Our Island Fling 2024

[Galana]

Our week in Airdanair draws to a close and tomorrow we leave for Speyside with mixed feelings. The cottage is as stated beautiful and just the very dab as they say up here.

But the location of Applecross is maybe not for us. There are too few wildlife opportunities for us! Not seen any Deer or Eagles or Dippers. We did find a distant view of two RT Divers but they were gone next day.

However we did find a nice 'lochan' at Milltown with a hide so allwas not lost. No Otters but waterfowl including Golden-eye with nest boxes on stilts.

We came for the Martens and got our monies worth. If they turn up tonight it will be 6 out of 7 success.

I think there are a male and maybe 2 females plus at least one juv. Kit.

Not only did I manage to train them to 'watch the birdie' but they actually came out in daylight too. Working on the results when I get home.

 

Tomorrows drive is 120miles to near Kincraig for our last week during which we hope to ake a trip to the Moray Firth to meet Dolphins as well as the rare 'Lesser spotted Dave' known to be inhabiting the location too. Thursday's weather and tides look fine to us.

 

[Galana]

Doing OK so far.

 

After negotiating what appeared to be an invasion of French Reg Camper Vans, we counted 25 in one convoy all trying to get into the same small passig place on these single track roads. They may not usually go 'off road' but they sure got some practice as we approached them. Not much point in 'drive on left' or right when there is only one narrow lane available.

And so after we refuelled and stocked with provisions in Niss we had an hour r so to pass before our next cottage would be ready for us.

So, what better than tea and scones in the 'Old Post Office' in Kincraig followed by a visit to the nesting Ospreys on the Spey?

 

Two chicks this year keeping the parents busy.

 

Then a short drive through the Forest to 'Torbreck' our home for the next seven days/nights.

 

Quiet location.

 

Cosy little nest in the Forest.

 

Cute neighbours too although the light can be tricky at times.

 

About ten species of birds too so far.

 

wish you were here?

[Galana]

Birds from my balcony in course but meantime mammals from the Kitchen sink. I don't mind washing up with this to watch.

 

 

Any volunteers to dry the pots?

 

 

[Galana]

18th June Tuesday.

Not writing a blog but thought to note the passing of time. Summer Solstice in three days time and we seem to have mislaid Spring somewhere.

 

As to wildlife you have had enough of furry mammals for now. The Pine Martens were a 'no show' last evening, at least whilst I stayed awake but Cyril the Squirrel joined us for breakfast once more.

So I wish to share some of our other neighbours at Torbreck Cottage.

I have attempted to use photos without feeders or man made objects.

Here they are unlisted.

 

I have overdosed sightly on TreeCreeper which is a missnomer.

TreeRunner would be more appropriate.

 

[TonyQ]

A lovely set of visitors 

[Galana]

4 hours ago, TonyQ said:

A lovely set of visitors 

True and it got better this morning.

 

Meanwhile here are some near neighbours from a local Lochan.

Little Grebe or Dabchick.

 

Greylag Gosling.

 

Golden-eye.

 

Slavonian Grebes.

 

I did not bother with the Geese and numerous gulls.

 

Our Squirrels performed really well for us this morning and made us an hour late.

 

More to come.

 

[Galana]

A couple of days out as the weather improved.

We are only a few, 15? miles from the ill starred Cairngorm Mountain Railway so taking advantage of better weather we head there as a possible site for Ring Ouzels and Snow Buntings. We were late starting as we bore witness to a near miss between a Goshawk and one of 'our' Squirrels. More on that later when I indulge in more close encounters at risk of boring (BUT this IS Safari talk so why not Squirrels in place of 101 bloody Baboons?)

 

Anyway. Here is the view from lower station of the Mountain Railway that goes nowhere now.

Skitown of Aviemore in distance as Loch Morlich in middle ground.

Sadly we drew a blank on Ouzles and Buntings but did find a nice Red Grouse pretending to be a Ptarmigan to keep my Spirits up.

 

 

On the way home we called at Ruthven Barracks and Insch Marsh RSPB Reserve.

 

Not much in the way of Birds at the Marsh but we did get good views of a Roe with a fairly young Fawn that had been called out of hiding for a feed and clean.

 

AWwwww! This area is good for both Roe and Red Deer.

 

Ruthven Barracks. Now a ruin of course.

History

Ruthven Barracks were built by George I’s government between 1719 and 1721 following the Jacobite rising of 1715. They were to house garrison infantry to police the area and enforce the Disarming Act of 1716.

