tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-267243942024-03-13T00:37:32.749+00:00Highland Wildlife & Birdwatch SafarisHighland Wildlife & Birdwatch Safarishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04327130550058794301noreply@blogger.comBlogger225125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26724394.post-86468408780303125632024-02-29T20:27:00.000+00:002024-02-29T20:27:54.702+00:00<p><b>February 2024</b></p><p>February 2024 was very changeable weather-wise in this area, with no really settled spells of weather, just about every type of conditions experienced, and temperatures ranging from -10c to +10c with the colder, snowier days reminding us that February is still very much winter this far north. However, on the warmer, brighter days, there was definitely a feeling of spring not being TOO far away now, with the lighter mornings and evenings, the return inland of some of the wading birds, and more woodland and garden birds heard singing.</p><p><b><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">The days are lengthening noticeably now, with up to 9-10 hours of usable daylight, and dawn (for the Black Grouse) is still a relatively sociable 7am, with dusk at around 5pm.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">Full-day local safari bird lists usually top-out in the 30's or 40's, though a trip to the nearby (one hour by car ) Moray Coast can boost this total considerably, whilst mammal day lists can vary between 3 and 8 species, depending on the time of our start and number of habitats visited, with early starts usually proving to be best.</span></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5XheHONQf2wIEyaUtw7-UnnweD3iBi3X6wYFNKe5-lu-IpBckBaqlZFOPYa4U8y6WEIdKFpGDEgNN7vgegKSA_Q_TEpNAfoUdIN6geTP2b1QS5wIUxM8owHNl3zb1oOuhDoUAPqkXYutQE_s1672dZZVjZDxisCWuTJuiaroakr-hu6zIYDTo/s2016/IMG_2977.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5XheHONQf2wIEyaUtw7-UnnweD3iBi3X6wYFNKe5-lu-IpBckBaqlZFOPYa4U8y6WEIdKFpGDEgNN7vgegKSA_Q_TEpNAfoUdIN6geTP2b1QS5wIUxM8owHNl3zb1oOuhDoUAPqkXYutQE_s1672dZZVjZDxisCWuTJuiaroakr-hu6zIYDTo/w400-h300/IMG_2977.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Dawn on a local upland moorland</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">To give you an idea of what you may realistically hope to see if you are considering a future February visit, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">I hope the following more detailed information, illustrated with photos taken at sites in and around the Cairngorms National Park, and sometimes further afield, by myself, my friends or my safari clients this month and in previous February's will help....clicking on the picture enlarges it to full-screen. </span></p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Local speciality/upland bird species seen regularly during the month included</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">:</span></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Black Grouse </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">(usually first hour of light only), </span><b>Red Grouse</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, <b>Snow Bunting</b>, </span>and<b> </b><b>Dipper, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">we also managed </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">a few decent views of</span><b> Crested Tits </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">on our forest walks , a</span>nd a few reasonable <b>Golden Eagle </b>and<b> White-Tailed Eagle </b>sightings up in the glens...sadly, <b>Crossbills</b> proved very elusive, with just a few brief glimpses, and despite many hours spent walking and driving around local Caledonian forests, just one brief glimpse of a <b>Capercaillie</b> was enjoyed.....</span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">A good variety of</span><b> seabirds</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>waders, </b><b>w</b><b>ildfowl </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">and</span><b> Geese </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">were seen at the</span><b> Moray Coast </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">and the nearby inland lochs...</span></span></span></p><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75);"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><p style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Mammal species seen regularly included:</b></p><p style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Red Deer, Roe Deer, Red Squirrel, Rabbit, Mountain Goat, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">with just a few sightings of </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Mountain Hare </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">(still white)</span><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">, Brown Hare, Wood Mouse </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">and</span><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> Bank Vole </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">...</span></p><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;">February 2024 bird sightings in more detail:</b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Up on the moors....</b></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgftgdmjh7t-sy1IalNV2eMiwYXmmhtVScuxYp_-9yGpl1A1BGfe5-u0bowCPOZgL7qub-gYwBBNBQs11j7IJKsgc-xviaojHTl_lS9U18HE9AnaXXZjTCukyIUG1jxW2RRvr35EuCz2fp2Sqqnh_KKk835jG7ch1bmo4Qoigg3Oo3RlEYTANaM/s1938/IMG_2950.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="913" data-original-width="1938" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgftgdmjh7t-sy1IalNV2eMiwYXmmhtVScuxYp_-9yGpl1A1BGfe5-u0bowCPOZgL7qub-gYwBBNBQs11j7IJKsgc-xviaojHTl_lS9U18HE9AnaXXZjTCukyIUG1jxW2RRvr35EuCz2fp2Sqqnh_KKk835jG7ch1bmo4Qoigg3Oo3RlEYTANaM/w400-h189/IMG_2950.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Late winter on a local heather moorland</b></td></tr></tbody></table></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400;">Dawn in February (still a pretty user-friendly 7 am) on my safaris is usually spent visiting one (or more if needed!) local </span><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;">Black Grouse</b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400;"> lek sites, usually a flat, grassy area on an upland heather moorland with forest not too far away, and we enjoyed the spectacle of up to 7 of these attractive, but sadly now increasingly rare, blue-black cock birds displaying, posturing aggressively and flutter-jumping in a bid to out-display and intimidate their opponents in a bid to secure their little patch of the 'arena' for the forthcoming breeding season, all accompanied by their distinctive bubbling and whooshing calls drifting across the moor... surely one of British wildlife's 'must-see' (and 'must hear') experiences? 'Performances' are usually noticeably better on cold, still mornings.... but please be aware that we have to view from a respectful (and legal) distance, and that sightings are not 'guaranteed' as the birds can fail to show for no apparent reason, as was the case on a few occasions this month...</span></b></b></b></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUEF3hvZlzn4jE3U53S_8YQH2WEi05Jznz6HjwXvOj2g2WYGxwYOx-en_Gn8WpdF3DZS2nD1OXpCJYqavu3nneGTpuFAK2icVN4XxdLTXR0dW0OZWceVsrUZfQn4y_ylS1zxN_93JJ6k7xXVH-Gl5aP36Icae2MkJZWzBLQfasE_Cesao0bvMz/s3457/DSCN1113.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2043" data-original-width="3457" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUEF3hvZlzn4jE3U53S_8YQH2WEi05Jznz6HjwXvOj2g2WYGxwYOx-en_Gn8WpdF3DZS2nD1OXpCJYqavu3nneGTpuFAK2icVN4XxdLTXR0dW0OZWceVsrUZfQn4y_ylS1zxN_93JJ6k7xXVH-Gl5aP36Icae2MkJZWzBLQfasE_Cesao0bvMz/w400-h236/DSCN1113.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Displaying Black Grouse</b></td></tr></tbody></table></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEMY1WQphfsnopNXlEGSlfqP79QWrjhENLYKFzBU9c-1b9SZJaOl0a_NAEfVuZZKw_8lQTUsUOBu0OFV1tRQCwMdZ7j-KNEZrCYCl_UT5KbiCS1IRNFOZ7tX85nEAoo3u_ywnKtx7PKcH_-ZK-f1-AyFUMLspFaj5abV2pvHxq4r8hX02fECWn/s2734/DSCN6904.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1438" data-original-width="2734" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEMY1WQphfsnopNXlEGSlfqP79QWrjhENLYKFzBU9c-1b9SZJaOl0a_NAEfVuZZKw_8lQTUsUOBu0OFV1tRQCwMdZ7j-KNEZrCYCl_UT5KbiCS1IRNFOZ7tX85nEAoo3u_ywnKtx7PKcH_-ZK-f1-AyFUMLspFaj5abV2pvHxq4r8hX02fECWn/w400-h210/DSCN6904.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Dueling Black Grouse - Photo from Feb 2021</b></td></tr></tbody></table></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkwXrwbqOm8RFDs3-lBzvCmtMmxHSBBnhB92GFHx44X-8r7kCWvFLdcUwplYc8l3cUjtScJDm3t4uGrdqBZ-LmYstRtuWrkuH5XdQWxJj521mlQ0Py5mMBZuS7y1uTux_jdb3uhUlI9teDZTDrvn0DMsPATBBZeT2ql8tTFwLmvPsLE06NcpjM/s2813/DSCN9310.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="1697" data-original-width="2813" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkwXrwbqOm8RFDs3-lBzvCmtMmxHSBBnhB92GFHx44X-8r7kCWvFLdcUwplYc8l3cUjtScJDm3t4uGrdqBZ-LmYstRtuWrkuH5XdQWxJj521mlQ0Py5mMBZuS7y1uTux_jdb3uhUlI9teDZTDrvn0DMsPATBBZeT2ql8tTFwLmvPsLE06NcpjM/s320/DSCN9310.JPG" width="320" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Take your partners for the Blackcock Tango! - Photo from Feb 2019</b></td></tr></tbody></table></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 17.5692px; font-weight: 400;">Still on the moors, the cock </span><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 17.5692px;">Red Grouse</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 17.5692px; font-weight: 400;"> too, are now becoming very territorial and full of aggression ,but they have a very different method to the other Grouse species, as they defend their chosen 'territory' from rivals and try to attract a mate </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 19.3261px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4;">with much calling and posturing and their red eye wattles aglow, usually from one of the few higher vantage points, making them (occasionally) nice and easy for us to find!</span></b></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm9JXuMHjBHoBdYwjmNQFTonXMaYElfk5NLSmjh0N2XRn2Mr0FZUYc7mu8WzIGrsRnk_dGTDyEJgGAn4nNG85tcsJLE8_mEnETb0MGvAGoW-bPGWlsczHTV12gV_LgZRM6DJ9STNVotcf69E3MD-M3k9KIGf3_q1PLDdqH_gBmQzUdmA1Wxu2J/s1200/Chris%20Moncrieff%205.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="987" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm9JXuMHjBHoBdYwjmNQFTonXMaYElfk5NLSmjh0N2XRn2Mr0FZUYc7mu8WzIGrsRnk_dGTDyEJgGAn4nNG85tcsJLE8_mEnETb0MGvAGoW-bPGWlsczHTV12gV_LgZRM6DJ9STNVotcf69E3MD-M3k9KIGf3_q1PLDdqH_gBmQzUdmA1Wxu2J/w329-h400/Chris%20Moncrieff%205.jpg" width="329" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male and female Red Grouse by Chris Moncrieff</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYn9dF_UEwrAm5OsxUvVLTguaKl5HxSM9UAAwiqt61g7wloBNkLiAsG4e4yz1-XJWGINs2I94TwGV2TkCLNzeqKvX7si42jq_w-DPjCIjlG5cC0XTR248iU7DqhT29hhwcS5FugActX2NNhFZXX1q5RehDsL8vy2LXl-uYq6FkoSRhhRpS9gaa/s1200/Chris%20Moncrieff%206.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="777" data-original-width="1200" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYn9dF_UEwrAm5OsxUvVLTguaKl5HxSM9UAAwiqt61g7wloBNkLiAsG4e4yz1-XJWGINs2I94TwGV2TkCLNzeqKvX7si42jq_w-DPjCIjlG5cC0XTR248iU7DqhT29hhwcS5FugActX2NNhFZXX1q5RehDsL8vy2LXl-uYq6FkoSRhhRpS9gaa/s320/Chris%20Moncrieff%206.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Female Red Grouse by Chris Moncrieff</b></td></tr></tbody></table></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivssEi-WGt7GajOBOVPxZKs20hplJPc0v1OIzwm-gql1T_ftKbSzWAfiI4Y0mJ6vT-iG8y7E-o5YVI9PB3eAy_s9Uhvm5NyAiRUU3mfuuX_LCWKvjSqIDyw8aMSai-6cUjqr81Uy2uuT6BK4pWSTP2c-PbiDtwjt-_oK5BrNxvgvWSylVXzWOJ/s1200/Chris%20Moncrieff%204.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="812" data-original-width="1200" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivssEi-WGt7GajOBOVPxZKs20hplJPc0v1OIzwm-gql1T_ftKbSzWAfiI4Y0mJ6vT-iG8y7E-o5YVI9PB3eAy_s9Uhvm5NyAiRUU3mfuuX_LCWKvjSqIDyw8aMSai-6cUjqr81Uy2uuT6BK4pWSTP2c-PbiDtwjt-_oK5BrNxvgvWSylVXzWOJ/s320/Chris%20Moncrieff%204.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Red Grouse by Chris Moncrieff</b></td></tr></tbody></table></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;">Up in the glens...</b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtW01O-DuC8O3Yk26syxVnvnSg_KfcPBgSNDkn6CdhdXTt3s_el6SvUxmuNcEiUTxcl16Q2Fa5ZXvngKe_nTNnaWnI5ko3WkV_hXGP7gXVrpu13mhUWFwVXG6As3DzpHtfi-74dEo8Wtmm9he7DQTrOFpjaeF0UkglyraU71CayQ9miXYSEEFQ/s1936/IMG_3002.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1002" data-original-width="1936" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtW01O-DuC8O3Yk26syxVnvnSg_KfcPBgSNDkn6CdhdXTt3s_el6SvUxmuNcEiUTxcl16Q2Fa5ZXvngKe_nTNnaWnI5ko3WkV_hXGP7gXVrpu13mhUWFwVXG6As3DzpHtfi-74dEo8Wtmm9he7DQTrOFpjaeF0UkglyraU71CayQ9miXYSEEFQ/w400-h208/IMG_3002.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Late winter in a picturesque local glen</b></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;"><b>Golden Eagle </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;">and</span><b> White-Tailed Eagle</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"> are nearly always on my safari clents' "wish-lists", and as I have said before, the shorter days of the winter months , and no nesting distractions definitely give us the best chance of seeing them. That trend was continued this month, with several sightings of <b>GE</b> and a couple of <b>WTE</b> being achieved, though not as frequently as we had enjoyed in the 3-4 months before this, as many of the adult birds will now be thinking about pairing-up and nesting....</span></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZl04Sp9itwlxM9cbBPOz1ztF0qFH8P9DfI6_jlweQUzXx7B36A08i9sDV96M139pD4GnmKyO7jT4ik_KO8YwRM7SKxbgDkl1ZvFof2o5IiHYT_Y6rd552_ENjbRWk3jmKlH7wr2Z53IzmExRudynGoo5Ygw0dt8tdA8t1ZPJ5EwsT7aYQDB9y/s1668/DSCN2163.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1352" data-original-width="1668" height="324" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZl04Sp9itwlxM9cbBPOz1ztF0qFH8P9DfI6_jlweQUzXx7B36A08i9sDV96M139pD4GnmKyO7jT4ik_KO8YwRM7SKxbgDkl1ZvFof2o5IiHYT_Y6rd552_ENjbRWk3jmKlH7wr2Z53IzmExRudynGoo5Ygw0dt8tdA8t1ZPJ5EwsT7aYQDB9y/w400-h324/DSCN2163.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Golden Eagle</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu9XaazLayf3PpZvaFk05lXhkkgSzdZd6Hs2amrM-rgNf5UkOiVq_LYnrqQYKZEcAqeSGlK_NDTHv3RGiMPjifxw3Gst8fVJa5wGC4yJM8IIdZcgBmWrKyjMcaJ60P9AuULTsG4Oor9mKWh4dONBYLWmNbNBsxl_UTNfVeE1kqMakMHBQP3tWo/s2607/DSCN2338%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1555" data-original-width="2607" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu9XaazLayf3PpZvaFk05lXhkkgSzdZd6Hs2amrM-rgNf5UkOiVq_LYnrqQYKZEcAqeSGlK_NDTHv3RGiMPjifxw3Gst8fVJa5wGC4yJM8IIdZcgBmWrKyjMcaJ60P9AuULTsG4Oor9mKWh4dONBYLWmNbNBsxl_UTNfVeE1kqMakMHBQP3tWo/w400-h239/DSCN2338%20(2).JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Golden Eagle - Photo from Feb 2020</b></td></tr></tbody></table></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmwvrCXjKryjxa02KTVrd-OAD435EDxuzr5hZ8EuoleGkUUkRxYkfoPl64VjBiAPSnJGzsJl9nSnw-_EAriTGihyphenhyphenpofu-K4HJ0L_VTaiE9-d4IG4HkvLfGl5PqBt1EHTNi72JQM5FkztnYj7Xcuc5yezP5LQHiaszm10419booFabfO54V4sIs/s2694/DSCN4661.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1807" data-original-width="2694" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmwvrCXjKryjxa02KTVrd-OAD435EDxuzr5hZ8EuoleGkUUkRxYkfoPl64VjBiAPSnJGzsJl9nSnw-_EAriTGihyphenhyphenpofu-K4HJ0L_VTaiE9-d4IG4HkvLfGl5PqBt1EHTNi72JQM5FkztnYj7Xcuc5yezP5LQHiaszm10419booFabfO54V4sIs/w400-h269/DSCN4661.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>White-Tailed Eagle</b></td></tr></tbody></table></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"><p style="font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">Should the <b>Eagles </b>fail to show, the regular 'raptor back-up cast' of <b>Kestrel</b>, <b>Sparrowhawk</b>,<b> </b></span><strong>Buzzard</strong><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> , </span><strong>Red Kite, </strong><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">and the chance of the occasional <b>Peregrine</b>, </span><b>Merlin</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Hen Harrier</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> or </span><strong>Goshawk </strong><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">often provide good entertainment by way of consolation though, and some of these species were seen performing courtship displays this month, another sign that breeding season will soon be upon us... </span></p><p style="font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifR1N6Ke0VmPNl2mQVCVjEIAtt14OI1Mj2qFPQL1tl0jD2B_mIDKgSmrS-lqYsTJ4JiPunZdLHFyVWtFgAQIPjKYdSw6Z-aHnA-8Xkej2KUj2Tg2VeLEGOn-xOrZHIQxdVWRB7kz7dGUal8ceT4lhgj_yH9XhLUchZ3MRcMvtV_0pAYe_rTc86/s2134/DSCN4788.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1236" data-original-width="2134" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifR1N6Ke0VmPNl2mQVCVjEIAtt14OI1Mj2qFPQL1tl0jD2B_mIDKgSmrS-lqYsTJ4JiPunZdLHFyVWtFgAQIPjKYdSw6Z-aHnA-8Xkej2KUj2Tg2VeLEGOn-xOrZHIQxdVWRB7kz7dGUal8ceT4lhgj_yH9XhLUchZ3MRcMvtV_0pAYe_rTc86/s320/DSCN4788.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Kestrel - Photo from Feb 2023</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghaTcePU2BvwdNI_NAkn7K6mdA-tsxoKwfsppP1o2VGl8xT1KQY4nM2S-QWe9hl-VcONusdU4NVIO17tz5SO16-8L7LDiN3JtLBME-9pdiNtI-Pbg5P3ddwb0hS-jD_t6Tc_1O3JETVsQf1W55LJ1A6GkBXModviwxTi5SSpnltkWR0fpQvqvr/s913/DSCN6981.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="612" data-original-width="913" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghaTcePU2BvwdNI_NAkn7K6mdA-tsxoKwfsppP1o2VGl8xT1KQY4nM2S-QWe9hl-VcONusdU4NVIO17tz5SO16-8L7LDiN3JtLBME-9pdiNtI-Pbg5P3ddwb0hS-jD_t6Tc_1O3JETVsQf1W55LJ1A6GkBXModviwxTi5SSpnltkWR0fpQvqvr/w400-h269/DSCN6981.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Goshawk - Photo from Feb 2021</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRA7xcq5RD56vtrycx3z4vpNtWxY009FalzR1Sa15BrQN6lRAvWaWA9KrXag-snAqmlw8oPMVsqoIO3t8N9sMGoPwN0HRKIjP3W9f3LfnaVtI3TFdFMCX_ZFSuV1ooUCb8f0JQEohFo6BkvPSdJoTogC4rN4ZzSdfPSPeGHQXWwU6wjW6ifZDR/s1256/IMG_6309.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="949" data-original-width="1256" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRA7xcq5RD56vtrycx3z4vpNtWxY009FalzR1Sa15BrQN6lRAvWaWA9KrXag-snAqmlw8oPMVsqoIO3t8N9sMGoPwN0HRKIjP3W9f3LfnaVtI3TFdFMCX_ZFSuV1ooUCb8f0JQEohFo6BkvPSdJoTogC4rN4ZzSdfPSPeGHQXWwU6wjW6ifZDR/s320/IMG_6309.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Common Buzzard</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjarIu7nfXeAlgNGV5-ooC6lNBAdkEzdJhq4wPWSovIIQllOp0DTIfqr4W0mgmOjMkXLstHI_eovmZLbnCkc05BM587ch7NvV4FoZHRWKtUksEO7mbj2rkhs-3k74hRJnxIfdZiX4YZN_Fz-9rHceb1kT8sMlu3CXNwAUtHgT52ktfSxH7et-24/s1668/DSCN2306%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1022" data-original-width="1668" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjarIu7nfXeAlgNGV5-ooC6lNBAdkEzdJhq4wPWSovIIQllOp0DTIfqr4W0mgmOjMkXLstHI_eovmZLbnCkc05BM587ch7NvV4FoZHRWKtUksEO7mbj2rkhs-3k74hRJnxIfdZiX4YZN_Fz-9rHceb1kT8sMlu3CXNwAUtHgT52ktfSxH7et-24/s320/DSCN2306%20(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Kite</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p></span></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">I</span><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;">n the forests...</b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQXzD7GbvlfXj-IRTU0aysMz3UiPcSpk73Fj75_8wpHlcl3MENEz6FGy74SoVHJ2fcBseuL2SWAc7_9ozivAV4ygSxg21dVGKDw8rzfdGQAFxuGQIphJ_ZGJr9W9kq7E_sdGHN4eJV6nPjCaZSsbVNs8kVTHmXcHqQe75GvQjnQt_u9JJYWzHT/s2016/IMG_0706.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQXzD7GbvlfXj-IRTU0aysMz3UiPcSpk73Fj75_8wpHlcl3MENEz6FGy74SoVHJ2fcBseuL2SWAc7_9ozivAV4ygSxg21dVGKDw8rzfdGQAFxuGQIphJ_ZGJr9W9kq7E_sdGHN4eJV6nPjCaZSsbVNs8kVTHmXcHqQe75GvQjnQt_u9JJYWzHT/w400-h300/IMG_0706.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A local ancient Caledonian Forest</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;">Similarly to last February,</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;"> </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Crested Tits</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;"> proved to be a little elusive this month, with fewer sightings than normal achieved, though thankfully, it wasn't just me, as guides from other safaris experienced the same disappointment, with the favourite theory as to why, being that the often strangely mild and spring-like weather in the second half of the month may have made them less dependent on feeding stations and may even have prompted them to begin courtship season very early....</span></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirqCG3oFPAibSk59YGH_n3w9oHbStia8FKGfJ9LPlQOeLwJx35XxSs_vcfh2uNZLYzSE5taQShWzcwaS5EX3ejawMP1LVdUkKGmDCfuRtkCDybDPL2-X-O5LKXxnmUBydjUSPQL3ulI591zTIJ2-t-o0DobIRhSbynzq1Ai_Sj5-C3L0PTIM1f/s3457/DSCN8198.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2498" data-original-width="3457" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirqCG3oFPAibSk59YGH_n3w9oHbStia8FKGfJ9LPlQOeLwJx35XxSs_vcfh2uNZLYzSE5taQShWzcwaS5EX3ejawMP1LVdUkKGmDCfuRtkCDybDPL2-X-O5LKXxnmUBydjUSPQL3ulI591zTIJ2-t-o0DobIRhSbynzq1Ai_Sj5-C3L0PTIM1f/w400-h289/DSCN8198.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Crested Tit</b></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLuHnHwm2v_SFkjdOkWAollfmG77c3DOvDAc8tST0U74elxzpQvqODfwfnOYFyT-Rpvvd7-HghwKKbRSWJDM3N2AzEPK2fBLfgBuAY6mKVGkbF3Ewo9ddeBa8B4X_oPKA-6eicGjmhcO5QMEkvViL6DbhVy68prtQaJ3ZQ3dw9hKFN9y7oSFg5/s2184/DSCN8199.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1711" data-original-width="2184" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLuHnHwm2v_SFkjdOkWAollfmG77c3DOvDAc8tST0U74elxzpQvqODfwfnOYFyT-Rpvvd7-HghwKKbRSWJDM3N2AzEPK2fBLfgBuAY6mKVGkbF3Ewo9ddeBa8B4X_oPKA-6eicGjmhcO5QMEkvViL6DbhVy68prtQaJ3ZQ3dw9hKFN9y7oSFg5/s320/DSCN8199.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Crested Tit</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><span><p style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 19.3261px;">Generally though, it is well worth noting that the colder winter months (October-Feb) are actually the best time of year for seeing the 'wee Cresties', as these characterful little birds can be frustratingly secretive, unobtrusive and almost silent during the breeding season, with sightings being much more difficult to obtain between March and September...</span></p><p style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 19.3261px;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 19.3261px;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 19.3261px;"></span></p><p style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;">Still in the Caledonian forests, we actually did ok for </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 700;">Crossbill </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;">sightings again this month, with a few decent views...mainly because the period between December and March is breeding season for them, which means that this is your best chance to see a male perched on a treetop, often singing to defend a territory and attract a mate....whereas they can be pretty tricky to see (apart from flyovers) for the rest of the year...</span></p><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold;"><br /></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuRH1awLIAb24QTK5uYR3Y_2lTkaMH1evlD7AWa54RxVOwBVoavJYqnOGVAEvFF2RvUKr5_Zb4OcmXjnEVeG7j6tSA2KENO9nKW0An3enF_oyRByW78TRW42wX8v3q5GKKVoXhdTwmpDMjTLKfMc7j-qkEUsEhjscgIzJRcEZ7k949Hrj6JNF3/s3868/DSCN2354.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2502" data-original-width="3868" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuRH1awLIAb24QTK5uYR3Y_2lTkaMH1evlD7AWa54RxVOwBVoavJYqnOGVAEvFF2RvUKr5_Zb4OcmXjnEVeG7j6tSA2KENO9nKW0An3enF_oyRByW78TRW42wX8v3q5GKKVoXhdTwmpDMjTLKfMc7j-qkEUsEhjscgIzJRcEZ7k949Hrj6JNF3/s320/DSCN2354.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Crossbill</b></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;"><p style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13.2px;">Please note that </span><b style="font-size: 13.2px;">Capercaillie</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13.2px;"> numbers would still appear to be alarmingly low, they are now very rare and elusive, and I would only rate our chances of seeing one on my safaris as "very slim" at best, and we are asked not to go in search of them, for fear of disturbing them.....</span></span></span></p><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></span></span></div></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>https://cairngormscapercaillie.scot/lek-it-be/</b></span></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;"><br /></span></div><p style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 19.3261px;"></span></p><p style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;">A bonus by-product of regular winter feeding is often (especially on colder days) being able to feed the incredibly confiding </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Coal Tits </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;">and (sometimes) </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Great Tits</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;"> by hand, an experience much enjoyed by my safari clients of all ages...</span></b></span></p><div><br /></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk2iJO5tH9rWLm46J3J9XTso-zyb7Eu3boVSrCYclTBXZkovzzJY-V3VBIi2kI7jVLFsZJ8tG8MDFIvXSnmn_9dAwWk7o2V8V7wMSsKa9LQ-qyY6wydsnUXMf9Ml8flSqSEx-1s_582PFnGcih2leTYWiUjVrZAt8RrkcLs8Z9Pav_QBzpxJKU/s1600/IMG_2984.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1245" data-original-width="1600" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk2iJO5tH9rWLm46J3J9XTso-zyb7Eu3boVSrCYclTBXZkovzzJY-V3VBIi2kI7jVLFsZJ8tG8MDFIvXSnmn_9dAwWk7o2V8V7wMSsKa9LQ-qyY6wydsnUXMf9Ml8flSqSEx-1s_582PFnGcih2leTYWiUjVrZAt8RrkcLs8Z9Pav_QBzpxJKU/w400-h311/IMG_2984.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Hand-feeding a Coal Tit - Fun for all the family</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><br /></div></span></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">On the rivers...</b></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFkPkY2xMeEkzx8tYeciu14mm7ROUFITw3v8B_bAAO3A-w0KWNSOQxgSbzfcZU7BUAstjhDCkXbc0zTlLSyZFoSdXlX7zihY9yuOYOh18lMFS91AE1FqvV_Zu-Urntp4Vq_QExyPY2MnylCsK7MgzR5E3-f_ByFtu3-hYHV-z4mQHe4cCAO_IW/s1922/IMG_2956.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1377" data-original-width="1922" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFkPkY2xMeEkzx8tYeciu14mm7ROUFITw3v8B_bAAO3A-w0KWNSOQxgSbzfcZU7BUAstjhDCkXbc0zTlLSyZFoSdXlX7zihY9yuOYOh18lMFS91AE1FqvV_Zu-Urntp4Vq_QExyPY2MnylCsK7MgzR5E3-f_ByFtu3-hYHV-z4mQHe4cCAO_IW/w400-h286/IMG_2956.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The River Findhorn</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 19.3261px; line-height: 1.4;">Our </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;">Dippers</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 19.3261px; line-height: 1.4;"> are in full 'breeding season mode' now, and early morning visits to known favourite sites (keeping a respectful distance of course) occasionally give us great views of these characterful and hardy little birds singing their hearts out, with wings back and chests pushed out... and towards the end of the month we sometimes see one or two carrying nesting material....and it still makes me shiver every time I see these tough little birds submerge themselves when feeding amongst the ice in the freezing winter months...</span></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3iRCTp2QVaNcWnQcahi80kH5i3vsGKeY_J-QBHETusahdsCVIFdDEJnuGrMqH5Iwd5u5ts6YiX7wBJCw1_qc0YdFlvGvEw_l6USmlsRApJiBIzAbP02XRdQW7zAAYxR_fUTgXesG03aABWuyJmnQmQHqUcGl4aIOgKtwCdlQ1IDvbbcA_V_bo/s2984/Ron%20MItchell%20Dippers.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1502" data-original-width="2984" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3iRCTp2QVaNcWnQcahi80kH5i3vsGKeY_J-QBHETusahdsCVIFdDEJnuGrMqH5Iwd5u5ts6YiX7wBJCw1_qc0YdFlvGvEw_l6USmlsRApJiBIzAbP02XRdQW7zAAYxR_fUTgXesG03aABWuyJmnQmQHqUcGl4aIOgKtwCdlQ1IDvbbcA_V_bo/w400-h201/Ron%20MItchell%20Dippers.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Posturing Dippers by Ron Mitchell - Photo from Feb 2023</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 19.3261px; line-height: 1.4;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVwtyWf_a4v7Ws1Qh1eMZ-SxrQeXGB3THGMLA3q4aYc1nUI4K0roZmFXEePdWofPpNhS3yVGB92nnpVs7w2LV1fj6PPcIw-G0pt13Z61N0IIjPx1dRT73pzAHWYhrTcCRLB9cbw9JW2cmnFcwHcb_Ph9aw3peY4dU-UIBJqygVFoesL_7IoyO3/s3785/DSCN0866.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1921" data-original-width="3785" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVwtyWf_a4v7Ws1Qh1eMZ-SxrQeXGB3THGMLA3q4aYc1nUI4K0roZmFXEePdWofPpNhS3yVGB92nnpVs7w2LV1fj6PPcIw-G0pt13Z61N0IIjPx1dRT73pzAHWYhrTcCRLB9cbw9JW2cmnFcwHcb_Ph9aw3peY4dU-UIBJqygVFoesL_7IoyO3/w400-h203/DSCN0866.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Dipper with nesting material - Photo from Feb 2017</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;">We also occasionally see </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Goosander </b><span style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;">and</span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> Goldeneye </b><span style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;">on our local rivers too....</span></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2uWdIjTbIeryhw6mUHb_8FEALKfZx_LChYx2Wx9x1B92vZoI2-TMa0h9vmI08BR-sxi3cC19HXjEka_Pjm2emzkNUKoSiURm9ePFIkGjBd1pDWss_A4dtlxZjwgfTvE5kXZwkIlXhVjpVDbf6nmYgAHH0lbpQptbutv7O-8_zOc4V0Xos2FR9/s2633/IMG_6322.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1717" data-original-width="2633" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2uWdIjTbIeryhw6mUHb_8FEALKfZx_LChYx2Wx9x1B92vZoI2-TMa0h9vmI08BR-sxi3cC19HXjEka_Pjm2emzkNUKoSiURm9ePFIkGjBd1pDWss_A4dtlxZjwgfTvE5kXZwkIlXhVjpVDbf6nmYgAHH0lbpQptbutv7O-8_zOc4V0Xos2FR9/s320/IMG_6322.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Female Goosander</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">On the lochs...</b></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidVBP4fYMYFwyY60Gi1Bv4YX_YubcYqOh-A95Q-yQpR6wcHng3hI0YMECRQX7REhD9ag8W5FR4d-Dw0FsQg1uceHurYu1CEt1grSgNQmFgCU9OfJSon9yN0ns3ykOOMkkI1V1o6bVrUx9q98oIgHangEMa5E03N5aR3iBioyTYJqzChLN3mOdE/s1973/IMG_2968.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="949" data-original-width="1973" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidVBP4fYMYFwyY60Gi1Bv4YX_YubcYqOh-A95Q-yQpR6wcHng3hI0YMECRQX7REhD9ag8W5FR4d-Dw0FsQg1uceHurYu1CEt1grSgNQmFgCU9OfJSon9yN0ns3ykOOMkkI1V1o6bVrUx9q98oIgHangEMa5E03N5aR3iBioyTYJqzChLN3mOdE/w400-h193/IMG_2968.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A picturesque local loch</b></td></tr></tbody></table></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">Star birds on our local lochs during the winter are probably the </span><b>Goldeneyes</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, with the males now in their dapper breeding plumage with some already seen performing their elaborate courtship display, and the winter-visiting </span><b>Whooper Swans,</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> with a back up cast of </span><b>Goosander</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Teal</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Wigeon </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">and </span><b>Tufted Ducks</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">.</span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCwz5DCKy8fy9DSEqFVCXB1kZjHjcr6R7jEOXf5oHmG1JET3e2kdNtySKP7tIEaiN16rxrAMJdJP-8nybuXkpmR_ixhiukS5lhM1kULlfy58AKfoquClzVKp8sxiDsxBDm9tCoIA9GeGxHpm9mvhBHz-4F1bFFxPSBPFq1KjXfpebgLAZkTR1j/s2519/DSCN7882.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1376" data-original-width="2519" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCwz5DCKy8fy9DSEqFVCXB1kZjHjcr6R7jEOXf5oHmG1JET3e2kdNtySKP7tIEaiN16rxrAMJdJP-8nybuXkpmR_ixhiukS5lhM1kULlfy58AKfoquClzVKp8sxiDsxBDm9tCoIA9GeGxHpm9mvhBHz-4F1bFFxPSBPFq1KjXfpebgLAZkTR1j/w400-h219/DSCN7882.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Whooper Swans</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2YRxwoyfrRlFmpNmB2Wz3tudyGfDI2fJukVE-uE2Ukh2-GDyEDP9goYlydUnwBGLX0rTPpX__08ncVIn0VUXWiK2pY-AZb4VyfuwXlXn5fkY5PHyAYF4hbgm79sY2olcVbEuGWwzJJBS1EL8g8j6gmslrVWhe9p7oI9uuxIjPOfg99F1__5oy/s4071/DSCN7780.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2416" data-original-width="4071" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2YRxwoyfrRlFmpNmB2Wz3tudyGfDI2fJukVE-uE2Ukh2-GDyEDP9goYlydUnwBGLX0rTPpX__08ncVIn0VUXWiK2pY-AZb4VyfuwXlXn5fkY5PHyAYF4hbgm79sY2olcVbEuGWwzJJBS1EL8g8j6gmslrVWhe9p7oI9uuxIjPOfg99F1__5oy/w320-h190/DSCN7780.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Female Goldeneye</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi202rElK0hjma7Kww22Wju4Dzwc-Xr6nBlRjvj8jkt7JsB3UNy77KN1PwTB8gAwBBnJZDDaoISFZwyNmRj2l4kxnz5-KoA5ks0NpS7Ok3dHzO94DKUUE58ifTg_uY4LxKHU4dwOQ0d17k89yLBwrxYjUp4WqbrDV4kOhNvPFqf3L3K61lpumjI/s2490/Steve%20N%201.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1660" data-original-width="2490" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi202rElK0hjma7Kww22Wju4Dzwc-Xr6nBlRjvj8jkt7JsB3UNy77KN1PwTB8gAwBBnJZDDaoISFZwyNmRj2l4kxnz5-KoA5ks0NpS7Ok3dHzO94DKUUE58ifTg_uY4LxKHU4dwOQ0d17k89yLBwrxYjUp4WqbrDV4kOhNvPFqf3L3K61lpumjI/s320/Steve%20N%201.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Goldeneye by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p></b></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">On the marshes...</b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpDG_FRhVkQQ8vCIXWAUB4NGAuCGh0AXX0Pu46doMdL36gr0fb9a_RkNWXeoPhXQSawgBVoo5FZJT8Iu0up4Go3rw-3mMD1NPm2xBBHk2a4ZkZKflM7IxBEKJnVfTVxVyc6XgCdVKrLyocb6TrWi8xtYw6YoU1UqDXqf0EhTOwYjjlzYkp4AXB/s2016/IMG_2936.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1226" data-original-width="2016" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpDG_FRhVkQQ8vCIXWAUB4NGAuCGh0AXX0Pu46doMdL36gr0fb9a_RkNWXeoPhXQSawgBVoo5FZJT8Iu0up4Go3rw-3mMD1NPm2xBBHk2a4ZkZKflM7IxBEKJnVfTVxVyc6XgCdVKrLyocb6TrWi8xtYw6YoU1UqDXqf0EhTOwYjjlzYkp4AXB/w400-h244/IMG_2936.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A very flooded Insh Marshes</b></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;">Although the marshes were flooded for the first half of the month, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;">raptors such as </span><b style="font-weight: bold;">Kestrel</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><b style="font-weight: bold;">Buzzard, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;">and</span><b style="font-weight: bold;"> Red Kite</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"> </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"> were seen reasonably regularly, and the occasional<b> Hen Harrier,</b> </span><b style="font-weight: bold;">Merlin, Golden Eagle</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"> and </span><b style="font-weight: bold;">White-Tailed Eagle</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"> also reported. and </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;">once the water receded, alongside the ever-present </span><b style="font-weight: bold;">Grey Herons</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;">, ducks like <b>Mallard</b>, </span><b style="font-weight: bold;">Teal</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"> and </span><b style="font-weight: bold;">Wigeon</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"> were noted, along with </span><b style="font-weight: bold;">Whooper Swans </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;">and several species of </span><b style="font-weight: bold;">'grey' Geese</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;">, and the first returning waders such as </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Oystercatcher,</b></span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"> </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: bold;">Lapwing</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Curlew</b></span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"> and </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Golden Plover</b></span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"> were reported.....</span></span></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvByJ59m1D5H2gMLb5SP8KW2b_7SgAV79yfXbHFNlG8oZt0FvAz7Hs_31maMe4FzE6z3ZZ1S5wknTEFefOgliwpl5XSIihNtahEJ96GYEcmg4gzzT7GBH3tMM-MDJhwZdgmf48zMHJYyNcl_GX65_O1gZQ5T4DZDPTBm3mbcfbMrwrWbd0jSZZ/s4110/DSCN6837.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2401" data-original-width="4110" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvByJ59m1D5H2gMLb5SP8KW2b_7SgAV79yfXbHFNlG8oZt0FvAz7Hs_31maMe4FzE6z3ZZ1S5wknTEFefOgliwpl5XSIihNtahEJ96GYEcmg4gzzT7GBH3tMM-MDJhwZdgmf48zMHJYyNcl_GX65_O1gZQ5T4DZDPTBm3mbcfbMrwrWbd0jSZZ/w400-h234/DSCN6837.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Whooper Swans</b></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8wmC-hWIxp6hT4nQFSJadtqQltqx4lTqO5O-L3Eke6zkBmteXIESkABWTbMYpoUQPAg1wHMgXNftPDkwpLLk_CrOXhQCq4iEbdS4nIBnTi3iUH4-dT51P-MdgV7kDBnryhWnLe7FPmJQLhGt7YYkAc16rPwyvOojL_4GnTD82vPRAbptXn3Bw/s3554/DSCN6840.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2059" data-original-width="3554" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8wmC-hWIxp6hT4nQFSJadtqQltqx4lTqO5O-L3Eke6zkBmteXIESkABWTbMYpoUQPAg1wHMgXNftPDkwpLLk_CrOXhQCq4iEbdS4nIBnTi3iUH4-dT51P-MdgV7kDBnryhWnLe7FPmJQLhGt7YYkAc16rPwyvOojL_4GnTD82vPRAbptXn3Bw/w400-h231/DSCN6840.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Grey Heron - Photo from Feb 2021</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Up in the mountains....</b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwF_mNQRp4M8gsw2nJ-g3y34GlDxCRIDPPFrI74drDJTUL0dGoBNjGYfp02f8wjn16XDPt5kJ6pDLAFXaJDTlIIDL4hbSoTGxRNJRc52jcJiefUGvIZV6Sb44uEKwHYZEQYX0bmBch1t_tBkhe2UlJjAjgS7j7BdV4vh7nTmU0pvrzk_RNyUsb/s1978/IMG_2946.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1006" data-original-width="1978" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwF_mNQRp4M8gsw2nJ-g3y34GlDxCRIDPPFrI74drDJTUL0dGoBNjGYfp02f8wjn16XDPt5kJ6pDLAFXaJDTlIIDL4hbSoTGxRNJRc52jcJiefUGvIZV6Sb44uEKwHYZEQYX0bmBch1t_tBkhe2UlJjAjgS7j7BdV4vh7nTmU0pvrzk_RNyUsb/w400-h204/IMG_2946.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Cairngorm Mountain</b></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><p style="font-weight: 400;"><b><b>Snow Buntings</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> can often be seen in and around the Cairngorms Ski Centre car park in the winter months, if it can be accessed in the often heavy snow and high winds!!, and that was the case on a few occasions this month, with up to 20 of these attractive and characterful little birds being seen. Their confiding nature means that you can sometimes creep reasonably close for photos too, especially if you put some wild bird seed out to attract and distract them....</span></b></p><p style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></p><p style="font-weight: 400;"><b><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></p><p style="font-weight: 400;"><b></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh57MoeJIY95v6Pis6qF75hq_gVnKQUxdRM1QqqoEv23nW2hCVJby_YuUlAtYQyc_Whgm2mPU_eMnLTsWnF1ehUEUovG3YFSs9UX2qbmAmNb8ISRdGd0R1_PslQw0bCkGkVL4jdXThxuLKsjEkjWz3MH96c9EJj_7GGJVArOIX_Pevy4IGpoBQ/s1822/DSCN2289%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1008" data-original-width="1822" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh57MoeJIY95v6Pis6qF75hq_gVnKQUxdRM1QqqoEv23nW2hCVJby_YuUlAtYQyc_Whgm2mPU_eMnLTsWnF1ehUEUovG3YFSs9UX2qbmAmNb8ISRdGd0R1_PslQw0bCkGkVL4jdXThxuLKsjEkjWz3MH96c9EJj_7GGJVArOIX_Pevy4IGpoBQ/w400-h221/DSCN2289%20(2).JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Snow Buntings</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b><br /></b><p></p><p style="font-weight: 400;"><b><br /></b></p><p style="font-weight: 400;"><b></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm5NBDEzsq7MG82Cr1W1TyVqzEYttraEc3OZ2Z3HAH9mMPxFqRq9nrFA8RbCKIPsjqwmqGPgw3qUDvqIKw2XEASW67WwjcOdjum9fi_DPeIpI8kp1d7lY7x3RTrAmWwWNJW3tfhg4Wvby5kNZm2-2CgxyaTms7nCFO8n5MDETH9MSZP9VrJqh3/s1200/Chris%20Moncrieff%207.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="834" data-original-width="1200" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm5NBDEzsq7MG82Cr1W1TyVqzEYttraEc3OZ2Z3HAH9mMPxFqRq9nrFA8RbCKIPsjqwmqGPgw3qUDvqIKw2XEASW67WwjcOdjum9fi_DPeIpI8kp1d7lY7x3RTrAmWwWNJW3tfhg4Wvby5kNZm2-2CgxyaTms7nCFO8n5MDETH9MSZP9VrJqh3/s320/Chris%20Moncrieff%207.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Snow Bunting by Chris Moncrieff</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></p><p><b></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-weight: 400; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtEMo18HgOKfEe-ahcLttL4oa5kBiLjSKUScjD4-FgUG7YRS0blQr8WwtGeYwbn_RZK10ECPkaZvol8fGoOaSMF_L9S6MqE0iy4dCFG92PV80MHDoOKXEXbqOiZIN0DCFlqvT7CtxLjmFiP87-wpT5hqUflpewjn5AWNmfA7GWeLRngab_fp2d/s1200/Chris%20Moncrieff%209.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="757" data-original-width="1200" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtEMo18HgOKfEe-ahcLttL4oa5kBiLjSKUScjD4-FgUG7YRS0blQr8WwtGeYwbn_RZK10ECPkaZvol8fGoOaSMF_L9S6MqE0iy4dCFG92PV80MHDoOKXEXbqOiZIN0DCFlqvT7CtxLjmFiP87-wpT5hqUflpewjn5AWNmfA7GWeLRngab_fp2d/s320/Chris%20Moncrieff%209.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Snow Bunting by Chris Moncrieff</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b><br /></b><p style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></p><p style="font-weight: 400;"><b><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></p><div><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">With the Cairngorm Funicular Railway still closed for repairs, the weather rarely being suitable , and the days so short now, I didn't venture up into the mountain-tops myself this month, but for future reference, a few </span><b>Ptarmigan</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> , still almost totally white, can sometimes be seen, up around the 'snow-line', usually sheltering on the leeward sides of ridges, out of the cold wind...</span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></span></p><div><br style="font-weight: 400;" /></div></div></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">On farmland....</b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcd5wk7nf4nYfybWsXyJFck0zoYKS5ziI1mfFI38fB9amjcX83WxaJtbKYKXBRWkm84ULee5z6cc4rZqAFcqDhx2kq_S5mM7GlQD22XZrN5_rjpe_OhoOMTtlRKUDMfRbjF2htSbkN1vVf5LNWoAde-KoUsqTUZiPI9DocuPdoo7gQ2KQsW7d4/s4364/DSCN5117.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1779" data-original-width="4364" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcd5wk7nf4nYfybWsXyJFck0zoYKS5ziI1mfFI38fB9amjcX83WxaJtbKYKXBRWkm84ULee5z6cc4rZqAFcqDhx2kq_S5mM7GlQD22XZrN5_rjpe_OhoOMTtlRKUDMfRbjF2htSbkN1vVf5LNWoAde-KoUsqTUZiPI9DocuPdoo7gQ2KQsW7d4/w400-h163/DSCN5117.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Typical local farmland</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-weight: 400;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;">The first waders were seen returning to their spring/summer breeding grounds, with </span><b>Oystercatcher</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><b>Lapwing</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><b>Golden Plover</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"> and </span><b>Curlew</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"> all being noted.....</span></b></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-weight: 400;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHLJJnNMGjlKvt__LksIk6pXHXNF18G0iap2Ven5Lgd_XeQF1uY0MsWWYQbEwqHecMqjJHAaGxIa6TJmWAu8MRs_LRmx7yxbRhhTyAyAjtKN0Qzi6dXjMrqGp2iCSWcM3yVJ7Yu7DOfVatVE8mzcMWSh5ZE4UIkbg1KEQCKKAN4Cy_G68vR-ii/s3257/DSCN6971.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2061" data-original-width="3257" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHLJJnNMGjlKvt__LksIk6pXHXNF18G0iap2Ven5Lgd_XeQF1uY0MsWWYQbEwqHecMqjJHAaGxIa6TJmWAu8MRs_LRmx7yxbRhhTyAyAjtKN0Qzi6dXjMrqGp2iCSWcM3yVJ7Yu7DOfVatVE8mzcMWSh5ZE4UIkbg1KEQCKKAN4Cy_G68vR-ii/s320/DSCN6971.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Lapwing</b></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2y-RE9A5j9Qls6_7qTMboWppyqkMnGT5axGDBxPDotvZyou0JHuM2yfHmbFJvDJjEm_GSMavvYlXbh9TVRxNbHsvgvIHXJMSYq4q2PZcjHlV8W1kQZdjhxxFxpo39b8Op-KEjcpIjIuq_ld9dAr3lVOoDF2s8blOLbN3uH3EKdq5v7YQgYUdT/s4168/DSCN6976.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2705" data-original-width="4168" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2y-RE9A5j9Qls6_7qTMboWppyqkMnGT5axGDBxPDotvZyou0JHuM2yfHmbFJvDJjEm_GSMavvYlXbh9TVRxNbHsvgvIHXJMSYq4q2PZcjHlV8W1kQZdjhxxFxpo39b8Op-KEjcpIjIuq_ld9dAr3lVOoDF2s8blOLbN3uH3EKdq5v7YQgYUdT/s320/DSCN6976.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Oystercatcher</b></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">In local gardens...</b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><p>Berry bushes, fruit trees and garden bird feeding stations are a real magnet for hungry winter visiting birds from further north, and <b>Redwings, Fieldfares</b> <b>Bramblings </b>and<b> Redpolls </b>were all seen locally alongside the more common tits and finches, and we continued to enjoy our first proper 'invasion' of <b>Waxwings </b>for some years, with my own garden in Aviemore having up to 40 of these fantastic birds feeding on sliced apples on the lawn, picnic table , and from my garden rake 'apple tree' on and off throughout the month...</p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh99uBDcE-4zzYVdeixca7GNFFeFcPVdvoMl6WOY4lyXhTSatwNHEAH67zHsh0ZoRY09kp8BVHkHBoWpIkHsVjE6ko-HjgiZjs7M_g3KOZe72zRGTAW06xMfWHdFA8C9pgY5uJ6uVZ-KNZwGMZe0T9QiAlJV_6e1nBTfNYwXt9v1azlJao4_fy6/s3944/DSCN7895.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2286" data-original-width="3944" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh99uBDcE-4zzYVdeixca7GNFFeFcPVdvoMl6WOY4lyXhTSatwNHEAH67zHsh0ZoRY09kp8BVHkHBoWpIkHsVjE6ko-HjgiZjs7M_g3KOZe72zRGTAW06xMfWHdFA8C9pgY5uJ6uVZ-KNZwGMZe0T9QiAlJV_6e1nBTfNYwXt9v1azlJao4_fy6/w400-h231/DSCN7895.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Lesser Redpolls</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHBGjkkfJrA5BGew4s_HBYKPCfpffSuBw79V7n8IObhyphenhyphenSbQmI9fAWZnOcoIZ9PJcOND6qtdRIIOGl0Ndro93m_ovoHsubR9yJLkb3h67GKdtd-rwVc9fTgMlYOG6dbG-3ZburO1ZHbq-QH7xcCgGOomcOQmaIlGBWAe-_V7EZbuETU0SIUxRYs/s4608/DSCN8195.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHBGjkkfJrA5BGew4s_HBYKPCfpffSuBw79V7n8IObhyphenhyphenSbQmI9fAWZnOcoIZ9PJcOND6qtdRIIOGl0Ndro93m_ovoHsubR9yJLkb3h67GKdtd-rwVc9fTgMlYOG6dbG-3ZburO1ZHbq-QH7xcCgGOomcOQmaIlGBWAe-_V7EZbuETU0SIUxRYs/s320/DSCN8195.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Bullfinch</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTdgmoz5_zJVLqwWJvejT_NcKdOImsIJgHvD3JSYDCL1YM_hknCOpR2p10-1uyPQ3dS5YHP6N468mjT6E2-2hP0S0OYA93BBXfcJjCN_hsMUbHvoxSgmqJozIVzQBfaX83n4VDwi7CnAT6PNfxHCm3nBKXdX3b6ETOkvLBxQOt4ZRYY1AfHVY6/s4144/DSCN7756.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1757" data-original-width="4144" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTdgmoz5_zJVLqwWJvejT_NcKdOImsIJgHvD3JSYDCL1YM_hknCOpR2p10-1uyPQ3dS5YHP6N468mjT6E2-2hP0S0OYA93BBXfcJjCN_hsMUbHvoxSgmqJozIVzQBfaX83n4VDwi7CnAT6PNfxHCm3nBKXdX3b6ETOkvLBxQOt4ZRYY1AfHVY6/w400-h170/DSCN7756.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Waxwings</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrBes8__m5QLRRcP-umIQWhxU1Kpkbw-sv4Yg0Kr8lktmrGZu4RXBztfRhld_xxFelG3wJWX40Lt8uP33h8Rn1_07cfU14gcbF42ythtnPuhO2_9pZ0H1Y8yRJyKCFjiAQErFia_5CIjJIaXdcN4mbAVEmKnXyuJ6XhyphenhyphenfVvScyVib-5DyBxgVc/s3626/DSCN7900.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2757" data-original-width="3626" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrBes8__m5QLRRcP-umIQWhxU1Kpkbw-sv4Yg0Kr8lktmrGZu4RXBztfRhld_xxFelG3wJWX40Lt8uP33h8Rn1_07cfU14gcbF42ythtnPuhO2_9pZ0H1Y8yRJyKCFjiAQErFia_5CIjJIaXdcN4mbAVEmKnXyuJ6XhyphenhyphenfVvScyVib-5DyBxgVc/w400-h304/DSCN7900.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Waxwings</b></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3uDjRp7U5_Ej6wxF3nVpC4eneEhwrSJUeovzu6ooEiaLQ6KdaQwHbqqooTzVpcuhlIwPbcHpvsidyEPDzl6vSmgQAP42q_IVvZdNw8F6Bj4ZSIyzX9sJ1j1nsr2Z3Vv6_Z_j5L1XvC-E5l4VbzPRfaRBsLHx9g7iuxg6gRAPApq2JeSLlLKtZ/s4249/DSCN7857.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2736" data-original-width="4249" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3uDjRp7U5_Ej6wxF3nVpC4eneEhwrSJUeovzu6ooEiaLQ6KdaQwHbqqooTzVpcuhlIwPbcHpvsidyEPDzl6vSmgQAP42q_IVvZdNw8F6Bj4ZSIyzX9sJ1j1nsr2Z3Vv6_Z_j5L1XvC-E5l4VbzPRfaRBsLHx9g7iuxg6gRAPApq2JeSLlLKtZ/s320/DSCN7857.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Waxwing</b></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimQjdKg-qoOD6nfU0_TjR5KEg1EtRkh0dLCLIFF-iBwP0PhNgCPly7ijqMJLTZ2GWvJbbMXtPhf1ysCrJcL34KBUATL7FwlUKePKOS7_vr3E3vcThiNNyZ5uhLeu2KHjmsdUStpEClGHgZ9Cz03M2WxTrzCK843WGaByxGl4BjxSiCcFakdqmh/s4608/DSCN8189.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimQjdKg-qoOD6nfU0_TjR5KEg1EtRkh0dLCLIFF-iBwP0PhNgCPly7ijqMJLTZ2GWvJbbMXtPhf1ysCrJcL34KBUATL7FwlUKePKOS7_vr3E3vcThiNNyZ5uhLeu2KHjmsdUStpEClGHgZ9Cz03M2WxTrzCK843WGaByxGl4BjxSiCcFakdqmh/s320/DSCN8189.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Waxwing</b></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Other good/scarce birds seen/reported locally this month included:</b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Big flocks of <b>Lesser Redpolls</b> (with the odd <b>Mealy Redpoll</b> among them) were seen locally throughout the month, a few <b>White-Fronted Geese</b> were reported at various locations, and the local <b>Great Grey Shrike</b> was seen up until the first few days of the month, </span></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe9Am-98rf6QMGPuSa32_C9pxKids0o2vxFO7MG5SQfLPCulYxFpOUq2ejSRlbwIsKvpfyy_iHtlIJIbcV4j4ITdI97JhmvkIc5f5SibfVO775GYTOqCHMQJy1UFig_WjM2RW5Z6MUXTTow36YSRIGLOCaJDK8-pWb-OnIVDSVD44eDWSKOziQ/s1249/Steve%20N%202.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="833" data-original-width="1249" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe9Am-98rf6QMGPuSa32_C9pxKids0o2vxFO7MG5SQfLPCulYxFpOUq2ejSRlbwIsKvpfyy_iHtlIJIbcV4j4ITdI97JhmvkIc5f5SibfVO775GYTOqCHMQJy1UFig_WjM2RW5Z6MUXTTow36YSRIGLOCaJDK8-pWb-OnIVDSVD44eDWSKOziQ/w400-h266/Steve%20N%202.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Great Grey Shrike by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6ZATAT8ns5xOenRB4V3i_jyUJoya-l773xW6HF7ii-1QZL4rx9TMv7C0HjDCv12jGPg24KH2K20-kPQk6_rYhEySvM3-AKki52SFTYbnz8VJOi8U38Iz07ai4pHuePdOpTLwvC6uJwieMxDj0kYA0pY3dE1Fk0OFVw7GDeMfEviOSFBH6RKR7/s3517/Steve%20N%205.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2345" data-original-width="3517" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6ZATAT8ns5xOenRB4V3i_jyUJoya-l773xW6HF7ii-1QZL4rx9TMv7C0HjDCv12jGPg24KH2K20-kPQk6_rYhEySvM3-AKki52SFTYbnz8VJOi8U38Iz07ai4pHuePdOpTLwvC6uJwieMxDj0kYA0pY3dE1Fk0OFVw7GDeMfEviOSFBH6RKR7/s320/Steve%20N%205.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Lesser Redpoll by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 700;">A few photos of more common birds seen locally this month: </span></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoFQq0C3CfpamVksXbc0P0halObvJCM5hngc_99ewJZzqTwv_KYRPa6muJ89BRtniopc5a8adi5BASRa_XswxZkUD87rcg39I9cuk0Df9abYmQgzi5Gh77y1qb9ce1V7xPcrqwQhOXCFbO1JVtxtptmyq4WrH47Q853XPyaX7DyyR3AqrHCUNc/s3167/DSCN0800.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2216" data-original-width="3167" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoFQq0C3CfpamVksXbc0P0halObvJCM5hngc_99ewJZzqTwv_KYRPa6muJ89BRtniopc5a8adi5BASRa_XswxZkUD87rcg39I9cuk0Df9abYmQgzi5Gh77y1qb9ce1V7xPcrqwQhOXCFbO1JVtxtptmyq4WrH47Q853XPyaX7DyyR3AqrHCUNc/w400-h280/DSCN0800.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Mistle Thrush</b></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3SFARiTKkPP5jGtnc9DPTmSfk1my3LEQ9uhphrkKjC_bd82WYO8otXZpqV6Fr97XOKKOnh4bYQDmntuSuRgEFh-CtE5cSp-OmnkwTfB0OVSuWGnTSEnH5DwDLIN_7MuYigQiTV6ry9KsrXZpd_yp6wCP1DfkVyeR70-oSCoQ-7XUXUCk4P84g/s4608/DSCN8201.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3SFARiTKkPP5jGtnc9DPTmSfk1my3LEQ9uhphrkKjC_bd82WYO8otXZpqV6Fr97XOKKOnh4bYQDmntuSuRgEFh-CtE5cSp-OmnkwTfB0OVSuWGnTSEnH5DwDLIN_7MuYigQiTV6ry9KsrXZpd_yp6wCP1DfkVyeR70-oSCoQ-7XUXUCk4P84g/w400-h300/DSCN8201.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Chaffinch</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfZ4muFy-C3fGkfge13-ckDs-akCI-5lAy665oAr9ugM8-s8YgoLwabOhBFSkjaKI-8oxUDbQ3QlAZTccFWADA8wlGmdagp5Wr8lDfcxInSIL-WoaUgOTscnffNokTij72iP15buBw-Q6mXrk2zbsf2hKUe_NjRqB6cnVk13Xkrttq7bP09_DK/s1270/Steve%20N%207.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="846" data-original-width="1270" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfZ4muFy-C3fGkfge13-ckDs-akCI-5lAy665oAr9ugM8-s8YgoLwabOhBFSkjaKI-8oxUDbQ3QlAZTccFWADA8wlGmdagp5Wr8lDfcxInSIL-WoaUgOTscnffNokTij72iP15buBw-Q6mXrk2zbsf2hKUe_NjRqB6cnVk13Xkrttq7bP09_DK/w320-h213/Steve%20N%207.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Siskin by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlXgjek3__IY7KAE4gHZlE3oorBOlTLeBYyscmDGjOf7oMhphUuOgnMTi8OogUp_Fs0Y4bLbWmPR4aV9nd_2DhsoZqpEounsnsyu2QZRU2NtwbLH-9_B_oQLV70e8TK1rjeGoxTBwDFTgaSZmxMjYPXZuQXprbVjw_YzFSWMP3kE-eEK7e4c3x/s2689/IMG_6211.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2685" data-original-width="2689" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlXgjek3__IY7KAE4gHZlE3oorBOlTLeBYyscmDGjOf7oMhphUuOgnMTi8OogUp_Fs0Y4bLbWmPR4aV9nd_2DhsoZqpEounsnsyu2QZRU2NtwbLH-9_B_oQLV70e8TK1rjeGoxTBwDFTgaSZmxMjYPXZuQXprbVjw_YzFSWMP3kE-eEK7e4c3x/s320/IMG_6211.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Great Tit</b></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijjv-RIaOEUnzgVJXYQuzosCeKaRe-mss5k-cQ0-nldGuzR8f-7601uxvPtnrKNgpTDVqpJcWwjfc_Ud0u2EJbSgwtCQYIAVR-ZcjFnuyNcpHUvkY8gGHo80YB57SCIt-BtVJPeW_-h95tvaLMpdvJGE_Pw_YWjpKqpV9Db94G57jGCSI3c50h/s3067/Steve%20N%203.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2044" data-original-width="3067" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijjv-RIaOEUnzgVJXYQuzosCeKaRe-mss5k-cQ0-nldGuzR8f-7601uxvPtnrKNgpTDVqpJcWwjfc_Ud0u2EJbSgwtCQYIAVR-ZcjFnuyNcpHUvkY8gGHo80YB57SCIt-BtVJPeW_-h95tvaLMpdvJGE_Pw_YWjpKqpV9Db94G57jGCSI3c50h/w400-h266/Steve%20N%203.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Greater Spotted Woodpecker by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;">Adventures 'out of area':</span></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU3sySFWMqvEFpbt8FOwCITNuwAPFAi-5pgGtDGe9KksTkV6Cy2bHj_o53VkH0FNHtrAco9a5I8hCq5D3AFGpT44FJPNRuYFNykF926siK-fWYXQ6XlLkN4kUgEDlxHaZd_bgyRUaOIT5u1c_PGbet9mohg9itiw_KZ8jObUtYROchGLhDDlxh/s1994/IMG_2712.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="1133" data-original-width="1994" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU3sySFWMqvEFpbt8FOwCITNuwAPFAi-5pgGtDGe9KksTkV6Cy2bHj_o53VkH0FNHtrAco9a5I8hCq5D3AFGpT44FJPNRuYFNykF926siK-fWYXQ6XlLkN4kUgEDlxHaZd_bgyRUaOIT5u1c_PGbet9mohg9itiw_KZ8jObUtYROchGLhDDlxh/w400-h228/IMG_2712.jpg" width="400" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Early morning at Findhorn Bay Nature Reserve on the Moray Coast</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">The Moray coast is only about an hour drive north of Aviemore, and trips to favourite reserves, lochs, bays and harbours gave good views of wintering birds such as </span><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;">Greylag</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> </span><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;">Geese</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;">Pink-Footed Geese</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;">Whooper Swan</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;">Shoveler</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;">Wigeon</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;">Teal</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> </span><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;">Pintail</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">,</span><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"> </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> </span><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;">Black-Tailed Godwit</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, <b>Bar-Tailed Godwit</b>, </span><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;">Knot, Golden Plover</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> , </span><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;">Grey Plover </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;">Ringed Plover</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;">Purple Sandpiper, Redshank, Oystercatcher, Turnstone, Curlew, </b><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;">Common Scoter</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, <b>Velvet Scoter</b>, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> </span><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;">Long-Tailed Ducks, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Eiders</b></span><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;">, Divers, and Slavonian Grebe, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">with the chance of rare/scarce birds such as <b>American Wigeon</b>, <b>Green-Winged Teal</b>, <b>Tree Sparrow , Grey Partridge</b>, </span><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;">and rare gulls.....</b></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><div><b><br /></b></div><p style="font-weight: bold;"><br style="color: #0e2b46; font-weight: 400;" /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2lj4WaQ_Cbd4rsZMen3wWVicssgV6jgGBKty8ARDFn6WQ0QHSyU5urKgs3E5ah5ismA6yGzo6qrHHfd9_-P-nedxRsbrV9r13FXEp0qImxy_Px1yGw2xkHKBlMw9DQkr7fH6K_iVj2UYYlRJHmx08TRMJBQfHH6Zmx66k8Wz9W_IyJAYAsrv1/s3813/DSCN2248%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1570" data-original-width="3813" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2lj4WaQ_Cbd4rsZMen3wWVicssgV6jgGBKty8ARDFn6WQ0QHSyU5urKgs3E5ah5ismA6yGzo6qrHHfd9_-P-nedxRsbrV9r13FXEp0qImxy_Px1yGw2xkHKBlMw9DQkr7fH6K_iVj2UYYlRJHmx08TRMJBQfHH6Zmx66k8Wz9W_IyJAYAsrv1/w400-h165/DSCN2248%20(2).JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Common Scoters</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSJLHYC6yhzWk68jH7_iErNMBezhdjChe8RGODfxvSX7wQUMmi3LxGDYyHflKdkOSzbqSIF8154eAPip-4vzvzrg5P02Gs0pevxiRWOt5oaRvcUe_KwReIwms2KtPTvLOBVJc1r8L06dexq-1Gg29HGz_UQpex0WHMt4p8fDkJXQaiuYeSBeTI/s4608/DSCN2236.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSJLHYC6yhzWk68jH7_iErNMBezhdjChe8RGODfxvSX7wQUMmi3LxGDYyHflKdkOSzbqSIF8154eAPip-4vzvzrg5P02Gs0pevxiRWOt5oaRvcUe_KwReIwms2KtPTvLOBVJc1r8L06dexq-1Gg29HGz_UQpex0WHMt4p8fDkJXQaiuYeSBeTI/w400-h300/DSCN2236.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Long-Tailed Duck</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMPv83ODEjHRTBLlNLxM6r8Iok1bs_yPVT4PigmFsaEzK3XCrL-qS-57teeCkmKHvvkWUYJ7rryc_T8Wa-SuTkl4upBHTkIoqzr6zqbzLiXOAieku8aThvCmy_TtSPkOIlZ7OULYnPW7bWy1P2cEecCklNaXy7nQ7JoKOQbEDotWN3_nX4zIP8/s4210/DSCN2241.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2837" data-original-width="4210" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMPv83ODEjHRTBLlNLxM6r8Iok1bs_yPVT4PigmFsaEzK3XCrL-qS-57teeCkmKHvvkWUYJ7rryc_T8Wa-SuTkl4upBHTkIoqzr6zqbzLiXOAieku8aThvCmy_TtSPkOIlZ7OULYnPW7bWy1P2cEecCklNaXy7nQ7JoKOQbEDotWN3_nX4zIP8/w400-h270/DSCN2241.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Eider Duck</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirMKggF5NVZ8zPYQByllCzOuPby6qVmRPLpaouoBpCRos8zSN4TXhkHQwWi9A4Qh00BopIzLrhFaFet0Px5hFs4QwF_rh9QdS3m-wVOCUY7WpKbQrdP8Glk9g8XPIwVMPqyGqi5efNZdc0uAtYItWwZVQdLuBQGaKAmA6aGD54f7ZVMNpwr6BQ/s894/Steve%20N%206.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="552" data-original-width="894" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirMKggF5NVZ8zPYQByllCzOuPby6qVmRPLpaouoBpCRos8zSN4TXhkHQwWi9A4Qh00BopIzLrhFaFet0Px5hFs4QwF_rh9QdS3m-wVOCUY7WpKbQrdP8Glk9g8XPIwVMPqyGqi5efNZdc0uAtYItWwZVQdLuBQGaKAmA6aGD54f7ZVMNpwr6BQ/s320/Steve%20N%206.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Female Scaup by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3DkzU67Fd-ePUUCmGuv38iYsUSjHNSicg0enNoNZuZHWVwe6qK8kgdnNJHSnn0Koz4bhe9hTWWC0Gz7soVhm0s1QR6wWhIJiF-p9OPQOmBJyF1iAsPkQCtwrYLVmsI4IjO9OvAEKzf79Cbquf4eCjtdSzP7I2pWU7flAwwAN8GV_cEBrLcioF/s1262/Steve%20N%204.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="841" data-original-width="1262" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3DkzU67Fd-ePUUCmGuv38iYsUSjHNSicg0enNoNZuZHWVwe6qK8kgdnNJHSnn0Koz4bhe9hTWWC0Gz7soVhm0s1QR6wWhIJiF-p9OPQOmBJyF1iAsPkQCtwrYLVmsI4IjO9OvAEKzf79Cbquf4eCjtdSzP7I2pWU7flAwwAN8GV_cEBrLcioF/s320/Steve%20N%204.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Iceland Gull by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></p></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT3yEQqtrBUM0aEYbLloBhMIO5ouxy4kV2rtM3XlqrURnPz0KGgHtVvz4x8PYKSU2JO3XM3Ui70i3llYh5V6roboMiI-H2RPel80EocSM3RQc_HLxYe4sWYXVXMhmSoLVtHj1QZgQ1CzcrN8FH-17Dw9LWy5a3pZ6_CTXwUW2_kHIovdH3r0a8/s3304/DSCN0960.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2065" data-original-width="3304" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT3yEQqtrBUM0aEYbLloBhMIO5ouxy4kV2rtM3XlqrURnPz0KGgHtVvz4x8PYKSU2JO3XM3Ui70i3llYh5V6roboMiI-H2RPel80EocSM3RQc_HLxYe4sWYXVXMhmSoLVtHj1QZgQ1CzcrN8FH-17Dw9LWy5a3pZ6_CTXwUW2_kHIovdH3r0a8/w400-h250/DSCN0960.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Wigeon</b><br /><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTiH8n4j3Xef95jsBjCFa8icL7W0oFc_oubE-JZ27qflqchfMr3__MJUL8EB8aXY6fEtNtcadjmwxqlwWpiGO0c7HYR_CshdGfJZ_VxKrIoIlF3T9A8m4rDZz_EchrQmoLD8DB8_OCmBLNZVCryumtGkgASDxq6VeXMLU0e2mXbvt5AZOs6mdi/s4608/DSCN6995.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2738" data-original-width="4608" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTiH8n4j3Xef95jsBjCFa8icL7W0oFc_oubE-JZ27qflqchfMr3__MJUL8EB8aXY6fEtNtcadjmwxqlwWpiGO0c7HYR_CshdGfJZ_VxKrIoIlF3T9A8m4rDZz_EchrQmoLD8DB8_OCmBLNZVCryumtGkgASDxq6VeXMLU0e2mXbvt5AZOs6mdi/w400-h238/DSCN6995.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Purple Sandpipers<br /><br /><br /><br /></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b style="color: #0e2b46;">The freshwater lochs and nature reserves just inland from the Moray Coast can be productive too....</b></span></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b style="color: #0e2b46;"><br /></b></span></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b style="color: #0e2b46;"><br /></b></span></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b style="color: #0e2b46;"><br /></b></span></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig-8vBq5G-a8Ob4P57VX0Xrjb_1CpH_g-4EmM-5jgDmR7BsKWT7OfkoUlYX_urAw-7z6505xuObYCzfjviz6RdyxkohkfpM8Zds6libYobb3bcVA9qbnhXN2LtZ2Pt9CNP36a24pQRj4lcLQ4fGKS7Zzxe42U45sQjKA7PjQXHCnh00HQ_hwON/s1999/IMG_2728.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1051" data-original-width="1999" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig-8vBq5G-a8Ob4P57VX0Xrjb_1CpH_g-4EmM-5jgDmR7BsKWT7OfkoUlYX_urAw-7z6505xuObYCzfjviz6RdyxkohkfpM8Zds6libYobb3bcVA9qbnhXN2LtZ2Pt9CNP36a24pQRj4lcLQ4fGKS7Zzxe42U45sQjKA7PjQXHCnh00HQ_hwON/w400-h210/IMG_2728.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Loch Spynie</b></td></tr></tbody></table></span></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b style="color: #0e2b46;"><br /></b></span></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b style="color: #0e2b46;"><br /></b></span></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b style="color: #0e2b46;"><br /></b></span></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV7vv32Jf1sOuIZTHfImY6gj-K3fxY6aff66m8wMfWb3bt1hO8N-6aMvcGP0HLgeMq7WN2Ruld_PwEiL9spbeeaqq-n6X4tCB8HjbmTLTHZLYVIOYFO74vfmft7bYr5RyxJjfkNleYMQymIaROELeJG-PAZEllMzzq9SpUhQhNveUoa1cd54Al/s1501/DSCN4378.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1501" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV7vv32Jf1sOuIZTHfImY6gj-K3fxY6aff66m8wMfWb3bt1hO8N-6aMvcGP0HLgeMq7WN2Ruld_PwEiL9spbeeaqq-n6X4tCB8HjbmTLTHZLYVIOYFO74vfmft7bYr5RyxJjfkNleYMQymIaROELeJG-PAZEllMzzq9SpUhQhNveUoa1cd54Al/s320/DSCN4378.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Tufted Ducks</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b style="color: #0e2b46;"><br /></b></span></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b style="color: #0e2b46;"><br /></b></span></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq5TDvpuHs9OQstlFW3ghKwNyDZJN6Y4arc6GM-zDp6SZ5GCzsbqkcmXBzJXz9JtzLNqCin7gjPkE-o-e5LH8S85JeLehVsQdQFImlYicRkOjlVAbY8u97DkIylltXejuneZRQjHXCHDoXX8o-6yP9QNi78zFVDVYcR4nsMlbQHGKosuHpxp8g/s2673/DSCN4387.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1878" data-original-width="2673" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq5TDvpuHs9OQstlFW3ghKwNyDZJN6Y4arc6GM-zDp6SZ5GCzsbqkcmXBzJXz9JtzLNqCin7gjPkE-o-e5LH8S85JeLehVsQdQFImlYicRkOjlVAbY8u97DkIylltXejuneZRQjHXCHDoXX8o-6yP9QNi78zFVDVYcR4nsMlbQHGKosuHpxp8g/s320/DSCN4387.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Little Grebe</b></td></tr></tbody></table></span></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b style="color: #0e2b46;"><br /></b></span></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b style="color: #0e2b46;"><br /></b></span></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCvHYSjckCAoAEloaYTxyKsRigUxqcLgqhagntlGRlfFz96SWRJIwZ4mys3N17AeUse5gJ-hcskPN_QqdRZzVCQa1tdBc0AEpNfZaEdAhVFWvBWFSbAbu9T1DUqbud0Dnf0mODajtcvBgCV-PlppUCiOCaiHT1txkKW9UUV5QlnJHGHADeiBuZ/s1090/Steve%20N%208.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="726" data-original-width="1090" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCvHYSjckCAoAEloaYTxyKsRigUxqcLgqhagntlGRlfFz96SWRJIwZ4mys3N17AeUse5gJ-hcskPN_QqdRZzVCQa1tdBc0AEpNfZaEdAhVFWvBWFSbAbu9T1DUqbud0Dnf0mODajtcvBgCV-PlppUCiOCaiHT1txkKW9UUV5QlnJHGHADeiBuZ/s320/Steve%20N%208.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Smew by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table></span></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b style="color: #0e2b46;"><br /></b></span></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b style="color: #0e2b46;"><br /></b></span></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">February 2024 mammal sightings in more detail:</b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Star mammal for February is usually that much sought-after local speciality the <b>Mountain Har</b>e, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">and rightly so, as Britain's only native 'lagomorph' and with their UK distribution being restricted to just a few remote upland areas, seeing one is always a treat. </span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8bz_AbLG9bmkC_j00po1McxYCHTyu8h9SfdrNnO-Y-OzGyJmEk2DEjPzYH5XmX5AjbxWcFVh75eGOtQigkC96Gx-c15eVwu5N0ubvARZIwqdVoAy9mGfl34gfru_lNyFryxt0wqTKGj6TGOivo-l493F3natqq4REFIj9_90sDlqqQ3IxIrPm/s1200/Chris%20Moncrieff%202.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="619" data-original-width="1200" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8bz_AbLG9bmkC_j00po1McxYCHTyu8h9SfdrNnO-Y-OzGyJmEk2DEjPzYH5XmX5AjbxWcFVh75eGOtQigkC96Gx-c15eVwu5N0ubvARZIwqdVoAy9mGfl34gfru_lNyFryxt0wqTKGj6TGOivo-l493F3natqq4REFIj9_90sDlqqQ3IxIrPm/s320/Chris%20Moncrieff%202.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Mountain Hare by Chris Moncrieff</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">Seeing them was tricky during the snowy conditions early in the month, and I often had to resort to using my thermal imager to find them, but it actually became easier than usual for the second half of the month with the lack of snow meaning that their white coats made them much more obvious against their mountainside background... </span></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTpKO1JwFLDF8KwkdrhXd0T0WwrR0TqCJvIoDyqHWmu-H4JPwqB8tVvmRzp_rENwxJSWhKCcIb6zHJffRpJZoH0-UGoaCRZz4bGA2IhuNt-KIYLtYW7r0uET-fZc2FhDIQzBMKI1y59lWP9YgX1BU4iguppNYSPml7ILWjGGfvE-ebq-Dpn7Jk/s1200/Chris%20Momcrieff%201.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="728" data-original-width="1200" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTpKO1JwFLDF8KwkdrhXd0T0WwrR0TqCJvIoDyqHWmu-H4JPwqB8tVvmRzp_rENwxJSWhKCcIb6zHJffRpJZoH0-UGoaCRZz4bGA2IhuNt-KIYLtYW7r0uET-fZc2FhDIQzBMKI1y59lWP9YgX1BU4iguppNYSPml7ILWjGGfvE-ebq-Dpn7Jk/w400-h243/Chris%20Momcrieff%201.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Mountain Hare by Chris Moncrieff</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">It should be noted though, that most of our views are at range through my telescope, and that a closer view or photo opportunity usually involves some considerable rough uphill walking, often in deep snow....</span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p><br style="font-weight: 400;" /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><p style="font-weight: 400;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">In the same upland glens, </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Red Deer, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> mainly in large same-sex herds, can usually be seen, although a number of factors such as the weather, in particular the wind strength and depth of the snow, and whether there is any local shooting activity , can dictate whether we get nice close-up views, or distant views through the telescope....</span></p><div><br /></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUBZw5B7JbOMQbMZIIZHbNk0Xod6VV_eeGnUC8LgivmVVXtHbQCZ8pUBpB7tV7KLAkLSNfzEw4L18PX1UMrWb_LcHhoJ3WGgbM0lr-JusQQmeImC0MPRhkmAkKUL-dEG_jhtBwSrboKXzzhlFVSw0QN2wa7VwRs0JDlw7gmTVkFLa-DRjeoqNC/s4608/DSCN5070.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2324" data-original-width="4608" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUBZw5B7JbOMQbMZIIZHbNk0Xod6VV_eeGnUC8LgivmVVXtHbQCZ8pUBpB7tV7KLAkLSNfzEw4L18PX1UMrWb_LcHhoJ3WGgbM0lr-JusQQmeImC0MPRhkmAkKUL-dEG_jhtBwSrboKXzzhlFVSw0QN2wa7VwRs0JDlw7gmTVkFLa-DRjeoqNC/w400-h201/DSCN5070.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Deer Stags</b></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjejY-8b2m3BsSHL6SEY7TJLzv-ZdALVUne2fGelHuBVTJ5Pzxn8iE3R6nzTua6KcwLeAcAbzYH6g-x_1aD5VwgI_zkX8xu9hx2Yh7LqJrACfV-QJZ21Ns7yniZot5Y7qMw30zrM2GznbaaVvqrRh-jghWCxmKd1UwfxLpNywbJzl7o_C13RNAi/s2120/Ron%20Mitchell%20RD.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="1413" data-original-width="2120" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjejY-8b2m3BsSHL6SEY7TJLzv-ZdALVUne2fGelHuBVTJ5Pzxn8iE3R6nzTua6KcwLeAcAbzYH6g-x_1aD5VwgI_zkX8xu9hx2Yh7LqJrACfV-QJZ21Ns7yniZot5Y7qMw30zrM2GznbaaVvqrRh-jghWCxmKd1UwfxLpNywbJzl7o_C13RNAi/s320/Ron%20Mitchell%20RD.jpeg" width="320" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Deer Stag by Ron Mitchell - Photo from Feb 2023</b></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">Still up in the glens, another local speciality mammal, our </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75);">Feral Mountain Goats </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">can often seen on the same sheltered sides of the ridges as the Red Deer , and at this time of year it is not unusual to see them with the first , very cute, new-born youngsters ....</span></span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjERpia3N1xU8Re4oPmKoAOHsikTdbfxMhM5naDjAEcsZ_08UtDRz9hmRndblS97LffrIIdQtKSNOLqh544pXPqyhA0bWHaukL7zprqCOZcFLaFvY1tCO_U2sMN12biHyhlKUeSSrH7ADCkWe3dTznB0Eu5uab4HoVB-zPpaDxOLKXMJP-8rTC4/s3686/DSCN7785.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1858" data-original-width="3686" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjERpia3N1xU8Re4oPmKoAOHsikTdbfxMhM5naDjAEcsZ_08UtDRz9hmRndblS97LffrIIdQtKSNOLqh544pXPqyhA0bWHaukL7zprqCOZcFLaFvY1tCO_U2sMN12biHyhlKUeSSrH7ADCkWe3dTznB0Eu5uab4HoVB-zPpaDxOLKXMJP-8rTC4/w400-h201/DSCN7785.JPG" width="400" /></a><br /><br /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Feral Mountain Goats</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSXdmswCWhUTn6jzvQnaRh8IvqEPXMYoFg96fStVa2eP7fGBHah4rocTFRXyfeYvrqlqNoFtYgi_lN3UxV_3Iut_elpxklLEHjFUOW8V7P2vD7uHVygiJNahW9JHt3jOEojINRX31WkID9AOD4_LIzqZUmbHvFrTqk6LZA123Sy3a2LkE2Ntct/s3497/DSCN0882.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2316" data-original-width="3497" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSXdmswCWhUTn6jzvQnaRh8IvqEPXMYoFg96fStVa2eP7fGBHah4rocTFRXyfeYvrqlqNoFtYgi_lN3UxV_3Iut_elpxklLEHjFUOW8V7P2vD7uHVygiJNahW9JHt3jOEojINRX31WkID9AOD4_LIzqZUmbHvFrTqk6LZA123Sy3a2LkE2Ntct/w400-h265/DSCN0882.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Feral Mountain Goats</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Red Squirrels</b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> are a true Highlands speciality, and we are usually fortunate enough to see at least one on most of my safaris, mainly chomping on peanuts at forest feeding stations, but with the occasional random sighting whilst walking or driving in suitable habitat.</span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJx5qToLjHuS8HKv73h1mG3M5Gm-Txo1yzkPAFXc_3NQS7rhE0XMJx1kpQmoHH8uK1KL6NpX706ic0d7_QYhqI7z6o-0GvAY8vZYakcc5rmqND-0BTBQgePYLQ5dsFbUQL5nEnozMuqsbs1A8a2G-7uT0WdpmgZyyj_qMgs53PB3JvN-iIAtOS/s3830/DSCN5094.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2818" data-original-width="3830" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJx5qToLjHuS8HKv73h1mG3M5Gm-Txo1yzkPAFXc_3NQS7rhE0XMJx1kpQmoHH8uK1KL6NpX706ic0d7_QYhqI7z6o-0GvAY8vZYakcc5rmqND-0BTBQgePYLQ5dsFbUQL5nEnozMuqsbs1A8a2G-7uT0WdpmgZyyj_qMgs53PB3JvN-iIAtOS/s320/DSCN5094.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Squirrel</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs0CuWhiN6_PqeUn8yaMXrF6L12ge4cqo61WH3Kf4xyVNS4aavffZSKjSl8_aGbcQMYJRainemAODKv4-RDGDNQ6nO7fRMiRBx7RN_3dZNLh7IEeubqnuw4Ro326v5A0KVEjWrqMGpQEMBC9lHN6QVhsMl1fQR7Ch0PNIlUBujOnv49a0oVK-f/s4608/DSCN6649.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs0CuWhiN6_PqeUn8yaMXrF6L12ge4cqo61WH3Kf4xyVNS4aavffZSKjSl8_aGbcQMYJRainemAODKv4-RDGDNQ6nO7fRMiRBx7RN_3dZNLh7IEeubqnuw4Ro326v5A0KVEjWrqMGpQEMBC9lHN6QVhsMl1fQR7Ch0PNIlUBujOnv49a0oVK-f/s320/DSCN6649.