Scotland the brave.

You need to brave to make this journey, for us it was just 2680 miles in two weeks. But then if you are going that far you might as well see what you go up for. So a real thank you to my son Jonathan for making it possible by driving so many miles and making dads dream come true to visit again. A year ago who would have dreamed it possible, but we done all praise and thanks to the living God. Who does all things well.

We stopped at Edinburgh on the Friday night and set of for Lock Lomond on the Saturday and we where greeted to a lovely family of RED BREASTED MERGANSER they where hunting feed together only to gain a fly over far from see of two GANNETS heading south over land. The RBM which we saw where many i should think that altogether we saw 200 birds scattered around. But only one RED THROATED DIVER. The best day was no doubt the day of the best scenery when we headed from Shin Falls into the heart land of County Sutherland. Our first GOLDEN EAGLE was at the falls and by the time we reached Ullapool we had 7 different birds. With some flying high over us. Ho majestic they are and on such a lovely day to. We also had 2 SPARROW HAWK and also one which we found dead on the caravan site where we stayed.. In regards to this on the Black Isle it lived up to its claim  of the reintroduction of KITE. This was the bird of every day with the knowledge that they liked my sausage rolls. They chased the crows away and took to feeding and waking us up in the morning as they scampered about with long struts on the roof. What a privilege was our just to think when I was a boy there was only six birds in Wales and now this generation has this privilege. We also picked up with MERLIN on the east side of Ness on the moors  It was chasing a flock of SANDPIPER about 13 birds in all. It came to rest in a tree near by and was that slat grey that you come to expect. On the mores we had some lovely RED GROUSE which decided to walk in front of the car, but then you cant go fast up there.
Fortrose was a spectacular point to watch birds especially on the Tuesday which was full gale. I met up with two guys who lived in the area and new there stuff. We had no difficulties in picking up BONNXIE and ARCTIC SKUA but the best was a first for me in the shape of a LEACHES STORM PETREL. I just gotten in the car when the guys shouted and shore enough I saw a bird not 30 yards away in the surf with head into wind. I jumped out and joined them on the shore as it flew across away from us in the trough of the wave. I watched it for about 3 minuets until it was out of view because of the rain. We also has 3 GREY PHALLAROPE in the same place just working there way against the wind. What a great view for us all and according to these guys  this was the best day in 20 years. So not so bad. We had 2 encounters with OSPREY on the Black Isle one on the North Shore the other on the south. We also picked up 12 male EIDER near Cromerty on the north of the inlet.These birds where in summer plumage which again is a first for me.
I was amazed at the amount of small birds especially CHAFFINCH but the only CHIFFCHAFF I was able to locate was at the point at Fortrose. I also had SWALLOW and SAND MARTIN, HOUSE MARTIN AROUND THE CARAVAN WITH pied wag but I also picked up a pair of GREY WAGTAIL at Fortrose. As for DIPPER we gained two good sightings one was on SPEYSIDE. the other was at the end of Loch F

Other birds of interest where a GREAT-SPOTTED-WOOD which had just flown over the Moray Firth and landed in a tree nearby, unusual for these birds to fly over water. I had altogether 4 ARCTIC TERNS  and several TWITE which flew each morning near the caravan, and also a LONG TAILED DUCK fly by.

In all we had 88 species of birds as well as Mountain Goat, Red Rat, Grey Seal Mountain Hare, Salmon, Fox and Red Deer.