The barracks are situated on the site of the medieval castles of the Comyns and the Gordons, of which only the well still remains. The strategic importance of the site is obvious – visible from miles around, it dominates the head of the Spey valley.

For king and country

Ruthven Barracks could hold two companies of soldiers – about 120 men – and their officers, but it’s unlikely it was ever fully garrisoned. They were housed in two piles of three-storey barracks with a parade ground between them. Each pile had six rooms, with men sleeping 10 to a room and two to a bed.

Towers projecting from opposite corners of the protective wall housed the officers’ quarters, as well as:

• a guardroom
• a prison
• a bakehouse
• a brewhouse

The stables beyond the barracks, added on orders of Major General Wade in 1734, could hold up to 30 horses. They were used by dragoons protecting troops marching along the military road.

The second rising

The garrison saw action 26 years after it was first built, during the 1745 Jacobite rising.

In late August of that year, 300 Jacobites besieged the barracks, but were held off by the 12 redcoats inside. Just one of the barracks’ troops died, ‘by foolishly holding his head high over the parapet’, according to his sergeant.

The Jacobites returned in February the next year, this time with heavy guns. The garrison soon surrendered to Gordon of Glenbuchat’s men.

The rising and the fall

The Jacobites were soundly defeated by the redcoats at the Battle of Culloden on April 16, 1746. The remainder of the army regrouped at Ruthven to await word from their leader, Bonnie Prince Charlie.

His message arrived on April 20, reading ‘Let every man seek his own safety in the best way he can’.

‘The answer, under existing circumstances, was as inconsiderate in Charles as it was heartbreaking to the brave men, who had sacrificed themselves in his cause,’ Chevalier Johnstone said.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Galana]

The second outing was to the head waters of the famous whisky river from which Speyside Malts are named. Makes one get a dry throat just writing about it.

 

So up we went to see where the water that makes the critter comes from.

 

And here it is.

 

Ready for bottling after a modest treatment and passage of a few years. I can wait.

 

 

We also passed the more famous Harry Potter Bridge where he faught a famous battle to keep the source pure by hiding the infant river from those who soght to do evil to Scotland's economy.

See the book. Harry Potter and the Brig tae naewhere due out next year.

[Galana]

That's it. We are packing the car for the drive home.

 

We spent a quiet day.

 

Quite dull.

 

Had a walk up the Glen and then bid goodbye to the local Ospreys and wished them well. Caught them both having time off from the kids.

Ma

 

Pa.

 

Some more squirrels from the other day when the Goshawk nearly got lucky but stayed hungry.

 

She was out playing the high wire and attracted unwelcome, to her, attention.

 

A goshawk whizzzed in but the feeding birds all alarmed so the squirrel leaped to the tree trunk screened from the attack,

And hid frozen still out os sight for severla minutes. I got lots of no movement.

 

Then when the birds all came back, out she came and resumed her showing off act.

Byee!

 

So now the drive tomorrow. and home.

 

 

[Kitsafari]

finally all caught up. you had some lovely digs with pretty brilliant wildlife around it! We've yet to see a marten and a red squirrel!

[Galana]

Pleased that you enjoyed it.

The digs were excellent with the exception of the first stop but that may not be all their fault. Perhaps we were in the 'wrong market place?'

 

Martens are becoming more visible and some lodgings are actively encouraging them to feeders. Sadly they are more inclined to dawn and dusk but can be observed in daylight with patience. Red squirrels are making a come back as their Grey american cousins get pushed ut by the everspreading Martens moving in. The process is marked thus.

1. Martens arrive in the territory.

2. Greys are too fat and heavy to escape from hungry Martens so move out.

3. Reds, previously failing to hold ground against the introduced Fat Greys, move back in.

4-5. Martens and Reds, having evolved over millennia to exist/survive together, get the eco system where it was.

Win - win.

It could be said that Martens are the protector that the Reds require.

all that now needs to happen is for speeding Tourons to drive carefully as the number of roadkills is sadly increasing.

 

 

[TonyQ]

Very enjoyable @Galana

It is interesting and encouraging that Martens are becoming more visible- and you seem very good at finding them. Good news on the Red Squirrels as well.

Thank you for your report

[Towlersonsafari]

very entertaining as always @Galanaglad to see the  ospreys are doing well

[Atravelynn]

I found the Road to the Isles song on youtube and it was the perfect background music to your report.  Some of your well-written comments on wildlife, history, accommodations might have made for additional verses to that Scottish tune.  You did well with your birds, plus the mammals.  The lodging and scenery shots from this highland and island fling brought us all along for the ride to this  part of the world.  Looking forward to 2 more days.