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Squirrel</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Roe Deer</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"> are most commonly seen at dawn or dusk and generally at the quieter, more remote sites well away from human disturbance, their shy, nervous nature making them much harder to see than Red Deer, despite being considerably more numerous and widespread than their larger 'cousins'...</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZO6r_UU0IimlLyIeyD0R8RYgysG8CxnfzKQN_ZElFaQE1L6F7ATenPMo4DaOY79eDJN4dsqQChhLT_stZdKlwm0B-mt5C6fvMudpyz_XUoHyLKkY4JPb8FJ9_UEqo2zV7gF9_3JU62RrLAfI5cMQveIdQkret0s9e3Hst7XZk9RQdxdCT-oBX/s4608/DSCN8991.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3208" data-original-width="4608" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZO6r_UU0IimlLyIeyD0R8RYgysG8CxnfzKQN_ZElFaQE1L6F7ATenPMo4DaOY79eDJN4dsqQChhLT_stZdKlwm0B-mt5C6fvMudpyz_XUoHyLKkY4JPb8FJ9_UEqo2zV7gF9_3JU62RrLAfI5cMQveIdQkret0s9e3Hst7XZk9RQdxdCT-oBX/s320/DSCN8991.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Roe Deer</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;">We managed a few (mainly early morning) sightings of </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75);">Brown Hare</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"> this month, usually on the quieter farmland areas, but sadly they were mainly very fleeting glimpses. with no decent photo opportunities.....</span></p><p><br /></p></span></div></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_3ykzX-Kd0XxmK13QETMjrfVgIsjh6gjJ-NwlaE9awFEeoXRX_45qOa_0hVLC9Ur958TG-Lemp6nJyEW6_W5qg5sAX98Inxzxba2G01yOGLAThJFo_apy5jVnW11eAZnvOiMSc5EpCqO0JnlrqayKuAEcN9c50-O2XsAu5Db6jDzNAD5jd_eS/s1804/DSCN9334.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="1804" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_3ykzX-Kd0XxmK13QETMjrfVgIsjh6gjJ-NwlaE9awFEeoXRX_45qOa_0hVLC9Ur958TG-Lemp6nJyEW6_W5qg5sAX98Inxzxba2G01yOGLAThJFo_apy5jVnW11eAZnvOiMSc5EpCqO0JnlrqayKuAEcN9c50-O2XsAu5Db6jDzNAD5jd_eS/s320/DSCN9334.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Brown Hare - Photo from Feb 2019</b></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><p style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Hairy Highland Coo's</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"> always prove to be popular with my safari clients, especially those who do not have them close to home, so don't be afraid to ask me if you fancy going to see them, and maybe even get to feed and 'pat' them, as I have a couple of great sites....</span></b></span></span></p><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQDBArKBTldp5xxqc80FOrezn4bNeDdmPwlg9XzN6orUuAtukRoEcV5WyRstvp-MZzcGNErY7JFe-ttBuwT9CVcC_zs1CVsHnoAMsHMgKycK0G2vdTgC62VEX6f-uWtMny3kvO8dCWRMQTXVCBT9I2iL6Fr0Gw_4DGnGEldfITN0jd_fA_1VOM/s1569/IMG_2988.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1145" data-original-width="1569" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQDBArKBTldp5xxqc80FOrezn4bNeDdmPwlg9XzN6orUuAtukRoEcV5WyRstvp-MZzcGNErY7JFe-ttBuwT9CVcC_zs1CVsHnoAMsHMgKycK0G2vdTgC62VEX6f-uWtMny3kvO8dCWRMQTXVCBT9I2iL6Fr0Gw_4DGnGEldfITN0jd_fA_1VOM/w400-h293/IMG_2988.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Carrot time for Murdo</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Marine mammals:</b></div><div><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;">The Moray coast is pretty reliable for sightings of </span><b>Seals</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;">, with a decent chance of </span><b>Harbour Porpoise</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"> and </span><b>Dolphins</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;">, and, even a slim chance of </span><b>Whales</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;">.....</span></b></div><div><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><p style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Rare/nocturnal mammals:</b></p><p style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">I get a few enquiries about the possibility of seeing </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Badgers</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> and </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Pine Marten</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> from my safari clients, many of whom I suspect are unaware that they are actually a largely nocturnal creature, and although we do get the occasional (maybe one or two a year) dawn glimpse of one, you would definitely have a much higher chance of seeing them at a specific dusk Badger/Pine Marten watching hide - Please contact me for more information.</span></p><p style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Similarly, our inland </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Otters</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> too are mainly active during the hours of darkness, and again, although we do get a few early-morning sightings on local lochs and rivers each year, including one on the 10th of this month, looking for them feeding in a suitably quiet, kelp - filled bay on the coast on a rising tide, but at any time of day, would give you a much better chance.</span></p><p style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-family: quot; line-height: 1.4;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: quot; line-height: 1.4;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Whilst we are still on the 'tricky to see stuff', the <b>Scottish Wildcat </b>too, as well as being incredibly rare now, is also generally nocturnal, and the fact that I have had a mere handful of (dawn or dusk) sightings in 19 years of providing wildlife safaris should give you an idea of how difficult they are to see.</span></p><p><br style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Other wildlife:</b></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">I don't recall seeing any 'other wildlife' this month....</span></p></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4GfsiNs_CEglGPzuUdG7mpJNiM3heAVNLADR8gcOzO8JuV_ap6vfvun43Yzps7og87EAZOLeq4iiCb4pijNcGpIVP830WSh_ZfZgXmErnfM4E_meg3G1PIpuVg5DtwRlo_ToW1hIC1KVWMITT5I5Ld8u_yr1nvGC9-rTvdSKIACm7OohkxtGy/s1930/IMG_2996.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1448" data-original-width="1930" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4GfsiNs_CEglGPzuUdG7mpJNiM3heAVNLADR8gcOzO8JuV_ap6vfvun43Yzps7og87EAZOLeq4iiCb4pijNcGpIVP830WSh_ZfZgXmErnfM4E_meg3G1PIpuVg5DtwRlo_ToW1hIC1KVWMITT5I5Ld8u_yr1nvGC9-rTvdSKIACm7OohkxtGy/w400-h300/IMG_2996.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A snowy scene at a local river</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><p style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">News:</b></span></p><p style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">I am very pleased to announce that Highland Wildlife & Birdwatch Safaris has recently been awarded - for the second consecutive year - a Travelers Choice accreditation from Trip Advisor, for being ranked in the top 10% of visitor attractions worldwide based on customer reviews and feedback.</span></p><p style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; margin-left: 4.8pt;"><span lang="EN-US">This achievement would not have been possible without the support of all my family, friends, safari clients, social media followers, regular blog readers , the Visit Scotland 'mystery shoppers', and everyone else who has helped and encouraged me along the way to ‘living my dream’ of being a wildlife safari guide, since 2004, especially over the last few very difficult COVID affected years, so a big THANK YOU to you all :)</span><o:p></o:p></p><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">We have also recently upgraded our safari vehicle to a slightly newer Land Rover Discovery HSE LUX 7-seater, and this one has 7 heated seats, along with all the usual luxuries such as rear-seat entertainment DVD screens, a panoramic sunroof, and height-adjustable air suspension, and it is also more spacious and 'greener' than my previous versions with ultra-low emissions and better fuel economy....</div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRkGd_owlR_JHBW-bx6h_HtXuWRPNEFqMJ572P-EpamPdfuXQpFXTx0oA8bI-jCRRljObaLAKxOPYvGxmd371CFsQ-Lapn4_ABqPff_eTxqZ1hH_LZhX3t8dEL0SqBcIDO8BzUuM2vAwt2o4a0j45vzKLXuKXahQlknQc_bax1edtROehVt3Dt/s1964/IMG_2957.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1069" data-original-width="1964" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRkGd_owlR_JHBW-bx6h_HtXuWRPNEFqMJ572P-EpamPdfuXQpFXTx0oA8bI-jCRRljObaLAKxOPYvGxmd371CFsQ-Lapn4_ABqPff_eTxqZ1hH_LZhX3t8dEL0SqBcIDO8BzUuM2vAwt2o4a0j45vzKLXuKXahQlknQc_bax1edtROehVt3Dt/w400-h217/IMG_2957.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>My new(er) safari vehicle on it's 'debut' outing</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><p style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">All tourism/hospitality/activities in Scotland are open , are free of restrictions and I have now completed two years of (thankfully!) increasingly busy and extremely enjoyable safaris with clients with no major issues arising.</span></p><p style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">With all national travel restrictions lifted too, Scotland is officially 'open for business' for visitors from all over the UK, and from abroad.</span></p><p style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">For those considering a visit, these wildlife/outdoor tourism websites may prove useful:</span></p><p style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">June - September is midge season - But thankfully, this area is not usually affected too badly - This link explains why: </span></p><p style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-65939262" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">Bumper midge hatch alert after warm spell - BBC News</a></p><p style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b>https://www.gov.scot/collections/coronavirus-covid</b></span></span></p><p style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.outdooraccess-scotland.scot/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">NatureScot (outdooraccess-scotland.scot)</a></p><p style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xGdTZcC2ZQ" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-line: none;">Can Nature Help Health? | Nature Prescriptions - YouTube</a></b></p><p style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1HBKnnGr-g" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;">Scotland, Yours to Enjoy. Responsibly. - YouTube</a></p><p style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://cairngorms.co.uk/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">Cairngorms National Park Authority</a></p><p style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.highlandwildlifepark.org.uk/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">Highland Wildlife Park</a></p><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.gov.scot/publications/avian-influenza-outbreaks/" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;">Avian influenza (bird flu) outbreaks - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)</a></div><p style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.rspb.org.uk/about-the-rspb/about-us/how-the-rspb-is-run/annualreport/annual-report-2022_scotland-news/?utm_source=notes_on_nature_20220903&utm_medium=email&utm_term=notes_on_nature&utm_content=27&utm_campaign=notes_on_nature" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;">Positive prescriptions | The RSPB</a></p><p style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001I2CprmTF4v466b2QwFanHYsB-M-rMapIosb95lRyTUJBNCM4M5pRVhERGqeaLRzFyv1eekvDmizxHTXlceC8MfUpDhmPVjcIKSIuzoxgpUAR-WvJnMt7Qy_6FTM7t0NmHCFXcXrKl2PwZmYesq-W9IS95jsm4EjF&c=yaKTJZAUiA1JLq3HZX4qSPKZSV0TmxUhrab0kVmIGIcqw2TwJXwIuA==&ch=DwiISia8UtA2D1uBYb3sVgpwyW_q8Q-7QsuJDduKzFxiKfyqeb9Flw==" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;"><b><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" style="color: #d9b559; font-size: 12pt;">www.scotlandbigpicture.com</span></b></a></span></p><p><br style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p><br style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>COVID-19</b></p><p style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">The Scottish Highlands, being very sparsely populated, has had very few COVID-19 cases in comparison to most of the UK, and on my safaris we tend to visit remote , wild habitats well away from the more popular tourist areas, and usually have very little interaction with other people, and this is something that I intend to continue.</b></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCnm85jDXJU4QPHd2pZfkl_xRdSbnCxiOsXmB3WYPq3GF4NldAUJ2DQhQtn9r-iLhYskcaIuVTPxAxbkH3NQLwf8Euap0CIRmLKWbQl3498f3FQ7zWTI-eNXeFrFuLmYJJ9CjTobnmKyb__HHoty3UjN5GyNZePww53SKMzTPSDo1GRAaUYNN1/s1865/IMG_4223%20(3).JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1399" data-original-width="1865" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCnm85jDXJU4QPHd2pZfkl_xRdSbnCxiOsXmB3WYPq3GF4NldAUJ2DQhQtn9r-iLhYskcaIuVTPxAxbkH3NQLwf8Euap0CIRmLKWbQl3498f3FQ7zWTI-eNXeFrFuLmYJJ9CjTobnmKyb__HHoty3UjN5GyNZePww53SKMzTPSDo1GRAaUYNN1/w400-h300/IMG_4223%20(3).JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Uath Lochans viewed from Fairletter Ridge</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p></div></span></div></span></span></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">Summary:</b></span></span></span></div><p><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Although, with just two safari bookings, I felt like a bit of a 'Norman No Mates' out on my adventures in the first half of the month, thankfully, a good part of the second half was spent showing off the spectacular scenery and special wildlife of the Cairngorms National Park to a nice mix of first-timers, returners and valued regulars, some of whom have become good friends, which was much more enjoyable, and although the weather was very changeable, it wasn't that bad for February, and looking back through my sightings notes and photos, I reckon we did pretty well with a good selection of local specialities, winter visitors and common species seen and enjoyed, a few rarities thrown-in, and some good times , a few laughs, and plenty of hot drinks and shortbread enjoyed along the way ....</span></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2XRIMFTwM9fIEpE5b_muirX_FqfrqY_-n5XD1wfcyAaxNBTZd-2k3QL2eeaXmxJImfrMltHj6ym72RIUCnelHI4iKDPjpVmEQRGN-TN__196HxO-sN0SifO4LqzDACKAJttfED82mAG2xSGR4bsCPKnFE1aEUeiqveZP_vZWLUy2_BcpwswyR/s1992/IMG_8694.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="982" data-original-width="1992" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2XRIMFTwM9fIEpE5b_muirX_FqfrqY_-n5XD1wfcyAaxNBTZd-2k3QL2eeaXmxJImfrMltHj6ym72RIUCnelHI4iKDPjpVmEQRGN-TN__196HxO-sN0SifO4LqzDACKAJttfED82mAG2xSGR4bsCPKnFE1aEUeiqveZP_vZWLUy2_BcpwswyR/w400-h198/IMG_8694.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A wintry scene at a local glen</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b><br /></b></p><div><p><b>Reviews:</b></p><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span face="" style="color: #06004c;">I know a lot of visitors to this area very wisely check out reviews of attractions/experiences at </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">TripAdvisor</b><span face="" style="color: #06004c;"> before 'taking the plunge' and booking - We now have well over 300 reviews online, so if you wish, you can check out our clients comments at the link below....</span></div><p><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><div style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"></span></span><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;" /><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g186537-d3335134-Reviews-</span></span></span></span></span></div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"></span></span><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;" /><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Highland_Wildlife_Birdwatch_Safaris-Aviemore_Aviemore_and_the_Cairngorms_Scottish.html</span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div></div></div><p><br /></p><p></p><br /><p></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p></div><div><p><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><b>G</b></span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">ift Certificates:</b></p><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><div style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; color: #222222; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 5px; position: relative;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T95gARK_lkQ/XAvNUI2tI6I/AAAAAAAADwU/GDPgK9hH9LwgLQ8gPnoaLdf04Yn2BLebwCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_1578.JPG" style="background: none 0% 0% / auto repeat scroll padding-box border-box transparent; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 5px;" width="400" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 10.56px; text-align: center;"><b>Safari gift voucher</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></span></span></div></div></div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><br /></div><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span face="" style="color: #06004c; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;">If you think you know someone who may enjoy a taste of what I do, why not treat them to a safari gift </span><span face="" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;">certificate? They make a thoughtful and imaginative present, are available for any amount and are valid for a whole year from date of purchase........</span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span face="" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><p><br /></p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p></div><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p>Highland Wildlife & Birdwatch Safarishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04327130550058794301noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26724394.post-10954266236139334202024-01-31T19:55:00.000+00:002024-01-31T19:55:17.557+00:00<p><b>January 2024</b></p><p>January 2024 started with our weather being dominated by a large high pressure system, which brought very cold temperatures (down to -10c), but very calm windless conditions and lovely blue skies for almost 2 weeks, turning the Highlands into a real 'winter wonderland', and although you had to wrap up warm, it was almost perfect for wildlife-watching. However...... things changed from mid-month, when, apart from a couple of decent days, low pressure systems brought us heavy snow for a week, followed by milder, but much windier, wetter conditions as a result of named storms Isha and Jocelyn, which made wildlife watching considerably more demanding......</p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">The days are lengthening noticeably now, with up to 8-9 hours of usable daylight, and dawn (for the Black Grouse) is still a relatively sociable 7:30-8:00 am, with dusk at around 5pm.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">Full-day local safari bird lists usually top-out in the 30's or 40's at this time of year, though a trip to the nearby (one hour by car ) Moray Coast can boost this total considerably, whilst mammal day lists can vary between 3 and 8 species, depending on the time of our start and number of habitats visited, with early starts usually proving to be best.</span></p><div><br /></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNq5x2tqhjrX5QV1A0wkB3MDLroCnMbY7sq5ALWc_SyigRLGGjJcgypiY6lilXp6lCgap_LACNraNHj-TWgN9OKeMaEfhmP9DVyc4O6SfuqtYVPXsM8S1lepLpvDEe-hG2yibmHl-79stpqVfk1uGNzmVxHaDZvo4pxaRzdle59KURwMsp1_GZ/s1902/IMG_2765.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1048" data-original-width="1902" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNq5x2tqhjrX5QV1A0wkB3MDLroCnMbY7sq5ALWc_SyigRLGGjJcgypiY6lilXp6lCgap_LACNraNHj-TWgN9OKeMaEfhmP9DVyc4O6SfuqtYVPXsM8S1lepLpvDEe-hG2yibmHl-79stpqVfk1uGNzmVxHaDZvo4pxaRzdle59KURwMsp1_GZ/w400-h220/IMG_2765.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Sunset at a picturesque local loch</b></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">To give you an idea of what you may realistically hope to see if you are considering a future January visit, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">I hope the following more detailed information, illustrated with photos taken at sites in and around the Cairngorms National Park, and sometimes further afield, by myself, my friends or my safari clients this month and in previous January's will help....clicking on the picture enlarges it to full-screen. </span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Local speciality/upland bird species seen regularly during the month included</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">:</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Crested Tit</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Red Grouse</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, <b>Goldeneye</b> and </span><b>Dipper, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">whilst </span><b>Black Grouse </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">were occasionally seen at or soon after dawn at traditional lek sites, and we also had a few decent sightings of <b>Golden Eagle.........</b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">Local winter visiting birds were represented by a few <b>Redwings and Fieldfares,</b> family groups of <b>Whooper Swans, </b>several species of 'grey' <b>Geese, </b>and large flocks of <b>Redpolls </b>were spotted too...with <b>Waxwings </b>being seen locally on and off throughout the month, though <b>Bramblings </b>seem to be very few and far between again this winter....</span></p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Mammal species seen regularly included:</b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Red Squirrel</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Red Deer</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Reindeer</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Roe Deer</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Rabbit </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">and</span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"> </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">(white)</span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"> Mountain Hare</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">.....with just a couple of (mainly dawn) views of </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Brown Hare</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> , and a few brief glimpses of <b>Wood Mouse</b> and </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Bank Vole</b><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"> </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">underneath bird feeders<span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>....</b>whilst sadly, our local feral <b>Mountain Goats</b> proved to be very elusive....</span></span></p><p></p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">January 2024 bird sightings in more detail:</b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Up on the moors....</b></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd4tMNTCY3T-4EbdiQ7tIX5Lu0emmseDfr02ZBQLjf23elgHT7rNJQwzqK5eeyEhC1MO56caBdNYQ2X4JK8dDr0wDM4C-GluzG8y-qigDaWQrxEO8pM1Q9x_N-Kg669aXbjRFxK0YDPPtfITgjzA4Rot5rBfprgXi_O3aMb8RRye8f43t9-yjm/s2016/IMG_2852.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="854" data-original-width="2016" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd4tMNTCY3T-4EbdiQ7tIX5Lu0emmseDfr02ZBQLjf23elgHT7rNJQwzqK5eeyEhC1MO56caBdNYQ2X4JK8dDr0wDM4C-GluzG8y-qigDaWQrxEO8pM1Q9x_N-Kg669aXbjRFxK0YDPPtfITgjzA4Rot5rBfprgXi_O3aMb8RRye8f43t9-yjm/w400-h170/IMG_2852.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A local upland moorland</b></td></tr></tbody></table></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Black Grouse</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> are one of my favourite local speciality birds, and always prove popular with my safari clients, especially from January to May when they often display and lek at dawn. However, our early morning visits to their traditional 'lek' sites gave 'patchy' results this month, with a few</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> 'no shows' offset by up to 6 cock birds showing beautifully on one occasion...please be aware though, that they are easily 'spooked' and are legally protected from disturbance, so we have to keep a respectable (and lawful) distance away...</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2QHGQ4kQR1Q6j08IcDfxlXK7Ox6uB0ylYi27QBuOzbRxGvUuNBHZ-fV4ufikJ8tI1-w-3G111w0sZ3T-gwOz9bQCMDGZr0QsPHIYFSWRF6pGoAOGtjOGK-gzPSaAUmZ0HXfx_3SnvqN-AFWEl5XobeTwW94pNfofY9W_iHPbp4_BehJ5rxd3U/s3355/DSCN0950.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="3355" height="127" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2QHGQ4kQR1Q6j08IcDfxlXK7Ox6uB0ylYi27QBuOzbRxGvUuNBHZ-fV4ufikJ8tI1-w-3G111w0sZ3T-gwOz9bQCMDGZr0QsPHIYFSWRF6pGoAOGtjOGK-gzPSaAUmZ0HXfx_3SnvqN-AFWEl5XobeTwW94pNfofY9W_iHPbp4_BehJ5rxd3U/w400-h127/DSCN0950.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Displaying Black Grouse</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3V4FEVkZjceerPeerh4th4W8_1do4vXCRK3KBU6qEPWJWx1qwPbAqK4ByguGB6qBw79SpsFIItzDZ6NxpAds0h4W0ADOSNb7fKB6EwnyrNZMkvmRJWvx6CznqUaM-yEadPLYK3KYNyvaAx-sDfVSZgYzpy7scKg1hxtO3xbxw8rtn565tpPFB/s3795/DSCN8847.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1489" data-original-width="3795" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3V4FEVkZjceerPeerh4th4W8_1do4vXCRK3KBU6qEPWJWx1qwPbAqK4ByguGB6qBw79SpsFIItzDZ6NxpAds0h4W0ADOSNb7fKB6EwnyrNZMkvmRJWvx6CznqUaM-yEadPLYK3KYNyvaAx-sDfVSZgYzpy7scKg1hxtO3xbxw8rtn565tpPFB/w400-h158/DSCN8847.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Displaying Black Grouse</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Still on the moors, and later in the day, the </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Red Grouse</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> are becoming a little easier to see each week now, as the cock birds become ever bolder, often posturing aggressively from a raised position, and calling 'go-bak, go- bak' loudly to establish a territory and attract a mate, often with their red 'eyebrows' bulging impressively.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQGvuz3sj-wU1_M7WhsamIyLVxhlfFKAj9g3bhd_Fp95NZEnGO_3_seMO6S1idnwDP4RsUVEH3InxFlzPnQmP-CrZWe4ifrJNLRjU28RfzWtyI6rrk9HQwr9fpobonC1u6TYPVPrShGyhlOL1zQSloBffzU3SJQ4vfpbrsl5gm2Un6otRU_eTK/s1492/BOb%20RG%20!.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="756" data-original-width="1492" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQGvuz3sj-wU1_M7WhsamIyLVxhlfFKAj9g3bhd_Fp95NZEnGO_3_seMO6S1idnwDP4RsUVEH3InxFlzPnQmP-CrZWe4ifrJNLRjU28RfzWtyI6rrk9HQwr9fpobonC1u6TYPVPrShGyhlOL1zQSloBffzU3SJQ4vfpbrsl5gm2Un6otRU_eTK/w400-h203/BOb%20RG%20!.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Red Grouse by Bob Smith</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOrhqEvLULbS6k18HXgSFlrrLgJL6epBVljM0QqPY0JZRF-z7XO65SIt3QbcfzWBkSYm6o0TU_RTWuBMYLyXpPOHbrBLcBJnXu1OX9ZKsvqPaiviHgoxDOlm_gPtWQjXvVWaNCYxRn3lpISyklYVu7pQdk5M2qB9wYvTfT2_Nb3AOonmykUfHJ/s2326/IMG_9398.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1720" data-original-width="2326" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOrhqEvLULbS6k18HXgSFlrrLgJL6epBVljM0QqPY0JZRF-z7XO65SIt3QbcfzWBkSYm6o0TU_RTWuBMYLyXpPOHbrBLcBJnXu1OX9ZKsvqPaiviHgoxDOlm_gPtWQjXvVWaNCYxRn3lpISyklYVu7pQdk5M2qB9wYvTfT2_Nb3AOonmykUfHJ/s320/IMG_9398.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Female Red Grouse</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz5IJN9WpKW7az807GKr_FFrJZCvZ3bTpNATp1kHSkQZSY4JQQnvCuaQQ0BOBBLGlYpHlMSeLh4pKOoYw6rV_fdOMg_xd1UB1wcWB5v2l1cWJFYroobl3gIbn1vE3evS_eunDkrIj9QsaGiV5MOQ9ai3TE-dPeYDhFrGFhSSilxSQHC2RHf-bQ/s2526/IMG_6006.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1820" data-original-width="2526" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz5IJN9WpKW7az807GKr_FFrJZCvZ3bTpNATp1kHSkQZSY4JQQnvCuaQQ0BOBBLGlYpHlMSeLh4pKOoYw6rV_fdOMg_xd1UB1wcWB5v2l1cWJFYroobl3gIbn1vE3evS_eunDkrIj9QsaGiV5MOQ9ai3TE-dPeYDhFrGFhSSilxSQHC2RHf-bQ/s320/IMG_6006.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b> Red Grouse - Photo from Jan 2015</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Upland moorlands can also produce bird of prey sightings, and this month we were lucky enough to see </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Kestrel</b><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Common Buzzard</b><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">,</span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"> </b><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">and </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Red Kite</b><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"> reasonably frequently, and although we didn't see it, a <b>Rough-Legged Buzzard </b>was also reported.....</span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="font-size: 14.52px;">Up in the glens...</b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyNegWqLybBGb5G5gAs1Pj6Q-Hx56yj3ogS-jWdZ-bdkkUIFKT-85uN-s_o6NxWRB6fraA9E2_h23nCWAyjhE8mrhCnKQsJv745kHlke-yokqPgw7V_I_eGwoB7DktAaIVZXIZXAy9pAgmTZv4NVfOfZbTIo5uur46HWLJVLAWyZBK9ecNX1Vi/s2016/IMG_2793.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1328" data-original-width="2016" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyNegWqLybBGb5G5gAs1Pj6Q-Hx56yj3ogS-jWdZ-bdkkUIFKT-85uN-s_o6NxWRB6fraA9E2_h23nCWAyjhE8mrhCnKQsJv745kHlke-yokqPgw7V_I_eGwoB7DktAaIVZXIZXAy9pAgmTZv4NVfOfZbTIo5uur46HWLJVLAWyZBK9ecNX1Vi/w400-h264/IMG_2793.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A spectacular local upland glen</b></td></tr></tbody></table></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><b><span style="font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;">Although sightings of Eagles were a little less frequent when compared to the usual annual peak viewing time of October-December, both </span><b style="font-size: 13.2px;">Golden Eagle </b><span style="font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;">and </span><b style="font-size: 13.2px;">White-Tailed Eagle</b><span style="font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;"> were reported in favoured local glens this month, and although a sighting of </span><span style="font-size: 13.2px;">WTE</span><span style="font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;"> still eludes me personally, It was great to get my 'year-tick' of a '</span><span style="font-size: 13.2px;">Goldie</span><span style="font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;">' , always an awesome sight, even though it was some distance away.......</span></b></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><b></b></b></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimgzA_RB83uIpxMIwNu2Aga08_rCntIdqnZFviQOhycsVwZD5YDlaeiLQWGpeDGR5vSsim8I11vLo425cmHeUQxHL4Og07O4VA26PNSrUiK3WPpa_NVKmbUq5zNHopMeYbuj1h5zvru7bKUe7WeZgeVUWWpzaHkwjbsDfNktEUlklAQLl3AiqK/s3969/DSCN0876.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2453" data-original-width="3969" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimgzA_RB83uIpxMIwNu2Aga08_rCntIdqnZFviQOhycsVwZD5YDlaeiLQWGpeDGR5vSsim8I11vLo425cmHeUQxHL4Og07O4VA26PNSrUiK3WPpa_NVKmbUq5zNHopMeYbuj1h5zvru7bKUe7WeZgeVUWWpzaHkwjbsDfNktEUlklAQLl3AiqK/w400-h248/DSCN0876.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Golden Eagle</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><b><br /><span style="font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></b></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><b></b></b></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJtoBlfmRmuTwg_4OSfJA2AyutOzRm-nQ_0zdgYhQ5lrY2uGsf8HUBv6X8jkBckaC5-e7PYkDk70G-jsiPi-JlvU8Laa3_3iU5PAPXOPs9H1IhSOPH6HyymXSX69y-9elgkKhl5QjNgfbgwTfsgk5T1z6tjPg0ueSjUxAwHOhV14wD1hDTEYCq/s2490/DSCN4475.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1244" data-original-width="2490" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJtoBlfmRmuTwg_4OSfJA2AyutOzRm-nQ_0zdgYhQ5lrY2uGsf8HUBv6X8jkBckaC5-e7PYkDk70G-jsiPi-JlvU8Laa3_3iU5PAPXOPs9H1IhSOPH6HyymXSX69y-9elgkKhl5QjNgfbgwTfsgk5T1z6tjPg0ueSjUxAwHOhV14wD1hDTEYCq/w400-h200/DSCN4475.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Golden Eagle - Photo from Jan 2023</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><b></b></b></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU1Z2Vm9_mVZoadrV64Gm8rDS3caMbWhfKUpvkcyOV14pNHhs2eYXV88hBMXZ9v4Qljml3QyEownakTRhFCeMX-0PlDHdOi2PV1e6sRdP3co595AzJty91ysNEpo-DjTRdQ0zl6WIQRptzq6yO5zaoDiOHkiqlwN7i5Er_BZvTMRv9e_HYbCPs/s2886/Bob%203.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1924" data-original-width="2886" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU1Z2Vm9_mVZoadrV64Gm8rDS3caMbWhfKUpvkcyOV14pNHhs2eYXV88hBMXZ9v4Qljml3QyEownakTRhFCeMX-0PlDHdOi2PV1e6sRdP3co595AzJty91ysNEpo-DjTRdQ0zl6WIQRptzq6yO5zaoDiOHkiqlwN7i5Er_BZvTMRv9e_HYbCPs/w400-h266/Bob%203.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Golden Eagle by Bob Smith - Photo from Jan 2022</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixvdnVP9gnnIHIBTbTeS6OkW5UCI3kZPBu80KHppFkopITsXyzF31u0Bm1tC90E6F1bKE-dsUR5MohK4lU54h3-gyBGNf1miJlk4f7lbMO5g_1ychT66bGBqqhPAOhcwsXavedelT6pa5p1pp_sjCvMPmdz6vCfiA6HQ9CO6Q0XfcnkMugRx5Q/s1767/Steve%20Nicklin%20Golden%201.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1202" data-original-width="1767" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixvdnVP9gnnIHIBTbTeS6OkW5UCI3kZPBu80KHppFkopITsXyzF31u0Bm1tC90E6F1bKE-dsUR5MohK4lU54h3-gyBGNf1miJlk4f7lbMO5g_1ychT66bGBqqhPAOhcwsXavedelT6pa5p1pp_sjCvMPmdz6vCfiA6HQ9CO6Q0XfcnkMugRx5Q/s320/Steve%20Nicklin%20Golden%201.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Golden Eagle by Steve Nicklin - Photo from Jan 2019</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><b></b></b></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgxXTICg4wCeFJMh0US86gFHSVrpJEIvcZ2dxAEnyHHwggKRyluIWtj7aAERYQC-nW1h84FBlIhsxrm14pbJoX6jRQ2T6ZWJsJxwrz5mQWmQBqvvSsRZJYnwlFldZnPIecNoCbF47fS_nQEDxeKLUTdiLycEese_r0ptH1yn3avyo0Bp9-0-Zm/s2895/DSCN4663.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1762" data-original-width="2895" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgxXTICg4wCeFJMh0US86gFHSVrpJEIvcZ2dxAEnyHHwggKRyluIWtj7aAERYQC-nW1h84FBlIhsxrm14pbJoX6jRQ2T6ZWJsJxwrz5mQWmQBqvvSsRZJYnwlFldZnPIecNoCbF47fS_nQEDxeKLUTdiLycEese_r0ptH1yn3avyo0Bp9-0-Zm/w400-h244/DSCN4663.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>White-Tailed Eagle with Buzzard - Photo from Jan 2023</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><b><span style="font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;">Should the Eagles fail to show, the</span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; text-align: center;"> regular 'raptor back-up cast' of </span><strong style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">Kestrel</strong><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; text-align: center;">, </span><strong style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">Sparrowhawk</strong><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; text-align: center;">, </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; text-align: center;"> </span><strong style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">Buzzard</strong><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; text-align: center;"> , </span><strong style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">Red Kite, </strong><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; text-align: center;">and even the occasional </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">Hen Harrier</b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; text-align: center;"> </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; text-align: center;"> should not be forgotten though, as all were seen and enjoyed at least once this month, though <b>Goshawk</b>, <b>Merlin </b>and <b>Peregrine</b> have still yet to be encountered on my safaris this year...</span></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhtCJTUGcbKgQ_sYZZgZm9U45UecDFJMhzyDn7GAIGYMPdhCMD1a9qw7cMVu-bvhKAwx-Wmj2KKdHg59vTcezofJZTz54aLJojraIebgPsiT3rHjTurYtkra601Sm4ggyiS8zGiW-CuRydQhye8T4kNzHM674sHyygE6aM4CVtD38vlM50WnYT/s3511/DSCN8883.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2344" data-original-width="3511" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhtCJTUGcbKgQ_sYZZgZm9U45UecDFJMhzyDn7GAIGYMPdhCMD1a9qw7cMVu-bvhKAwx-Wmj2KKdHg59vTcezofJZTz54aLJojraIebgPsiT3rHjTurYtkra601Sm4ggyiS8zGiW-CuRydQhye8T4kNzHM674sHyygE6aM4CVtD38vlM50WnYT/s320/DSCN8883.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Sparrowhawk - Photo from Jan 2019</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglyf7GBvX8WaJpT9nKtgfa_FNq1n6sox6wxM__uuuo9kVVnjkhmf_f_wYXS1QM2kQLrVLnFH-T9nc_k_vqE78SM9xHO_XST8lEAwEdiEx4KehHCnmeNiQYX8bSaFyLeEjUUo4azkO3_LJA1lqbVdWy7xgEir611iV-8sSeFso6OovMb-EoKQWE/s1467/DSCN0690.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="772" data-original-width="1467" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglyf7GBvX8WaJpT9nKtgfa_FNq1n6sox6wxM__uuuo9kVVnjkhmf_f_wYXS1QM2kQLrVLnFH-T9nc_k_vqE78SM9xHO_XST8lEAwEdiEx4KehHCnmeNiQYX8bSaFyLeEjUUo4azkO3_LJA1lqbVdWy7xgEir611iV-8sSeFso6OovMb-EoKQWE/w400-h210/DSCN0690.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Kite</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-3LdJsxf055r6UZrtNCmIuIUtGYaDficN7em5mPTKL67gVnGBThJgdSCavN5fJ9E1KHrO4JX1q9iAM5lsd-tetfwPySv-yRICatyqQVO0IcOymgKSMVfF-bBL9erXMEQNr-qJskCd-SVrcz6f96o31EOwFST0-W5YYV2Gm3LA_dlSQDtqFunn/s6240/IMG_4099.CR2" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="6240" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-3LdJsxf055r6UZrtNCmIuIUtGYaDficN7em5mPTKL67gVnGBThJgdSCavN5fJ9E1KHrO4JX1q9iAM5lsd-tetfwPySv-yRICatyqQVO0IcOymgKSMVfF-bBL9erXMEQNr-qJskCd-SVrcz6f96o31EOwFST0-W5YYV2Gm3LA_dlSQDtqFunn/w400-h266/IMG_4099.CR2" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Common Buzzard by Bob Smith</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">I</span><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">n the forests...</b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPeDUjTMFLlTP5PSbXUN4mfqC595BnTAJrxhOtOEHsk_O1ZOTPjGZYf6ufZWhHncKNV67m054fcytVve1he6_RpU1M6tgX6EkQQiF5GN7o3RPPyQwKrR_iV3-bnJx5FAe5aUdikzVwT033iIUkj9_HjYYtKrRgze-NxUnxrWoxTsN8ju6YDlZ3/s1955/IMG_2678.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1466" data-original-width="1955" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPeDUjTMFLlTP5PSbXUN4mfqC595BnTAJrxhOtOEHsk_O1ZOTPjGZYf6ufZWhHncKNV67m054fcytVve1he6_RpU1M6tgX6EkQQiF5GN7o3RPPyQwKrR_iV3-bnJx5FAe5aUdikzVwT033iIUkj9_HjYYtKrRgze-NxUnxrWoxTsN8ju6YDlZ3/w400-h300/IMG_2678.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A local ancient Caledonian Forest</b></td></tr></tbody></table></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">In the Caledonian pine forests, although we did have a few 'no-shows', our local </span><b>Crested Tits</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> occasionally showed well at my favourite forest feeding stations, especially soon after sunrise, and particularly on the colder days, when they are presumably at their most desperate for food, with several of my delighted safari clients seeing them for the first time, though a decent photo eluded us.....</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcqZ4L3cpx5rj5Xx4WS4w45VB2W5oqyrVU5fLHdmPxosYKTU4jn1TXWS2YtOrnLbLbvaQUFXfSwG9v0p8sZHAjcoApoaPjVjYIkko3hLCr6FlJYuxswY4dBEtVyMuVI6_2YR4F0-1TdcSdj1jqwTDs-DGXx5UPoODwmdO3_zCFzXBAoxFxUBE2/s2049/Bob%20C%20T%203.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1446" data-original-width="2049" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcqZ4L3cpx5rj5Xx4WS4w45VB2W5oqyrVU5fLHdmPxosYKTU4jn1TXWS2YtOrnLbLbvaQUFXfSwG9v0p8sZHAjcoApoaPjVjYIkko3hLCr6FlJYuxswY4dBEtVyMuVI6_2YR4F0-1TdcSdj1jqwTDs-DGXx5UPoODwmdO3_zCFzXBAoxFxUBE2/w400-h283/Bob%20C%20T%203.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Crested Tit by Bob Smith - Photo from Jan 2022</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJwcHxrXYXojexrjRH2HyW6m3C9VVsR5PyialoJTiWL6rbvbq_v5rwXrCeL9Yp9-0jqkbZ47L0d9ossJF64pfEqLIy5PF1qJ9U6Vnjv78es-XDVLk_L-F39cmbir31S67cgShkCe2jCUvCopSXsgPx53vZOoz3YAipooNMnE3kvF099JvSU8li/s4273/Bob%20Smith%207.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="3219" data-original-width="4273" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJwcHxrXYXojexrjRH2HyW6m3C9VVsR5PyialoJTiWL6rbvbq_v5rwXrCeL9Yp9-0jqkbZ47L0d9ossJF64pfEqLIy5PF1qJ9U6Vnjv78es-XDVLk_L-F39cmbir31S67cgShkCe2jCUvCopSXsgPx53vZOoz3YAipooNMnE3kvF099JvSU8li/s320/Bob%20Smith%207.JPG" width="320" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Crested Tit by Bob Smith - Photo from Jan 2019</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitNtOb1uY2UXoLlz5XtWIzk_p9aG12z_c6uiclLYZlrTxtn0c6SQAiyVF8dOXBvVLuXNHFx_G-MU-L_4qlQvVExblqvauTC-R0Ch0Ih3GbrtgAQ-n6FS6bp81L1Robq40clggKwmjaH4pNotGI4jYHqciYNG72Vr-FpUFpAm-wUlehIO4anlYW/s4515/Bob%20Smith%20Crestie%201.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2493" data-original-width="4515" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitNtOb1uY2UXoLlz5XtWIzk_p9aG12z_c6uiclLYZlrTxtn0c6SQAiyVF8dOXBvVLuXNHFx_G-MU-L_4qlQvVExblqvauTC-R0Ch0Ih3GbrtgAQ-n6FS6bp81L1Robq40clggKwmjaH4pNotGI4jYHqciYNG72Vr-FpUFpAm-wUlehIO4anlYW/w400-h221/Bob%20Smith%20Crestie%201.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Crested Tit by Bob Smith - Photo from Jan 2023</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">It is well worth noting that the winter months (October-February) are actually the best time of year for seeing the 'wee Cresties', as these characterful little birds can be frustratingly secretive and unobtrusive during the breeding season, with sightings being much more difficult to obtain between March and September....</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b>Crossbills </b><span style="font-weight: 400;">however, were actually reasonably cooperative this month, and although the vast majority of sightings were still 'fly-overs', with it being breeding season, we also managed a few decent views of perched birds singing too...</span></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqLoJg6VdevjfCdkRrGAyJpGYrZNNgEF6itayjAGVKreLz-TDUUvIqvizuECLUgL7bzSFm9etWSlKc4Y_VEMQPLL0aynlniYy-mklipbxSZJgArFFFG6e1mKXc93lBm7aQEgyXwtOuvJ5fIqYaO7mrF-MzcFOlE6hXLYXsUo3KisYDtVhgLvBw/s1951/Bob%20Scottie%20Xbill.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1229" data-original-width="1951" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqLoJg6VdevjfCdkRrGAyJpGYrZNNgEF6itayjAGVKreLz-TDUUvIqvizuECLUgL7bzSFm9etWSlKc4Y_VEMQPLL0aynlniYy-mklipbxSZJgArFFFG6e1mKXc93lBm7aQEgyXwtOuvJ5fIqYaO7mrF-MzcFOlE6hXLYXsUo3KisYDtVhgLvBw/w400-h253/Bob%20Scottie%20Xbill.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Female Crossbill by Bob Smith</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj37WcUIblg0hCM00RUnX8_sMPfZMHoarkHDShXXEbpirEJAWp-Nr5hOo0l64M0l-ZKqPlVswpojbhIokGqGfWQX_iQbqAsnRMSfaFUhBL-J3w5i1K9sKI3oCK9o7xghTD5BTLTS0MrkmfTAyjI-X0tUMxMuQEaeGqDwi8kuxHVP7K8sn5dwA48/s2178/Scot%20Xbill.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1635" data-original-width="2178" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj37WcUIblg0hCM00RUnX8_sMPfZMHoarkHDShXXEbpirEJAWp-Nr5hOo0l64M0l-ZKqPlVswpojbhIokGqGfWQX_iQbqAsnRMSfaFUhBL-J3w5i1K9sKI3oCK9o7xghTD5BTLTS0MrkmfTAyjI-X0tUMxMuQEaeGqDwi8kuxHVP7K8sn5dwA48/s320/Scot%20Xbill.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Crossbill by Bob Smith</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFMCL3SfJW2oLS9KUvo4SH_RdYhA0pLwgqFhjUnk6sOZ7LaXHyL22nlN8OTQJxU8NCh56SwO_xRc_0YgVpkVte4-IySsOEkhRkSyJepX7J_8G5O6D9ioWmLjqkArufkzKAwwFiEXoZRGqfUfPT4G8DFNuMaSosq7hRLsHY6Oi0lMXTeGGw0hPm/s1953/DSCN2025.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1379" data-original-width="1953" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFMCL3SfJW2oLS9KUvo4SH_RdYhA0pLwgqFhjUnk6sOZ7LaXHyL22nlN8OTQJxU8NCh56SwO_xRc_0YgVpkVte4-IySsOEkhRkSyJepX7J_8G5O6D9ioWmLjqkArufkzKAwwFiEXoZRGqfUfPT4G8DFNuMaSosq7hRLsHY6Oi0lMXTeGGw0hPm/s320/DSCN2025.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Crossbill - Photo from Jan 2020</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Sadly, despite many hours spent and miles walked in local Caledonian forests this month, not a single 'chance' Capercaillie sighting was achieved, and sadly, I didn't even find any of their distinctive cigarette shaped poos formed mainly of pine needles, to give me any hope or encouragement .......</p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">Please note that </span><b>Capercaillie</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> numbers would still appear to be declining alarmingly, they are now very rare (possibly down to the last couple of hundred) and elusive, and I would only rate our chances of seeing one on my safaris as "very slim" at best, and we are now being asked not to go in search of them at dawn in the spring lekking season - see link below:</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><a href="https://cairngormscapercaillie.scot/lek-it-be/">Lek It Be - Cairngorms Capercaillie Project</a></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;">A bonus by-product of regular winter feeding is often (especially on colder days) being able to feed the incredibly confiding </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Coal Tits </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;">and (sometimes) </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Great Tits</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;"> by hand, an experience much enjoyed by my safari clients of all ages...</span></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrtZcmVw7I7x3W4kzE-o4b5-yBOcgeNCbjdqyLqSLZu0PFmLWbdS2tp_vSvFc3s2GpVXvYXC5bhvQC9AIIShT6cQujaNhrTkWVAFlW8CC8Z-o7QZq4ep6HJKWHLUcMkNqheNtwo1K7cVJmP7VGhYHfPmoVzekSdE5AjwPK6d-A49DLHDlLpbIn/s1491/IMG_2671.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1214" data-original-width="1491" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrtZcmVw7I7x3W4kzE-o4b5-yBOcgeNCbjdqyLqSLZu0PFmLWbdS2tp_vSvFc3s2GpVXvYXC5bhvQC9AIIShT6cQujaNhrTkWVAFlW8CC8Z-o7QZq4ep6HJKWHLUcMkNqheNtwo1K7cVJmP7VGhYHfPmoVzekSdE5AjwPK6d-A49DLHDlLpbIn/s320/IMG_2671.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Hand feeding a Coal Tit</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;"><br /><br /></span></b></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>On the rivers...</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT9X7XSKxggexw8ewVYgZ-XO8_rvDR7inYJKFlt2WLLNcledXyB6ifDpC1_Fy2ij_vSZWWrCFev_tTHaTMpBfEwxVkGGk6Mqw0G6NYfKwivJdS7oFFbvQt0XBYSKL0vHfdr85lZr7vVS8raFIM1pXcu5Y8hKxmauTv_BDh3dTUMjgb3jaCcw4C/s1862/IMG_2750.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1397" data-original-width="1862" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT9X7XSKxggexw8ewVYgZ-XO8_rvDR7inYJKFlt2WLLNcledXyB6ifDpC1_Fy2ij_vSZWWrCFev_tTHaTMpBfEwxVkGGk6Mqw0G6NYfKwivJdS7oFFbvQt0XBYSKL0vHfdr85lZr7vVS8raFIM1pXcu5Y8hKxmauTv_BDh3dTUMjgb3jaCcw4C/w400-h300/IMG_2750.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The River Spey near Kingussie</b></td></tr></tbody></table></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><span style="font-weight: 400;">Our local</span><b> Dippers</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> are now most definitely in territorial mode, and we were lucky enough to see them posturing and displaying and sometimes singing their distinctive 'scratchy' song from a prominent rock on several occasions, often near a bridge, where they are likely to nest...</span></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirKG2qfTYkINdiXDS2sQu5VzFStZRzRjGkkC-yECSKdUrrYC95XJtc8AWJMcHvkFLzKVKWmeP35oV6aHePMrNa4bH9NlEWlngYv-A-1SzPEXPaNC6J2yZVQIY9NwpcUyG0CFj-VbX2PCJrAWcvehwc4wXDrYh2_FSG0jwaaHFJTg3ykoK7kpWp/s3690/DSCN2141.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2243" data-original-width="3690" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirKG2qfTYkINdiXDS2sQu5VzFStZRzRjGkkC-yECSKdUrrYC95XJtc8AWJMcHvkFLzKVKWmeP35oV6aHePMrNa4bH9NlEWlngYv-A-1SzPEXPaNC6J2yZVQIY9NwpcUyG0CFj-VbX2PCJrAWcvehwc4wXDrYh2_FSG0jwaaHFJTg3ykoK7kpWp/s320/DSCN2141.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Dipper</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b></b></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1_7oFkIzE5TnWCpAtXM7IdCpF_aD1vbIVJJbz196jmakGFEOKKFHk_qagaVsV83IW6n29DKk9bGxRSFr-Hev3EqIe0SAxlTW_gHKbvyAvvMNu6J1zpcQZdzCPHx6or2uAoozYdRksLg0qUJqVV_i2b_9-rnGhHX46OHYF1n39PlWK_zO6jthQ/s3402/Bob%20Smith%204.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2416" data-original-width="3402" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1_7oFkIzE5TnWCpAtXM7IdCpF_aD1vbIVJJbz196jmakGFEOKKFHk_qagaVsV83IW6n29DKk9bGxRSFr-Hev3EqIe0SAxlTW_gHKbvyAvvMNu6J1zpcQZdzCPHx6or2uAoozYdRksLg0qUJqVV_i2b_9-rnGhHX46OHYF1n39PlWK_zO6jthQ/s320/Bob%20Smith%204.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Dipper by Bob Smith - Photo from Jan 2020</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">On the lochs...</b></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr7lFOouOBnBn-n0HGXx6lXjp6tGPMDlln5NTw03H36Hw7K5jX9Km7kAgkO2Bw0I2h8rf5C05B4uozM9btQN3bC9RXvf6pnvx1iWQzlJorHflj2xFk2oa99bcweKFqD72kRVJTCSdjxToZx7uLsAhafr8We2tBmF8IX5Ux6Zu8jZr6vdqIyvlA/s2016/IMG_2757.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1071" data-original-width="2016" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr7lFOouOBnBn-n0HGXx6lXjp6tGPMDlln5NTw03H36Hw7K5jX9Km7kAgkO2Bw0I2h8rf5C05B4uozM9btQN3bC9RXvf6pnvx1iWQzlJorHflj2xFk2oa99bcweKFqD72kRVJTCSdjxToZx7uLsAhafr8We2tBmF8IX5Ux6Zu8jZr6vdqIyvlA/w400-h213/IMG_2757.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A partially frozen local loch</b></td></tr></tbody></table></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;">Though they were frozen and almost devoid of birds for the first 2 weeks of the month, star birds on the lochs during the winter are probably </span><b>Goldeneyes</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;">, with the males now in their dapper breeding plumage, and some even seen performing their elaborate 'head-banging' courtship displays, and the winter-visiting </span><b>Whooper Swans,</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"> with a back up cast of grey </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">Geese</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><b>Goosander</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><b>Teal</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><b>Wigeon </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;">and </span><b>Tufted Ducks</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></b></b></b></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Z9OzQzZ1-MYQBvQAeOCpdfQVLoPeXGrHYn997ZqNQjdnF2LVT2Rdc5Y5rLHjgGeb2VmPqyEJZpnJPjGSE4Jmm33StMNibRQ3H6e2FIVfrA2im1VYlb9fUv9W3Jn5EYxcrgL2WY9e8YIsYIXdrQVC6O3UstmCtRFUvbxLXr2Wb4_pvOZuFcZu/s2900/DSCN6174.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1284" data-original-width="2900" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Z9OzQzZ1-MYQBvQAeOCpdfQVLoPeXGrHYn997ZqNQjdnF2LVT2Rdc5Y5rLHjgGeb2VmPqyEJZpnJPjGSE4Jmm33StMNibRQ3H6e2FIVfrA2im1VYlb9fUv9W3Jn5EYxcrgL2WY9e8YIsYIXdrQVC6O3UstmCtRFUvbxLXr2Wb4_pvOZuFcZu/w400-h178/DSCN6174.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Whooper Swans</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFrAifEjgnhSKtwaC1ClCGUbJcklr8Xa6LDuwUAqaYW6zu8-EciYh4aJogxE60ZlGAtxRS8bSWk8QjZ0RvL6hcM95ynTPDk_1OKcdi_dQrnixZ3sEPSX-sfEF2Q4DsxIDeXP3slp9G6J_lUPrR1ft9C3XQWl1xsM1HKGuVxa3yVunUQWn0FFCQ/s2134/Steve%20N%20GE%202.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1423" data-original-width="2134" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFrAifEjgnhSKtwaC1ClCGUbJcklr8Xa6LDuwUAqaYW6zu8-EciYh4aJogxE60ZlGAtxRS8bSWk8QjZ0RvL6hcM95ynTPDk_1OKcdi_dQrnixZ3sEPSX-sfEF2Q4DsxIDeXP3slp9G6J_lUPrR1ft9C3XQWl1xsM1HKGuVxa3yVunUQWn0FFCQ/s320/Steve%20N%20GE%202.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Goldeneye by Steve Nicklin - Photo from Jan 2021</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>On the marshes...</b></p><div><br /></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd5TEPR7D0rI-snFC2gvOKD5np1l6LrzBdOdHf5mIwnlC-lyEWWRW094LtSpt4zoh9oxt2UynkoqBGv9JoVfd5xeMF2mYT4Br-jXBxEBCGatJhOfdCUo63ERb-Il5a4_Xj3OYWL9Ayyrl524nHvkq7eOivIZooQg1eaaPL8_CxnbkfgkpW3COh/s2012/IMG_0543.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="981" data-original-width="2012" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd5TEPR7D0rI-snFC2gvOKD5np1l6LrzBdOdHf5mIwnlC-lyEWWRW094LtSpt4zoh9oxt2UynkoqBGv9JoVfd5xeMF2mYT4Br-jXBxEBCGatJhOfdCUo63ERb-Il5a4_Xj3OYWL9Ayyrl524nHvkq7eOivIZooQg1eaaPL8_CxnbkfgkpW3COh/w400-h195/IMG_0543.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Insh Marshes</b></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Although the marshes were frozen for the first half of the month, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">raptors such as </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Kestrel</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Buzzard, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">and</span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"> Red Kite</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> were seen reasonably regularly, and the occasional<b> Hen Harrier,</b> </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Merlin, Golden Eagle</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> and </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">White-Tailed Eagle</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> also reported. and </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">once they began to thaw, alongside the ever-present </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Grey Herons</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, ducks like <b>Mallard</b>, </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Teal</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> and </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Wigeon</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> were noted, along with </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Whooper Swans </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">and several species of </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">'grey' Geese</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> .....</span></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg5AIHF_yj-E9BBiYQM0kJed2Zs9Z6W6qAWC7TiJhaant7ip9AfppsPmmp4fd0gyCDtRlfEe1eW1NqH81hQrg2OIYg7vcqgjN0bX0Dlwmcm3WWgsN0if8yz0DILjsSwSWrnoXhoHWTvjcxZIfClA8QfoFe0MirRlaViF7f3c74fmpx8Nfqrmzt/s3136/DSCN4667.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1666" data-original-width="3136" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg5AIHF_yj-E9BBiYQM0kJed2Zs9Z6W6qAWC7TiJhaant7ip9AfppsPmmp4fd0gyCDtRlfEe1eW1NqH81hQrg2OIYg7vcqgjN0bX0Dlwmcm3WWgsN0if8yz0DILjsSwSWrnoXhoHWTvjcxZIfClA8QfoFe0MirRlaViF7f3c74fmpx8Nfqrmzt/w400-h213/DSCN4667.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Ring-Tail Hen Harrier - Photo from Jan 2023</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm8qlFEuDPV8bmGHqilopB68bczjBgDdh-9DIYEjcxbHaQaV5oOOxbaV_LR00mKeRie0AyTCPqpJAZohChFRSKSjXkg_s_qxu326bVk-tMyY3tf4J_u2xr53Iqb6RlRk39Qfza5eMHlgvAevMsLTK3ns5LwH4H84z_2m1X83g_2kYBLJ9owVjl/s4165/DSCN4569.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2446" data-original-width="4165" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm8qlFEuDPV8bmGHqilopB68bczjBgDdh-9DIYEjcxbHaQaV5oOOxbaV_LR00mKeRie0AyTCPqpJAZohChFRSKSjXkg_s_qxu326bVk-tMyY3tf4J_u2xr53Iqb6RlRk39Qfza5eMHlgvAevMsLTK3ns5LwH4H84z_2m1X83g_2kYBLJ9owVjl/s320/DSCN4569.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Greylag Geese</b></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNs3gOlUKAgcagxGuR5qzcLkLy7P0_HNtcOts_vNaI14gqEMROpRzL5vqYOgLbuQebUawwoBPPwGZZPkMLui09Jqz5yYelaLhdR0SfD2pXyNqcVLByts6V_0AJLaTpV_OsQbpMwWaLb4jEb24mR1m-d8R3dTRy4q04KyJ2wdxjDkqDoSBQwH9Z/s3904/DSCN4566.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2323" data-original-width="3904" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNs3gOlUKAgcagxGuR5qzcLkLy7P0_HNtcOts_vNaI14gqEMROpRzL5vqYOgLbuQebUawwoBPPwGZZPkMLui09Jqz5yYelaLhdR0SfD2pXyNqcVLByts6V_0AJLaTpV_OsQbpMwWaLb4jEb24mR1m-d8R3dTRy4q04KyJ2wdxjDkqDoSBQwH9Z/s320/DSCN4566.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Whooper Swan</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Up in the mountains....</b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjccLUMwH0hF76B7qDmbuR16uX969Gjv51mwItRQl-XWl6eP2nPB9q2AkfGqYWfLHgLhFnHDebLpDlOL3CdotukZLX1RkORSUGs94nEw5RcS3Bc0c4gRhi8hKPpjnKMW5zJy6grUIQMb29ORbvwjtQ3bim88Fv_x9xWavWEGnff8YKGtLtYaC96/s1991/Cairngorms%20View.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="727" data-original-width="1991" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjccLUMwH0hF76B7qDmbuR16uX969Gjv51mwItRQl-XWl6eP2nPB9q2AkfGqYWfLHgLhFnHDebLpDlOL3CdotukZLX1RkORSUGs94nEw5RcS3Bc0c4gRhi8hKPpjnKMW5zJy6grUIQMb29ORbvwjtQ3bim88Fv_x9xWavWEGnff8YKGtLtYaC96/w400-h146/Cairngorms%20View.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The Cairngorm Mountains</b></td></tr></tbody></table></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Snow Buntings</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"> can often be seen well during the winter as they usually begin to frequent known lower altitude sites, possibly driven down from the mountain tops by the snow and cold, and with their numbers likely to have been swelled by visitors from Scandinavia...and I am always sure to have a bag of wild bird seed on board, as they can sometimes be tempted to come and feed at quite close range....as was the case several times during the first half of this month....</span></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR6S5A2OyNW0vxLBicNkWwHvslXFGvC3dKg__B9mBgv782AkOoJ_aHpaMeOpKays6D5SX4yO0nEvZEm848jjnAAYP6AMjoTWgutJjXqTpql3wwFtlKnNiolDBTI0BVY_1qRbN7FdI4VpYRmIn4aHGjhIOQSOMYWpfQLX-QYzsgqvQaB6lV3hfP/s2242/Bob%20S%20Snow%20Buntings.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1459" data-original-width="2242" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR6S5A2OyNW0vxLBicNkWwHvslXFGvC3dKg__B9mBgv782AkOoJ_aHpaMeOpKays6D5SX4yO0nEvZEm848jjnAAYP6AMjoTWgutJjXqTpql3wwFtlKnNiolDBTI0BVY_1qRbN7FdI4VpYRmIn4aHGjhIOQSOMYWpfQLX-QYzsgqvQaB6lV3hfP/s320/Bob%20S%20Snow%20Buntings.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Snow Buntings by Bob Smith</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzKmda4YO6ST4S5vreDakJyTklGV-OSBmQIO88M58LEG6G4WJocVc2pJy3iPTke5RAwOqSD8NC6ssOA4qY8qzfHcHvmR-Vz-ObfPTBPLS91-auX_dFu6k7iq4agrYfY4gM5zC5XGnIV9cZeLF7Mro9DqHHHM8YdGThKSBMoYw2PHt9vf2tV4ZD/s2179/DSCN2130.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1180" data-original-width="2179" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzKmda4YO6ST4S5vreDakJyTklGV-OSBmQIO88M58LEG6G4WJocVc2pJy3iPTke5RAwOqSD8NC6ssOA4qY8qzfHcHvmR-Vz-ObfPTBPLS91-auX_dFu6k7iq4agrYfY4gM5zC5XGnIV9cZeLF7Mro9DqHHHM8YdGThKSBMoYw2PHt9vf2tV4ZD/w400-h216/DSCN2130.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Snow Buntings</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlkqLegKA1OG3wYr4X3sxgur1QTZGLBcjo0u5Nz9g1xaAAFrUJckvkcO72sg8gt34Qp3ZaQr2uudaYv0xsm0L8bqjwBE8uCgtOTYKpJUzWPUMWopBLvwb-OSZinV73-fERdlcVkWadh59yv3vTXVRy_bwpQgQJvkGUAHTCkH2hcarWBJC_QeGi/s2048/_DSC6479.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlkqLegKA1OG3wYr4X3sxgur1QTZGLBcjo0u5Nz9g1xaAAFrUJckvkcO72sg8gt34Qp3ZaQr2uudaYv0xsm0L8bqjwBE8uCgtOTYKpJUzWPUMWopBLvwb-OSZinV73-fERdlcVkWadh59yv3vTXVRy_bwpQgQJvkGUAHTCkH2hcarWBJC_QeGi/s320/_DSC6479.jpg" width="320" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Snow Bunting by Karen Weissmann - Photo from Jan 2023</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">With the Cairngorm Funicular Railway still closed for repairs, the weather rarely being suitable , and the days so short now, I didn't venture up into the mountain-tops myself this month, but for future reference, a few </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Ptarmigan</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> , still almost totally white, can sometimes be seen, up around the 'snow-line', usually sheltering on the leeward sides of ridges, out of the cold wind...</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></span></p><div><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></div><div><br /></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>On farmland....</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWms_7mSH-YMLPsdqYLe-u5JhKIR96OcLp2xEJN0uMh_5ZNx83gHNxRMByC4dn0ZZo91rTBaH4ZbkuA7aekVz0Dt_IN7mKFNYiD_k7lDffyFOB2lhpO71o1KoViZ1HJet1E-7JnwCRL43cCB_2fOnlPjYx9L4HApiYUn_mefLv-A4hg_WgcmcN/s1827/IMG_2784.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="773" data-original-width="1827" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWms_7mSH-YMLPsdqYLe-u5JhKIR96OcLp2xEJN0uMh_5ZNx83gHNxRMByC4dn0ZZo91rTBaH4ZbkuA7aekVz0Dt_IN7mKFNYiD_k7lDffyFOB2lhpO71o1KoViZ1HJet1E-7JnwCRL43cCB_2fOnlPjYx9L4HApiYUn_mefLv-A4hg_WgcmcN/w400-h169/IMG_2784.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Typical local farmland</b></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">Although all the waders are still at the coast now - but due to return soon - </span><b>'grey' Geese </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">and </span><b>Whooper Swans</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> can often be seen feeding on crop remains , whilst the </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">seeds on local farmland during the autumn and winter months often attract large flocks of mixed </span><b>finches</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> and </span><b>buntings</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">,</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> along with the winter thrushes and more common </span><b>Pheasants</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> and occasional <b>Red-Legged Partridges</b>...........</span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizEyT9nAoPfz1EaBrfRGGOf17RRTAIc6IwNgTHgbCWTxvZMrtgz8ott7pMIaawvApHALURBfItPrlOsbGphPRwFbWA2PX8X9c_B0sNWjaCNbGbbegArzi-ddFfnT7czNsPie5Uqz5ueguOFOuVY0xUx3FmbsXqQlf_MmDwsfLlXyso9wC-psqJ/s4591/DSCN0706.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2017" data-original-width="4591" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizEyT9nAoPfz1EaBrfRGGOf17RRTAIc6IwNgTHgbCWTxvZMrtgz8ott7pMIaawvApHALURBfItPrlOsbGphPRwFbWA2PX8X9c_B0sNWjaCNbGbbegArzi-ddFfnT7czNsPie5Uqz5ueguOFOuVY0xUx3FmbsXqQlf_MmDwsfLlXyso9wC-psqJ/w400-h176/DSCN0706.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Greylag Geese</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdqEZVpThGexjXlmyRez9eA64kew3XxibHORlxDxy-k-Xnz3Cx_9Y4V6U9he9ektU953z7H1-MCdclpDm83Z5rBqg1DK73ye0Ai8G-a9EFaAYImauSIFF-YnLVIuC1wob0EG9uOpQB_JynB1p3JrvAxg-LuFc03TKmXiz-qV7hyphenhyphen9WUPozEAHHq/s4287/DSCN0710.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2926" data-original-width="4287" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdqEZVpThGexjXlmyRez9eA64kew3XxibHORlxDxy-k-Xnz3Cx_9Y4V6U9he9ektU953z7H1-MCdclpDm83Z5rBqg1DK73ye0Ai8G-a9EFaAYImauSIFF-YnLVIuC1wob0EG9uOpQB_JynB1p3JrvAxg-LuFc03TKmXiz-qV7hyphenhyphen9WUPozEAHHq/s320/DSCN0710.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red-Legged Partridges</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhb-I0UYHoze2XACdPb87mBrXFIvT1LS_UWtg4WIglIV4Nf7yHkbUAT-GEx5ZFsF0IWfbXReIEzjfFEUo5F976F8qE-oS-s4QBD_uFm80fmoLINLLL7XhhvMxzE5Rh-LbAURrS2d92t9cVYwG-6vszeHaJNXGqF-fMe3m-Cg-kmMbckrV-0HON/s4021/DSCN7706.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3010" data-original-width="4021" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhb-I0UYHoze2XACdPb87mBrXFIvT1LS_UWtg4WIglIV4Nf7yHkbUAT-GEx5ZFsF0IWfbXReIEzjfFEUo5F976F8qE-oS-s4QBD_uFm80fmoLINLLL7XhhvMxzE5Rh-LbAURrS2d92t9cVYwG-6vszeHaJNXGqF-fMe3m-Cg-kmMbckrV-0HON/w400-h300/DSCN7706.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Whooper Swans</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>In local gardens...</b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Berry bushes, fruit trees and garden bird feeding stations are a real magnet for hungry winter visiting birds from further north, and <b>Redwings, Fieldfares</b> <b>Bramblings </b>and<b> Redpolls </b>were all seen locally alongside the more common tits and finches, and we continued to enjoy our first proper 'invasion' of <b>Waxwings </b>for some years, with my own garden in Aviemore having up to 40 of these fantastic birds feeding on sliced apples on the lawn on and off throughout the month...</p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj21RXXhVfhsHyw33vVTnIw4TOawaM9ibkvpQeZ_cpfBmPYpZ0CkUg4HhB3pEz5aLwngXXo_GACfpHWbJyLbLRBRGbBS2lsA5wIxSCdklrlmkRFPUvH38Twk1rrURo0aQwUyRFyY_TnwSEiPc4rJEF_iW0U_q1Vtozj84gzNVEb61LFovpWNoT0/s3955/DSCN7498.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2123" data-original-width="3955" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj21RXXhVfhsHyw33vVTnIw4TOawaM9ibkvpQeZ_cpfBmPYpZ0CkUg4HhB3pEz5aLwngXXo_GACfpHWbJyLbLRBRGbBS2lsA5wIxSCdklrlmkRFPUvH38Twk1rrURo0aQwUyRFyY_TnwSEiPc4rJEF_iW0U_q1Vtozj84gzNVEb61LFovpWNoT0/w400-h215/DSCN7498.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Lesser Redpoll</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6ZKwXispHXlRjLme4ZcDR7AQN3f145NJdK73VhDmt27tIP9cKRMP84wOF2__hQDTZGCyJSx_FW2V7y2rBOkTVJWKcFnG-0rn6OltnkRhNTZzbicULSuAaRmXDsevIvl5dnTri2QTOxyjSqo2krJ1Gwi2UlLYzY7NAP9ChjY7atOucEAYMCekG/s2276/DSCN6199.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1422" data-original-width="2276" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6ZKwXispHXlRjLme4ZcDR7AQN3f145NJdK73VhDmt27tIP9cKRMP84wOF2__hQDTZGCyJSx_FW2V7y2rBOkTVJWKcFnG-0rn6OltnkRhNTZzbicULSuAaRmXDsevIvl5dnTri2QTOxyjSqo2krJ1Gwi2UlLYzY7NAP9ChjY7atOucEAYMCekG/w400-h250/DSCN6199.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Brambling - Photo from Jan 2021</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOFAVudlsoO2WLSKi4RKzi2tombk3WpWvePqFYVg-E7AimBepaTyQ6BlS2geBCC90UFuOf9aU3z_qb8vuwiKEporwFUBnShAGkP7yFcQWHMqu9W7sYKWvrE9J_XftuZtUmCtqCnYw8_LpwaPCtjathCgTrYIxMN8Mtdx991dFaCVgoVtgD0O6G/s4203/DSCN7598.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1940" data-original-width="4203" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOFAVudlsoO2WLSKi4RKzi2tombk3WpWvePqFYVg-E7AimBepaTyQ6BlS2geBCC90UFuOf9aU3z_qb8vuwiKEporwFUBnShAGkP7yFcQWHMqu9W7sYKWvrE9J_XftuZtUmCtqCnYw8_LpwaPCtjathCgTrYIxMN8Mtdx991dFaCVgoVtgD0O6G/w400-h185/DSCN7598.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Waxwings</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf90uCP7ev5vsRX8Q4nNeIDP22i135O3HxYFsKuySxaSK8lqYPTfQSnwYiDyecgJarz83bN5wM4-rl8NQeyWb9Lg2AQoN6JDf94Cqv-XPoUBPbjCXEUM03XK8P29ttvqdZzLAWm2G6fRoZyXUNTAyRTjq0GOjIekIzDYThsCi_bRLA82sdvf0R/s3750/DSCN7615.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2274" data-original-width="3750" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf90uCP7ev5vsRX8Q4nNeIDP22i135O3HxYFsKuySxaSK8lqYPTfQSnwYiDyecgJarz83bN5wM4-rl8NQeyWb9Lg2AQoN6JDf94Cqv-XPoUBPbjCXEUM03XK8P29ttvqdZzLAWm2G6fRoZyXUNTAyRTjq0GOjIekIzDYThsCi_bRLA82sdvf0R/s320/DSCN7615.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Waxwings</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYmJjBZl7DC301GJ6b05uybjROk-NCt-EiOtXJ1yg6JnDCK6JQ9bgAt0Oi2vOhZUAk-ew2U6qExN_YLyU2ebkELDzWgENO2XN8DkwVQxGtCHp2lPptN3DFpk_EwVPVelEiXvq5XSAwFgeRWRc6BWhWECemQAbxBRPw4PrE_KE-NlTxOZfYyjs0/s4010/DSCN7619.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2088" data-original-width="4010" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYmJjBZl7DC301GJ6b05uybjROk-NCt-EiOtXJ1yg6JnDCK6JQ9bgAt0Oi2vOhZUAk-ew2U6qExN_YLyU2ebkELDzWgENO2XN8DkwVQxGtCHp2lPptN3DFpk_EwVPVelEiXvq5XSAwFgeRWRc6BWhWECemQAbxBRPw4PrE_KE-NlTxOZfYyjs0/s320/DSCN7619.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Waxwing</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2bJoeyStNuG7OMaFg4lXbueama9OAQ-_PMVy08uQ9ZGaXVOUjD_6fjrwllCvZL_ffDkB6bc4PiQCsgOefU-LekYNEPtwbYWo0sxFMnx0HhZXAQNBFEnD0GAEofTTgK-VNygjl1GahKZS68AXiLXyzQEUHQsqkkMtAonN5ipWhZ3ylWHSmoMlg/s3661/DSCN7622.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2408" data-original-width="3661" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2bJoeyStNuG7OMaFg4lXbueama9OAQ-_PMVy08uQ9ZGaXVOUjD_6fjrwllCvZL_ffDkB6bc4PiQCsgOefU-LekYNEPtwbYWo0sxFMnx0HhZXAQNBFEnD0GAEofTTgK-VNygjl1GahKZS68AXiLXyzQEUHQsqkkMtAonN5ipWhZ3ylWHSmoMlg/s320/DSCN7622.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Waxwing</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Other good/scarce birds seen/reported locally this month included:</b></p><div>Several <b>Jack Snipe, </b>and a <b>White-Fronted Goose </b>at Insh Marshes, a <b>Rough-Legged Buzzard </b>at several locations , a <b>Great Grey Shrike </b>near Tomintoul, <b>Kingfishers </b>at Loch Tulloch and on the Spey, and a few reports of <b>Mealy Redpolls</b> from various locations......</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpLkr1ZlBBHFWw7BL84-pS-X3per3OFEv88KXGiOLClsGMzZHOnKhbfT5JuLil2VuELIWxnXXamvAhrI6wx6ljFeylQ3u6kpo5unj7o4vb8DSYSdmLvXne8PulRtQANv9Pa-Cl6hRboOMeBL4MbrqvVJwYN1JVQuFJJPOqMZQBX4GHtAYs4I47/s4608/DSCN7743.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpLkr1ZlBBHFWw7BL84-pS-X3per3OFEv88KXGiOLClsGMzZHOnKhbfT5JuLil2VuELIWxnXXamvAhrI6wx6ljFeylQ3u6kpo5unj7o4vb8DSYSdmLvXne8PulRtQANv9Pa-Cl6hRboOMeBL4MbrqvVJwYN1JVQuFJJPOqMZQBX4GHtAYs4I47/w400-h300/DSCN7743.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Great Grey Shrike</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 700;">A few photos of more common birds seen locally this month: </span></p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Vow41L_fEoTGzAQlaGdQVCqvIgHa57ne8jVeAxfBqaZD-B-H8oRfTaKkVRvDl3MZuaAGJLwQMzXWZLlyiPz-0xrnTsWipI5Cpko9XgB97VtdNYuy-czZxZBuu6mlV1REmB0NY7GB3OCtKTtfqgsvm-10d9w6Wat26VLN0kZlwQHWZFwc65UB/s1739/Bob%20Smith%20Lesser%20Redpoll.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="888" data-original-width="1739" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Vow41L_fEoTGzAQlaGdQVCqvIgHa57ne8jVeAxfBqaZD-B-H8oRfTaKkVRvDl3MZuaAGJLwQMzXWZLlyiPz-0xrnTsWipI5Cpko9XgB97VtdNYuy-czZxZBuu6mlV1REmB0NY7GB3OCtKTtfqgsvm-10d9w6Wat26VLN0kZlwQHWZFwc65UB/s320/Bob%20Smith%20Lesser%20Redpoll.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Lesser Redpoll and Siskin by Bob Smith</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnsMJlWrWcBRXDEJGkljp6IqYJ2GO_-5gFWSFOCMhxw8wOJyQMXmZWBexAw8JZ4OTM5plueowcqkHrynC7KTOneqGsnVHXfXopT29YMz0iCM8125r-oJg5T-JGyXrm6U2WDVwsF8_H776cSpBl2JofarwH0UM4g3MJ78j7Jh5mdTSGCGWI4T3A/s1956/Blob%20Treecreeper.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1585" data-original-width="1956" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnsMJlWrWcBRXDEJGkljp6IqYJ2GO_-5gFWSFOCMhxw8wOJyQMXmZWBexAw8JZ4OTM5plueowcqkHrynC7KTOneqGsnVHXfXopT29YMz0iCM8125r-oJg5T-JGyXrm6U2WDVwsF8_H776cSpBl2JofarwH0UM4g3MJ78j7Jh5mdTSGCGWI4T3A/s320/Blob%20Treecreeper.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Treecreeper by Bob Smith</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnX6HbpBqPTKd8NeFcK2Xq4b8W3t9_4V-H920S0UF0K2nl5JGo6X92rY3yFyFtR4HvxgCRGvApv0OTph2yviMTVdXfxu8BVi4p7Wo1uCQIhC_uhO-y7an5wY25x25BpJDlU8pEh_Y3AOf0UelhF2KvA9FUCK3wfxRPvclc0SXDjSb4j2JPmFcx/s4608/DSCN7405.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnX6HbpBqPTKd8NeFcK2Xq4b8W3t9_4V-H920S0UF0K2nl5JGo6X92rY3yFyFtR4HvxgCRGvApv0OTph2yviMTVdXfxu8BVi4p7Wo1uCQIhC_uhO-y7an5wY25x25BpJDlU8pEh_Y3AOf0UelhF2KvA9FUCK3wfxRPvclc0SXDjSb4j2JPmFcx/s320/DSCN7405.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Coal Tit</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvDA9_-yTWywV_t_UbdAaq13sHjL4psI0TRT5oI8g4CNT-GW9hpS2q7US9BnFwJgeZUg-p8VZHVP7h4egiKH2hLx9ZGpebiUCm00CkcPJimC-ZRhDdJDSfbEjWOwkNDgXv2y4Lg_uBS2e87IWbEjI7UHJC2pxOBKwTuZspABxvstCp-__yy6sx/s4082/DSCN7408.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2996" data-original-width="4082" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvDA9_-yTWywV_t_UbdAaq13sHjL4psI0TRT5oI8g4CNT-GW9hpS2q7US9BnFwJgeZUg-p8VZHVP7h4egiKH2hLx9ZGpebiUCm00CkcPJimC-ZRhDdJDSfbEjWOwkNDgXv2y4Lg_uBS2e87IWbEjI7UHJC2pxOBKwTuZspABxvstCp-__yy6sx/s320/DSCN7408.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Greenfinch</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPeywwYZvklU8labX4m3ELn8Mre4F2Rl8PU5KUXcAo9i4eEG_sl_gwtTt-cAnwJwCd5GTpIdqznucCTTbtZOqzD1YraS2y8kISZ39m31dIN2Hu4S86KjxS4WNQLAaFRyKowVvBu26BIOGVOTVy9ITKOe9nzeUdwnu4VZLZqMOWKdz38JXO90-V/s3485/Bob%20G%20S%20W.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1933" data-original-width="3485" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPeywwYZvklU8labX4m3ELn8Mre4F2Rl8PU5KUXcAo9i4eEG_sl_gwtTt-cAnwJwCd5GTpIdqznucCTTbtZOqzD1YraS2y8kISZ39m31dIN2Hu4S86KjxS4WNQLAaFRyKowVvBu26BIOGVOTVy9ITKOe9nzeUdwnu4VZLZqMOWKdz38JXO90-V/w400-h221/Bob%20G%20S%20W.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Greater Spotted Woodpecker by Bob Smith</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p></div><div><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;">Adventures 'out of area':</span></b></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyChQ98SrnfvCQfl4xbju6P1_pQM3xhYwBLBbh3GLdmSPXvdnCUavCtHqw5q5h-vdj8-mDGevrDT4dhpSS17pxrOo9gi_8nFfUJWOTv1dfVJEQSM4hDMp6caikaMPrjKbnI8z5PEFBSMR7Ug308K-t4gL3LwdsGk4-IsR1hRuIZHCT_tzXKix8/s2016/IMG_2706.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1112" data-original-width="2016" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyChQ98SrnfvCQfl4xbju6P1_pQM3xhYwBLBbh3GLdmSPXvdnCUavCtHqw5q5h-vdj8-mDGevrDT4dhpSS17pxrOo9gi_8nFfUJWOTv1dfVJEQSM4hDMp6caikaMPrjKbnI8z5PEFBSMR7Ug308K-t4gL3LwdsGk4-IsR1hRuIZHCT_tzXKix8/w400-h221/IMG_2706.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Sunrise at Findhorn Bay</b></td></tr></tbody></table></b></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">The nearby Moray Coast is always worth a visit, especially in autumn and winter, and a couple of visits gave us a good selection of auks, waders, wildfowl, seaducks, geese , swans and gulls , and a couple of rarities in the form of an <b>American Wigeon</b> and a male <b>Smew</b>.....