was driving 24 miles further on to the Inverness superstore. It did mean that after shopping we birded Alturlie, which is on the shores of the Moray Firth.
A very high tide meant that the Hooded Crows were all in nearby fields instead of extensive mud. One Whimbrel, 


several White Wagtails, a pair of Red-breasted Merganser, one Wheatear, one male Eider and a Redshank 



was a very poor return for this usually good spot. Singing Willow Warblers and a male Reed Bunting were a bonus.
The stunning sight of about two thousand Pink-footed Geese winging north was both unexpected and a waw factor. So late for that number.


Another route decision. Boat of Garten via Lochindorb instead of down the A9. The pretty way... hampered by a heavy shower and very slow traffic along the north coast.
Great to hear and see Red Grouse as soon as we turned off the Carrbridge road for the loch. Their throaty bubbling 'gobeck' is very evocative of the Scottish moors. 


After a quick there and back of an empty loch, a Red Kite flew across the road before touring the ridge above. New sighting for this area.
We were both pleased to arrive at Boat of Garten and the cottage. The car emptying chore was soon over, with time to relax in our warm and spotlessly clean home for the next week.





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