[Galana]

On 6/22/2024 at 5:42 PM, Towlersonsafari said:

glad to see the  ospreys are doing well

Very true.

Talk is of 3 chicks but the most I have seen is two. (if you know where to stand you can almost see into the nest and count heads.)

On 6/22/2024 at 9:40 PM, Atravelynn said:

Looking forward to 2 more days.

Sorry to disappoint but there is only one to come as we arrived home this morning at 07.00 having driven down from Torbreck in one go to the Ferry (Packet boat as we say), dinner at a nice place we know, boarded at midnight and caught some sleep before docking in our Capital City of Douglas and drove the last 20 miles in sunshine.

 

We did take a short diversion to Leighton Moss and took a few snaps which follow.

Mainly 'shorebirds' from the Eric Morcambe Hide which holds breeding Avocet.

Adult.

 

Chick.

 

Mixed bag of waders with Bar-tailed Godwits in splendid colours. And Knot I think.

 

A hunting Marsh Harrier kept spooking the birds so grabbed a flock shot.

One of which clearly shows the Barred tails of the Godwits.

 

Overall we had a decent trip and covered over 2000 road miles with some disappointments with squally weather and a lot of visiting uncaring travellers intent on covering distance as opposed to actually seeing the beauty of the place.

Things can be very perverse in nature. Some roads such as 'The Pass of the Cattle' to Applecross are clearly marked 'dangerous' and not for inexperienced drivers but that seems to attract a gung ho type of rider/driver to actually do it as some sort of rite of passage. Some Tourism authority has devised a circular route around the far north of Scotland and named it the Northern circuit 500 which has attracted more vehicles than is good for the area and conditions.

 

Overall we had excellent lodgings with two outstanding new ones. Adarandair stands out roof and chimney above others for its sheer homely comfort and isolation (if one ignores the illegal fly camper vans) and Torbreck with its lovely location in the Forest with its deer, squirrels and Pine Martens as neighbours. Not forgetting Lochside and Mrs MCNeil's "108" with its corncrakes and snipe in the garden. With luck we will be back there in 2025.

And if the weather is ugly then that is a benefit of Self Catering. We just stay in bed longer until the sun comes back.

 

My final post follows with a pure indulgent and shameless portrayal of some furry neighbours.

 

[Zim Girl]

Great report @Galana.  Love the SE Owls and Pine martens especially.

Sorry we missed you in the Cairngorms.

[Galana]

On 6/24/2024 at 11:53 AM, Zim Girl said:

Sorry we missed you in the Cairngorms.

Likewise.  Especially as your walk up Glen Feshie put you both just over the river from Torbreck where we could have offered refreshments and and shared your elation at the Ptarmigans.

Ah well. I did get to share refreshments with @Soukous in Barra and be honoured to be only the 2nd ST member to ever enter @Dave Williamscomfortable caravan and be served lunch. Lady G even got Red Wine.

 

Anyway to wrap up the tale with some tails of various creatures we met. No Beavers or Otters this trip but I did get a couple of target species. Indulge me.

Or not it would seem as there is a Server error.

 

 

Edited June 25 by Galana

[Galana]

Well better late than never the uploading is now working so hear are some of the promised photos to round off the trip.

First from Aradanair Cottage north of Applecross. A really lovely place and recommended.

 

I had to rely on the Trail Camera for the Marten visits which were around 01.00 or so. My camera also runs 10 sec videos too but I cannot show them.

However if the food run out then we did get Martens coming at first light so nice colour photos ensued although not the best quality as I was still in bed.

 

 

And then with colour they improved.

No food left but I used to jamb some under that warped plywood that kept them interested long enough to get a photo.

 

Then over to Torbreck Cottage where I could use my Nikkon.

Starting with a view to die for whilst doing the dishes after dinner.

 

 

Getting closer was not easy. It was quite nervous.

 

But patience was rewarded albeit through the glazing. No way they tolerated open access.

 

Although the squirrels would if thye were well fed.

 

Tree Creeper. Way too active to be a creeper.

 

The Woodpeckers kept active feeding two fledgelings.

 

I'm done until next year.

[Soukous]

On 6/25/2024 at 3:30 PM, Galana said:

2nd ST member to ever enter @Dave Williamscomfortable caravan

 

I've been in the caravan, so does that mean I was the first. Surely not? 

[xelas]

Scotland has delivered again. Sunny days might be in short supply but one-track roads are plentiful!

[Galana]

13 hours ago, xelas said:

Scotland has delivered again.

Indeed it does. More reliable than the weather.