</span></p><p><br /></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGrIbLDZ6owiHaRMYTGsC7RRAQQQpcp6ir7wljyNq47NYl63emvyuz9V9uj1vZiQqpdAoyoQetGkJBzwHHAGbEHimQ9cjrSNyn96rBp9ex3_9ZL45EzXwr7HwYuXVX5K0mwIoF6DwbhyTIkfbl3OpHF97l0YeWdIHIVnzRW5lswrt3jddB5HtQ/s1419/Bob%20Sanderlingss.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="737" data-original-width="1419" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGrIbLDZ6owiHaRMYTGsC7RRAQQQpcp6ir7wljyNq47NYl63emvyuz9V9uj1vZiQqpdAoyoQetGkJBzwHHAGbEHimQ9cjrSNyn96rBp9ex3_9ZL45EzXwr7HwYuXVX5K0mwIoF6DwbhyTIkfbl3OpHF97l0YeWdIHIVnzRW5lswrt3jddB5HtQ/w400-h208/Bob%20Sanderlingss.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Sanderlings by Bob Smith</b></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p><br /></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvUdHaHTOVggMh_xj2ENVB6ECCTe6SIweX-VOoxaLwn7mY8RnZQB0aFBOBGOTLDrMwSrDH9se6YzsApA_09EEPfjF0qljlXckKwH9QkVdixuoXKlm2WVfgB_WQt58o8DVI04NXrKpQ8RqODVWIU62L3qXu3Ma-tSBgKN8-3AuSqJI8O2Dgm699/s4927/Bob%20S%20R%20Pl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1778" data-original-width="4927" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvUdHaHTOVggMh_xj2ENVB6ECCTe6SIweX-VOoxaLwn7mY8RnZQB0aFBOBGOTLDrMwSrDH9se6YzsApA_09EEPfjF0qljlXckKwH9QkVdixuoXKlm2WVfgB_WQt58o8DVI04NXrKpQ8RqODVWIU62L3qXu3Ma-tSBgKN8-3AuSqJI8O2Dgm699/w400-h144/Bob%20S%20R%20Pl.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Ringed Plovers by Bob Smith</b></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p><br /></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRHrMyf74sNmVg4l17TqbiQ0CPxH6TCRjP48KI9IqTEw-xhYRQTsxDcEP74BmsRo0kJQESp2aclMjrvIFGBl6f-RGjdYUcyYr2ySjEncsWTsyold3iz6EPqs-gRmA0T7kq-BvMvJwFFMBxJll7poo7lMDhcXf4CRTcHvHbWJUA_yeeW04zZnRO/s3412/DSCN7430.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2097" data-original-width="3412" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRHrMyf74sNmVg4l17TqbiQ0CPxH6TCRjP48KI9IqTEw-xhYRQTsxDcEP74BmsRo0kJQESp2aclMjrvIFGBl6f-RGjdYUcyYr2ySjEncsWTsyold3iz6EPqs-gRmA0T7kq-BvMvJwFFMBxJll7poo7lMDhcXf4CRTcHvHbWJUA_yeeW04zZnRO/s320/DSCN7430.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Oystercatcher</b></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p><br /></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLDJIeayiZoz7ujksvacPdwFmq3fX2seykj3GqBDD1fb8CJMv2Ms3yqYzgVCw5ui32krmy4YQwisVWE0jyQMLR7s0XzZSyg05rRweKUAZrF-CMVcGE_6K5VysYcbbBvMLes4Q1nwgmbUGfiz4VmW9RVkRPQdEazJjT1_Uvqx5Or3m4s-xrwnVh/s3384/DSCN7458.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2137" data-original-width="3384" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLDJIeayiZoz7ujksvacPdwFmq3fX2seykj3GqBDD1fb8CJMv2Ms3yqYzgVCw5ui32krmy4YQwisVWE0jyQMLR7s0XzZSyg05rRweKUAZrF-CMVcGE_6K5VysYcbbBvMLes4Q1nwgmbUGfiz4VmW9RVkRPQdEazJjT1_Uvqx5Or3m4s-xrwnVh/w400-h253/DSCN7458.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Goosander</b></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Kess_a5dj8wZFBZqKLAcLdmERR0qFOfDRBLJwMK1ShVoarddHx2o6Iq9o7aR1WC5TrR_JZrDuzMDW3yAvn3jFMqeJ5yN67rRUqFbnKDA30Hpqj0PlHqBk9wd2-zUdZiDsJhCEW_d-01eABTULqfVdoxyKrPi0vwkmaPCD9DcgUaFTLnfXlGN/s884/Bob%20S%20Am%20Wig.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="566" data-original-width="884" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Kess_a5dj8wZFBZqKLAcLdmERR0qFOfDRBLJwMK1ShVoarddHx2o6Iq9o7aR1WC5TrR_JZrDuzMDW3yAvn3jFMqeJ5yN67rRUqFbnKDA30Hpqj0PlHqBk9wd2-zUdZiDsJhCEW_d-01eABTULqfVdoxyKrPi0vwkmaPCD9DcgUaFTLnfXlGN/w400-h256/Bob%20S%20Am%20Wig.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>American Wigeon by Bob Smith</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi04I5OcJ748A-W_YRZhv2xoQVET-aIBiRJnIQAvBC2CboR5n60rCVhpHwLtmFls6j2Sy80wsmVACIwwETef9A0aPV7RI6lpdXmgKIhJqVnt2Ue_dDN8kCA7RUK2HEXgyPuJM1ONFvUdVj4r-WOJ9A8ivnIT0Tu7XffKP8zjPSqwe18f03im0LZ/s3090/DSCN7631.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1856" data-original-width="3090" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi04I5OcJ748A-W_YRZhv2xoQVET-aIBiRJnIQAvBC2CboR5n60rCVhpHwLtmFls6j2Sy80wsmVACIwwETef9A0aPV7RI6lpdXmgKIhJqVnt2Ue_dDN8kCA7RUK2HEXgyPuJM1ONFvUdVj4r-WOJ9A8ivnIT0Tu7XffKP8zjPSqwe18f03im0LZ/w400-h240/DSCN7631.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Long-Tailed Duck</b></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p><br /></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbZy1aJfmM_04qQ2VOBEqAbf-J0-GaXRqDT5Ei75ubPVxlZp9H85ckdg5G3ml-kz5p5tKCA78sLo9FElRMwkah699w_Tf_iqCwIswoWtBAqGJaeiOO4OHvLAN78jfmGTTzXFGGsu9PsiCiYoQsRgWS55J7ounmuztzgV4Ff-s2BEvOQkOQrZ5G/s3946/DSCN7423.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2915" data-original-width="3946" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbZy1aJfmM_04qQ2VOBEqAbf-J0-GaXRqDT5Ei75ubPVxlZp9H85ckdg5G3ml-kz5p5tKCA78sLo9FElRMwkah699w_Tf_iqCwIswoWtBAqGJaeiOO4OHvLAN78jfmGTTzXFGGsu9PsiCiYoQsRgWS55J7ounmuztzgV4Ff-s2BEvOQkOQrZ5G/w400-h295/DSCN7423.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Eider</b></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>The freshwater lochs and nature reserves just inland from the Moray Coast can be productive too....</b></span></p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhueVwxrlrEobkt-DyTn_CzAHcj7OETFNkAajqrq36tVa4ZPnB1IZVifXcS4aHc5PnvBi2Fk65Hj39y88NMicQxRd7fmeRf3mlsEQ9GQ-oitSIMvRbZwt9IFEIy1uzxa29eHSrHPiK9DQdbUe89vds2r7YkNLaltnvzoZ5sIFQc8HJt87R7Zrz9/s6212/Bob%20Loch%20Spynie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2734" data-original-width="6212" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhueVwxrlrEobkt-DyTn_CzAHcj7OETFNkAajqrq36tVa4ZPnB1IZVifXcS4aHc5PnvBi2Fk65Hj39y88NMicQxRd7fmeRf3mlsEQ9GQ-oitSIMvRbZwt9IFEIy1uzxa29eHSrHPiK9DQdbUe89vds2r7YkNLaltnvzoZ5sIFQc8HJt87R7Zrz9/w400-h176/Bob%20Loch%20Spynie.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>View from Loch Spynie hide by Bob Smith</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmhKQKOn2pHs3CHutJSXQQmrWDKLM1nG6nCx04dQu7NetWQYUW2sNieXmeDGqO0P3574u7AnnAaB4Pl12EcaoKZ5GbjWwl5uQu4cYukWxqNXRRihKgawXB30R1iEVWVsP-RRczVLAP-MfuPi2FRkWoXgTnoLMxCAN0TLrTvsPFOAOVcqYjKgpE/s2319/DSCN7670.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1333" data-original-width="2319" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmhKQKOn2pHs3CHutJSXQQmrWDKLM1nG6nCx04dQu7NetWQYUW2sNieXmeDGqO0P3574u7AnnAaB4Pl12EcaoKZ5GbjWwl5uQu4cYukWxqNXRRihKgawXB30R1iEVWVsP-RRczVLAP-MfuPi2FRkWoXgTnoLMxCAN0TLrTvsPFOAOVcqYjKgpE/w400-h230/DSCN7670.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Smew</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">January 2024 mammal sightings in more detail:</b></p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Star mammal for January is usually that much sought-after local speciality the <b>Mountain Har</b>e, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">and rightly so, as Britain's only native 'lagomorph' and with their UK distribution being restricted to just a few remote upland areas, seeing one is always a treat. </span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjywuCYRjqKjL7PFRvzQmFxVNRo8krgsX-DkDKQdew1so77CyTbQhUzGYB9cda6AbF4TgfGAiBmcOoRhfV70wKWm_gNRIMVUsQSEJDQRBaXDqYg44KcMTQ5d4vAJDEv3rJ9En6_9MqnbbK5s04ciAfopcQbZ0U_xXOKbcdOEVxYch_VAP44vzzL/s4608/DSCN7489.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjywuCYRjqKjL7PFRvzQmFxVNRo8krgsX-DkDKQdew1so77CyTbQhUzGYB9cda6AbF4TgfGAiBmcOoRhfV70wKWm_gNRIMVUsQSEJDQRBaXDqYg44KcMTQ5d4vAJDEv3rJ9En6_9MqnbbK5s04ciAfopcQbZ0U_xXOKbcdOEVxYch_VAP44vzzL/s320/DSCN7489.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Mountain Hare</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9bcnPxUmPuDxriwmmNbRyXO5GdkxN0XL1NcM42N_Wry9HMaac83ulpgf4mqT5VG5ahHEhFAgxTisU1hYU82j-TO-7wF0qZ4aCFsEAmW87zXvxFO5nemUXFCb3c0FM6S-Ww9Ti-A5D_8wn7dF0_L44ELYVs2Z35XuWlwV7dfTgAtPbX2jUP9yc/s4608/DSCN7484.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9bcnPxUmPuDxriwmmNbRyXO5GdkxN0XL1NcM42N_Wry9HMaac83ulpgf4mqT5VG5ahHEhFAgxTisU1hYU82j-TO-7wF0qZ4aCFsEAmW87zXvxFO5nemUXFCb3c0FM6S-Ww9Ti-A5D_8wn7dF0_L44ELYVs2Z35XuWlwV7dfTgAtPbX2jUP9yc/s320/DSCN7484.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Mountain Hare</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd8PbM-WKldYOwkt0p166cPqthj7l1YNLh8BKHOTq2Y7BVCJRsI0sMC4ALkjyA9cEIuOZ8XiYFIbnbfPN-nRk3WTu4yDfKIe8kQfhksC9JfPqanFyCrP1alCLmjv_999gew0EqWhz9kPdhv0Uu9U2_EfclelrXeP5qmz0CkHG5dBM7zSn7VK3U/s5472/Steve%20Nicklin%20Mountain%20Hare.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd8PbM-WKldYOwkt0p166cPqthj7l1YNLh8BKHOTq2Y7BVCJRsI0sMC4ALkjyA9cEIuOZ8XiYFIbnbfPN-nRk3WTu4yDfKIe8kQfhksC9JfPqanFyCrP1alCLmjv_999gew0EqWhz9kPdhv0Uu9U2_EfclelrXeP5qmz0CkHG5dBM7zSn7VK3U/s320/Steve%20Nicklin%20Mountain%20Hare.jpg" width="320" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Mountain Hare by Steve Nicklin - Photo from Jan 2018</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Seeing them was actually easier said than done for the first half of the month though, with the heavy snow making the job of finding a white animal on a white background pretty tricky, with using a thermal imager, or following their pawprints in the snow proving to be the best methods of finding them...</p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">It should be noted though, that most of our views are at range through my telescope, and that a closer view or photo opportunity usually involves some considerable rough uphill walking, often in deep snow....</span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">In the same upland glens, </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Red Deer, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> mainly in large same-sex herds, can usually be seen, although a number of factors such as the weather, in particular the wind strength and depth of the snow, and whether there is any local shooting activity , can dictate whether we get nice close-up views, or distant views through the telescope....</span></p><div><br /></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb-ggZmCUE9CErfabj7woTGOuYFK5ebBkeBfYKaNnZXL1OIOmS2UkMYOgx5uH_6GXoFcyO1bWT0Qb0KDS7OpneveqlKaUvwnwE3_npTJAgd7ZaKeSFQKCF27_AWlLZn9LwbcIXHUy-0eUGYfmiXf12aLcziso5xHJuH_PIgqFdloGaEXlf_BKZ/s2992/IMG_9175.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1519" data-original-width="2992" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb-ggZmCUE9CErfabj7woTGOuYFK5ebBkeBfYKaNnZXL1OIOmS2UkMYOgx5uH_6GXoFcyO1bWT0Qb0KDS7OpneveqlKaUvwnwE3_npTJAgd7ZaKeSFQKCF27_AWlLZn9LwbcIXHUy-0eUGYfmiXf12aLcziso5xHJuH_PIgqFdloGaEXlf_BKZ/w400-h203/IMG_9175.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Deer Stags</b></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm9DP0YKIVAZ5Pl3THIuwEMxa1NNSutBFMnSyfHmCSB7z6SFpmAJZvt3shPSsos1m72Bv_7uvxZeIaaxf0Uo6GUE5doM_E1glE3Bwq9f3OdEONKmOcQW83b3reUJTQiKpA8ytdcTFDYzUCG_HfdzOW-eHUgVwEHVKLOYk2rRqg2NkgAsz7p2os/s4608/DSCN7462.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm9DP0YKIVAZ5Pl3THIuwEMxa1NNSutBFMnSyfHmCSB7z6SFpmAJZvt3shPSsos1m72Bv_7uvxZeIaaxf0Uo6GUE5doM_E1glE3Bwq9f3OdEONKmOcQW83b3reUJTQiKpA8ytdcTFDYzUCG_HfdzOW-eHUgVwEHVKLOYk2rRqg2NkgAsz7p2os/w400-h300/DSCN7462.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Deer Stag</b></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Still up in the glens, another local speciality mammal, our </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Feral Mountain Goats </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">can often seen on the same sheltered sides of the ridges as the Red Deer , and, although we struggled to see them this month, at this time of year it is not unusual to see them with the first , very cute, new-born youngsters ....</span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFWFuPKR15nAASEDgsPbpezSty0Cdji7CWfy1KdVoIxnzuF5_df3RqNYbsUeFrwh2AnOpDcTacoSwMLrT5o-OPtpvtRKKnw5UoSYtIxmpNWuGh1M9GyvAA0asxp5fsOb-rsWvUXwbZhUIivO2HZ0iL0-B5LgyLiLHc7OtJ-ZFik2i5iU8FKAhZ/s4060/DSCN2054.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2373" data-original-width="4060" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFWFuPKR15nAASEDgsPbpezSty0Cdji7CWfy1KdVoIxnzuF5_df3RqNYbsUeFrwh2AnOpDcTacoSwMLrT5o-OPtpvtRKKnw5UoSYtIxmpNWuGh1M9GyvAA0asxp5fsOb-rsWvUXwbZhUIivO2HZ0iL0-B5LgyLiLHc7OtJ-ZFik2i5iU8FKAhZ/w400-h234/DSCN2054.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Feral Mountain Goats - Photo from January 2020</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">Red Squirrels</b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75);"> are a true Highlands speciality, and we are usually fortunate enough to see at least one on most of my safaris, mainly chomping on peanuts at forest feeding stations, but with the occasional random sighting whilst walking or driving in suitable forest habitat.</span></span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi_FJE1C-89LPodqcot-96XrG-bCA6dKAiNXW87hJECZqRYk2xUA9SporOYBCKVpPwlZVhOdkT6sfwnyBYcg4JKsfnDgoJL0mTlZt8lJSe_YImGXYq903iAd-S2tl4ipavWyUXbVg1WTYEVj04jdD4XSYjKtxU08TH3zZJSkGcHH51e0XYvTdP/s3931/DSCN7664.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2933" data-original-width="3931" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi_FJE1C-89LPodqcot-96XrG-bCA6dKAiNXW87hJECZqRYk2xUA9SporOYBCKVpPwlZVhOdkT6sfwnyBYcg4JKsfnDgoJL0mTlZt8lJSe_YImGXYq903iAd-S2tl4ipavWyUXbVg1WTYEVj04jdD4XSYjKtxU08TH3zZJSkGcHH51e0XYvTdP/w400-h299/DSCN7664.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Squirrel</b></td></tr></tbody></table></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjxz5pSt5FiyN_44QKIefYXoQAFB7fGnU84Ovz4MlJ3ML8Ip9A2t9pnZsvJk0HF9Pf-wf7Am57mnaeqWeXgcFmzX6HY1-dgTUzz_zW9b85o6T7DHRztOvdE7DfVi93RDQQRUBvSRVSvzFFKW0Gc4Ge07TnSe2AGRd89OiVSXBUTpM77LcumASB/s4608/DSCN7669.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjxz5pSt5FiyN_44QKIefYXoQAFB7fGnU84Ovz4MlJ3ML8Ip9A2t9pnZsvJk0HF9Pf-wf7Am57mnaeqWeXgcFmzX6HY1-dgTUzz_zW9b85o6T7DHRztOvdE7DfVi93RDQQRUBvSRVSvzFFKW0Gc4Ge07TnSe2AGRd89OiVSXBUTpM77LcumASB/w400-h300/DSCN7669.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Squirrel</b></td></tr></tbody></table></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: left;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75);"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: left;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75);"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">Roe Deer</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75);"> are most commonly seen at dawn or dusk and generally at the quieter, more remote sites well away from human disturbance, their shy, nervous nature making them much harder to see than Red Deer, despite being considerably more numerous and widespread than their larger 'cousins'...</span></span></span></span></span></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqSGU7GPLNOAguOhOZGp5BtCAUeoXqeNQ7MbUT4w3phDeqeF85NvSFjbTcmTCNe7XCo7th5SyVKD2y4miLT5KBsp8GtPoVmTULiOHcT4UZiqeN2fRuLy-RMLj_-8q32u5B7pDUZ8NcCbTJXyrEkIKjAU-7y8YhXp_QtntxAstnsob_cHrm-9ln/s4006/DSCN6268.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3128" data-original-width="4006" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqSGU7GPLNOAguOhOZGp5BtCAUeoXqeNQ7MbUT4w3phDeqeF85NvSFjbTcmTCNe7XCo7th5SyVKD2y4miLT5KBsp8GtPoVmTULiOHcT4UZiqeN2fRuLy-RMLj_-8q32u5B7pDUZ8NcCbTJXyrEkIKjAU-7y8YhXp_QtntxAstnsob_cHrm-9ln/w400-h313/DSCN6268.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Roe Deer - Photo from Jan 2021</b></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: left;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75);"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white;">Although we managed a few early morning sightings of </span><b>Brown Hare</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"> this month, mainly on the quieter farmland areas, they were very fleeting glimpses, in poor light, and sadly, I failed to get a decent photo ..</span></span></span></span></span></p></div></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75);"><br /></span></span></span></span></p><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Hairy Highland Coo's</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"> always prove to be popular with my safari clients, especially those who do not have them close to home, so don't be afraid to ask me if you fancy going to see them, and maybe even get to feed and 'pat' them, as I have a couple of great sites....</span></b></span></span></p><div><br /></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsoUj8y_GswFE_Nsc-08g-IhqZ-k7VQWbKpHW7BWGeBYYGDUrU5IJRM7osPy3oqMV9xbgWx3jAZ8ISdIqP7KzS8FcaHyZnrJPSpxXRWSnztDLf-f6SeyTQl9vkp8K6shxl_6M0PZWJecFpe1bpEU2i8C6oK3i-BEZp9GhJSClxKILLfOqHMaKK/s1884/IMG_2805.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1413" data-original-width="1884" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsoUj8y_GswFE_Nsc-08g-IhqZ-k7VQWbKpHW7BWGeBYYGDUrU5IJRM7osPy3oqMV9xbgWx3jAZ8ISdIqP7KzS8FcaHyZnrJPSpxXRWSnztDLf-f6SeyTQl9vkp8K6shxl_6M0PZWJecFpe1bpEU2i8C6oK3i-BEZp9GhJSClxKILLfOqHMaKK/w400-h300/IMG_2805.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Carrot time for Murdo</b></td></tr></tbody></table></span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Marine mammals:</b></span></span></div></span></span></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">The Moray coast is pretty reliable for sightings of </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Seals</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, with a decent chance of </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Harbour Porpoise</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> and </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Dolphins</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, and, even a slim chance of </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Whales</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">.....</span><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p></div><p><br /></p></span></span></span></div></span></div><p><br /></p></div><div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Rare/nocturnal mammals:</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">I get a few enquiries about the possibility of seeing </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Badgers</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> and </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Pine Marten</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> from my safari clients, many of whom I suspect are unaware that they are actually a largely nocturnal creature, and although we do get the occasional (maybe one or two a year) dawn glimpse of one, you would definitely have a much higher chance of seeing them at a specific dusk Badger/Pine Marten watching hide - Please contact me for more information.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Similarly, our inland </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Otters</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> too are mainly active during the hours of darkness, and again, although we do get a few early-morning sightings on local lochs and rivers each year, including one on the 10th of this month, looking for them feeding in a suitably quiet, kelp - filled bay on the coast on a rising tide, but at any time of day, would give you a much better chance.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-family: quot; line-height: 1.4;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: quot; line-height: 1.4;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Whilst we are still on the 'tricky to see stuff', the <b>Scottish Wildcat </b>too, as well as being incredibly rare now, is also generally nocturnal, and the fact that I have had a mere handful of (dawn or dusk) sightings in 19 years of providing wildlife safaris should give you an idea of how difficult they are to see.</span></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Other wildlife:</b></p><p><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">I don't recall seeing any 'other wildlife' this month....</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMrpZqCHmzFBQP3TDjemVK4MqLE8xjfMqL7UoAp4irJozh10H-5LdWCorPb0zrcJhZfvnj4zF6v4rDLUYF0jT7petqKRFcJRPJ9VM1nVmtdjMvgtlua6utIrUfcCoWSRNj83vuNCK9cVE9BvgdFsSPgzFEjkFDCZYcIW3Qtz-ioWgxqHgEcrUU/s2012/IMG_2716.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1315" data-original-width="2012" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMrpZqCHmzFBQP3TDjemVK4MqLE8xjfMqL7UoAp4irJozh10H-5LdWCorPb0zrcJhZfvnj4zF6v4rDLUYF0jT7petqKRFcJRPJ9VM1nVmtdjMvgtlua6utIrUfcCoWSRNj83vuNCK9cVE9BvgdFsSPgzFEjkFDCZYcIW3Qtz-ioWgxqHgEcrUU/w400-h261/IMG_2716.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Nice light through pine trees</b></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">News:</b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">I am very pleased to announce that Highland Wildlife & Birdwatch Safaris has recently been awarded - for the second consecutive year - a Travelers Choice accreditation from Trip Advisor, for being ranked in the top 10% of visitor attractions worldwide based on customer reviews and feedback.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; margin-left: 4.8pt;"><span lang="EN-US">This achievement would not have been possible without the support of all my family, friends, safari clients, social media followers, regular blog readers , the Visit Scotland 'mystery shoppers', and everyone else who has helped and encouraged me along the way to ‘living my dream’ of being a wildlife safari guide, since 2004, especially over the last few very difficult COVID affected years, so a big THANK YOU to you all :)</span><o:p></o:p></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">All tourism/hospitality/activities in Scotland are open , are free of restrictions and I have now completed two years of (thankfully!) increasingly busy and extremely enjoyable safaris with clients with no major issues arising.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">With all national travel restrictions lifted too, Scotland is officially 'open for business' for visitors from all over the UK, and from abroad.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">For those considering a visit, these wildlife/outdoor tourism websites may prove useful:</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">June - September is midge season - But thankfully, this area is not usually affected too badly - This link explains why: </span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-65939262" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">Bumper midge hatch alert after warm spell - BBC News</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b>https://www.gov.scot/collections/coronavirus-covid</b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.outdooraccess-scotland.scot/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">NatureScot (outdooraccess-scotland.scot)</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xGdTZcC2ZQ" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-line: none;">Can Nature Help Health? | Nature Prescriptions - YouTube</a></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1HBKnnGr-g" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;">Scotland, Yours to Enjoy. Responsibly. - YouTube</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://cairngorms.co.uk/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">Cairngorms National Park Authority</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.highlandwildlifepark.org.uk/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">Highland Wildlife Park</a></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.gov.scot/publications/avian-influenza-outbreaks/" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;">Avian influenza (bird flu) outbreaks - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)</a></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.rspb.org.uk/about-the-rspb/about-us/how-the-rspb-is-run/annualreport/annual-report-2022_scotland-news/?utm_source=notes_on_nature_20220903&utm_medium=email&utm_term=notes_on_nature&utm_content=27&utm_campaign=notes_on_nature" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;">Positive prescriptions | The RSPB</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001I2CprmTF4v466b2QwFanHYsB-M-rMapIosb95lRyTUJBNCM4M5pRVhERGqeaLRzFyv1eekvDmizxHTXlceC8MfUpDhmPVjcIKSIuzoxgpUAR-WvJnMt7Qy_6FTM7t0NmHCFXcXrKl2PwZmYesq-W9IS95jsm4EjF&c=yaKTJZAUiA1JLq3HZX4qSPKZSV0TmxUhrab0kVmIGIcqw2TwJXwIuA==&ch=DwiISia8UtA2D1uBYb3sVgpwyW_q8Q-7QsuJDduKzFxiKfyqeb9Flw==" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;"><b><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" style="color: #d9b559; font-size: 12pt;">www.scotlandbigpicture.com</span></b></a></span></p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>COVID-19</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">The Scottish Highlands, being very sparsely populated, has had very few COVID-19 cases in comparison to most of the UK, and on my safaris we tend to visit remote , wild habitats well away from the more popular tourist areas, and usually have very little interaction with other people, and this is something that I intend to continue.</b></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL1-ymYoJv5_eE8GQbLYn7cav_dquotrgC0Nfv-yqRhyphenhyphenrusLo93pGP5uURQWPXmzbEt7iFsT7AAzZAH1BdVpaCjgkbWpsYytReqsYfzidfPx23LcCISvbe83YRDClQIbbUsj1Lb_L0Nf9fcGy6OXU-tcRr6qOBORveLCjiQBHEfhGKoDTaUOiY/s1919/IMG_2739.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="857" data-original-width="1919" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL1-ymYoJv5_eE8GQbLYn7cav_dquotrgC0Nfv-yqRhyphenhyphenrusLo93pGP5uURQWPXmzbEt7iFsT7AAzZAH1BdVpaCjgkbWpsYytReqsYfzidfPx23LcCISvbe83YRDClQIbbUsj1Lb_L0Nf9fcGy6OXU-tcRr6qOBORveLCjiQBHEfhGKoDTaUOiY/w400-h179/IMG_2739.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A frozen local loch</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Summary:</b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Although I was only booked for 2 safaris this month - sadly, January is always 'quiet' - I am pleased to report that I managed to get out and about in the wilds to enjoy the spectacularly scenery and wildlife of the Cairngorms National Park on a regular basis with friends and family, not so good for my bank balance, but great for my physical and mental health, general well-being , and my ever-increasing 2024 bird 'year-list', and thankfully, my safari bookings diary is filling - up nicely for future months....</span></b></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbmREpX3GHzIGhWGsXXgoPrhzJu2ZcqJ2u1sCApcf7W5HKT_wNAW-ktRLrNYVHUHQnNDALUirifAG_GkNOxd0aZuwGx3Pt8iTiyYwahvIxMBakMi5A11iWeUAYGeTJ7hbTUPJ7xFkuI3vSPpKG9dbbemkzipTYs_1wiyK2Oa8Xcp4mndG7KQCf/s2016/IMG_2708.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1216" data-original-width="2016" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbmREpX3GHzIGhWGsXXgoPrhzJu2ZcqJ2u1sCApcf7W5HKT_wNAW-ktRLrNYVHUHQnNDALUirifAG_GkNOxd0aZuwGx3Pt8iTiyYwahvIxMBakMi5A11iWeUAYGeTJ7hbTUPJ7xFkuI3vSPpKG9dbbemkzipTYs_1wiyK2Oa8Xcp4mndG7KQCf/w400-h241/IMG_2708.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A frosty dawn scene</b></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p><b>Reviews:</b></p><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span face="" style="color: #06004c;">I know a lot of visitors to this area very wisely check out reviews of attractions/experiences at </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">TripAdvisor</b><span face="" style="color: #06004c;"> before 'taking the plunge' and booking - We now have well over 300 reviews online, so if you wish, you can check out our clients comments at the link below....</span></div><p><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><div style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"></span></span><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;" /><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g186537-d3335134-Reviews-</span></span></span></span></span></div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"></span></span><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;" /><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Highland_Wildlife_Birdwatch_Safaris-Aviemore_Aviemore_and_the_Cairngorms_Scottish.html</span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div></div></div><p><br /></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix2k7NxZEU4lp-jyVstHwBiUs-ZyzkyorRTgKbOpm6sB6Ahx5OSljfbZCDEj_4YKyTWxPau2NfpJqiR_-T984D9zVQheAcY8xX-tqYwQE4LiRaxKiV7fbToiQx7tjMGkcOf9Vbp4y_cahzuQT-rIThjaoriILhz8bYH8srsW5fWVwSof-BLDSy/s2016/IMG_2745.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix2k7NxZEU4lp-jyVstHwBiUs-ZyzkyorRTgKbOpm6sB6Ahx5OSljfbZCDEj_4YKyTWxPau2NfpJqiR_-T984D9zVQheAcY8xX-tqYwQE4LiRaxKiV7fbToiQx7tjMGkcOf9Vbp4y_cahzuQT-rIThjaoriILhz8bYH8srsW5fWVwSof-BLDSy/w400-h300/IMG_2745.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Nice winter light through a frosted tree</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p></div><div><p><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><b>G</b></span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">ift Certificates:</b></p><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><div style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; color: #222222; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 5px; position: relative;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T95gARK_lkQ/XAvNUI2tI6I/AAAAAAAADwU/GDPgK9hH9LwgLQ8gPnoaLdf04Yn2BLebwCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_1578.JPG" style="background: none 0% 0% / auto repeat scroll padding-box border-box transparent; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 5px;" width="400" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 10.56px; text-align: center;"><b>Safari gift voucher</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></span></span></div></div></div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><br /></div><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span face="" style="color: #06004c; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;">If you think you know someone who may enjoy a taste of what I do, why not treat them to a safari gift </span><span face="" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;">certificate? They make a thoughtful and imaginative present, are available for any amount and are valid for a whole year from date of purchase........</span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span face="" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><p><br /></p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></div>Highland Wildlife & Birdwatch Safarishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04327130550058794301noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26724394.post-33559433755215929302023-12-31T09:01:00.000+00:002023-12-31T09:01:30.284+00:00<p><b>December 2023</b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!!</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>I hope you all had a lovely festive season, and I would like to wish you all a healthy, happy, and wildlife-filled 2024.</b></span></p><p><br /></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p>December 2023 started with a really wintry feel, with sub-zero temperatures and lots of snow, even down to lower levels, with the majority of the month turning milder, but wetter and windier, including a wild spell due to Storm Pia, and the end of the month seeing colder , snowy weather return courtesy of Storm Gerrit.....</p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">Despite the days being at their shortest now, with only around 7 hours of usable daylight, by 'cherry-picking' the best ones, we still enjoyed some memorable adventures, with plenty of exciting wildlife sightings, and often against dramatic and picturesque snowy Highland backdrops.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">With all our winter-visiting birds now here, full-day local safari bird lists topped-out in the 30's, or more if you include a trip to the nearby Moray Coast whilst mammal day lists varied between 3 and 7 depending on the time of our start and number of habitats visited, with earlier starts, as usual, proving to be best....</span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-fnmXBoK_7F1lu4PbB0jpRuW8wAo8FhozVHUsVA3CwrHcmNlTV5cryun3Pt5RWg3km_LQV4gLayhvvbeKqPvgyFR47Ioaq1Kg_Vn2_Fkd4Hp5qT-ZPjE-GH09BiMtEhKDNo8jqSm4enscuPdmi6qh00rXFzeF9g99NwEuywArCACpr7QAbMpQ/s1981/IMG_2444.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1486" data-original-width="1981" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-fnmXBoK_7F1lu4PbB0jpRuW8wAo8FhozVHUsVA3CwrHcmNlTV5cryun3Pt5RWg3km_LQV4gLayhvvbeKqPvgyFR47Ioaq1Kg_Vn2_Fkd4Hp5qT-ZPjE-GH09BiMtEhKDNo8jqSm4enscuPdmi6qh00rXFzeF9g99NwEuywArCACpr7QAbMpQ/w400-h300/IMG_2444.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A suitably festive scene from a local loch</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">To give you an idea of what you may realistically hope to see if you are considering a future December visit, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">I hope the following more detailed information, illustrated with photos taken at sites in and around the Cairngorms National Park by myself, my friends or my safari clients this month and in previous December's will help....clicking on the picture enlarges it to full-screen. </span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Local speciality/upland bird species seen regularly during the month included</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">:</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Crested Tit</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Red Grouse</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, <b>Golden Eagle</b> , <b>White-Tailed Eagle,</b> and </span><b>Dipper, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">whilst </span><b>Black Grouse </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">were occasionally seen at or soon after dawn at traditional lek sites, and we also had a few decent sightings of <b>Snow Bunting.....and a couple of views of Crossbills</b>.<b>...</b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">Local winter visiting birds were represented by <b>Redwings and Fieldfares,</b> family groups of <b>Whooper Swans, s</b>everal species of 'grey' <b>Geese, </b>and a few <b>Redpolls and Bramblings </b>were also seen...whilst <b>Waxwings</b> were seen locally on and off throughout the month....</span></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Mammal species seen regularly included:</b></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Red Squirrel</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Red Deer</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Reindeer</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Roe Deer</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Mountain Goat</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> , </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Rabbit </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">and</span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"> </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">(white)</span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"> Mountain Hare</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">.....with just a few (mainly dawn) views of </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Brown Hare</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> and a few brief glimpses of </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Bank Vole </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">and</span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"> Wood Mouse </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">underneath forest bird feeders</span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">...</b></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><u>All photographs of wildlife, especially Schedule 1 and other protected bird species were taken legally at long range with powerful zoom lenses, or from my vehicle on public roads, well away from nest sites, and no disturbance was caused to any wildlife....</u></b></p><div><b><u><br /></u></b></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">December 2023 bird sightings in more detail:</b></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;">Up in the glens...</b></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0q0wv6XtwkBdfF3PvYWCgJu-4nigdL3zpmxQCyQes4RoILJ0MSwzgAVHMeKMh9vwjZGAojmBc_SgspZ6vs9DhGAa-NF1OQs4k6N8b4n5Cm6u_eQRMTA7xbdng63PRsle7X4J-Emo2MoLsGWPankcJr5Tbd5SrzUi_ZELMl_5zC4rW3ZD2rwyL/s1954/IMG_3755.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1151" data-original-width="1954" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0q0wv6XtwkBdfF3PvYWCgJu-4nigdL3zpmxQCyQes4RoILJ0MSwzgAVHMeKMh9vwjZGAojmBc_SgspZ6vs9DhGAa-NF1OQs4k6N8b4n5Cm6u_eQRMTA7xbdng63PRsle7X4J-Emo2MoLsGWPankcJr5Tbd5SrzUi_ZELMl_5zC4rW3ZD2rwyL/w400-h235/IMG_3755.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Midwinter in a picturesque local upland glen</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;">As I have mentioned before, the short daylight hours, and no breeding season distractions, mean that</span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> winter is definitely the best time of year for raptor sightings in this area</b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;">, and this month again proved very fruitful, with my favourite local upland glens providing us with pleasingly regular sightings, and even the occasional (and rare) photo opportunity, of the much sought after </span><strong style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Golden Eagle </strong><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;">and</span><strong style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> White-Tailed Eagle, </strong><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;">with views of these magnificent and truly huge birds always putting a smile on our faces, and filling us with awe.....</span></b></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVVQRbpUIifBay3lfIroU6jPk9WRJaylwubc1Y57exJzARvKMzj381_LqYbgHNpIsoxL2hx0kEotK2kblXH4xQwUNx3Ojqyuj-BuMf9eJB3RUB29zjv6m25W5QDf2OsxUliTEQucczdFmtS1baXSzD40jlZGu06P-wxRBsKXexkbqPJjA7NjCm/s1922/Ron%20MItchell%201.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="979" data-original-width="1922" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVVQRbpUIifBay3lfIroU6jPk9WRJaylwubc1Y57exJzARvKMzj381_LqYbgHNpIsoxL2hx0kEotK2kblXH4xQwUNx3Ojqyuj-BuMf9eJB3RUB29zjv6m25W5QDf2OsxUliTEQucczdFmtS1baXSzD40jlZGu06P-wxRBsKXexkbqPJjA7NjCm/w400-h204/Ron%20MItchell%201.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Golden Eagle by Ron Mitchell - Photo from Dec 2021</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCAlDc8MCfCA07FQ9i0ZQH9qFtIvmqwlzI1WuCShMJcYPauogUxT8fblv73k9aLLHkrrSN7bT8xQtBgulkFNUPCr6zfdZ1NFl1zUTIC9uYwTxqlPdjiDngXOUo8_APRlGS6g-CFb4GZUoPRsZYzGsfR9C0z-f3-_UBQu-BD0ZK9LgwiSZFlVRI/s3022/DSCN4121.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2034" data-original-width="3022" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCAlDc8MCfCA07FQ9i0ZQH9qFtIvmqwlzI1WuCShMJcYPauogUxT8fblv73k9aLLHkrrSN7bT8xQtBgulkFNUPCr6zfdZ1NFl1zUTIC9uYwTxqlPdjiDngXOUo8_APRlGS6g-CFb4GZUoPRsZYzGsfR9C0z-f3-_UBQu-BD0ZK9LgwiSZFlVRI/w400-h269/DSCN4121.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Golden Eagle</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh097W5oNka3c1qCXKiE5G8Jy6pm7qqSkoqAnQlCZxwdiIHQfV851543Ph1L1U_i6NfCVhUs80OZd4x-CBVezprfBj-Cpjr8Hh6LqnoRasKnLtmAelosoB749oco9jqkUsO1E-h3OVk_7Ew2RdLCydQhFzuXpGXiMirc-jNv7qij1TMSn-Q-n9v/s935/Golden%20Eagle.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="681" data-original-width="935" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh097W5oNka3c1qCXKiE5G8Jy6pm7qqSkoqAnQlCZxwdiIHQfV851543Ph1L1U_i6NfCVhUs80OZd4x-CBVezprfBj-Cpjr8Hh6LqnoRasKnLtmAelosoB749oco9jqkUsO1E-h3OVk_7Ew2RdLCydQhFzuXpGXiMirc-jNv7qij1TMSn-Q-n9v/s320/Golden%20Eagle.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Golden Eagle by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;"><br /></b><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiAC4IErWA4TY629L3PA00a9MUwqbyFcocPWo7U-r9pX3L5WKH_1mqkbhNhS9n9jmVxCxeDQn3Xm40x1y4Kwu5DMFKP9TqKITBDkm10SAB0SC6JnrzyOPPlVbqqWgU3MaBI1Htrz2wl-dmB-ouTLEyk0Iaxvp6CoKH4sXsKfDG98EHxmZrue8x/s959/IMG_3954.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="674" data-original-width="959" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiAC4IErWA4TY629L3PA00a9MUwqbyFcocPWo7U-r9pX3L5WKH_1mqkbhNhS9n9jmVxCxeDQn3Xm40x1y4Kwu5DMFKP9TqKITBDkm10SAB0SC6JnrzyOPPlVbqqWgU3MaBI1Htrz2wl-dmB-ouTLEyk0Iaxvp6CoKH4sXsKfDG98EHxmZrue8x/s320/IMG_3954.JPG" width="320" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Golden Eagle by Jon Worthington - Photo from December 2021</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI87A8-Wlpqq6Rj09FGLONXv5xjQw3J97_dD9Z8m98XZe9A8xXU_eh-XhYt3fJJ8LLDLQBjIyL9_SAHZSVJOUc2agKDwp8udgEG4LaEGsYKIn-gaSQzB2uUINEYWOezyubVL8YsIYJy_rljNS-8nj_bhqxrPY3nXXWqR7pyHZ9OhOBWaGYhzB6/s690/Josh%20Allan%20WTE.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="568" data-original-width="690" height="329" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI87A8-Wlpqq6Rj09FGLONXv5xjQw3J97_dD9Z8m98XZe9A8xXU_eh-XhYt3fJJ8LLDLQBjIyL9_SAHZSVJOUc2agKDwp8udgEG4LaEGsYKIn-gaSQzB2uUINEYWOezyubVL8YsIYJy_rljNS-8nj_bhqxrPY3nXXWqR7pyHZ9OhOBWaGYhzB6/w400-h329/Josh%20Allan%20WTE.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>White-Tailed eagle by Josh Allan - Photo from Dec 2022</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibNqOixAtrpTGUFKeIE6dCh4dFtjjpfvp1oX5KYxJybZOuOtviuFG33af14_ly4dD8BOSfoOKRwekAu_nB2GQ8OIInS1jDdk_-bGF8SOaAnPU_Az_OEt52sTdmHaaaQ9H8NTir6kSMfrIHJASB8_lnwtPtHGPulfiRxgSc5gdVI3UeJlLFlCCI/s1785/Steve%20Nicklin%20WTE1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="1190" data-original-width="1785" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibNqOixAtrpTGUFKeIE6dCh4dFtjjpfvp1oX5KYxJybZOuOtviuFG33af14_ly4dD8BOSfoOKRwekAu_nB2GQ8OIInS1jDdk_-bGF8SOaAnPU_Az_OEt52sTdmHaaaQ9H8NTir6kSMfrIHJASB8_lnwtPtHGPulfiRxgSc5gdVI3UeJlLFlCCI/s320/Steve%20Nicklin%20WTE1.jpg" width="320" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>White-Tailed Eagle by Steve Nicklin - Photo from December 2017</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;"><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Should the Eagles fail to show, the regular 'raptor back-up cast' of </span>Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Peregrine, Buzzard,<span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span></span><strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Red Kite</strong><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;">, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;">and the chance of even the occasional </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Merlin</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Hen Harrier</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;"> and </span><strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Goshawk</strong><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;"> </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;">often provide good entertainment by way of consolation though...</span></span></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjQp5C4OTJQoyJtXBxfaHdFIOq2TWkFXKMkD3QfhEGm441djpaThUfgf2o1V-zRa4Diq3l7-q79s9ZDTJxC4KmDybHjmPTDb6YY_Z4WnVN5UgVQoyH-caIYxNRU6oOTOVW4WhOUXbIHJkyYQJUDs-GXTGfKSNa2IO04_hQr7N-nrRvdJKv_NXv/s2613/DSCN1828.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1625" data-original-width="2613" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjQp5C4OTJQoyJtXBxfaHdFIOq2TWkFXKMkD3QfhEGm441djpaThUfgf2o1V-zRa4Diq3l7-q79s9ZDTJxC4KmDybHjmPTDb6YY_Z4WnVN5UgVQoyH-caIYxNRU6oOTOVW4WhOUXbIHJkyYQJUDs-GXTGfKSNa2IO04_hQr7N-nrRvdJKv_NXv/w400-h249/DSCN1828.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Common Buzzard</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju-hFnLxQJz3PKPoTFqOax6D4Pq9jKqux2mAvylVTOua2PSKzHrxHDtEjui0sVJ4pk02Mx-4nds1IRP7YJchgtsOv8nCWa5_USkv3dDnS_fmFGPFrttOPyeG6cyv64CSyd0WOr09YEvMR2aNcUvUlZ-poo2DgW8B4MylrXqllPXP8yZoaPx5qY/s2320/DSCN1862.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1464" data-original-width="2320" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju-hFnLxQJz3PKPoTFqOax6D4Pq9jKqux2mAvylVTOua2PSKzHrxHDtEjui0sVJ4pk02Mx-4nds1IRP7YJchgtsOv8nCWa5_USkv3dDnS_fmFGPFrttOPyeG6cyv64CSyd0WOr09YEvMR2aNcUvUlZ-poo2DgW8B4MylrXqllPXP8yZoaPx5qY/w400-h253/DSCN1862.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Kite</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;"><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b><p></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Up on the moors....</b></b></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoRIVgfe7ULJRwhbMgtp0q8Ngkpy-gYsyxnP9Hvg88iwsB90oRvB0haVglSADCFr3W3ArYiRlk_WpeUSBFh77bGFxVqDtceYvi6F81FRjXPoLMIFk0eCt4BKHhlZhLCY2YA3cSWQoZeF4jk5bOLFr8YQnS5-jXoFIDGdtgss77d6iLmNPZzSjp/s2003/IMG_2505.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1202" data-original-width="2003" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoRIVgfe7ULJRwhbMgtp0q8Ngkpy-gYsyxnP9Hvg88iwsB90oRvB0haVglSADCFr3W3ArYiRlk_WpeUSBFh77bGFxVqDtceYvi6F81FRjXPoLMIFk0eCt4BKHhlZhLCY2YA3cSWQoZeF4jk5bOLFr8YQnS5-jXoFIDGdtgss77d6iLmNPZzSjp/w400-h240/IMG_2505.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A snowy local upland heather moorland</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b><p></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;">Pre-dawn starts - a relatively user friendly 8am at this time of year - gave us decent views of up to 5 displaying male </span><b>Black Grouse</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"> on local moorland 'lek' sites, though rather frustratingly, they proved to be a little unpredictable, with seemingly no obvious pattern to whether they would show or not - they are more reliable from Feb-May- so it should be noted that we did fail to see them on a few occasions...</span></b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></b></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTbQXPcOx3Njcbude0d2hSYheo0ptsfydlEsSCiqgmkf9tetthY9MQdS9oish740gb2EXMJpBM6YVsldu04I-J8JujTW11cWwCT9UiDINlvtEPBg8TcHA6wTa2CVLBoZja5sY6iInqba35PBrnRswdwp_PQihlHAXj_1fn5Eoz9t_U0MTv6s2X/s3926/DSCN7383.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2140" data-original-width="3926" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTbQXPcOx3Njcbude0d2hSYheo0ptsfydlEsSCiqgmkf9tetthY9MQdS9oish740gb2EXMJpBM6YVsldu04I-J8JujTW11cWwCT9UiDINlvtEPBg8TcHA6wTa2CVLBoZja5sY6iInqba35PBrnRswdwp_PQihlHAXj_1fn5Eoz9t_U0MTv6s2X/w400-h217/DSCN7383.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Displaying Black Grouse</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></b></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio3AdNrQGsp18FkTcTYHfZFVGGM8KDikyl_GQh5idDq-m-zmE14NRxpBYjB9uZNee9m-u-O9_4KYFLb0c6EXQW2TwejLDHuOjE8RUyVUrs3_MjO2FimMpyQfETVwvW552M6aRdGJQiMazyaMEjRGODPie65aC9rf4IPtzmUjdjtsL1pSnijXiF/s4319/DSCN5951.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2562" data-original-width="4319" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio3AdNrQGsp18FkTcTYHfZFVGGM8KDikyl_GQh5idDq-m-zmE14NRxpBYjB9uZNee9m-u-O9_4KYFLb0c6EXQW2TwejLDHuOjE8RUyVUrs3_MjO2FimMpyQfETVwvW552M6aRdGJQiMazyaMEjRGODPie65aC9rf4IPtzmUjdjtsL1pSnijXiF/w400-h238/DSCN5951.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Displaying Black Grouse</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></b></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">By using my safari vehicle as a stealthy and slow-moving 'mobile hide', our local </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Red Grouse</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> were usually reasonably easy to see and photograph on their favoured upland heather moorlands this month, as some of the cock birds already seem to be getting a little aggressive and territorial, with a few individuals seen perching prominently on the few higher points and occasionally even being heard uttering their guttural 'go-back, go back' calls, with their red 'eyebrows' aglow....</span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxvok3tnh6PrfzMGbA7ki_0q_AvoMuguxP1OplO8r-4-Fy2ZxupjLDFORLCoakgRV8f1cQ931OYmX9-vhIwsO9DD9HrETHqH1-HaGpZS3nJLzMUbpY_MOGDbsbFItzGUlQIFTEjm_xDWyKSGdYco00Z0tUX2NwxAJW-D59E5HfbjRaySnd61TA/s1532/Lizee%20Oliver%20Red%20Grouse.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="1267" data-original-width="1532" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxvok3tnh6PrfzMGbA7ki_0q_AvoMuguxP1OplO8r-4-Fy2ZxupjLDFORLCoakgRV8f1cQ931OYmX9-vhIwsO9DD9HrETHqH1-HaGpZS3nJLzMUbpY_MOGDbsbFItzGUlQIFTEjm_xDWyKSGdYco00Z0tUX2NwxAJW-D59E5HfbjRaySnd61TA/s320/Lizee%20Oliver%20Red%20Grouse.jpg" width="320" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Female Red Grouse by Lizee Oliver - Photo from Dec 2019</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRZJ8SGxSpsFJGlYpzlC21FRMWNeTth7ib0C6vU5Q_k4nBo1V_Xu-mzmxa68GEU2Lc0Tj1HxK36GvRcOiugCe0Nk0SBMfbRSCmOoLwYgGhhvKCML84ja7I1vRfrISfZIEZsmZwr67t_FlMSC2Jx4UGyWH5pW8bjBwDV3QF6YCaKvTe2RKiWOHL/s4137/Red%20Grouse.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3025" data-original-width="4137" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRZJ8SGxSpsFJGlYpzlC21FRMWNeTth7ib0C6vU5Q_k4nBo1V_Xu-mzmxa68GEU2Lc0Tj1HxK36GvRcOiugCe0Nk0SBMfbRSCmOoLwYgGhhvKCML84ja7I1vRfrISfZIEZsmZwr67t_FlMSC2Jx4UGyWH5pW8bjBwDV3QF6YCaKvTe2RKiWOHL/w400-h293/Red%20Grouse.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Red Grouse</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p>Upland moorlands can also produce bird of prey sightings, and this month we were lucky enough to see <b>Kestrel</b>, <b>Common Buzzard</b>,<b> </b>and <b>Red Kite</b> reasonably frequently, and on the 30th a <b>Rough-Legged Buzzard</b>.....</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">I</span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">n the Caledonian forests...</b></p><p><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOVJGLGPWqjsNdCKlpPZW4Wa4hpezlypJ4kCpb1zr3IoQklRCeZrMYyS-7Bq0VuHevQ3Vc2p50Plf6ZwubLwbnmd9DwUM8yJ3yzvo0VXUD360nAutzHmAseQ1s8gaiJPprvgqQtdcbRpOPwNCO0VZnJwlHIEZAm7sdet0_lfGuBWV2CZrvqyCY/s2016/IMG_2446.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOVJGLGPWqjsNdCKlpPZW4Wa4hpezlypJ4kCpb1zr3IoQklRCeZrMYyS-7Bq0VuHevQ3Vc2p50Plf6ZwubLwbnmd9DwUM8yJ3yzvo0VXUD360nAutzHmAseQ1s8gaiJPprvgqQtdcbRpOPwNCO0VZnJwlHIEZAm7sdet0_lfGuBWV2CZrvqyCY/w400-h300/IMG_2446.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Nice light in a local Caledonian forest</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Crested Tits</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> are always a joy to see (and hear - they have a characteristic chuckling trill)), being a true local speciality , and during the winter months they can usually be relied upon to put in an appearance at my favourite Caledonian forest feeding stations, especially on the colder days, though it should be noted that, being extremely 'flitty' and quick, they rarely give good photo opportunities...</span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhapGCaAxTIDIruWFx80sM7cFyuL2ltfLz1neJTG7FEEa1njcWTwnQ2s33nZS7JLTU0VKi9R9NM7VGVtuuPNCa09AuDJ-vlyUpDcbedNqLdd7LioE0Xr-Jmq1UEO0gK5PCNE0YHWk8M1B0Frty2i5Oon3VotHQTMW61LfXgDgYkshkbmvxjSfpA/s3703/IMG_9665.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2444" data-original-width="3703" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhapGCaAxTIDIruWFx80sM7cFyuL2ltfLz1neJTG7FEEa1njcWTwnQ2s33nZS7JLTU0VKi9R9NM7VGVtuuPNCa09AuDJ-vlyUpDcbedNqLdd7LioE0Xr-Jmq1UEO0gK5PCNE0YHWk8M1B0Frty2i5Oon3VotHQTMW61LfXgDgYkshkbmvxjSfpA/s320/IMG_9665.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Crested Tit</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFzUzqhaM4nStVCEKtgqihqHvy87N1oJSoNBfXFowig1Gv4d4qAKYP4syzrNTDe-I_VVYodd2Hqs8PDmS2YGowO40k9h8Cq0Z50LvSB-XUFuraEdKTq9cOUS_1Anlhqvz-UuUoxNMKbl2vjx8O_SnxpPRxPYuUrhNmsb2SXAoHBXX0Fcz-CJj6/s2101/Wayne%20Dixon%20Crestie%204.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="1784" data-original-width="2101" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFzUzqhaM4nStVCEKtgqihqHvy87N1oJSoNBfXFowig1Gv4d4qAKYP4syzrNTDe-I_VVYodd2Hqs8PDmS2YGowO40k9h8Cq0Z50LvSB-XUFuraEdKTq9cOUS_1Anlhqvz-UuUoxNMKbl2vjx8O_SnxpPRxPYuUrhNmsb2SXAoHBXX0Fcz-CJj6/s320/Wayne%20Dixon%20Crestie%204.jpg" width="320" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Crested Tit by Wayne Dixon - Photo from Dec 2017</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmqEBAiZ8np6lkH0QrZdnVf6jb8pFR8RghEyV1fDcO-uMfQUxSvaXoIjYFEn41XJ6u9yoh0gJkDxuf9JNCkUaa4CY7rbKC0HlZzXX7I4Vqs-PvKNaLd-nPQtKJoXCI9ufpR-0BcphqlwvHN3PQZwr5jVLPBxds0S-NLDqa_zZHVMg0cxwQnwNh/s4047/Steve%20Nicklin%20Crestie.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="2698" data-original-width="4047" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmqEBAiZ8np6lkH0QrZdnVf6jb8pFR8RghEyV1fDcO-uMfQUxSvaXoIjYFEn41XJ6u9yoh0gJkDxuf9JNCkUaa4CY7rbKC0HlZzXX7I4Vqs-PvKNaLd-nPQtKJoXCI9ufpR-0BcphqlwvHN3PQZwr5jVLPBxds0S-NLDqa_zZHVMg0cxwQnwNh/s320/Steve%20Nicklin%20Crestie.JPG" width="320" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Crested Tit by Steve Nicklin -Photo from Dec 2018</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8EVgJSZAt_40iA15nUYq_g99CIu02M-gSQePn1wCEjFPIKhod6hwDiW9lFQ7B0RbSYN6euBAVKF1iv4sm1_BTkRrFUTgH1YJg9PtH_xNg4QAr0s818uh3fLfx8zEWFgsoePy4gXGGU6dVFdAbeEwwmFA1txezEyb_N_QI9OPsIGqZVqPAiLBe/s2283/Ron%20Mitchell%201.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="1522" data-original-width="2283" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8EVgJSZAt_40iA15nUYq_g99CIu02M-gSQePn1wCEjFPIKhod6hwDiW9lFQ7B0RbSYN6euBAVKF1iv4sm1_BTkRrFUTgH1YJg9PtH_xNg4QAr0s818uh3fLfx8zEWFgsoePy4gXGGU6dVFdAbeEwwmFA1txezEyb_N_QI9OPsIGqZVqPAiLBe/s320/Ron%20Mitchell%201.jpeg" width="320" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Crested Tit by Ron Mitchell - Photo from Dec 2019</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Still in the Caledonian forests, sadly, </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Crossbil</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">l sightings were, as usual, mainly restricted to the fly-over variety, and we usually only identified them by their characteristic 'jip jip' calls.....except for one obliging male bird who perched nicely atop a pine for us on the 30th....though as they are early nesters, we now have a chance of some better views of singing and displaying birds over the next couple of months...</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9eCRP_fQXUVI-WqqK-CZ2U-veiR2kWZqBBX6fTUdWfGzxBcmZkET6SkT2ovozwe0IAyy96tDLbzUvZb6J5LcFAAfy67NtulmW1O8rzZvha0szx0b5v-SgCRAVkVOy6U7Ysu9KQyN6HGK9nGQWItgPq_T7UE-1eYv3W2bWjfTV1iEty-KrRkqR/s2915/DSCN1722.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1906" data-original-width="2915" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9eCRP_fQXUVI-WqqK-CZ2U-veiR2kWZqBBX6fTUdWfGzxBcmZkET6SkT2ovozwe0IAyy96tDLbzUvZb6J5LcFAAfy67NtulmW1O8rzZvha0szx0b5v-SgCRAVkVOy6U7Ysu9KQyN6HGK9nGQWItgPq_T7UE-1eYv3W2bWjfTV1iEty-KrRkqR/s320/DSCN1722.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Female Crossbill - Photo from Dec 2019</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixoOyLzUmcMi9kg4PciXMqA4fiTFu9ftGVl83A7Pf52rzorXGgakI0Ov5uWd19oCeq2K8YHgzL0BaAIc6WOhYqx94VeBqCdzRAu3bznsU3PpII-pZcbE-K1Nsr09Nltkfw3pC5k8diEDOuW9iDIz0IukW_2IzKg1OSZf9oQqgnUg9sc1_v_aNd/s2834/DSCN0656.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1795" data-original-width="2834" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixoOyLzUmcMi9kg4PciXMqA4fiTFu9ftGVl83A7Pf52rzorXGgakI0Ov5uWd19oCeq2K8YHgzL0BaAIc6WOhYqx94VeBqCdzRAu3bznsU3PpII-pZcbE-K1Nsr09Nltkfw3pC5k8diEDOuW9iDIz0IukW_2IzKg1OSZf9oQqgnUg9sc1_v_aNd/s320/DSCN0656.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Crossbill - Photo from Dec 2021</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">A bonus by-product of regular winter feeding is often (especially on colder days) being able to feed the incredibly confiding </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Coal Tits </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">and (sometimes) </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Great Tits</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> by hand, an experience much enjoyed by my safari clients of all ages...</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEHgdpb0ms5ZO6a_HkleVUBiyTVxayESUwYtN6edNDZ_fpvtM1CVvuwtS653VpuxNC4ME0Co1rWkrBpTTZtXQGfpeqqB2oy4YBhSrrE3c3F-zDSg0qiNUpxJbVer6YY0zjc5Y5SpJKeWvkRQIrJXD2vcab2r1dg0sAcveMSsmlzUykZCodg6NG/s2016/IMG_2584.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEHgdpb0ms5ZO6a_HkleVUBiyTVxayESUwYtN6edNDZ_fpvtM1CVvuwtS653VpuxNC4ME0Co1rWkrBpTTZtXQGfpeqqB2oy4YBhSrrE3c3F-zDSg0qiNUpxJbVer6YY0zjc5Y5SpJKeWvkRQIrJXD2vcab2r1dg0sAcveMSsmlzUykZCodg6NG/w400-h300/IMG_2584.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Hand-feeding a Coal Tit</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Continuing the forest theme, despite numerous walks and drives through suitable habitat, sadly, but not unusually given their rarity, we failed to see a single </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Capercaillie</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> again this month.....</span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">On the lochs...</b></b></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhegkVHSz1doZtbDPW5BC1oVVR7MxL8z6M0oaRsZwz1KLb0AtXYZME9Ef5baVAUWFtNHilzaW0tiot-8LdvJvTl4HYipjCMJ_z2rhrwr9FeyCEppTFSTBvCx5gFfFjgt8LiLQvLhpy1gl25dmF9pzWWFHjs5nce7LaXoT4T_IizPJbyKoOFufdz/s1990/IMG_3672.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1215" data-original-width="1990" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhegkVHSz1doZtbDPW5BC1oVVR7MxL8z6M0oaRsZwz1KLb0AtXYZME9Ef5baVAUWFtNHilzaW0tiot-8LdvJvTl4HYipjCMJ_z2rhrwr9FeyCEppTFSTBvCx5gFfFjgt8LiLQvLhpy1gl25dmF9pzWWFHjs5nce7LaXoT4T_IizPJbyKoOFufdz/w400-h244/IMG_3672.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Low winter sun at a local loch</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Star birds on the lochs during the winter are probably </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Goldeneyes</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, with the males now in their dapper breeding plumage, and the winter-visiting </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Whooper Swans,</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> with a back up cast of </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Goosander</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Teal</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Wigeon </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">and </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Tufted Ducks<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75);">......</span></b></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvHBDRcd0tdsRyjT6KKu49sIFy9NLyeOyEoFazxkfkVYMiaoIOaiEM59Obw7CIDk3SkuiEi1XkfyDLe-ZscE4HDmt2KXpBnyeBuMpJUfhDuVYTtheQQFwvr0VFxJKmvgb-jIEU203kqBDNSdJ89ZbxO84AjJMc5D0WlzDmkVp9zjSTpA20Ll0w/s4046/DSCN8410.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="4046" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvHBDRcd0tdsRyjT6KKu49sIFy9NLyeOyEoFazxkfkVYMiaoIOaiEM59Obw7CIDk3SkuiEi1XkfyDLe-ZscE4HDmt2KXpBnyeBuMpJUfhDuVYTtheQQFwvr0VFxJKmvgb-jIEU203kqBDNSdJ89ZbxO84AjJMc5D0WlzDmkVp9zjSTpA20Ll0w/s320/DSCN8410.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Goldeneye - Photo from Dec 2018</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlhNJ-oEfrY2AKFQqXvBFhjjDgEG5FEW1TTTGYm2i9P2p88Qy0lgMU5Z0bbY8Wz7W7GYquWC82KjxIt2d31N4VdejbivbqCuqC0ymfHd3iKNM-2HbIIZIgG7LuQmhsulMC8f3JKiU1sDw8tSHDBBgRKf6QJ0XkWJl10qfCvmZROwSOUa_usRRo/s2757/IMG_0571.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1402" data-original-width="2757" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlhNJ-oEfrY2AKFQqXvBFhjjDgEG5FEW1TTTGYm2i9P2p88Qy0lgMU5Z0bbY8Wz7W7GYquWC82KjxIt2d31N4VdejbivbqCuqC0ymfHd3iKNM-2HbIIZIgG7LuQmhsulMC8f3JKiU1sDw8tSHDBBgRKf6QJ0XkWJl10qfCvmZROwSOUa_usRRo/w400-h204/IMG_0571.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Whooper Swans</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">On the marshes...</b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjagONkgVvGeqELFvK8w4c7nUgRaTXbhRWefeRi3aiP8S3txZFFRvLN-uuOdeYtz6ON7Hj_KaeYKQ3_Xk2LdkNNuZqudNE_3GrELsS-P8NnC4Rje_bQc-x0asUy9u3M-SxRNiRag-V2Lx4vPMyqywoYmXk8cTVJHNqp5GfchTi8GLu-rJvpuY0/s2016/IMG_8458.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1175" data-original-width="2016" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjagONkgVvGeqELFvK8w4c7nUgRaTXbhRWefeRi3aiP8S3txZFFRvLN-uuOdeYtz6ON7Hj_KaeYKQ3_Xk2LdkNNuZqudNE_3GrELsS-P8NnC4Rje_bQc-x0asUy9u3M-SxRNiRag-V2Lx4vPMyqywoYmXk8cTVJHNqp5GfchTi8GLu-rJvpuY0/w400-h234/IMG_8458.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Midwinter at Insh Marshes</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p>Alongside the ever-present <b>Grey Herons</b>, ducks like <b>Teal</b> and <b>Wigeon</b> were noted, along with <b>Whooper Swans </b>and <b>'grey' Geese</b> , and raptors such as <b>Kestrel</b>, <b>Buzzard, Red Kite, </b> and <b>Hen Harrier</b> were seen reasonably regularly, and the occasional <b>Merlin, Golden Eagle</b> and <b>White-Tailed Eagle</b> also reported.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhmloz8kbaZlBu6vbnzcM5wz5ims5vAQ2QANLf8ZME86WruV5FAn7eHo9bQj0wC8Ldsj_FPkqycPoysgSEKKNxgq6W5-KgK5QGYPmCxtsZsIo2fTQv7oNHc-JBwaHH1WDPZgyX55n0D2V2vcStcmWgE7v8HdKB8TsbTWnNdcfaxkPJTA89LkRU/s3583/DSCN4446.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2552" data-original-width="3583" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhmloz8kbaZlBu6vbnzcM5wz5ims5vAQ2QANLf8ZME86WruV5FAn7eHo9bQj0wC8Ldsj_FPkqycPoysgSEKKNxgq6W5-KgK5QGYPmCxtsZsIo2fTQv7oNHc-JBwaHH1WDPZgyX55n0D2V2vcStcmWgE7v8HdKB8TsbTWnNdcfaxkPJTA89LkRU/w400-h285/DSCN4446.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Grey Heron</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>On the rivers...</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-GlL6xnk2ZKXlRnNKHVxECYoao67iwnBCptgKlDXxZ_BeEztkkqX8CfbiDvoIf1ehZc9y_EMHHRvklvmKOF9DMFXrjeaD0TazOUZaSzs-fNFDWgIttKlcfPTRyPCaTlZpo6_OSblm-fdfVPlOaEfjAwvaNQ_Tlw2EFA8ncuf1GyC110xjiEiV/s1815/IMG_2493.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1264" data-original-width="1815" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-GlL6xnk2ZKXlRnNKHVxECYoao67iwnBCptgKlDXxZ_BeEztkkqX8CfbiDvoIf1ehZc9y_EMHHRvklvmKOF9DMFXrjeaD0TazOUZaSzs-fNFDWgIttKlcfPTRyPCaTlZpo6_OSblm-fdfVPlOaEfjAwvaNQ_Tlw2EFA8ncuf1GyC110xjiEiV/w400-h279/IMG_2493.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A wintry scene at the River Spey</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">On our local rivers, the Dippers are usually pretty reliable in December, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">with much aggression, singing and displaying being witnessed</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> especially soon after dawn, and usually near to favoured nesting (and viewing) spots, particularly bridges....which is very useful , as it gives us much more chance to see and photograph them....</span></div><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj13gQLLDUuyeYLdVbN1IvMqxN865NKP4d7I-rNh0gGpXz4RCywNu-e1SQN4i5U_PWu0eaecVmdjLoDv70bfpqAP_VbxLBFjmMeOIaX3wCgz-K7cM5Ei4n6egWK162bK5nxgj7fFUpKxCHpxAjsKxns2J_LPX9yP3XdwnZ2iSnIyiPsg1cYRHRU/s1654/Lizee%20Oliver%20Dipper.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1240" data-original-width="1654" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj13gQLLDUuyeYLdVbN1IvMqxN865NKP4d7I-rNh0gGpXz4RCywNu-e1SQN4i5U_PWu0eaecVmdjLoDv70bfpqAP_VbxLBFjmMeOIaX3wCgz-K7cM5Ei4n6egWK162bK5nxgj7fFUpKxCHpxAjsKxns2J_LPX9yP3XdwnZ2iSnIyiPsg1cYRHRU/s320/Lizee%20Oliver%20Dipper.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Dipper by Lizee Oliver - Photo from Dec 2019</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx2bYp8t62XsMILa2QDu-4TxdSj6QT87T1l0jNIOV2DLzNyV7uC86tVUgLVqH_4o1rpbmB9bW00NV5lexMvvrUdOxIdLbxt9RGELpA4Z5ad2lL19fekCkiWJq3ai9g1TXs1vS7nvVh7TLpDy7VwYkZLR37yjHsy06-AiEoNieEmzNiolnVOQ5v/s1285/Lizee%20Oliver%20Dipper%202.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="847" data-original-width="1285" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx2bYp8t62XsMILa2QDu-4TxdSj6QT87T1l0jNIOV2DLzNyV7uC86tVUgLVqH_4o1rpbmB9bW00NV5lexMvvrUdOxIdLbxt9RGELpA4Z5ad2lL19fekCkiWJq3ai9g1TXs1vS7nvVh7TLpDy7VwYkZLR37yjHsy06-AiEoNieEmzNiolnVOQ5v/s320/Lizee%20Oliver%20Dipper%202.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Dipper by Lizee Oliver - Photo from Dec 2019</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Up in the mountains....</b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjonLIRjk-R2GxL094D81gJZZaE3pdnzdTu-vz_4FK5IT65gpMp7x8AtnLuGaJlEvycC7DdkqqLyBJ5IjLiE6IieuZroRWbLE9Ku8OcTQjW58E586BFtizxapaCQvJuDfGHHidCO2HkkMqt1w24g7iIkkKlkQoFLsmc96DCDFCJrEJSUDteG_VK/s4196/IMG_3737.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1415" data-original-width="4196" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjonLIRjk-R2GxL094D81gJZZaE3pdnzdTu-vz_4FK5IT65gpMp7x8AtnLuGaJlEvycC7DdkqqLyBJ5IjLiE6IieuZroRWbLE9Ku8OcTQjW58E586BFtizxapaCQvJuDfGHHidCO2HkkMqt1w24g7iIkkKlkQoFLsmc96DCDFCJrEJSUDteG_VK/w400-h135/IMG_3737.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The Cairngorm Mountains</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Snow Buntings</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"> can often be seen well during the winter as they usually begin to frequent known lower altitude sites, possibly driven down from the mountain tops by the snow and cold, and with their numbers likely to have been swelled by visitors from Scandinavia...and I am always sure to have a bag of wild bird seed on board, as they can sometimes be tempted to come and feed at quite close range....as was the case several times this month....</span></b></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsensC5a1zXv4NbRS4aHrqKwJnk5-EpbMWaaWshrmh4HhrM800U8HBIrc2sNd9DgDMyVkIYr_Nz3A1SE5i7IPWFSMMcvzkmCs6Q748rKek6aD2wv9jy7Hww3KypO4Y4oRchWExP4qyRnPbeX4pfq2YwYk27Laenp3QihiKZDKVqI7NaF3hfRv4/s4382/DSCN7202.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2820" data-original-width="4382" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsensC5a1zXv4NbRS4aHrqKwJnk5-EpbMWaaWshrmh4HhrM800U8HBIrc2sNd9DgDMyVkIYr_Nz3A1SE5i7IPWFSMMcvzkmCs6Q748rKek6aD2wv9jy7Hww3KypO4Y4oRchWExP4qyRnPbeX4pfq2YwYk27Laenp3QihiKZDKVqI7NaF3hfRv4/w400-h258/DSCN7202.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Snow Buntings</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7SA9AdNgiorUgIexBEidb2FsbJloBX6DWkA5YvLzAsvuujO8NLqNQvj9cjlWzFN9JQgFHH3WjZgMUfkJg1Mqh3i6tyAkuGoQwg4dHflgcTn5wfCKJBUBH7M-KyIua3DS4bSt6rPuMr32QYtM2ZdCTt7pobi4l30LQavTXymt5zcgWQ8bgCcgG/s4608/DSCN7161.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7SA9AdNgiorUgIexBEidb2FsbJloBX6DWkA5YvLzAsvuujO8NLqNQvj9cjlWzFN9JQgFHH3WjZgMUfkJg1Mqh3i6tyAkuGoQwg4dHflgcTn5wfCKJBUBH7M-KyIua3DS4bSt6rPuMr32QYtM2ZdCTt7pobi4l30LQavTXymt5zcgWQ8bgCcgG/s320/DSCN7161.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Snow Buntings</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhM_SSMG0KYLNG3mkTH_fArj1gTXQMf0zwJngNzk1xfodH9nPoFXU2Sec_pHCg9jqw2Aca8rzoS8JT6mwLjhd5Yfax5MGgwe5ejUFFeuEGEWR24vqX1R6AcYQfwZv_XhrOsbdbx1imfy_uNZo8DPjGT3E8Vdh_JJkCLfHb4fXxZUk4NWgshhbx/s3620/DSCN7178.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2129" data-original-width="3620" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhM_SSMG0KYLNG3mkTH_fArj1gTXQMf0zwJngNzk1xfodH9nPoFXU2Sec_pHCg9jqw2Aca8rzoS8JT6mwLjhd5Yfax5MGgwe5ejUFFeuEGEWR24vqX1R6AcYQfwZv_XhrOsbdbx1imfy_uNZo8DPjGT3E8Vdh_JJkCLfHb4fXxZUk4NWgshhbx/s320/DSCN7178.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Snow Bunting</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">With the Cairngorm Funicular Railway still closed for repairs, the weather rarely being suitable, and the days so short now, I didn't venture up into the mountain-tops myself this month, but for future reference, a few </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Ptarmigan</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> , now almost totally white, can sometimes be seen, up around the 'snow-line', usually sheltering on the leeward sides of ridges, out of the cold wind...</span></p><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIi8eEAGCyhB6Cx5GIkjYf7GbQ1N9P6g8fb-YBSRs5E4P8V5hazfbNy_3xclJ2DEhpMk5WC2NFFxko1E7hCt7r6gXkLCtzqs_d5PaMErlzb92Zk09EsyQDMFa9aZtmmjaQkI5-yro8VQEzCQ_AM5CNKWy2LLd31MbxqHrYXDMjoIBjXLNxPKbn/s1024/Paul%20Sharman%20Ptarmigan.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIi8eEAGCyhB6Cx5GIkjYf7GbQ1N9P6g8fb-YBSRs5E4P8V5hazfbNy_3xclJ2DEhpMk5WC2NFFxko1E7hCt7r6gXkLCtzqs_d5PaMErlzb92Zk09EsyQDMFa9aZtmmjaQkI5-yro8VQEzCQ_AM5CNKWy2LLd31MbxqHrYXDMjoIBjXLNxPKbn/s320/Paul%20Sharman%20Ptarmigan.jpg" width="320" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Ptarmigan by Paul Sharman - Photo from Dec 2018</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div> </div><div><br /></div><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">On farmland....</b></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzZg8MBS7nTEz4LgbwVOoLOBuQGM9dAP1sdlOTkaYcbgpwftuTHoj82YmhzWAKDWkrMoF97CKonqMe4f4SyoIQgrIrXlf4dqx1lZGPzoVlmSWjevJtr-xM343nGcyTVp7IK6UPL5oOlnaaGZl0RpGFWW9H185UcCYUVHZCjzZ12L3VHJvCKG6k/s1967/IMG_8211.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1222" data-original-width="1967" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzZg8MBS7nTEz4LgbwVOoLOBuQGM9dAP1sdlOTkaYcbgpwftuTHoj82YmhzWAKDWkrMoF97CKonqMe4f4SyoIQgrIrXlf4dqx1lZGPzoVlmSWjevJtr-xM343nGcyTVp7IK6UPL5oOlnaaGZl0RpGFWW9H185UcCYUVHZCjzZ12L3VHJvCKG6k/w400-h249/IMG_8211.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Typical local farmland</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Although all the waders have gone to the coast now, </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">'grey' Geese </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">and </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Whooper Swans</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> can often be seen feeding on crop remains , whilst the </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">seeds on local farmland during the autumn and winter months often attract large flocks of mixed </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">finches</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> and </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">buntings</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">,</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> along with the winter thrushes and more common </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Pheasants</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> and occasional <b>Red-Legged Partridges</b>...........</span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTRPf4K0n1l_a1NtPt3S-HA44wHhjfGSIUL3AGoRtQzrpd083GmDhMxt5pUnAB-ouuKI2vg8kk2MPiq5cQD_3ARWN0wHvXz6sKhCp110QgvAxvojbOOtZms_HA3-rXg4hCeahIGkCEBsmG1btTgmJ1aD66WaoNL_8r5TCYCA9ioOixoUM_-1Dv/s4437/DSCN0620.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3129" data-original-width="4437" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTRPf4K0n1l_a1NtPt3S-HA44wHhjfGSIUL3AGoRtQzrpd083GmDhMxt5pUnAB-ouuKI2vg8kk2MPiq5cQD_3ARWN0wHvXz6sKhCp110QgvAxvojbOOtZms_HA3-rXg4hCeahIGkCEBsmG1btTgmJ1aD66WaoNL_8r5TCYCA9ioOixoUM_-1Dv/s320/DSCN0620.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Bramblings - Photo from Dec 2021</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>In local gardens;</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Berry bushes, fruit trees and garden bird feeding stations are a real magnet for hungry winter visiting birds from further north, and <b>Redwings, Fieldfares</b> <b>Bramblings </b>and<b> Redpolls </b>were all seen locally alongside the more common tits and finches, and it was great to get our first proper 'invasion' of <b>Waxwings </b>for some years, with my own garden having 1-4 birds feeding on sliced apples on the lawn every day for the first week of the month...</p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMp5nwGkqVWVIUk2mUa96hliwbwN6Xv4aIn9GR5yzGJt5fIZKxmWI4nMlZpE6inm8BYICZ8jezgiUYQnNZhWk1N4pHIwHNfcUUCIeo66vAcgZKjffbPKpxF429C9j09tt2Wiju5njFeSV_WEu0UsizBiAAkjt072_1nv-PgK83HbBmTZNHUBDI/s4608/DSCN6928.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMp5nwGkqVWVIUk2mUa96hliwbwN6Xv4aIn9GR5yzGJt5fIZKxmWI4nMlZpE6inm8BYICZ8jezgiUYQnNZhWk1N4pHIwHNfcUUCIeo66vAcgZKjffbPKpxF429C9j09tt2Wiju5njFeSV_WEu0UsizBiAAkjt072_1nv-PgK83HbBmTZNHUBDI/s320/DSCN6928.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Waxwing</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjcHdEuCj8qUOjb927sXvEnDyYYymi-8DysUJmYOqLhVJVDl4y9-8S6JzIQeCdgbVpVEG_iHnJ4pJ-bd04c0nhSZNy2BrQ-gfpxvgtYi51eM9Jiyn0bW4wmQzOGtvbHArICwrehU-JBe-7Jg6x5aqYxPnkVxk_oojHjprlwZAslzAboAIocLdl/s4556/DSCN7118.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2276" data-original-width="4556" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjcHdEuCj8qUOjb927sXvEnDyYYymi-8DysUJmYOqLhVJVDl4y9-8S6JzIQeCdgbVpVEG_iHnJ4pJ-bd04c0nhSZNy2BrQ-gfpxvgtYi51eM9Jiyn0bW4wmQzOGtvbHArICwrehU-JBe-7Jg6x5aqYxPnkVxk_oojHjprlwZAslzAboAIocLdl/w400-h200/DSCN7118.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Waxwings</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDqdo6MYN_ISzF2DHKcZQLeFga_WZbMLAwcf8yzIchz8yJ75eHhhN6AyvSg8-hi74Gylx37YJdrBKDm1XGaINStdFJBc3ftSSRhQw_7f6mXgl4CLdoPfQHbo3ibK7BHKN_9S6qNtWVm_i4MSrJTRKRTmJZdJdLPBmosotMFypiZS3K4sTQUZWF/s4022/DSCN7013.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2216" data-original-width="4022" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDqdo6MYN_ISzF2DHKcZQLeFga_WZbMLAwcf8yzIchz8yJ75eHhhN6AyvSg8-hi74Gylx37YJdrBKDm1XGaINStdFJBc3ftSSRhQw_7f6mXgl4CLdoPfQHbo3ibK7BHKN_9S6qNtWVm_i4MSrJTRKRTmJZdJdLPBmosotMFypiZS3K4sTQUZWF/w400-h220/DSCN7013.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Waxwings</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlTtdPgc4ECUPztKCTaUL2XMCrSeXKvsibyybUFtBK9dTxYo1bLsEmkY1u56ULZxLGqMVkmS0fNU227NdSQmFY6-PBFRcjD6xSyOGpaHYVs7On8wucfY7fSBXoR-nULu5afN13GZmhnZYAt1BgZK1e7rHXFtY1wleZwSlsbIWESkuhUaf3vtIx/s4282/DSCN7041.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2962" data-original-width="4282" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlTtdPgc4ECUPztKCTaUL2XMCrSeXKvsibyybUFtBK9dTxYo1bLsEmkY1u56ULZxLGqMVkmS0fNU227NdSQmFY6-PBFRcjD6xSyOGpaHYVs7On8wucfY7fSBXoR-nULu5afN13GZmhnZYAt1BgZK1e7rHXFtY1wleZwSlsbIWESkuhUaf3vtIx/s320/DSCN7041.