Highlands & Skye 2017 - Part Three

Day 6: May 3rd

Down towards the south-eastern peninsula looking south-east initially to the deserted Knoydart peninsula on the mainland. Eagles, cuckoos but, first of all, some encounters with twite. Tricky little chaps!

Twite Twite Golden eagle seen but, mysteriously, I took no photos. Managed some bifs of the white-taileds with the sun illuminating those white bits! White-tailed Eagle White-tailed Eagle White-tailed Eagle Eagle watchers! John & Sallly White-tailed Eagle Southern Skye Rum from the Ord valley. Rhum Lunch in the area round Ord. Great northern diver. Great Northern Diver Whimbrel. Whimbrel The view - iphone video takes a good few seconds to load... Dunsgiath Castle at Tokavaig Taken near Dunsgiath Castle at Tokavaig [I think!]. Remains of castle pop into view at end of clip.

End of day 6 back in my room at Nethy Bridge. Roe deer from the window as I sipped a glass of red stuff. Roe Deer

Day 7: May 4th - Pottering around the Aviemore area.

Another day, another try for capercaillie. But, we succeeded or, more to the point, Sally spotted one. My first female caper. Fabulous. Lunch back up top with more crossbills but I was always on the wrong side for good light. Scottish Crossbill

Stopping to turn back through the forest someone cleverly spotted some green tiger beetles. Tried a long distance shot with equivalent 560mm lens [400mm DO lens with 1.4 extender]. Not bad! Green Tiger Beetle Quiet lunch in Aviemore watching a peregrine site but nothing seen except this rook caught my eye. Another bif! Rook Walking at Craigellachie failed to produce wood warbler but I was lucky when I left on Saturday and called in again - wood warbler seen and heard well. I hope Paul and Chris found one too.

We headed for Aviemore to look for ring ouzel near the base station. Soon seen but took a while to get these.  Ring Ouzel Ring Ouzel Pale willow warbler seen too in the rock garden. Very flighty bird. Chiffchaff The moon came up over Cairn Gorm. Moon Day finished near Loch Insh close to an osprey nest. The birds showed well as a possible intruder bird was stirring things up. Although the light was tricky I like the translucent effect this created. Osprey Osprey

More conventional shot as the bird moved round to the north. Osprey

Day 8: May 5th - Moray coast

Frosty morning as I looked out from my bedroom window. Roe deer again in the early light. Roe Deer Roe Deer Swallow on the fire escape! Swallow

Portsoy looking for white-billed diver but no luck there. Eider and turnstones. Eider Eider

Hi there! Turnstone Lunch at Spey Bay where with telescopes we watched osprey, goosander, little and common terns. Beautiful location. Spey estuary I've gone slightly out of chronological order on purpose. Just wanted to finish with two final views from Port Gordon area.

Wheatear at a cemetery. Wheatear

Final shot. Grey seal contortionist. Grey Seal

Highlands & Skye 2017 - thanks to everyone who made it so wonderful.