Highlands, May 2025

Mark Finn
May 18-25

May 18th: Strathpeffer, Orrin, Udale Bay
Daily 42 New 42 Running 42
Weather: Rather mixed on an E wind 14c

I started the final spring tour with a visit to the reed-fringed lochans at Strathpeffer. On arrival a visit to the upper lochan provided sightings of Common Coot, Eurasian Teal, Tufted Duck, Mallard, Mute Swan, Barn Swallow and up to two pairs of Little Grebes. On the lower lochan we finally managed views of a Horned Grebe. Next stop was at Orrin and the extensive silver birch forests. A female Eurasian Sparrowhawk was briefly seen darting across the road, Willow Warblers singing everywhere and a male Yellowhammer perched on a line. It was time to return towards the Black Isle and visit Udale Bay and the Cromarty Firth. On the mud a few lingering Pink-footed Geese and a lone Canada Goose, Eurasian Oystercatchers and a Grey Heron. A diversion to Jemimaville produced nothing of note so I returned to Cygnus House.
Mammals: European Badger (1), Common Rabbit (c)

Arctic Skua

May 19th: Chanonry Point, Cairngorm, Nethybridge, Loch Morlich, Loch Malachie, Cromdale
Daily 49 New 22 Running 64
Weather: Cloudy with sunny spells. NE wind, 17c

Birds around the gardens at Cygnus House included Great Spotted Woodpeckers, a male Eurasian Bullfinch and the common garden birds attending the many feeders. I dropped Derek and Brian at Charonry Point for an hour where they recorded a dark phase Arctic Skua, Northern Gannet, Common Guillemot, Great Black-backed, Herring and Common Gulls and high numbers of migrating Arctic Terns. It was time to head down the A9 and visit the Cairngorm Mountain range, to our disappointment the railway was closed without notice for repairs. Loch Morlich is close by where we located Common Swift, Barn Swallow, Sand Martin, Common Cuckoo, Common Tern and Common Sandpipers perched on rocks. Bird life seemed to be oddly absent or quiet so I decided to walk the trail system at Loch Malachie. The group did well here recording Common Redstart, Tree Pipit, Spotted Flycatcher, Eurasian Wren and Eurasian Siskin. I ended the day at Cromdale and its ancient church but the area was disturbed by fisherman on the river. 
Mammals: Brown Hare (2)

Stonechat

May 20th: Corrimony, Novar Estate, Portmahomack, Tarbatness, Embo, The Mound, Brora Valley
Daily 65 New 19 Running 83
Weather: Sunny and warm with a SE wind 20c

This was the last Black Grouse safari of the year with Alex meeting us in the car park at Corrimony. It did not take long to reach the first of three leks on the reserve and over the next hour or so we had close views of 19 Black Grouse. Also present were Common Cuckoo, Common Stonechat, Song and Mistle Thrushes, Willow Warblers, Eurasian Curlew and Northern Lapwing. At 0630 hours I travelled to Alness via Loch Ness which was requested by Derek. Breakfast was taken in Alness and then a visit to the Novar Estate near Evanton. A slow walk around the trails added close views of Goldcrest, Eurasian Treecreeper, Eurasian Wren, European Robin and Common Chiffchaffs singing from the highest trees. Portmahomack was next on the agenda a village on the Dornoch Firth and an area of the North Sea which benefits from the shelter of bad weather. The sea conditions were very calm allowing us to scan this large area. Careful checks revealed several flocks of Common Scoter with one group having a male Velvet Scoter, Red-throated Divers, Common Eider, Northern Gannet, Common and Black Guillemots and Great Cormorant. A visit to Tarbatness gave us Common Linnet, Eurasian Skylark, Common Linnet and House Martins nesting on the lighthouse. Embo was busy with tourists so I headed to Loch Fleet and The Mound. We were soon watching a pair of Ospreys on their nest, Red-breasted Mergansers, Common Shelduck, Greylag Geese, Common Greenshank and Common Sandpipers. Later we travelled through the Brora Valley searching for bird life with only the commoner species being seen.
Mammals: Common Rabbit (c), Brown Hare (1), European Badger (2), Harbour Porpoise (2), Red Deer (25), Sika (6), Roe Deer (2), North Atlantic Grey Seal (c)

May 21st: Orrin, Achanalt, Gairloch, Loch Ewe, Laide, Mellon Udrigle, Gruinard Bay
Daily 61 New 11 Running 94
Weather: Mixed spells of sun and showers. SE wind 18c