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Waxwing</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Other good/scarce birds seen/reported locally this month included:</b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p>Apart from a couple of <b>Kingfishers</b>, rarities were a bit 'thin on the ground' locally this month.....</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 700;">A few photos of more common birds seen locally this month: </span></p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgujL66xsvdXWJAeMqS8QWKnM7Xvl01X8UTLIWb5ZrcUR0Du6MUCQ8yjn9hMnbHirwo1ILaXRXvbAmmKXEIuYNKlkdDx6LyK-47PJLe_Ev4Qw6cDGPpI9ar4NQ2irrc89R0UXNdt6HMeajKZWa0WKudSJveE0v00djAqXUiqP3xeFsea9qFutqv/s4608/DSCN7370.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgujL66xsvdXWJAeMqS8QWKnM7Xvl01X8UTLIWb5ZrcUR0Du6MUCQ8yjn9hMnbHirwo1ILaXRXvbAmmKXEIuYNKlkdDx6LyK-47PJLe_Ev4Qw6cDGPpI9ar4NQ2irrc89R0UXNdt6HMeajKZWa0WKudSJveE0v00djAqXUiqP3xeFsea9qFutqv/w400-h300/DSCN7370.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Blue Tit</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipbQCoC5fogDK2qqkC3YaAQUnIVG98zPFQA775f8Q45NLQiCr2ST77zV7g6mBvDh9ZftFdna2DbwFxlLSiZAib3fLrfxY_PR6e__WRMakyU7kYtEax3Gkx2qMroIwoyhsLvs01neZ6MYJvelkRguNJoJorzWV2DH7FSSNHUEGsCnNkvxmMvaBX/s4608/DSCN7367.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipbQCoC5fogDK2qqkC3YaAQUnIVG98zPFQA775f8Q45NLQiCr2ST77zV7g6mBvDh9ZftFdna2DbwFxlLSiZAib3fLrfxY_PR6e__WRMakyU7kYtEax3Gkx2qMroIwoyhsLvs01neZ6MYJvelkRguNJoJorzWV2DH7FSSNHUEGsCnNkvxmMvaBX/s320/DSCN7367.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Chaffinch</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPW-wUBGmq805qW2ch0Y-xpXsZOfsmvkDPXhCa-Ept1eJG2lsOOPRML1lesUf6Eao8qJ8BFeI2OJ55mAKfaa7TU86TugjQwILLAKhHUJxT2iF6_AL8Th0R_lb2tqaC8ShvUCNDTDssEDi31qqInIi0AVrIEWgHXE3FcGv5MdlsfuriemGSaM0O/s4608/DSCN7361.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPW-wUBGmq805qW2ch0Y-xpXsZOfsmvkDPXhCa-Ept1eJG2lsOOPRML1lesUf6Eao8qJ8BFeI2OJ55mAKfaa7TU86TugjQwILLAKhHUJxT2iF6_AL8Th0R_lb2tqaC8ShvUCNDTDssEDi31qqInIi0AVrIEWgHXE3FcGv5MdlsfuriemGSaM0O/s320/DSCN7361.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Greater Spotted Woodpecker</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYX_NPtQU6ywhf_PwwXZwA8DeFievJrIyL7LMM4kxNrPmnQ5aQ-RUYWdm0_mXxjX0FyC6Q7UyhjE2jFsQRvQcqulf_I4M4mHFgAYo37zpQxJiHut1qrzE0bDAcvcnRszJIQ5Jrr6stEn1iP_7m-UeqIE4_Z44WtYhVAHSQ4l1sE2ONOeaOmXUH/s3685/DSCN7366.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3323" data-original-width="3685" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYX_NPtQU6ywhf_PwwXZwA8DeFievJrIyL7LMM4kxNrPmnQ5aQ-RUYWdm0_mXxjX0FyC6Q7UyhjE2jFsQRvQcqulf_I4M4mHFgAYo37zpQxJiHut1qrzE0bDAcvcnRszJIQ5Jrr6stEn1iP_7m-UeqIE4_Z44WtYhVAHSQ4l1sE2ONOeaOmXUH/s320/DSCN7366.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Robin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;">Adventures 'out of area':</span></b></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnnfjBLTJXpgJZg2-xtngO4Zbx2SW3_m_5xkaY9qL19gsxbetp-5OQpUd3U66ZDGajIpkJydANqpdwvSjhNAlc90jU06BK0Q3cIxY85ZoMHunWtC-C1Emyuv-uaGDkvGsCCkKY7EK6UTdxgzZkQSwwfDgN-QFp3XjDMLpmkH4HjezXVm_EtFp3/s1816/IMG_2554.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1223" data-original-width="1816" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnnfjBLTJXpgJZg2-xtngO4Zbx2SW3_m_5xkaY9qL19gsxbetp-5OQpUd3U66ZDGajIpkJydANqpdwvSjhNAlc90jU06BK0Q3cIxY85ZoMHunWtC-C1Emyuv-uaGDkvGsCCkKY7EK6UTdxgzZkQSwwfDgN-QFp3XjDMLpmkH4HjezXVm_EtFp3/w400-h270/IMG_2554.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Sunrise at Lossiemouth Lagoon</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">The nearby Moray Coast is always worth a visit, especially in autumn and winter, and a couple of visits gave us a good selection of auks, waders, wildfowl, seaducks, geese ,swans and gulls ....</span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhld_OFryz_9u8PZoJY_oYlm2wSfhV2NI2XZgPTL6jikkmyHut_BnJm8S7H8E6vX17BCPuBJTvtL48Am-u6XJ5jckcQH4FRgvCEQs5SUvtGz2GPhVbAT5sCRz8xcMVnEhP8oCmTE7V4zHaLVG7LA3bK9IDwhZfX-Tf9dUKTGZjXB5ZU5mT-rYSS/s1983/Ringed%20Plover%20and%20Purple%20Sandpiper.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="1321" data-original-width="1983" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhld_OFryz_9u8PZoJY_oYlm2wSfhV2NI2XZgPTL6jikkmyHut_BnJm8S7H8E6vX17BCPuBJTvtL48Am-u6XJ5jckcQH4FRgvCEQs5SUvtGz2GPhVbAT5sCRz8xcMVnEhP8oCmTE7V4zHaLVG7LA3bK9IDwhZfX-Tf9dUKTGZjXB5ZU5mT-rYSS/s320/Ringed%20Plover%20and%20Purple%20Sandpiper.JPG" width="320" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Purple Sandpiper and Ringed Plover by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIF__kbdQGi2hJQyrujQJYGNLmTkGCsbcs_ZtxGQjSSteRmaaV0XDB5MzjS4kJEmtH_X5RqwRjmkgtQ9lTJzvTkdyO32Qi773kU3hN6bmc3UxqpPa9rN1iqudRbuc00sVY2T_Pe6v7E8ApuMbsiddEPEQe1eOhBdMHgPblIZFLAHdyKJvHgq8i/s1314/Common%20Scoter%20(F)%208.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="877" data-original-width="1314" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIF__kbdQGi2hJQyrujQJYGNLmTkGCsbcs_ZtxGQjSSteRmaaV0XDB5MzjS4kJEmtH_X5RqwRjmkgtQ9lTJzvTkdyO32Qi773kU3hN6bmc3UxqpPa9rN1iqudRbuc00sVY2T_Pe6v7E8ApuMbsiddEPEQe1eOhBdMHgPblIZFLAHdyKJvHgq8i/s320/Common%20Scoter%20(F)%208.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Common Scoter by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfUoY5AsChF6OQ1PdMpaGU3V9g7hhChJ2PHl1u4agCBxlvXsbR3-yg0KAPnc8YipkHJv8Qo523E7Mu0bjdyVEkBDCRWYuG05G3giNGgxjvFuHvc-AtrhI530WhdQhl47dfIprEze29Om9SMYK5CJ99ghYwTtodm0xbl5LhV9NVnVSWCId6_m10/s1521/Velvet%20Scoter%2020.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1014" data-original-width="1521" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfUoY5AsChF6OQ1PdMpaGU3V9g7hhChJ2PHl1u4agCBxlvXsbR3-yg0KAPnc8YipkHJv8Qo523E7Mu0bjdyVEkBDCRWYuG05G3giNGgxjvFuHvc-AtrhI530WhdQhl47dfIprEze29Om9SMYK5CJ99ghYwTtodm0xbl5LhV9NVnVSWCId6_m10/s320/Velvet%20Scoter%2020.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Velvet Scoter by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAMkRd6-co0jrkS1LKKYaO5WuJoQ0k50RPUQrORoh3hYKIlOGtmkRvCQS_SPNx6zQXuc07tgh9KA3QybEmgSCiLBIDg5MX8KpZzCUQDxNTie2oD5Z-BaDabFhXGFppJZvdMq43btcF6sXcAcNHOYDWmEZxa8aVw-v8ZfSHtk2oC2Xj4jptjg5f/s3825/Bar-tailed%20Godwit%20and%20Oystercatchers.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="2550" data-original-width="3825" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAMkRd6-co0jrkS1LKKYaO5WuJoQ0k50RPUQrORoh3hYKIlOGtmkRvCQS_SPNx6zQXuc07tgh9KA3QybEmgSCiLBIDg5MX8KpZzCUQDxNTie2oD5Z-BaDabFhXGFppJZvdMq43btcF6sXcAcNHOYDWmEZxa8aVw-v8ZfSHtk2oC2Xj4jptjg5f/s320/Bar-tailed%20Godwit%20and%20Oystercatchers.JPG" width="320" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Bar-Tailed Godwit and Oystercatchers by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS54Mpy8iA-veLjScXPTTm-_aIW96279pjfBwaIk0vF0D6B_T75y9P5RF5n27nyP2xpmrz_DTQl4sKAaiPPkzlFl0ItsPrUFgGd3RvDDlbC62059bKWtioSWP7DYDlkaOGyTfA-jFhbBIXIDNskyRv-58ogEfVLq4GjYeyMIYCB0phVfq9huJ9/s3493/Eider%20(M&F)%202.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2329" data-original-width="3493" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS54Mpy8iA-veLjScXPTTm-_aIW96279pjfBwaIk0vF0D6B_T75y9P5RF5n27nyP2xpmrz_DTQl4sKAaiPPkzlFl0ItsPrUFgGd3RvDDlbC62059bKWtioSWP7DYDlkaOGyTfA-jFhbBIXIDNskyRv-58ogEfVLq4GjYeyMIYCB0phVfq9huJ9/w400-h266/Eider%20(M&F)%202.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Eiders by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGWkUf_FfJjzfhz99bXSLvIxLcqbT-r-mTBafPd1wtdRQXBW8lgLhQ2JSTHeaeRVebr5jci2KyfHdoTvWCIUJdF74uUGtRkcuAIF_cgxyz3y7-J_s_4-shiLa_nZVQCgoKijzOUgGHe6RaVON1Lv4vXciChPljQvhBcJ0vVB45kLSrbfGZZiez/s1920/Red-breasted%20Merganser%20(M)%201.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1279" data-original-width="1920" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGWkUf_FfJjzfhz99bXSLvIxLcqbT-r-mTBafPd1wtdRQXBW8lgLhQ2JSTHeaeRVebr5jci2KyfHdoTvWCIUJdF74uUGtRkcuAIF_cgxyz3y7-J_s_4-shiLa_nZVQCgoKijzOUgGHe6RaVON1Lv4vXciChPljQvhBcJ0vVB45kLSrbfGZZiez/s320/Red-breasted%20Merganser%20(M)%201.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Red-Breasted Merganser by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0SJdstdsOST3y87YNbYaSeR9-PQbTtqM6YKBeedZ_ZQKSQaQXHaanhd-fl-VKS10PAFtO5A3qbNK4m7LvTAOlD1D3iFJIw2i7yj61P72-sM2yCleYim0zSiy8LAiVBPiwJz4KShZvEVh7ioD3AiHUx8eBByCnTgvvBw6ozQgleR2Vfs_vofMB/s2133/Long-tailed%20Duck%20(M)%201.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1422" data-original-width="2133" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0SJdstdsOST3y87YNbYaSeR9-PQbTtqM6YKBeedZ_ZQKSQaQXHaanhd-fl-VKS10PAFtO5A3qbNK4m7LvTAOlD1D3iFJIw2i7yj61P72-sM2yCleYim0zSiy8LAiVBPiwJz4KShZvEVh7ioD3AiHUx8eBByCnTgvvBw6ozQgleR2Vfs_vofMB/s320/Long-tailed%20Duck%20(M)%201.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Long-Tailed Duck by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">The freshwater lochs and nature reserves just inland from the Moray Coast can be productive too....</span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifNZAl_0zY4Stgy8QOxO0uq6HyyhTSWJ-KIQ2t_kEgXup4ioDotGb2oPHh3OpzqbpcsrMbKrJa7sEeefUiFXe_xcC6sRBjCG8MYjRIvTQDc24kkYQmdXAXHanh4afShcEGexmrrC8maMVERZrzwl2xKTrTkZwS6SVXt0faQClW4PLMRMK_NLd0/s2016/IMG_2557.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifNZAl_0zY4Stgy8QOxO0uq6HyyhTSWJ-KIQ2t_kEgXup4ioDotGb2oPHh3OpzqbpcsrMbKrJa7sEeefUiFXe_xcC6sRBjCG8MYjRIvTQDc24kkYQmdXAXHanh4afShcEGexmrrC8maMVERZrzwl2xKTrTkZwS6SVXt0faQClW4PLMRMK_NLd0/w400-h300/IMG_2557.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Loch Spynie</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWjBrORaAiN54s_iJ1n3Ktcd-6pD2ZR-CS7M6Mi23lSerdcp3Pn0Jt_VaXN0ZJzfdnfZbfw5VxIeGxaGou719_BpNpzTk79O-AURDelrQ7ZJDUW52IarV-m1qmYltITp3RFIiUUeUnt1ukJWNZ5n8DXDGFnkJ0AOMVORMbJQc6ZegvnkZqiwPF/s1149/DSCN7349.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="833" data-original-width="1149" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWjBrORaAiN54s_iJ1n3Ktcd-6pD2ZR-CS7M6Mi23lSerdcp3Pn0Jt_VaXN0ZJzfdnfZbfw5VxIeGxaGou719_BpNpzTk79O-AURDelrQ7ZJDUW52IarV-m1qmYltITp3RFIiUUeUnt1ukJWNZ5n8DXDGFnkJ0AOMVORMbJQc6ZegvnkZqiwPF/s320/DSCN7349.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Smew</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii9R6aTF3yka7G2KyJG-HDSxbrza_iZDRepIexpVKjbVBZn9gsK77WjWiG0drO58PXz3MPVMtHmuZw8kwNJ7NoLjNBNwnzvpEaBqH6_iPnw79NhvLNnZcmkQFFcOcGsSpgODYJxzoQebrjmnHhli5_Db4t7ayKeuEsy_zryKzufNC0G2UAp9GT/s1501/DSCN4378.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1501" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii9R6aTF3yka7G2KyJG-HDSxbrza_iZDRepIexpVKjbVBZn9gsK77WjWiG0drO58PXz3MPVMtHmuZw8kwNJ7NoLjNBNwnzvpEaBqH6_iPnw79NhvLNnZcmkQFFcOcGsSpgODYJxzoQebrjmnHhli5_Db4t7ayKeuEsy_zryKzufNC0G2UAp9GT/s320/DSCN4378.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Tufted Ducks</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD7BPZcZAIk3laDTfCNgIYdb5PkhecBhIXWxg5ID_UKmVlKnJoRX1uGJR1F8Y6ZSkoz4VSVE8MCDWUrgZd_HTaL3MWLl80i7YSJyOxhzbiTwYdG1RxW1gKF2bdA5sGmfkAGL7wPoKV0v3w1xEEG9n_EhwGolN3FL7f3GtMpBXUziYUE-oVy4LL/s2673/DSCN4387.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1878" data-original-width="2673" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD7BPZcZAIk3laDTfCNgIYdb5PkhecBhIXWxg5ID_UKmVlKnJoRX1uGJR1F8Y6ZSkoz4VSVE8MCDWUrgZd_HTaL3MWLl80i7YSJyOxhzbiTwYdG1RxW1gKF2bdA5sGmfkAGL7wPoKV0v3w1xEEG9n_EhwGolN3FL7f3GtMpBXUziYUE-oVy4LL/s320/DSCN4387.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Little Grebe</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">December 2023 mammal sightings in more detail:</b></p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Mountain Hares</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b>, </b>now they are in their most attractive winter-white outfits, are probably the most exciting mammal to see at this time of year, and with them now having protected status in Scotland, with less persecution, I am hoping to see a gradual reversal of their decline in numbers . If you fancy seeing them, we can often manage that, at distance, with my telescope from just outside my vehicle, but please be aware that some considerable rough uphill walking, often in snow, may be required to get close enough for photography purposes...</span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><p style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM8CpEW8HBApq6LLZtstkHESNEBfe9vM8k_mzVIj1nzWLH-3W9kcRTXuYCJwyFLja8K26aXq0foVazMtCzXDBbLYsIieHwKiEnJtZF3K5hU9cSv6cGaGrFKKcriev1VzU5zosh8ZWfvx1INkLioVeeBhQStX1ov0D6Wa691X0iwVbp-GjLdGxf/s3704/DSCN1733.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="3704" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM8CpEW8HBApq6LLZtstkHESNEBfe9vM8k_mzVIj1nzWLH-3W9kcRTXuYCJwyFLja8K26aXq0foVazMtCzXDBbLYsIieHwKiEnJtZF3K5hU9cSv6cGaGrFKKcriev1VzU5zosh8ZWfvx1INkLioVeeBhQStX1ov0D6Wa691X0iwVbp-GjLdGxf/w400-h276/DSCN1733.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Mountain Hare - Photo from Dec 2019</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXBMMCVemO7KtiT0ILooECs5Wn2x7wXBmjp9QOp1K80szWhAwPBHyVZW9Q-7zvC2RU6pwBlP9k2xHE_QLfL8IoTrZfbvxcqXsZajGwafU9qQK1Rkj387pohCB7zUPhvbXMqaJz6VYSOs0nPEOjh0rMN2YcJjcNIXWKDHZRN61_-dm5KA7Rirtf/s3501/Steve%20N%20MH.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="2333" data-original-width="3501" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXBMMCVemO7KtiT0ILooECs5Wn2x7wXBmjp9QOp1K80szWhAwPBHyVZW9Q-7zvC2RU6pwBlP9k2xHE_QLfL8IoTrZfbvxcqXsZajGwafU9qQK1Rkj387pohCB7zUPhvbXMqaJz6VYSOs0nPEOjh0rMN2YcJjcNIXWKDHZRN61_-dm5KA7Rirtf/s320/Steve%20N%20MH.JPG" width="320" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Mountain Hare by Steve Nicklin - Photo from Dec 2022 </b></td></tr></tbody></table><b><br /></b><p style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></p></span></div><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Peoyx9ITBB_sVRcVxT7HZJX_a0GNJA_urOgq8JWuM_2TJ35i0juGVkoI1e88cw86OOINawmFQlYtz4Bm9YKKcsvvLylvOdA5ShEuS5yUcQaJ_Y5Covgx7o9ZFt7EpXbO5Owk6F-ohtGGPfOPjtjrRbCBkFhhusfuIuzAaHbYfdiffep-By8e/s2853/Steve%20Nicklin%20Mountain%20Hare.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="2194" data-original-width="2853" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Peoyx9ITBB_sVRcVxT7HZJX_a0GNJA_urOgq8JWuM_2TJ35i0juGVkoI1e88cw86OOINawmFQlYtz4Bm9YKKcsvvLylvOdA5ShEuS5yUcQaJ_Y5Covgx7o9ZFt7EpXbO5Owk6F-ohtGGPfOPjtjrRbCBkFhhusfuIuzAaHbYfdiffep-By8e/s320/Steve%20Nicklin%20Mountain%20Hare.JPG" width="320" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Mountain Hare by Steve Nicklin - Photo from Dec 2018 </b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Also up in the glens, </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Red Deer</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">, now mostly back in their same-sex herds, the October rut seemingly ancient history, were seen reasonably frequently, though often at long range, and we struggled on some days as some estates were culling the old, injured or unhealthy animals, and the disturbance, not surprisingly, made them a little more easily spooked than normal...</span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwpdnVbbMNPo2CJ5FAZLVH-wmaLS3sZ8hic09lqV85yFnv5jCSkRhwNPZJYsIixRc6bzGXTw1mYpSPZ6SPMLjKxQlQHLdRDy_wjjb9CsLiDFhtxSdi6ZHufz0u7v94MHWsNLjABSf73F7zLfOUA2ghKXIYauzrn8tyHdsc-H9tJdLxM3kyvDWH/s4252/DSCN4096.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1776" data-original-width="4252" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwpdnVbbMNPo2CJ5FAZLVH-wmaLS3sZ8hic09lqV85yFnv5jCSkRhwNPZJYsIixRc6bzGXTw1mYpSPZ6SPMLjKxQlQHLdRDy_wjjb9CsLiDFhtxSdi6ZHufz0u7v94MHWsNLjABSf73F7zLfOUA2ghKXIYauzrn8tyHdsc-H9tJdLxM3kyvDWH/w400-h168/DSCN4096.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Deer Stags</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9VQakre7VMp66naybHMQRSC9QokNOnZZ7GvZhGZuDOdKNFaaFl8e7RZeM3UFLWAtT7dHpN1rypfVO1wbJzUMwicNobBvTsi5b9GBnExEpJ-reaSXwokzy5if8oFXE4PD7CsZ0bu0rI7oDy-0vyzTMyhy-7Mzw9tVketU1Bd0u_20zoW6sq0Jl/s1892/DSCN8147.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1076" data-original-width="1892" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9VQakre7VMp66naybHMQRSC9QokNOnZZ7GvZhGZuDOdKNFaaFl8e7RZeM3UFLWAtT7dHpN1rypfVO1wbJzUMwicNobBvTsi5b9GBnExEpJ-reaSXwokzy5if8oFXE4PD7CsZ0bu0rI7oDy-0vyzTMyhy-7Mzw9tVketU1Bd0u_20zoW6sq0Jl/w400-h228/DSCN8147.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Deer Stags</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75);"><b>Feral Mountain Goats</b> </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif">also frequent our local upland glens, but they proved to be a bit elusive this month, which may well be because many of the females appear to be heavily pregnant, and keeping away from perceived dangers.... </span><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;" /></span></p><div style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></div><div style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnTc-Aajxt5ee5QkOBp0C0EW9uIMWFKN9VhUiG3aOUALS4jGOpxPv5hMKbqHqQWihoCZaexRbc-SJsEAdekZ8UGFotUUwN0RPoZl7jVKYxE_rxsCGSNJ3I2lEqtILcVahrM47bw7U-gwWi65bovZAfpuX12LmKiGviCeOY20j5gsPUgqY7Twkv/s3702/DSCN6099.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2314" data-original-width="3702" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnTc-Aajxt5ee5QkOBp0C0EW9uIMWFKN9VhUiG3aOUALS4jGOpxPv5hMKbqHqQWihoCZaexRbc-SJsEAdekZ8UGFotUUwN0RPoZl7jVKYxE_rxsCGSNJ3I2lEqtILcVahrM47bw7U-gwWi65bovZAfpuX12LmKiGviCeOY20j5gsPUgqY7Twkv/w400-h250/DSCN6099.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Feral Mountain Goats - Photo from Dec 2020</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></div><div style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></div><p><br /></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Red Squirrels</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"> are always a joy to see, with their relative rarity and very localised distribution in the UK, cute looks and cheeky nature, and they are pretty reliable visitors to forest feeding stations, and if you avoid sudden movements and keep quiet, you can often creep fairly close for photos.....</span></b></div><div><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgatYZSH7U5wlK1CN5MHnib0vn5VoZ0sVwzE0NbKUrzy0Cgz3YuMBMNz3rmeRMzuiE3MyJUrqYjXGRk8aY1WAEay9uUUrEYER6v1-tyszO-VExrEgFpt331RWB1lNeL15aa6IdnvBii34HDlZADToMB45Hs8QGKbL1ohUaR9NFbhTsICUIEhqK4/s4608/DSCN7365.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgatYZSH7U5wlK1CN5MHnib0vn5VoZ0sVwzE0NbKUrzy0Cgz3YuMBMNz3rmeRMzuiE3MyJUrqYjXGRk8aY1WAEay9uUUrEYER6v1-tyszO-VExrEgFpt331RWB1lNeL15aa6IdnvBii34HDlZADToMB45Hs8QGKbL1ohUaR9NFbhTsICUIEhqK4/s320/DSCN7365.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Squirrel</b></td></tr></tbody></table></b></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqh5Xx_zzyEMId52kztLZSPwav0-P13LvsOAh2WQ80GiluYdKsQWkAsmjnoEQUdzxmM-Jep6dvOHPTrbLRT3bffo0tJ5Y2za9vxmX6pkcmNVIw03rlwWnYq0VexdQbgB7mY5AOYdr1NSK-vmYN2VVQqeTs3Tcdz0kdkrSlDpxnftyWpbo0c8Cn/s3499/DSCN4375.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3010" data-original-width="3499" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqh5Xx_zzyEMId52kztLZSPwav0-P13LvsOAh2WQ80GiluYdKsQWkAsmjnoEQUdzxmM-Jep6dvOHPTrbLRT3bffo0tJ5Y2za9vxmX6pkcmNVIw03rlwWnYq0VexdQbgB7mY5AOYdr1NSK-vmYN2VVQqeTs3Tcdz0kdkrSlDpxnftyWpbo0c8Cn/s320/DSCN4375.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Squirrel - Photo from Dec 2022</b></td></tr></tbody></table></b></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></b></p><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><p style="font-weight: 400;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Roe Deer</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> are actually nowhere near as rare as most people think, being present throughout most of the UK, it's just that their nervous disposition and crepuscular nature tends to make them less obvious, and I tend to get most sightings in very undisturbed areas or at dawn and dusk..</span></p><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx1NEM85vyCBIiI4FLdagsbyNomkyXW8sPdcubX5CFVWEq7YVMQNZgDMEOncMsb6OqXmu-jbiw_eiaOblfNA2hjcldPLBzAswjEx5KsKqdOqYW1aMqu68XxPSLKVP8-NY5JZYrftmoP-Axl4ExhkpaC3Di6vrXWl8XU1Fp7qbxl09o_DXkXaZW/s2612/DSCN7213.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1677" data-original-width="2612" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx1NEM85vyCBIiI4FLdagsbyNomkyXW8sPdcubX5CFVWEq7YVMQNZgDMEOncMsb6OqXmu-jbiw_eiaOblfNA2hjcldPLBzAswjEx5KsKqdOqYW1aMqu68XxPSLKVP8-NY5JZYrftmoP-Axl4ExhkpaC3Di6vrXWl8XU1Fp7qbxl09o_DXkXaZW/w400-h256/DSCN7213.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Roe Deer</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div style="font-weight: 400;"><b><b><b>Brown Hares</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">, similarly to the Roe Deer, can also be very nervous and 'crepuscular' in nature, and most of our best sightings happen in the first hour of daylight, though sightings were very few and far between this month...</span></b></b></div><div style="font-weight: 400;"><b><b><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></b></div><div style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></div><div style="font-weight: 400;"><b><b><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></b></div><div><b><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-weight: 400; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitUIlf_JIdK_t_L3nzJi9X3T-Y40oNx0TtptQTpuBm50a4nHWZulZQVBo90-WV4a2DSanPnx3e99oQoznbSkVQGqbwzoyIK5CqSv_JrI7078gtP2Gy_7SZKl6mBcnm2hmsb1Hidb9VN4wfJH46MiMcmq-19SJHC4pM05cXl41LtffMVw0CbvD-/s4607/DSCN4105.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3099" data-original-width="4607" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitUIlf_JIdK_t_L3nzJi9X3T-Y40oNx0TtptQTpuBm50a4nHWZulZQVBo90-WV4a2DSanPnx3e99oQoznbSkVQGqbwzoyIK5CqSv_JrI7078gtP2Gy_7SZKl6mBcnm2hmsb1Hidb9VN4wfJH46MiMcmq-19SJHC4pM05cXl41LtffMVw0CbvD-/s320/DSCN4105.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Brown Hare - Photo from Dec 2022</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></b></b></div><div style="font-weight: 400;"><b><b><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></b></div><div style="font-weight: 400;"><b><b><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></b></div><div style="font-weight: 400;"><b><br /></b></div></div></b></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Britain's only free-roaming <b>Reindeer</b> can be found in the Cairngorms National Park, and we are sometimes lucky enough to get good views of them around Cairngorm Mountain .......</span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQJViZ6J2XO6iIlmjOnkQ42Nquz2b-I3joBTFepSJIlnSzyZMzJg4sv2E_DoM1S9bcO98ma8AKOwimHXzR3GTOLRWdGy7a68b1ueRTOt7y5yhmARiT85FJBhC4T98QZDEmJWYnsGihbHZ-iJA6Hcs99OiUZwFrpv_5mgnpJiJoMRrzglBcFrtQ/s4367/DSCN4324.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1608" data-original-width="4367" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQJViZ6J2XO6iIlmjOnkQ42Nquz2b-I3joBTFepSJIlnSzyZMzJg4sv2E_DoM1S9bcO98ma8AKOwimHXzR3GTOLRWdGy7a68b1ueRTOt7y5yhmARiT85FJBhC4T98QZDEmJWYnsGihbHZ-iJA6Hcs99OiUZwFrpv_5mgnpJiJoMRrzglBcFrtQ/w400-h148/DSCN4324.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Reindeer - Photo from Dec 2022</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzzScVuCoIMwCSiFFixqdTVHjxo13qldXbjmsgG9tl8P_00kU7i1e8pMTNZ8a3JAZOTQYrAIBWGd-FNb2oCBph06AWutremjXAsTBPBGzyX6BHjHsUa-Tnq3W_Dx9Zi_fCNkRtMhtRlpTHU8OuDu3wQGqK5jRlGIxJF_YBfHwv6p9DQcvegmBF/s5472/Steve%20N%20REindeer%201.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzzScVuCoIMwCSiFFixqdTVHjxo13qldXbjmsgG9tl8P_00kU7i1e8pMTNZ8a3JAZOTQYrAIBWGd-FNb2oCBph06AWutremjXAsTBPBGzyX6BHjHsUa-Tnq3W_Dx9Zi_fCNkRtMhtRlpTHU8OuDu3wQGqK5jRlGIxJF_YBfHwv6p9DQcvegmBF/s320/Steve%20N%20REindeer%201.JPG" width="320" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Reindeer by Steve Nicklin - Photo from Dec 2022</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span></div><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Hairy Highland Coo's</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"> always prove to be popular with my safari clients, especially those who do not have them close to home, so don't be afraid to ask me if you fancy going to see them, and maybe even get to feed and 'pat' them, as I have a couple of great sites....</span></b></p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2XN5DDF2-X-PPZKUFQauhbfXOZPlV69w99d-RX3KHI7crXMWUd0BEBgJvi7ub-s60m0xidaVxPwAP3KQ4phvddHpYK53JjgHTjUo0riV4Ur_s1Cc5D4whRdg65CzMYXe7KjXZvP7yCCbwhH6REbyZ2TYPVk2goesvZe_Ce1JCqkz0uFulTkSO/s1795/IMG_2586.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1346" data-original-width="1795" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2XN5DDF2-X-PPZKUFQauhbfXOZPlV69w99d-RX3KHI7crXMWUd0BEBgJvi7ub-s60m0xidaVxPwAP3KQ4phvddHpYK53JjgHTjUo0riV4Ur_s1Cc5D4whRdg65CzMYXe7KjXZvP7yCCbwhH6REbyZ2TYPVk2goesvZe_Ce1JCqkz0uFulTkSO/w400-h300/IMG_2586.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Carrot time for Murdo means smiles all round</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b>Marine mammals:</b></p><div><b><br /></b></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">The Moray coast is pretty reliable for sightings of </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Seals,</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, with a decent chance of </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Harbour Porpoise</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> and </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Dolphins</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, and, even a slim chance of </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Whales</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">.....</span><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Rare/nocturnal mammals:</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">I get a few enquiries about the possibility of seeing </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Badgers</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> and </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Pine Marten</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> from my safari clients, many of whom I suspect are unaware that they are actually a largely nocturnal creature, and although we do get the occasional (maybe one or two a year) dawn glimpse of one, you would definitely have a much higher chance of seeing them at a specific dusk Badger/Pine Marten watching hide - Please contact me for more information.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Similarly, our inland </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Otters</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> too are mainly active during the hours of darkness, and again, although we do get a few early-morning sightings on local lochs and rivers each year, looking for them feeding in a suitably quiet, kelp - filled bay on the coast on a rising tide, but at any time of day, would give you a much better chance.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-family: quot; line-height: 1.4;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: quot; line-height: 1.4;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Whilst we are still on the 'tricky to see stuff', the <b>Scottish Wildcat </b>too, as well as being incredibly rare now, is also generally nocturnal, and the fact that I have had a mere handful of (dawn or dusk) sightings in 17 years of providing wildlife safaris should give you an idea of how difficult they are to see.</span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Other wildlife:</b></p><p>Apart from one daytime <b>Bat</b> sighting on the 18th, I can't recall seeing much in the way of 'other wildlife' this month.....</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih8xr7fPmCR-0REn412BdlYpfytjDVYZnVWP-4oKNpWaPo5-yyehzdPka6DSvv_2aTu-ex5YwGISaPm4soqKuhIBxQQ6Sny74y7pyQGC4WlLizaSjfRfkCZwF0jIyL2SeyDHERS-GU7u-v6yJKWEjm7_7AbS70n5WL-MiyFq3G04GLGY0AWCxz/s2016/IMG_2613.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih8xr7fPmCR-0REn412BdlYpfytjDVYZnVWP-4oKNpWaPo5-yyehzdPka6DSvv_2aTu-ex5YwGISaPm4soqKuhIBxQQ6Sny74y7pyQGC4WlLizaSjfRfkCZwF0jIyL2SeyDHERS-GU7u-v6yJKWEjm7_7AbS70n5WL-MiyFq3G04GLGY0AWCxz/w400-h300/IMG_2613.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Nice light in an ancient Caledonian forest</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">News:</b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">I am very pleased to announce that Highland Wildlife & Birdwatch Safaris has recently been awarded - for the second consecutive year - a Travelers Choice accreditation from Trip Advisor, for being ranked in the top 10% of visitor attractions worldwide based on customer reviews and feedback.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; margin-left: 4.8pt;"><span lang="EN-US">This achievement would not have been possible without the support of all my family, friends, safari clients, social media followers, regular blog readers , the Visit Scotland 'mystery shoppers', and everyone else who has helped and encouraged me along the way to ‘living my dream’ of being a wildlife safari guide, since 2004, especially over the last few very difficult COVID affected years, so a big THANK YOU to you all :)</span><o:p></o:p></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">All tourism/hospitality/activities in Scotland are open , are free of restrictions and I have now completed two years of (thankfully!) increasingly busy and extremely enjoyable safaris with clients with no major issues arising.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">With all national travel restrictions lifted too, Scotland is officially 'open for business' for visitors from all over the UK, and from abroad, and this year, I have enjoyed meeting my first ever clients from Chile, Alaska, and Singapore....</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">For those considering a visit, these wildlife/outdoor tourism websites may prove useful:</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">June - September is midge season - But thankfully, this area is not usually affected too badly - This link explains why: </span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-65939262" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">Bumper midge hatch alert after warm spell - BBC News</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b>https://www.gov.scot/collections/coronavirus-covid</b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.outdooraccess-scotland.scot/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">NatureScot (outdooraccess-scotland.scot)</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xGdTZcC2ZQ" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-line: none;">Can Nature Help Health? | Nature Prescriptions - YouTube</a></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1HBKnnGr-g" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;">Scotland, Yours to Enjoy. Responsibly. - YouTube</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://cairngorms.co.uk/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">Cairngorms National Park Authority</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.highlandwildlifepark.org.uk/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">Highland Wildlife Park</a></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.gov.scot/publications/avian-influenza-outbreaks/" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;">Avian influenza (bird flu) outbreaks - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)</a></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.rspb.org.uk/about-the-rspb/about-us/how-the-rspb-is-run/annualreport/annual-report-2022_scotland-news/?utm_source=notes_on_nature_20220903&utm_medium=email&utm_term=notes_on_nature&utm_content=27&utm_campaign=notes_on_nature" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;">Positive prescriptions | The RSPB</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001I2CprmTF4v466b2QwFanHYsB-M-rMapIosb95lRyTUJBNCM4M5pRVhERGqeaLRzFyv1eekvDmizxHTXlceC8MfUpDhmPVjcIKSIuzoxgpUAR-WvJnMt7Qy_6FTM7t0NmHCFXcXrKl2PwZmYesq-W9IS95jsm4EjF&c=yaKTJZAUiA1JLq3HZX4qSPKZSV0TmxUhrab0kVmIGIcqw2TwJXwIuA==&ch=DwiISia8UtA2D1uBYb3sVgpwyW_q8Q-7QsuJDduKzFxiKfyqeb9Flw==" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;"><b><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" style="color: #d9b559; font-size: 12pt;">www.scotlandbigpicture.com</span></b></a></span></p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>COVID-19</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">The Scottish Highlands, being very sparsely populated, has had very few COVID-19 cases in comparison to most of the UK, and on my safaris we tend to visit remote , wild habitats well away from the more popular tourist areas, and usually have very little interaction with other people, and this is something that I intend to continue.</b></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKNV__XtV-mzau03MQ-Ixuy0HHYY-qXolK3VFFFByWZEMTCekHiJIJXM6CDN8cLXzQMaMbSmIFCBemHs-Rje6VLP-plBmc4Dzyd_AdQESzByclEm2uJKLCH1BHuGc0UAFGNGH65uH-XOggTGmWJftD2IVjvAEB1Yug0lvQUxPOcg-DKnKCgCf2/s2016/IMG_2496.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKNV__XtV-mzau03MQ-Ixuy0HHYY-qXolK3VFFFByWZEMTCekHiJIJXM6CDN8cLXzQMaMbSmIFCBemHs-Rje6VLP-plBmc4Dzyd_AdQESzByclEm2uJKLCH1BHuGc0UAFGNGH65uH-XOggTGmWJftD2IVjvAEB1Yug0lvQUxPOcg-DKnKCgCf2/w400-h300/IMG_2496.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A wintry scene at a remote local loch</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Summary:</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Well, after a couple of extremely difficult 'COVID' years in 2020 and 2021, where the future of my business was very much in the balance, I am really pleased to announce that 2023 saw me booked for a record high number of safari days, narrowly beating my previous best year of 2022 - Meaning that we, thankfully, look to be well on the way to financial recovery - So it's a big thank you to all my clients, social media followers, and everyone else who has supported me in so many ways again this year, as I am very aware that I could not do this by myself.....</b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Looking back through my reports and photos at the end of the year is always a joy, and once again, it looks like 2023 for me, was a year filled with varied and beautiful highland scenery, exciting and awe-inspiring wildlife sightings, and happy times spent with lots of friendly and interesting like-minded people from all over the world - some new, some post- COVID returnees, and some valued 'regulars' who have become friends - special memories that have kept me - hopefully them, and maybe you - somewhere near sane during what has apparently been a bit of a difficult and depressing year globally, if you watch the news - Thankfully I don't!!</span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">I hope you have enjoyed viewing my photos and reading my safari updates as much as I have whilst experiencing and writing about them throughout the year.....And I am already looking forward to even more wildlife-filled adventures in 2024...and sharing them them with you all.....</span></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjASc6wdKXb7VAyQVw9aBr9SeaXOOH7EEuW9wjkLvt2qr6XdBJH051yx25qQ-XwIjfOKp3tvYQbjfHDf2vpkIOE0yNMzrQvRwn9yCSedBCxhemgiBHwn-omlpT7-BhwlR7H7wHUr9ulqd7mPwaNIj0u2gb_Yz3GET7p7lOLjuumebcOn17euj5A/s2016/IMG_2509.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="1319" data-original-width="2016" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjASc6wdKXb7VAyQVw9aBr9SeaXOOH7EEuW9wjkLvt2qr6XdBJH051yx25qQ-XwIjfOKp3tvYQbjfHDf2vpkIOE0yNMzrQvRwn9yCSedBCxhemgiBHwn-omlpT7-BhwlR7H7wHUr9ulqd7mPwaNIj0u2gb_Yz3GET7p7lOLjuumebcOn17euj5A/w400-h261/IMG_2509.jpg" width="400" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>My trusty Land Rover Discovery on a snowy upland moorland</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><p><b>Reviews:</b></p><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span face="" style="color: #06004c;">I know a lot of visitors to this area very wisely check out reviews of attractions/experiences at </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">TripAdvisor</b><span face="" style="color: #06004c;"> before 'taking the plunge' and booking - We now have well over 300 reviews online, so if you wish, you can check out our clients comments at the link below....</span></div><p><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><div style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"></span></span><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;" /><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g186537-d3335134-Reviews-</span></span></span></span></span></div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"></span></span><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;" /><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Highland_Wildlife_Birdwatch_Safaris-Aviemore_Aviemore_and_the_Cairngorms_Scottish.html</span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div></div></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv1mTaUpHcyX40KnaXGbPxwtebnLn6TxkBnHqOoBlBfwxcygXp0o5XxpgsuJdv1OsB08WJ1jsaEeM3DF_dAXwxA2-iWS8VGHjT63y0fgzrufccGloXEyYneUOV9A5rY8QNMpIb-NJXbFSGsXDPIZqfUdr4_QHbZbfKepl2nzmvi54ydbgHm_t2/s4139/DSCN7209.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2767" data-original-width="4139" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv1mTaUpHcyX40KnaXGbPxwtebnLn6TxkBnHqOoBlBfwxcygXp0o5XxpgsuJdv1OsB08WJ1jsaEeM3DF_dAXwxA2-iWS8VGHjT63y0fgzrufccGloXEyYneUOV9A5rY8QNMpIb-NJXbFSGsXDPIZqfUdr4_QHbZbfKepl2nzmvi54ydbgHm_t2/w400-h268/DSCN7209.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Ruthven Barracks and the Monadhliath Mountains</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><p><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><b>G</b></span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">ift Certificates:</b></p><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><div style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; color: #222222; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 5px; position: relative;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T95gARK_lkQ/XAvNUI2tI6I/AAAAAAAADwU/GDPgK9hH9LwgLQ8gPnoaLdf04Yn2BLebwCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_1578.JPG" style="background: none 0% 0% / auto repeat scroll padding-box border-box transparent; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 5px;" width="400" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 10.56px; text-align: center;"><b>Safari gift voucher</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></span></span></div></div></div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><br /></div><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span face="" style="color: #06004c; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;">If you think you know someone who may enjoy a taste of what I do, why not treat them to a safari gift </span><span face="" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;">certificate? They make a thoughtful and imaginative present, are available for any amount and are valid for a whole year from date of purchase........</span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span face="" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); clear: both; color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><div class="separator" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); clear: both; color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><div class="separator" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); clear: both; color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Highland Wildlife & Birdwatch Safarishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04327130550058794301noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26724394.post-63406517985994635422023-11-30T11:44:00.000+00:002023-11-30T11:44:56.159+00:00<p><b> November 2023</b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p>November 2023 was yet another very changeable month weather-wise, in this area, with daytime temperatures ranging from -6c to +12c, just about every type of weather experienced, and wind speeds varying from flat calm to gales, though the overall feel was definitely more wintery than last month, especially at the very end of the month, when we had some good amounts of snow down to low levels.</p><p>The more frequent show showers and dropping temperatures late in the month meant that the snow level on the Cairngorm Mountains is gradually creeping lower, as autumn most definitely turns to winter.</p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Many trees have retained some of their colourful autumn leaves, though the local berry stocks are now looking severely depleted after a couple of months of attention from the Blackbirds, thrushes and Waxwings.</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Though the days are shortening noticeably now, with only around 8-9 hours of usable daylight (7am-4pm approx), a further influx of winter-visiting birds from further north, helped to boost local full-day bird day-lists into the 30's , or more if you include a trip to the nearby Moray coast, whilst mammal day-lists varied between 3 and 6 species, depending on the time of our start, and variety of habitats visited, with early starts usually proving to be more productive.</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">The raised water levels in the rivers caused by the autumn rains meant that the Atlantic Salmon were able to reach their traditional spawning grounds and they provided great entertainment for most of the month.</span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7zMMonAACGC-tQ4eypJi08AheY48LvMGPGyQncRNf-XALv5H1ll9Ze7S_8kWl4Gy84QQvDS152uILrq2Rw_-yDkDpZd9sCcDwMf9DGotH3-snv8raLiC5ziHcY3R32icjsRL1e6sm2-9I6blmSiZew_33hQQ5YulzqLF0i55HhxT1R34AxGJr/s2016/IMG_2360.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7zMMonAACGC-tQ4eypJi08AheY48LvMGPGyQncRNf-XALv5H1ll9Ze7S_8kWl4Gy84QQvDS152uILrq2Rw_-yDkDpZd9sCcDwMf9DGotH3-snv8raLiC5ziHcY3R32icjsRL1e6sm2-9I6blmSiZew_33hQQ5YulzqLF0i55HhxT1R34AxGJr/w400-h300/IMG_2360.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Late autumn near the source of the River Spey</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">To give you an idea of what you may realistically hope to see if you are considering a future November visit, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">I hope the following more detailed information, illustrated with photos taken at sites in and around the Cairngorms National Park by myself, my friends or my safari clients this month and in previous November's will help....clicking on the picture enlarges it to full-screen. </span></p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Local speciality/upland bird species seen regularly during the month included</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">:</span></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Crested Tit</b>, <b>Red Grouse</b>, <b>Dipper, </b><b>Golden Eagle</b>, and <b>White-Tailed Eagle. </b></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Black Grouse </b>were occasionally seen at or soon after dawn at traditional lek sites, though they were a little unreliable, but sadly, <b>Crossbills</b> were generally frustratingly elusive again, and (not unusually) we failed to see any <b>Capercaillie</b>...</div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Mammal species seen regularly included:</b></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Red Squirrel</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><b>Red Deer</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><b>Roe Deer</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><b>Mountain Goat</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">, and </span><b>Rabbit </b><span style="font-weight: 400;">, with just a couple of sightings of </span><b> </b><span style="font-weight: 400;">(now mostly white)</span><b> Mountain Hare</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">..... a few early morning sightings of </span>Brown Hare<span style="font-weight: 400;">, a couple of brief glimpses of </span><b>Bank Vole, </b><b> </b><span style="font-weight: 400;">and we also enjoyed great close-up views of </span><b>Atlantic Salmon</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> spawning in the upper reaches of our local rivers...</span></b></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><u>All photographs of wildlife, especially Schedule 1 and other protected bird species were taken legally at long range with powerful zoom lenses, or from my vehicle on public roads, well away from nest sites, and no disturbance was caused to any wildlife....</u></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><u><br /></u></b></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">November 2023 bird sightings in more detail:</b></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;">Up in the glens...</b></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5C9j_cJIyudaOHfFm7zzKQOjdImbpwFyK6FHus3FcbmtpPZ5sRuCxH34gh7JwUgRh11TqHlrNUTbo7itkHct10WLy4c6FKkDrQg0Ec6I5M-Y8m-tTb9CgDrFgMxDjgKec8K4SPEvy-EZSjXxZ-eUtUBlZezCvGwtTLrygbIhOsVWnbyi0wgxf/s5023/Jan%20S%203.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2842" data-original-width="5023" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5C9j_cJIyudaOHfFm7zzKQOjdImbpwFyK6FHus3FcbmtpPZ5sRuCxH34gh7JwUgRh11TqHlrNUTbo7itkHct10WLy4c6FKkDrQg0Ec6I5M-Y8m-tTb9CgDrFgMxDjgKec8K4SPEvy-EZSjXxZ-eUtUBlZezCvGwtTLrygbIhOsVWnbyi0wgxf/w400-h226/Jan%20S%203.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A local upland glen - Photo from Nov 2021 by Jan Shields</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">As I have mentioned in previous years, and with no apologies for repeating myself... given favourable weather conditions, </span><b> November is in my opinion, THE month for raptor sightings in this area</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, and so it proved again this year, with my favourite local upland glens (and moors) providing my safari clients and I with pleasingly regular sightings, and even the odd (very rare) photo opportunity, of the iconic and much coveted </span><strong>Golden Eagle </strong><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">and </span><strong>White-Tailed Eagle</strong><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">,</span><strong> </strong><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">with these huge, awesome and majestic 'Kings of the skies' providing great entertainment, numerous memorable 'life-ticks' for my safari clients, and putting big smiles on many faces....</span></span></p><div><br /></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHC_Ukkg96AR0lsCMUxVhjTTA1IoPJnx5_3ltUYv9US8WQxJPavcxaRQTj0tCPRP1saAU93cNm3cJ_PBZP3tuAEY8fYfHYrcShXwEryThW2BI9FIwqGJpHaWvCVBvld317zsFrhU_FH6g70qJcrhyphenhyphenLFnbh_Y6xlzZBQD9v-7RirBDCb7P6rfXs/s1907/DSCN3956.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1191" data-original-width="1907" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHC_Ukkg96AR0lsCMUxVhjTTA1IoPJnx5_3ltUYv9US8WQxJPavcxaRQTj0tCPRP1saAU93cNm3cJ_PBZP3tuAEY8fYfHYrcShXwEryThW2BI9FIwqGJpHaWvCVBvld317zsFrhU_FH6g70qJcrhyphenhyphenLFnbh_Y6xlzZBQD9v-7RirBDCb7P6rfXs/w400-h250/DSCN3956.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Golden Eagle</b></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRnHNN8Om4xBrJ3o-kKNn5WcTgOtZLwxgeB7qFzQa0lbZGfh-f12zwhI1burzeVuCbMEC_E7Qlyill0vkwDAAvvzIVjh9-mOOw0zQS_b53bdyzIced99XDn1cmdHXazBO5yN_P0yMIGZ1v4okzrwILB-yNhW5ZrNNZE05oijK7nzuCzFxLCDbU/s1098/DSCN3966.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="638" data-original-width="1098" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRnHNN8Om4xBrJ3o-kKNn5WcTgOtZLwxgeB7qFzQa0lbZGfh-f12zwhI1burzeVuCbMEC_E7Qlyill0vkwDAAvvzIVjh9-mOOw0zQS_b53bdyzIced99XDn1cmdHXazBO5yN_P0yMIGZ1v4okzrwILB-yNhW5ZrNNZE05oijK7nzuCzFxLCDbU/w400-h233/DSCN3966.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Golden Eagle</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhehYBXIJYf54O54wQtF1fmCSn6_IS8nasRGJRge5H8FOUMp-wnWKgKfwjtGvjRTq_GVzJJ0jlF9JlRk6KVupC4E7QnQE4KjGDniUmDFmEu6mdPiOPvm8io3RQL5whsAqXnRwQUapms6sXA1r8kAUkWouC06d8O7YlADDWe2osL6y6sHMnQf8l7/s1080/James%20Ball%20Goldie.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="670" data-original-width="1080" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhehYBXIJYf54O54wQtF1fmCSn6_IS8nasRGJRge5H8FOUMp-wnWKgKfwjtGvjRTq_GVzJJ0jlF9JlRk6KVupC4E7QnQE4KjGDniUmDFmEu6mdPiOPvm8io3RQL5whsAqXnRwQUapms6sXA1r8kAUkWouC06d8O7YlADDWe2osL6y6sHMnQf8l7/w400-h249/James%20Ball%20Goldie.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Golden Eagle - Photo from Nov 2018 by James Ball</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv0qUz_J7Wg-GqDSMxncCxerCMKNTWSJQ3tQjACj9HnGf6d38wcyIaDlA648vDBuYrMsdlF7NjqWYARlEAo8h7hDKJZdxfGvFKCTB4YCiOhd4mP0q2Kd3Md96GBaweXyQNx1cn07kG7kLqzaYyk6mMwdwyTO211nEsDa79J0MNiaRpvWscCfOB/s3739/DSCN4073.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2011" data-original-width="3739" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv0qUz_J7Wg-GqDSMxncCxerCMKNTWSJQ3tQjACj9HnGf6d38wcyIaDlA648vDBuYrMsdlF7NjqWYARlEAo8h7hDKJZdxfGvFKCTB4YCiOhd4mP0q2Kd3Md96GBaweXyQNx1cn07kG7kLqzaYyk6mMwdwyTO211nEsDa79J0MNiaRpvWscCfOB/w400-h215/DSCN4073.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>White-Tailed Eagle - Photo from November 2017</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxATYonaUwkjY8hKk6yn2HrgLN-Az__WP5do-kBvOx3pgSzXy7Hlzjb72QQ3NN4MVQOXgXJotB5T80et85YSs2kHBI2_tBO2EvflXpk2xmF1y_6VMG33mD4OkrAl6f9ZRzvwHTtqGRKETIVhyphenhyphen2Gj8lkcMCzgBlXp-_mKJFS9dYnEx6YC0ifHBQ/s1127/DSCN1558.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="549" data-original-width="1127" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxATYonaUwkjY8hKk6yn2HrgLN-Az__WP5do-kBvOx3pgSzXy7Hlzjb72QQ3NN4MVQOXgXJotB5T80et85YSs2kHBI2_tBO2EvflXpk2xmF1y_6VMG33mD4OkrAl6f9ZRzvwHTtqGRKETIVhyphenhyphen2Gj8lkcMCzgBlXp-_mKJFS9dYnEx6YC0ifHBQ/w400-h195/DSCN1558.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>White-Tailed Eagle</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></span></div><div><br /></div><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Should the Eagles fail to show, the regular 'raptor back-up cast' of </span><strong style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Kestrel</strong><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><strong style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Sparrowhawk</strong><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><strong style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Peregrine</strong><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><strong style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Buzzard</strong><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> , </span><strong style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Red Kite, </strong><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">and the chance of even the occasional </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Merlin</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Hen Harrier</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> and </span><strong style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Goshawk </strong><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">often provide good entertainment by way of consolation though....</span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB_N-dKfPhmWgpiD5qJjyHaOoa_PQiFLhr6p6TN0mOJ-8RKxRIfVrg57L3gjjz5HYY5BwUrClpegzws3k80cxENwOyvwLovzObc26fmyWasS52Cy7CQh_gJVSL4SrOjbjjp-M1wBXavgwhW0urKesAs49crBXI4xHPaTL-BwGjR3rTBifyyLhG/s1513/DSCN0196.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="889" data-original-width="1513" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB_N-dKfPhmWgpiD5qJjyHaOoa_PQiFLhr6p6TN0mOJ-8RKxRIfVrg57L3gjjz5HYY5BwUrClpegzws3k80cxENwOyvwLovzObc26fmyWasS52Cy7CQh_gJVSL4SrOjbjjp-M1wBXavgwhW0urKesAs49crBXI4xHPaTL-BwGjR3rTBifyyLhG/s320/DSCN0196.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Peregrine Falcon</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpnekz2fUlBaUAF54-vV2zthWMpzNvtHNV_9OgD18IktlXMNo3412YACa0-wUGn3koDhp5idSAk0k_FBCVT4zaR4pYYN7idsOWxssgFvmvfi7mQ1hTt-BteaEGQWul6kGniUC4QgF9BrgpEK0eg4_eeV1Nqgq9tJocgp0A1LpdlBzld_fdPwi2/s2576/DSCN1461.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1585" data-original-width="2576" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpnekz2fUlBaUAF54-vV2zthWMpzNvtHNV_9OgD18IktlXMNo3412YACa0-wUGn3koDhp5idSAk0k_FBCVT4zaR4pYYN7idsOWxssgFvmvfi7mQ1hTt-BteaEGQWul6kGniUC4QgF9BrgpEK0eg4_eeV1Nqgq9tJocgp0A1LpdlBzld_fdPwi2/w400-h246/DSCN1461.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Kite</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNbUcWAsE4vchtqD5hsJ0e_DD2dQh_M-WnOifozKKlrffjJw0cNCJauFQrk4hVgc147RwJSCUntqShfQrOTPzLDk2opqK1rc6yUkRXnTsWw2vzztNj4D_nL0cs-pet64-Z0Ib2GcD4IK0ETjakfGNtI3oQbmS8fxKFRj5WwmNi5h8FMpJdwfgW/s2067/DSCN5329.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1238" data-original-width="2067" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNbUcWAsE4vchtqD5hsJ0e_DD2dQh_M-WnOifozKKlrffjJw0cNCJauFQrk4hVgc147RwJSCUntqShfQrOTPzLDk2opqK1rc6yUkRXnTsWw2vzztNj4D_nL0cs-pet64-Z0Ib2GcD4IK0ETjakfGNtI3oQbmS8fxKFRj5WwmNi5h8FMpJdwfgW/w400-h240/DSCN5329.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Common Buzzard</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7YT3NGrcKUKE-ucugGL-VnkQAduV7_XuX0QljpjK8eH_IYlw6JkTWiig2C4JOHzdGk8vqydwQChzzafZO7T4yi6o59qLXTWOSQuLL_8lhkVhyDw7PszRPIkeG8ixHC2qBil8Ap8NV4iWR5-sllx8Sh_sKLb6Bmo2PWYOOIP_0_r8tHM8bWASF/s974/James%20Ball%20Merlin%201.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="789" data-original-width="974" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7YT3NGrcKUKE-ucugGL-VnkQAduV7_XuX0QljpjK8eH_IYlw6JkTWiig2C4JOHzdGk8vqydwQChzzafZO7T4yi6o59qLXTWOSQuLL_8lhkVhyDw7PszRPIkeG8ixHC2qBil8Ap8NV4iWR5-sllx8Sh_sKLb6Bmo2PWYOOIP_0_r8tHM8bWASF/s320/James%20Ball%20Merlin%201.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Merlin - Photo from Nov 2017 by James Ball</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt_1o5nKmRKfOjJlDgzX7QJFrsaTF_Wzo88SwtsUsIFwQN8y3fGNxf2dPo5AHHZFBJX29pPwytVu2W1adNAD9H46SsPaaJhUSfMQJ61gHIBKjKgBj3aIBSHmqUK3eJeHeHqem7Clckz3SvpELkQAzZmAKJPxHgHEf9_Z3q6epLI6kqMICmRIi6/s896/IMG_5397.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="624" data-original-width="896" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt_1o5nKmRKfOjJlDgzX7QJFrsaTF_Wzo88SwtsUsIFwQN8y3fGNxf2dPo5AHHZFBJX29pPwytVu2W1adNAD9H46SsPaaJhUSfMQJ61gHIBKjKgBj3aIBSHmqUK3eJeHeHqem7Clckz3SvpELkQAzZmAKJPxHgHEf9_Z3q6epLI6kqMICmRIi6/s320/IMG_5397.JPG" width="320" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Female Goshawk- Photo from Nov 2022 by Jon Worthington</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Up on the moors....</b></b></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5hiY5hdxplvhgRzhj_A_9g6qebwNNwNo5-QJHF07gBm4T50NFpfDrS0OMOKUni_aPXLuMbj-MjzC4asDPRWA5olSIEsoag9PWMxJ8XHkZQ53yxfv1HrbijN7A9fewy7CGeY1x3Xz1QNmMw-KX-t5azRwnOfninLTIaKpfUQ3UKPJS3XM_Sy0w/s2016/IMG_2296.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5hiY5hdxplvhgRzhj_A_9g6qebwNNwNo5-QJHF07gBm4T50NFpfDrS0OMOKUni_aPXLuMbj-MjzC4asDPRWA5olSIEsoag9PWMxJ8XHkZQ53yxfv1HrbijN7A9fewy7CGeY1x3Xz1QNmMw-KX-t5azRwnOfninLTIaKpfUQ3UKPJS3XM_Sy0w/w400-h300/IMG_2296.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Early morning on a local upland heather moorland</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Red Grouse</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, being birds of very specific upland heather moorland habitat, are absent from much of the UK these days . Thankfully though, we have no shortage of them in this area, and though not guaranteed, sightings were pretty reliable. </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">It was interesting to note that a few of the cock birds (identifiable by their darker plumage and red 'eyebrows') are already starting to get a bit more 'showy' and aggressive, with a few seen seemingly staking their claim to prime </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">territory, often while uttering their characteristic cackling "go-bak, go-bak" calls.. </span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNcO4Wd1ot2thOFppGMiJl9Rj2QIdu7J9_-pmYq6uiGeuvn4Ie0wiTQ342LXmt0kEtJCh_GJ29KVEjITP3-PTjDcmP5-Wc9y-oey1enoRBpWQ3UWuvxiSGE2rXyU8ke1uhOIey_0ZdyjLWwBZPDlDqfcV-6cmywE2OpzcCnz_lv8oVP7oYAxoR/s2912/IMG_8804.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2191" data-original-width="2912" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNcO4Wd1ot2thOFppGMiJl9Rj2QIdu7J9_-pmYq6uiGeuvn4Ie0wiTQ342LXmt0kEtJCh_GJ29KVEjITP3-PTjDcmP5-Wc9y-oey1enoRBpWQ3UWuvxiSGE2rXyU8ke1uhOIey_0ZdyjLWwBZPDlDqfcV-6cmywE2OpzcCnz_lv8oVP7oYAxoR/s320/IMG_8804.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Female Red Grouse</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibRF5MasKYFwGxXNhyphenhyphenlxwQmJawzBEPjO4bIELOjHDSHUllQgMXiF9p4woMQAd_f7vA6yDEoApXNTdFwB9B9vswsDOQkKGSV7xgPpR64EdRP9AB3qE0uB0kFypXhk0TyvdsqNbn3IiAslPAepiFHb4rzayZN98LdFxtyECcw33Mbqp9StN4BJ9V/s3974/Ron%20Mitchell%20Grouse%201.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2867" data-original-width="3974" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibRF5MasKYFwGxXNhyphenhyphenlxwQmJawzBEPjO4bIELOjHDSHUllQgMXiF9p4woMQAd_f7vA6yDEoApXNTdFwB9B9vswsDOQkKGSV7xgPpR64EdRP9AB3qE0uB0kFypXhk0TyvdsqNbn3IiAslPAepiFHb4rzayZN98LdFxtyECcw33Mbqp9StN4BJ9V/s320/Ron%20Mitchell%20Grouse%201.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Red Grouse - Photo from Nov 2015 by Ron Mitch</b>ell</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">On the more remote upland moors, </span><strong>Black Grouse</strong><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> are always popular with my safari clients, probably because of their relative rarity, and sadly, declining numbers over much of the UK.</span><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">However, we are fortunate to still have decent numbers in Highland Scotland, and our dawn (7:30am approx) visits to their traditional local moorland 'lek' sites produced some good sightings of up to 8 cock birds displaying, though it should be noted that we also had a few mornings when the birds failed to show, and that the period between January and late May is far more reliable...</span></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><p></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5xQT0NPofEdtHeCJfQn9YpSoOtmwNlx6XHu39jYRSA46tGSXNrq__j7zsfXHj2EIBfZsuR5JITrzCrcCKrvYQUXs3fTaitn22a-uEq-uy1Z2QS5MKTKJfxf1NDRGXiZ6BbJgx3RxiyVhlUiJn2cFwO5vXdZjfUKOeBp1ew_Xz0p7JBYcBvOXQ/s3568/DSCN1634.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1384" data-original-width="3568" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5xQT0NPofEdtHeCJfQn9YpSoOtmwNlx6XHu39jYRSA46tGSXNrq__j7zsfXHj2EIBfZsuR5JITrzCrcCKrvYQUXs3fTaitn22a-uEq-uy1Z2QS5MKTKJfxf1NDRGXiZ6BbJgx3RxiyVhlUiJn2cFwO5vXdZjfUKOeBp1ew_Xz0p7JBYcBvOXQ/w400-h155/DSCN1634.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Displaying Black Grouse</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXlzj8XG3URkrWKLeDxZ5SX4gYOQAne-qWiQLpWrrPNYHzsDg05OVjxcPZLkmBBHxHIDItmspQilkjayZFAYkdRkHs9tgUYFDUCgq6vCzi0y15XIv8DBYQ4hMz_2worsZ7poAhk2hyphenhyphenYDel1Zc8tq4WZTu1_ShLl-vSg-WlITHTwWgY6vywKjp5/s3213/DSCN1583.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1549" data-original-width="3213" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXlzj8XG3URkrWKLeDxZ5SX4gYOQAne-qWiQLpWrrPNYHzsDg05OVjxcPZLkmBBHxHIDItmspQilkjayZFAYkdRkHs9tgUYFDUCgq6vCzi0y15XIv8DBYQ4hMz_2worsZ7poAhk2hyphenhyphenYDel1Zc8tq4WZTu1_ShLl-vSg-WlITHTwWgY6vywKjp5/s320/DSCN1583.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Displaying Black Grouse</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">I</span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">n the Caledonian forests...</b></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1WcoHFLyYc-Ef_xkahIH4JjLcYlhyphenhyphenja79hxCXRIcgb9zB-DMumn0Aj4HngDYQ1bIXPZhCa0md5Podlh6E_-GgVh6aVAlkm04GFLym2Dv_gO9krUH2JC38EUEiRMjJvdvN9ROubmqE8eMBQjq6fVr20nV9y1NiPDoBi5evL7WmFwMWBhPCucKI/s1989/IMG_2220.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1274" data-original-width="1989" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1WcoHFLyYc-Ef_xkahIH4JjLcYlhyphenhyphenja79hxCXRIcgb9zB-DMumn0Aj4HngDYQ1bIXPZhCa0md5Podlh6E_-GgVh6aVAlkm04GFLym2Dv_gO9krUH2JC38EUEiRMjJvdvN9ROubmqE8eMBQjq6fVr20nV9y1NiPDoBi5evL7WmFwMWBhPCucKI/w400-h256/IMG_2220.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>November in a local ancient Caledonian forest</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Winter is usually by far the best time of year to see </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Crested Tits</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, as the weather turns colder and snowier, with the easy pickings on offer at my Caledonian forest feeding stations, especially soon after dawn, seemingly proving to be very enticing. With only around 1200 birds in the UK, and their distribution very localised, it was a great feeling to show off these true 'Speyside specialities' to my safari clients, especially those who were seeing them for the very first time, </span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicTXYWC2hONN4ZTXs76BDu6sCTi4RLlDt6w5ho40OXuyalMBV9RIuXEKEPT8_pwKmf3de095XSBDzo07cRXYvYMYS09dMlCXbj8Q13p5f3iDkZClaPChos4U-RarHnU_W6HsCcP4IlvcxdLL0GasKmX7wtAsH83io8aYogoWlbGU_EzX9py-pR/s4546/DSCN6544.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2718" data-original-width="4546" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicTXYWC2hONN4ZTXs76BDu6sCTi4RLlDt6w5ho40OXuyalMBV9RIuXEKEPT8_pwKmf3de095XSBDzo07cRXYvYMYS09dMlCXbj8Q13p5f3iDkZClaPChos4U-RarHnU_W6HsCcP4IlvcxdLL0GasKmX7wtAsH83io8aYogoWlbGU_EzX9py-pR/s320/DSCN6544.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Crested Tit</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4OxtFWO2uEzC7rgaBu_YjN1DxNQxVA5jjqRHnPtQx9g6CFzAzfc4Bgl9zLqxsvCp7IyXTKVxrfk7QbdnNnAQhV1RQAzj7EYIViDFi8QyeuvbJuNfNJbxrnR6YAJECKr8_N-jRPLyF0Ut1RrBwqbwMekvWmYGKWjiE2bUC_es75a9bPfQ78JtU/s2482/Ron%20Mitchell%20Crety.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="1840" data-original-width="2482" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4OxtFWO2uEzC7rgaBu_YjN1DxNQxVA5jjqRHnPtQx9g6CFzAzfc4Bgl9zLqxsvCp7IyXTKVxrfk7QbdnNnAQhV1RQAzj7EYIViDFi8QyeuvbJuNfNJbxrnR6YAJECKr8_N-jRPLyF0Ut1RrBwqbwMekvWmYGKWjiE2bUC_es75a9bPfQ78JtU/s320/Ron%20Mitchell%20Crety.jpg" width="320" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Crested Tit - Photo from Nov 2015 by Ron Mitchell</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigS2rHYKy1glg07OllHLm972u1T6kYcFZas4sjstdZtqXPktWvTTcMWi1vKyxtERuy0xLxg1NDLlb9ifvCjvOhg3MkSGxj_-hLu1fcaeqmaJfmegwM8R5SAY5AqlcgKp7_kgsyQRSSiRf6Ds3QrTXPIYu9wgLOS9YVOX6ENWYwRSu1d17-9CXP/s1006/James%20Ball%20Crestie%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="679" data-original-width="1006" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigS2rHYKy1glg07OllHLm972u1T6kYcFZas4sjstdZtqXPktWvTTcMWi1vKyxtERuy0xLxg1NDLlb9ifvCjvOhg3MkSGxj_-hLu1fcaeqmaJfmegwM8R5SAY5AqlcgKp7_kgsyQRSSiRf6Ds3QrTXPIYu9wgLOS9YVOX6ENWYwRSu1d17-9CXP/w400-h270/James%20Ball%20Crestie%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Crested Tit - Photo from Nov 2017 by James Ball</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Still in the Caledonian pine forests, rather frustratingly, </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Crossbills</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> continued to be a bit of a 'bogey-bird', with (yet again) sightings mainly restricted to snatched glimpses of calling birds flying around the tree tops, us only identifying them by their characteristic "jip-jip" calls...with the exception of one group that perched nicely for just a few seconds on the 10th....</span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhj2xxiHQ40If2lZnoEjV-c2IbsvcwFM_2ONy3QNLfYKRCl3fokKS3yLBU24Dr6jxSU_prW8hFCZu1KUTiRycR3QEDaApAnOPUpjDbhT_vTyHgJO1WMtT-CgkNgkSMFMd_JniVzVpwRaYQ3ZhQAxseZ8F92Sy1RRV1Fm_R9GlLPjKZK62g0gzl/s2814/DSCN6804.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2245" data-original-width="2814" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhj2xxiHQ40If2lZnoEjV-c2IbsvcwFM_2ONy3QNLfYKRCl3fokKS3yLBU24Dr6jxSU_prW8hFCZu1KUTiRycR3QEDaApAnOPUpjDbhT_vTyHgJO1WMtT-CgkNgkSMFMd_JniVzVpwRaYQ3ZhQAxseZ8F92Sy1RRV1Fm_R9GlLPjKZK62g0gzl/s320/DSCN6804.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Crossbills</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9JbSBUFNyjIZkpObiNCCNjaBtwhJqu9bO2OkmDlzc35Z04mcKuc_dcwsyHLMHPe8lda0W1Q3DGu3_1vlLxj1AmCB2Cv6CIOkuInfrHzATc9dwThoXy9nNOGGO93da9gUbvSq-te2UO0Bw-Fl0BpVW6dsIiSQsQAbbAzb6MnOOG0v1HSbH_lWg/s2167/DSCN6809.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="780" data-original-width="2167" height="115" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9JbSBUFNyjIZkpObiNCCNjaBtwhJqu9bO2OkmDlzc35Z04mcKuc_dcwsyHLMHPe8lda0W1Q3DGu3_1vlLxj1AmCB2Cv6CIOkuInfrHzATc9dwThoXy9nNOGGO93da9gUbvSq-te2UO0Bw-Fl0BpVW6dsIiSQsQAbbAzb6MnOOG0v1HSbH_lWg/s320/DSCN6809.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Crossbill</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">A bonus by-product of regular winter feeding is often (especially on colder days) being able to feed the incredibly confiding </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Coal Tits </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">and (sometimes) </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Great Tits</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"> by hand, an experience much enjoyed by my safari clients of all ages...</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyN4Q7fUY9d2r12vAAIZb9bHmgahQ0zuVXwxixiEL6SCfcPhkOuTbiTg7Iq4q7eJPqDfaq0Kn1Aza-hAemHXpKqfGnahwpBE1z-A6l6QYDIfIywjZIJ54n5El1qcVHeYQWuA-UJv-VU_ZSLxvxU5c3_XULZApzBgPqNt5qWNdwUfURGUlh7KoG/s2016/IMG_2126.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyN4Q7fUY9d2r12vAAIZb9bHmgahQ0zuVXwxixiEL6SCfcPhkOuTbiTg7Iq4q7eJPqDfaq0Kn1Aza-hAemHXpKqfGnahwpBE1z-A6l6QYDIfIywjZIJ54n5El1qcVHeYQWuA-UJv-VU_ZSLxvxU5c3_XULZApzBgPqNt5qWNdwUfURGUlh7KoG/w400-h300/IMG_2126.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Hand-feeding Coal Tits</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">On the lochs...</b></b></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3kdEITEVGYYbZzyv691ZzePoQ0srRlpycdi8hhGwxr-zUxKlkkpa7uZ8xR-cTdFQ0SVtfYzWoeECx9hKIhxfGxUtoCMp8CbO7ARQ66l1UgU9JN83lcOy8aZlWBYyDuWuG2yMOmtfKqXH7oM8vJsBu3HtAvhwIoevPSFEBPgIf2GFt-PxjznB2/s2016/IMG_2240.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1050" data-original-width="2016" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3kdEITEVGYYbZzyv691ZzePoQ0srRlpycdi8hhGwxr-zUxKlkkpa7uZ8xR-cTdFQ0SVtfYzWoeECx9hKIhxfGxUtoCMp8CbO7ARQ66l1UgU9JN83lcOy8aZlWBYyDuWuG2yMOmtfKqXH7oM8vJsBu3HtAvhwIoevPSFEBPgIf2GFt-PxjznB2/w400-h209/IMG_2240.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A picturesque local loch</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p> </p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">With the summer-visiting water birds all gone now, our resident </span><b>Goldeneyes</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, are</span><b> </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">now joined by winter-visiting </span><b>Whooper Swans</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> and 'grey' </span><b>Geese,</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> alongside the more common species.... </span></p><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZKs2F_X9qnlGSCxWwH3ewzZUvkB7Zok4YQUMpQHtSNi5JA4cZjvDWx4TCqPPpqVzZQLZYrrtOjDuGq0SxGL2DXczCkatg3jE0DNv8i9A93A9mCgCAVml2josHUNgdowGO8P_eYWsJLQEmWX0BKryK2_DCc74YbdQHV0GbwKUrByPx8VRMOKcf/s4608/DSCN6727.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZKs2F_X9qnlGSCxWwH3ewzZUvkB7Zok4YQUMpQHtSNi5JA4cZjvDWx4TCqPPpqVzZQLZYrrtOjDuGq0SxGL2DXczCkatg3jE0DNv8i9A93A9mCgCAVml2josHUNgdowGO8P_eYWsJLQEmWX0BKryK2_DCc74YbdQHV0GbwKUrByPx8VRMOKcf/w400-h300/DSCN6727.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Canada Geese</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZAx9ste0OKJS6sBWLMMjyDHh5IxTFH9JViN0lAlVLn96RJ70odaE75xnRmWPda7STuuJVr80mj_aglEulrE-5OJPtyWAq2_NHCUeUg54vVjMkaDOylZ8818DNpw1PP0smrJJ-b592RIHFaBVTA-_ZjumYnl_l4HSa2jrCxmjSq4DUWflhdhe9/s1881/DSCN1623.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="904" data-original-width="1881" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZAx9ste0OKJS6sBWLMMjyDHh5IxTFH9JViN0lAlVLn96RJ70odaE75xnRmWPda7STuuJVr80mj_aglEulrE-5OJPtyWAq2_NHCUeUg54vVjMkaDOylZ8818DNpw1PP0smrJJ-b592RIHFaBVTA-_ZjumYnl_l4HSa2jrCxmjSq4DUWflhdhe9/s320/DSCN1623.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Female Goldeneye</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXdIzwTCv656QmQ6U_vJuwQ1wnNCAHnRfsBR_kKdfNHt2YN3FUOl9W8VI_-Ktd99Zqny6q0IzfYFflNU1vV7WJweViglISQHCAwZo26ngZbe4j9NU-SGTATM1l4HYqLdmM1cVXGJNXwnCLFLaPUevNv6NneMhx_L8rySIz-R_V-giBEUTCzQrx/s4090/DSCN5392.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2661" data-original-width="4090" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXdIzwTCv656QmQ6U_vJuwQ1wnNCAHnRfsBR_kKdfNHt2YN3FUOl9W8VI_-Ktd99Zqny6q0IzfYFflNU1vV7WJweViglISQHCAwZo26ngZbe4j9NU-SGTATM1l4HYqLdmM1cVXGJNXwnCLFLaPUevNv6NneMhx_L8rySIz-R_V-giBEUTCzQrx/w400-h260/DSCN5392.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Whooper Swans</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">On the marshes...</b></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzyzQEeZtiKdr5VOj4fLS-vG2GPQLOzpxspuNmg5HDbjMm3Z3ES6WuN6GNk8bFjdXFf1goF0scXAnFQ7e5eweUuXr9cMCqFAfIY5jbmQtqD-l-nMDiLqnxXeAZusIzEa-TsyqZobaQlZ82GYGoDInKdiMNvZMTRmQhnRBwB49AtZRRofgMOXGZ/s2008/IMG_7934.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1178" data-original-width="2008" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzyzQEeZtiKdr5VOj4fLS-vG2GPQLOzpxspuNmg5HDbjMm3Z3ES6WuN6GNk8bFjdXFf1goF0scXAnFQ7e5eweUuXr9cMCqFAfIY5jbmQtqD-l-nMDiLqnxXeAZusIzEa-TsyqZobaQlZ82GYGoDInKdiMNvZMTRmQhnRBwB49AtZRRofgMOXGZ/w400-h235/IMG_7934.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Insh Marshes</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p>Alongside the ever-present <b>Grey Herons</b>, ducks like <b>Teal</b> and <b>Wigeon</b> were noted, along with <b>Whooper Swans </b>and <b>'grey' Geese</b> , and raptors such as <b>Kestrel</b>, <b>Buzzard, Red Kite, </b> and <b>Hen Harrier</b> were seen reasonably regularly, with one sighting of <b>Marsh Harrier</b>, and the occasional <b>Merlin, Golden Eagle</b> and <b>White-Tailed Eagle</b> also reported.</p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">On the rivers...</b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhta0iMM_OM1mCmjGSHToOEWlWv7qq795nEHOJ0TWfpizH70yL80GTB22ya4c6VtT3ncq5nH1WjjX3ESNU5r-bZiIf6oBtd7ynpwf3JaDp73r_uRjpF2y1PVuOoar2y5UqO9UHCj-H5E6OAYXdGmtLHifUiIt_4sCWoNx7YB9_EGF54wjAZs0Hx/s1983/IMG_2362.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1487" data-original-width="1983" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhta0iMM_OM1mCmjGSHToOEWlWv7qq795nEHOJ0TWfpizH70yL80GTB22ya4c6VtT3ncq5nH1WjjX3ESNU5r-bZiIf6oBtd7ynpwf3JaDp73r_uRjpF2y1PVuOoar2y5UqO9UHCj-H5E6OAYXdGmtLHifUiIt_4sCWoNx7YB9_EGF54wjAZs0Hx/w400-h300/IMG_2362.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The upper reaches of a local river</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Our local </span><strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Dippers</strong><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> are definitely becoming more aggressive now, with much displaying, dawn singing and chasing each other around being witnessed as they presumably seek to establish winter and breeding territories, and it still makes my safari clients and I shiver every time we see them disappear under the icy water in search of food - they sure are hardy little critters!</span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4sa5-9wZ16J54B3Of1LCUD2RTwvV0cI3I1MrtVZEhl37cX_dHyNdWuJSPTZca90JymtJISiDYJJ3VjePS4hnts5xTf8pQpxgexZZzeKs6NzCMJ535cIQnDVr6Ncm7I1IwsAHQRxBptEwFNvg4qf2PPtrzM9i0Py0H8hcfhPYz1MOYDbk3zEls/s2205/DSCN6923.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="2205" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4sa5-9wZ16J54B3Of1LCUD2RTwvV0cI3I1MrtVZEhl37cX_dHyNdWuJSPTZca90JymtJISiDYJJ3VjePS4hnts5xTf8pQpxgexZZzeKs6NzCMJ535cIQnDVr6Ncm7I1IwsAHQRxBptEwFNvg4qf2PPtrzM9i0Py0H8hcfhPYz1MOYDbk3zEls/w400-h245/DSCN6923.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Dipper</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizJ6nju1mjYBv1kDpp4OJsjsWfARUwMxfapxzW643HFDbURBqU22DYGnIRwteOwRIj0bzcCfMg3A7tT7Aru65mD6GarAtlP4zgzSAW-FV-1y7JGFtau9IxN8TwVoWhhier8jER3FgNdowlZd5vnO45mcji_khHY0yyuyjeb8nprkpMbC0ORXbC/s3748/DSCN6797.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2107" data-original-width="3748" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizJ6nju1mjYBv1kDpp4OJsjsWfARUwMxfapxzW643HFDbURBqU22DYGnIRwteOwRIj0bzcCfMg3A7tT7Aru65mD6GarAtlP4zgzSAW-FV-1y7JGFtau9IxN8TwVoWhhier8jER3FgNdowlZd5vnO45mcji_khHY0yyuyjeb8nprkpMbC0ORXbC/s320/DSCN6797.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Dipper</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">With a similar UK distribution to Dipper, <b>Goosander</b> can be tricky to see in much of Britain, but we often see family groups of them in this area, though they can be very wary of humans, and I don't recall us having a good view or decent photo opportunity this month....</span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Up in the mountains....</b></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnnTPk_nv4esGDRR1YQHnOLRUs-tYy-O6SNk9McdDv2W227pTCd2-jRVYh0yBQv6Erc3A2gyE8U20viTldRWdrRGULgfgRvd9nuguJnBlyzeDTvCWFa0TV5pPZXjCkYQg3OkTIaVs7iZmyB-8kAHNG1iVwew933uVUX-tNzyXyMOqCWw3FSt31/s2016/IMG_2385.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnnTPk_nv4esGDRR1YQHnOLRUs-tYy-O6SNk9McdDv2W227pTCd2-jRVYh0yBQv6Erc3A2gyE8U20viTldRWdrRGULgfgRvd9nuguJnBlyzeDTvCWFa0TV5pPZXjCkYQg3OkTIaVs7iZmyB-8kAHNG1iVwew933uVUX-tNzyXyMOqCWw3FSt31/w400-h300/IMG_2385.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Early winter in the Cairngorm Mountains</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p>I only managed one walk up this month (on the 26th), which sadly, failed to provide sightings of any of the mountain speciality birds, however, <span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">from previous experience, I would expect the </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Ptarmigan</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> to be morphing into their winter-white plumage now, which can make them less difficult to spot amongst the rocks, at least until the snow comes, anyway.