What a Mistake - My Best Ever

Wednesday May 3

Having decided , for the first time in many years, not to do the day's outing to Dunnett Bay and back, we didn't even have breakfast nor, empty the moth trap, before driving to Loch Garten car park. A man on Cairngorm yesterday told someone that the bird came to the feeders at 9.20. Ha ha. 
An hour after we'd arrived, scattered some seed and watched a Red Squirrel decimate the nuts in the nearer feeder, a diminutive Crested Tit flew in. Yes, it was 9.20 !!  He spent a short time on the nearer feeder, his head hammering the peanuts so fast it was a blur, before flying to the other feeder. Not for long, a car roared past and it flew away. Not before Pam had alerted a birder we'd been able to show Ptarmigan through my scope yesterday. He was ecstatic, his first ever Crestie.
Back for breakfast and moth-ing. It was at freezing point overnight but, we had 20 moths of 7 species. The best was a Puss Moth, one of my favourites.


Pam did some laundry, I worked on my laptop, a generally relaxed morning. 
At lunch time, we decided to re-visit Findhorn Valley. Another beautiful day to enjoy a lovely place. 
We turn off the A9 on the Tomatin road where there is a pull-off enabling some moorland viewing, we'd heard Red Grouse. Waw, four Mountain Hares chasing about. One still white, one grey, 2 mottled. Never still, rarely in full view, we loved watching them in apparent aimless galloping. One eventually sat still - at the furthest point of course.


I found the smelly hairynesses wild goats today, near the start of the valley. Pam could photograph them from the car, I couldn't. 
On to the dipper bridge where we sat for an hour and a half. Common Sandpipers, Oystercatchers, Meadow Pipits, a Curlew and...... two Golden Eagles and a Raven, the latter very large bird, dwarfed by its co flyers. 
A short session at our parking mound near the top car park before re-tracing our route. Yes, the goats were still there. Boss Billy Goat and his family.  I took four photos before we were moved on - it's a single track road - by a bus.


Ice-cream and a river search at Carrbridge. Pam ate hers leaning on the bridge. Good that she did, two Grey Wagtails were leaping gracefully from rock to rock. Delightful birds. 
The error.....
I thought that Sue and Ian might like to see the Puss Moth, so I texted them. I had a reply asking where I was as they were still a way from Inverness. I responded that we were at Tomatin on our way home. Ian then asked where our cottage is. Odd ! They visited two days ago.  I said 'Opposite the PO in Kinchurdy Road'. Response ' We are passing the end of your road at 6.00, can we all drop in. Ian and Sue have their son and his wife staying with them so it made sense.
At 6.15.  when we were wondering where they were, a panicked Pam said that she thought I'd texted the wrong Ian as two Heatherlea ( a Nethybridge based bird tour company)  Black Marias had stopped outside ! Pam took the moths and met Ian and  Johnny, the two leaders and,  both vanloads of  customers, in the road. How did they find us from such meagre instructions?  Our car outside - except that they'd all decided that we had a silver Audi. When she returned with the two moths, the Puss and the Early Thorn, she was as amused as Ian. They were all delighted with the Puss, Ian especially so with the Thorn as it was new for him. I've had a text from him this evening thanking us. What a fortunate error.
I then texted the correct Ian, making the same offer. They would love  to see the moth but were on their way out for dinner.
After dinner, we drove the Dorback road looking for Black Grouse for the Scottish list. Six lekking birds. Sue and Ian had got up at 5.30 this morning yet failed to see any. It is tricky if you don't know where to stand and look. I even tried some photos in the murky evening light.


Crossing 'our' bridge, we met Ian, Sue and family coming the other way. I drew them a map and they set off to search Dorback again.
I've newly received a text, they were unsuccessful. Better luck to-morrow I hope.

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