I concentrated my efforts on finding Crossbills today. I
started early on at Loch Garten in the Abernethy Forest. It had rained overnight
and the air was fresh. But I had walked this area in far better conditions and
had not even heard any call!
After breakfast I moved on to Loch an Eilein and resumed the
search there. The wind was picking up by now and there were showers / sleet in
the air. The route around the Loch was a very pleasant walk but the Crossbills
had obviously gone away on their holidays!
I was deciding where to go next when I noticed a pair of
Osprey gliding into view over the Loch. I guess I couldn’t leave Scotland without
at least mentioning this magnificent bird!
My last walk was around a pine forest just down from the
Adventure theme Park in Carr Bridge. Brief sleet showers had me ducking into
the pines a couple of times but again I drew a blank on my target bird.
I was now completely walked out and although the odd bird
has been reported since I arrived there has definitely a shortage of this
species in the area! The pine forests I have visited are vast but there did
seem to be a shortage of cones on a lot of the trees. I have also noticed a
fair amount of logging in some areas.
Tomorrow I will head back to Aberdeen for my short flight
home. I am keeping an eye on RBA to see if the King Eider is still at Newburgh
hopefully so!
No comments:
Post a Comment