</span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiwOu9bWf3zQS8eFms5Au7wjLe86vcnJDVzolleR8T76uQRCp5iaoVLqpo11wvQOScwKuDi46RoPctw4L3h4D-_9M-bF76GlcRTz1Ftt-CdhBPvUDXiZrzXglmwAzHY9zqFSVCzeStO5KdImgwPtfKCkiNen9FbKrZf-XtBaKYk02X-Zs5yRsZ/s1401/DSCN3552.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="781" data-original-width="1401" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiwOu9bWf3zQS8eFms5Au7wjLe86vcnJDVzolleR8T76uQRCp5iaoVLqpo11wvQOScwKuDi46RoPctw4L3h4D-_9M-bF76GlcRTz1Ftt-CdhBPvUDXiZrzXglmwAzHY9zqFSVCzeStO5KdImgwPtfKCkiNen9FbKrZf-XtBaKYk02X-Zs5yRsZ/w400-h223/DSCN3552.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Ptarmigan - Photo from Nov 2017</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p>The first snow on the tops can sometimes encourage <b>Snow Buntings</b> down to lower levels, and I always carry a bag of mixed seed in the colder months, as they can sometimes be quite confiding once tempted in by a free feed, though sadly, despite them being reported a couple of times, we failed to see them this month.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVymDzIfXj1wQ2XEIod0ZgBmip-7EvihqmeLS7UFtYL2h7pVqBRabm3FqOAhURlExs5O8RUmYtQ_4SxPjvf_3nBJevSrvGAA-J1s62QEiK8bEdH29YY8kd0vGqaVb2NadDzhulS_tHK117kSkqlKX_V0FZE6mf5fXRqXvOV3HcHPhkTjmE6Kjk/s4059/DSCN1653.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2236" data-original-width="4059" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVymDzIfXj1wQ2XEIod0ZgBmip-7EvihqmeLS7UFtYL2h7pVqBRabm3FqOAhURlExs5O8RUmYtQ_4SxPjvf_3nBJevSrvGAA-J1s62QEiK8bEdH29YY8kd0vGqaVb2NadDzhulS_tHK117kSkqlKX_V0FZE6mf5fXRqXvOV3HcHPhkTjmE6Kjk/s320/DSCN1653.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Snow Buntings - Photo from Nov 2019</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzvDRVxZUJfrkyt-ZdwvONWIuzQThr-v_9dwFXB0v5X8J4LDgCpjTSx6tjOUJkUAea1OTs5ludRe7Olq90rSPTMIi3z62UdO7UQm7tAlkLgKStgijGV3vbwp9A6-tdmexUp720I9Q9aPGAq7DUbEUK4NaboJSaO73sDqpx8-0qlKGSkjpLiJHN/s4608/DSCN4015.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzvDRVxZUJfrkyt-ZdwvONWIuzQThr-v_9dwFXB0v5X8J4LDgCpjTSx6tjOUJkUAea1OTs5ludRe7Olq90rSPTMIi3z62UdO7UQm7tAlkLgKStgijGV3vbwp9A6-tdmexUp720I9Q9aPGAq7DUbEUK4NaboJSaO73sDqpx8-0qlKGSkjpLiJHN/s320/DSCN4015.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Snow Bunting - Photo from Nov 2017</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">On farmland....</b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid0MIQ55ZtQQIMcKNDi2OZI9nIFlIFBPqQbxIu4lknt2q_2jfG_MZZMne9FU-qeazne6i8vKQImJf8r5XduTpEQpwnVm9LDkStS474zrTgfzWS0LJ6PknJy64Hcdmt87W1Xx7d22wZuheB7lk2m-TLjPjzD1HVVvVlUV9GigeQYnAX1c9OhhSj/s1997/IMG_1996.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1108" data-original-width="1997" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid0MIQ55ZtQQIMcKNDi2OZI9nIFlIFBPqQbxIu4lknt2q_2jfG_MZZMne9FU-qeazne6i8vKQImJf8r5XduTpEQpwnVm9LDkStS474zrTgfzWS0LJ6PknJy64Hcdmt87W1Xx7d22wZuheB7lk2m-TLjPjzD1HVVvVlUV9GigeQYnAX1c9OhhSj/w400-h223/IMG_1996.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Typical local farmland</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Although all the waders have gone to the coast now, </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">'grey' Geese </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">and </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Whooper Swans</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> can often be seen feeding on crop remains , whilst the </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">seeds on local farmland during the autumn and winter months often attract large flocks of mixed </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">finches</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> and </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">buntings</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">,</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> along with the winter thrushes and more common </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Pheasants</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> and occasional <b>Red-Legged Partridges</b>...........</span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJxhJCm9fQaMQmt9Dkrnugyyd7fp0ONvBK1qVUI6-qtjxdvhLBCzLklcgw8QLCN4buswb7-yQDnJv6BTU6kQdNDfrWR_JySDbdPvwz2kCrkT_DkE1vKNlAcLt6m1oSviwo-nWsKs9LuBnyc5AXEYqrFQ6B8E56TClCRYo7ASlXB5qhRQjHNSmn/s2398/IMG_8634.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1118" data-original-width="2398" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJxhJCm9fQaMQmt9Dkrnugyyd7fp0ONvBK1qVUI6-qtjxdvhLBCzLklcgw8QLCN4buswb7-yQDnJv6BTU6kQdNDfrWR_JySDbdPvwz2kCrkT_DkE1vKNlAcLt6m1oSviwo-nWsKs9LuBnyc5AXEYqrFQ6B8E56TClCRYo7ASlXB5qhRQjHNSmn/w400-h186/IMG_8634.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Whooper Swans</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVQTUpUQocMIvf3HC5TXx8HMKfeMCbbB3l6Qjdj4hrp_tIBabw4Oy1a-Jle8TnyKRJC_6ED3qHKhKvk0GnlrhXVXOqgKBK-ubA-mCQ4GfleA_zWy63lv52SWVy_SRO-qako0hEF3jcmTU4_h2BZDBzMrA6Oh_X3WZPyxHaJHYwIv2FP1obMvPj/s2992/IMG_8779.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1805" data-original-width="2992" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVQTUpUQocMIvf3HC5TXx8HMKfeMCbbB3l6Qjdj4hrp_tIBabw4Oy1a-Jle8TnyKRJC_6ED3qHKhKvk0GnlrhXVXOqgKBK-ubA-mCQ4GfleA_zWy63lv52SWVy_SRO-qako0hEF3jcmTU4_h2BZDBzMrA6Oh_X3WZPyxHaJHYwIv2FP1obMvPj/w400-h241/IMG_8779.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Greylag Geese</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiobu19ginwCkfEKiv0PKBcXTffw68h_NsuPwdHOuBFx1kHF0S3CE7fhQSE4C57vlh2WMGC4UvW_nJzgUIJ784Tk5EirtfarTotMZoJJK6CFyfUwme5xvpTT_k8UG4jJGhuS1-CP7u6D8KMn8WugBz8fruyrVC-TJTHxdgHx3KZhhFJAn5H3n8x/s3430/DSCN6835.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2307" data-original-width="3430" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiobu19ginwCkfEKiv0PKBcXTffw68h_NsuPwdHOuBFx1kHF0S3CE7fhQSE4C57vlh2WMGC4UvW_nJzgUIJ784Tk5EirtfarTotMZoJJK6CFyfUwme5xvpTT_k8UG4jJGhuS1-CP7u6D8KMn8WugBz8fruyrVC-TJTHxdgHx3KZhhFJAn5H3n8x/s320/DSCN6835.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Reed Bunting</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGYf1TRw2Sm2N1xo6R-0u7L1qpq7EEP9myNinQty-h3zAGQ6A1QFAFMniDAtf4jt99BitKV8dHWGMF6gnhvA6pNrV-wjKbzLanCuJb8FNVAN7nnl9hY3CZs03LKXDR38Mb7weINzgJdPYSCQOZkXvwdomSIWPPkT0jglIZDCZcdpZXofzbvPKZ/s4414/DSCN6706.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2878" data-original-width="4414" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGYf1TRw2Sm2N1xo6R-0u7L1qpq7EEP9myNinQty-h3zAGQ6A1QFAFMniDAtf4jt99BitKV8dHWGMF6gnhvA6pNrV-wjKbzLanCuJb8FNVAN7nnl9hY3CZs03LKXDR38Mb7weINzgJdPYSCQOZkXvwdomSIWPPkT0jglIZDCZcdpZXofzbvPKZ/s320/DSCN6706.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Fieldfare</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>In local gardens;</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Berry bushes and garden bird feeding stations are a real magnet for hungry winter visiting birds from further north, and <b>Redwings, Fieldfares</b> <b>Bramblings and Redpolls </b>were all seen locally alongside the more common tits and finches, and it was great to get our first proper 'invasion' of <b>Waxwings </b>for some years .....</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjulwf2gu_t7Kco7sYYZYb4OHlsYTZ5rccDlCoeckRKNpgviBjqSWRN6neg91PRTBvmEGGbd1Wx4QgQNwTmCUZbjXUH8NWIwQMd9FwJ0E-6_fLbcPU-TC-zoxc_HYNueJT84vUoTkz6Js2ezEjYvVxyTZTlI1btV9lMNfZSgODWxPo2bhBWgsB/s4608/DSCN6626.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2128" data-original-width="4608" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjulwf2gu_t7Kco7sYYZYb4OHlsYTZ5rccDlCoeckRKNpgviBjqSWRN6neg91PRTBvmEGGbd1Wx4QgQNwTmCUZbjXUH8NWIwQMd9FwJ0E-6_fLbcPU-TC-zoxc_HYNueJT84vUoTkz6Js2ezEjYvVxyTZTlI1btV9lMNfZSgODWxPo2bhBWgsB/s320/DSCN6626.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Bramblings</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig9iluo1JRQI-1PDjYkHgCD7-geA_Y6-TsYUY0J9HbcrcN5_3eDOEn8ANNTPPZAge3x3EHnc9vwArJ86n9r2pildBx76EzASy4A2k6ZY924zjy2aadfW616zQQo3NhGBpLyy3KQ7pPAavIzGhD4LBkQBm-aEZw-flZc28RErpBUws_n-KPelTQ/s4608/DSCN6754.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig9iluo1JRQI-1PDjYkHgCD7-geA_Y6-TsYUY0J9HbcrcN5_3eDOEn8ANNTPPZAge3x3EHnc9vwArJ86n9r2pildBx76EzASy4A2k6ZY924zjy2aadfW616zQQo3NhGBpLyy3KQ7pPAavIzGhD4LBkQBm-aEZw-flZc28RErpBUws_n-KPelTQ/s320/DSCN6754.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Fiefdfare</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSCOWv-4qe-rJrDqOWnXfg8PvgttoydkOPvq8bOeFkoG-b-KbF7dU4FDzZm-J8zMiuUtNnYA9Xaoao3RKE7PFC3Iys0veLIy2fLwu5AMf9c6iciOyBMbKJcXrq24z_T5pNpLqN1MvKsZo_LrazDAZlCEQAt8ncwqKA0NjR7pop2YurjX6_p5JS/s4454/DSCN6661.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2892" data-original-width="4454" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSCOWv-4qe-rJrDqOWnXfg8PvgttoydkOPvq8bOeFkoG-b-KbF7dU4FDzZm-J8zMiuUtNnYA9Xaoao3RKE7PFC3Iys0veLIy2fLwu5AMf9c6iciOyBMbKJcXrq24z_T5pNpLqN1MvKsZo_LrazDAZlCEQAt8ncwqKA0NjR7pop2YurjX6_p5JS/w400-h260/DSCN6661.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Waxwings</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1pBBRdF9nQ6CydYhhsPmTxez5Winccns-yRscDQtQes8-mXaYhgAUQ4MDneuXC4eGP8HPLRbLdPL3DvY6foCAOJTsT_-cU85om42ejOfVPCxbaWarAXDN3-7vYDHxFVm6evnhwObqRxJVa8UMoX2Hw3_Eeq8jYACf6g4oOxuSwrl3IYYtrvQM/s4608/DSCN6758.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1pBBRdF9nQ6CydYhhsPmTxez5Winccns-yRscDQtQes8-mXaYhgAUQ4MDneuXC4eGP8HPLRbLdPL3DvY6foCAOJTsT_-cU85om42ejOfVPCxbaWarAXDN3-7vYDHxFVm6evnhwObqRxJVa8UMoX2Hw3_Eeq8jYACf6g4oOxuSwrl3IYYtrvQM/s320/DSCN6758.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Waxwings</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Other good/scarce birds seen/reported locally this month included:</b></p><p><br /></p><p>A <b>Marsh Harrier </b>early in the month at Insh marshes, and a <b>Great Grey Shrike</b> from 7th-10th near Carrbridge....</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0v6aTErppwk37sQ49y6ygrdl-xKebMRV1DuvNf4LgUR0nk1JQlfOFt63ojyDhuiESPdJtSyh1orIA119xiHwveA97JZC0jX7pFP3UJajUf-dj6Niuu0dbt2tkNY0uZGZQPoWDF6Dzc8w82YrTh938eHr_Av-usuQvaCKY-3jkW6eTywaev7t6/s3377/DSCN6777.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2728" data-original-width="3377" height="324" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0v6aTErppwk37sQ49y6ygrdl-xKebMRV1DuvNf4LgUR0nk1JQlfOFt63ojyDhuiESPdJtSyh1orIA119xiHwveA97JZC0jX7pFP3UJajUf-dj6Niuu0dbt2tkNY0uZGZQPoWDF6Dzc8w82YrTh938eHr_Av-usuQvaCKY-3jkW6eTywaev7t6/w400-h324/DSCN6777.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Great Grey Shrike</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 700;">A few photos of more common birds seen locally this month: </span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDbhW-mKAW9g2EI6-sQsbKPzoOtlTrjAS4UP3uKaNjfUqnhssI8aUypezV434zf5zC-qjANOgPJ6KNN8ufo3XG8ioTDLlQe1LRAMN0ywjenou5lnLiMljC2b6snZiq_57qdDQdHhoBi7es5_8scf3gVpaWTqAv_s6XeZ9DsyAZ90TmpooGwQkz/s4311/DSCN6719.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2800" data-original-width="4311" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDbhW-mKAW9g2EI6-sQsbKPzoOtlTrjAS4UP3uKaNjfUqnhssI8aUypezV434zf5zC-qjANOgPJ6KNN8ufo3XG8ioTDLlQe1LRAMN0ywjenou5lnLiMljC2b6snZiq_57qdDQdHhoBi7es5_8scf3gVpaWTqAv_s6XeZ9DsyAZ90TmpooGwQkz/s320/DSCN6719.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Hooded Crow</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqcmhr6cQdLOhV4elq3RhkAINjaJMPAj-zPxOS0au1pDy3tIh_LI3_JKG48iuFXeZqIE2TeoE-hXBHgORYPhO2_BlULT-7opWgwNKZh2L7tjOaHf1lH7uOwjn6Kk5zFDpOc7BmsrE1TDppzkkgZJ7tIzIZgsD8oy_3Q3MpOoTsJx3xA4pDlX11/s3947/DSCN6854.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3378" data-original-width="3947" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqcmhr6cQdLOhV4elq3RhkAINjaJMPAj-zPxOS0au1pDy3tIh_LI3_JKG48iuFXeZqIE2TeoE-hXBHgORYPhO2_BlULT-7opWgwNKZh2L7tjOaHf1lH7uOwjn6Kk5zFDpOc7BmsrE1TDppzkkgZJ7tIzIZgsD8oy_3Q3MpOoTsJx3xA4pDlX11/s320/DSCN6854.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Dunnock</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAdVo9TvS2Fc7Byg742V8jTyXdlMYgD-ioPe0qtC9QnwUHpaKaA6meIfjtQJ8mxPoHxp9ONzaljDDfOkL_4MDjPgQruDeMipJ0tjDt4Vq3yUDwF6825aoJ1ljIQp1O7B21DagYF-O2W02O5mhDTjzxFD2QesNDdjXRggCl1IPPSQKXQqn8CXGq/s1949/DSCN4127.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1422" data-original-width="1949" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAdVo9TvS2Fc7Byg742V8jTyXdlMYgD-ioPe0qtC9QnwUHpaKaA6meIfjtQJ8mxPoHxp9ONzaljDDfOkL_4MDjPgQruDeMipJ0tjDt4Vq3yUDwF6825aoJ1ljIQp1O7B21DagYF-O2W02O5mhDTjzxFD2QesNDdjXRggCl1IPPSQKXQqn8CXGq/w400-h291/DSCN4127.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Greater Spotted Woodpecker</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU1YDyGVXPY23A9fjKvBGmBO7TuQ5oW-GCkibkq2tOLqJO6pJMmq2GHbPfTj_c8tg8RdOGmJQLbA0Uali-XJv7qpEu6WzeThlGx0kjxpwwbVOa6cVky87ziabIeX05TG7QCdWuhfSFKSwvghpdOULjBcZAT8sNfenR3VKLgWSyxzJBxgOqwNjl/s3485/DSCN0045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2823" data-original-width="3485" height="324" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU1YDyGVXPY23A9fjKvBGmBO7TuQ5oW-GCkibkq2tOLqJO6pJMmq2GHbPfTj_c8tg8RdOGmJQLbA0Uali-XJv7qpEu6WzeThlGx0kjxpwwbVOa6cVky87ziabIeX05TG7QCdWuhfSFKSwvghpdOULjBcZAT8sNfenR3VKLgWSyxzJBxgOqwNjl/w400-h324/DSCN0045.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Blackbird</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcFTPZDpD4T9GNgeZyIDMqRT4TQy07jFGKXlQ08KcByP1u1O-TchERJJ7xwPjv0Z-QF7qXIZQZ7wyuYcjWjgyI-JFFNCC1T2OxNAsA3OTdi98BEEXQWP9qe4lr-pgnPGN5mPb7UUzL5r3OfWg_4zUxtGTjEL8_xVzdPzRQL09TYNqXyQoxW_ui/s4608/DSCN0020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcFTPZDpD4T9GNgeZyIDMqRT4TQy07jFGKXlQ08KcByP1u1O-TchERJJ7xwPjv0Z-QF7qXIZQZ7wyuYcjWjgyI-JFFNCC1T2OxNAsA3OTdi98BEEXQWP9qe4lr-pgnPGN5mPb7UUzL5r3OfWg_4zUxtGTjEL8_xVzdPzRQL09TYNqXyQoxW_ui/w400-h300/DSCN0020.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Young Starling</b></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYF0szCvZW35hnt4im1UTi_RLXcSKFdnu5R8GdFMmIi9sIUKw19m1AWPHwrlMcVeXhmvBVgp7edSbfUu9eJhcBGwoqfCkv8D3OmSr3XCBD70badAveHk-vn_UD-pyr_PP4l5CduqqLJ68m63MPp7tXLf82H21epP4K_VAtq_iRPt2G0dO2H-qT/s1000/Coal%20Tit%20Oct16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="1000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYF0szCvZW35hnt4im1UTi_RLXcSKFdnu5R8GdFMmIi9sIUKw19m1AWPHwrlMcVeXhmvBVgp7edSbfUu9eJhcBGwoqfCkv8D3OmSr3XCBD70badAveHk-vn_UD-pyr_PP4l5CduqqLJ68m63MPp7tXLf82H21epP4K_VAtq_iRPt2G0dO2H-qT/s320/Coal%20Tit%20Oct16.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Coal Tit</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;">Adventures 'out of area':</span></b></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjos8NkXMi91G2Pv_UhvdwOo7Bn0pnrBGqM3PBLHolJKvcJBptLPW1lOHpjDnJv7bogDfqg8fjfYXZVpx0fZ3UTHplU5SsDsNMCJarFbzvtHchwdzaNXYbnyuh4w5h44amATlT-WL2Y6Odk0ws6xHwqiF-EcMiE7Y3FobDSj_BItydQCfQQEupw/s2016/IMG_2374.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjos8NkXMi91G2Pv_UhvdwOo7Bn0pnrBGqM3PBLHolJKvcJBptLPW1lOHpjDnJv7bogDfqg8fjfYXZVpx0fZ3UTHplU5SsDsNMCJarFbzvtHchwdzaNXYbnyuh4w5h44amATlT-WL2Y6Odk0ws6xHwqiF-EcMiE7Y3FobDSj_BItydQCfQQEupw/w400-h300/IMG_2374.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The ruggedly beautiful Moray coast</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">The nearby Moray Coast is always worth a visit, especially in autumn and winter, and a couple of visit gave us a good selection of auks, waders, wildfowl, seaducks, geese ,swans and gulls ....</span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSJcK1lW99tZgkwdbSCCFlDRp4u-c-YphbCwYSd75ynOORrKwwpR9KCiu5AwT4tGkM5fE17Gw_fvyDlexI_mLgRvkA40UAudkP9Y9githLgJ5_FssldNL-WOw-Ge4NqjKiRmt59b3evHW7VXmns7BJ6G6LwSJNLKCpTvhHPvT0b6I9x9Wa8KjD/s4584/DSCN6868.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1884" data-original-width="4584" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSJcK1lW99tZgkwdbSCCFlDRp4u-c-YphbCwYSd75ynOORrKwwpR9KCiu5AwT4tGkM5fE17Gw_fvyDlexI_mLgRvkA40UAudkP9Y9githLgJ5_FssldNL-WOw-Ge4NqjKiRmt59b3evHW7VXmns7BJ6G6LwSJNLKCpTvhHPvT0b6I9x9Wa8KjD/w400-h165/DSCN6868.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Common Scoters</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw57zjTHmjpngeoLcPzu-xemDb1mWYSfTGm99iK691vdoMd-QyadYm8djDhrirEllo2YQv-_Z5AYveh3HfHHSYZNMUKqGdtF897x3jnl4zw5xrdnegiLHshBHXEI6Y_TjJLt05u0c-tcaKO2W86sJBgNt3T1NeeUQ2TcV6fXapRmUywV6vIu2p/s4608/DSCN6722.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw57zjTHmjpngeoLcPzu-xemDb1mWYSfTGm99iK691vdoMd-QyadYm8djDhrirEllo2YQv-_Z5AYveh3HfHHSYZNMUKqGdtF897x3jnl4zw5xrdnegiLHshBHXEI6Y_TjJLt05u0c-tcaKO2W86sJBgNt3T1NeeUQ2TcV6fXapRmUywV6vIu2p/s320/DSCN6722.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Slavonian Grebe in winter plumage</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyU7wZNEVNAZGDD-UCQdzRk91KYbPJizFIen0XIHnMc46a-9Gbl6aVXIdfDC7FxUL_yGRKVJQ4g9pbbUrPvenRuWwsP-8xamipi9fXZ7RUNzncbIcXN01CcK7jbFqc98V11PozntSpKHdKFjw27RamXqiumuRhB6T_vzrfsFSpNip7Ofn9RB4v/s4013/DSCN6672.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2435" data-original-width="4013" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyU7wZNEVNAZGDD-UCQdzRk91KYbPJizFIen0XIHnMc46a-9Gbl6aVXIdfDC7FxUL_yGRKVJQ4g9pbbUrPvenRuWwsP-8xamipi9fXZ7RUNzncbIcXN01CcK7jbFqc98V11PozntSpKHdKFjw27RamXqiumuRhB6T_vzrfsFSpNip7Ofn9RB4v/s320/DSCN6672.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Black Guillemot in winter plumage</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFLnCzBnmLWv5E5KqDSbF9U7zWP3F2yS-4TPmt7t1ZKYcgI2F9SprZ5Mq2tLff-BB_7lXWfWyzBN5zOObxed8n_DMeWnrK72W3du3fe1SudY6rjH5GFi7xxyOUAeJc09qEN0J0F1C8dvwvl_aVkZAPGOgnmqe8_sjshXhnxJDt6C2bhdMgBKHg/s2588/DSCN6882.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1427" data-original-width="2588" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFLnCzBnmLWv5E5KqDSbF9U7zWP3F2yS-4TPmt7t1ZKYcgI2F9SprZ5Mq2tLff-BB_7lXWfWyzBN5zOObxed8n_DMeWnrK72W3du3fe1SudY6rjH5GFi7xxyOUAeJc09qEN0J0F1C8dvwvl_aVkZAPGOgnmqe8_sjshXhnxJDt6C2bhdMgBKHg/s320/DSCN6882.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Teal and male Wigeon</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH5xQMd5Zem2P207CHU9kQ31KDf2zw14EYWXUxUOEkEYsTfMuAqNKJzdF01CfeOgqqOnhsq66E9IUFZn0uPwuSZJ4vEKubBMEC_4NZWni9tB6jHc9rDVj7G6Zm9MEdHoj8LHaS7Kh3vzsmcsZXzHv-XqttBTxvORQf_9Ns7AcqWyDMOSLlzPfY/s2248/DSCN6876.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1386" data-original-width="2248" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH5xQMd5Zem2P207CHU9kQ31KDf2zw14EYWXUxUOEkEYsTfMuAqNKJzdF01CfeOgqqOnhsq66E9IUFZn0uPwuSZJ4vEKubBMEC_4NZWni9tB6jHc9rDVj7G6Zm9MEdHoj8LHaS7Kh3vzsmcsZXzHv-XqttBTxvORQf_9Ns7AcqWyDMOSLlzPfY/s320/DSCN6876.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Female Red-Breasted Merganser</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLdRcIGN0AVDmT-f09isx3lqh8kpn8tGffdPmUdtISQJR6z4kYlM6q7XjQ67MLpnt7csRnviWb4tHu0egk81thENu4B1rB_u6l0AWQBtY8MBt6LWimAYUT9yvL28-wTCaZtdmevzMj-Im2K8Fl8xRAWJtz0KQjuGb6INgj_lLJxpGl_dMCFWaL/s2375/DSCN6875.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1706" data-original-width="2375" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLdRcIGN0AVDmT-f09isx3lqh8kpn8tGffdPmUdtISQJR6z4kYlM6q7XjQ67MLpnt7csRnviWb4tHu0egk81thENu4B1rB_u6l0AWQBtY8MBt6LWimAYUT9yvL28-wTCaZtdmevzMj-Im2K8Fl8xRAWJtz0KQjuGb6INgj_lLJxpGl_dMCFWaL/s320/DSCN6875.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Red-Breasted Merganser</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBlFjBEt0CW6GvpHonK_fhYd0hNtWMW5PsnIEvasXt0mMQdmUrQ9k-phpEMACvgrmaRVnI2xcCCWRf_Zh87NyExFDzuvrcHAmBamjRL0Vra8N8WrmeUMUY5gbaFzSlvSR_H52rB4moaEdhUyzEOlNg2zqtY3ekdmc6TVISqAkVG5V4pXBzXSyu/s4608/DSCN6860.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBlFjBEt0CW6GvpHonK_fhYd0hNtWMW5PsnIEvasXt0mMQdmUrQ9k-phpEMACvgrmaRVnI2xcCCWRf_Zh87NyExFDzuvrcHAmBamjRL0Vra8N8WrmeUMUY5gbaFzSlvSR_H52rB4moaEdhUyzEOlNg2zqtY3ekdmc6TVISqAkVG5V4pXBzXSyu/s320/DSCN6860.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Eider</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_N4JlWix28QlArTYYrFJLUoUu39ManAwKpqtreoV0Bxy3TL7tBaD_L3sjkBeqNWnIXP2_gnA3mAy7c7Ot_TIOSAOVM8rsiT70ZBJzaLEI17iaE7V_7mPxC9nmAsTMB-iINTsSybwAgFRNHZCa7cF0FPoYOAJZ470VIiQaHRKem1dbzXRYdDyk/s4608/DSCN6874.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_N4JlWix28QlArTYYrFJLUoUu39ManAwKpqtreoV0Bxy3TL7tBaD_L3sjkBeqNWnIXP2_gnA3mAy7c7Ot_TIOSAOVM8rsiT70ZBJzaLEI17iaE7V_7mPxC9nmAsTMB-iINTsSybwAgFRNHZCa7cF0FPoYOAJZ470VIiQaHRKem1dbzXRYdDyk/s320/DSCN6874.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Redshank</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyEk7BLhb3kSngDVmrEmWypMETR-7Jc8LKsoi_0KkCqEUuVSmxNO_dXAb9ibgf-aOHn9m6LVFXAL-hUjgXdi3w1QrppXDLObvOkZ_VcM7URY2a1h1rJSD2mzEOIxhHBl2tjOWl71N2sQcU-YGT7GnGW8s2h4b8yR7_yH6HGNg1oH-H0l_1BHc7/s4608/DSCN6819.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyEk7BLhb3kSngDVmrEmWypMETR-7Jc8LKsoi_0KkCqEUuVSmxNO_dXAb9ibgf-aOHn9m6LVFXAL-hUjgXdi3w1QrppXDLObvOkZ_VcM7URY2a1h1rJSD2mzEOIxhHBl2tjOWl71N2sQcU-YGT7GnGW8s2h4b8yR7_yH6HGNg1oH-H0l_1BHc7/s320/DSCN6819.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Turnstone</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzSGjutPou1Tv3oLDLFT9EW71WiE4l5I6RUZt2NiuHny-SiyRbssuYyHeVvo4AUntabcuzPOxO8oDX4AuIMEqYgt6UyHkTS7aBAbQ9CfasrfIKkxJQ0gUgqLiTBUWn3htD6gBKH-rT2XeW-Np4yNYfIndf4UadEYtukemK-fxeeWd0KsKm6TKq/s4608/DSCN6880.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzSGjutPou1Tv3oLDLFT9EW71WiE4l5I6RUZt2NiuHny-SiyRbssuYyHeVvo4AUntabcuzPOxO8oDX4AuIMEqYgt6UyHkTS7aBAbQ9CfasrfIKkxJQ0gUgqLiTBUWn3htD6gBKH-rT2XeW-Np4yNYfIndf4UadEYtukemK-fxeeWd0KsKm6TKq/w400-h300/DSCN6880.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Curlew</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUsktezPCbPLQ9j5KLUQ7AmizaVka0JD_OqvMr7GYv6As6b6P_Ie7ynCNiv1oYEJEpTIHvNpRVUc-DPOS8e4ooKgPx0WMZhO8McVYzdRicwPcTvZVAlW7qZvwDVIZ40R5jm2a-SYHCq5B5KNm7a-AT9xzuLxOHxFS-sklSAqNTp84F6qN6XGXZ/s3921/DSCN6862.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3025" data-original-width="3921" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUsktezPCbPLQ9j5KLUQ7AmizaVka0JD_OqvMr7GYv6As6b6P_Ie7ynCNiv1oYEJEpTIHvNpRVUc-DPOS8e4ooKgPx0WMZhO8McVYzdRicwPcTvZVAlW7qZvwDVIZ40R5jm2a-SYHCq5B5KNm7a-AT9xzuLxOHxFS-sklSAqNTp84F6qN6XGXZ/s320/DSCN6862.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Purple Sandpiper</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqDQG-_S2kJUcp-SpF_dNCQSAHJTpYIyA-T1SudWgI6GKeHeR7HVsWmWK-GYWOzVOb7WVetbmT6ss3lX76j16ddT9gsqg2QTSj9aCc0k0xeEYlXT_43tOERFGPvE7UHW9e0aSd2HZkHO_r5A-H7V-41GjARAGCjchNvrONKIM-MdeP241OtijB/s4608/DSCN6824.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2615" data-original-width="4608" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqDQG-_S2kJUcp-SpF_dNCQSAHJTpYIyA-T1SudWgI6GKeHeR7HVsWmWK-GYWOzVOb7WVetbmT6ss3lX76j16ddT9gsqg2QTSj9aCc0k0xeEYlXT_43tOERFGPvE7UHW9e0aSd2HZkHO_r5A-H7V-41GjARAGCjchNvrONKIM-MdeP241OtijB/w400-h228/DSCN6824.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Long-Tailed Duck</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">The freshwater lochs and nature reserves just inland from the Moray Coast can be productive too....</span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTXz3UWklLPwBuHH-eoLckq3p1sPd0ScRsOrFwRozmJBibWMqrP_nOMX7Eoeo_uj95XTnhN_xXjUIFQfwOkhP3CB52EOcoH0aenaK6IBG4XnKl9ABWWv8oDkRnYRELGmI7uc51nJhUpuzXjv7N89LkoRNIhJ5aWg89AWxt3CbXrT6aXnebQ_0T/s1991/IMG_5448.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1199" data-original-width="1991" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTXz3UWklLPwBuHH-eoLckq3p1sPd0ScRsOrFwRozmJBibWMqrP_nOMX7Eoeo_uj95XTnhN_xXjUIFQfwOkhP3CB52EOcoH0aenaK6IBG4XnKl9ABWWv8oDkRnYRELGmI7uc51nJhUpuzXjv7N89LkoRNIhJ5aWg89AWxt3CbXrT6aXnebQ_0T/w400-h241/IMG_5448.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Nice autumn colours at Loch Oire</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW8MkjQ0llMmaVmLJ8uPnEEgSqYdwrVaD4vPk9IghfhFVSwecVpU6w3I-mUXDXClqYB9Q8P4WcaSHhkqoVNkKa65oAcwS5Wy5FnP1s3K9SvX5_Xr1iq2KtXVBiXyPkcksAVhNBnMHgfPyg6L2PmRJarb4EDQe8KJ1dZcY2_rUNgUgNmw_sdfIJ/s4604/DSCN6676.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1545" data-original-width="4604" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW8MkjQ0llMmaVmLJ8uPnEEgSqYdwrVaD4vPk9IghfhFVSwecVpU6w3I-mUXDXClqYB9Q8P4WcaSHhkqoVNkKa65oAcwS5Wy5FnP1s3K9SvX5_Xr1iq2KtXVBiXyPkcksAVhNBnMHgfPyg6L2PmRJarb4EDQe8KJ1dZcY2_rUNgUgNmw_sdfIJ/w400-h134/DSCN6676.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Greylag Geese</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjccXh0gcenFFrtyLgJ1s3hyphenhyphenYT2pNDQJ208wkDJ1_4-1aLyyng32dQw1YH5CVnGG86pOB8AtPiV06A8nha8r7Zsij4BY1SAwDPKrd5RjEAT2j_m2pGEVHweDqaD_iz5mGCyxFfhIpT8u0-4wemaCrl4prsOpdS1-Dlhe0nmLZQxh7piCa3tDOgZ/s4144/DSCN6675.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1498" data-original-width="4144" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjccXh0gcenFFrtyLgJ1s3hyphenhyphenYT2pNDQJ208wkDJ1_4-1aLyyng32dQw1YH5CVnGG86pOB8AtPiV06A8nha8r7Zsij4BY1SAwDPKrd5RjEAT2j_m2pGEVHweDqaD_iz5mGCyxFfhIpT8u0-4wemaCrl4prsOpdS1-Dlhe0nmLZQxh7piCa3tDOgZ/w400-h145/DSCN6675.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Mute Swans</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMiGjOM_MNoV1st560muD_33QcvHR5NCzCKDjsH1ENNvv53yhZF64T-lysZ8loGd6leBSsXZ0GoP9Me4HZAE-lFJCZepbqytlIJb8Y9RLRICgef80jWSXn_1aUXidQ4TEUH2rjZSj6pxuULPDICFGgbssfgUIzn8pvvxZjorecWi2_FQttlXLy/s4443/DSCN6677.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3332" data-original-width="4443" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMiGjOM_MNoV1st560muD_33QcvHR5NCzCKDjsH1ENNvv53yhZF64T-lysZ8loGd6leBSsXZ0GoP9Me4HZAE-lFJCZepbqytlIJb8Y9RLRICgef80jWSXn_1aUXidQ4TEUH2rjZSj6pxuULPDICFGgbssfgUIzn8pvvxZjorecWi2_FQttlXLy/w400-h300/DSCN6677.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Cormorants</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu60jnCuf4taZL1cED9tE2CF3fI8UaMHq2L2blhW44McKVC1FX3V4HREQfWil7bfrq69UwKJxoUb3ClZ-CxS_3T_ZC2TcKDcZNIUNP0k4CULdB2JbWJjqFvCdifGpLUOJcUOXRLSQ5PVkx8KW698PDn54yp4LI559OlTQU3iu-MFea6xy-Lks4/s4608/DSCN6680.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu60jnCuf4taZL1cED9tE2CF3fI8UaMHq2L2blhW44McKVC1FX3V4HREQfWil7bfrq69UwKJxoUb3ClZ-CxS_3T_ZC2TcKDcZNIUNP0k4CULdB2JbWJjqFvCdifGpLUOJcUOXRLSQ5PVkx8KW698PDn54yp4LI559OlTQU3iu-MFea6xy-Lks4/s320/DSCN6680.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Coot</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOBQZrLygnS5fkTgwjR-Pzc3-cU35gow5gYBWjoa_2Ynjy5mxP4BVZ3K4D5ss3p-GOLXJuW3oR7McFO6qVzDepENEDvfEB4zIJgLIBZXcdJACLGbipeQs8B_3kL5XpRuMSIF7MFz2Vy-bbXGyF8ND2WYIoe8kj4HMPOkK0abQqex4OTd27hlXC/s4147/DSCN6839.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3015" data-original-width="4147" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOBQZrLygnS5fkTgwjR-Pzc3-cU35gow5gYBWjoa_2Ynjy5mxP4BVZ3K4D5ss3p-GOLXJuW3oR7McFO6qVzDepENEDvfEB4zIJgLIBZXcdJACLGbipeQs8B_3kL5XpRuMSIF7MFz2Vy-bbXGyF8ND2WYIoe8kj4HMPOkK0abQqex4OTd27hlXC/s320/DSCN6839.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Grey Heron</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzcCA3TCuCVYRAaoXH4LRvcxwvynHtq9w-aI-ahKalQKTtNP1tBfTLjADzZGsPba-pROhpn63RlUPZNKVC1DGGjnNotD8fsMqv5mJb7zFE-aZLfInVOmlZiC9pFvGhCgSRAa_1B8Laoqkt2qWAHAU320EQ-l4UTIuiDFG7FqAgyrip9ZJYM3iA/s4608/DSCN6682.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzcCA3TCuCVYRAaoXH4LRvcxwvynHtq9w-aI-ahKalQKTtNP1tBfTLjADzZGsPba-pROhpn63RlUPZNKVC1DGGjnNotD8fsMqv5mJb7zFE-aZLfInVOmlZiC9pFvGhCgSRAa_1B8Laoqkt2qWAHAU320EQ-l4UTIuiDFG7FqAgyrip9ZJYM3iA/s320/DSCN6682.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Little Grebe eating a perch</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg33FIb1Y9-daSE8Jt3hon2885q4HCGdgl8z0SThJXOxR2ROfytZ7mU6a6gXoaKq3kdFHlCoRBDgeYxcGh3xzb2-GMuw8rQjvB1fJyHFTMkQOmqLSXy0QflSekUOocFNXSof2xRbM9xIOwFyqa0h_0u0YF_DnhAyS25j0EfyL5Poz14W8lHaO7y/s2699/DSCN6838.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1553" data-original-width="2699" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg33FIb1Y9-daSE8Jt3hon2885q4HCGdgl8z0SThJXOxR2ROfytZ7mU6a6gXoaKq3kdFHlCoRBDgeYxcGh3xzb2-GMuw8rQjvB1fJyHFTMkQOmqLSXy0QflSekUOocFNXSof2xRbM9xIOwFyqa0h_0u0YF_DnhAyS25j0EfyL5Poz14W8lHaO7y/s320/DSCN6838.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Tree Sparrow</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">November 2023 mammal sightings in more detail:</b></p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="background-color: white;">Up in the glens, a</span>lthough the annual autumn 'rut' is now over and apparently already forgotten by the participants!, it was still a treat to see the magnificent fully antlered </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">Red Deer</b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"> stags, seemingly now all friends again and concentrating on feeding and chilling out after the demands of October....</span></b></b></p><div><br /></div><div><b><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></b></b></div><div><b><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></b></b></div><div><b><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo9DuslC0-798ecjBI8_FXV_E_AX3ENmDbOMRUoFQMdVpSRmC_1hFeZv7xydgsuzXdD3onFkXnSdcSqdDC98hVqKScD-4jd003UDDHbkCVjUHPxIWxPfYbYlGNqMKL95dvYbfBh3XpxhdWB2MTaNJmGLtloUUGi-wAZyYXgdyRFUYbNuEdxlXb/s2828/IMG_8795.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2102" data-original-width="2828" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo9DuslC0-798ecjBI8_FXV_E_AX3ENmDbOMRUoFQMdVpSRmC_1hFeZv7xydgsuzXdD3onFkXnSdcSqdDC98hVqKScD-4jd003UDDHbkCVjUHPxIWxPfYbYlGNqMKL95dvYbfBh3XpxhdWB2MTaNJmGLtloUUGi-wAZyYXgdyRFUYbNuEdxlXb/w400-h297/IMG_8795.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Deer Stags</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></b></b></div><div><br /></div><div><b><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></b></b></div><div><b><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1IC4mbs1ISEVmmVY3eDQ1TaZtsN7VFfSbpCT4aJOyhb_FD62htXcmAfReOyWVHq8pNl_b39TrejAgsUicTIIL3wJ2NunadMzL-DU7AlWfi8fCgONy9Ntye4d0ZUPB_wUGVP33dg_2aoJbhWyL5bD6EUvFQjC9ratRqi82HL4hrAVvus9Hbz3l/s3080/DSCN6707.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1971" data-original-width="3080" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1IC4mbs1ISEVmmVY3eDQ1TaZtsN7VFfSbpCT4aJOyhb_FD62htXcmAfReOyWVHq8pNl_b39TrejAgsUicTIIL3wJ2NunadMzL-DU7AlWfi8fCgONy9Ntye4d0ZUPB_wUGVP33dg_2aoJbhWyL5bD6EUvFQjC9ratRqi82HL4hrAVvus9Hbz3l/s320/DSCN6707.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Deer Stag</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></b></b></div><div><b><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></b></b></div><div><b><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></b></b></div><div><b><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></b></b></div><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Still in the uplands, </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Mountain Hares </b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;">, being very rare in the UK, and now they are turning 'winter white' are often voted as 'mammal of the day' by my safari clients at this time of year, and although they were pretty elusive this month, we were fortunate enough to see them on a couple of occasions, ...please be aware though, that most of our views are at long distance through a scope, and a fair bit of rough uphill walking may be required for photography purposes</span></b></b></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b></b></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlK86cDDLjLGjm8U8YSfGR1H_ycni2QCBZCaTskaTD1IJ1QJ8SnBqKibHDao1hjXbUSUCZtnTRBavptQSNMau8Q5aS4wDDe0DPKxXtIDpDQd5N5ElKqDhbNPq2KVFJ39ExTYgj6OOT4OMLfOml0o8i_FC31DnClDzSiyFt3jhXY6cF3HPho6xG/s4608/DSCN6893.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlK86cDDLjLGjm8U8YSfGR1H_ycni2QCBZCaTskaTD1IJ1QJ8SnBqKibHDao1hjXbUSUCZtnTRBavptQSNMau8Q5aS4wDDe0DPKxXtIDpDQd5N5ElKqDhbNPq2KVFJ39ExTYgj6OOT4OMLfOml0o8i_FC31DnClDzSiyFt3jhXY6cF3HPho6xG/s320/DSCN6893.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Mountain Hare</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b></b></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoTnpkO5UWxL-vhhXN2-swXWZRhH9IvGPcJ3h6TZmbfAQpm_k_wcHMTjXf6KjdNaB7OJ5gWQAZsK3BaN25odtX9rsMprclqjy2jYA_AUamGkuw5Kq_fYuFVZebaNX2_Ky1Xjwj5xbeU32S0ftaEgT-_bPwk-amDUW4y8ALAgQdgaJmP9QFxg69/s3921/DSCN6901.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2543" data-original-width="3921" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoTnpkO5UWxL-vhhXN2-swXWZRhH9IvGPcJ3h6TZmbfAQpm_k_wcHMTjXf6KjdNaB7OJ5gWQAZsK3BaN25odtX9rsMprclqjy2jYA_AUamGkuw5Kq_fYuFVZebaNX2_Ky1Xjwj5xbeU32S0ftaEgT-_bPwk-amDUW4y8ALAgQdgaJmP9QFxg69/s320/DSCN6901.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Mountain Hare</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></b><p></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Feral Mountain Goats</b></span><b> </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">always prove to be popular with my safari clients, and they were seen on a few of our visits to their upland habitat, though they generally kept their distance, so photo opportunities were a bit limited..</span></p><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik7fp_IrxJi-gBPuuSuvTGi-o2qtcJ_IxbgIYu0HVJII7MIHbosaziIZ11v8k9_teYFd2pF771pbDT7QJ_q1VnVKBpb_WXR5WxAkFjzla1iRhmVCsAUG6i-lOkV5tOmuFfZEm4r6xKGFyLZWC2RsjvRvjDHh55UuMOEOmRbxLblPv7WVONQ_As/s2473/DSCN5545.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1667" data-original-width="2473" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik7fp_IrxJi-gBPuuSuvTGi-o2qtcJ_IxbgIYu0HVJII7MIHbosaziIZ11v8k9_teYFd2pF771pbDT7QJ_q1VnVKBpb_WXR5WxAkFjzla1iRhmVCsAUG6i-lOkV5tOmuFfZEm4r6xKGFyLZWC2RsjvRvjDHh55UuMOEOmRbxLblPv7WVONQ_As/s320/DSCN5545.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Feral Mountain Goat - Photo from Nov 2020</b></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">In the Caledonian forests,</span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> Red Squirrels</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> always prove to be popular with my safari clients , and who am I to disagree? </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Being rare in the UK outside of Highland Scotland, attractive, charismatic and cute, they certainly tick a lot of boxes, and thankfully, with a bit of patience, they can usually be relied upon to put in an appearance at feeding stations in the winter months (they love peanuts!)....though we also get the odd random sighting whilst on forest walks too...</span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiXDTvR2crAIEjBk0WS6aMjLH_I3nYeQdF4tHvTOwE3yTw16HHaftXGeZPfNeNtw0uEV0adtaq_6IUjbT1XdCncTt7cbTIrTtTQg5-sf9TshmurgxwagR1-dmzofnxglI0anCCXedW1IKtX8gGhIgyVLVSSY19AvfG0lWS97WV14kkYzofTJ1D/s4225/DSCN6550.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2947" data-original-width="4225" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiXDTvR2crAIEjBk0WS6aMjLH_I3nYeQdF4tHvTOwE3yTw16HHaftXGeZPfNeNtw0uEV0adtaq_6IUjbT1XdCncTt7cbTIrTtTQg5-sf9TshmurgxwagR1-dmzofnxglI0anCCXedW1IKtX8gGhIgyVLVSSY19AvfG0lWS97WV14kkYzofTJ1D/s320/DSCN6550.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Squirrel</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyXenqfEAKYAvcqilyvsEZFCF2LC1tdQ54cNKvxTW7TERpX-UV3NiwyU_I2m0zYatRkzH5Azn5haBgcnZkMOeIQlPAxeL08961rjzHfjmTrf5svJck3oz_hRnhVVVVNMNEES_fpZebSGw8dvQuJbfyL4gnVCwIDZkw5MHOqV5DBBgfnAj5m4Qp/s4608/DSCN1635.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyXenqfEAKYAvcqilyvsEZFCF2LC1tdQ54cNKvxTW7TERpX-UV3NiwyU_I2m0zYatRkzH5Azn5haBgcnZkMOeIQlPAxeL08961rjzHfjmTrf5svJck3oz_hRnhVVVVNMNEES_fpZebSGw8dvQuJbfyL4gnVCwIDZkw5MHOqV5DBBgfnAj5m4Qp/s320/DSCN1635.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Squirrel</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Roe Deer, </b><span style="font-weight: 400;">although much more common UK-wide than Red Deer , can often be overlooked due to their crepuscular nature and nervous disposition... but several were seen, usually at dawn or dusk, but also during the day in less-disturbed places... </span></b></span></p><div><br /></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDlnjbrZQILYQXndaiRi_aODgErtfy5NmfFcWSjkfymc5vcZqDT013na2ue8eDXTKBgtQJf2_QdiiR2TT58XD-f308Ljf-mDhZwuek0gUfBl6OFrY7zdEbye-q75cEOcJQ98QjP9UGEgbL5qF11I_btEIHAtyCvZJ68auc-tv43UZ2qSUIgEXz/s4331/DSCN6402.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2272" data-original-width="4331" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDlnjbrZQILYQXndaiRi_aODgErtfy5NmfFcWSjkfymc5vcZqDT013na2ue8eDXTKBgtQJf2_QdiiR2TT58XD-f308Ljf-mDhZwuek0gUfBl6OFrY7zdEbye-q75cEOcJQ98QjP9UGEgbL5qF11I_btEIHAtyCvZJ68auc-tv43UZ2qSUIgEXz/w400-h210/DSCN6402.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Roe Deer</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><b>Brown Hares</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">, similarly to the Roe Deer, can also be very nervous and 'crepuscular' in nature, and most of our best sightings happen in the first hour of daylight, though sightings were very few and far between this month...</span></b></p><div><b><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></div><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Hairy Highland Coo's</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"> always prove to be popular with my safari clients, especially those who do not have them close to home, so don't be afraid to ask me if you fancy going to see them, and maybe even get to feed and 'pat' them, as I have a couple of great sites....</span></b></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbhq0Dr_dFko3ax26IwfmdQlemJeQUFeYUJffvFm0YW18JG_pqqcOqTjVA860NRTn9MKYBMh0xdcaWbS5IPXh2NrXsFb4AZm_tYdsknE0Ck1NtJG8MjWitz5SaUQdlw3uS6r9GLOlQS-fyV8seG0xV5EJm2LJXYI0BDStK9w0LPK_arXRvZN9f/s2568/DSCN6850.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1339" data-original-width="2568" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbhq0Dr_dFko3ax26IwfmdQlemJeQUFeYUJffvFm0YW18JG_pqqcOqTjVA860NRTn9MKYBMh0xdcaWbS5IPXh2NrXsFb4AZm_tYdsknE0Ck1NtJG8MjWitz5SaUQdlw3uS6r9GLOlQS-fyV8seG0xV5EJm2LJXYI0BDStK9w0LPK_arXRvZN9f/w400-h209/DSCN6850.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Hairy Highland Coo</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjonxJJEuXWRRmCMcOffxyVzf9jaX9ks9NiUQ2uOjLKg9cBJPhLpUA_CAmV88OBl9NzWAoTg93bN2_0pVlJvgP_R9DSXEgmOKB7lfMSCgi5ZZ4H3arvygj0qlHPnEg4ycnITfEl-cxtb2vWfDiboezRDvajmFacY9bXWaz5WJxXuzyHkMzIKLHd/s1756/IMG_2127.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1436" data-original-width="1756" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjonxJJEuXWRRmCMcOffxyVzf9jaX9ks9NiUQ2uOjLKg9cBJPhLpUA_CAmV88OBl9NzWAoTg93bN2_0pVlJvgP_R9DSXEgmOKB7lfMSCgi5ZZ4H3arvygj0qlHPnEg4ycnITfEl-cxtb2vWfDiboezRDvajmFacY9bXWaz5WJxXuzyHkMzIKLHd/w400-h328/IMG_2127.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Carrot time for Murdo</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b>Marine mammals:</b></p><div><b><br /></b></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">The Moray coast is pretty reliable for sightings of </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Seals,</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, with a decent chance of </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Harbour Porpoise</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> and </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Dolphins</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, and, even a slim chance of </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Whales</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">.....</span><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p></div><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Rare/nocturnal mammals:</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">I get a few enquiries about the possibility of seeing </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Badgers</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> and </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Pine Marten</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> from my safari clients, many of whom I suspect are unaware that they are actually a largely nocturnal creature, and although we do get the occasional (maybe one or two a year) dawn glimpse of one, you would definitely have a much higher chance of seeing them at a specific dusk Badger/Pine Marten watching hide - Please contact me for more information.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Similarly, our inland </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Otters</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> too are mainly active during the hours of darkness, and again, although we do get a few early-morning sightings on local lochs and rivers each year, looking for them feeding in a suitably quiet, kelp - filled bay on the coast on a rising tide, but at any time of day, would give you a much better chance.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-family: quot; line-height: 1.4;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: quot; line-height: 1.4;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Whilst we are still on the 'tricky to see stuff', the <b>Scottish Wildcat </b>too, as well as being incredibly rare now, is also generally nocturnal, and the fact that I have had a mere handful of (dawn or dusk) sightings in 17 years of providing wildlife safaris should give you an idea of how difficult they are to see.</span></p><div><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Other wildlife:</b></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;">Mid October-early December is usually the time of year to see our </span><strong style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Atlantic Salmon </strong><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;">spawning. These remarkable and often very large fish spawn in the shallow waters in the upper reaches of our rivers, at the very spot where they themselves were hatched several years before, having originally spent 2-3 years in the river, then another 2-3 years feeding, growing and maturing out in the mid Atlantic, before undertaking a perilous journey many miles upriver, often involving avoiding poachers, anglers and predators and negotiating high falls and rapids on the way , an amazing migration story! However, sightings are very reliant on the rivers water levels - too little water and the Salmon cannot access the upper reaches - too much water, and they can get there... but we can't see them....fortunately, for most of the month, it all fell into place and we enjoyed some decent views.......</span></b></b></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhAipoGgdddcj1PMy1b3LXCDdMvQxlJGwisX-bqc0fAXM9lUsKW_HMBg-lRylJmwFg_hn09Za47b-VgB_eXcQvC8hTBoeyLVQDtV1GPUjNpR_GwBqJKQV0bYd2GY-cNAGgobsrUgTlSAzBQw4Egt8G-Wvq3dBl40bzNgg-pJLUsnPzgSQ30d7i/s3747/DSCN1586.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1697" data-original-width="3747" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhAipoGgdddcj1PMy1b3LXCDdMvQxlJGwisX-bqc0fAXM9lUsKW_HMBg-lRylJmwFg_hn09Za47b-VgB_eXcQvC8hTBoeyLVQDtV1GPUjNpR_GwBqJKQV0bYd2GY-cNAGgobsrUgTlSAzBQw4Egt8G-Wvq3dBl40bzNgg-pJLUsnPzgSQ30d7i/w400-h181/DSCN1586.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Spawning Atlantic Salmon</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL-bkjNtWVSgx2Bhy6iBRXBuU4tDbBsCbW-0ID2VLB67gKsgIH17iQ64ubwfDICOMEI2jWy5QCyXA-5_b1_wedGRCPIqDOCHOx24KD-75bjzrXUm6UDy4ISji3SdYdxIt6kCPxmJMkFn-titRsW7FEhf91mTXOrI_LfgwDzr7KVCaRIJDtDUw5/s640/Rob%20Ellett%207.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="640" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL-bkjNtWVSgx2Bhy6iBRXBuU4tDbBsCbW-0ID2VLB67gKsgIH17iQ64ubwfDICOMEI2jWy5QCyXA-5_b1_wedGRCPIqDOCHOx24KD-75bjzrXUm6UDy4ISji3SdYdxIt6kCPxmJMkFn-titRsW7FEhf91mTXOrI_LfgwDzr7KVCaRIJDtDUw5/s320/Rob%20Ellett%207.jpg" width="320" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Spawning Atlantic Salmon - Photo from Nov 2019 by Rob Ellett</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">News:</b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">I am very pleased to announce that Highland Wildlife & Birdwatch Safaris has recently been awarded - for the second consecutive year - a Travelers Choice accreditation from Trip Advisor, for being ranked in the top 10% of visitor attractions worldwide based on customer reviews and feedback.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; margin-left: 4.8pt;"><span lang="EN-US">This achievement would not have been possible without the support of all my family, friends, safari clients, social media followers, regular blog readers , the Visit Scotland 'mystery shoppers', and everyone else who has helped and encouraged me along the way to ‘living my dream’ of being a wildlife safari guide, since 2004, especially over the last few very difficult COVID affected years, so a big THANK YOU to you all :)</span><o:p></o:p></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">All tourism/hospitality/activities in Scotland are open , are free of restrictions and I have now completed two years of (thankfully!) increasingly busy and extremely enjoyable safaris with clients with no major issues arising.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">With all national travel restrictions lifted too, Scotland is officially 'open for business' for visitors from all over the UK, and from abroad, and already this year, I have enjoyed meeting my first ever clients from Chile, and Singapore....</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">For those considering a visit, these wildlife/outdoor tourism websites may prove useful:</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">June - September is midge season - But thankfully, this area is not usually affected too badly - This link explains why: </span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-65939262" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">Bumper midge hatch alert after warm spell - BBC News</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b>https://www.gov.scot/collections/coronavirus-covid</b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.outdooraccess-scotland.scot/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">NatureScot (outdooraccess-scotland.scot)</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xGdTZcC2ZQ" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-line: none;">Can Nature Help Health? | Nature Prescriptions - YouTube</a></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1HBKnnGr-g" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;">Scotland, Yours to Enjoy. Responsibly. - YouTube</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://cairngorms.co.uk/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">Cairngorms National Park Authority</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.highlandwildlifepark.org.uk/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">Highland Wildlife Park</a></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.gov.scot/publications/avian-influenza-outbreaks/" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;">Avian influenza (bird flu) outbreaks - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)</a></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.rspb.org.uk/about-the-rspb/about-us/how-the-rspb-is-run/annualreport/annual-report-2022_scotland-news/?utm_source=notes_on_nature_20220903&utm_medium=email&utm_term=notes_on_nature&utm_content=27&utm_campaign=notes_on_nature" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;">Positive prescriptions | The RSPB</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001I2CprmTF4v466b2QwFanHYsB-M-rMapIosb95lRyTUJBNCM4M5pRVhERGqeaLRzFyv1eekvDmizxHTXlceC8MfUpDhmPVjcIKSIuzoxgpUAR-WvJnMt7Qy_6FTM7t0NmHCFXcXrKl2PwZmYesq-W9IS95jsm4EjF&c=yaKTJZAUiA1JLq3HZX4qSPKZSV0TmxUhrab0kVmIGIcqw2TwJXwIuA==&ch=DwiISia8UtA2D1uBYb3sVgpwyW_q8Q-7QsuJDduKzFxiKfyqeb9Flw==" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;"><b><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" style="color: #d9b559; font-size: 12pt;">www.scotlandbigpicture.com</span></b></a></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>COVID-19</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">The Scottish Highlands, being very sparsely populated, has had very few COVID-19 cases in comparison to most of the UK, and on my safaris we tend to visit remote , wild habitats well away from the more popular tourist areas, and usually have very little interaction with other people, and this is something that I intend to continue.</b></p><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAVdht3U7LPwinbTat8WqaC0qMNmZl6JK0aRaFICnpX3WwVVsEC9X4uvaYTs3bzJCmw5SJqhYlIu1wiD96L2UIcEjF2FHEg_iex4KC02hqr3zS8iuly_oGoBgKp9SXgutTkm980-7MidezmYdY3ebz-LJ63EDWcQIN6T-hfl2Khm-YaMpntBN3/s2016/IMG_2207.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="893" data-original-width="2016" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAVdht3U7LPwinbTat8WqaC0qMNmZl6JK0aRaFICnpX3WwVVsEC9X4uvaYTs3bzJCmw5SJqhYlIu1wiD96L2UIcEjF2FHEg_iex4KC02hqr3zS8iuly_oGoBgKp9SXgutTkm980-7MidezmYdY3ebz-LJ63EDWcQIN6T-hfl2Khm-YaMpntBN3/w400-h178/IMG_2207.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>On safari in a wild and remote location</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Summary:</b></p><p><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Well, looking through my notes and photos for this month, despite the shortening days and changeable, and sometimes challenging weather conditions, I reckon it turned out to be very decent for wildlife-watching,</span><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">With lots of great wildlife enjoyed, some of our 'local speciality species' at their easiest to see, the chance of a few rarities, spectacularly picturesque and often snowy scenery, and plenty of hot chocolate and shortbrtead, the 'winter blues' were well and truly kept at bay....</span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja9gKwUXuu0sixSEbGaw80yOlLFk9QrnTFeOqDG6spXr8I_cXliB8fubS-ovtiQxWQ-XQ9PSTq91i421_KzKd4l5i5udotYi7KHbqx9_Ia70mk85mKt_Gd5Hvk-S1KmVHH3ucDm5zYQ7wFfLEzwFU9ziKtoxCdb2TrIpCsNWgkvkYkvQLFJrQR/s2016/IMG_2221.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja9gKwUXuu0sixSEbGaw80yOlLFk9QrnTFeOqDG6spXr8I_cXliB8fubS-ovtiQxWQ-XQ9PSTq91i421_KzKd4l5i5udotYi7KHbqx9_Ia70mk85mKt_Gd5Hvk-S1KmVHH3ucDm5zYQ7wFfLEzwFU9ziKtoxCdb2TrIpCsNWgkvkYkvQLFJrQR/w400-h300/IMG_2221.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Nice autumn colours at Strathdearn</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Reviews:</b></span></p><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span face="" style="color: #06004c;">I know a lot of visitors to this area very wisely check out reviews of attractions/experiences at </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">TripAdvisor</b><span face="" style="color: #06004c;"> before 'taking the plunge' and booking - We now have over 300 reviews online, so if you wish, you can check out our clients comments at the link below....</span></div><p><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><div style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"></span></span><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;" /><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g186537-d3335134-Reviews-</span></span></span></span></span></div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"></span></span><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;" /><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Highland_Wildlife_Birdwatch_Safaris-Aviemore_Aviemore_and_the_Cairngorms_Scottish.html</span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div></div></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1n1dywIUVa19d3ONGm87gXWfgYIOOcOtnPUlrXhk7WQXl7s7HyBMbfEszgpwrZMzQDiIyzDKyXi5Exb_GHJDNl9K6Q8pItBnwPgup0VjqsXiKvzHgO5GTaX3gd4NVOa-aL6R5CHWgMEDk5ZnUnoBCyGfpFYPsaG8VnFqgnbkLbcvCEeu6tJrH/s2016/IMG_2214.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1n1dywIUVa19d3ONGm87gXWfgYIOOcOtnPUlrXhk7WQXl7s7HyBMbfEszgpwrZMzQDiIyzDKyXi5Exb_GHJDNl9K6Q8pItBnwPgup0VjqsXiKvzHgO5GTaX3gd4NVOa-aL6R5CHWgMEDk5ZnUnoBCyGfpFYPsaG8VnFqgnbkLbcvCEeu6tJrH/w400-h300/IMG_2214.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Autumn reflection at Loch Garten</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><b>G</b></span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">ift Certificates:</b></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><div style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; color: #222222; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 5px; position: relative;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T95gARK_lkQ/XAvNUI2tI6I/AAAAAAAADwU/GDPgK9hH9LwgLQ8gPnoaLdf04Yn2BLebwCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_1578.JPG" style="background: none 0% 0% / auto repeat scroll padding-box border-box transparent; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 5px;" width="400" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 10.56px; text-align: center;"><b>Safari gift voucher</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></span></span></div></div></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="" style="color: #06004c; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;">If you think you know someone who may enjoy a taste of what I do, why not treat them to a safari gift </span><span face="" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;">certificate? They make a thoughtful and imaginative present, are available for any amount and are valid for a whole year from date of purchase........</span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span face="" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div></div></div>Highland Wildlife & Birdwatch Safarishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04327130550058794301noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26724394.post-19923680134285379072023-10-31T20:40:00.000+00:002023-10-31T20:40:21.356+00:00<p><b>October 2023</b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p>October 2023 was yet another very changeable month weather-wise in this area, which saw us enjoy some pretty decent, mild and sunny weather at times, but this was offset by some wild, wet and windy weather courtesy of three named storms, 2 mid-month, one late month, and some frosty days and the first snow on the mountains later in the month.</p><p>Temperatures ranged widely from a balmy +12c to a chilly -4c, <span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">and the few bright and sunny days saw us get our first proper frosts of this autumn, while the 21st saw our first snowfall linger on the mountain tops, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">so any prospective visitors would be wise to pack a good variety of clothing.</span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">Though the days are certainly shortening now, we still have around 10 hours (7am-5pm approx) of usable daylight, and the Highland scenery is still ablaze with glorious autumn colours, with most of the leaves still clinging on, the ferns a picture in copper, and many of our berry trees still fully laden.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">The autumn rains have restored the local rivers to their normal levels, allowing the Atlantic salmon to finally reach their spawning grounds in the upper reaches.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">October is a really great month to witness visible bird migration in action, with large flocks of Geese, Swans, and Thrush species often witnessed flying noisily overhead, and this influx of winter visitors from colder areas further north, helped full-day safari bird lists increase up into the 40's, (or more if you include a trip to the Moray Coast), whilst mammal day-lists varied between 3 and 7 depending on the start time and number of venues visited, with early starts, as usual, proving to be best.</span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheTrtpj3slFRxgZLBLFWyaVwLW-EzGHiJfkVS5qdMFfbKfFY4hMaXGt80XBInhfSBPlioBB1KZ6qZYdVTK7wNP5Ci9K80hyphenhyphenpmtEsqwK2_Okhz2gv_LmJCxM6_9Jdi4SkhDT1jKCWCPb12-MqJZFJAuYT24lObKEY1_mDaslRI1VZMndpraZFad/s2016/IMG_2035.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheTrtpj3slFRxgZLBLFWyaVwLW-EzGHiJfkVS5qdMFfbKfFY4hMaXGt80XBInhfSBPlioBB1KZ6qZYdVTK7wNP5Ci9K80hyphenhyphenpmtEsqwK2_Okhz2gv_LmJCxM6_9Jdi4SkhDT1jKCWCPb12-MqJZFJAuYT24lObKEY1_mDaslRI1VZMndpraZFad/w400-h300/IMG_2035.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Enjoying the autumn colours at a picturesque local glen</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">To give you an idea of what you may realistically hope to see if you are considering a future October visit, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">I hope the following more detailed information, illustrated with photos taken at sites in and around the Cairngorms National Park by myself, my friends or my safari clients this month and in previous October's will help....clicking on the picture enlarges it to full-screen. </span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Local speciality/upland bird species seen regularly during the month included</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">:</span></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Red Grouse, Crested Tit, Goldeneye </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">and </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Dipper, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">we also had several good dawn sightings of <b>Black Grouse</b>, some decent views of </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Golden Eagle </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, a couple of </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">White-Tailed Eagle, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> and a few fleeting glimpses of </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Crossbills</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">.</span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">...</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">Newly-arrived winter visiting birds were represented by </span><b>Whooper Swans</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, several species of 'grey' </span><b>Geese, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">and from the first week onwards, good numbers of </span><b>Redwings, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">and</span><b> from mid-month, Fieldfares,</b> and a few<b> Bramblings.</b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">A good variety of</span><b> sea ducks, geese, waders </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">and</span><b> wildfowl </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">were seen at the</span><b> Moray Coast.</b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Mammal species seen regularly included:</b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Red Squirrel</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Red Deer </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">(rutting</span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">),</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Roe Deer</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Mountain Goat</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> , </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Brown Hare</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> and </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Rabbit</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">......with a few</span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> sightings of Bank Vole </b><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">at forest feeding stations.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span></span></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">The second half of the month also saw us enjoy views of </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Atlantic Salmon</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> starting to spawn in the upper reaches of our local rivers....</span></span></p><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></span></div><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><u>All photographs of wildlife, especially Schedule 1 and other protected bird species were taken legally at long range with powerful zoom lenses, or from my vehicle on public roads, well away from nest sites, and no disturbance was caused to any wildlife....</u></b></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">October 2023 bird sightings in more detail:</b></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;">Up in the glens...</b></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmI1fNhJ0CdhkaoY46iwLIq7NbHcfNf3FPXlZjYDWNIqlMCI4bxSeMfa0dkDP_W6YzpjAIrq3iQDqJzRL-tLcbynUSAInSkyhSIA-CBTaGcXFZqlxop0IZ0ez6Llk0kCcfuo2rNlgeNX8OjnHU_OE2FmcNYMKfa-LpExtljn5JUDuuxYYgVran/s2016/IMG_2023.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmI1fNhJ0CdhkaoY46iwLIq7NbHcfNf3FPXlZjYDWNIqlMCI4bxSeMfa0dkDP_W6YzpjAIrq3iQDqJzRL-tLcbynUSAInSkyhSIA-CBTaGcXFZqlxop0IZ0ez6Llk0kCcfuo2rNlgeNX8OjnHU_OE2FmcNYMKfa-LpExtljn5JUDuuxYYgVran/w400-h300/IMG_2023.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Autumn in a beautiful local upland glen</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;"><br /></b><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Golden Eagle </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">is truly an iconic bird of the Scottish Highlands, and one that always seems to be on the 'wish-list' of my safari clients, and our regular visits to my favourite upland glens paid off on a good number of occasions this month, with some pleasingly frequent and often decent sightings of these hugely impressive creatures, sometimes hunting , occasionally in aerial combat with other raptors or Ravens, or sometimes just soaring around....and, presumably lured in by the spawning Salmon, we also saw the even larger <b>White-Tailed Eagle </b>more frequently than normal...</span></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr73WdFbu3s-6Htt74mOl5b8chwe4uIKX-XamGZaHcUYd0KgzlMit1T4L6IVmJvHBZXC_ZYUra4T_YeM8DQx9JoayoixjmBsyDKHMbTbrkeuX2ohGGZN8Wq6sxsyAL1V9UuHDn7hpikZWckgy6L2E_DmzOrAEREJAb4-zQss3Wf6MGQ4eOWIA2/s2709/DSCN6574.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2055" data-original-width="2709" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr73WdFbu3s-6Htt74mOl5b8chwe4uIKX-XamGZaHcUYd0KgzlMit1T4L6IVmJvHBZXC_ZYUra4T_YeM8DQx9JoayoixjmBsyDKHMbTbrkeuX2ohGGZN8Wq6sxsyAL1V9UuHDn7hpikZWckgy6L2E_DmzOrAEREJAb4-zQss3Wf6MGQ4eOWIA2/s320/DSCN6574.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Golden Eagle</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_UAkE_jpOZ7odKgZAzxFcIHgjgXEN1ct3C6OqyhizSW46uR4FvsRsZstqFvyhYKd6yl4WYomqgn1OBk2ys2hUU5WNgPIpKe3PivuG8QSyUqqjp3Qisw8OaV2dTSgTIhw7xjmE2igcQ7YRFma0KNiGU-s-4p9WxUqxdc_SCpaJNwp3v8oIuRZs/s4608/DSCN6575.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_UAkE_jpOZ7odKgZAzxFcIHgjgXEN1ct3C6OqyhizSW46uR4FvsRsZstqFvyhYKd6yl4WYomqgn1OBk2ys2hUU5WNgPIpKe3PivuG8QSyUqqjp3Qisw8OaV2dTSgTIhw7xjmE2igcQ7YRFma0KNiGU-s-4p9WxUqxdc_SCpaJNwp3v8oIuRZs/s320/DSCN6575.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Golden Eagle</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-n7ybTMgsMUTg1M0Mm9eEqxzUESp5C1lwHSUEk390ZO6wDfPiJxkpWLJC7mEOCJ7CnyRbFTkRVCxVx7Ne-uAbm_rz2jrLE9ck7LbzMf3JGVQ1OQhGrHmU1iitvTMfpGLVGU5Q_oOLBXZ7f9igUpUKab0VHmsCDoCYGFGjwP0vDJbxVuSN77K7/s2052/DSCN6580.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1250" data-original-width="2052" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-n7ybTMgsMUTg1M0Mm9eEqxzUESp5C1lwHSUEk390ZO6wDfPiJxkpWLJC7mEOCJ7CnyRbFTkRVCxVx7Ne-uAbm_rz2jrLE9ck7LbzMf3JGVQ1OQhGrHmU1iitvTMfpGLVGU5Q_oOLBXZ7f9igUpUKab0VHmsCDoCYGFGjwP0vDJbxVuSN77K7/s320/DSCN6580.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Golden Eagle</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSG1WFf1-zFcgBASLAkMwPNzQ3_CNYwELBFM-zqTR2GpcSXDxoMQCFQsi1QC6OS1vkaNjyP88yJtNJJjNLFF-4-2LcTtHKWrFaMWbzq3B6loGTBXDq3XYLKftCja27JI3zwpO_6oYZaAfMBG4ERJ-YitbhTin0of9LTOeK65aele7kTYlB2cDn/s810/Kathleen%20Robertson%201.heic" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="810" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSG1WFf1-zFcgBASLAkMwPNzQ3_CNYwELBFM-zqTR2GpcSXDxoMQCFQsi1QC6OS1vkaNjyP88yJtNJJjNLFF-4-2LcTtHKWrFaMWbzq3B6loGTBXDq3XYLKftCja27JI3zwpO_6oYZaAfMBG4ERJ-YitbhTin0of9LTOeK65aele7kTYlB2cDn/w400-h266/Kathleen%20Robertson%201.heic" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>White-Tailed Eagles by Kathleen Robertson</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn9lUCL1CZ-ZXBnibarwfzNRqPVNRVv5io0dyjQ-xp2sHkqDJJSVEvwFBhg9t9eKc2Ocx9EaYCiQiWZFe9F_GbwFy-LKWRjZA5vg7ZyBBhkPHn6xX5aYx0FkeHsXPXx7cpSp1LURsJAp1Yj_60goRyT3esUtTcRWQXscrBSH1jyAP0TcVxKzQb/s810/Kathleen%20Robertson%203.heic" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="810" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn9lUCL1CZ-ZXBnibarwfzNRqPVNRVv5io0dyjQ-xp2sHkqDJJSVEvwFBhg9t9eKc2Ocx9EaYCiQiWZFe9F_GbwFy-LKWRjZA5vg7ZyBBhkPHn6xX5aYx0FkeHsXPXx7cpSp1LURsJAp1Yj_60goRyT3esUtTcRWQXscrBSH1jyAP0TcVxKzQb/s320/Kathleen%20Robertson%203.heic" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>White-Tailed Eagle by Kathleen Robertson</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ2B_R3mGcSW-AxAF6XdK2FvL6fhY9qh_L0fZcCW6tpiOh-khRpZ6q_I0H9fmzNNNLkEM7JMSJnRHUvCrAUxXc8UXPlzv7jRH3onwVysA8dcXJ1h5a7OE2jzPVLlvHrHQ2KTgTPzEGAD01HWEALiy-Ub92Gq0s4p-jdjgvPg45f-KGM4jkJFlE/s810/Kathleen%20Robertson%202.heic" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="810" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ2B_R3mGcSW-AxAF6XdK2FvL6fhY9qh_L0fZcCW6tpiOh-khRpZ6q_I0H9fmzNNNLkEM7JMSJnRHUvCrAUxXc8UXPlzv7jRH3onwVysA8dcXJ1h5a7OE2jzPVLlvHrHQ2KTgTPzEGAD01HWEALiy-Ub92Gq0s4p-jdjgvPg45f-KGM4jkJFlE/s320/Kathleen%20Robertson%202.heic" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>White-Tailed Eagle by Kathleen Robertson</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></p><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">In fact, if you are a bird of prey fan, it is worth noting that autumn and early winter is usually our best time of year for raptor sightings, and this month we also recorded views of </span><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;">Peregrine, Sparrowhawk, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">and numerous <b>Kestrels</b>, <b>Red Kites</b> and </span><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;">Common Buzzards</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">...</span></span></span></div><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbaHZTfnU5YopaWg8gwVg6XGDHvUdy8KX5HriP6DpKAYadM-LOsVdJVoR-S-K6vE1w4bzc3QOQQYRIFzewLBWTQZXsyY5Rb8hnk5WVEfvu1hec5BGsG7FT4VYkvmFnkaoFs2S-YLRx5tcT-YvEUeICxR9LFzYsTGhJcpNF-NGod6BU3LGycbG6/s3600/DSCN6584.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1886" data-original-width="3600" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbaHZTfnU5YopaWg8gwVg6XGDHvUdy8KX5HriP6DpKAYadM-LOsVdJVoR-S-K6vE1w4bzc3QOQQYRIFzewLBWTQZXsyY5Rb8hnk5WVEfvu1hec5BGsG7FT4VYkvmFnkaoFs2S-YLRx5tcT-YvEUeICxR9LFzYsTGhJcpNF-NGod6BU3LGycbG6/s320/DSCN6584.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Kestrel</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLGSYFt0fGtRaTSHyPTELt6X_Fn1I9oS4hHwvNakLhg-l4NsPfpYqehBSrs1o_8AIt4oClJSZRlKo36uzpY8QuiX6qDvnYGwUD8-Vov9BK5RmX0ywV4IW_IsRMRbwS4iLBa-Zlm32GfVH9c9WZWPJRrgj7R9gFMS96MdnR49dGRkrf-S1nNYBO/s4608/DSCN6573.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLGSYFt0fGtRaTSHyPTELt6X_Fn1I9oS4hHwvNakLhg-l4NsPfpYqehBSrs1o_8AIt4oClJSZRlKo36uzpY8QuiX6qDvnYGwUD8-Vov9BK5RmX0ywV4IW_IsRMRbwS4iLBa-Zlm32GfVH9c9WZWPJRrgj7R9gFMS96MdnR49dGRkrf-S1nNYBO/s320/DSCN6573.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Common Buzzard</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0YgEVuf1-I1Sn4nh6f4rw1pBAJqNtFKuL2FSDAcQqAT4SGD_ea1909heFd3g7nzkrGBPTin2eBGR0ZCjfj538vMBqNb37Y758rJH7n__Vs8q5cowrjbC14wFfqn1yfIp5rSX4gjOnjKbSu_b3L1pFy9hr4meYXS5BoZhH8iMi9zGc1CnWxLER/s2205/DSCN6534.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1439" data-original-width="2205" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0YgEVuf1-I1Sn4nh6f4rw1pBAJqNtFKuL2FSDAcQqAT4SGD_ea1909heFd3g7nzkrGBPTin2eBGR0ZCjfj538vMBqNb37Y758rJH7n__Vs8q5cowrjbC14wFfqn1yfIp5rSX4gjOnjKbSu_b3L1pFy9hr4meYXS5BoZhH8iMi9zGc1CnWxLER/s320/DSCN6534.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Kite</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Up on the moors....</b></b></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibR8EHJ9SaQqsEQQD1RhQVB4RB9Y8JKhAPApmQNA6c0PnDsuya6gOh59TKfu3WcHFb_7dhNYoFqVN5R2zsv7Ji5OcFSVFtwwS8y4YDpFkr1WSQRDMMY1XI0cFodRrQNDUObpaopLlKSgbNEIx7YRY2Izn0lcZLY6I3GFbGmmxfeoESyqODVE4O/s1963/IMG_1991.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1040" data-original-width="1963" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibR8EHJ9SaQqsEQQD1RhQVB4RB9Y8JKhAPApmQNA6c0PnDsuya6gOh59TKfu3WcHFb_7dhNYoFqVN5R2zsv7Ji5OcFSVFtwwS8y4YDpFkr1WSQRDMMY1XI0cFodRrQNDUObpaopLlKSgbNEIx7YRY2Izn0lcZLY6I3GFbGmmxfeoESyqODVE4O/w400-h213/IMG_1991.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Early morning on a local heather moorland</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Red Grouse</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, though mot a 'banker' sighting, and still largely in family groups were generally very obliging, and by using my vehicle as a 'mobile hide', we often achieved excellent close-up views and photo opportunities.. and later in the month, a few of the more 'frisky' cock birds appeared to be getting a little aggressive and territorial in their behaviour....</span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiugKDVSRCWKAvnKxfoiR1wimr5JVpjOCjJASy6NstsGHSQSUuhoT7CvPpd6eSPhw9VncDtXnVR3yqzoiSnM8DBIAra1qYDzUCI_ZcdoZLGuAUUYXQuR6cHzypB_XnT6b08BYn3g66-feEUDxPJhSqSjc_58WOTDongjhH12W1pvh2eNcpRCSXf/s3252/DSCN6492.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1858" data-original-width="3252" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiugKDVSRCWKAvnKxfoiR1wimr5JVpjOCjJASy6NstsGHSQSUuhoT7CvPpd6eSPhw9VncDtXnVR3yqzoiSnM8DBIAra1qYDzUCI_ZcdoZLGuAUUYXQuR6cHzypB_XnT6b08BYn3g66-feEUDxPJhSqSjc_58WOTDongjhH12W1pvh2eNcpRCSXf/s320/DSCN6492.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Female Red Grouse</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5j-Nfzz1Bg8ZBj2tT3VN7L9q7xyn4zi5rsdukq1neR7T85EMg69pWvSKmQ6ZQ9I2FVi_41QwyKgWAmvi_OaEXh_1MlIwCuti-mlHRDZETjLgt23sa8zk3Xxiscka5XiShmUvtCB0aGPSmutl6cBrK_aGuRnu5yljLbo6jOwh6Pf0w88xASn-u/s4331/DSCN6607.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3271" data-original-width="4331" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5j-Nfzz1Bg8ZBj2tT3VN7L9q7xyn4zi5rsdukq1neR7T85EMg69pWvSKmQ6ZQ9I2FVi_41QwyKgWAmvi_OaEXh_1MlIwCuti-mlHRDZETjLgt23sa8zk3Xxiscka5XiShmUvtCB0aGPSmutl6cBrK_aGuRnu5yljLbo6jOwh6Pf0w88xASn-u/s320/DSCN6607.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Red Grouse</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Visits to </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Black Grouse</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> leks were a little less predictable however, with results varying from none showing at all on some occasions, to 5 displaying males on one memorable frosty morning...with seemingly no reliable pattern emerging yet. .and on the 12th, we were most surprised to happen across 1 male and 2 females on a moorland well away from any lek site....not a common occurrence...</span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7CAr5LhZks0DR_qasoDKpp5dHPRUBG6UdyIemrj1SNNs0owGWows-XoGI4IPg4022D1e95KysaP0OEJRk0FP-zHYm_3THqHKYbQ5JfDrDNSlkvxjWepL1lnED_nocaS7nYAlf8Q6c3UW9RNDMR1b0j0bpST1H0uL1r2A_FabPYGWLOhJJqE4s/s3412/DSCN6560.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1788" data-original-width="3412" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7CAr5LhZks0DR_qasoDKpp5dHPRUBG6UdyIemrj1SNNs0owGWows-XoGI4IPg4022D1e95KysaP0OEJRk0FP-zHYm_3THqHKYbQ5JfDrDNSlkvxjWepL1lnED_nocaS7nYAlf8Q6c3UW9RNDMR1b0j0bpST1H0uL1r2A_FabPYGWLOhJJqE4s/w400-h210/DSCN6560.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Displaying Black Grouse</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF9pgYFesPUvSDrgM13zSDGLHzJRUsko3YGvTBVPZjvbSAcr9S9XXY6FPbeA7nuvmvTaONv2dfvzHvvnV-NEtvyfZJGJuCWWMa6Ayri6DhB7OayibbteB_U6ibefQSUbOUqBLuj3iNW2rOdrPUX5xl2jO-A0ES4HqDtBpQhpgPWFxC3kRV5FoG/s2771/Black%20Grouse%20(F)%2018.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1848" data-original-width="2771" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF9pgYFesPUvSDrgM13zSDGLHzJRUsko3YGvTBVPZjvbSAcr9S9XXY6FPbeA7nuvmvTaONv2dfvzHvvnV-NEtvyfZJGJuCWWMa6Ayri6DhB7OayibbteB_U6ibefQSUbOUqBLuj3iNW2rOdrPUX5xl2jO-A0ES4HqDtBpQhpgPWFxC3kRV5FoG/s320/Black%20Grouse%20(F)%2018.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Female Black Grouse by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKSPKa1qyfO_DND4eFpNIUAIilRvqBL6VrNzb7LreqaZF9FM8-OFOjauZEmuJvuSgaxoM0rnfubeHCuy06xEI5E_jEMotY5Qll2F1pFJZoaBCf96riBK0xCzg49aHG8W1jEFhZTnjsZEvfI7ONEy8SL44dF12gYkbTpInkiS2nF3sOpz2tFH5p/s4235/DSCN6568.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2226" data-original-width="4235" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKSPKa1qyfO_DND4eFpNIUAIilRvqBL6VrNzb7LreqaZF9FM8-OFOjauZEmuJvuSgaxoM0rnfubeHCuy06xEI5E_jEMotY5Qll2F1pFJZoaBCf96riBK0xCzg49aHG8W1jEFhZTnjsZEvfI7ONEy8SL44dF12gYkbTpInkiS2nF3sOpz2tFH5p/s320/DSCN6568.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Black Grouse, pretending to be a Red Grouse!</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0QRLokkW5H9-r74mqxj3aryEuGJmLwLTKnxSjPAct9uAFP3-7MrFwDtltGDte-9Jh3HQLY-ZAd5wCPKF96RPIyEkR_IkE21C08WYXPVIXImnY2GbZaDPNES46-QIJkr_O8EJgDHRh-2Sv8We7vzIC1AjQZBDOQ2LpYLq9bANx2kBWAe5YDrQQ/s1809/Black%20Grouse%20(M)%2046.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1206" data-original-width="1809" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0QRLokkW5H9-r74mqxj3aryEuGJmLwLTKnxSjPAct9uAFP3-7MrFwDtltGDte-9Jh3HQLY-ZAd5wCPKF96RPIyEkR_IkE21C08WYXPVIXImnY2GbZaDPNES46-QIJkr_O8EJgDHRh-2Sv8We7vzIC1AjQZBDOQ2LpYLq9bANx2kBWAe5YDrQQ/s320/Black%20Grouse%20(M)%2046.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Black Grouse by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">I</span><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">n the Caledonian forests...