Look both ways

Towards the end of April, it was time for our "Summer" holiday, before Megan's busiest months of wildlife guiding around Orkney from May to September. This year we chose to return to a favourite destination, booking a week in a self-catering cottage at Nethy Bridge in the Cairngorms area of Scotland. We had previously only visited in June (in 2021 and 2022, although those two holidays had been quite different owing to the very cold Spring of 2021), so we were keen to see how we would fare several months earlier in the year.

The journey south meant an early sailing from Stromness, the mv Hamnavoe easing out of port at 06.30 for the 90 minute crossing of the Pentland Firth. After a quick breakfast aboard, we headed out onto deck to sea watch for birds. I was rewarded with my first Great Skuas (Bonxies) of the year, and also a couple of Puffins as we neared Scrabster on the mainland.

Driving off the ferry, most of our fellow passengers headed east for the A9 and the quick way south, whilst we weren't in a hurry and headed west to pick up the single track road down through Forsinard to Helmsdale. This has become a bit of a pilgrimage over the years, and although much chillier this time, pootling along a deserted road at 30mph with the windows open is a magical experience for the avid bird listener. We had a second breakfast in Helmsdale before heading for Inverness where I had arranged to drop off some books for sale at Leakey's Bookshop. Then, after a quick visit to a supermarket, we carried on south and detoured up Strath Dearn for a leisurely picnic. Here we scored a drive-by Dipper, then munched our lunch watching and listening to Common Sandpipers, a Goosander and a few Pied Wagtails. As we travelled further up towards the headwaters of the River Findhorn, there were several groups of folk parked up at various points along the valley, all with telescopes pointed expectantly at the ridge to the south, in the hope of Golden Eagles. We drove to a parking spot at the end of the road and set off on foot for a bit of a leg stretch to ease the miles out of our muscles.

Wheatears were recent arrivals on their way northwards, perching on rocks amongst the heather, Ravens cronked their way across the sky and a Peregrine called from a distant cliff. As we retraced our steps to the car, the Peregrine calls went (technical ornithological term) absolutely mental. If there's one thing I have learnt over the years (yes, it may be as many as that), it's that wildlife is way better at spotting other wildlife than humans are. For example, if you want to find a shy and well-camouflaged female dragonfly, leave it to the male dragonflies, as they have had hundreds of millions of years more practice than we have. But I digress. Raptors usually raise the roof in the presence of a larger raptor, so a quick scan of the sky revealed one, no... two Golden Eagles circling above the northern ridge of the valley. We permitted ourselves a cheeky smile at the thought of all those scopes pointing the wrong way.

Back on route, we made our way to Nethy Bridge, settled into the cottage and sat outside with a brew in the late afternoon sunshine (although I was wearing all my layers and a hat). The tall shrub by the picnic bench, which in June would be covered in frothy white blossom and a whole host of insect species, wasn't even in leaf in April, yet it still managed to WOW! us with close views of a gorgeous male Bullfinch.

Leaving Stromness, the ferry passes by the lighthouses on the island of Graemsay - Hoy High and Hoy Low. The high one is on the left 😊

Strath Dearn, the valley of the River Findhorn

A welcome brew after a long day in the saddle

Bullfinch

Next time: the weather sets the tone...