Orrin was revisited this morning with a Wood Warbler calling from the birch trees. Also present were Spotted Flycatcher, Great Spotted Woodpecker and overhead a Red Kite. The rest of the day was spent exploring areas along the Wester Ross coastal trail. Achanalt was the first area visited a large, shallow loch with islands and nearby cliffs and forest. A scan of the loch revealed Whooper Swan, Eurasian Wigeon, Common Greenshank, Common Redshank and Wood Sandpiper. In the surrounding trees we found Willow Warbler, Blackcap, Eurasian Bullfinch and Eurasian Wren. The coastal village of Gairloch was next on the agenda where the beach attracted Great and Lesser Black-backed Gulls and offshore Great Northern Diver, Northern Gannet and Red-breasted Mergansers. Further along the coast is Loch Ewe an important area for birds and wildlife. Red-throated Divers were numerous along with European Shags, Barn Swallow, Sand Martin, Northern Wheatear and Meadow Pipits. Laide was quiet today so I headed to the end of the road and the hamlet of Mellon Udrigle. The grass here attracted Rock Pipit, Common Linnet, Mistle Thrush and a pair of Northern Ravens. The day ended with views across to Gruinard Island where a male Hen Harrier was drifting around looking for prey. This was a fitting end to the day in a very scenic part of Scotland.
Mammals: European Badger (2), Red Deer (1), NA Grey Seal (5), Pine Marten (1), Wild Goat (4)

Sanderling

May 22nd: Glen Loth, Forsinard, Sandside Bay, Scrabster, Dunnet Bay, St John’s Pool, Dunnet Head
Daily 65 New 13 Running 107
Weather: Mixed with a cool N wind 14c

Today I headed north into Sutherland and Caithness a remote and sparsely population area of Scotland. Glen Loth was the first birding spot with sightings of Common Buzzard, Common Cuckoo, Northern Raven and near the road end a pair of Grey Wagtails and a Spotted Flycatcher. The flow country was passed through with no sign of any harriers or plovers and onto Sandside Bay on the Pentland Firth. The sandy shore dotted with rocks was good for Whimbrel, Dunlin, Ringed Plover, Sanderling, Rock and Meadow Pipits and Common Shelduck. In the sheltered waters of the bay Black-legged Kittiwakes, Common Eider, Common Guillemot, Razorbill and parties of migrating Arctic Terns. A diversion to Scrabster Harbour gave close views of Black Guillemots with their brilliant red legs and Common Eiders. Dunnet Bay was disturbed by too many tourists so we went to St John’s Pool and the birding hide. This was great for close views of Common and Black-headed Gulls, Sandwich, Arctic and Common Terns, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Northern Shoveler, Gadwall, Tufted Duck and Common Moorhen. Dunnet Head was to be the finale and the most northerly point of mainland Britain. A scan of the cliffs gave us views of the regular auk species plus Atlantic Puffins and cliff nesting Northern Fulmars and ‘real’ Rock Doves.  Back to Thurso where we had rooms for the night.
Mammals: Common Rabbit (c), Red Deer (c)

May 23rd: Broubster Leans, Bettyhill, Hope Valley, Balnakeil, Lairg
Daily 67 New 4 Running 111
Weather: Cloudy with sunny spells on a SW wind 16c

First stop today was the abandoned village of Broubster Leans where we had another look for harriers and wetland species. Not much going on so I headed west to Bettyhill another coastal village with sandy beaches and sheltered bays. In the river several Common Mergansers and a pair of Red-breasted Mergansers whilst the bay had Red-throated Divers, auks and various gull species. Hope Valley was next a large enclosed area with mountains, marshes and a loch. It was to be a waiting game here which eventually paid off with great views of a first-year White-tailed Eagle which appeared from nowhere. Lunch was taken near Loch Eriboll and then to Balnakeil and its ancient water meadows. A careful and slow scan of the area revealed three late Barnacle Geese, Greylag Geese, Sand Martin, Barn Swallow, Sedge Warbler and a wide range of breeding ducks. In among the cattle a few lingering Whimbrel en route to Iceland. Balnakeil Bay held the usual divers and auks. I decided to go south via the inland route through Lairg. Despite a lot of searching we added nothing new to the list.
Mammals: Common Rabbit (c), Roe Deer (10), Red Deer (1) 

May 24th: Udale Bay, Ness Islands, Alturlie, Easter Dalziel, Dava Moor, Findhorn Valley
Daily 71 New 11 Final 122
Weather: Sunny with SW winds 19c

The last full day started with a recently arrived Common Whitethroat singing and flying along the track to Cygnus House. A quick visit to Udale Bay had a few Ringed Plovers, Red-breasted Merganser and a singing Reed Bunting. Further down the Cromarty Firth the calm waters of the firth revealed Common Scoter, Common Eider, Arctic Tern and Red-throated Divers. Ness Islands in Inverness was next on the travel plan where the bridge held a pair of White-throated Dippers, Grey and Pied Wagtails. Alturlie is east of Inverness an interesting area for birds. Today was no exception with a Eurasian Magpie in a garden, Tree Sparrow, Sedge and Willow Warblers, Dunnock and a Red Kite searching for carrion. Easter Dalziel is close by where a pair of Corn Buntings were seen, a rare bird of the Highlands. From here I went inland to Dava Moor to check the moorland for birds. We were in luck as a pair of Red Grouse was located in the open and a Red-legged Partridge flew down the road in front of us. I ended the tour in the Findhorn Valley with a stop at the sheep fields with low mountains in the background. The fields held European Golden Plovers, Northern Lapwing, Eurasian Curlew, Common Redshank and eventually views of an adult Golden Eagle. I went to the far end of the road where we located Northern Wheatear, House Martin, Common Cuckoo and the ever present Meadow Pipits.