</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWbOJYZ0r62rfHq3Mt01-yLqaMvWZLzMkQMmKAsDJ86cdFZ9g9_bMmhAxEs_REpCpxYS_KcOA8KpGYQfHM0pZ3ZQXYPAPfP5gaddE2zkAOBurvKN7CJ2e5Bib3FiGuDvz0JD8ppHIyzXOM7vaMJZ13Z2yOnQy8Z7PMS56G4xOlvSMzTWDt-yKI/s1836/IMG_1951.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1377" data-original-width="1836" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWbOJYZ0r62rfHq3Mt01-yLqaMvWZLzMkQMmKAsDJ86cdFZ9g9_bMmhAxEs_REpCpxYS_KcOA8KpGYQfHM0pZ3ZQXYPAPfP5gaddE2zkAOBurvKN7CJ2e5Bib3FiGuDvz0JD8ppHIyzXOM7vaMJZ13Z2yOnQy8Z7PMS56G4xOlvSMzTWDt-yKI/w400-h300/IMG_1951.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Autumn in a local Caledonian Forest</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Crested Tits</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, having been typically 'uncooperative' and elusive through the summer months, started to become more regular visitors to forest feeding stations, especially soon after dawn on the colder days, and we were fortunate enough to enjoy many excellent and often extremely close views of this true 'local speciality' as well as a couple of more random sightings of them in mixed winter flocks on our forest walks...</span></p><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM6PGkQgk3deQDA7mBoHobZIzdPOCnT9yvHRdqPcspq1D5btPf6vcfsztR1-g9fpcfRsjyD6tAaGaINJDoQSeis2m31Tw2kdEC9afTrI5pse_RCyh70iLR7uzZ4u_wFrDATY8EVLiZSu-qqxAjliAZvu51MVnd5EZIe-kgLzocryQy0SVFLKOA/s3002/DSCN6500.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1995" data-original-width="3002" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM6PGkQgk3deQDA7mBoHobZIzdPOCnT9yvHRdqPcspq1D5btPf6vcfsztR1-g9fpcfRsjyD6tAaGaINJDoQSeis2m31Tw2kdEC9afTrI5pse_RCyh70iLR7uzZ4u_wFrDATY8EVLiZSu-qqxAjliAZvu51MVnd5EZIe-kgLzocryQy0SVFLKOA/s320/DSCN6500.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Crested Tit</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsMlLN9fQNjv-lNL8hnpY2RuMvPSeHUOXUOxEh4HPCHpHM-i-eTjidHsy-lPR6MwUnLKl6DfWu7dLYBkcqjd46Onp12c4FYM7uARAYzoJFUHe1EZB-aT-u-9A8A3vkZBymf0o0Y4UhCEdvFs71ad4h7PhtvGCOi7klsP-o12IWCcnQSfrDKsur/s2939/DSCN6501.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2292" data-original-width="2939" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsMlLN9fQNjv-lNL8hnpY2RuMvPSeHUOXUOxEh4HPCHpHM-i-eTjidHsy-lPR6MwUnLKl6DfWu7dLYBkcqjd46Onp12c4FYM7uARAYzoJFUHe1EZB-aT-u-9A8A3vkZBymf0o0Y4UhCEdvFs71ad4h7PhtvGCOi7klsP-o12IWCcnQSfrDKsur/s320/DSCN6501.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Crested Tit</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-qOuI7t4AKYRPk8_1ZfV7x9K4Y5-rtQ4ujWB-OYLHLHaUPf4eB3Z7envRfaVqyBfd4vJQfu1jaKVz-X29SNxJ-wyUf1w4IxzQ_HH8-F3aOZsEyAfmi8XUYNRLx57_0ejrv5ifUpNlLNBlxFSs9abzBhyphenhyphenJeZiSmWzGhhmJ6LvGw5lRi5A_XOW3/s3742/Crested%20Tit.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2494" data-original-width="3742" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-qOuI7t4AKYRPk8_1ZfV7x9K4Y5-rtQ4ujWB-OYLHLHaUPf4eB3Z7envRfaVqyBfd4vJQfu1jaKVz-X29SNxJ-wyUf1w4IxzQ_HH8-F3aOZsEyAfmi8XUYNRLx57_0ejrv5ifUpNlLNBlxFSs9abzBhyphenhyphenJeZiSmWzGhhmJ6LvGw5lRi5A_XOW3/s320/Crested%20Tit.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Crested Tit by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">A bonus by-product of regular winter feeding is sometimes (especially on colder days) being able to feed the incredibly confiding <b>Coal Tits </b>and (sometimes) <b>Great Tits</b> and <b>Robins</b> by hand, an experience much enjoyed by my safari clients of all ages...</p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-lid9F5SAsJ9CPWvMOvR4o-7C9-vHL6SP1-3BAfozxsaauZSF5JUSy9pM7y2azmih1wuFbT4tkOj0hDWDg0ik0dyvox117VxOKv1780KTFR_ufPzLJLr3ZCNINxu0Vn_cSVX7ksKBD71fr33xAL650NXF_34O9brZExTMV8loQc6L1b5ovk0P/s2048/Paul%20Nelson.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-lid9F5SAsJ9CPWvMOvR4o-7C9-vHL6SP1-3BAfozxsaauZSF5JUSy9pM7y2azmih1wuFbT4tkOj0hDWDg0ik0dyvox117VxOKv1780KTFR_ufPzLJLr3ZCNINxu0Vn_cSVX7ksKBD71fr33xAL650NXF_34O9brZExTMV8loQc6L1b5ovk0P/s320/Paul%20Nelson.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Coal Tit</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><div><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;">Still in the forests, </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Crossbills</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;">, sadly, but rather typically, were generally somewhat less obliging , with our views once again being restricted to snatched glimpses of birds flying overhead...identified only by their distinctive 'jip- jip' calls....an annoyingly familiar tale...with the exception of a couple of occasions, on the 6th and the 12th, when birds perched long enough for a couple of quick photos....</span></b></div><div><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz_wcZUvmPmOZQtImDV12-OtChK6DUEdZQR0ydh67tehmvLpAQk1mtMmyxV4q6omVOfmdwPbPTMwa2EGD53EFbMTE9dn2C5mSNw8hHB3QZWrB5jpdlSwpc79JzCsSsYHgwN-XSm96XaO-GGmtiVr__9G8bMObRDETjnDnWwETyGtbTlSCaRza4/s3146/Scottish%20Crossbills.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2097" data-original-width="3146" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz_wcZUvmPmOZQtImDV12-OtChK6DUEdZQR0ydh67tehmvLpAQk1mtMmyxV4q6omVOfmdwPbPTMwa2EGD53EFbMTE9dn2C5mSNw8hHB3QZWrB5jpdlSwpc79JzCsSsYHgwN-XSm96XaO-GGmtiVr__9G8bMObRDETjnDnWwETyGtbTlSCaRza4/w400-h266/Scottish%20Crossbills.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Crossbills by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQWG1UVh7kr2oWa42IPJmU6Oeyun1o-TOcJRUwzOF7u4k6gYQk_aYMkJ_ASQlkGETsoabFR2PoEyDrw8DFjDtRoMNZE1ahGC0vZ7MqUJ4nwC2xfpXDOV7mwhVovkhbQQh7P3tVqHNZzFyTkETYw4uHXDofkDCShn52v-lBSk8hGiuBvxRWBDa_/s1887/DSCN6511.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1225" data-original-width="1887" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQWG1UVh7kr2oWa42IPJmU6Oeyun1o-TOcJRUwzOF7u4k6gYQk_aYMkJ_ASQlkGETsoabFR2PoEyDrw8DFjDtRoMNZE1ahGC0vZ7MqUJ4nwC2xfpXDOV7mwhVovkhbQQh7P3tVqHNZzFyTkETYw4uHXDofkDCShn52v-lBSk8hGiuBvxRWBDa_/s320/DSCN6511.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Crossbill</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">On the lochs...</b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOvT-o-NwP36eCgATYEy2P5VX1fZiWNPc8E6XyxVeFoPZ15HHrMNnAi53mmV1rOmHg2rvbH6njPFgnHzHi02VcvhYmlZbRHEXIYs9S0CZX4IkQEmevCCI8qUj4kiQbOD2AyXcDEcV0p5FYwRLJ1QVPobr6VqTF8A26MvXeclAKr6a29126i2q7/s2016/IMG_1998.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOvT-o-NwP36eCgATYEy2P5VX1fZiWNPc8E6XyxVeFoPZ15HHrMNnAi53mmV1rOmHg2rvbH6njPFgnHzHi02VcvhYmlZbRHEXIYs9S0CZX4IkQEmevCCI8qUj4kiQbOD2AyXcDEcV0p5FYwRLJ1QVPobr6VqTF8A26MvXeclAKr6a29126i2q7/w400-h300/IMG_1998.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Early morning at a local loch</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">With the summer-visiting water birds all gone now, our resident </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Goldeneyes</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, are</span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"> </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">now joined by winter-visiting </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Whooper Swans</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> and </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Geese,</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> alongside the more common species.....</span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2VJFPeTAxtHTX4xS8fF2oCtFfIFnwYA1WoGbsJitukbhaSQIqs_9CctoBhLMDwKegc5RNLmaqz1nat4sbOBTOqt8kSt21r4N5CNTbJp51fV_RUiXSEq6yXKCAZBwvsRnD2zKo6_IruDLGzG4FkTuqnTJ8Z22xSRYvIHZ08f0xxYkv24K3bHBy/s2972/IMG_1809.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1677" data-original-width="2972" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2VJFPeTAxtHTX4xS8fF2oCtFfIFnwYA1WoGbsJitukbhaSQIqs_9CctoBhLMDwKegc5RNLmaqz1nat4sbOBTOqt8kSt21r4N5CNTbJp51fV_RUiXSEq6yXKCAZBwvsRnD2zKo6_IruDLGzG4FkTuqnTJ8Z22xSRYvIHZ08f0xxYkv24K3bHBy/w400-h226/IMG_1809.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Whooper Swans</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYEKH7qSVBpP5HBop1wA8pe5uBsOmhCzDwnYtFSFQJbcflEYm0abVQLz1_9QYtzA35wrjlvzl14ql1VUZ69TCH1dUlNb1DB4TQA7YM-jZXYAWd9x2TT5v4qwnCdKlGfUa2JAC6KselAIIj6cYb2p-Bq1CEXlufe_5ON3iXO9RZe27-_4Rl-6qi/s3579/DSCN6564.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1957" data-original-width="3579" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYEKH7qSVBpP5HBop1wA8pe5uBsOmhCzDwnYtFSFQJbcflEYm0abVQLz1_9QYtzA35wrjlvzl14ql1VUZ69TCH1dUlNb1DB4TQA7YM-jZXYAWd9x2TT5v4qwnCdKlGfUa2JAC6KselAIIj6cYb2p-Bq1CEXlufe_5ON3iXO9RZe27-_4Rl-6qi/s320/DSCN6564.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Goldeneye</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">On the marshes...</b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJoHYPg_ur7ZHppBGDiqbBGrATEb6DFVp_peTWxLRnTCIIK7P2Yklrqz6VPsRlgrXpjapXgMeGngjc67EcFa8AGUK4iJsCHHcXCdmeeR-gMSUELITdrefWws2uUKNO1n78-nuvZpiEtMW6OrlY1bgtFsZ2p_sFohUL2ZdKy1cmHagc7WuObKBS/s2016/IMG_2041.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1049" data-original-width="2016" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJoHYPg_ur7ZHppBGDiqbBGrATEb6DFVp_peTWxLRnTCIIK7P2Yklrqz6VPsRlgrXpjapXgMeGngjc67EcFa8AGUK4iJsCHHcXCdmeeR-gMSUELITdrefWws2uUKNO1n78-nuvZpiEtMW6OrlY1bgtFsZ2p_sFohUL2ZdKy1cmHagc7WuObKBS/w400-h209/IMG_2041.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Autumn at Insh Marshes</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b><p></p><p><br /></p><p>Alongside the ever-present <b>Grey Herons</b>, waders like <b>Golden Plover, Dunlin</b> and <b>Ruff</b> were reported, numbers of newly-arrived <b>Whooper Swans </b>and <b>'grey' Geese</b> increased throughout the month, raptors such as <b>Kestrel</b>, <b>Buzzard, Red Kite, Marsh Harrier,</b> and <b>Hen Harrier</b> were seen regularly, with the occasional <b>Merlin, Golden Eagle</b> and <b>White-Tailed Eagle</b> also sighted.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKTbQGW7tyeNpD4B8JpG62fyDFk0PFPpgM0LG1Fp_rGkQrNAURPYxnf2PbKfZDvlsylJInFV-tHhS2EoPyVcTGV0upNAu4T4DojGQ_TYEeQjJlzUgh01okdt4O83kWFKRq91gfC0oAl5hIpp0zYgciFz39jdxU19j5FBOgBe4qwXXfgskCg54a/s316/Nigel%20wedge%20Hen%20Harrier%201.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="211" data-original-width="316" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKTbQGW7tyeNpD4B8JpG62fyDFk0PFPpgM0LG1Fp_rGkQrNAURPYxnf2PbKfZDvlsylJInFV-tHhS2EoPyVcTGV0upNAu4T4DojGQ_TYEeQjJlzUgh01okdt4O83kWFKRq91gfC0oAl5hIpp0zYgciFz39jdxU19j5FBOgBe4qwXXfgskCg54a/w400-h267/Nigel%20wedge%20Hen%20Harrier%201.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Hen Harrier</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">On the rivers...</b></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0W1m7MDUqGKwU_ztzN2BkGJ3T_W7_gB1C-FYTenVMu_iLww__ygwtIaLogaHFLhWDEuKqURTRSuqOVny4F8Qhom9Ae0ksHy-60yUN2VU8w4-epSXPF2EEy4ZO-Bp_DBs5L0R1I2avtdL_jbSzeDXrqNWJGhJTBd5mIA1OejuYGpoTYkyiTnJk/s1867/IMG_2088.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="1867" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0W1m7MDUqGKwU_ztzN2BkGJ3T_W7_gB1C-FYTenVMu_iLww__ygwtIaLogaHFLhWDEuKqURTRSuqOVny4F8Qhom9Ae0ksHy-60yUN2VU8w4-epSXPF2EEy4ZO-Bp_DBs5L0R1I2avtdL_jbSzeDXrqNWJGhJTBd5mIA1OejuYGpoTYkyiTnJk/w400-h300/IMG_2088.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The River Spey</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p><strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Dipper</strong><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> is a bird absent from large areas of central, southern and eastern Britain, preferring clear, fast-flowing upland rivers over murky, slow-flowing lowland waterways. Fortunately, if you position yourself on a bridge, they can be a fairly common sighting in this area, often seen swimming and diving to feed, or perching prominently on a rock, and always prove popular with my safari clients ,</span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCVlhcWrtPtrtHEfNFzSf390frh1gnbtfnKn-7GJpci2quhEbSoXg_sZ1e5OSkns2FcpLRrWlDmIsmblOQ9JSfSiuWcMYJnU3gaKg9qtXAyYO9Yw2bKkSCllMIagXxqrbDp3gBqVZM3d9XY2q0aXVuH49QzLmiRVvEKZfAMdt_q8OFrnWdi2Lm/s2985/DSCN6529.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2188" data-original-width="2985" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCVlhcWrtPtrtHEfNFzSf390frh1gnbtfnKn-7GJpci2quhEbSoXg_sZ1e5OSkns2FcpLRrWlDmIsmblOQ9JSfSiuWcMYJnU3gaKg9qtXAyYO9Yw2bKkSCllMIagXxqrbDp3gBqVZM3d9XY2q0aXVuH49QzLmiRVvEKZfAMdt_q8OFrnWdi2Lm/w400-h294/DSCN6529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Dipper</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtknkVIePQzCN0ewonppVcIEViTc6iaBM_AzUWo-6EJpvagOb8zcoEPfFCMQQXSkjap2ZG9Ry51kcriMB8ijK7pt-MPXMBQ9_xFidpgyzqfHAEaCZSXzKzbKXm4zUbxgk9z5Y32xQR9vctVwlMr5BTMAZm-Gfa8X_L6Diy0Fpb_H9twa6tbyUN/s3571/DSCN7335.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1990" data-original-width="3571" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtknkVIePQzCN0ewonppVcIEViTc6iaBM_AzUWo-6EJpvagOb8zcoEPfFCMQQXSkjap2ZG9Ry51kcriMB8ijK7pt-MPXMBQ9_xFidpgyzqfHAEaCZSXzKzbKXm4zUbxgk9z5Y32xQR9vctVwlMr5BTMAZm-Gfa8X_L6Diy0Fpb_H9twa6tbyUN/s320/DSCN7335.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Dipper</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">With a similar UK distribution to <b>Dipper</b>, <b>Goosander</b> can be tricky to see in much of Britain, but we often see family groups of them in this area, though they can be very wary of humans.</span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVNbOt3XcaM25YZvZxchhfBP2mBKvUcdaP-pyBWgFVdfyXDjOLTcwf5FNgWPEhuot_H44vOj-iIGJcNfdTnKm5lBCdRqdcgR-NUsoBSfOjPF6eE5m7PIUYr8Rc7ITyN8rh7Nt11r6Dphay8U8v8TXprrxOiPapNpvcr-mxVoXHtiy8fU4KeDC3/s3028/DSCN6412.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1432" data-original-width="3028" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVNbOt3XcaM25YZvZxchhfBP2mBKvUcdaP-pyBWgFVdfyXDjOLTcwf5FNgWPEhuot_H44vOj-iIGJcNfdTnKm5lBCdRqdcgR-NUsoBSfOjPF6eE5m7PIUYr8Rc7ITyN8rh7Nt11r6Dphay8U8v8TXprrxOiPapNpvcr-mxVoXHtiy8fU4KeDC3/s320/DSCN6412.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Goosander</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Up in the mountains....</b></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjohBC_hpZ1v5rk66YsvhWedlUZeVjRikBoPfLN-ClfCNCINuHBbYlZ5RqCsoZnP04AgKvHBvPtRYJHPol_GS54vavy7qSV6ZK1EqQBrecGBiOb-sDEoxXKqtuksvK9Q8ZxHu8c8-xT20uxusMUqABcOyQlP3D4JqogGHw8yUWdlmS8lNZGmr4J/s2008/IMG_2103.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="785" data-original-width="2008" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjohBC_hpZ1v5rk66YsvhWedlUZeVjRikBoPfLN-ClfCNCINuHBbYlZ5RqCsoZnP04AgKvHBvPtRYJHPol_GS54vavy7qSV6ZK1EqQBrecGBiOb-sDEoxXKqtuksvK9Q8ZxHu8c8-xT20uxusMUqABcOyQlP3D4JqogGHw8yUWdlmS8lNZGmr4J/w400-h156/IMG_2103.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Autumn in the Cairngorm Mountains</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p>Although I didn't take any walks up into the hills myself this month, from previous experience, I would expect the <b>Ptarmigan</b> to be morphing into their winter-white plumage now, which can make them less difficult to spot amongst the rocks, at least until the snow comes, anyway.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL_NY4ud3Ra1Oaltvs3dZlLLx0nQT-40NAKA_c8OAKwQnl3ewGBUXHisKGHm5cgJA2FIoSJMZsXgUUWOY1JcUBaRMoYNxus6LmUHRURyEGZfYs-QNH_PMwebXOhboX_s0XcAaoBBR_MrzJSO1NBkrv78CuBg5DHq5CxdcL-VA1RlBhVMAvaGfC/s2992/IMG_1769.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2072" data-original-width="2992" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL_NY4ud3Ra1Oaltvs3dZlLLx0nQT-40NAKA_c8OAKwQnl3ewGBUXHisKGHm5cgJA2FIoSJMZsXgUUWOY1JcUBaRMoYNxus6LmUHRURyEGZfYs-QNH_PMwebXOhboX_s0XcAaoBBR_MrzJSO1NBkrv78CuBg5DHq5CxdcL-VA1RlBhVMAvaGfC/s320/IMG_1769.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Ptarmigan - Photo from October 2016</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>The first snow on the tops, can sometimes encourage <b>Snow Buntings</b> down to lower levels, and I always carry a bag of mixed seed in the colder months, as they can sometimes be quite confiding once tempted in by a free feed, though we failed to see them this month.</p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">On farmland....</b></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvBP2NB6jF6wFl6MKnelYUT1jdPzb_K-DCcpIDy4flzJ4ujeTj5RomV1_SABvITnUz0GMMgY01YLq7ZsOzV4GoinTk19MQR07udhLbanilR8fkM37ckNfXGkFsKu01ugXvuqs_ssUxcgsxx3eEHMo7pPd837XDiY7Lerc79ZKx2-IKkJ07gsxY/s2016/IMG_1997.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="995" data-original-width="2016" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvBP2NB6jF6wFl6MKnelYUT1jdPzb_K-DCcpIDy4flzJ4ujeTj5RomV1_SABvITnUz0GMMgY01YLq7ZsOzV4GoinTk19MQR07udhLbanilR8fkM37ckNfXGkFsKu01ugXvuqs_ssUxcgsxx3eEHMo7pPd837XDiY7Lerc79ZKx2-IKkJ07gsxY/w400-h198/IMG_1997.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Typical local farmland</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b><p></p><p>Although all the waders have gone, <b>'grey' Geese </b>and <b>Whooper Swans</b> can often be seen on local farmland, and big flocks of winter <b>Thrushes</b> were also noted, along with the more common <b>Pheasants</b> ......</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ9HjZ1Pbr0zQ5xqICbbKFurR7uPWnCYmFpjvNG-OXn_XPngBTs54QTiXfEbhZ1fvRJLQ6Wg4c_uLk5Gh3tWf0wJy4xiH97IkIhU9LNsgH0RJoAB3jDtxWNNBOhWsG3lYX1jvCNkXQi2Sj7NmyeehFCc888rQA3OIGT5t5hOE0IwEt_wcdEEga/s4608/DSCN6398.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2625" data-original-width="4608" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ9HjZ1Pbr0zQ5xqICbbKFurR7uPWnCYmFpjvNG-OXn_XPngBTs54QTiXfEbhZ1fvRJLQ6Wg4c_uLk5Gh3tWf0wJy4xiH97IkIhU9LNsgH0RJoAB3jDtxWNNBOhWsG3lYX1jvCNkXQi2Sj7NmyeehFCc888rQA3OIGT5t5hOE0IwEt_wcdEEga/w400-h228/DSCN6398.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Greylag Geese</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0K3FPw8yHwO3yqFHCl9OCEoQNbzB8MYUDios3-43DyWf_Ibviz2zj7kTo9LOBEJlxW7-up1KKIGmSZUOmsCMJsRuM8GKZzNk-GKi4BExVsQqMWeQNKc4NY9Y3_JEpPWULns0q2usvH1rmywZ59JHzDwpe_LGlAAWW5S03B99FDVP8q5AmEL0W/s2262/DSCN3373.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="566" data-original-width="2262" height="100" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0K3FPw8yHwO3yqFHCl9OCEoQNbzB8MYUDios3-43DyWf_Ibviz2zj7kTo9LOBEJlxW7-up1KKIGmSZUOmsCMJsRuM8GKZzNk-GKi4BExVsQqMWeQNKc4NY9Y3_JEpPWULns0q2usvH1rmywZ59JHzDwpe_LGlAAWW5S03B99FDVP8q5AmEL0W/w400-h100/DSCN3373.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Whooper Swans</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK-FHM2XJDfAuPEXc-is1lXgx57qaxTnwgE4H65R0hJtbecZpMnEkCNHx-Mh45VUhFrMfVOLB0k7L5ULCI_G9bRlMPNeFTA603j78YK9nJANyX7C18DLZDAbEaGzwOmznsGFY8Ctc_J_IQGR8R9hM30bzXk87tbCgzT9t0LiNwjc1xRWLacgP-/s4348/DSCN7414.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2599" data-original-width="4348" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK-FHM2XJDfAuPEXc-is1lXgx57qaxTnwgE4H65R0hJtbecZpMnEkCNHx-Mh45VUhFrMfVOLB0k7L5ULCI_G9bRlMPNeFTA603j78YK9nJANyX7C18DLZDAbEaGzwOmznsGFY8Ctc_J_IQGR8R9hM30bzXk87tbCgzT9t0LiNwjc1xRWLacgP-/s320/DSCN7414.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Redwings</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /><p><b>In local gardens;</b></p><p>Berry bushes and garden bird feeding stations are a real magnet for hungry newly-arrived winter visiting birds from further north, and <b>Redwings, Fieldfares</b> and <b>Bramblings </b>were all seen locally, and the first <b>Waxwings</b> have been reported along the north and east coasts of Scotland, and they appear to be coming this way.....</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFcroq7nuIA-yLoIZTIaKKNZ43OLiPHDTbXf6Hh_KlPpFzifZ1RyDtc0LSMjWFFS7K2AUAg53ocL62E59RW7D1tcLzq4m_bPrK6-xxZFtTjyXDeedS7XUIGQdOTrqBAzvmvAVhVc8QuWq3hvraeY8O9g8VzwI0W_Y3L0AVjumkzzjEWQrH2TBE/s2930/DSCN6633.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1761" data-original-width="2930" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFcroq7nuIA-yLoIZTIaKKNZ43OLiPHDTbXf6Hh_KlPpFzifZ1RyDtc0LSMjWFFS7K2AUAg53ocL62E59RW7D1tcLzq4m_bPrK6-xxZFtTjyXDeedS7XUIGQdOTrqBAzvmvAVhVc8QuWq3hvraeY8O9g8VzwI0W_Y3L0AVjumkzzjEWQrH2TBE/s320/DSCN6633.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Bramblings</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiufhqjLOx5vZ6AqVcH066_OSmR7CyUqCMrEDtIb9htrtMxzdf4Ud6FQqQBXH9jEOJhUwsrwJ__ea2FtBGROhfPM3mq_rsopasV9tcFIbptunF3299X5LN1W2iGmHfV2nqyaRdhjrkPLxqHnxSBks0WsBkrR-NhVVRXT-5yIiellGrl7LCvSIN0/s1246/DSCN7411.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="925" data-original-width="1246" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiufhqjLOx5vZ6AqVcH066_OSmR7CyUqCMrEDtIb9htrtMxzdf4Ud6FQqQBXH9jEOJhUwsrwJ__ea2FtBGROhfPM3mq_rsopasV9tcFIbptunF3299X5LN1W2iGmHfV2nqyaRdhjrkPLxqHnxSBks0WsBkrR-NhVVRXT-5yIiellGrl7LCvSIN0/s320/DSCN7411.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Redwing</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjywCMcHCahxpZ_JN07al9NAj0G_5NTakmNCr36YZz0kWz_6eTl34ljV2q9MljQ-Y-bW8CvKEO42JmwPqkCDwOOFQQEDbl4VHDFah0RQVIi5UfxpOFK9930T6GuMIqJqeHjrGhbHjXSxx7Bw3mUMGjw8dxFX0L4IU2jMiRoVluUDEbLUvAkIeE4/s3683/DSCN7437.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2604" data-original-width="3683" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjywCMcHCahxpZ_JN07al9NAj0G_5NTakmNCr36YZz0kWz_6eTl34ljV2q9MljQ-Y-bW8CvKEO42JmwPqkCDwOOFQQEDbl4VHDFah0RQVIi5UfxpOFK9930T6GuMIqJqeHjrGhbHjXSxx7Bw3mUMGjw8dxFX0L4IU2jMiRoVluUDEbLUvAkIeE4/s320/DSCN7437.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Fieldfare</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Other good/scarce birds seen/reported locally this month included:</b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p><b>Golden plover,</b> <b>Ruff</b> and <b>Dunlin</b> at Insh marshes from the 8th-11th, a 'one-day wonder' <b>Hoopoe </b>on the 13th, and a <b>Common Scoter </b>on Loch-Insh on the 20th, whilst a few late <b>hirundines</b> were also reported throughout the month....</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 700;">A few photos of more common birds seen locally this month: </span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEU2ElB6mlvhyphenhyphenNsBFKmMFHNjaWb5CDHdipxxnHIbnRgJ_bP3LHMEVtg_tePFq9Qa87Tma0V6a_qivNTBiwR70hq9oOMN-vWSsobRyxdtZyJcH2B2NbFte07AZwl_7SBUiT5bz6xCHL3aLWrUoT1xD4nydJucfrRbTn5sT7wntmB8QYPZOpYNHT/s2660/DSCN6524.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1685" data-original-width="2660" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEU2ElB6mlvhyphenhyphenNsBFKmMFHNjaWb5CDHdipxxnHIbnRgJ_bP3LHMEVtg_tePFq9Qa87Tma0V6a_qivNTBiwR70hq9oOMN-vWSsobRyxdtZyJcH2B2NbFte07AZwl_7SBUiT5bz6xCHL3aLWrUoT1xD4nydJucfrRbTn5sT7wntmB8QYPZOpYNHT/s320/DSCN6524.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Dunnock</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8_eUwm_F8z6z6t7EGumQgQ90_HUeAfhbC0jngE9cz_BE__4a88HpddosyzlLHbCFUiB3XHjwNbUK6GsijNd4ohXJ6s69rcnAyyEwEgn5dt0vcJtushiyWNyRGYEXqIZh3Ffgs8gbGinuva7qN8IFVY2JAtgDtFwqwU0w1cZw4VYjlv1pMoCZ_/s4348/DSCN7585.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2195" data-original-width="4348" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8_eUwm_F8z6z6t7EGumQgQ90_HUeAfhbC0jngE9cz_BE__4a88HpddosyzlLHbCFUiB3XHjwNbUK6GsijNd4ohXJ6s69rcnAyyEwEgn5dt0vcJtushiyWNyRGYEXqIZh3Ffgs8gbGinuva7qN8IFVY2JAtgDtFwqwU0w1cZw4VYjlv1pMoCZ_/s320/DSCN7585.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Female Stonechat</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFj3Q317_IDLg2sixIEG84t4bnANEuwn5MD0EXV4herQgGTpkFJj8Djx-YhHCzUvIUqDaiFuPedcJtS_utTphtco6YLUiJ931uYAnBUNUSt-i0mAJJXlLb-Jl8jABatTSgY3F-b_3IxGV0syyNYh5qDS_9DFIC6yTspEy5b8aLzNlAXuiL-O5X/s4608/DSCN7618.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFj3Q317_IDLg2sixIEG84t4bnANEuwn5MD0EXV4herQgGTpkFJj8Djx-YhHCzUvIUqDaiFuPedcJtS_utTphtco6YLUiJ931uYAnBUNUSt-i0mAJJXlLb-Jl8jABatTSgY3F-b_3IxGV0syyNYh5qDS_9DFIC6yTspEy5b8aLzNlAXuiL-O5X/s320/DSCN7618.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Bullfinch</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQwT1ZzYaygn8XUIE_SHnRFkPCmenet6pCwYnQWMmX75OxWYVJeu0VqRUSsGfKqFcPsjkXT7npqHqYokr0lkvOGYwyr-h5w3L2RHL89RrUa3whqTNvxPfKX-O6eahs_4ljbqXrR2PiACAG38Mc926fEJ21AuxQ_ghNLNujfyWGisVP8IcbJE8m/s4075/DSCN6507.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3138" data-original-width="4075" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQwT1ZzYaygn8XUIE_SHnRFkPCmenet6pCwYnQWMmX75OxWYVJeu0VqRUSsGfKqFcPsjkXT7npqHqYokr0lkvOGYwyr-h5w3L2RHL89RrUa3whqTNvxPfKX-O6eahs_4ljbqXrR2PiACAG38Mc926fEJ21AuxQ_ghNLNujfyWGisVP8IcbJE8m/s320/DSCN6507.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Chaffinch</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBSmRK0aeWOCaTOIowRE45MViNZjrkS_rZTi0HMcsi7Ub4VyxoyM39VjI3LpCupVi1Yhd-AoBXbm9Vrg7d5gnM1HkAtIjFuszwuJQ6fvO2BPDe_16SEfayMmhFsGS807_2bk1Xo9RdUhzbQBfbUMBggUmFgzb0FC_vLpVm9g7MLzgGb5OJypuG/s2733/DSCN6487.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2733" data-original-width="2591" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBSmRK0aeWOCaTOIowRE45MViNZjrkS_rZTi0HMcsi7Ub4VyxoyM39VjI3LpCupVi1Yhd-AoBXbm9Vrg7d5gnM1HkAtIjFuszwuJQ6fvO2BPDe_16SEfayMmhFsGS807_2bk1Xo9RdUhzbQBfbUMBggUmFgzb0FC_vLpVm9g7MLzgGb5OJypuG/w379-h400/DSCN6487.JPG" width="379" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Great-Spotted Woodpecker</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwVrnEGDVZ4A4j4f7fsX9gkFBAsglY0UYOmSrbIXPi3XDEs1Jw4ZDn5DPc306exKsFiCFFasFoQvNjN6_jz4dhFbzF575aWPQ1O7IMRL8Iy8dbAUHPicmvPYZznDPij0U8vYnG4IjSMhGl8CHU_jperx47rlDZixsxUEzzCS-WT_ylCaTJy6CE/s3613/DSCN6413.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2543" data-original-width="3613" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwVrnEGDVZ4A4j4f7fsX9gkFBAsglY0UYOmSrbIXPi3XDEs1Jw4ZDn5DPc306exKsFiCFFasFoQvNjN6_jz4dhFbzF575aWPQ1O7IMRL8Iy8dbAUHPicmvPYZznDPij0U8vYnG4IjSMhGl8CHU_jperx47rlDZixsxUEzzCS-WT_ylCaTJy6CE/s320/DSCN6413.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Robin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;">Adventures 'out of area':</span></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg71qpC9EppVGbrIBVXnhYXJXuGsfAP0nP5vg7anxOSejfseChNCJFltgHk39eqaq2KKZ19qIeuZ-XriGcDyHxFykRxS42dx3l2zmgGYsNlzx0cqV9mBxkI517430wN5hGqvuG5YPr4ZsXTzBOjay7hRdDwdbrrN5xKk32x8c0pYgyb3L-tYNCi/s1866/IMG_1932.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="903" data-original-width="1866" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg71qpC9EppVGbrIBVXnhYXJXuGsfAP0nP5vg7anxOSejfseChNCJFltgHk39eqaq2KKZ19qIeuZ-XriGcDyHxFykRxS42dx3l2zmgGYsNlzx0cqV9mBxkI517430wN5hGqvuG5YPr4ZsXTzBOjay7hRdDwdbrrN5xKk32x8c0pYgyb3L-tYNCi/w400-h194/IMG_1932.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Early morning at Spey Bay on the Moray Coast</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">The nearby Moray Coast is always worth a visit, especially in autumn and winter, and a visit early in the month gave a good selection of auks, waders, wildfowl, seaducks, geese ,swans and gulls ....</span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihf-qyzQ_uTSEC1QMSejKu1Wkne3IvqBtnL51aUay4euiYFXpbclB8wjvax5aZh0R3j0HI9SiNDofDpa3nNk7hWY3E4labja3idtiR8xuG35IesRJhIzdJaRLrk5g3ZIM1tp4Bl3vn6AXHw2U1D3RfoeSj6dS9YxrUr3ScL8eKZIfS95sNGEtw/s4476/DSCN6436.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1770" data-original-width="4476" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihf-qyzQ_uTSEC1QMSejKu1Wkne3IvqBtnL51aUay4euiYFXpbclB8wjvax5aZh0R3j0HI9SiNDofDpa3nNk7hWY3E4labja3idtiR8xuG35IesRJhIzdJaRLrk5g3ZIM1tp4Bl3vn6AXHw2U1D3RfoeSj6dS9YxrUr3ScL8eKZIfS95sNGEtw/w400-h159/DSCN6436.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Eiders</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ3OAao6oAZxMhZya4QoViS5AhWzDvmlYf_bP1YfWGvVrZH2KJgfuI2nGop2sHGI2Scsr4SsI6UH1v7zWDOXpabhL1Fykh0Nqnec8dHGr_EAsAjAMEhj7hu6BCNGtyZfHqeXv8rLql9Nkb-tp9p3j1urIlhgJZJ1QdXbDh01MuCt-Woqpe8u4r/s3347/DSCN6467.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2327" data-original-width="3347" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ3OAao6oAZxMhZya4QoViS5AhWzDvmlYf_bP1YfWGvVrZH2KJgfuI2nGop2sHGI2Scsr4SsI6UH1v7zWDOXpabhL1Fykh0Nqnec8dHGr_EAsAjAMEhj7hu6BCNGtyZfHqeXv8rLql9Nkb-tp9p3j1urIlhgJZJ1QdXbDh01MuCt-Woqpe8u4r/s320/DSCN6467.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Brent Goose</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW7bQDKCdwUdgoH5au0xtpUYiiQn0Y9dAQVZKGTH5DInNMX_ShmgDXJKL2SLQD5Yrzz9XvJDlrylpF21w1d0z277isUdN1WuQ1YZfM1QX2GDJpABJ4c2LyX5lEpt_LSEk6bRHDCF3ynHaBmvcxX5vrb4m3DOi-Z-OrCk4dHCT_1HGyJdHXEZv1/s4409/DSCN6426.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2387" data-original-width="4409" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW7bQDKCdwUdgoH5au0xtpUYiiQn0Y9dAQVZKGTH5DInNMX_ShmgDXJKL2SLQD5Yrzz9XvJDlrylpF21w1d0z277isUdN1WuQ1YZfM1QX2GDJpABJ4c2LyX5lEpt_LSEk6bRHDCF3ynHaBmvcxX5vrb4m3DOi-Z-OrCk4dHCT_1HGyJdHXEZv1/s320/DSCN6426.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Curlew</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJGobL1RRhPyRUEtryXfc6IxhjORXJ0J6fpBhf5J8Mf2tRLrO7s1kjheXJjCj1wA07HiE5N03TNAjHOWnZ_ZTZ8jl7l6pDHbd3zZwcDwRNmkATHzJKw3BLwGydqx7XfDfB00ckxEzcKdHdyzaJOQiu6t_rorzwzCah6ksuOtSSDKGb-ACikLp-/s4608/DSCN6460.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJGobL1RRhPyRUEtryXfc6IxhjORXJ0J6fpBhf5J8Mf2tRLrO7s1kjheXJjCj1wA07HiE5N03TNAjHOWnZ_ZTZ8jl7l6pDHbd3zZwcDwRNmkATHzJKw3BLwGydqx7XfDfB00ckxEzcKdHdyzaJOQiu6t_rorzwzCah6ksuOtSSDKGb-ACikLp-/s320/DSCN6460.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Knots</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKbF9uG_HblGbnTtornQ87iLMTm5aHZDPF1z-xc15JNP7iy-lvzwKzzCvzg6lT4IAueiaHK28u_Lsjh4NU-yygXHU0geTyrhfzCrC-jrQl4QPASBEpB-K81LiOUKKpkFqLQSJfZ1EKKBnWFWyrwHHnFelzr19qHBPNN78U7gLNCczjutSrcKIV/s3526/DSCN6463.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1775" data-original-width="3526" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKbF9uG_HblGbnTtornQ87iLMTm5aHZDPF1z-xc15JNP7iy-lvzwKzzCvzg6lT4IAueiaHK28u_Lsjh4NU-yygXHU0geTyrhfzCrC-jrQl4QPASBEpB-K81LiOUKKpkFqLQSJfZ1EKKBnWFWyrwHHnFelzr19qHBPNN78U7gLNCczjutSrcKIV/s320/DSCN6463.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Ringed Plovers</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF7duzF7YADtbJJKpDWzW7yEjDhSm1scgTOEc1rwJ8JYfGmTnE-KGDdoGlo-JVLEElAOO43OItVFx0LzA3BmX5o7t_bD70qiAcfDU3ypsEDpoFEnxnzFysBycCwYrg1kCDoaWvKBYAbxbyJly-0y3E1AdV0hkAzNB4sIWMTb4o7Znn3hk7v_Og/s4608/DSCN6434.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF7duzF7YADtbJJKpDWzW7yEjDhSm1scgTOEc1rwJ8JYfGmTnE-KGDdoGlo-JVLEElAOO43OItVFx0LzA3BmX5o7t_bD70qiAcfDU3ypsEDpoFEnxnzFysBycCwYrg1kCDoaWvKBYAbxbyJly-0y3E1AdV0hkAzNB4sIWMTb4o7Znn3hk7v_Og/s320/DSCN6434.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Oystercatcher</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFUIcDMKMRgLo2sWA8HqXX00AcnSRQ2VS_4_7vceC2ING9axHm3OYt_Ch3IKYioEY9VX1hod1UWFouY3Cjesm8U-Pj5Wn05Wy3NfHPM5voFnoAs5WUncvDsce7VBK0DR0n5nUJVxRoTsCkX6aT_iu9DsKtUMpA9xRN-laEpgdG_7BDHOK52k0h/s1592/Purple%20Sandpiper.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1061" data-original-width="1592" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFUIcDMKMRgLo2sWA8HqXX00AcnSRQ2VS_4_7vceC2ING9axHm3OYt_Ch3IKYioEY9VX1hod1UWFouY3Cjesm8U-Pj5Wn05Wy3NfHPM5voFnoAs5WUncvDsce7VBK0DR0n5nUJVxRoTsCkX6aT_iu9DsKtUMpA9xRN-laEpgdG_7BDHOK52k0h/s320/Purple%20Sandpiper.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Purple Sandpiper by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p>The freshwater lochs and nature reserves just inland from the Moray Coast can be productive too....</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAkXCGkAki5PuLFZPw1Bsn60k0i_xfV-Kt51uLeyK8RpPpo5_pczqKfTzz43CRTscLquGPCl3QNZE86M5i95piA7bEk5jP4n5TKFMemx41V-yQHk9iA2fYs5hc_iS_GO-ahu2n0rIDvIT3P2loT93zavIq95kiTe7xRMfgWwn2_hwvImGxMC0r/s4608/DSCN6421.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAkXCGkAki5PuLFZPw1Bsn60k0i_xfV-Kt51uLeyK8RpPpo5_pczqKfTzz43CRTscLquGPCl3QNZE86M5i95piA7bEk5jP4n5TKFMemx41V-yQHk9iA2fYs5hc_iS_GO-ahu2n0rIDvIT3P2loT93zavIq95kiTe7xRMfgWwn2_hwvImGxMC0r/s320/DSCN6421.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Cormorant</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6D_4zHBTCtuscG1heqiA1VvbmBgHaFatPcrzlLztbIeO7AVpNuOf8Wu4Tra9af6nWGqe-JIQCZcm0PuWKYBzgKSlPJ_s2aCCEK4c1J97y0v1FNYO7StJl44tKtgYaaWHykK8WDaMtrKJIrXlHu72mh9C-kz1H-rcuRKOH7eVe3pJozLcPLvSF/s4608/DSCN6419.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6D_4zHBTCtuscG1heqiA1VvbmBgHaFatPcrzlLztbIeO7AVpNuOf8Wu4Tra9af6nWGqe-JIQCZcm0PuWKYBzgKSlPJ_s2aCCEK4c1J97y0v1FNYO7StJl44tKtgYaaWHykK8WDaMtrKJIrXlHu72mh9C-kz1H-rcuRKOH7eVe3pJozLcPLvSF/s320/DSCN6419.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Mute Swan</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu4mtIJ2hZFj7-9pPJwLWm_pASBgQTSJy-qv703eWf0eAERwHPTYV9gu2gZvYlyzqwcNqtaVaiqlpAHZkfEGgRfL7exNNG00Y-aobfQlhHI-9c1_lQ91iju6jA9wsIGXN-CYYBWzgygyBcGPXVrowNgWuWNKvYrGNNGPSrEkflZFWM5H0qW4uS/s3207/DSCN6423.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1690" data-original-width="3207" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu4mtIJ2hZFj7-9pPJwLWm_pASBgQTSJy-qv703eWf0eAERwHPTYV9gu2gZvYlyzqwcNqtaVaiqlpAHZkfEGgRfL7exNNG00Y-aobfQlhHI-9c1_lQ91iju6jA9wsIGXN-CYYBWzgygyBcGPXVrowNgWuWNKvYrGNNGPSrEkflZFWM5H0qW4uS/s320/DSCN6423.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Little Grebe</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-DYN6LCk8OVClpDUxioKOkTZ_ktYRzn390iByVPr8NUyzp09myL-31C94bhJEsIfGhKadVKmqIvcHQaRzBlLU0l-tLOxNtZqP9s6ku4PHtYT5Ruv7nZ9zpD1R1z6fMmMPKDV2Mwvv0FROfkKQk5oJfENuRs3Gegts96QmtLPNo3EPaA27ivH3/s4608/DSCN6418.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-DYN6LCk8OVClpDUxioKOkTZ_ktYRzn390iByVPr8NUyzp09myL-31C94bhJEsIfGhKadVKmqIvcHQaRzBlLU0l-tLOxNtZqP9s6ku4PHtYT5Ruv7nZ9zpD1R1z6fMmMPKDV2Mwvv0FROfkKQk5oJfENuRs3Gegts96QmtLPNo3EPaA27ivH3/s320/DSCN6418.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Pochard (centre) and Tufted Ducks</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdLoeFq26ELwAebgVdbxnOL06T_fsxyyLSTFfsBfArYbDAFeGBIKIvu5bQr8iiwWvCB0v48QjCydavQxN2MbKD8X1_Pa98AHB88lHPjK_EElQG9CBGVaXmartvWm1PtDe1uV-4LtQwMkalpcHe06n7ayvIxY7rDrwCV0vnhV8z3OtHrqiSMzbH/s3808/DSCN6416.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2697" data-original-width="3808" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdLoeFq26ELwAebgVdbxnOL06T_fsxyyLSTFfsBfArYbDAFeGBIKIvu5bQr8iiwWvCB0v48QjCydavQxN2MbKD8X1_Pa98AHB88lHPjK_EElQG9CBGVaXmartvWm1PtDe1uV-4LtQwMkalpcHe06n7ayvIxY7rDrwCV0vnhV8z3OtHrqiSMzbH/s320/DSCN6416.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Tufted Ducks</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI1ROVgLNsocYJYrux33WnDn4dL5UOjB4mOYX1BhWm8EE84rKAi8SWhg1WwB5zlG4iKzR16cGlgdOoAoV7H477wBtxvpkULHu9GtkBxrsCzcN9gDLHv1vM7HoIhlW8DsjpIBHEgmkcIRflny2XRvkRJ5MHXFDS1kau1aXJLYO3jDcTEBlIFH7z/s3325/DSCN6424.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1873" data-original-width="3325" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI1ROVgLNsocYJYrux33WnDn4dL5UOjB4mOYX1BhWm8EE84rKAi8SWhg1WwB5zlG4iKzR16cGlgdOoAoV7H477wBtxvpkULHu9GtkBxrsCzcN9gDLHv1vM7HoIhlW8DsjpIBHEgmkcIRflny2XRvkRJ5MHXFDS1kau1aXJLYO3jDcTEBlIFH7z/s320/DSCN6424.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Tree Sparrow</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">October 2023 mammal sightings in more detail:</b></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span style="font-weight: 400;">'Mammal of the month' for October just has to be the </span><b>Red Deer, </b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> with their spectacular annual 'rut' providing my safari clients with some superb entertainment - the fully antlered stags 'bolving' roars echoing through the glens, as they spend much of the month posturing , fighting off rivals and attempting to mate with as many of their 'harem' of hinds as possible - surely one of British nature's 'must-see' experiences? Please be aware though, that we can usually only view the rut from a fair distance away, so photography opportunities are usually limited....</span></b></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></b></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8ARQnA4mlGvLmHnG8tK38RYbzeGo6FIrZzpcVH9D9KxjRzLyEhOG1URoWdbtUlkvSpT7dxfyZQI7dmwTgHNFkaMHsW-WL9C12wXFBBBPDWqUh94Vpid-dBW-6UnfF_pLf-aFfuOQSaM1j937sNsGXD75w_pOvyKCXatp1mn_v4It8AL16mUji/s4088/DSCN7515.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1269" data-original-width="4088" height="124" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8ARQnA4mlGvLmHnG8tK38RYbzeGo6FIrZzpcVH9D9KxjRzLyEhOG1URoWdbtUlkvSpT7dxfyZQI7dmwTgHNFkaMHsW-WL9C12wXFBBBPDWqUh94Vpid-dBW-6UnfF_pLf-aFfuOQSaM1j937sNsGXD75w_pOvyKCXatp1mn_v4It8AL16mUji/w400-h124/DSCN7515.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A Red Deer Stag with his harem of hinds</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmOP9Np_DLzE31mbA1W-fEjuJM2oG7ISInndf4_5_aa8vv3ByHBJVZPdgmsCmhlEjhAgZA6s4B1YlIvlqYY3mHchOLX4ITJZOvPr9ex_zYapcLUhOime8jwKKJFXfciMNtaP0L6HOt8fXThBDpc3PlnY3MvfmME7v_QxZ_58phZlryeRuNKH6e/s2834/DSCN7519.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1936" data-original-width="2834" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmOP9Np_DLzE31mbA1W-fEjuJM2oG7ISInndf4_5_aa8vv3ByHBJVZPdgmsCmhlEjhAgZA6s4B1YlIvlqYY3mHchOLX4ITJZOvPr9ex_zYapcLUhOime8jwKKJFXfciMNtaP0L6HOt8fXThBDpc3PlnY3MvfmME7v_QxZ_58phZlryeRuNKH6e/s320/DSCN7519.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Deer Stag</b></td></tr></tbody></table></b></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><span style="font-weight: 400;">In the Caledonian forests, our </span><b>Red Squirrels</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> never failed to charm and entertain, with their cute looks, acrobatic leaping from tree to tree , reliable use of peanut feeders, gathering of drey materials and chasing off of rivals, and of course, with them being largely absent from most of the UK now, many of my safari clients were seeing them for the first time....</span></b></span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0GGynCxLgAG5HapaHPvjqIQdqqBTUNVVQqMJ-adOmfw6JaBpMYDo8ZIFlnwmT0UNcV0kwLnik31cHaniPGmxIpP_n7F2nA6l0UDPP44p6QyPrLaI87syHDZ1IokDbx5unBnEhG6bhzv3k5HIo-kpPACNsZhwXw32KPfJQ6b2zehHVsjibnAYb/s3755/DSCN6474.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2607" data-original-width="3755" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0GGynCxLgAG5HapaHPvjqIQdqqBTUNVVQqMJ-adOmfw6JaBpMYDo8ZIFlnwmT0UNcV0kwLnik31cHaniPGmxIpP_n7F2nA6l0UDPP44p6QyPrLaI87syHDZ1IokDbx5unBnEhG6bhzv3k5HIo-kpPACNsZhwXw32KPfJQ6b2zehHVsjibnAYb/s320/DSCN6474.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Squirrel</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7_9gWkFI7kFhXW1HK4ER9X1_IalAdnEmCaZ6O2mhR6fKOImrP4TUDkPTewIg2HBsPQMgAqR0Gx0XujJ28LJe_abLxRKiFkgsoT9t6u0Mwo0KEBk8-zMc9Vy00bW54M82-LywGSDB42w0psdrqBka6s_2EkoUj2770wetekJzK76KZ1_UMriRQ/s4188/DSCN6491.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3323" data-original-width="4188" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7_9gWkFI7kFhXW1HK4ER9X1_IalAdnEmCaZ6O2mhR6fKOImrP4TUDkPTewIg2HBsPQMgAqR0Gx0XujJ28LJe_abLxRKiFkgsoT9t6u0Mwo0KEBk8-zMc9Vy00bW54M82-LywGSDB42w0psdrqBka6s_2EkoUj2770wetekJzK76KZ1_UMriRQ/s320/DSCN6491.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Squirrel</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Feral Mountain Goats</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> are mainly restricted to a few remote upland areas of the UK, and we are fortunate to have them locally in a few quiet glens, so many of my safari clients get to see them for the first time while out with me, and they proved to be fairly reliable this month...</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3gEPGO53O053HcyQejkBKuImNjSzh3lUAxKZvSPuo9KofSpIxxnDjGe7IHNTzvAlIm50bMUN-L7oSnC_wvIg62gpaPVS_Qf2CKPUS5oj7z2e4WKJV2uJzan_BfilqWOw_j1eHRNmr4oK_92FmjRy2Ny0R1HTD737QjSYhxEYUCrBn5I7r7bIU/s2819/DSCN6505.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2157" data-original-width="2819" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3gEPGO53O053HcyQejkBKuImNjSzh3lUAxKZvSPuo9KofSpIxxnDjGe7IHNTzvAlIm50bMUN-L7oSnC_wvIg62gpaPVS_Qf2CKPUS5oj7z2e4WKJV2uJzan_BfilqWOw_j1eHRNmr4oK_92FmjRy2Ny0R1HTD737QjSYhxEYUCrBn5I7r7bIU/w400-h306/DSCN6505.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Feral Mountain Goats</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span style="font-weight: 400;">Our local </span><strong>Mountain Hares - </strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">Britain's only native lagomorph</span><strong> - </strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">though still mainly in their browny-grey summer coats are gradually turning whiter from their feet upwards as autumn progresses, in preparation for the snow to come, though actual sightings of them were not forthcoming this month... but that is not unusual during the 'milder' months..things should hopefully improve next month as things turn more wintry...</span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Roe Deer</b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;">, although relatively common in most of the UK, can actually be quite tricky to see due to their naturally 'nervous' nature, and the fact that they can be very 'crepuscular' - being more active at dawn and dusk...but we managed a few daytime sightings on quiet farmland , marshland and woodland edges this month..</span></b></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtV-kNHxithwt2bbzP7tD-4_Vf05TSPGG6Jib5rdae_W78F7R0T9ZS4rV9rh5L54vQR_-5sOJNVFJFCxSSKEStJZR-JgjI1hgdsfi4vsRf-l10zyh-ndXig5ZzDPqzgGZhasOdhZw-MFd02tU2Ybj6S_G_vfPbdZx6gNY86aNeRBj9Ogr2VQsT/s3707/DSCN6540.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2001" data-original-width="3707" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtV-kNHxithwt2bbzP7tD-4_Vf05TSPGG6Jib5rdae_W78F7R0T9ZS4rV9rh5L54vQR_-5sOJNVFJFCxSSKEStJZR-JgjI1hgdsfi4vsRf-l10zyh-ndXig5ZzDPqzgGZhasOdhZw-MFd02tU2Ybj6S_G_vfPbdZx6gNY86aNeRBj9Ogr2VQsT/w400-h216/DSCN6540.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Roe Deer Buck</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Brown Hares</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">, similarly to the Roe Deer, can be very nervous and 'crepuscular' in nature, and most of our best sightings happen in the first hour of daylight, and that proved to be the case again this month, though the light was often too poor for decent photos...</span></b></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ2BR88JWiA-ZP-la0EjOnQUc7ju20U2kNl9w1XOHVv6RcEbRB9IVh3tJ0zODACaQBteA1al4yAxOLCXWTKVgRT9vkLqMog5EEMOrWQOnTxvTPnI4V6OSwfSfuBZ-H5ErCEzb8WLMJfGB34GL9cefuLbV4KZgo_OMzq04GlnLItyJ6A7QVvHTL/s3397/DSCN6298.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2120" data-original-width="3397" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ2BR88JWiA-ZP-la0EjOnQUc7ju20U2kNl9w1XOHVv6RcEbRB9IVh3tJ0zODACaQBteA1al4yAxOLCXWTKVgRT9vkLqMog5EEMOrWQOnTxvTPnI4V6OSwfSfuBZ-H5ErCEzb8WLMJfGB34GL9cefuLbV4KZgo_OMzq04GlnLItyJ6A7QVvHTL/s320/DSCN6298.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Brown Hare</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Hairy Highland Coo's</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"> always prove to be popular with my safari clients, especially those who do not have them close to home, so don't be afraid to ask me if you fancy going to see them, and maybe even get to feed and 'pat' them, as I have a couple of great sites....</span></b></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTOhCLM8dKwbctsk4DJcdAwXrXW9-T4ABvchFF1W4aHBvVcYveDtq6cgKq1aHlpwX3FTzc-jyDdOj7YkmEJSfXKKsz4cKdCfztGup5MYSsJuINF8JWw98HTBhAKMOUVcJEPRIIU03uha78ddog-8bCb2091baYpBaNH6mGF1CSg3fSw6piaNDZ/s2016/IMG_1961.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTOhCLM8dKwbctsk4DJcdAwXrXW9-T4ABvchFF1W4aHBvVcYveDtq6cgKq1aHlpwX3FTzc-jyDdOj7YkmEJSfXKKsz4cKdCfztGup5MYSsJuINF8JWw98HTBhAKMOUVcJEPRIIU03uha78ddog-8bCb2091baYpBaNH6mGF1CSg3fSw6piaNDZ/w400-h300/IMG_1961.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Carrot time for Murdo</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b>Marine mammals:</b></p><div><b><br /></b></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">The Moray coast is pretty reliable for sightings of </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Seals,</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, with a decent chance of </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Harbour Porpoise</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> and </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Dolphins</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, and, in the summer months, even a slim chance of </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Whales</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">.....</span><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Rare/nocturnal mammals:</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">I get a few enquiries about the possibility of seeing </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Badgers</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> and </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Pine Marten</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> from my safari clients, many of whom I suspect are unaware that they are actually a largely nocturnal creature, and although we do get the occasional (maybe one or two a year) dawn glimpse of one, you would definitely have a much higher chance of seeing them at a specific dusk Badger/Pine Marten watching hide - Please contact me for more information.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Similarly, our inland </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Otters</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> too are mainly active during the hours of darkness, and again, although we do get a few early-morning sightings on local lochs and rivers each year, looking for them feeding in a suitably quiet, kelp - filled bay on the coast on a rising tide, but at any time of day, would give you a much better chance.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-family: quot; line-height: 1.4;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: quot; line-height: 1.4;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Whilst we are still on the 'tricky to see stuff', the <b>Scottish Wildcat </b>too, as well as being incredibly rare now, is also generally nocturnal, and the fact that I have had a mere handful of (dawn or dusk) sightings in 17 years of providing wildlife safaris should give you an idea of how difficult they are to see.</span></p><div><br /></div><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Other wildlife:</b></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;">Mid October-early December is usually the time of year to see our </span><strong style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Atlantic Salmon </strong><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;">spawning. These remarkable and often very large fish spawn in the shallow waters in the upper reaches of our rivers, at the very spot where they themselves were hatched several years before, having originally spent 2-3 years in the river, then another 2-3 years feeding, growing and maturing out in the mid Atlantic, before undertaking a perilous journey many miles upriver, often involving avoiding poachers, anglers and predators and negotiating high falls and rapids on the way , an amazing migration story! However, sightings are very reliant on the rivers water levels - too little water and the Salmon cannot access the upper reaches - too much water, and they can get there... but we can't see them....fortunately, from the 26th onwards it all fell into place and we enjoyed some decent views.......</span></b></b></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh2lbXcau5_p_o5TydSaiJtmOEnGAtVDBa0rZoDUAsHfQv1j6y5Zy0frTrjPn7Q0NEdbLyNHRx_3ceHjt8_DZc6Vrnf_8vpFCNMVt1s5Aw9ScW6st6ychz137X5Y_58bpBg6hSMrbmmeLX_5fMwLU__GA_HRLFoHg4F3zK3_qn5u9YDrJ-iKAgT" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="214" data-original-width="400" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh2lbXcau5_p_o5TydSaiJtmOEnGAtVDBa0rZoDUAsHfQv1j6y5Zy0frTrjPn7Q0NEdbLyNHRx_3ceHjt8_DZc6Vrnf_8vpFCNMVt1s5Aw9ScW6st6ychz137X5Y_58bpBg6hSMrbmmeLX_5fMwLU__GA_HRLFoHg4F3zK3_qn5u9YDrJ-iKAgT" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Spawning Atlantic Salmon </b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">News:</b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">I am very pleased to announce that Highland Wildlife & Birdwatch Safaris has recently been awarded - for the second consecutive year - a Travelers Choice accreditation from Trip Advisor, for being ranked in the top 10% of visitor attractions worldwide based on customer reviews and feedback.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; margin-left: 4.8pt;"><span lang="EN-US">This achievement would not have been possible without the support of all my family, friends, safari clients, social media followers, regular blog readers , the Visit Scotland 'mystery shoppers', and everyone else who has helped and encouraged me along the way to ‘living my dream’ of being a wildlife safari guide, since 2004, especially over the last few very difficult COVID affected years, so a big THANK YOU to you all :)</span><o:p></o:p></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">All tourism/hospitality/activities in Scotland are open , are free of restrictions and I have now completed two years of (thankfully!) increasingly busy and extremely enjoyable safaris with clients with no major issues arising.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">With all national travel restrictions lifted too, Scotland is officially 'open for business' for visitors from all over the UK, and from abroad, and already this year, I have enjoyed meeting my first ever clients from Chile, and Singapore....</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">For those considering a visit, these wildlife/outdoor tourism websites may prove useful:</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">June - September is midge season - But thankfully, this area is not usually affected too badly - This link explains why: </span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-65939262" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">Bumper midge hatch alert after warm spell - BBC News</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b>https://www.gov.scot/collections/coronavirus-covid</b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.outdooraccess-scotland.scot/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">NatureScot (outdooraccess-scotland.scot)</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xGdTZcC2ZQ" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-line: none;">Can Nature Help Health? | Nature Prescriptions - YouTube</a></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1HBKnnGr-g" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;">Scotland, Yours to Enjoy. Responsibly. - YouTube</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://cairngorms.co.uk/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">Cairngorms National Park Authority</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.highlandwildlifepark.org.uk/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">Highland Wildlife Park</a></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.gov.scot/publications/avian-influenza-outbreaks/" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;">Avian influenza (bird flu) outbreaks - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)</a></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.rspb.org.uk/about-the-rspb/about-us/how-the-rspb-is-run/annualreport/annual-report-2022_scotland-news/?utm_source=notes_on_nature_20220903&utm_medium=email&utm_term=notes_on_nature&utm_content=27&utm_campaign=notes_on_nature" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;">Positive prescriptions | The RSPB</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001I2CprmTF4v466b2QwFanHYsB-M-rMapIosb95lRyTUJBNCM4M5pRVhERGqeaLRzFyv1eekvDmizxHTXlceC8MfUpDhmPVjcIKSIuzoxgpUAR-WvJnMt7Qy_6FTM7t0NmHCFXcXrKl2PwZmYesq-W9IS95jsm4EjF&c=yaKTJZAUiA1JLq3HZX4qSPKZSV0TmxUhrab0kVmIGIcqw2TwJXwIuA==&ch=DwiISia8UtA2D1uBYb3sVgpwyW_q8Q-7QsuJDduKzFxiKfyqeb9Flw==" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;"><b><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" style="color: #d9b559; font-size: 12pt;">www.scotlandbigpicture.com</span></b></a></span></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>COVID-19</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">The Scottish Highlands, being very sparsely populated, has had very few COVID-19 cases in comparison to most of the UK, and on my safaris we tend to visit remote , wild habitats well away from the more popular tourist areas, and usually have very little interaction with other people, and this is something that I intend to continue.</b></p><div><br /></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidwa5m4v4wT8jUtqL4TDNmZhFpAgHrDEkNogeciNMFADAZKv2SAe9fLk-wfrZHWwsCtdqzvNSkVWbQgHPEVgQ_K11XS8MdVWCrmbLW4pua9fjAlSUQOqGLAJYASE6wfioLLXwyS5a8QmQUC6p6dqzj0LMh8W04WUIQToARZvIXGBBzs-olzamJ/s1932/IMG_1969.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1449" data-original-width="1932" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidwa5m4v4wT8jUtqL4TDNmZhFpAgHrDEkNogeciNMFADAZKv2SAe9fLk-wfrZHWwsCtdqzvNSkVWbQgHPEVgQ_K11XS8MdVWCrmbLW4pua9fjAlSUQOqGLAJYASE6wfioLLXwyS5a8QmQUC6p6dqzj0LMh8W04WUIQToARZvIXGBBzs-olzamJ/w400-h300/IMG_1969.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Autumn at Carrbridge</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Summary:</b></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Well, despite the often 'changeable' and occasionally wild weather, and aided by the beautiful autumn colours, the influx of birds from further north, the increase in raptor sightings, the spawning Salmon and the Red Deer rut, I reckon October 2023 turned out to be a very good month for wildlife-watching in this area, with a good selection of local specialitiy birds and animals (and fish!) seen, lots of fun had, lots of tea, coffee, hot chocolate and shortbread enjoyed, and lots of safari clients from all over the UK, and all round the world going home with happy memories of their visit to the special and varied habitats of the Cairngorms National park...<br /></div><div><br /></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ8bemShXBnIUTwJ-95qg4Oj-61uAGaflFzMQT3Z7N09cxG1GMr5ARyMf5ENAfsqB4UwoAvrDk2EcEpgcqhhJBvOUu9e4CNkFQwYrYfwaz9t5PZ7xQ-fEbuQH84rw5rVgPQqp5xM65U1UHQRIOyM2ckiUthrIHtZzXhpYEQeGCi1A59HN1CNV3/s4532/DSCN3683.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2478" data-original-width="4532" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ8bemShXBnIUTwJ-95qg4Oj-61uAGaflFzMQT3Z7N09cxG1GMr5ARyMf5ENAfsqB4UwoAvrDk2EcEpgcqhhJBvOUu9e4CNkFQwYrYfwaz9t5PZ7xQ-fEbuQH84rw5rVgPQqp5xM65U1UHQRIOyM2ckiUthrIHtZzXhpYEQeGCi1A59HN1CNV3/w400-h219/DSCN3683.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>An atmospheric autumn dawn at the River Spey</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Reviews:</b></span></p><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span face="" style="color: #06004c;">I know a lot of visitors to this area very wisely check out reviews of attractions/experiences at </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">TripAdvisor</b><span face="" style="color: #06004c;"> before 'taking the plunge' and booking - We now have over 300 reviews online, so if you wish, you can check out our clients comments at the link below....</span></div><p><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><div style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"></span></span><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;" /><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g186537-d3335134-Reviews-</span></span></span></span></span></div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"></span></span><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;" /><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Highland_Wildlife_Birdwatch_Safaris-Aviemore_Aviemore_and_the_Cairngorms_Scottish.html</span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div></div></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg80G7Q_BWBzsmZ3OmUbp8bL02LEXOwjjkqA6mWlBLX7kpqjCjGG0GtDjDuwjUsyM2KZTvAXRTnq98b3Xk6vRzcA7HF0dC1P7IT8qVT-dk6s2ROZAp85-9nlpDysUMIAQ4ezYX7iLuL-swCqXZVv-qEb2WHgGxGUEGev-y9cBtt7DPiUjWia-iY/s2000/IMG_2124.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1215" data-original-width="2000" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg80G7Q_BWBzsmZ3OmUbp8bL02LEXOwjjkqA6mWlBLX7kpqjCjGG0GtDjDuwjUsyM2KZTvAXRTnq98b3Xk6vRzcA7HF0dC1P7IT8qVT-dk6s2ROZAp85-9nlpDysUMIAQ4ezYX7iLuL-swCqXZVv-qEb2WHgGxGUEGev-y9cBtt7DPiUjWia-iY/w400-h243/IMG_2124.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Nice autumn colours at a local loch</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b><br /></b><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><b>G</b></span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">ift Certificates:</b></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><div style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; color: #222222; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 5px; position: relative;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T95gARK_lkQ/XAvNUI2tI6I/AAAAAAAADwU/GDPgK9hH9LwgLQ8gPnoaLdf04Yn2BLebwCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_1578.JPG" style="background: none 0% 0% / auto repeat scroll padding-box border-box transparent; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 5px;" width="400" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 10.56px; text-align: center;"><b>Safari gift voucher</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></span></span></div></div></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="" style="color: #06004c; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;">If you think you know someone who may enjoy a taste of what I do, why not treat them to a safari gift </span><span face="" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;">certificate? They make a thoughtful and imaginative present, are available for any amount and are valid for a whole year from date of purchase........</span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span face="" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div></div>Highland Wildlife & Birdwatch Safarishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04327130550058794301noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26724394.post-10213720548401878272023-09-30T17:59:00.000+01:002023-09-30T17:59:16.685+01:00<p><b> September 2023</b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>September 2023 could probably be best described as a bit changeable weather-wise in this area, with a succession of Atlantic lows bringing regular rain and breezy conditions, but with the the days in between them often quite calm and sunny , meaning that my full range of safari clothing was deployed this month!</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">Temperatures ranged considerably, with 18c reached on a few of the sunnier days, but it is noticeably cooler at dawn and dusk now though, and it actually felt quite chilly on some of the wetter and windier days, and the first frosts of the autumn were experienced early in the morning on a few occasions....</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">The days are shortening noticeably now though, with only around 12 hours (7am-7pm) of usable daylight , but by way of consolation, the heather is still a lovely purple in places, many trees are full of colourful berries, and some of the leaves and ferns are now morphing into their attractive autumnal hues.....</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">With just about all the summer visiting bird species gone by mid-month, and the first of the winter visiting bird species only just arriving in the second half of the month, full-day (6-7 hours) local safari bird lists dropped down to their lowest levels of the year (in the 30's), though this could be upped considerably by a trip to the nearby Moray coast, whilst mammal day lists varied between 3 and 7 species, depending on the time of our start and the number of different habitats visited, with early starts usually proving to be more fruitful...</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">After 5 busy months of 'peak-season' safaris, I took some time off mid-month to visit relatives, chill-out and 're-charge my batteries' so my report will be a little shorter than usual this time.....</span></p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2QKlOzLMhUybKQM0_269H2vgRrt4Mkc1_1IoUUwe-f9YXHmCngrah7ZyvmRq3A4hkzDG7q-GlqgTeij6SLvVvzYjrS_8igjFQafPXWAm2cZwUnMBv6l7I8dkzqLOrUQh0NVGuIAtFaUfsQY73k19OF5kaBlxBreGeOs4Pi8jNrWmJEitC90Wi/s2016/IMG_1799.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2QKlOzLMhUybKQM0_269H2vgRrt4Mkc1_1IoUUwe-f9YXHmCngrah7ZyvmRq3A4hkzDG7q-GlqgTeij6SLvVvzYjrS_8igjFQafPXWAm2cZwUnMBv6l7I8dkzqLOrUQh0NVGuIAtFaUfsQY73k19OF5kaBlxBreGeOs4Pi8jNrWmJEitC90Wi/w400-h300/IMG_1799.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Early autumn at the source of the River Spey</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">To give you an idea of what you may realistically hope to see if you are considering a future September visit, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">I hope the following more detailed information, illustrated with photos taken at sites in and around the Cairngorms National Park by myself, my friends or my safari clients this month and in previous September's will help....clicking on the picture enlarges it to full-screen. </span></p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Local speciality/upland bird species seen regularly during the month included</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">:</span></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Osprey , Red-Throated Diver, a</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">nd</span><b> Black-Throated Diver, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>(all very early in the month only)</b></span></span></span></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Dipper</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Red Grouse</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Goosander </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">and </span><b>Goldeneye</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, we also had several good sightings of </span><b>Golden Eagle </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">,</span><b> </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">a few brief views of </span><b>Crested Tit, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> a couple of glimpses of </span><b>Crossbill</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, and one very unexpected and unseasonal view of 2 displaying <b>Black Grouse! </b></span></span></span></div><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Mammal species seen regularly included:</b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Red Squirrel</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Red Deer</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Reindeer</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Roe Deer</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Mountain Goat</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> and </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Rabbit</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">......with just a couple of glimpses of </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Brown Hare </b><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">... i</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>t s</b>hould be noted that </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Mountain Hares</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> are still really tricky to see in September, but should become a little easier as they begin to morph into their white coats in the weeks to come...</span></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><u>All photographs of wildlife, especially Schedule 1 and other protected bird species were taken legally at long range with powerful zoom lenses, or from my vehicle on public roads, well away from nest sites, and no disturbance was caused to any wildlife....</u></b></p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">September 2023 bird sightings in more detail:</b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;">Up in the glens...</b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;"><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ5--0YCRNf6_i7etQMSjaE3qW9G0B8WAP-bMMMWIQ1V0AtKWgOVi4QkLUnF5ke5xqKz24vBA0sy_WYnIPaHjKDlTq_fJ5hh2hu3FAXg0qbUXY-5r8WSqSzSo4orYnHEU2o29mrsKIrbl6n-2J-OlSg9cg7WyJbk5sSntKd6_0G45INkQNz_dK/s1974/IMG_1894.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="995" data-original-width="1974" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ5--0YCRNf6_i7etQMSjaE3qW9G0B8WAP-bMMMWIQ1V0AtKWgOVi4QkLUnF5ke5xqKz24vBA0sy_WYnIPaHjKDlTq_fJ5hh2hu3FAXg0qbUXY-5r8WSqSzSo4orYnHEU2o29mrsKIrbl6n-2J-OlSg9cg7WyJbk5sSntKd6_0G45INkQNz_dK/w400-h201/IMG_1894.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A local upland glen</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;"><b style="font-size: 13.2px;">Golden Eagles</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;"> are more commonly seen on my safaris during the shorter days of late autumn and winter, when they have less hours of daylight in which to hunt, and all of the family are actively flying - it takes several months from hatching before the young can fly competently - but we actually had a reasonable 'strike-rate' on my safaris this month, with a favourite upland glen giving us decent sightings on a number of occasions, and more importantly lots of my clients a much sought-after 'life-tick' of an iconic Highland speciality....and although we only saw one <b>White-Tailed Eagle</b> this month, I would expect some more sightings of them next month as the Atlantic Salmon should start to spawn in the shallow upper reaches of our rivers soon..</span></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Wz9nEv2zcZZlZ_Ahm7ouJV2XgV29JI45hNy5zPtdh8nvFzEic9Szayfz8zwCoAPG-o1B_b9NUd28Wi29bGTJ5ycqixqhTzGpLI4y1YQJDubZlLBAPBbkGIwgF1pjr7LGnwGun-z3dJ6xIJ3hWAbZpb1iT5nvlH_d3ksvTRemPFU5X01CJQmh/s1683/DSCN6341.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="660" data-original-width="1683" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Wz9nEv2zcZZlZ_Ahm7ouJV2XgV29JI45hNy5zPtdh8nvFzEic9Szayfz8zwCoAPG-o1B_b9NUd28Wi29bGTJ5ycqixqhTzGpLI4y1YQJDubZlLBAPBbkGIwgF1pjr7LGnwGun-z3dJ6xIJ3hWAbZpb1iT5nvlH_d3ksvTRemPFU5X01CJQmh/w400-h156/DSCN6341.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Golden Eagle</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZdljyqtch4tNu8MW5-eOj9qfmeF0JjXsr33bkPB-2AwznBKx9xYtcDhvLdzcCV9Oa-ZhjWPa1acxkgnoO7w_pntp2FgG_Zfx7u7pU9LeRswEcp32TDaigSPqurVmz4Gd6rmzYT1EBfKGXsnVUYeZnHjBogh3FtHfTbmY4mfjh5djftAt-SNWr/s1428/DSCN6397.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="783" data-original-width="1428" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZdljyqtch4tNu8MW5-eOj9qfmeF0JjXsr33bkPB-2AwznBKx9xYtcDhvLdzcCV9Oa-ZhjWPa1acxkgnoO7w_pntp2FgG_Zfx7u7pU9LeRswEcp32TDaigSPqurVmz4Gd6rmzYT1EBfKGXsnVUYeZnHjBogh3FtHfTbmY4mfjh5djftAt-SNWr/w400-h219/DSCN6397.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Golden Eagle</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwUzKyOMJUIcUiLIR7Qv2-hVGGXT5g3V_Xci22m8sIxS3ENKXpx34pLyJCmukUNa_WE29dWbdRuuaLlIvmvJG_CP3-XC40O06hO99L82b4c6qxGAbBrcDNufee-SXz5K1yWbVGNmUClklAXH29updLjMbrdgcXjZrZGZUu_nzjh4PuPCpFJ-VE/s969/Rob%20Ellett.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="561" data-original-width="969" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwUzKyOMJUIcUiLIR7Qv2-hVGGXT5g3V_Xci22m8sIxS3ENKXpx34pLyJCmukUNa_WE29dWbdRuuaLlIvmvJG_CP3-XC40O06hO99L82b4c6qxGAbBrcDNufee-SXz5K1yWbVGNmUClklAXH29updLjMbrdgcXjZrZGZUu_nzjh4PuPCpFJ-VE/w400-h231/Rob%20Ellett.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>White-Tailed Eagle by Rob Ellett- Photo from September 2020</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">In fact, raptors in general were noticeably more active than in the spring and summer months, with us also regularly seeing </span><b>Kestrel,</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> </span><b>Sparrowhawk, Peregrine, Common Buzzard</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> and </span><b>Red Kite , often in family groups, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">and on the 22nd of the month I got my only my second view this year of a <b>Merlin</b>!</span></p><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVQdZjI4Z2T6SZkySAzTrBqR7bKpL6edoqVLkdtWykry2pwQMLJLoDXjJtv4dmFNmhHxTb_04ohKRPbFGD9s8y9Gz4wp_1lq2rMXa7DYai9ZV_Nl4DrYMCtdnT0HvVG4FS2WGl-TmcCCajGbmVJ3-4sDGKOkbZhZwEposXbpzZ0bWw5wvr7Dcs/s709/120107442_785914832237092_7371309891697529976_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="709" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVQdZjI4Z2T6SZkySAzTrBqR7bKpL6edoqVLkdtWykry2pwQMLJLoDXjJtv4dmFNmhHxTb_04ohKRPbFGD9s8y9Gz4wp_1lq2rMXa7DYai9ZV_Nl4DrYMCtdnT0HvVG4FS2WGl-TmcCCajGbmVJ3-4sDGKOkbZhZwEposXbpzZ0bWw5wvr7Dcs/s320/120107442_785914832237092_7371309891697529976_n.jpg" width="320" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Kestrel by Freddie Oxley - Photo from September 2020</b></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg61FuF3LOXkCC-6gCVsjv2u5Xx8fZazVFct7vAfFCp-PLpJoZhouQz4-5Pm3CDJKCwjZt5uXKgrwEQE8FROtAHvBkfyh59BDlaerizkRawZCFheICP5H7BjuxemZxKwWz2Eo0I0eql5QYlznLzyFeOYniXbm3BIyFk2pGRWMPlh8cdHQWJZKL-/s1962/Ron%20Mitchell%205.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1308" data-original-width="1962" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg61FuF3LOXkCC-6gCVsjv2u5Xx8fZazVFct7vAfFCp-PLpJoZhouQz4-5Pm3CDJKCwjZt5uXKgrwEQE8FROtAHvBkfyh59BDlaerizkRawZCFheICP5H7BjuxemZxKwWz2Eo0I0eql5QYlznLzyFeOYniXbm3BIyFk2pGRWMPlh8cdHQWJZKL-/w400-h266/Ron%20Mitchell%205.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Common Buzzard by Ron Mitchell</b></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidifRAIu9EwwjEGSKfJBQvTp9ihjIAuOfG_El0rdP3zs43GdQgAuY7WV073Cp5Ukb1gEegqsJfHuZzoMi-a2lm_98tbkvGP1ywuc84e0GkImp4sWX1L0XU8xPvzCsjd0QLvKNV_iFWA4VI6LH_mNRqpnSVFbdBuTUWtv54ep6_V6GLCPAWXFeg/s617/120108474_983970892109208_6396287620368725764_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="617" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidifRAIu9EwwjEGSKfJBQvTp9ihjIAuOfG_El0rdP3zs43GdQgAuY7WV073Cp5Ukb1gEegqsJfHuZzoMi-a2lm_98tbkvGP1ywuc84e0GkImp4sWX1L0XU8xPvzCsjd0QLvKNV_iFWA4VI6LH_mNRqpnSVFbdBuTUWtv54ep6_V6GLCPAWXFeg/s320/120108474_983970892109208_6396287620368725764_n.jpg" width="320" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Kite by Freddie Oxley - Photo from September 2020</b></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">On the lochs...</b></b></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjach7fSNDvWYCTf1wJvONukJwf9Q44VA5Uj7S6-iZcvwwf7YsEq2VRXyD-M83wwzvMHUp9hPU-dIGYd0KtURKtMn39g4dYWPmMQTEMd2ARloOEDbeB3KOowCt9851NWbipS_k7HfCLxd_ddVJeFXbEChXXYZ-87Uf25kmhOymkdI6DQbotdSwM/s1977/IMG_1801.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1035" data-original-width="1977" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjach7fSNDvWYCTf1wJvONukJwf9Q44VA5Uj7S6-iZcvwwf7YsEq2VRXyD-M83wwzvMHUp9hPU-dIGYd0KtURKtMn39g4dYWPmMQTEMd2ARloOEDbeB3KOowCt9851NWbipS_k7HfCLxd_ddVJeFXbEChXXYZ-87Uf25kmhOymkdI6DQbotdSwM/w400-h210/IMG_1801.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A picturesque local loch</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;">A few of our local juvenile </span></span></span></span></span><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Ospreys</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> </span></b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">lingered around their now redundant nest sites and local lochs and rivers for the first week of the month, giving us our last chance to admire these attractive and impressive raptors and their fishing skills, though it should be noted that seeing them was a bit 'hit and miss'....and sadly, we won't see them any more now, until they return in the spring. It always amazes me to think that these young birds will attempt to undertake a 5,000 odd mile migration to west Africa alone and unassisted by their parents at the tender age of just 3 months!!</span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS5JIPy_AOjbBH0BQBTNM1-Hfhar43wfaI27XQiyDEqPZ6SwuYLajQadhebfXHXBti6OkfLq4_78TuC40cT6n-Te4qN8I1-8aC7B-z9lzzx3A5665SKgsMPF2TYw-GKC0oZAwwDtwhf9ms1g6oQ5-f9y2OW_BkKQL8cqHw-LWMhxOjUwcup61z/s2833/DSCN6348.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1552" data-original-width="2833" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS5JIPy_AOjbBH0BQBTNM1-Hfhar43wfaI27XQiyDEqPZ6SwuYLajQadhebfXHXBti6OkfLq4_78TuC40cT6n-Te4qN8I1-8aC7B-z9lzzx3A5665SKgsMPF2TYw-GKC0oZAwwDtwhf9ms1g6oQ5-f9y2OW_BkKQL8cqHw-LWMhxOjUwcup61z/w400-h219/DSCN6348.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Osprey</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p>It was a similar story with our local<b> Red-Throated Divers </b>and<b> Black-Throated Divers - t</b>hough they only 'migrate' to the coast of the UK - with us only seeing them inland very early in the month....</p><p>The last week of the month, saw us get our first views this autumn of 'incoming' migrants though, in the form of <b>Whooper Swans</b>, and <b>Pink-Footed Geese</b>.....</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjW5xYZgoRyLPGqhPoAgCxLtS8tRtKYYYIKyW5_fB30Pye0f5Y5mDSSI8Fg1Ie1B8bxB0MjnNHYwbpAOKQTX02OMix7S9xYdcbv1Onc9p5yyt1gU9c8UnfHzVJyml6qpNInJBmC29FIokppiazqc0IAKDjoHc4iVkyStvlUSVLsJhKUDXy5Yam/s3966/DSCN6394.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2339" data-original-width="3966" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjW5xYZgoRyLPGqhPoAgCxLtS8tRtKYYYIKyW5_fB30Pye0f5Y5mDSSI8Fg1Ie1B8bxB0MjnNHYwbpAOKQTX02OMix7S9xYdcbv1Onc9p5yyt1gU9c8UnfHzVJyml6qpNInJBmC29FIokppiazqc0IAKDjoHc4iVkyStvlUSVLsJhKUDXy5Yam/w400-h236/DSCN6394.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Newly-arrived Whooper Swans</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;">Goldeneyes were seen regularly though, occasionally in large family groups, </span></b></b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;">.though it should be noted that the males are still in their brown-grey 'eclipse' plumage which is very similar to that of the females and youngsters...so you will have to wait a while to enjoy them in their dapper breeding plumage...