Natural highs and lows

Here are a couple of videos of wildlife taken during the Lochinver week. First up is a Drinker Moth caterpillar seen on the road through Glen Canisp. I have never knowingly seen the adult moth, but occasionally come across the caterpillars at this time of year, even if it's only in the beak of a Cuckoo (as they're a bit partial to a big caterpillar). As I finished filming the video, a car approached along the single track road, so I stood back to let it pass. I had to hold my breath as it went over the caterpillar, but it was all ok, phew.  This next video was filmed on a window sill of the cottage we were renting. Blue, Great and Coal Tits had been seen coming to the sill, as well as Chaffinches and Redpolls. So I put the camera out and retreated back indoors, controlling start and stop on my phone via WiFi. This is an edited version to miss out all the pauses and shots of a tit's arse as it lands on the camera and then hops down in front of it.   The next couple of videos...

After a week in the Cairngorm area, it was all change for the rest of the holiday. Between cottages, there was time for a pilgrimage to Beinn Eighe National Nature Reserve in the hope of seeing a male Azure Hawker dragonfly (readers who have followed me from another place may remember expeditions in 2012 and 2015 where there was only a sighting of one female). With fours hours available before resuming the journey, it was always a long shot, but hope springs eternal, as they say, even in overcast conditions. Walking past the first wooden bench shortly after leaving the visitor centre resulted in a double take, as there, bold as brass, was sat a male Azure Hawker. Woohoo! Now I could enjoy the scenery... Beinn Eighe Slioch and Loch Maree The cottage for the second week was located just off a single track road between Lochinver and Achmelvich. After all the driving, it was good to be leaving the car to its own devices for a few days. Harbour Seal with pup, Achmelvich A beach at Achmelvic...

Natural Highs and Lows is on holiday. I know! All vaccined up and laterally flow tested; masked and maintaining as much social distancing as possible; excited at the thought of two weeks of wildlife watching, but nervous about being amongst other folk once more. Despite umpteen announcements over the tannoy, the ferry trip to mainland Scotland was a nightmare, stuck on a ship midst unmasked covidiots with little concept of personal space. Ugh. However, several hours later, calm was restored upon checking in to a small self catering cottage in the Nethybridge area of the Cairngorms, complete with a garden which was really just an extension of the surrounding countryside. Bliss. And breathe. Four-spotted Chaser, at a pond in Nethybridge  Cardinal Beetle, in garden of cottage Goosander on the River Nethy Northern Damselflies mating, at a pond in Nethybridge Longhorn Beetle on window of cottage Treecreeper in garden of cottage Red Squirrel in garden of cottage Long-tailed Tit fledgling...