</span></b></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Up on the moors....</b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiYM2WsYvIXem9wbV-4z6Poaj6kDw3fQjP8MSkYoH1B4K_4UjjVQ5hWLCCQeew5oA7iUTzQ-r6iDNRRSPbLlnSgz0T2a8UaDeAOThy-rDed4NAQkn5Qd8W5c-7co1Ke6nv-oqAt58aZK1iUoNqaUv70R-9wyCf0Ljn5Svhi5eaGmFWv1nWCeR1/s1774/IMG_5260.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1004" data-original-width="1774" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiYM2WsYvIXem9wbV-4z6Poaj6kDw3fQjP8MSkYoH1B4K_4UjjVQ5hWLCCQeew5oA7iUTzQ-r6iDNRRSPbLlnSgz0T2a8UaDeAOThy-rDed4NAQkn5Qd8W5c-7co1Ke6nv-oqAt58aZK1iUoNqaUv70R-9wyCf0Ljn5Svhi5eaGmFWv1nWCeR1/w400-h226/IMG_5260.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A local upland heather moorland</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Red Grouse</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> were seen regularly</span><b> </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">on our local upland moors, mostly still in family groups, and they continued to entertain my safari clients with their often very confiding nature (as long as you stay in your vehicle) ...</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRY7vBzUpJ9CCgtYkB_ofEDmCn7fXo52bkHw7vjFT6mZnJ3DZYmE8rUt2BmJv6BhuxfFJJkoOgnB3Daw73gfjFngP3r0ZfO_P78vl1EbMW40rETuqfYGU_-UZkjp28GpTm2aGzopf-YJ8JsGneTEXMdDgCIT643Cwmu2BLAqHLkCB8RWtLpO0u/s4034/DSCN6396.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3148" data-original-width="4034" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRY7vBzUpJ9CCgtYkB_ofEDmCn7fXo52bkHw7vjFT6mZnJ3DZYmE8rUt2BmJv6BhuxfFJJkoOgnB3Daw73gfjFngP3r0ZfO_P78vl1EbMW40rETuqfYGU_-UZkjp28GpTm2aGzopf-YJ8JsGneTEXMdDgCIT643Cwmu2BLAqHLkCB8RWtLpO0u/s320/DSCN6396.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Female Red Grouse</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilXMvKd5k6LzvUPLLb5Xu390XF0g5O4_3C-izFLJ3sEB_EgA3V8ATxtjzInsscLX_4Mm-KN7THdhe8WULHi2ji4To2cMHDagNd2ot-WbbyAoDmP-dHcqHPYB4nYDVEQGPZVYcKWTQGuIRWD83UHswI1MKCmkE0jtFdo9464ND4KgUrW01R59_0/s4608/DSCN6381.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilXMvKd5k6LzvUPLLb5Xu390XF0g5O4_3C-izFLJ3sEB_EgA3V8ATxtjzInsscLX_4Mm-KN7THdhe8WULHi2ji4To2cMHDagNd2ot-WbbyAoDmP-dHcqHPYB4nYDVEQGPZVYcKWTQGuIRWD83UHswI1MKCmkE0jtFdo9464ND4KgUrW01R59_0/s320/DSCN6381.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Young Red Grouse</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">Most of the birds of prey that we see in the glens, can sometimes be seen hunting over the moors too, as well as the occasional more typical moorland raptor species like <b>Merlin,</b> <b>Hen Harrier</b> and <b>Short-Eared Owl.</b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi61h6S14n3qIpbPgPoIB4LSx1q8dJtpjBw-1mG3o5uQTL6gWAYaiMnfMqvFBjhXC6YA4hAjjpwmU8lBmFVljyR-YpmhZH7F2YZGSqCim2QsaPlSy21fH_svgiL3gUtWGqfaWJ8wiyijjyQs1FAm7cxtINWj16xEVWBYrnB5pFnx8eVFQJV3tPT/s3240/DSCN6385.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2018" data-original-width="3240" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi61h6S14n3qIpbPgPoIB4LSx1q8dJtpjBw-1mG3o5uQTL6gWAYaiMnfMqvFBjhXC6YA4hAjjpwmU8lBmFVljyR-YpmhZH7F2YZGSqCim2QsaPlSy21fH_svgiL3gUtWGqfaWJ8wiyijjyQs1FAm7cxtINWj16xEVWBYrnB5pFnx8eVFQJV3tPT/s320/DSCN6385.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Merlin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></b></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">As I mentioned earlier, we had a surprise middle of the day sighting of two 'displaying' B<b>lack Grouse</b> on the 22nd of this month, and my records for previous years suggest that we may have more chance at dawn in the months to come as the frosts often inspire them to appear...</span></p><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><p><b><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg6dO76Ww3QX-XAAJjTfH0HW1mLjvIYmnCTT-9FH5Nfs3paONkCgJyHLilwLOp7pVCZE1vrxIatdp9d_2vRUOoBSce11YRU4kbijnAeuuWe7MpmwVLhd-_AYttCpI5OLpjstXjxEADhwcBuhiWY0edPHZ8VIwfsEVyvz0omaNGjei1skYsHWVI/s3307/DSCN6390.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1667" data-original-width="3307" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg6dO76Ww3QX-XAAJjTfH0HW1mLjvIYmnCTT-9FH5Nfs3paONkCgJyHLilwLOp7pVCZE1vrxIatdp9d_2vRUOoBSce11YRU4kbijnAeuuWe7MpmwVLhd-_AYttCpI5OLpjstXjxEADhwcBuhiWY0edPHZ8VIwfsEVyvz0omaNGjei1skYsHWVI/w400-h201/DSCN6390.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Unseasonal displaying Black Grouse!</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">I</span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">n the Caledonian forests...</b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrPxv482t7XN3PFDi7y9Ps7fY1rtvQP72NyPH6jK6GZHY806gDdx_1g5g9n59JaRCvmek_kc87W36X1OLEDJQqkw_rHfLdF25KWPqfHFnFPWz3wa4T2vZeqOsep8tRzNeVLLbBuqGdWsFhIoFHENYB7E62e9dSJLDRK2i9S8kpgPPv8qiB6HWz/s2016/IMG_5224.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1252" data-original-width="2016" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrPxv482t7XN3PFDi7y9Ps7fY1rtvQP72NyPH6jK6GZHY806gDdx_1g5g9n59JaRCvmek_kc87W36X1OLEDJQqkw_rHfLdF25KWPqfHFnFPWz3wa4T2vZeqOsep8tRzNeVLLbBuqGdWsFhIoFHENYB7E62e9dSJLDRK2i9S8kpgPPv8qiB6HWz/w400-h249/IMG_5224.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Ancient Caledonian Forest</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b>Crested Tit</b><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: 400;"> is always high on my safari clients 'wish-lists', with it being a UK rarity and Speyside speciality, and it should be noted that they can be a difficult bird to see in spring and summer, but although they are now mainly to be found in mixed flocks roaming around the Caledonian pine forests, and can be tricky to pick out, it can sometimes be possible to get a few decent views of them at feeding stations, especially soon after first light on the colder mornings in the latter part of the month...and they should become a little more reliable in the coming weeks...</span></b></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOmGPROXv-H2eD8pgpE-CGlW1or3XVT93dna24QfLpJvugx2Mikppk56V868aTNm4mv-CvXmrCO8Dp_Col4pXBXnbzja9-46fgs6KLQNp_6UIb1YUMd3wPjBnjyVaxvY2QCGbB7RlKZFnKD1H1KG-0ZkBJnvw0PLhguF3cKD4UIsrd0Svic5dS/s911/Crestie%201.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="570" data-original-width="911" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOmGPROXv-H2eD8pgpE-CGlW1or3XVT93dna24QfLpJvugx2Mikppk56V868aTNm4mv-CvXmrCO8Dp_Col4pXBXnbzja9-46fgs6KLQNp_6UIb1YUMd3wPjBnjyVaxvY2QCGbB7RlKZFnKD1H1KG-0ZkBJnvw0PLhguF3cKD4UIsrd0Svic5dS/w400-h250/Crestie%201.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Crested Tit</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWpfSdz69B-d7-EmERATsIAmgeiNyotTro1oQ3PY896TiGwb5XC99pWOCnNaDvJkK8LkgiYQFEm_0bXeObF8aOAoy3826VuijaaO5HmAOCzbtOShrfHLu5ffAmFwnBWzzcYT4RgDnNoDG7YrKfuSUIo66ExPq6v-xI7BMxbtD0P9qTxd0eFdoD/s578/120088958_613507149318121_8713877829649942882_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="396" data-original-width="578" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWpfSdz69B-d7-EmERATsIAmgeiNyotTro1oQ3PY896TiGwb5XC99pWOCnNaDvJkK8LkgiYQFEm_0bXeObF8aOAoy3826VuijaaO5HmAOCzbtOShrfHLu5ffAmFwnBWzzcYT4RgDnNoDG7YrKfuSUIo66ExPq6v-xI7BMxbtD0P9qTxd0eFdoD/s320/120088958_613507149318121_8713877829649942882_n.jpg" width="320" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Crested Tit by Freddie Oxley - Photo from September 2020</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-weight: 400;">Still in the forests, despite my best efforts, </span><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">Crossbills</b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-weight: 400;"> sightings were usually of the rather frustrating 'fly-over' variety, with them only being identified by their characteristic 'jip' 'jip' calls as they flew overhead between different parts of the forests...</span></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNZLbpOWTehy8Rj_5PP4n-DfY8vxeFPTj9hKxjoOteX_dQxV2benHT9KQQWggbijvsasy57xI-vYfSVVcInPjMweXRRzvnVJruevChyvEmoubdbxbjeK8kXA8dbrV66QWL0N_nWRlB4dyfeytXD0ja_kHjDt4qH8hHlIkjXfb6m92RIg7Uesj-/s412/Russel%20Lee%209.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="319" data-original-width="412" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNZLbpOWTehy8Rj_5PP4n-DfY8vxeFPTj9hKxjoOteX_dQxV2benHT9KQQWggbijvsasy57xI-vYfSVVcInPjMweXRRzvnVJruevChyvEmoubdbxbjeK8kXA8dbrV66QWL0N_nWRlB4dyfeytXD0ja_kHjDt4qH8hHlIkjXfb6m92RIg7Uesj-/s320/Russel%20Lee%209.jpeg" width="320" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Crossbills by Russel Lee - Photo from September 2021</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">On the marshes...</b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheskrwNdSUtlb267DKgXTEvbrfqoFtQqZAECc6L8jakoQVzTsoQJu0P6ehME_iavUYbDv45avja_dZC_0r2GX0nLwgcT0XEVcs0C6dOZ5edcDw7UUJwq0D85yKa7IjDS9jEZpMJQHbvu_SatODlA5DLZwffhPjFtTyH0wpjd64mprwmW3iW2vd/s2016/IMG_1802.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1214" data-original-width="2016" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheskrwNdSUtlb267DKgXTEvbrfqoFtQqZAECc6L8jakoQVzTsoQJu0P6ehME_iavUYbDv45avja_dZC_0r2GX0nLwgcT0XEVcs0C6dOZ5edcDw7UUJwq0D85yKa7IjDS9jEZpMJQHbvu_SatODlA5DLZwffhPjFtTyH0wpjd64mprwmW3iW2vd/w400-h241/IMG_1802.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Early autumn at Insh Marshes</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p>Increasing numbers of incoming winter migrants - <b>Whooper Swans</b>, and '<b>grey' geese</b> were noted from mid-month.</p><p>Raptors were well represented too, with <b>Hen Harrier, Marsh Harrier, Merlin, Common Buzzard, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Peregrine, Red Kite, Goshawk, Golden Eagle,</b> and <b>White-Tailed Eagle</b> all reported at Insh Marshes this month.....</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsaIMhOfo-pdXcf87v-IlFvIVf3AD-8dkK_7PWM0bf7EayLTkv5AMKmBWB4C-2WIX8nkk0huPO3ot_rrOnQhcM1U0I5B-kUvAgdi1El1ibclgL6FA0Lc7aYwm3fokqIiltYQVq-3Z2k0g56DGcA7eg3vrcSlQTaGSZ42qtGcjhfB1gb0QhVylm/s1826/Ron%20Mitchell%204.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1165" data-original-width="1826" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsaIMhOfo-pdXcf87v-IlFvIVf3AD-8dkK_7PWM0bf7EayLTkv5AMKmBWB4C-2WIX8nkk0huPO3ot_rrOnQhcM1U0I5B-kUvAgdi1El1ibclgL6FA0Lc7aYwm3fokqIiltYQVq-3Z2k0g56DGcA7eg3vrcSlQTaGSZ42qtGcjhfB1gb0QhVylm/s320/Ron%20Mitchell%204.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Marsh Harrier by Ron Mitchell</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">On the rivers...</b></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBGtH40seHzYfg1x6hFUJUJZi96genCe5di9Q6-SsNK4mAPYyCgptQO3Mjcrq1kFGqcZx3emPF-6dyXyPc-A1TDiXI8Ie2GtMcEQQWSmRMiJKDX2lvWs23Ga2G7eCrItxpJX61KW8gPuki58JROgaeR0hWc3_fbD6VpTRhuO_AU8-ED90J6B1T/s2016/IMG_1895.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1463" data-original-width="2016" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBGtH40seHzYfg1x6hFUJUJZi96genCe5di9Q6-SsNK4mAPYyCgptQO3Mjcrq1kFGqcZx3emPF-6dyXyPc-A1TDiXI8Ie2GtMcEQQWSmRMiJKDX2lvWs23Ga2G7eCrItxpJX61KW8gPuki58JROgaeR0hWc3_fbD6VpTRhuO_AU8-ED90J6B1T/w400-h290/IMG_1895.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The River Findhorn</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;">As is usual at this time of year, </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Dipper</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> sightings were still a little 'random' this month, as the birds seemed to range wide and far, but later in the month we witnessed some more 'territorial' behaviour (loud singing and aggressive posturing) near to some of their favourite nesting bridges....</span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4k6xyuuPEqHDI1fCrlAMkLtdYjJ5_9_4IHHzfheel0ISE7Rpo1kLKrwn3ssc_2MORE3Bj9FN1lL9nubmmYq-egNtHxesHiFvGU7ZrpFAa4lOfA2IUmMcsM3QpdVBa_7QiUSwfKCpJPVI0ldbsaMl8nLy-UQ1J3e2TO-wWlQyLJ4DNz79r5dGj/s2614/DSCN2960.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="2614" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4k6xyuuPEqHDI1fCrlAMkLtdYjJ5_9_4IHHzfheel0ISE7Rpo1kLKrwn3ssc_2MORE3Bj9FN1lL9nubmmYq-egNtHxesHiFvGU7ZrpFAa4lOfA2IUmMcsM3QpdVBa_7QiUSwfKCpJPVI0ldbsaMl8nLy-UQ1J3e2TO-wWlQyLJ4DNz79r5dGj/w400-h214/DSCN2960.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Dipper</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">We occasionally saw large families of <b>Goosanders </b>on local rivers too, though it should be noted that they are usually very nervous and often fly off when they notice us...</span></span></p><p><br /></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Up in the mountains....</b></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj96X8udt7Mjrbx_wwdg-hhOMz1qKgtYNFfp9wSmzQViSF-2IlfkfmvcyFc6mHnOegCVDcngmkFHkbHHfAe3448e76lKvKOqhXG1FUZdzkckFXTGQTLa09mceAP5ooyY50Kr83af80IIaLy6tFDbKpB57RGRaqcUuhR0R25MpnUYkTbu55_-SMM/s2016/IMG_1883.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1271" data-original-width="2016" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj96X8udt7Mjrbx_wwdg-hhOMz1qKgtYNFfp9wSmzQViSF-2IlfkfmvcyFc6mHnOegCVDcngmkFHkbHHfAe3448e76lKvKOqhXG1FUZdzkckFXTGQTLa09mceAP5ooyY50Kr83af80IIaLy6tFDbKpB57RGRaqcUuhR0R25MpnUYkTbu55_-SMM/w400-h253/IMG_1883.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The Cairngorm Mountains</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p>With the Cairngorm Funicular railway still out of action for remedial work, I didn't venture up into the mountains this month, and I didn't read any reports of local sightings of mountain species.....</p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">On farmland....</b></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXpJibx8BWxba3ylcZBX2SH1cNVbtsAHOND4v9ZJn-fkr9SYZS11OD51jjYVMP2EBRptXcb4QUayrhaf25vCULdQLiop6pNUmMRswwGCNY2KrY4eRwK2fK1UO79vGzYwEO4qg0nm3uVyhCSRnSJIxxprEY4-BB4VnGmmUKkiDncrQHD2cF6DEq/s1764/IMG_1792.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1764" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXpJibx8BWxba3ylcZBX2SH1cNVbtsAHOND4v9ZJn-fkr9SYZS11OD51jjYVMP2EBRptXcb4QUayrhaf25vCULdQLiop6pNUmMRswwGCNY2KrY4eRwK2fK1UO79vGzYwEO4qg0nm3uVyhCSRnSJIxxprEY4-BB4VnGmmUKkiDncrQHD2cF6DEq/w400-h271/IMG_1792.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Local farmland</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p>From mid-month, large flocks of incoming winter migrants such as <b>Mistle Thrushes</b>, <b>Whooper Swans</b> , <b>Greylag Geese </b>and P<b>ink-Footed Geese </b>were seen feeding on local farmland....</p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyjBFhebhe8pvOFECqUMSHamoJ7_agKAwkUD3RqpQqX_sLcAwg5oTuQG1unBCVJwqbGWfYlCtFTRRL75X8TyXRN4Tk-lKjjA83E6s-87w0x2iz5LOuwlwcZ5wTMq3qJcdBuaH4pB6pba8C1jQKis3pRSppxAyZsQ9IFUlDdNbzExdXKNl-IjnR/s2952/DSCN6334.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1826" data-original-width="2952" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyjBFhebhe8pvOFECqUMSHamoJ7_agKAwkUD3RqpQqX_sLcAwg5oTuQG1unBCVJwqbGWfYlCtFTRRL75X8TyXRN4Tk-lKjjA83E6s-87w0x2iz5LOuwlwcZ5wTMq3qJcdBuaH4pB6pba8C1jQKis3pRSppxAyZsQ9IFUlDdNbzExdXKNl-IjnR/s320/DSCN6334.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Mistle Thrush</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Other good/scarce birds seen/reported locally this month included:</b></p><p>Several <b>Red-Breasted Mergansers</b> on local lochs (rare inland here) early in the month, 3 late <b>Ring Ouzels </b>at Gaick on the 2nd, a <b>Mandarin Duck</b> at Loch Garten on the 3rd, a very late <b>Swift </b>at Insh Marshes on the 20th, a <b>Ruff </b>at Insh Marshes on the 28th, and a probable <b>Hen Harrier x Pallid Harrier hybrid </b>was seen at Insh marshes on and off throughout the month....</p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 700;">A few photos of more common birds seen locally this month: </span></p><p><b><br /></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkIxd6evbtRAkWRPotDmrfPU9UbPGbS9MRVBJO42tQXqARDIR3S2uO6N5IpzVdtD1gJ16qG-XLAT2sAQmgsmD7kwbof0AaUY0vfeklAdVN1euujmBQtfHLfQxVlbKQXBaM9YRFeWYWKrTDFfzb7_TBShXuQKb71cEuK4Jt84YAOcEm0OykoKDf/s3582/DSCN6291.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2353" data-original-width="3582" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkIxd6evbtRAkWRPotDmrfPU9UbPGbS9MRVBJO42tQXqARDIR3S2uO6N5IpzVdtD1gJ16qG-XLAT2sAQmgsmD7kwbof0AaUY0vfeklAdVN1euujmBQtfHLfQxVlbKQXBaM9YRFeWYWKrTDFfzb7_TBShXuQKb71cEuK4Jt84YAOcEm0OykoKDf/s320/DSCN6291.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Meadow Pipit</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPV4WWNIonv0_q6rRY0ftI1OHX302fk5zdMMbwra3S7Ullr5cHfSeTNHur8N8tOjHLmspLm7pvzyEnNncQkDAP5hVfhkveua2jMd28jKGvettSTU9ashemFOgE73_EFCciLvhuXkX5SC0NC24ETAi7kOb976EsIpmg2oGfI3gJzYG04V31y2Yy/s4608/DSCN6277.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPV4WWNIonv0_q6rRY0ftI1OHX302fk5zdMMbwra3S7Ullr5cHfSeTNHur8N8tOjHLmspLm7pvzyEnNncQkDAP5hVfhkveua2jMd28jKGvettSTU9ashemFOgE73_EFCciLvhuXkX5SC0NC24ETAi7kOb976EsIpmg2oGfI3gJzYG04V31y2Yy/w400-h300/DSCN6277.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Mute Swans</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixtWCYIjuPpI1NllihtIUZqdhKllAzRs4fRG6pBjvXSCoGDxtgIt6VmUe3evuimEuMc-llgxv0HWkUvoLw0qW_Ejz06UJaP-C3qqDDNQGjUgOqqPOvRfLG26RyYwbrZtz0a-uSL9DV4aIxCHI323qgNo0u9k25hU11CuJUAL5vNJ92RX-RjCU6/s3668/DSCN6312.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1938" data-original-width="3668" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixtWCYIjuPpI1NllihtIUZqdhKllAzRs4fRG6pBjvXSCoGDxtgIt6VmUe3evuimEuMc-llgxv0HWkUvoLw0qW_Ejz06UJaP-C3qqDDNQGjUgOqqPOvRfLG26RyYwbrZtz0a-uSL9DV4aIxCHI323qgNo0u9k25hU11CuJUAL5vNJ92RX-RjCU6/w400-h211/DSCN6312.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Grey Heron</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvwo9N3G1xKB2QBRas7BDmaebt2gPbh5gyPCWGNf0pUyU0ddsGxMkvQ3DVNWTFZNey_3kiG-gcnE1O3DDfRJZiMmsgM3VE6d0pZGWuR8ahhHfMJ4toAIR5dWIjkXBqqnknmDYE46bLg2eiCU0xLBULpH4xwf24limG9adQ-kfxHQpzGyPaTuMY/s4024/DSCN6306.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2354" data-original-width="4024" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvwo9N3G1xKB2QBRas7BDmaebt2gPbh5gyPCWGNf0pUyU0ddsGxMkvQ3DVNWTFZNey_3kiG-gcnE1O3DDfRJZiMmsgM3VE6d0pZGWuR8ahhHfMJ4toAIR5dWIjkXBqqnknmDYE46bLg2eiCU0xLBULpH4xwf24limG9adQ-kfxHQpzGyPaTuMY/w400-h234/DSCN6306.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Pheasant</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuWI4w6Ln29igKvC6I8BTUckeNGQOZ8oWBW_4GC77dexnmbFUdUmrvzuQmHRjCaeHmoOslC5Sw4DK1Cts5kFHXQGhqRAARC5xRh2K4YA-8khCII2UWmg8ZT5FvRrV93cEzWEozE7VBtO0o2Y91ocfPSZXAWcp7J_oDY6fNaEN3XEc9Xt-40cof/s3845/Stonechat%20(M)%209.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2564" data-original-width="3845" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuWI4w6Ln29igKvC6I8BTUckeNGQOZ8oWBW_4GC77dexnmbFUdUmrvzuQmHRjCaeHmoOslC5Sw4DK1Cts5kFHXQGhqRAARC5xRh2K4YA-8khCII2UWmg8ZT5FvRrV93cEzWEozE7VBtO0o2Y91ocfPSZXAWcp7J_oDY6fNaEN3XEc9Xt-40cof/s320/Stonechat%20(M)%209.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Stonechat by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;">Adventures 'out of area':</span></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYsVABN2e0vmgRc8D2YI_jdOta3-Q2b6M7FI5AA22h-rogtZb6L60T2xqoUpMDsDyZC8GNN7GiV3xbxvCURceOCfeH66RPqpGNoz9sEuKANGtG3IjgA67c5RiRsG8s0iagEySeCVc8ZZUhg098x4ZdFTZDKP6j5TNqUwWghdluq8pjNZcX2AkK/s2010/IMG_1818.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1228" data-original-width="2010" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYsVABN2e0vmgRc8D2YI_jdOta3-Q2b6M7FI5AA22h-rogtZb6L60T2xqoUpMDsDyZC8GNN7GiV3xbxvCURceOCfeH66RPqpGNoz9sEuKANGtG3IjgA67c5RiRsG8s0iagEySeCVc8ZZUhg098x4ZdFTZDKP6j5TNqUwWghdluq8pjNZcX2AkK/w400-h245/IMG_1818.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Spey Bay on the Moray Coast</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p>The nearby Moray Coast is always worth a visit, especially in autumn and winter, and a visit early in the month gave a good selection of auks, waders, wildfowl, seaducks, geese ,swans, gulls , a few lingering terns, and one or two Skuas</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJXa9d__4LYD8KvhjgXPoI9zaKbBPo1FeHMnRxBk2ScorjFuXBehXjU6rTbwNNC8dFIOUt2F3YlUqeU3Q0JC1kjZA_Wip8f3vtGHYbBtRcXRhbLSTTeSjSuntQBjegl3vjYqsveqi50DeXGREeRGjZwxbEucoUaA5CszRo0XYv8K2Xz4lW0fnW/s3500/DSCN6354.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1712" data-original-width="3500" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJXa9d__4LYD8KvhjgXPoI9zaKbBPo1FeHMnRxBk2ScorjFuXBehXjU6rTbwNNC8dFIOUt2F3YlUqeU3Q0JC1kjZA_Wip8f3vtGHYbBtRcXRhbLSTTeSjSuntQBjegl3vjYqsveqi50DeXGREeRGjZwxbEucoUaA5CszRo0XYv8K2Xz4lW0fnW/w400-h196/DSCN6354.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Waders and gulls at Spey Bay</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyKXFFjhy4NR5tkdHTV_GuLVBsxlRmPwmBrBPkUPasSLM_ACMZ97xePNcAvgECnNz3bv5ZojblZxievU_Af3bK4o-MzTuqDd3P57XcsVbP-KOHfEWb9RvQhOx5GX7flN6z6dSmg1-NSNJpafHTbXOsnqxejE0be4-_iEX-vt67vTt5-LCCn99g/s4608/DSCN6356.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2284" data-original-width="4608" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyKXFFjhy4NR5tkdHTV_GuLVBsxlRmPwmBrBPkUPasSLM_ACMZ97xePNcAvgECnNz3bv5ZojblZxievU_Af3bK4o-MzTuqDd3P57XcsVbP-KOHfEWb9RvQhOx5GX7flN6z6dSmg1-NSNJpafHTbXOsnqxejE0be4-_iEX-vt67vTt5-LCCn99g/w400-h199/DSCN6356.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Canada Geese</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXvfjIsdYdwDC2dYfU9361sFbUpdHdSWJWcqhA0ijQrL4HfK53rdc8y365B3B1AZJr3-yw7ZKIcb16F-9vLWEu44pweO-C3G_8dSqE--xT6K4X-u-owxSw5bS4uKPY2fw3cPNne5T-CEnZaJ1xRkEbNeDnRtsQhrYB-p_tBZ2nnio6fSSGxISJ/s3921/DSCN6274.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2207" data-original-width="3921" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXvfjIsdYdwDC2dYfU9361sFbUpdHdSWJWcqhA0ijQrL4HfK53rdc8y365B3B1AZJr3-yw7ZKIcb16F-9vLWEu44pweO-C3G_8dSqE--xT6K4X-u-owxSw5bS4uKPY2fw3cPNne5T-CEnZaJ1xRkEbNeDnRtsQhrYB-p_tBZ2nnio6fSSGxISJ/s320/DSCN6274.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red-Breasted Merganser</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbhr1Tew7VzdwiFQBEJD1U3To0bh_5Tiby6Q70T6WNZfvBxh8kwSy4BpJJSpBr_Tf-cqHGxrj9VSwF6w4ZbqUzHDT58VqyOwKoACJNx-Ux-45JhRE3aeaYE424U5qjUnw_1XlrJ0-Lw992zWYC1lByErp9pk8xbaRITKMzhSB5cjzZwvTRvLKG/s1827/Arctic%20Skua%2017.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1218" data-original-width="1827" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbhr1Tew7VzdwiFQBEJD1U3To0bh_5Tiby6Q70T6WNZfvBxh8kwSy4BpJJSpBr_Tf-cqHGxrj9VSwF6w4ZbqUzHDT58VqyOwKoACJNx-Ux-45JhRE3aeaYE424U5qjUnw_1XlrJ0-Lw992zWYC1lByErp9pk8xbaRITKMzhSB5cjzZwvTRvLKG/s320/Arctic%20Skua%2017.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Arctic Skua and Common Tern by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE1mcEV458ov20BBMZb0IskVX-MHdJAKzd0nEThSCClNDLSCVfe6Aer2EEBAvSesFHZx-WCD9ULAJ-diCeoMADh_E4O7vg1KkB16B-hc20XE3KgCcXlgewMj2XTCClkNjxEKEfULAvPObXYIvjkXnD_YIQlkg7ommHYv8H0MZRAQS57fGk0sgp/s2658/Curlew%2017.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1772" data-original-width="2658" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE1mcEV458ov20BBMZb0IskVX-MHdJAKzd0nEThSCClNDLSCVfe6Aer2EEBAvSesFHZx-WCD9ULAJ-diCeoMADh_E4O7vg1KkB16B-hc20XE3KgCcXlgewMj2XTCClkNjxEKEfULAvPObXYIvjkXnD_YIQlkg7ommHYv8H0MZRAQS57fGk0sgp/s320/Curlew%2017.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Curlew by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzexZSfGI4IU0ijQVAnLp__CV4P61cn8LeFRsvimv6fwjUgC4wMPrM2Or-e0frKzt3Nd4JIU9Hx8_-fB75yughfg9R-NALtxnSMLqtnN0HR7KnN1f2U-vfkFG9tiVrqghRopCLUdY6VDmANgLq49DrQ4c7DfoqqyH0Tjy9eg-Su4oyt_sz8prB/s2481/Common%20Tern%2014.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1654" data-original-width="2481" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzexZSfGI4IU0ijQVAnLp__CV4P61cn8LeFRsvimv6fwjUgC4wMPrM2Or-e0frKzt3Nd4JIU9Hx8_-fB75yughfg9R-NALtxnSMLqtnN0HR7KnN1f2U-vfkFG9tiVrqghRopCLUdY6VDmANgLq49DrQ4c7DfoqqyH0Tjy9eg-Su4oyt_sz8prB/s320/Common%20Tern%2014.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Common Tern by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9SBV9tP0pYfSi6TYuFVIGw3QkLR4oTlX_ETKDyxC_ITNvVcfjZvYY8v5-wQsSmc7GuoMPf7pSiEeCpbIH0mmW1ICveUo7E1o8H62tQ_kgeok4pAT4ntcyuUjr_vxZWzoEmaVGqfVeuvMAY7rEniWCokohXUdcn88li5MgB7ssqAhoJ07pCfLS/s2749/Sandwich%20Tern%205.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1833" data-original-width="2749" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9SBV9tP0pYfSi6TYuFVIGw3QkLR4oTlX_ETKDyxC_ITNvVcfjZvYY8v5-wQsSmc7GuoMPf7pSiEeCpbIH0mmW1ICveUo7E1o8H62tQ_kgeok4pAT4ntcyuUjr_vxZWzoEmaVGqfVeuvMAY7rEniWCokohXUdcn88li5MgB7ssqAhoJ07pCfLS/s320/Sandwich%20Tern%205.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Sandwich Tern by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjay7KAJer8HcasqTXFLD2Yy0T_EErdbWIZfAT2pd18mBua75kqSgzVut40v8j4v0vNPxHGQXrEbFTYorV2LcmVLM1w-tA7O3l1ELibjrQDpMflIwHjuV2IuHt27yCs8GaJ6HYVKe561ilJL84xf-lH-QRR22W7dfgdysqpq_m34mPuyyMSrlgx/s5472/Guillemot%2018.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjay7KAJer8HcasqTXFLD2Yy0T_EErdbWIZfAT2pd18mBua75kqSgzVut40v8j4v0vNPxHGQXrEbFTYorV2LcmVLM1w-tA7O3l1ELibjrQDpMflIwHjuV2IuHt27yCs8GaJ6HYVKe561ilJL84xf-lH-QRR22W7dfgdysqpq_m34mPuyyMSrlgx/s320/Guillemot%2018.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Common Guillemot by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg56gpadU-gPTgNv18oKO58XN2SITn4H7Z0i56l5pDIVQr3-cL4sL8bL-AIktzour0EIw2uQh7wa9Ql17sqZuJi8X32CTSdZi9vzhjFFHQ_6C68tJVLvu4QXfX108s8CPP3kwxH1ZkxHnT-WeWwr-itnb-nI_L_oRAUCnSTG8rRZH3UlA013or1/s1987/Razorbill.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1325" data-original-width="1987" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg56gpadU-gPTgNv18oKO58XN2SITn4H7Z0i56l5pDIVQr3-cL4sL8bL-AIktzour0EIw2uQh7wa9Ql17sqZuJi8X32CTSdZi9vzhjFFHQ_6C68tJVLvu4QXfX108s8CPP3kwxH1ZkxHnT-WeWwr-itnb-nI_L_oRAUCnSTG8rRZH3UlA013or1/s320/Razorbill.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Razorbill by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>September 2023 mammal sightings in more detail:</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">With inland bird sightings 'slowing down' a little, mammal sightings always become more important at this time of year, and we are lucky to have such a good selection to go for in this area....</span></span></span></p><div><br /></div><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 700;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-weight: 400;">Despite stiff competition from 'Murdo', and the Red Deer, (see below), t</span></span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">he 'mammal of the day' award was still often won by the cute and ever popular </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Red Squirrel</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> - with many of my safari clients seeing these very characterful and attractive 'Highland speciality' animals for the first time, usually at feeding stations, but occasionally on walks/drives through forests too...</span></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQOYTUrnlgvck2Sv7imgRD0GaLFB13R6x-6Gp7RUGA_MtRTz21F5IXgkdg3opRMBTpcGoQonoHdOFKwQwdpaiIvm71jGMAjELdETvSHVfzWQRExKs5CzoW8-VNoOxp0RbT75-x5Gq9B6HCZ2VEywUV4dPmXepDlF_H7V1jet7sYJDNvz_CvW9J/s2016/IMG_1765.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQOYTUrnlgvck2Sv7imgRD0GaLFB13R6x-6Gp7RUGA_MtRTz21F5IXgkdg3opRMBTpcGoQonoHdOFKwQwdpaiIvm71jGMAjELdETvSHVfzWQRExKs5CzoW8-VNoOxp0RbT75-x5Gq9B6HCZ2VEywUV4dPmXepDlF_H7V1jet7sYJDNvz_CvW9J/s320/IMG_1765.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Squirrel</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLDrW0iEayZTLZSwckZx5EkZgzTxrqh7z_8fhhKk_TRM7l_gT4J7VC3PDjYb7ronlqDXomFNCvLbAVbYzs1UmI_4MCNo8nEYuNHm3EIOg0uDMcaI_Ac8S4Tw7CpdkukHZCR0SSHxd7GoI8vf7OsEiejHiSRgJaEDfwg1Od-XMwHYgjZZzTSANr/s3737/DSCN7194.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2622" data-original-width="3737" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLDrW0iEayZTLZSwckZx5EkZgzTxrqh7z_8fhhKk_TRM7l_gT4J7VC3PDjYb7ronlqDXomFNCvLbAVbYzs1UmI_4MCNo8nEYuNHm3EIOg0uDMcaI_Ac8S4Tw7CpdkukHZCR0SSHxd7GoI8vf7OsEiejHiSRgJaEDfwg1Od-XMwHYgjZZzTSANr/s320/DSCN7194.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Squirrel</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;">Although there is often little indication of it approaching, the end of September , and the first frosts, usually sees the start of the </span><strong>Red Deer</strong><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"> rut, with the previously quite sociable stags beginning to 'check-out' and assemble their 'harems' of 'in season' hinds, sharpen up the tips of their antlers on rocks and trees, and partake in a little light 'sparring' with likely rivals, often accompanied by a tremendous 'roaring', which echoes round the glens... a marvelously atmospheric spectacle, which is sure to increase in intensity next month...</span></b></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdt5Ho3dMG0akUr1i-zEmS4mqVCNc36nvP_4lCsfyOPT6SZtwGGYtVyOvm3ndLHAZlz-2cq3HGJFfTFZXNbDnZYQUpd6C3R5CQpTKRys3hOkrbcRLWSd1gywrmKmt1PmVa-_qTzkYkKAWQvR04S-0uLImxaof9R5TxbZvqFmBKW-zRxZ_ZHjtw/s3567/DSCN3346.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1171" data-original-width="3567" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdt5Ho3dMG0akUr1i-zEmS4mqVCNc36nvP_4lCsfyOPT6SZtwGGYtVyOvm3ndLHAZlz-2cq3HGJFfTFZXNbDnZYQUpd6C3R5CQpTKRys3hOkrbcRLWSd1gywrmKmt1PmVa-_qTzkYkKAWQvR04S-0uLImxaof9R5TxbZvqFmBKW-zRxZ_ZHjtw/w400-h131/DSCN3346.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Deer Stags - Photo from September 2022</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB260tPHfZP3JQcWh-IAL6emGhaVjRA4F-0VkWmVKdjUGJ3yn8Z3E3JyMh_V0sL0MycdQr66sMDB_S7BB0oDd0lfnGAVjiSB_dW5XYJwKBKvK-L7G_8jKwvqph18dpaQrkNgTAkf5acWmeg1MdrDmQTEeO1_xzHn7QCBYQHYK5SaQkGLKnNGca/s538/IMG_1315.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="359" data-original-width="538" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB260tPHfZP3JQcWh-IAL6emGhaVjRA4F-0VkWmVKdjUGJ3yn8Z3E3JyMh_V0sL0MycdQr66sMDB_S7BB0oDd0lfnGAVjiSB_dW5XYJwKBKvK-L7G_8jKwvqph18dpaQrkNgTAkf5acWmeg1MdrDmQTEeO1_xzHn7QCBYQHYK5SaQkGLKnNGca/s320/IMG_1315.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Deer Stag</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">Still up in the glens, our </span><strong>Mountain Hares, </strong><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">though still in their browny-grey summer coats, are about to turn whiter from their feet upwards as autumn progresses, in preparation for the snow to come, though actual sightings of them were not as frequent, or as good as I would have liked... but that is not unusual outside of the winter months..</span></span></p><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></span></div><p><b><br /></b></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Our local </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Feral</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Mountain Goats</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> too , proved to be a bit elusive their month, with only a couple of long-distance views achieved....</span></p><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIJxYdi9uMKRLBTWR2yaGb93uHJPufusju-5XMqVkJI1veYhgsm27LGEWMTsV84UPPZvPuk32bGjSsbbJgfxLWNqocHDBM5ELoIGaZDfnsuRKNTnI8ZOURDVOkUPzu7QoHKtIqS7g722Td3Sosuy7oATibEBgyWT94_LBYG0Sj9gtcGwFJThVC/s4384/DSCN0975.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2580" data-original-width="4384" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIJxYdi9uMKRLBTWR2yaGb93uHJPufusju-5XMqVkJI1veYhgsm27LGEWMTsV84UPPZvPuk32bGjSsbbJgfxLWNqocHDBM5ELoIGaZDfnsuRKNTnI8ZOURDVOkUPzu7QoHKtIqS7g722Td3Sosuy7oATibEBgyWT94_LBYG0Sj9gtcGwFJThVC/w400-h235/DSCN0975.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Feral Mountain Goats</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></span></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Brown Hares </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">were seen occasionally, and as usual, most of our sightings were early in the morning, and in poor light, with the exception of one very obliging example seen basking in the autumn sunshine.....</span></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijXI5KJOmY2MStrUCZEBJ98n_T3rCJ5yBoajO361-BO2mxrLLAFRnbbGY-uL-lx9GW_G9fcT0kz9BAF9aznWYCiLb2oVWL0YIFvDCkWx93dd6l4ou3pshrK5iOL3lPqmt7Px6H0Bivig9M08SkFZpX5K6WX2277l1Krm08kgmuDsd0EcyibN_6/s3043/Ron%20MItchell%202.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2029" data-original-width="3043" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijXI5KJOmY2MStrUCZEBJ98n_T3rCJ5yBoajO361-BO2mxrLLAFRnbbGY-uL-lx9GW_G9fcT0kz9BAF9aznWYCiLb2oVWL0YIFvDCkWx93dd6l4ou3pshrK5iOL3lPqmt7Px6H0Bivig9M08SkFZpX5K6WX2277l1Krm08kgmuDsd0EcyibN_6/s320/Ron%20MItchell%202.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Brown Hare by Ron Mitchell</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">Although not as physically impressive as their larger Red cousins, and having a much more nervous disposition, </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">Roe Deer </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">are probably more often described as cute - like Bambi even, but they</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"> always prove popular with my safari clients, and we were fortunate enough to see them on several occasions this month, especially soon after dawn, or in remote, quiet areas...</span></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGEHBfi29Lx3bGW2DKqFQ7W_ilvsB0VJISAOVECt5VQNELk1FyyBAIX8_s-r4dcmKVTr7i7ACaG7_35emq3SaKssXsQkI3jYYz5K_MSW-b3oKrXtoKw36UAdcC3xzflvQ7ROVHlTdxExUXpXxRUFK5ka01IxNWityvooH82vi0q6ExOgJOLJQe/s4227/DSCN7078.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2827" data-original-width="4227" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGEHBfi29Lx3bGW2DKqFQ7W_ilvsB0VJISAOVECt5VQNELk1FyyBAIX8_s-r4dcmKVTr7i7ACaG7_35emq3SaKssXsQkI3jYYz5K_MSW-b3oKrXtoKw36UAdcC3xzflvQ7ROVHlTdxExUXpXxRUFK5ka01IxNWityvooH82vi0q6ExOgJOLJQe/w400-h268/DSCN7078.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Roe Deer - Photo from September 2018</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Hairy Highland Coo's</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"> always prove to be popular with my safari clients, especially those who do not have them close to home, so don't be afraid to ask me if you fancy going to see them, and maybe even get to feed and 'pat' them, as I have a couple of great sites....</span></b></p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBu6A5OOL-0wuAULGraWX7GZmhCaRdozhnmhjHnDYF1iqs1wkCcXesJUvxh1tf-H0Qq5e2se6vpQWCj9wCp3lZTTXRBt2DpewZ2190FVbuL7Hi6dgnKr9fTwV-HkMHubKv7PN-we10eTIDqAQBKIB7Wmv9HJIikaQ9wyuZ0EcllXU8d5ePX7L4/s2016/IMG_1886.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1126" data-original-width="2016" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBu6A5OOL-0wuAULGraWX7GZmhCaRdozhnmhjHnDYF1iqs1wkCcXesJUvxh1tf-H0Qq5e2se6vpQWCj9wCp3lZTTXRBt2DpewZ2190FVbuL7Hi6dgnKr9fTwV-HkMHubKv7PN-we10eTIDqAQBKIB7Wmv9HJIikaQ9wyuZ0EcllXU8d5ePX7L4/w400-h224/IMG_1886.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Carrot time for Murdo!<br /><br /><br /></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b>Marine mammals:</b><div><b><br /></b></div><div>The Moray coast is pretty reliable for sightings of <b>Seals,</b>, with a decent chance of <b>Harbour Porpoise</b> and <b>Dolphins</b>, and, in the summer months, even a slim chance of <b>Whales</b>.....<br /><p></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcfaFi0tYwEyCo9pjKb0imr3U6yMM1b4Evh2n6dMBqlozhMeM2gSdxXzhitTe3SEpWOt_0HVbPcOcNne88rHb5tKPRJMbBZ2Ih1OLXaWqpHfetyNYi4Cr4utL_dnWZxbmzMZ5uQAKJlSiRUsJcDoqu4FnB4G-W5bQ1TO75P5PWe0AEDyJiwo23/s1906/Basking%20Shark%204.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1270" data-original-width="1906" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcfaFi0tYwEyCo9pjKb0imr3U6yMM1b4Evh2n6dMBqlozhMeM2gSdxXzhitTe3SEpWOt_0HVbPcOcNne88rHb5tKPRJMbBZ2Ih1OLXaWqpHfetyNYi4Cr4utL_dnWZxbmzMZ5uQAKJlSiRUsJcDoqu4FnB4G-W5bQ1TO75P5PWe0AEDyJiwo23/w400-h266/Basking%20Shark%204.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Basking Shark fin by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Rare/nocturnal mammals:</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">I get a few enquiries about the possibility of seeing </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Badgers</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> and </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Pine Marten</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> from my safari clients, many of whom I suspect are unaware that they are actually a largely nocturnal creature, and although we do get the occasional (maybe one or two a year) dawn glimpse of one, you would definitely have a much higher chance of seeing them at a specific dusk Badger/Pine Marten watching hide - Please contact me for more information.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Similarly, our inland </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Otters</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> too are mainly active during the hours of darkness, and again, although we do get a few early-morning sightings on local lochs and rivers each year, looking for them feeding in a suitably quiet, kelp - filled bay on the coast on a rising tide, but at any time of day, would give you a much better chance.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-family: quot; line-height: 1.4;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: quot; line-height: 1.4;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Whilst we are still on the 'tricky to see stuff', the <b>Scottish Wildcat </b>too, as well as being incredibly rare now, is also generally nocturnal, and the fact that I have had a mere handful of (dawn or dusk) sightings in 17 years of providing wildlife safaris should give you an idea of how difficult they are to see.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></p><p><br /></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Other wildlife:</b></p><p>A few lingering butterflies were seen on the warmer, calmer days, and a few daytime-flying bats were seen too.....</p><p>Autumn is fungus time , and a good selection was seen in the local woodlands...</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnqVnxyOOOZ4IBdPjvUk-iD_WrKCvr-WdHPEnuweVRR2ETOU7pORIcyn6SrB_T9K541K-LBaKaI6obhcKpwxsdb9OmHwZ1AmD_e4-_2wzJjscV005YRqxUM9hogv5FeNeV9OosuDn39AC3mcqymN92ejEGjT1JM29zj91XAUogtrkWFre7Xlwm/s4301/DSCN7186.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2427" data-original-width="4301" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnqVnxyOOOZ4IBdPjvUk-iD_WrKCvr-WdHPEnuweVRR2ETOU7pORIcyn6SrB_T9K541K-LBaKaI6obhcKpwxsdb9OmHwZ1AmD_e4-_2wzJjscV005YRqxUM9hogv5FeNeV9OosuDn39AC3mcqymN92ejEGjT1JM29zj91XAUogtrkWFre7Xlwm/s320/DSCN7186.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Fly Agaric</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">News:</b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">I am very pleased to announce that Highland Wildlife & Birdwatch Safaris has recently been awarded - for the second consecutive year - a Travellers Choice accreditation from Trip Advisor, for being ranked in the top 10% of visitor attractions worldwide based on customer reviews and feedback.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; margin-left: 4.8pt;"><span lang="EN-US">This achievement would not have been possible without the support of all my family, friends, safari clients, social media followers, regular blog readers , the Visit Scotland 'mystery shoppers', and everyone else who has helped and encouraged me along the way to ‘living my dream’ of being a wildlife safari guide, since 2004, especially over the last few very difficult COVID affected years, so a big THANK YOU to you all :)</span><o:p></o:p></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">All tourism/hospitality/activities in Scotland are open , are free of restrictions and I have now completed two years of (thankfully!) increasingly busy and extremely enjoyable safaris with clients with no major issues arising.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">With all national travel restrictions lifted too, Scotland is officially 'open for business' for visitors from all over the UK, and from abroad, and already this year, I have enjoyed meeting my first ever clients from Chile, and Singapore....</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">For those considering a visit, these wildlife/outdoor tourism websites may prove useful:</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">June - September is midge season - But thankfully, this area is not usually affected too badly - This link explains why: </span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-65939262" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">Bumper midge hatch alert after warm spell - BBC News</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b>https://www.gov.scot/collections/coronavirus-covid</b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.outdooraccess-scotland.scot/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">NatureScot (outdooraccess-scotland.scot)</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xGdTZcC2ZQ" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-line: none;">Can Nature Help Health? | Nature Prescriptions - YouTube</a></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1HBKnnGr-g" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;">Scotland, Yours to Enjoy. Responsibly. - YouTube</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://cairngorms.co.uk/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">Cairngorms National Park Authority</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.highlandwildlifepark.org.uk/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">Highland Wildlife Park</a></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.gov.scot/publications/avian-influenza-outbreaks/" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;">Avian influenza (bird flu) outbreaks - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)</a></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.rspb.org.uk/about-the-rspb/about-us/how-the-rspb-is-run/annualreport/annual-report-2022_scotland-news/?utm_source=notes_on_nature_20220903&utm_medium=email&utm_term=notes_on_nature&utm_content=27&utm_campaign=notes_on_nature" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;">Positive prescriptions | The RSPB</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001I2CprmTF4v466b2QwFanHYsB-M-rMapIosb95lRyTUJBNCM4M5pRVhERGqeaLRzFyv1eekvDmizxHTXlceC8MfUpDhmPVjcIKSIuzoxgpUAR-WvJnMt7Qy_6FTM7t0NmHCFXcXrKl2PwZmYesq-W9IS95jsm4EjF&c=yaKTJZAUiA1JLq3HZX4qSPKZSV0TmxUhrab0kVmIGIcqw2TwJXwIuA==&ch=DwiISia8UtA2D1uBYb3sVgpwyW_q8Q-7QsuJDduKzFxiKfyqeb9Flw==" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;"><b><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" style="color: #d9b559; font-size: 12pt;">www.scotlandbigpicture.com</span></b></a></span></p><div><br /></div><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>COVID-19</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">The Scottish Highlands, being very sparsely populated, has had very few COVID-19 cases in comparison to most of the UK, and on my safaris we tend to visit remote , wild habitats well away from the more popular tourist areas, and usually have very little interaction with other people, and this is something that I intend to continue.</b></p><div><br /></div><p><b><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT-llIp1tasP2wG7yoimBpHUIq9o_Tcy8nvGXULC3HtPHgmD4iIN_erTrcZNsAv6sQdT7kEZAuNmXLxgEggYFosoaMoRe445zHkaPoapMvZD0GEve7w_pLn1Muumkz_Uun8OrhcdqqnTgqNeNQhLbtvilLP7DAdRnX_gH6PVptZB-9qh7P5GWs/s2016/IMG_1791.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1252" data-original-width="2016" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT-llIp1tasP2wG7yoimBpHUIq9o_Tcy8nvGXULC3HtPHgmD4iIN_erTrcZNsAv6sQdT7kEZAuNmXLxgEggYFosoaMoRe445zHkaPoapMvZD0GEve7w_pLn1Muumkz_Uun8OrhcdqqnTgqNeNQhLbtvilLP7DAdRnX_gH6PVptZB-9qh7P5GWs/w400-h249/IMG_1791.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A misty dawn at a local loch</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Summary:</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Being a bit of an 'in between month', with a limited number of bird species possible inland , in all honesty it's probably not the best month for the hard-core birder, year-lister or 'twitcher' to visit, but September in the Cairngorms National Park would still appear to have plenty to offer the more casual or beginner nature-watcher or those looking for a less intense or 'taster' Highland wildlife safari experience, with the chance of a migrating 'rarity' turning up, a better likelihood of seeing birds of prey and Crested Tit than in the spring and summer, less tourists around to cause disturbance, and no early starts needed, in arguably, one of the most colourfully scenic months of the year...and similarly to last year, I will admit to being pleasantly surprised at how well we did for sightings, maybe September is actually 'growing on me' .....</span></p><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><p><b><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9qLQ16aXtpSj3uc2BSUNJck-9vKCw5bZ_Yn93MNYdpuwbSI9cNchdH2rsjPSQjtRY-C7wcX314pczbD1xFSDYH_BPc3pYosihvgiIpWP9kEwOMU9Qb9y43CEP8he5AZBp6iXDZ1ACmFKBZsPpipDuhPeEzbyhr2XrekbScwWfbpfscaxO4UQk/s2070/Ron%20MItchell%201.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1378" data-original-width="2070" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9qLQ16aXtpSj3uc2BSUNJck-9vKCw5bZ_Yn93MNYdpuwbSI9cNchdH2rsjPSQjtRY-C7wcX314pczbD1xFSDYH_BPc3pYosihvgiIpWP9kEwOMU9Qb9y43CEP8he5AZBp6iXDZ1ACmFKBZsPpipDuhPeEzbyhr2XrekbScwWfbpfscaxO4UQk/w400-h266/Ron%20MItchell%201.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The Flying Scotsman visited Speyside this month - Photo by Ron Mitchell</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Reviews:</b></span></p><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span face="" style="color: #06004c;">I know a lot of visitors to this area very wisely check out reviews of attractions/experiences at </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">TripAdvisor</b><span face="" style="color: #06004c;"> before 'taking the plunge' and booking - We now have over 300 reviews online, so if you wish, you can check out our clients comments at the link below....</span></div><p><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><div style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"></span></span><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;" /><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g186537-d3335134-Reviews-</span></span></span></span></span></div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"></span></span><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;" /><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Highland_Wildlife_Birdwatch_Safaris-Aviemore_Aviemore_and_the_Cairngorms_Scottish.html</span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div></div></div><p><br /></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7dmX8mpfe18y1m6w5mgQGxya8j2fJBli_Ss0Vt6GYgEQ19DFApC9URcnk8y3T71KNBMu1Y_oNr4EOjBBj_biQPc6G2P5joIDWnz2DYnnLjDpw0-ZdSzcqHIDnRUL-kTXckmlOUK-WphRF7Hmw-EHaFku4Q04ONwg-4egtYy7uXuomTRU5wSBf/s2016/IMG_1789.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7dmX8mpfe18y1m6w5mgQGxya8j2fJBli_Ss0Vt6GYgEQ19DFApC9URcnk8y3T71KNBMu1Y_oNr4EOjBBj_biQPc6G2P5joIDWnz2DYnnLjDpw0-ZdSzcqHIDnRUL-kTXckmlOUK-WphRF7Hmw-EHaFku4Q04ONwg-4egtYy7uXuomTRU5wSBf/w400-h300/IMG_1789.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Nice morning light in a local birch wood</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b><br /></b><p></p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><b>G</b></span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">ift Certificates:</b></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><div style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; color: #222222; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 5px; position: relative;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T95gARK_lkQ/XAvNUI2tI6I/AAAAAAAADwU/GDPgK9hH9LwgLQ8gPnoaLdf04Yn2BLebwCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_1578.JPG" style="background: none 0% 0% / auto repeat scroll padding-box border-box transparent; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 5px;" width="400" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 10.56px; text-align: center;"><b>Safari gift voucher</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></span></span></div></div></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="" style="color: #06004c; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;">If you think you know someone who may enjoy a taste of what I do, why not treat them to a safari gift </span><span face="" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;">certificate? They make a thoughtful and imaginative present, are available for any amount and are valid for a whole year from date of purchase........</span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span face="" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Highland Wildlife & Birdwatch Safarishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04327130550058794301noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26724394.post-7103404335955573622023-08-31T19:15:00.000+01:002023-08-31T19:15:11.293+01:00<p><b>August 2023</b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">August 2023 </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">saw us enjoy more sun and less rain than last month - hooray! though it was still a bit changeable, and it was often very cloudy, occasionally showery, and a little breezy at times, and with daytime temperatures ranging from 8c to 20c, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> a layered approach to clothing and a waterproof/windproof cagoule on stand-by is recommended..</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="">The days are noticeably shortening now as autumn approaches, but we still have 14-15 hours of usable daylight this far north, with dawn at around 5am and dusk at around 9pm...</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="">With many of our summer visiting bird species departing here for their wintering areas from mid month, it was inevitable that local full-day bird lists would reduce down into the 30's , though this could be increased considerably if you included a visit to the Moray coast.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="">Mammal day lists varied between 3 and 7 species, with earlier starts generally proving more successful, especially for the shyer, more crepuscular species.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="">August is often a good month for Butterflies, dragonflies and day-flying moths in this area - weather permitting - and a good variety of species were seen on the calmer, sunnier days, though sightings tailed-off noticeably later in the month...</span><br style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;" /><span face="">The Highland scenery is extremely picturesque now, with the heather at it's beautiful purple best, one or two ferns turning coppery gold, a few leaves beginning to morph into their autumn hues, lots of varieties of fungus appearing, the wild Blaeberries ripe for picking, and the Rowan trees now fully laden with bright red or orange berries.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV9322g4ebG_QZhdF4yKvNGrRM9Xj6jVQ7xU4TMYISy6oy97UlfLe4GogpBIEhdvzius7lFKgNobfdumPj2jalrnBjSAK0bKEzvT3BjN0zhtIsa_XDOt5n79ThfTQSYW5U7s_odNlNRgnLmT4WuFLN-msdnyjVHQkMmx2DdTeFIprVx1oDYOBz/s1954/IMG_1712.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1118" data-original-width="1954" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV9322g4ebG_QZhdF4yKvNGrRM9Xj6jVQ7xU4TMYISy6oy97UlfLe4GogpBIEhdvzius7lFKgNobfdumPj2jalrnBjSAK0bKEzvT3BjN0zhtIsa_XDOt5n79ThfTQSYW5U7s_odNlNRgnLmT4WuFLN-msdnyjVHQkMmx2DdTeFIprVx1oDYOBz/w400-h229/IMG_1712.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>August in the Cairngorms National Park</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">To give you an idea of what you may realistically hope to see if you are considering a future August visit, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">I hope the following more detailed information, illustrated with photos taken at sites in and around the Cairngorms National Park by myself, my friends or my safari clients this month and in previous August's will help....clicking on the picture enlarges it to full-screen. </span></p><p><br /></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Local speciality/upland bird species seen regularly during the month included</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">:</span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><b>Osprey,</b> <b>Red Grouse</b>, and <b>Goldeneye, </b>and they are definitely the most reliable local speciality species in August...</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><b>Red-Throated Diver </b>and<b> Black-throated Diver, </b>with young<b>, </b>were both seen a few times, though sightings tailed-off late in the month ....</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><b>Crested Tit</b> and <b>Crossbill</b> sightings were a bit random and infrequent, though we did manage to see both species....</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><b>Dippers</b> proved frustratingly elusive this month, with just a few brief views...</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><b>Golden Eagle</b> sightings increased a little, with 3 sightings this month...though we only managed one view of <b>White-Tailed Eagle</b>....</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; line-height: 18.2px;">Sadly, but not unusually, </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; line-height: 18.2px;">we failed to see <b>Capercaillie</b> or <b>Black Grouse</b> at all this month....</span></p><div><br /></div><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Mammal species seen regularly included:</b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Red Squirrel, Roe Deer, Reindeer, Red Deer, Rabbit, Brown Hare, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">and</span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"> feral Mountain Goat, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">with just a couple of brief glimpses of </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"> Bank Vole</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">....and typically, we failed to see a </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Mountain Hare</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> this month...</span></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><u>All photographs of wildlife, especially Schedule 1 and other protected bird species were taken legally at long range with powerful zoom lenses, or from my vehicle on public roads, well away from nest sites, and no disturbance was caused to any wildlife....</u></b></p><p><br /></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">August 2023 bird sightings in more detail:</b></p><p><br /></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">On the lochs...</b></b></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXAHThD1Q6zwcd53iN-2WKiZzae0C7CKxsBg4qAkjvthVqx8L7dSobg2dA1K4fAz6dijikFnDwKRKEKWzw973tqCsbTgYHjI4IdnqpFkGsJQEDN9A2dG-dI-zxrPO73gjy3UVC6Y26gZLr488VqvaitKsaJAAnUig_xc37msifAYfP65_t5-XH/s1939/IMG_7398.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1036" data-original-width="1939" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXAHThD1Q6zwcd53iN-2WKiZzae0C7CKxsBg4qAkjvthVqx8L7dSobg2dA1K4fAz6dijikFnDwKRKEKWzw973tqCsbTgYHjI4IdnqpFkGsJQEDN9A2dG-dI-zxrPO73gjy3UVC6Y26gZLr488VqvaitKsaJAAnUig_xc37msifAYfP65_t5-XH/w400-h214/IMG_7398.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A local loch</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif">Osprey</span><span face=""> </span></b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">would probably take the crown as 'bird of the month' as voted by my safari clients this month, understandable I guess when you consider that these impressively large and attractive looking summer-visiting raptors can also provide additional "wow" factor when seen plunge-diving, eating or carrying fish!... and although some of the parent birds appeared to have departed by the 24th, the now fully independent youngsters could occasionally be seen near their nest sites right up to the end of the month, though they too will soon depart for warmer climes, so I am making the most of every sighting now...</span></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx0gD6vSt_DS3ySZkms4D41xOV4QE2_vxW13yBcmShd9P1Ff5YR9P05xUmqEO4tG570gL4BlU3tmhN11ym1qQiSkKsRioEaxyzJEzljOgVyW6Sz4_KUhfywgLfq77HETi9FdrUQi9-ArTCYFcRSR10XrvMtfI6BzH7e5HaoT6dPRNDiQ1oR4id/s2238/DSCN6199.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1318" data-original-width="2238" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx0gD6vSt_DS3ySZkms4D41xOV4QE2_vxW13yBcmShd9P1Ff5YR9P05xUmqEO4tG570gL4BlU3tmhN11ym1qQiSkKsRioEaxyzJEzljOgVyW6Sz4_KUhfywgLfq77HETi9FdrUQi9-ArTCYFcRSR10XrvMtfI6BzH7e5HaoT6dPRNDiQ1oR4id/w400-h235/DSCN6199.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Osprey</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOT96JoT0fGzeqySckDDmzH8EumCm3g-4Pn-ENVCjF1hVYJEcuRN26tIgUGs-b6o5Cj8oKml4sKaRcgZ5sSwKzCvnWfEHlk3pAF2Wq_YlAXDlh5KpGpWQ_-5xsXFq1-tXkxkp3oc25c3DB2ZWBBiUrUJ5U4-3Q6qDWqmQpDGqf7AMoa9dB2Nlg/s2680/DSCN6233.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1791" data-original-width="2680" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOT96JoT0fGzeqySckDDmzH8EumCm3g-4Pn-ENVCjF1hVYJEcuRN26tIgUGs-b6o5Cj8oKml4sKaRcgZ5sSwKzCvnWfEHlk3pAF2Wq_YlAXDlh5KpGpWQ_-5xsXFq1-tXkxkp3oc25c3DB2ZWBBiUrUJ5U4-3Q6qDWqmQpDGqf7AMoa9dB2Nlg/w400-h268/DSCN6233.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Osprey</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1SYMwqJ48x1C2RAU4-lD-4yIPxGQeGICuT0-kA1Lhi5b5_ggKs_VLCWdVASFUqGoPPo2hrHB9gXqnzGSmwm7nn-8ASCJJVYsbOOelIqSgtvWN0lv3DwKXFlxR_XVsX8b6HPru8pPzPQ2dE1M7IacasU06SIels_rcMgPHVkg5f0_2cTbttH_5/s3376/DSCN6240.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2027" data-original-width="3376" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1SYMwqJ48x1C2RAU4-lD-4yIPxGQeGICuT0-kA1Lhi5b5_ggKs_VLCWdVASFUqGoPPo2hrHB9gXqnzGSmwm7nn-8ASCJJVYsbOOelIqSgtvWN0lv3DwKXFlxR_XVsX8b6HPru8pPzPQ2dE1M7IacasU06SIels_rcMgPHVkg5f0_2cTbttH_5/w400-h240/DSCN6240.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Osprey</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCvZf0SF61pAjh4UNULOPJNlBWVsltrSxZyWIyv1CsKsX0Po4_pffFY6RNogplM5ICz_3aH_9U4Sls45laA6cBZ6WGV9v4IbAzpsKcFmIqwFmqh-1hIaJm5P-yW0nN-Ph49DKgGhm9JYKsWt-4QIT-libHl-h15rB2MKJCqwaUkjGhZG-IYDFr/s2776/DSCN6237.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1636" data-original-width="2776" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCvZf0SF61pAjh4UNULOPJNlBWVsltrSxZyWIyv1CsKsX0Po4_pffFY6RNogplM5ICz_3aH_9U4Sls45laA6cBZ6WGV9v4IbAzpsKcFmIqwFmqh-1hIaJm5P-yW0nN-Ph49DKgGhm9JYKsWt-4QIT-libHl-h15rB2MKJCqwaUkjGhZG-IYDFr/w400-h236/DSCN6237.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Young Osprey eating a fish</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ZOK_dqsoCg_K_zMXUa1vAy-TR-ZB4VltV7wP8ejQ5nFOz5S78Soq2rJGxdQ4JvUkqYr4_35g76hIXOLN40mZ-T2Ywz0u16udPDOzZjgOa6dNCSCOn1Q9N_eAv6nPEew6hXdj5UAFHoxe3fiWdy8JdUu8yr08AQKUQnuYPtrJuJJLRqE73zNG/s2429/DSCN6260.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1666" data-original-width="2429" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ZOK_dqsoCg_K_zMXUa1vAy-TR-ZB4VltV7wP8ejQ5nFOz5S78Soq2rJGxdQ4JvUkqYr4_35g76hIXOLN40mZ-T2Ywz0u16udPDOzZjgOa6dNCSCOn1Q9N_eAv6nPEew6hXdj5UAFHoxe3fiWdy8JdUu8yr08AQKUQnuYPtrJuJJLRqE73zNG/w400-h274/DSCN6260.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Adult Osprey with a partly-eaten fish</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="" style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;">Our small numbers of the very rare </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Slavonian (Horned) Grebes</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"> have usually departed for the coast by late July, and having bred successfully locally, that appears to have been the case this month, though I am told that other pairs in northern Scotland failed to breed due to their nests being flooded out by July's abnormally high rainfall levels...</span></span></b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="" style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><br /></span></span></b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="" style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;">Still on the lochs, as I reported previously, <b>Black-Throated Diver</b> bred successfully locally this summer, and although sightings reduced a little and became less predictable as the juveniles became more mobile, we still saw them reasonably regularly until mid-month, when they presumably departed for the coast, where they will stay until next spring....</span></span></b></b></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="" style="font-weight: 400;"></span></b></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig1Xxnw0aj800TAP65_JWL9tZYJiT7zfdHFX6pyXc3CC2-RUJgA4phtC2C5iU1P3rsGtTneYDZxZuxCizDVDpO8jnZYbPXp22cSj_WgKDreaGqGHw2Y2J0RdwQEIEdb4Abizsd-X4-HkbpsteuqdyppqKZRryp0s_Cb9Iinqw6ssfMikjqm9BH/s3842/DSCN6178.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2576" data-original-width="3842" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig1Xxnw0aj800TAP65_JWL9tZYJiT7zfdHFX6pyXc3CC2-RUJgA4phtC2C5iU1P3rsGtTneYDZxZuxCizDVDpO8jnZYbPXp22cSj_WgKDreaGqGHw2Y2J0RdwQEIEdb4Abizsd-X4-HkbpsteuqdyppqKZRryp0s_Cb9Iinqw6ssfMikjqm9BH/w400-h269/DSCN6178.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Black-Throated Divers</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="" style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><br /></span></span></b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""></span></b></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-weight: 400; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz_miDvCamuzCqIZvH5vCH_d0qWfSGnvt7EES186Nwe0KCCiKFj2aD2uxv2mWpsPkYnYyAWlMOnvxH5zC9v8dBeu-1BzRdPknwpNKGRmmFU0k_NFfh6Qp_V1i-5tyCLoP7-nVdml9DNGl0JPFD89YGKPXIZMpyVRkBE3naWT6j9fjru2yKLIVY/s4265/DSCN6180.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2422" data-original-width="4265" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz_miDvCamuzCqIZvH5vCH_d0qWfSGnvt7EES186Nwe0KCCiKFj2aD2uxv2mWpsPkYnYyAWlMOnvxH5zC9v8dBeu-1BzRdPknwpNKGRmmFU0k_NFfh6Qp_V1i-5tyCLoP7-nVdml9DNGl0JPFD89YGKPXIZMpyVRkBE3naWT6j9fjru2yKLIVY/s320/DSCN6180.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Black-Throated Diver</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></span></b></b><p></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Our local </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Red-Throated Divers </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">were seen occasionally until mid-month, and it was good to see at least one well-grown youngster maturing...but they too now appear to have departed for the coast.....</span></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipQ2Tzc_yEhmjrfUhEYTbnHpwK6DZyYAl-ZfGtRvt3UK_RzHAIKrAWRxjvLKskIjD8D7cHNYWCY6orIbG9V617boiRp9ODefJ0MZAMMigcAevqeZ3Bu7HTVOpN8L6pusOXIDXffEDCFAOKYFeCJ3Wehq8gVeIjmG-d9KOZ0cVoPlSYGADQB4qw/s3492/DSCN0857.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1636" data-original-width="3492" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipQ2Tzc_yEhmjrfUhEYTbnHpwK6DZyYAl-ZfGtRvt3UK_RzHAIKrAWRxjvLKskIjD8D7cHNYWCY6orIbG9V617boiRp9ODefJ0MZAMMigcAevqeZ3Bu7HTVOpN8L6pusOXIDXffEDCFAOKYFeCJ3Wehq8gVeIjmG-d9KOZ0cVoPlSYGADQB4qw/w400-h188/DSCN0857.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red-Throated Diver family</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="" style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;">Our local </span><b style="color: #06004c;">Goldeneyes</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"> seem to have no problems breeding in this area though, the only place in the UK where they do so, and it was good to see them still in family groups on local lochs and rivers, all fishing together throughout the month,</span></span></b></b></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbzCDt6KRhJgJVu52pPm8rGpVjGhoIEdZ12weoa348safXWNvgOZR77W4F62eKhJijI7nuufXZmkw1ZwX3X6n9PFUBkbOlY4cLrG5RVTXXJxd1pNs_cpcQ91ezMBydGopRPXDuIQAeOcWFd9urCU9in1QWkPErDMrW9RL1SuelM52IDXqii9Ub/s4501/DSCN4538.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2642" data-original-width="4501" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbzCDt6KRhJgJVu52pPm8rGpVjGhoIEdZ12weoa348safXWNvgOZR77W4F62eKhJijI7nuufXZmkw1ZwX3X6n9PFUBkbOlY4cLrG5RVTXXJxd1pNs_cpcQ91ezMBydGopRPXDuIQAeOcWFd9urCU9in1QWkPErDMrW9RL1SuelM52IDXqii9Ub/s320/DSCN4538.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Goldeneye</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Up on the moors....</b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheNAVTLK_Cm1kQ-ye5476A8T4GnAL6c1i8sjILjojJ7flu8PUfCmn6meyomn0VMpqOP-uVymsx1fxkz4X9tEcq5qxBINsmEm1cVFvOPaZEeUpfj2cBG9jAKcVPXrx8hEXCcymOP2IyTEbtx8sLOyIKko6x0oEbdfbUANJUGjwfOPO8MCmBTdBh/s2005/IMG_1680.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1111" data-original-width="2005" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheNAVTLK_Cm1kQ-ye5476A8T4GnAL6c1i8sjILjojJ7flu8PUfCmn6meyomn0VMpqOP-uVymsx1fxkz4X9tEcq5qxBINsmEm1cVFvOPaZEeUpfj2cBG9jAKcVPXrx8hEXCcymOP2IyTEbtx8sLOyIKko6x0oEbdfbUANJUGjwfOPO8MCmBTdBh/w400-h221/IMG_1680.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A local upland heather moorland</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b><p></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></p><p><b>Red Grouse, </b> still in family groups, were seen reasonably regularly on local upland moorlands, though they were not totally reliable, and with brood sizes being smaller than normal, it would appear that some local estates have either delayed or cancelled shooting this year.....</p><p><b><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglw3GvZq6fBpldPG6wkaABzA2mC9zSG2FXI2ftgRFTEyr7YXoBDx1c2qzq6efAmHiZ9pgAtEo-x0uDojwm7kUIoA4d92QE6ZCn3yEi6U4lgaX2nU7n3rqgF65ONg5r0yZuVtVefnzXBFurak5QeI3kl6e2vx24KNSEDaRunG_8qZYYdaPoleTD/s4507/DSCN6229.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1462" data-original-width="4507" height="130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglw3GvZq6fBpldPG6wkaABzA2mC9zSG2FXI2ftgRFTEyr7YXoBDx1c2qzq6efAmHiZ9pgAtEo-x0uDojwm7kUIoA4d92QE6ZCn3yEi6U4lgaX2nU7n3rqgF65ONg5r0yZuVtVefnzXBFurak5QeI3kl6e2vx24KNSEDaRunG_8qZYYdaPoleTD/w400-h130/DSCN6229.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Grouse family</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjP1YQL71H9uY0M2bRriHj8cX55brQSLtsunT5WD8G1uahj0jCuhYowqHzBMR3a4T4eB48c1vUYsY_8FtQRd6_19gcDnOeBtKxFHTQtVeIdt-TWgKdT4ZUCUWyNmwKDbMURul1XarJYiWK4P8drfg1AP-vOhfiW6FTc08LlfkqWLAnUzSU9skS/s2895/DSCN6209.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1797" data-original-width="2895" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjP1YQL71H9uY0M2bRriHj8cX55brQSLtsunT5WD8G1uahj0jCuhYowqHzBMR3a4T4eB48c1vUYsY_8FtQRd6_19gcDnOeBtKxFHTQtVeIdt-TWgKdT4ZUCUWyNmwKDbMURul1XarJYiWK4P8drfg1AP-vOhfiW6FTc08LlfkqWLAnUzSU9skS/w400-h249/DSCN6209.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Female Red Grouse showing off her 'cryptic' plumage</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b><br /></b><p></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR8p4v0zeOSc4F3uoBNSxcAyomKmuno29u3EYMuJQ4KsvuW1fLqqlSvKlWHNfcU4h4NuY0W4MhA4wAgZAlXnuTC_ptodp7HlHHpQCvRT1JnEV1W4nMu-Hyufo6bTbM9Z-eaUiFFQMp8Ckr-GTZb09M5knQE6NVI_C3Bk0hZLy9F-g4dwF00Of7/s4608/DSCN6251.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR8p4v0zeOSc4F3uoBNSxcAyomKmuno29u3EYMuJQ4KsvuW1fLqqlSvKlWHNfcU4h4NuY0W4MhA4wAgZAlXnuTC_ptodp7HlHHpQCvRT1JnEV1W4nMu-Hyufo6bTbM9Z-eaUiFFQMp8Ckr-GTZb09M5knQE6NVI_C3Bk0hZLy9F-g4dwF00Of7/s320/DSCN6251.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Young Red Grouse</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">I</span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">n the Caledonian forests...</b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxPS87ET_ad0qiN3say6g0TdK3NRPsT2JBIaj_ZMb17VOUHmThUirDGvLYkDSC24viz-TDLyKyoEor3rDDtLQiTiZdjqpMiB3nEsAcd3NYGXw-YLhHyqUCM98PMGBJMIrr0jONG-1ZP6iv34Qqk2506NsqGRikU3ilPSk8GSscLxe8bPUirhBP/s1971/IMG_1706.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1477" data-original-width="1971" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxPS87ET_ad0qiN3say6g0TdK3NRPsT2JBIaj_ZMb17VOUHmThUirDGvLYkDSC24viz-TDLyKyoEor3rDDtLQiTiZdjqpMiB3nEsAcd3NYGXw-YLhHyqUCM98PMGBJMIrr0jONG-1ZP6iv34Qqk2506NsqGRikU3ilPSk8GSscLxe8bPUirhBP/w400-h300/IMG_1706.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Nice morning light in a local ancient Caledonian Forest</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">Crested Tits </b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-weight: 400;">have now joined the 'mixed winter flocks' of many different bird species 'working' through our local Caledonian pine forests... so... to see the 'Wee Cresties' you first have to find one of these roving flocks , then listen out for their distinctive chuckling trill , then try and pick them out as they move in annoyingly flitty style through the branches - not an easy task! , but, satisfyingly for myself as a guide, we managed it on a decent number of occasions, with many of my safari clients obtaining a difficult and much sought after 'life-tick'... or of course, you can occasionally get lucky when one visits a forest feeding station, though this is not a common occurrence outside of the winter months...</span></b></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhURHH2JBHvmWoJZUOZAC8qtl-Uk1ILjzuqIkf6bsTZQX-wNM4JjGEhN9arGMe4Kla5rrgzHfkMeCUaV_6Wcd9eGwwVxw6wLchZGSEG3H_ocnVwWVnNJkZ6JF_i6UFLTZueDq-NTVqYpAWrkjblSDD4LaVpn0_u1zrWxXYKOSmzRjJOTm9mhG6q/s1051/Gaurang%20Purohit%2029.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="664" data-original-width="1051" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhURHH2JBHvmWoJZUOZAC8qtl-Uk1ILjzuqIkf6bsTZQX-wNM4JjGEhN9arGMe4Kla5rrgzHfkMeCUaV_6Wcd9eGwwVxw6wLchZGSEG3H_ocnVwWVnNJkZ6JF_i6UFLTZueDq-NTVqYpAWrkjblSDD4LaVpn0_u1zrWxXYKOSmzRjJOTm9mhG6q/s320/Gaurang%20Purohit%2029.jpg" width="320" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Crested Tit by Gaurang Purchit (photo from August 2020)</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-weight: 400;">Still in the forests, with the exception of some distant but good views of a family feeding together on the 16th and 23rd, </span><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">Crossbills</b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-weight: 400;"> sightings were (again!) usually of the rather frustrating 'fly-over' variety, with them only being identified by their characteristic 'jip' 'jip' calls as they flew overhead between different areas of the forests...so sadly, there were very few photo opportunities this month...</span></b></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9BURu1kPQAfW-syGC095ZIBotxF2Mjl0WhpnC-Ka4hrX-XNuv0zpiX4-hF3s1Unx1zwotkJ_UsNG4FrF7yUjtQv7ifQFG-5AaRRWQ_wI3ViokM4WYqDTt02yGqz75LDCVKASGmfQQpv8tlj21VnmeH_3R1AkLcZneslIO8BF9V7rGGmz2mLQS/s2898/DSCN4535.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1687" data-original-width="2898" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9BURu1kPQAfW-syGC095ZIBotxF2Mjl0WhpnC-Ka4hrX-XNuv0zpiX4-hF3s1Unx1zwotkJ_UsNG4FrF7yUjtQv7ifQFG-5AaRRWQ_wI3ViokM4WYqDTt02yGqz75LDCVKASGmfQQpv8tlj21VnmeH_3R1AkLcZneslIO8BF9V7rGGmz2mLQS/s320/DSCN4535.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Female Crossbill (photo from August 2020)</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmh1f3YvOVPSjWLjdQIFqc6-BciQ6QT6zCQE7q1G4L_wTcpF40C93KSMCJ9JdxFi01t6Vm-H2kSytat5le_kNZqXjtse2mwQQRgOfDjQWHZUkAzr6x0eVGD-gbSST2X0cmwUTe1HfKgVfF6fdlkM5FPbWlqgx29ZcEjcdlVC0KUKSgf5RCPY7R/s4100/DSCN4666.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2580" data-original-width="4100" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmh1f3YvOVPSjWLjdQIFqc6-BciQ6QT6zCQE7q1G4L_wTcpF40C93KSMCJ9JdxFi01t6Vm-H2kSytat5le_kNZqXjtse2mwQQRgOfDjQWHZUkAzr6x0eVGD-gbSST2X0cmwUTe1HfKgVfF6fdlkM5FPbWlqgx29ZcEjcdlVC0KUKSgf5RCPY7R/w400-h251/DSCN4666.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Crossbill (photo from August 2020)</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">In the birch woods:</b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvcUcFHk1tIqafyPTkSvQ-e0wZg9CUfsLuVIf9cnuNXriuoZOwkbzNCJaz3cuqX39NQAcXebIpvYSlTgOd1hk5flSt-uVXEoYQjzRjj9ax3cP2yrqttY5RWeHQvunioPqd9G22AoYinD95paRSxmmrkMGfxQgiWmXj813J84jnSWZTLKo-IAFE/s2007/IMG_4885.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1383" data-original-width="2007" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvcUcFHk1tIqafyPTkSvQ-e0wZg9CUfsLuVIf9cnuNXriuoZOwkbzNCJaz3cuqX39NQAcXebIpvYSlTgOd1hk5flSt-uVXEoYQjzRjj9ax3cP2yrqttY5RWeHQvunioPqd9G22AoYinD95paRSxmmrkMGfxQgiWmXj813J84jnSWZTLKo-IAFE/w400-h276/IMG_4885.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A local birch woodland</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">It would appear that our 'star' summer-visiting species</span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"> - </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Pied Flycatcher </b>and <b>Wood Warbler</b> </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">- have already migrated south from our local birch woods, and similarly to the pine forests, the resident birds are now forming their mixed winter flocks.....</b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p><br /></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">On the rivers...</b></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgce25KCQYT07UF-E81b74Df5J3FRPKTNEdXAp7kHUaz1JjaEaGyhXTm4hY7W6IOsiJ3fMNdR6j6cATDLb78pE3IvYLW3rbYyxCXmnadGX-MBye90yyDCDElHntlAjFWUYBd6XLd9MvTxFVsnhwHzkBYS3CZWdrLIOxApPep0_uzBtCxr9D7KW/s1810/IMG_7427.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1204" data-original-width="1810" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgce25KCQYT07UF-E81b74Df5J3FRPKTNEdXAp7kHUaz1JjaEaGyhXTm4hY7W6IOsiJ3fMNdR6j6cATDLb78pE3IvYLW3rbYyxCXmnadGX-MBye90yyDCDElHntlAjFWUYBd6XLd9MvTxFVsnhwHzkBYS3CZWdrLIOxApPep0_uzBtCxr9D7KW/w400-h266/IMG_7427.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A picturesque local river</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Sightings of </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Dippers </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">were frustratingly difficult to come by, and a little 'random' this month, as the adults presumably show the youngsters around their territory, so I would recommend familiarizing yourself with their distinctive 'zit zit' calls to give you more chance of spotting them, as they can be frustratingly elusive outside of breeding season...</span></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5QJxBouJTriagqoKo63y6gST5m56hW9N4VMPgmmgbXgaHJIg53RzaumHdlS5fgjdQv1qBM4gBMioRz-Y1uXyTrXPYWhN-aMqADA3DE7SlvjtVUVun7yuVqrBnZKU511v3kk_ya5_k0JIY5RpKtg6ndb-Covk_kxgq6LjrirtYuH84CM0KWrgO/s2537/IMG_1369.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1450" data-original-width="2537" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5QJxBouJTriagqoKo63y6gST5m56hW9N4VMPgmmgbXgaHJIg53RzaumHdlS5fgjdQv1qBM4gBMioRz-Y1uXyTrXPYWhN-aMqADA3DE7SlvjtVUVun7yuVqrBnZKU511v3kk_ya5_k0JIY5RpKtg6ndb-Covk_kxgq6LjrirtYuH84CM0KWrgO/w400-h229/IMG_1369.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Dipper</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Family groups of <b>Goosander</b>s were encountered reasonably frequently, though they are always very wary of humans, and don't usually stick around for too long once they become aware of us....</span></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfjgpvdwO5RfduI9fdYqSWLBLPjupyoz3Nu0cwk-deHrL5ITeW7lqlvv4oKUKpa4S2IxtCtENKZdN9vUE0sR4CohBqWUv681EIafVCDi1tYJSkLTuvBV8qL4-ifYhmOaKLEcPAvXOYIAPrMGWAHHk95shvAW-MvmneNGX7mvXKd4338_psPXHK/s3993/IMG_2191.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1683" data-original-width="3993" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfjgpvdwO5RfduI9fdYqSWLBLPjupyoz3Nu0cwk-deHrL5ITeW7lqlvv4oKUKpa4S2IxtCtENKZdN9vUE0sR4CohBqWUv681EIafVCDi1tYJSkLTuvBV8qL4-ifYhmOaKLEcPAvXOYIAPrMGWAHHk95shvAW-MvmneNGX7mvXKd4338_psPXHK/w400-h169/IMG_2191.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Goosander family</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b><br /></b><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;">Up in the glens...</b></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW7fHHKnj-P0nzyBVZ7ijXxYhIrEIZtgtMUqAADNiNrd0MXLyfZi-athHaGfVx15ISpTo58iej-ICDwY6Nc9i11OoDZ5oB6pLg6WI6JsT-yZ-c9S5ZmuTMEe58t7Tb7afX2s9JQ5MocBjKYnsKLJxR4bqTW5zE7m8qSf9gaUZGl_S5ypg0F_Qm/s1927/IMG_1617.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1321" data-original-width="1927" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW7fHHKnj-P0nzyBVZ7ijXxYhIrEIZtgtMUqAADNiNrd0MXLyfZi-athHaGfVx15ISpTo58iej-ICDwY6Nc9i11OoDZ5oB6pLg6WI6JsT-yZ-c9S5ZmuTMEe58t7Tb7afX2s9JQ5MocBjKYnsKLJxR4bqTW5zE7m8qSf9gaUZGl_S5ypg0F_Qm/w400-h274/IMG_1617.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A beautiful local upland glen</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;"><br /></b><p></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13.2px;">Birds of prey are always popular with my safari clients, and although we are still to reach 'peak' time, sightings definitely increased this month, with visits to favourite local glens and moors producing regular encounters with </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Kestrel</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Common Buzzard</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Red Kite</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13.2px;">, <b>Sparrowhawk </b>and </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Peregrine Falcon</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13.2px;">, often in family groups, and pleasingly, we also managed a few views of </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: bold;">G</span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">olden Eagle, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">and one sighting of a </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">White-Tailed Eagle</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">....</span></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU4KC7D-CY_TiWUcnVvCcJE73Aj4B2tU7zxkEMhCt7YfeGp0Ak21aj6PjrUaOOEKU3Xg0Y2pfqRpYD4B259DXjJy_BS56AS3RcxoUXUVlmid4JSYcX0fxp7eJNolpIlR5xtGvZ6_BQ2cSSXEZzZYzX8nx_QVZ5mH8CbZKk60Ldq2YcMKPFK2tO/s3782/DSCN6916.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2223" data-original-width="3782" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU4KC7D-CY_TiWUcnVvCcJE73Aj4B2tU7zxkEMhCt7YfeGp0Ak21aj6PjrUaOOEKU3Xg0Y2pfqRpYD4B259DXjJy_BS56AS3RcxoUXUVlmid4JSYcX0fxp7eJNolpIlR5xtGvZ6_BQ2cSSXEZzZYzX8nx_QVZ5mH8CbZKk60Ldq2YcMKPFK2tO/w400-h235/DSCN6916.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Peregrine Falcon</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLqERoR97nROfFRnX6PqGYW-OPM-MTbCji60LCG3tKdHl0_g5N7BPDcxyb-oVP_djvDCQkihnr1TNZ5EhFj56JSzvPrTYO58lHWTa01x-kx2fd-y6Vu6rx7m1fPkf9LmPRnHvumC8DF-pgZDu-9wo1xJCludFSw5Q8067lfgPBVHIKoj8c-OCV/s2319/IMG_2509.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1619" data-original-width="2319" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLqERoR97nROfFRnX6PqGYW-OPM-MTbCji60LCG3tKdHl0_g5N7BPDcxyb-oVP_djvDCQkihnr1TNZ5EhFj56JSzvPrTYO58lHWTa01x-kx2fd-y6Vu6rx7m1fPkf9LmPRnHvumC8DF-pgZDu-9wo1xJCludFSw5Q8067lfgPBVHIKoj8c-OCV/s320/IMG_2509.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Common Buzzard</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlOHjJ7KG5wH0K_n19mlVtqO8y2fD9iV76zPR9j2xoU0L7epRNIHnGaB9V7YunauBH6tG4g0Q9oAcvqpeowFC0W0c7xPIGrsq0bUH_K-tOXnJrMrZMg4JQYIbFf3Akr2KfvEIbOnu0WT2MZSrshVig_fK63BaLSH5SVJn_q0EYaqQ4qMjb3hUv/s2212/IMG_7862.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1091" data-original-width="2212" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlOHjJ7KG5wH0K_n19mlVtqO8y2fD9iV76zPR9j2xoU0L7epRNIHnGaB9V7YunauBH6tG4g0Q9oAcvqpeowFC0W0c7xPIGrsq0bUH_K-tOXnJrMrZMg4JQYIbFf3Akr2KfvEIbOnu0WT2MZSrshVig_fK63BaLSH5SVJn_q0EYaqQ4qMjb3hUv/w400-h198/IMG_7862.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Kite</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS6jFTpBL3ANqtlpPljmFagCBQzbNC7rYqKn4E2opiZ3zPOm6k0bzRLrJyfwF2s17DnKAnTo810FCyscLkJwlegDEm54mqbX2VGjxMcifgBoxk-nx0ukg2Zojo9n4Nn4aKVVscI_IwypMUd3yzGRcN8lMxbcvZjBttFVrOtzo3qSZreTjA9-Ys/s1833/DSCN6945.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="850" data-original-width="1833" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS6jFTpBL3ANqtlpPljmFagCBQzbNC7rYqKn4E2opiZ3zPOm6k0bzRLrJyfwF2s17DnKAnTo810FCyscLkJwlegDEm54mqbX2VGjxMcifgBoxk-nx0ukg2Zojo9n4Nn4aKVVscI_IwypMUd3yzGRcN8lMxbcvZjBttFVrOtzo3qSZreTjA9-Ys/w400-h185/DSCN6945.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Golden Eagle (photo from August 2018)</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b><br /></b><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Up in the mountains....</b></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRPXC1KD9QdG7PtgCQV-mev23nELm1nz1pTz78I4TiNtOzmd8rpU-NlF5uzBZbej0xZ2gdcZM8yU-YEhdSKjNSoY1dthggLjp3KP-JBx6X7FIQals_eUoINqvTstCBE0nJfIQiQHB0evBVlDbHWuSReIJeaX26Edpc_GmkltdiJ3Lct1LJc-66/s2016/IMG_1723.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRPXC1KD9QdG7PtgCQV-mev23nELm1nz1pTz78I4TiNtOzmd8rpU-NlF5uzBZbej0xZ2gdcZM8yU-YEhdSKjNSoY1dthggLjp3KP-JBx6X7FIQals_eUoINqvTstCBE0nJfIQiQHB0evBVlDbHWuSReIJeaX26Edpc_GmkltdiJ3Lct1LJc-66/w400-h300/IMG_1723.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>August in the Cairngorm Mountains</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Being really busy with safaris, I didn't have time to take a walk up to the mountain tops this month, but I'm not sure I missed much, as it would appear that although a few Snow Buntings were reported, Ptarmigan and Dotterel were generally very elusive, and our Ring Ouzels appear to have already departed...</b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">On farmland....</b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigJQbsZMLcAANZCTvc6fOHsx6h2yy75nNDmZC-RGaWMbvpqM70kogOS0jJo9nhnggpiWdA_Ax4Jl34RB8671HVKxtAVCMILi2yWRIm6XAsFzVnh6g0K-qq-jynIzF2vWQlEvSR3zs-xDV79QT5WwjI7izZLMQVFZBIMlnl5KiuggMilQSZe0ld/s1924/IMG_9492.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1210" data-original-width="1924" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigJQbsZMLcAANZCTvc6fOHsx6h2yy75nNDmZC-RGaWMbvpqM70kogOS0jJo9nhnggpiWdA_Ax4Jl34RB8671HVKxtAVCMILi2yWRIm6XAsFzVnh6g0K-qq-jynIzF2vWQlEvSR3zs-xDV79QT5WwjI7izZLMQVFZBIMlnl5KiuggMilQSZe0ld/w400-h251/IMG_9492.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Typical local grazing farmland</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Sadly, our local farmland is always a little 'quiet' at this time of year, with most of the summer-visiting waders now returned to the coast, and the winter visitors yet to arrive, bird sightings were restricted to just the odd Lapwing or Oystercatcher....</b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1AzMu3OsjCkj0_qhKHx9DW1-3PsCThgGoAIFxJpMSHB5JqwtYH4dmFBn_Utcme_sM_yZ2WcYYU8-RllGUFiTHtChQwaEk_LfrxxVePe8VkMeQVhOFjBcsFDyLY2L_syQ9nKYG6-Pk_LopH48IHq1uqfjFfqMfDHlQEuSAqkPCVj7GQi1srzi2/s2671/IMG_2152.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1778" data-original-width="2671" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1AzMu3OsjCkj0_qhKHx9DW1-3PsCThgGoAIFxJpMSHB5JqwtYH4dmFBn_Utcme_sM_yZ2WcYYU8-RllGUFiTHtChQwaEk_LfrxxVePe8VkMeQVhOFjBcsFDyLY2L_syQ9nKYG6-Pk_LopH48IHq1uqfjFfqMfDHlQEuSAqkPCVj7GQi1srzi2/s320/IMG_2152.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Young Lapwing</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Other good/scarce birds seen/reported locally this month included:</b></p><p>2 <b>Marsh Harriers</b> and a <b>Greenshank </b>at Insh marshes mid-month, a family of <b>Red-Breasted Mergansers</b> at Lochindorb on the 15th, a juvenile <b>Ring Ouze</b>l near Kincraig on the 17th, a <b>Kingfisher</b> near Aviemore on the 26th, and 4 <b>Ruff </b>at Insh Marshes, also on the 26th.....</p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 700;">A few photos of more common birds seen locally this month: </span></p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJKw3qje2jJ8JP1YYNje785tKe0cGGtFzqU1bYkh3Y9OE6kNr8Dltrrl7ZEZQu9Ol_lMqsm6I1BM8DX74WhkUIwRI_8g46bvy-qzrGd1mmD9uPCpp9e1gwOY2l30DaFotbInbHMEo0qq9Saf3wys5S5ZnxVf9CkttTaDTV_AQAaR1YpqweIRI7/s2372/DSCN6190.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1878" data-original-width="2372" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJKw3qje2jJ8JP1YYNje785tKe0cGGtFzqU1bYkh3Y9OE6kNr8Dltrrl7ZEZQu9Ol_lMqsm6I1BM8DX74WhkUIwRI_8g46bvy-qzrGd1mmD9uPCpp9e1gwOY2l30DaFotbInbHMEo0qq9Saf3wys5S5ZnxVf9CkttTaDTV_AQAaR1YpqweIRI7/s320/DSCN6190.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Great-Spotted Woodpecker</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimwtolSVnN81kks8OZWQUedP2Sap-NsTh3EgAELJBeV_UTqPvRloXYfBCmbvV1cJiA9EbiaGbMqsA3sQu-BXY76cKiQPIHSKrH0KbcC6pTNU_Uc-91ye1rchIiT5SoLz0esATGA5kpNzFo6oOxNyg0biVsGL8gPMOl7-K8dT1KbQo2Vp1SFmXu/s2898/DSCN6207.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1591" data-original-width="2898" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimwtolSVnN81kks8OZWQUedP2Sap-NsTh3EgAELJBeV_UTqPvRloXYfBCmbvV1cJiA9EbiaGbMqsA3sQu-BXY76cKiQPIHSKrH0KbcC6pTNU_Uc-91ye1rchIiT5SoLz0esATGA5kpNzFo6oOxNyg0biVsGL8gPMOl7-K8dT1KbQo2Vp1SFmXu/w400-h220/DSCN6207.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Blackbird</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimihdezeNpa7VIOzznLfx8KBkt2NLDj5MRc7PW7igYV8sM7WGqLl8g7EbEyKFqnozSZWu7tuHcgzMzB-_aggMIAG_izf-UgjxZWbuNxoh05oeFRoOdI_ncSbsrYsuTqwoG7pIPVVVVhSmsVz4q0yo-Q2N-UvWV4P5bsSnA1PgBp1fiziEvVnVy/s4608/DSCN0869%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimihdezeNpa7VIOzznLfx8KBkt2NLDj5MRc7PW7igYV8sM7WGqLl8g7EbEyKFqnozSZWu7tuHcgzMzB-_aggMIAG_izf-UgjxZWbuNxoh05oeFRoOdI_ncSbsrYsuTqwoG7pIPVVVVhSmsVz4q0yo-Q2N-UvWV4P5bsSnA1PgBp1fiziEvVnVy/s320/DSCN0869%20(2).jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Song Thrush</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiB-O7cR3hSFUhSsFBlaydYXnVpsbxn2tUozH-I9I4huO1NZaExI60Qh7y_S7oy0_LBQNRSJU-Z4-d3Gq8OHiRdRhZwnTl41zA_5e6OUujYGOQbP7WXi_KpbMh_NNsxgY2CNv0q4a9i97Z_-ZFixWiqD5eNjF66gfRsVgU67yOQ3Sw34jKx4yP/s4465/DSCN9374.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2599" data-original-width="4465" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiB-O7cR3hSFUhSsFBlaydYXnVpsbxn2tUozH-I9I4huO1NZaExI60Qh7y_S7oy0_LBQNRSJU-Z4-d3Gq8OHiRdRhZwnTl41zA_5e6OUujYGOQbP7WXi_KpbMh_NNsxgY2CNv0q4a9i97Z_-ZFixWiqD5eNjF66gfRsVgU67yOQ3Sw34jKx4yP/s320/DSCN9374.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Grey Wagtail</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <br /> <p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYJF3I3rEuyVPaz5W0lxcczxWODqQo5EdP29mOTsVvGkAQsWwJ0st8AsTH-3gW3sMQHNa9ffZfOUKhkwWO7HonEDOxczRhm_ZppaXIyF4Xgy4f8EGYcVt5JPQt7pcr8WPQ1iN-pXdAZsxOXUa5O_tgA51ZqeFpnRnovf5GNDW8xgmYxntqkVsk/s3713/DSCN6204.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3420" data-original-width="3713" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYJF3I3rEuyVPaz5W0lxcczxWODqQo5EdP29mOTsVvGkAQsWwJ0st8AsTH-3gW3sMQHNa9ffZfOUKhkwWO7HonEDOxczRhm_ZppaXIyF4Xgy4f8EGYcVt5JPQt7pcr8WPQ1iN-pXdAZsxOXUa5O_tgA51ZqeFpnRnovf5GNDW8xgmYxntqkVsk/s320/DSCN6204.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Spotted Flycatcher</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDZ8BNXN3CKBvcEclzLd0T9zcIE4kRF6BhSfbSQ2L2B9iteAnwkDm5AfnWpk7H70C-_7D1iIzPE044V9mizS9wbgR-1Wr1JXyMEuCsFVcgZMGPf5wDSRR5Hid9oHP3AWMz-Gxf92gr2HjhIFWLw1v2TPJwJNs8er1KJhfZdG5--DGlnS1NK56T/s3710/IMG_1402.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2090" data-original-width="3710" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDZ8BNXN3CKBvcEclzLd0T9zcIE4kRF6BhSfbSQ2L2B9iteAnwkDm5AfnWpk7H70C-_7D1iIzPE044V9mizS9wbgR-1Wr1JXyMEuCsFVcgZMGPf5wDSRR5Hid9oHP3AWMz-Gxf92gr2HjhIFWLw1v2TPJwJNs8er1KJhfZdG5--DGlnS1NK56T/s320/IMG_1402.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Barn Swallow</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b><br /><br /><br /></b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7a0y-Ppp1huRYuVPdyFj6MS4iXxY799s6Y_isSwELF_bZeDyDXBoeNJcFZVDyN--uifWPLcfT6vaK-TnkZ3gfc2EdGRldYlTineKKyawaEGNDcSFAP_wvZAbmi_eFYzOG7UgbXkYZR95w8P9h7V_XsZZthcn2y6fzSVFGbPjmH8rznhi91odb/s3237/Steve%20N%20Sisk.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2158" data-original-width="3237" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7a0y-Ppp1huRYuVPdyFj6MS4iXxY799s6Y_isSwELF_bZeDyDXBoeNJcFZVDyN--uifWPLcfT6vaK-TnkZ3gfc2EdGRldYlTineKKyawaEGNDcSFAP_wvZAbmi_eFYzOG7UgbXkYZR95w8P9h7V_XsZZthcn2y6fzSVFGbPjmH8rznhi91odb/s320/Steve%20N%20Sisk.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Siskin by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;">Adventures 'out of area':</span></b></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuiNjiRZi3iA0BXdQ259VpYib8y3PQcVHZr4hsd-mfGK-Zm4TG1yksRpgzRwjduChgS6hfGqMf1EnO-F22nVZ07PDtaRlvWiT-fIz4Hp3Iwke0OFlIrrMgK7Mopw9dU_4_XABdMmCFIntuUppiAP7rStSH3XmurlsnRlUvfYGneqAqyI3-IFgP/s1983/IMG_1637.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1239" data-original-width="1983" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuiNjiRZi3iA0BXdQ259VpYib8y3PQcVHZr4hsd-mfGK-Zm4TG1yksRpgzRwjduChgS6hfGqMf1EnO-F22nVZ07PDtaRlvWiT-fIz4Hp3Iwke0OFlIrrMgK7Mopw9dU_4_XABdMmCFIntuUppiAP7rStSH3XmurlsnRlUvfYGneqAqyI3-IFgP/w400-h250/IMG_1637.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Rosemarkie Beach on the Black isle</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b><p></p><p>Being really busy with safaris, I didn't have many opportunities to venture far this month, but a very enjoyable few hours on the Black Isle with a local birding mate on the 1st of the month, gave us a a good selection of terns, auks, and bonus views of Porpoises and Dolphins.....</p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnTfEuVsFhLKY_irG4pQUphjikIYFtXEvG-1SduziTnXmCHs7LuaTjnb-aLH73PnvO8hDkD2vPQHDiQt5-vxp2Ic782mQ1tNp54WER3n4AudSZ_TrxKuLqdzakRTWKlaNx-Yq6bxR5Xd3Y7CorWOd1KSaD-3oiJ8JnrBiRXa3a4xQD7ZlOG0Fh/s4608/DSCN6194.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnTfEuVsFhLKY_irG4pQUphjikIYFtXEvG-1SduziTnXmCHs7LuaTjnb-aLH73PnvO8hDkD2vPQHDiQt5-vxp2Ic782mQ1tNp54WER3n4AudSZ_TrxKuLqdzakRTWKlaNx-Yq6bxR5Xd3Y7CorWOd1KSaD-3oiJ8JnrBiRXa3a4xQD7ZlOG0Fh/s320/DSCN6194.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Common Tern</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiseriL0BrBplB_qAHushJY17RyivdFZrEvEAOP0eLS4bcrQlT0fHhLOSqxo9TQATixbWh7itoB9gXxtNz_evmfngbRhWa5-HsQ3oKSFo2cK8H1LV42oidLj_ygmeeSKtt_rRwHOLMMn2aBGN--zXdlUk52de7fLfEnk1QOq0eH4J4dNRUVBcwC/s4608/DSCN6196.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiseriL0BrBplB_qAHushJY17RyivdFZrEvEAOP0eLS4bcrQlT0fHhLOSqxo9TQATixbWh7itoB9gXxtNz_evmfngbRhWa5-HsQ3oKSFo2cK8H1LV42oidLj_ygmeeSKtt_rRwHOLMMn2aBGN--zXdlUk52de7fLfEnk1QOq0eH4J4dNRUVBcwC/s320/DSCN6196.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Common Guillemot</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqtpfrWtbq1teU5J1a72_aOFaBFY4RVeWPhjF2rvVzEAS1yOKBF3Sua0VP2yVi6OlyEKfm9-EuBLjvMN1NNFZn3QtRRSorNgU7xjC4QVOIV0OTvJo7VfMxDfXEY4diKFanGdurEKuA-EfVyDzD6wX1coYz40nLFujZUPyqEuYZUqzSQKSW8bm7/s2357/Steve%20N%20Swich%20Tern.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1571" data-original-width="2357" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqtpfrWtbq1teU5J1a72_aOFaBFY4RVeWPhjF2rvVzEAS1yOKBF3Sua0VP2yVi6OlyEKfm9-EuBLjvMN1NNFZn3QtRRSorNgU7xjC4QVOIV0OTvJo7VfMxDfXEY4diKFanGdurEKuA-EfVyDzD6wX1coYz40nLFujZUPyqEuYZUqzSQKSW8bm7/s320/Steve%20N%20Swich%20Tern.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Sandwich Tern by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">August 2023 mammal sightings in more detail:</b></p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">With bird sightings 'slowing down' a little, mammal sightings always become more important at this time of year, and we are lucky to have such a good selection to go for in this area....</span></span></span></p><div><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span></span></div><p><b><br /></b></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">We are fortunate to have</span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> Red Squirrels</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> in our local forests</span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">,</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> a species sadly absent from most of the UK now, due largely to invasion by the introduced Grey Squirrel (and the Squirrel pox virus they carry), so they are always popular with my safari clients - often getting voted as 'mammal of the day', and forest walks and visits to my favourite Caledonian pine forest feeding stations produced lots of good sightings, often with decent photographic opportunities...though we did have a few days when none showed at all...</span></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdYkOSU0qXkM0vR2hMN_QbakG4riD2eEodcWEGghIhYVIC8Rj3tEoJUPgODojCeug8JSKT31SZLxcfdlKN_mBvAKrqvVfbRqg-f-Z2QDNggCTFl0xabrJh4AIwgc8QQ6YqffH_I3elp3rJLL4XGrAT1yMmR7oVxcGFrOcWHK_G8Kh2a2uvh8nn/s4608/DSCN6189.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdYkOSU0qXkM0vR2hMN_QbakG4riD2eEodcWEGghIhYVIC8Rj3tEoJUPgODojCeug8JSKT31SZLxcfdlKN_mBvAKrqvVfbRqg-f-Z2QDNggCTFl0xabrJh4AIwgc8QQ6YqffH_I3elp3rJLL4XGrAT1yMmR7oVxcGFrOcWHK_G8Kh2a2uvh8nn/w400-h300/DSCN6189.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Squirrel</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3b1iSqZov1XCXgmw1JGmapVFKZ04DUGxLQrNL7M-C46-PtCKr-jb8v46yypcmmvcV_G-3K62Kcs9nMP1Uy9fg0T341hmd6XCHYXEtopwYufFHXn5GHWi_I8Hipb-eUf3NX0bW5dR3-0kR9VqLinDLwkGXcZ2stZm3O3SmCUPicv3n_YqH0tU3/s2823/IMG_2527.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2379" data-original-width="2823" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3b1iSqZov1XCXgmw1JGmapVFKZ04DUGxLQrNL7M-C46-PtCKr-jb8v46yypcmmvcV_G-3K62Kcs9nMP1Uy9fg0T341hmd6XCHYXEtopwYufFHXn5GHWi_I8Hipb-eUf3NX0bW5dR3-0kR9VqLinDLwkGXcZ2stZm3O3SmCUPicv3n_YqH0tU3/s320/IMG_2527.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Squirrel</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">A frequent contender for my safari clients 'mammal of the day' award is the iconic 'monarch of the glen' - the </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Red Deer,</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> and although they can be seen in more places all round the UK these days, it is still great to see them in their 'proper' home environment of upland glens and mountainsides, with many now sporting an impressive set of antlers, and although they are mainly still in their large same-sex groups at the moment, that will be sure to change in a few weeks time when the autumn 'rut' commences....</span></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLFoQJZQvQCyYjmAAYU6B-dqCvnrQdSOpGrClETpHaOXM6sitGVRRTbPIGAr0sixBvIPP8B_mTMDi-EmakVJLMULN4yD9rKnPOoPrvibx5wSNqFG48l4nFtR26QgfFaTMbh0a8mIuBQUKMNUrXoVgX0POQLQmCVeZXeDGrEpgkv1GtdCIaOU7b/s3286/DSCN6205.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1865" data-original-width="3286" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLFoQJZQvQCyYjmAAYU6B-dqCvnrQdSOpGrClETpHaOXM6sitGVRRTbPIGAr0sixBvIPP8B_mTMDi-EmakVJLMULN4yD9rKnPOoPrvibx5wSNqFG48l4nFtR26QgfFaTMbh0a8mIuBQUKMNUrXoVgX0POQLQmCVeZXeDGrEpgkv1GtdCIaOU7b/w400-h228/DSCN6205.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Deer stags</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqBSzMl0R4DeIKor3kKTtD4hBtTp4mP6y2BOwivbYJJSbZf7h1wAkZbpkhYsORUkKfP3bq1-32wnh2G44j_OLv0UiEvHm5RXPVKDGDCJ9yR8XkG3uWdmjzKEzbY6C4foaVUM0a_hFbPfIRfCvBfrd7_Xp9VoZbRv-zMzVNeRsO2eNprAGKHmCR/s3731/DSCN6919.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2177" data-original-width="3731" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqBSzMl0R4DeIKor3kKTtD4hBtTp4mP6y2BOwivbYJJSbZf7h1wAkZbpkhYsORUkKfP3bq1-32wnh2G44j_OLv0UiEvHm5RXPVKDGDCJ9yR8XkG3uWdmjzKEzbY6C4foaVUM0a_hFbPfIRfCvBfrd7_Xp9VoZbRv-zMzVNeRsO2eNprAGKHmCR/w400-h234/DSCN6919.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Deer hinds</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Still up in the glens, we also have feral </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Mountain Goats</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">, interesting animals that come in a wide variety of colours from white, through grey and brown to black, or any combination of some or all of these colours, and many of my safari clients saw them in the wild for the first time whilst out on safari with me this month...</span></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoJu_YjY6Uk5ytB4jDiEsbeg1fKu-seNILZFPiSk5qgOnWWOn5I-SgnhRrawlc0Uq7GKSJl8VZs8_jcVME-J1DCD7-z3KGm_jFjUVzkiKHHpeNBY8KGSZpZri_EmP8SYhqJ1P93ZvZS7dTlCjD3VXb2BvmkcRdc_Bx8KlC0F0xP39qQd-xdEcI/s3905/DSCN0806.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1748" data-original-width="3905" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoJu_YjY6Uk5ytB4jDiEsbeg1fKu-seNILZFPiSk5qgOnWWOn5I-SgnhRrawlc0Uq7GKSJl8VZs8_jcVME-J1DCD7-z3KGm_jFjUVzkiKHHpeNBY8KGSZpZri_EmP8SYhqJ1P93ZvZS7dTlCjD3VXb2BvmkcRdc_Bx8KlC0F0xP39qQd-xdEcI/w400-h179/DSCN0806.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Feral Mountain Goats</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">Roe Deer</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> are actually fairly common throughout most of the UK, but due to their crepuscular nature, most of my safari clients rarely see them, and they are easily disturbed by human noise and activity...but July and August is their 'rutting' time, and early starts, and quiet drives and walks round secluded areas gave us a few decent views this month..</span></span></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivbzV1PST76ziHmRLCI-MiwGX_GPoGq50cbBDrPIOaBOPo3yNykTZnJIJS2gXGM9odxMIj49tNHIKjK5Malv9x5AXhH_HPQwI43ft6lLnavC543IHZ5T1DdSyUAYZ1azUO8DnpDFTIEyPZCxYEUqxYS1Zam1tAqamtvO4kAtEants3lRA8AvSA/s1358/DSCN0841.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="796" data-original-width="1358" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivbzV1PST76ziHmRLCI-MiwGX_GPoGq50cbBDrPIOaBOPo3yNykTZnJIJS2gXGM9odxMIj49tNHIKjK5Malv9x5AXhH_HPQwI43ft6lLnavC543IHZ5T1DdSyUAYZ1azUO8DnpDFTIEyPZCxYEUqxYS1Zam1tAqamtvO4kAtEants3lRA8AvSA/w400-h235/DSCN0841.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Roe Deer buck</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Being largely nocturnal, and with their blotchy grey/brown/white summer coat perfectly matching their upland surroundings, </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Mountain Hares</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">can prove very difficult to see in the summer months, and so it proved this month, as I don't recall us getting a single sighting .....</span></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Thankfully</span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">,</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> our local</span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> Brown Hares</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> were a little more obliging, especially early in the morning, though they rarely stick around once they become aware of us watching them, so it's rare to get a decent photo opportunity...</span></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUbVn9UQZijtfKaL30GkGB89SNxsNl21SqVIcobHwr2sro9L8Iz32gJBAPIPJ_9jAVcX420EfYCuHTR3dcY8oxC2B2qoYAZ_5qFEI8iUqUw96MbWdU71XunjCGgyEeVYJUoOqqR4rStePty75QLMOoB1tfSeNQ-XCvT0kjw0Yn9ZCa81PS9InP/s3541/IMG_2123.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2620" data-original-width="3541" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUbVn9UQZijtfKaL30GkGB89SNxsNl21SqVIcobHwr2sro9L8Iz32gJBAPIPJ_9jAVcX420EfYCuHTR3dcY8oxC2B2qoYAZ_5qFEI8iUqUw96MbWdU71XunjCGgyEeVYJUoOqqR4rStePty75QLMOoB1tfSeNQ-XCvT0kjw0Yn9ZCa81PS9InP/s320/IMG_2123.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A typically nervous-looking Brown Hare</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Hairy Highland Coo's</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"> always prove to be popular with my safari clients, especially those who do not have them close to home, so don't be afraid to ask me if you fancy going to see them, and maybe even get to feed and 'pat' them, as I have a couple of great sites....</span></b></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9D8SPoj1RliIwJZoHUDQB8SWAUQL3N4sSnIjhrqaO3ZTIr30RYVYmJ5sNW8WzoiayXotLXCcB305CQ4p5VAK1biLPZtU7g0QTtpFSr8OZjkXgc5wZkX7B1lVvilbkZivwwW9mEUAqa04yCOoQdHfMsB3BnAI8sLmk4NedBDcUCuNLPCfAVvMI/s1736/IMG_1593.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1283" data-original-width="1736" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9D8SPoj1RliIwJZoHUDQB8SWAUQL3N4sSnIjhrqaO3ZTIr30RYVYmJ5sNW8WzoiayXotLXCcB305CQ4p5VAK1biLPZtU7g0QTtpFSr8OZjkXgc5wZkX7B1lVvilbkZivwwW9mEUAqa04yCOoQdHfMsB3BnAI8sLmk4NedBDcUCuNLPCfAVvMI/w400-h295/IMG_1593.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Carrot time for Murdo!</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Rare/nocturnal mammals:</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">I get a few enquiries about the possibility of seeing </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Badgers</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> and </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Pine Marten</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> from my safari clients, many of whom I suspect are unaware that they are actually a largely nocturnal creature, and although we do get the occasional (maybe one or two a year) dawn glimpse of one, you would definitely have a much higher chance of seeing them at a specific dusk Badger/Pine Marten watching hide - Please contact me for more information.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Similarly, our inland </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Otters</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> too are mainly active during the hours of darkness, and again, although we do get a few early-morning sightings on local lochs and rivers each year, looking for them feeding in a suitably quiet, kelp - filled bay on the coast on a rising tide, but at any time of day, would give you a much better chance.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-family: quot; line-height: 1.4;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: quot; line-height: 1.4;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Whilst we are still on the 'tricky to see stuff', the <b>Scottish Wildcat </b>too, as well as being incredibly rare now, is also generally nocturnal, and the fact that I have had a mere handful of (dawn or dusk) sightings in 17 years of providing wildlife safaris should give you an idea of how difficult they are to see.</span></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Other wildlife:</b></p><p>Butterfly sightings were definitely better than last month, with the more common species now being joined by our local speciality, the <b>Scotch Argus</b>....</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifLoaoFe3VePCdOf-pnPZihD5K4ZRfUPV7Zrdc7T7nGRISzBHz6lXz8bWfB7oFp_leDsBnGJl00GSF5dNwE0VZyzyuSpIa7mnJ0CdvMbAci4eVL9JW6bA__7Dcnq-LBvGzEjk9qhF1oLj6Qt6LATuLFArPKCazdwKzAhavyxdUDToi_bJ8LFLj/s3004/Steve%20N%20DGF.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2282" data-original-width="3004" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifLoaoFe3VePCdOf-pnPZihD5K4ZRfUPV7Zrdc7T7nGRISzBHz6lXz8bWfB7oFp_leDsBnGJl00GSF5dNwE0VZyzyuSpIa7mnJ0CdvMbAci4eVL9JW6bA__7Dcnq-LBvGzEjk9qhF1oLj6Qt6LATuLFArPKCazdwKzAhavyxdUDToi_bJ8LFLj/s320/Steve%20N%20DGF.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Dark Green Fritillary by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivCiVY66OuXr99ajUKryACJwBp_USw8tiP-pO2wB2mBBamEpjgKdKbgDx0dsNH2DoOYZPOH-Au9OH2M_DXIYM-h5EJgNaFx4ME-ZgNNv6p2kmn1rmxE_-ZL-xdvSjxLRRtkugEOV6oS1OA-Vurl6FamBT9n3tE0r3Lkc_WetxDPrK1PRkTHuxC/s2938/Steve%20N%20SPBF.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2654" data-original-width="2938" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivCiVY66OuXr99ajUKryACJwBp_USw8tiP-pO2wB2mBBamEpjgKdKbgDx0dsNH2DoOYZPOH-Au9OH2M_DXIYM-h5EJgNaFx4ME-ZgNNv6p2kmn1rmxE_-ZL-xdvSjxLRRtkugEOV6oS1OA-Vurl6FamBT9n3tE0r3Lkc_WetxDPrK1PRkTHuxC/s320/Steve%20N%20SPBF.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Small Pearl-Bordered Fritillary by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAaRGbJVTmlRfjqFtbuu3eqi_kkA2oADpC_0CqhgdX26L5JKTAp4mOocS8nDXcIMyhbrVvEneRl28wu-IPLXZ6Uy3es7RaepCKUBgEGiKpfsG8FBDyMu4Xo5R7NUPzlQZKsD3CK17K0vKg2KaxfLEiUyy2BXGImwD6fjtOniV2P5L4o66TrlTm/s3748/DSCN4398.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2471" data-original-width="3748" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAaRGbJVTmlRfjqFtbuu3eqi_kkA2oADpC_0CqhgdX26L5JKTAp4mOocS8nDXcIMyhbrVvEneRl28wu-IPLXZ6Uy3es7RaepCKUBgEGiKpfsG8FBDyMu4Xo5R7NUPzlQZKsD3CK17K0vKg2KaxfLEiUyy2BXGImwD6fjtOniV2P5L4o66TrlTm/s320/DSCN4398.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Painted Lady</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPS_cr9GZ81lgIr_ktz_VqykL2L0ItERjkVFYDAckl8cbOUtoyGIr-Q_dXh9lMGaUWMknht-l6AfLY49K9T6hy_jEC7kCsVoSah14uzJKvEXw3hQEF7dYx0B6BZMQy0EC1x9SsGaNphXlavXcszsyYgm9V3blG0ap7DkOp8DUa21uEROjcgfod/s2566/DSCN0849.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1910" data-original-width="2566" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPS_cr9GZ81lgIr_ktz_VqykL2L0ItERjkVFYDAckl8cbOUtoyGIr-Q_dXh9lMGaUWMknht-l6AfLY49K9T6hy_jEC7kCsVoSah14uzJKvEXw3hQEF7dYx0B6BZMQy0EC1x9SsGaNphXlavXcszsyYgm9V3blG0ap7DkOp8DUa21uEROjcgfod/s320/DSCN0849.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Scotch Argus</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Warmer days saw lots of activity at our local <b>Wood Ant </b>nests....</p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh8r3fiMQ4Uf3Bbt2_3UlcshwXqjMiNRthJHCRQf6r2YEkbCY-mT7YLPVtuUiDPaxFnkxYYMs4JBzLt56Mm3djM9a-MEFfsBt0S032dhWCjJz5v4NUUZknehYjO88YMUAJG-z0cf2z5knSgDSNbOBBBUROk_H2c85T719FICf3D5MMuXpDYWIO/s4608/DSCN6168.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh8r3fiMQ4Uf3Bbt2_3UlcshwXqjMiNRthJHCRQf6r2YEkbCY-mT7YLPVtuUiDPaxFnkxYYMs4JBzLt56Mm3djM9a-MEFfsBt0S032dhWCjJz5v4NUUZknehYjO88YMUAJG-z0cf2z5knSgDSNbOBBBUROk_H2c85T719FICf3D5MMuXpDYWIO/s320/DSCN6168.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Wood Ant nest</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><p></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">News:</b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">I am very pleased to announce that Highland Wildlife & Birdwatch Safaris has recently been awarded - for the second consecutive year - a Travellers Choice accreditation from Trip Advisor, for being ranked in the top 10% of visitor attractions worldwide based on customer reviews and feedback.</span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; margin-left: 4.8pt;"><span lang="EN-US">This achievement would not have been possible without the support of all my family, friends, safari clients, social media followers, regular blog readers , the Visit Scotland 'mystery shoppers', and everyone else who has helped and encouraged me along the way to ‘living my dream’ of being a wildlife safari guide, since 2004, especially over the last few very difficult COVID affected years, so a big THANK YOU to you all :)</span><o:p></o:p></p><div><br /></div><p><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">All tourism/hospitality/activities in Scotland are open , are free of restrictions and I have now completed two years of (thankfully!) increasingly busy and extremely enjoyable safaris with clients with no major issues arising.</span></p><p><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">With all national travel restrictions lifted too, Scotland is officially 'open for business' for visitors from all over the UK, and from abroad, and already this year, I have enjoyed meeting my first ever clients from Chile, and Singapore....</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">For those considering a visit, these wildlife/outdoor tourism websites may prove useful:</span></p><p><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">June - September is midge season - But thankfully, this area is not usually affected too badly - This link explains why: </span></p><p><a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-65939262" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">Bumper midge hatch alert after warm spell - BBC News</a></p><p><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b>https://www.gov.scot/collections/coronavirus-covid</b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p><a href="https://www.outdooraccess-scotland.scot/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">NatureScot (outdooraccess-scotland.scot)</a></p><p><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xGdTZcC2ZQ" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-line: none;">Can Nature Help Health? | Nature Prescriptions - YouTube</a></b></p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1HBKnnGr-g" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;">Scotland, Yours to Enjoy. Responsibly. - YouTube</a></p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://cairngorms.co.uk/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">Cairngorms National Park Authority</a></p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://www.highlandwildlifepark.org.uk/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">Highland Wildlife Park</a></p><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.gov.scot/publications/avian-influenza-outbreaks/" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;">Avian influenza (bird flu) outbreaks - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)</a></div><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://www.rspb.org.uk/about-the-rspb/about-us/how-the-rspb-is-run/annualreport/annual-report-2022_scotland-news/?utm_source=notes_on_nature_20220903&utm_medium=email&utm_term=notes_on_nature&utm_content=27&utm_campaign=notes_on_nature" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;">Positive prescriptions | The RSPB</a></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001I2CprmTF4v466b2QwFanHYsB-M-rMapIosb95lRyTUJBNCM4M5pRVhERGqeaLRzFyv1eekvDmizxHTXlceC8MfUpDhmPVjcIKSIuzoxgpUAR-WvJnMt7Qy_6FTM7t0NmHCFXcXrKl2PwZmYesq-W9IS95jsm4EjF&c=yaKTJZAUiA1JLq3HZX4qSPKZSV0TmxUhrab0kVmIGIcqw2TwJXwIuA==&ch=DwiISia8UtA2D1uBYb3sVgpwyW_q8Q-7QsuJDduKzFxiKfyqeb9Flw=="><b><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" style="color: #d9b559; font-size: 12pt;">www.scotlandbigpicture.com</span></b></a></span></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>COVID-19</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">The Scottish Highlands, being very sparsely populated, has had very few COVID-19 cases in comparison to most of the UK, and on my safaris we tend to visit remote , wild habitats well away from the more popular tourist areas, and usually have very little interaction with other people, and this is something that I intend to continue.</b></p><div><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></div><p><b><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQvAQ_1-VjzroEIXCLTdt5TUAuHHfpOE_FoC1sUpQoBmOkyEQPAdxkrU8uH3rNefdh36jClNDJzfsZkos2wsOlf4ExudliwXE8uXg62z6TlOi1N0nXu9KhofgxVh9y82aIibjWUOvFfwRFgXzydJiHUz_CCg7eJ_Mu963M5vB8yhD5zzYFuwHh/s1955/IMG_1653.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1274" data-original-width="1955" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQvAQ_1-VjzroEIXCLTdt5TUAuHHfpOE_FoC1sUpQoBmOkyEQPAdxkrU8uH3rNefdh36jClNDJzfsZkos2wsOlf4ExudliwXE8uXg62z6TlOi1N0nXu9KhofgxVh9y82aIibjWUOvFfwRFgXzydJiHUz_CCg7eJ_Mu963M5vB8yhD5zzYFuwHh/w400-h261/IMG_1653.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Rosebay Willowherb in full bloom</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Summary:</b></p><p><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">So, although maybe not the best month for the hard-core birder, 'twitcher' or photographer to visit, August in the Cairngorms National Park would still appear to have quite a lot to offer the more casual beginner or 'improver' nature-watcher, or maybe those with a young family looking for a less intense or 'taster' wildlife safari experience, with no need for a really early start, in arguably, one of the more scenic months of the year.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></span></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Looking back through my notes and photos for this month, I reckon that our sightings were actually very decent for the time of year, with some of the summer species lingering in this area a little longer than normal, more raptors on the wing, one or two rarities turning up, and most importantly of all, my safari clients certainly seemed to enjoy themselves, as did I....</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLrGI7j28Ct8LM3Y3LUc8CRDHOE-vLOzoL-SN8Mqvs36Wm4YcCcl0l-MQEyN-HPBFYfb9BViEvyGQTNVXzd94iQ837mRZj7PFyn8E71JGSl_Al1wWXjuzMmPI5MJX_PdsaolPjFUrGpBhzfHrvs7e2TVlLvbie8Y41-NBeZUOzogkJR2XTNifB/s5165/Nicolas%20Muller.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2117" data-original-width="5165" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLrGI7j28Ct8LM3Y3LUc8CRDHOE-vLOzoL-SN8Mqvs36Wm4YcCcl0l-MQEyN-HPBFYfb9BViEvyGQTNVXzd94iQ837mRZj7PFyn8E71JGSl_Al1wWXjuzMmPI5MJX_PdsaolPjFUrGpBhzfHrvs7e2TVlLvbie8Y41-NBeZUOzogkJR2XTNifB/w400-h164/Nicolas%20Muller.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The Strathspey Steam Train by Nicolas Muller</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Reviews:</b></span></p><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span face="" style="color: #06004c;">I know a lot of visitors to this area very wisely check out reviews of attractions/experiences at </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">TripAdvisor</b><span face="" style="color: #06004c;"> before 'taking the plunge' and booking - We now have over 300 reviews online, so if you wish, you can check out our clients comments at the link below....</span></div><p><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><div style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"></span></span><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;" /><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g186537-d3335134-Reviews-</span></span></span></span></span></div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"></span></span><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;" /><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Highland_Wildlife_Birdwatch_Safaris-Aviemore_Aviemore_and_the_Cairngorms_Scottish.html</span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div></div></div><p><br /></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTWivOFqRuehVYU0Se0bg1hP6uUWc1BHpIJCIOxwDNc_tZI2-St87kiDtiBH1urPdxp1LH-GelAT697DM8X40C6Xeoyz_r8N3BY0gxt-VlxDRiCl08ZOdL-ZLxZFEgPJSWI2ZGkxX1LvzQK7zyduHUzxj8Lvytd0cU_kSaoHPIFOT9hIiO8gzH/s1979/IMG_1697.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="808" data-original-width="1979" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTWivOFqRuehVYU0Se0bg1hP6uUWc1BHpIJCIOxwDNc_tZI2-St87kiDtiBH1urPdxp1LH-GelAT697DM8X40C6Xeoyz_r8N3BY0gxt-VlxDRiCl08ZOdL-ZLxZFEgPJSWI2ZGkxX1LvzQK7zyduHUzxj8Lvytd0cU_kSaoHPIFOT9hIiO8gzH/w400-h164/IMG_1697.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Sunrise over local farmland</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b><br /></b><p></p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><b>G</b></span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">ift Certificates:</b></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><div style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; color: #222222; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 5px; position: relative;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T95gARK_lkQ/XAvNUI2tI6I/AAAAAAAADwU/GDPgK9hH9LwgLQ8gPnoaLdf04Yn2BLebwCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_1578.JPG" style="background: none 0% 0% / auto repeat scroll padding-box border-box transparent; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 5px;" width="400" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 10.56px; text-align: center;"><b>Safari gift voucher</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></span></span></div></div></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="" style="color: #06004c; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;">If you think you know someone who may enjoy a taste of what I do, why not treat them to a safari gift </span><span face="" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;">certificate? They make a thoughtful and imaginative present, are available for any amount and are valid for a whole year from date of purchase........</span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span face="" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Highland Wildlife & Birdwatch Safarishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04327130550058794301noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26724394.post-1920696112443614682023-07-31T20:54:00.000+01:002023-07-31T20:54:27.206+01:00<div class="separator"><b>July 2023</b></div><p>Weather-wise, July 2023 was probably best described as very changeable, as it was sometimes calm, sometimes breezy, with most days seeing a combination of sun, cloud, and drizzle, and although it was cooler and wetter than average, we only had a few really heavy rain downpours and thunderstorms, and no really extreme conditions were experienced, though with daytime temperatures varying between 8c and 20c, a layered approach to clothing was definitely the best plan!</p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Full-day (8 hours) safari bird species day lists dropped a little, down into the 40's or 30's, as some of our wader species moved away from their upland breeding territories to the coasts, and bird-wise things have definitely quietened down , with much less singing noted, as just about every species seems to have successfully raised and fledged youngsters now, and some will be preparing to leave the area soon...</span></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;" /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; text-align: center;"></div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif">Mammal day lists varied between 3 and 8, depending on the length of day, and variety of habitats visited...with early starts generally producing more and closer sightings, with again, many species seen with youngsters..</span></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;" /><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif">With plenty of warm sunshine and regular showers giving the area a very lush, green appearance, more heather starting to turn a beautiful vivid purple, and the wild flowers and butterflies at their most abundant, the Cairngorms National Park really was a beautiful and unspoilt place to be this month, and my safari clients certainly seemed to enjoy being here....</span></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH39fZN7y6vH-ZotMUEJaNM5lYLfrDdGwP2c5B7x0FiZ-aUdbwpiIIJmKZMXJaxS7R4fpAPDn41nP8LyOHEE2a3g6S5CbjhD13c0M-pQqqFKzB3xQGNYrdPT9sDeiAOd4RD77RFqw7scgdjIaHAl-YIxoaHK-8Vm3Qrsf4AF0RmvYZNk04ybo-/s2016/Avielochan.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1132" data-original-width="2016" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH39fZN7y6vH-ZotMUEJaNM5lYLfrDdGwP2c5B7x0FiZ-aUdbwpiIIJmKZMXJaxS7R4fpAPDn41nP8LyOHEE2a3g6S5CbjhD13c0M-pQqqFKzB3xQGNYrdPT9sDeiAOd4RD77RFqw7scgdjIaHAl-YIxoaHK-8Vm3Qrsf4AF0RmvYZNk04ybo-/w400-h225/Avielochan.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>July in the Cairngorms National Park</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p> </p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">To give you an idea of what you may realistically hope to see if you are considering a future July visit, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">I hope the following more detailed information, illustrated with photos taken at sites in and around the Cairngorms National Park by myself, my friends or my safari clients this month and in previous July's will help....clicking on the picture enlarges it to full-screen. </span></p><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Local speciality/upland bird species seen regularly during the month included</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">:</span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><b style="line-height: 18.2px;">Osprey, Red Grouse, </b></span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">Goldeneye and</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"> </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><b>Dipper</b></span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">. </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">and <b>Slavonian Grebe</b>, </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">Red-Throated Diver</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"> and</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"> </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">Black-Throated Diver </b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">(all with young)<b> </b></span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">were seen occasionally,</span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"> </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"> </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">a few reasonable , if unreliable, views of</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"> </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 18.2px;">Crested Tit </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">and</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><b> Crossbill </b>were managed<b>, </b></span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"> </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">and we enjoyed a couple of distant <b>Golden Eagle</b> and <b>White-Tailed Eagle</b> sightings ...</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">Sadly, but typically at this time of year, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">we failed to see <b>Capercaillie</b> or <b>Black Grouse</b> at all this month, and our local <b>Ring Ouzels</b> appear to have already headed south.....</span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Mammal species seen regularly included:</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Red Squirrel</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">, </span><strong style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Rabbit</strong><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">, </span><strong style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Brown Hare</strong><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">, </span><strong style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Roe Deer</strong><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">, </span><strong style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Red Deer, Reindeer </strong><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">and feral </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Mountain Goat,</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> with just one sighting of a </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Mountain Hare</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> , a couple of brief glimpses of </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Bank Voles </b><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">scuttling across tracks, and one good view of a <b>Stoat</b> ...</span></p><div><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">All photographs of wildlife, especially Schedule 1 and other protected bird species were taken at long range with powerful zoom lenses, or from my vehicle on public roads, well away from nest sites, and no disturbance was caused to any wildlife....</b></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">July 2023 bird sightings in more detail:</b></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">On the lochs...</b></b></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZjOBrNQECfHfiCqZk19z_24rpPefCrZFSauRQpGms3dHz4LQg1_LvGxnnEWxJi23Q70brjBb-Gfex_oRVIWNA5oOOycSTgVDQVYuCNB4tdU6tcyilq_lgBhOhKvMrwGT_MW33OQ5rqOcKTsOhlVaGEMgtMiE_hZYXVEc4pAEo3qjei2qU-P6I/s2001/IMG_9438.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="877" data-original-width="2001" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZjOBrNQECfHfiCqZk19z_24rpPefCrZFSauRQpGms3dHz4LQg1_LvGxnnEWxJi23Q70brjBb-Gfex_oRVIWNA5oOOycSTgVDQVYuCNB4tdU6tcyilq_lgBhOhKvMrwGT_MW33OQ5rqOcKTsOhlVaGEMgtMiE_hZYXVEc4pAEo3qjei2qU-P6I/w400-h175/IMG_9438.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A local loch</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;">Our local </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Ospreys</b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"> stole the show again this month, these attractive and impressive raptors were often voted as 'Bird of the day' by my safari clients, with the adult birds seen fishing, delivering fish and feeding and encouraging the fast growing 'scaly' looking , orange-eyed youngsters to take their 'maiden flights', and by late-month they had indeed fledged and could be seen perched in adjacent trees and flying for the first time.. I can therefore highly recommend July as THE month for </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Osprey</b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"> watching and photography in this area...</span></b></b></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH0qLZvqMwoq-C38uD2kc8qQScNTIYYI5F0O2mIRC4whFhGpyTxg9uBApfQm9ifBTNcKO4zBcuzrTrI9rELDv6JDMQiRNmtMaolqNKMX6ag7Hgh6aRt1qveOaxY3cyu_j-p8FYhIBJX-WBk0G6bgAsXra1eTwrK_VTQM1BCmJdWcxiewciec_3/s4608/DSCN6090.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH0qLZvqMwoq-C38uD2kc8qQScNTIYYI5F0O2mIRC4whFhGpyTxg9uBApfQm9ifBTNcKO4zBcuzrTrI9rELDv6JDMQiRNmtMaolqNKMX6ag7Hgh6aRt1qveOaxY3cyu_j-p8FYhIBJX-WBk0G6bgAsXra1eTwrK_VTQM1BCmJdWcxiewciec_3/w400-h300/DSCN6090.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Osprey</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRpEHkN-H3Q-ZN55lzkbOvFDmSviS6HAcWs1Qai19f3Ft_SL6N6oCsvc-PfWHM-tP6vyK668VSF_YW2VCeucpv_Ti2ZiYG0YctlJ1kgzbAIsGrHzRjnkVB4O_N4YGNouqpoPWSgrClN9ATdQ1VfN-ReayjY_oI3eLXAtHq7bg3A7l-OLKahGsR/s4608/DSCN6124.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRpEHkN-H3Q-ZN55lzkbOvFDmSviS6HAcWs1Qai19f3Ft_SL6N6oCsvc-PfWHM-tP6vyK668VSF_YW2VCeucpv_Ti2ZiYG0YctlJ1kgzbAIsGrHzRjnkVB4O_N4YGNouqpoPWSgrClN9ATdQ1VfN-ReayjY_oI3eLXAtHq7bg3A7l-OLKahGsR/s320/DSCN6124.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Young Osprey</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaSxcTdGasMrslPSRKLI6qBiowSsawo5neTz93AfJ2jWDRW5Og30UPMZJuTBYIW0tL2VrvyC2Xy5H8DU739KUY8-JpgxL4DvkhiTwwNrRoJCvdVnE2WBLIdSgzKwE6eC-Ipzk38QFbL07iLsQNYtrYPFR2ieVqwah_rkYJldNhXwj-mHTe8qW2/s3894/DSCN6126.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2602" data-original-width="3894" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaSxcTdGasMrslPSRKLI6qBiowSsawo5neTz93AfJ2jWDRW5Og30UPMZJuTBYIW0tL2VrvyC2Xy5H8DU739KUY8-JpgxL4DvkhiTwwNrRoJCvdVnE2WBLIdSgzKwE6eC-Ipzk38QFbL07iLsQNYtrYPFR2ieVqwah_rkYJldNhXwj-mHTe8qW2/s320/DSCN6126.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Adult Osprey</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">As I reported last month, a pair of</span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> Slavonian Grebes, </b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">undoubtedly one of the UK's rarest and most beautiful breeding birds, had nested and fledged two young on a quiet local loch, and although they were often difficult to spot in the middle of large beds of lily pads, the youngsters appear to be almost fully grown now, so hopefully they will be ok.....</span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7QvwdZJa0XWPltWXZxuyEqsFdub4HdIYlM1ibiM-KGI9TlQpjsCZvy7htSxvxqlEPpP4kuWfKODOpzhBBpRKXBDa0J_55E_mCvUMSGLfW3LPmMgQbEEFxEKvfg3E7SI5dUH1WtRkfI0t65nToCDM2UtYIScBlFdb8eo_nzrYxv8F0ptpo2akC/s3476/DSCN6072.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2220" data-original-width="3476" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7QvwdZJa0XWPltWXZxuyEqsFdub4HdIYlM1ibiM-KGI9TlQpjsCZvy7htSxvxqlEPpP4kuWfKODOpzhBBpRKXBDa0J_55E_mCvUMSGLfW3LPmMgQbEEFxEKvfg3E7SI5dUH1WtRkfI0t65nToCDM2UtYIScBlFdb8eo_nzrYxv8F0ptpo2akC/w400-h255/DSCN6072.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Adult Slavonian Grebes</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidTYllZZSTtIyZyFhadEFVMLfm752iFveADMDcmB2dODWlVX8HYzJ19PrJXRLK7NcUqvS3ZVYlkneDHscSdW79SKvHJlSd5dTkcY6daJ0fJpLe2uGCqEz9pwuhQu11Sfz_GMMClSoHwvtthwSOrEUl-pCM5RaNG0BZgvIpL4c9y1P9X4b8hwkO/s4000/IMG_1451.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2662" data-original-width="4000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidTYllZZSTtIyZyFhadEFVMLfm752iFveADMDcmB2dODWlVX8HYzJ19PrJXRLK7NcUqvS3ZVYlkneDHscSdW79SKvHJlSd5dTkcY6daJ0fJpLe2uGCqEz9pwuhQu11Sfz_GMMClSoHwvtthwSOrEUl-pCM5RaNG0BZgvIpL4c9y1P9X4b8hwkO/s320/IMG_1451.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Young Slavonian Grebe</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Divers (Loons), </b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">being very rare in summer south of here</span><b style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">, </b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">and looking resplendent</span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> in their dapper summer plumage are always popular with my safari clients, and we were fortunate enough to get some good views of both </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Red-Throated</b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> and </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Black-Throated </b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">throughout the month</span><b style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">,</b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> both </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">with their rapidly growing youngsters</span><b style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">on their favoured local lochs. It should be noted however, that they are rarely seen close to the shore, can be difficult to find in 'choppy' conditions, and are easily disturbed by non wildlife-friendly tourists dog-walking, swimming and boating etc, so the less windy days and early morning starts in search of them usually gave us our closest sightings, and sightings became noticeably less frequent as the month progressed, as some presumably moved out to the coast where they will spend the autumn and winter... </span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbshTS4RYxemWNesaQKEPp9qAMg6p-viEWay7hmiz2dNyYRpmIRIO5J5G6SkHB0lN7Vb0w9Po2owU-F8cmiQCYenm9qODvo8xRjJZXT40wWZ0WO1ucVx6iteQ__sX_t0769NebHMnb40FuRiWrWkfNYKdkWaAMY90wes0tCRZIQv-FoXshMfID/s3711/DSCN6796.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2027" data-original-width="3711" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbshTS4RYxemWNesaQKEPp9qAMg6p-viEWay7hmiz2dNyYRpmIRIO5J5G6SkHB0lN7Vb0w9Po2owU-F8cmiQCYenm9qODvo8xRjJZXT40wWZ0WO1ucVx6iteQ__sX_t0769NebHMnb40FuRiWrWkfNYKdkWaAMY90wes0tCRZIQv-FoXshMfID/w400-h219/DSCN6796.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red-Throated Diver</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM--sE0dMy6_QJerX1Uo4ENDVi10v_5Xjrdz7UFBUtNzH7Fh4c0wtUKaM9uw1ZcyKYHuKh1BSt-rIE2UHPTILv-E_vzJ6KLDwqP0laepA-VwDutGcHPDaQjnVT6qY6-CPiVroTleic5pS5EvXeSPB9l_LgX2EjRSLUMtcQti6ejVk4EyBOZ7gR/s3886/DSCN6140.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2184" data-original-width="3886" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM--sE0dMy6_QJerX1Uo4ENDVi10v_5Xjrdz7UFBUtNzH7Fh4c0wtUKaM9uw1ZcyKYHuKh1BSt-rIE2UHPTILv-E_vzJ6KLDwqP0laepA-VwDutGcHPDaQjnVT6qY6-CPiVroTleic5pS5EvXeSPB9l_LgX2EjRSLUMtcQti6ejVk4EyBOZ7gR/s320/DSCN6140.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Young Black-Throated Divers</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFcQ7kW8rgAOne7jmSzbcyPbjgCjqSTBDeQfApYwiMNr7gHRSSljTkHrhEYQ5d3N3p5likjnxzcCi9FlYKOA6gH8ZUJuaRqZ4VbErRCA6u3jMryKh-w8FXoMlFwYC910UF7kZOK63wzFQhOcIuB32fu2-PxfgDibyWnzHtfHKmVGlf_X5zza3d/s3763/DSCN6141.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2314" data-original-width="3763" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFcQ7kW8rgAOne7jmSzbcyPbjgCjqSTBDeQfApYwiMNr7gHRSSljTkHrhEYQ5d3N3p5likjnxzcCi9FlYKOA6gH8ZUJuaRqZ4VbErRCA6u3jMryKh-w8FXoMlFwYC910UF7kZOK63wzFQhOcIuB32fu2-PxfgDibyWnzHtfHKmVGlf_X5zza3d/s320/DSCN6141.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Adult Black-Throated Diver</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Goldeneyes </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">only breed in the UK in northern Scotland, and their numbers have increased greatly in recent years, mainly due to the RSPB providing nest boxes on trees around most local lochs - yes, they really are a duck that nests up a tree! - and we got to see several families of these very attractive little ducks this month...</span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgec5czGy3XOqo8UGuH1QD4uphtwkpCWY5HlaR6Toguf2gnQdvoncNpyso5xgHMpaW74aRRRuuzOlqlgF3adhEFG55xDOs7HO8e3RdQIrdVEiXWbn5tYdE5u8rIVfxEE6ndyY5A-IspM-p6SRWJLdgZ0ny6Rhj-lwwlP_FsRdiIPA5Ia0qjs60O/s4608/DSCN6132.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgec5czGy3XOqo8UGuH1QD4uphtwkpCWY5HlaR6Toguf2gnQdvoncNpyso5xgHMpaW74aRRRuuzOlqlgF3adhEFG55xDOs7HO8e3RdQIrdVEiXWbn5tYdE5u8rIVfxEE6ndyY5A-IspM-p6SRWJLdgZ0ny6Rhj-lwwlP_FsRdiIPA5Ia0qjs60O/s320/DSCN6132.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Young Goldeneye</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Up on the moors....</b></b></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNPeWvuVYcVcFCuV2L1sofWrIEC7DKFTvWnOa_XZ5hGsiIhGn0Dz-XxOE31_BmW25MlSg4gp7tfIbnHJGscbNyLUZRw1Wp6deauosv2YNlN4VL6ZtlPl3Bv9xaF7sB2SXuUy_4XeJQReH25fuMPjeetFCIpnn-pm8EM-xip6FF6oX5hRZtL-Am/s2016/IMG_1494.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNPeWvuVYcVcFCuV2L1sofWrIEC7DKFTvWnOa_XZ5hGsiIhGn0Dz-XxOE31_BmW25MlSg4gp7tfIbnHJGscbNyLUZRw1Wp6deauosv2YNlN4VL6ZtlPl3Bv9xaF7sB2SXuUy_4XeJQReH25fuMPjeetFCIpnn-pm8EM-xip6FF6oX5hRZtL-Am/w400-h300/IMG_1494.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A local upland heather moorland</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Red Grouse</b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"> are always popular with my safari parties, as being a bird of largely uninhabited upland heather moorlands, most of my clients do not have them close to home. We, however, are fortunate to have lots of suitable habitat in this area, and although they were sometimes elusive, we often enjoyed good close up views of families of up to 6 of these very characterful and beautifully marked birds, though with the 'glorious 12th' rapidly approaching... I suspect they may not be quite so obliging next month...</span></b></b></p><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZC2ElBizhzW9ktFZmPEeb_CCQ_e2VQG7TyjAdLfolvXFjszOHKCFcP8KHOXUFI7EXrzy-w4jubf1SSS-VRjP5W6MWDRTDQ58tL_GNjNrE5hIHFpsahDZ6OtaTGQr__WiRhSSlvTMzlPq1qhzKvSBnkSnW1q-Dp14OBTdbD0YTfTSb0I-4TJmu/s4364/DSCN6114.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2036" data-original-width="4364" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZC2ElBizhzW9ktFZmPEeb_CCQ_e2VQG7TyjAdLfolvXFjszOHKCFcP8KHOXUFI7EXrzy-w4jubf1SSS-VRjP5W6MWDRTDQ58tL_GNjNrE5hIHFpsahDZ6OtaTGQr__WiRhSSlvTMzlPq1qhzKvSBnkSnW1q-Dp14OBTdbD0YTfTSb0I-4TJmu/w400-h186/DSCN6114.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Young Red Grouse</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjZZ5wSjLleBLY-uYhnUtam6l6e_m9KMjlYLX5mMODUBWKZSSoYG8LaxWb_iXMHg8t2ziwcCsr1VF-0VJPXba11ZXcPQGFbn114Y6hL-UQPR39X9Lf1xewDYGdCXaPCdmaysiV9MgKfMlnHaYgtzGkkTz9QO5QXDm42GavagsIt_ZoxDkD3Xgu/s4261/DSCN0749.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2926" data-original-width="4261" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjZZ5wSjLleBLY-uYhnUtam6l6e_m9KMjlYLX5mMODUBWKZSSoYG8LaxWb_iXMHg8t2ziwcCsr1VF-0VJPXba11ZXcPQGFbn114Y6hL-UQPR39X9Lf1xewDYGdCXaPCdmaysiV9MgKfMlnHaYgtzGkkTz9QO5QXDm42GavagsIt_ZoxDkD3Xgu/s320/DSCN0749.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Adult female Red Grouse</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivaeBZ2rGeDf8VzsXlY0PD-xknq30zbyq3c0yt1-j-SFh_R02ZB2BY5Uo6bTBIBhpfwS9fXyO9BfcXw2_Ug54gMGom5LLvWohLy2aWaSiEQ4mAtFpOyfpX3pI4nIVAF7xGLy4EXYfYzGPdNY39OXaUgV4PsqJRvKG_wLtpXEq-XB-zmbIfy6-Y/s2670/IMG_0051.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2396" data-original-width="2670" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivaeBZ2rGeDf8VzsXlY0PD-xknq30zbyq3c0yt1-j-SFh_R02ZB2BY5Uo6bTBIBhpfwS9fXyO9BfcXw2_Ug54gMGom5LLvWohLy2aWaSiEQ4mAtFpOyfpX3pI4nIVAF7xGLy4EXYfYzGPdNY39OXaUgV4PsqJRvKG_wLtpXEq-XB-zmbIfy6-Y/s320/IMG_0051.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Adult male Red Grouse</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">I</span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">n the Caledonian forests...</b></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJSOUBjDDP92h3NQbmi6zsXYn12Rp4uJwIMagPMGNujGYv1X74oqfHgfyAdqrQlzxnnTvA1dkuQBJiaxv0bYIARxAaqV5OuW9bTAh1bW_kNnQqlWzUM8mzG-beP4NXTs4LulOVyGIEY77wT2e-DI9R0kQAPZVqLYD6ab3eLkRRJiR7EXLnpmfg/s2016/IMG_1500.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJSOUBjDDP92h3NQbmi6zsXYn12Rp4uJwIMagPMGNujGYv1X74oqfHgfyAdqrQlzxnnTvA1dkuQBJiaxv0bYIARxAaqV5OuW9bTAh1bW_kNnQqlWzUM8mzG-beP4NXTs4LulOVyGIEY77wT2e-DI9R0kQAPZVqLYD6ab3eLkRRJiR7EXLnpmfg/w400-h300/IMG_1500.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Ancient Caledonian Forest</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">Crested Tits</b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-weight: 400;"> were seen occasionally on our walks through Caledonian pine forests, usually in family parties, though there didn't appear to be any 'pattern' to our sightings, and I must stress again, that they can be very elusive in the spring and summer months, and knowing their distinctive rippling trills is a huge advantage in helping you to see these very 'flitty' little local specialities....</span></b></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgoWyu0_F3EtPH82KR1vyg1mX8awTXoS43n-KWonlYAj3mAd4EZuvxP5ITLch8DRbDZ1UMteQobyfZH4bThoEyuuysO53zYp8BCGWmna3KgDLA8mlr1sX0_D6po5OmZnX2NLMzaOuIz3vCVlR6cqb44OlRwsiuPRVrsKIqFAmmGQ08nM6hAujO/s3619/DSCN3027.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2599" data-original-width="3619" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgoWyu0_F3EtPH82KR1vyg1mX8awTXoS43n-KWonlYAj3mAd4EZuvxP5ITLch8DRbDZ1UMteQobyfZH4bThoEyuuysO53zYp8BCGWmna3KgDLA8mlr1sX0_D6po5OmZnX2NLMzaOuIz3vCVlR6cqb44OlRwsiuPRVrsKIqFAmmGQ08nM6hAujO/s320/DSCN3027.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Crested Tit</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-weight: 400;">It was a similar story with </span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">Crossbills</b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-weight: 400;"> too, with most of our sightings being of the rather frustrating 'fly-over' variety, with them only being identified by their characteristic 'jip' 'jip' calls as they flew between different parts of the forests, and despite my best efforts, we only managed a couple of brief views of perched birds this month...</span></b></p><div><br /></div><div><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjsjv0YAEpL4cuA1DAv4gO8ptfgnNYZrqy79w_Zo7vxJ2n0gxhIUabHhsXk7UKex22-inL6_SiUTcBTPUAS4lSaUVImLZLQhGBEEXYT9EejAF9z_pnQJyyjZ-ku9ZecPrrewo3uq8DIYIA4F771WIh_73mqcx_VDqz34IbPbiSVfPLiMfZcvdI/s1233/DSCN2251.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="825" data-original-width="1233" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjsjv0YAEpL4cuA1DAv4gO8ptfgnNYZrqy79w_Zo7vxJ2n0gxhIUabHhsXk7UKex22-inL6_SiUTcBTPUAS4lSaUVImLZLQhGBEEXYT9EejAF9z_pnQJyyjZ-ku9ZecPrrewo3uq8DIYIA4F771WIh_73mqcx_VDqz34IbPbiSVfPLiMfZcvdI/s320/DSCN2251.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Crossbills</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div><br /></div><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">In the birch woods:</b></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwGd-3yL2DqxyPDQ-Yj93UF-nya-CttT7bsIO22na-HdvLpEBd2Orv1vxLbZ6eCBu2hkYerv6V17G8Uk_eIGE5WwY8I_1gVmlhXgqfQIRKd6t-GgFOvDEW1oOS58oB32qn27ytfruiVKQsntQ7KjuO3u9QcUUVSmRrx0akxaKnYMNs38PSD4of/s2015/IMG_7082.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1348" data-original-width="2015" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwGd-3yL2DqxyPDQ-Yj93UF-nya-CttT7bsIO22na-HdvLpEBd2Orv1vxLbZ6eCBu2hkYerv6V17G8Uk_eIGE5WwY8I_1gVmlhXgqfQIRKd6t-GgFOvDEW1oOS58oB32qn27ytfruiVKQsntQ7KjuO3u9QcUUVSmRrx0akxaKnYMNs38PSD4of/w400-h268/IMG_7082.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A local Birch Wood</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Although there were a few reports of sightings of <b>Wood Warbler</b> and <b>Pied Flycatcher</b> in our local birch woods early in the month, they were extremely difficult to find now they have stopped singing, fledged young, and with a full canopy of leaves....so we had to make do with the odd sighting of <b>Willow Warbler</b>, <b>Redstart</b> and <b>Spotted Flycatcher</b>....</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8xdcN0XnpBSoXXoDDqx5ce1F0VSeHCECeNH_Wnktisc8lwbWKIICkw8Jcj5rbAl-pPONVugM-MW3YqnGOvohZp1UIJ3Zlb7j2fxJv8HRclTp8D9x0caPUzfQWzmwsHLfmoiXPFUfjZ2HDuJKrncCSe1Ik65EWINDLnAsWWK4aKsbsb4ok31OO/s1521/IMG_1252.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="937" data-original-width="1521" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8xdcN0XnpBSoXXoDDqx5ce1F0VSeHCECeNH_Wnktisc8lwbWKIICkw8Jcj5rbAl-pPONVugM-MW3YqnGOvohZp1UIJ3Zlb7j2fxJv8HRclTp8D9x0caPUzfQWzmwsHLfmoiXPFUfjZ2HDuJKrncCSe1Ik65EWINDLnAsWWK4aKsbsb4ok31OO/s320/IMG_1252.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Spotted Flycatcher</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">On the rivers...</b></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj38hGl_Y-CWnk7Mv8DFUZgCox9rsUAY7VgIfE1txy353odliAr7-XM0gt0LwBP19rzYbwDpAzwpQPaXwPQG7WI2d51XB99p_dfWX8Q0uTm6ZQx_aeo0fiuHVuj2smiENosGk6Ac1ixNMsTFUgJuDuVVJClOkYpYWo2N-tptLGguIcGlecmpGwi/s2016/IMG_7342.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj38hGl_Y-CWnk7Mv8DFUZgCox9rsUAY7VgIfE1txy353odliAr7-XM0gt0LwBP19rzYbwDpAzwpQPaXwPQG7WI2d51XB99p_dfWX8Q0uTm6ZQx_aeo0fiuHVuj2smiENosGk6Ac1ixNMsTFUgJuDuVVJClOkYpYWo2N-tptLGguIcGlecmpGwi/w400-h300/IMG_7342.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The local River Spey</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Dipper</b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> sightings were a bit 'random' this month, with the birds seemingly quite mobile up and down the rivers. On some days, despite our best efforts, we saw none, and on other days we saw one or more on each river we visited! Which just goes to show that although local knowledge and experience are important, nothing is ever guaranteed, and sometimes you need a bit of luck too......</span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4949NZKgFg5XwtSWU5AUe9UFZECIxD9b5181O_qcfu6aBQQkGtMh3JY5gFVLL1-NY_ptzPefqPmi353WqaDWxjaL1m5550wIKg-Ruqb6XUuhJEMYLbyZl1_hZiCmZfLlP4XDcpvh6PnhGZLVbyBSa2zLwjfHa11rKQc7W0FsF9swlJWMDoD_V/s2168/IMG_1126.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1533" data-original-width="2168" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4949NZKgFg5XwtSWU5AUe9UFZECIxD9b5181O_qcfu6aBQQkGtMh3JY5gFVLL1-NY_ptzPefqPmi353WqaDWxjaL1m5550wIKg-Ruqb6XUuhJEMYLbyZl1_hZiCmZfLlP4XDcpvh6PnhGZLVbyBSa2zLwjfHa11rKQc7W0FsF9swlJWMDoD_V/s320/IMG_1126.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Dipper</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p>Large families of <b>Goosanders</b> were also seen on local rivers on a few occasions...</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiofcdjd9o3aLp60HoChbPFAUVtvlHzdnN632fQJksMy0GsWd81WMXQNc0s2ecz-T3F-BdvtvYKiesCp9XsyFabVQqLZWG4H-iR8rPmTRuBtEmG535bwzhP8qy-04yunZmaYVjQQ_t0ee5j_Y7ypz3LPqk2xBVT8c1Rpc-L_Z1dyF2E06EGiC2L/s4608/DSCN6131.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3053" data-original-width="4608" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiofcdjd9o3aLp60HoChbPFAUVtvlHzdnN632fQJksMy0GsWd81WMXQNc0s2ecz-T3F-BdvtvYKiesCp9XsyFabVQqLZWG4H-iR8rPmTRuBtEmG535bwzhP8qy-04yunZmaYVjQQ_t0ee5j_Y7ypz3LPqk2xBVT8c1Rpc-L_Z1dyF2E06EGiC2L/w400-h265/DSCN6131.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Goosanders</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;">Up in the glens...</b></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizCzGzBy-Hy_xUMlY1luirrUhLWWw2_q0OZwn9A89lGlQpirjwyf9HjMwcmW5nkLXFrTVLEkexRdZAGwUbGE_cJ1QY9ESyWD5erYejkYNPmsg5mN8Sp0gVl9Z_SQvhXUssnamQGvy3dSDz8xX5tQmNqKoR0WX8U14RPRGwz_5xZ2RHueu9GSw5/s2016/IMG_1502.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1088" data-original-width="2016" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizCzGzBy-Hy_xUMlY1luirrUhLWWw2_q0OZwn9A89lGlQpirjwyf9HjMwcmW5nkLXFrTVLEkexRdZAGwUbGE_cJ1QY9ESyWD5erYejkYNPmsg5mN8Sp0gVl9Z_SQvhXUssnamQGvy3dSDz8xX5tQmNqKoR0WX8U14RPRGwz_5xZ2RHueu9GSw5/w400-h216/IMG_1502.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A local upland glen</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">Eagles</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> a</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">re probably hardest to see in mid-summer (in this area at least), as the birds are still concentrating on fledging their young, and have so many hours of daylight in which to hunt, meaning that the likelihood of us just happening to be in the right place at the right time only happens rarely, and sadly, but true to form, we only managed a couple of distant </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold;">Golden Eagle </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">and</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold;"> White -Tailed Eagle</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> sightings this month, ......but if previous years are anything to go by, things should improve in the coming weeks as the youngsters take to the wing for the first time....</span></p><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifAgJqvAWJcRrTSyqNfZFs3ObdYHVlP5aY5QSKeGsd2NouL0dz-9jT-J0nf7t6i3X1hX5yx4mk29PaSHhKFuEBHfxO22LG-NSVxviQt07nGHfreDIQay_eBpewDWwVlIDNYxV5mcaSAd9mhr_Ljl3TF0FW0aYqUVw01SKFRKeWXOLH29f4I0jO/s661/IMG_7698.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="376" data-original-width="661" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifAgJqvAWJcRrTSyqNfZFs3ObdYHVlP5aY5QSKeGsd2NouL0dz-9jT-J0nf7t6i3X1hX5yx4mk29PaSHhKFuEBHfxO22LG-NSVxviQt07nGHfreDIQay_eBpewDWwVlIDNYxV5mcaSAd9mhr_Ljl3TF0FW0aYqUVw01SKFRKeWXOLH29f4I0jO/w400-h228/IMG_7698.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Sub-adult Golden Eagle</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;">Other birds of prey seen reasonably regularly on my safaris this month included </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;">Osprey</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;">, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;">Common Buzzard</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;">, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;">Kestrel</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;">, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;">Peregrine</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;">, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;">Sparrowhawk</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;"> and </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;">Red Kite</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">.........</span><br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibVR061Wp_07iwajEQdhb-_X_NWC1_qCH9_7D3HTrc1hETiV6TpSIqvDZvRqSV6JxIaFo75We6Xjtnp0tC0vsgqfjzUVLx7PVQtWsylbcXxOKieQcu1J7jhjcskLtjKK-htxVWpfEukZsRtZvm8J1V_lpb_na3kZL_zLka7vorRHMTc9leqfqk/s934/IMG_0588.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="655" data-original-width="934" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibVR061Wp_07iwajEQdhb-_X_NWC1_qCH9_7D3HTrc1hETiV6TpSIqvDZvRqSV6JxIaFo75We6Xjtnp0tC0vsgqfjzUVLx7PVQtWsylbcXxOKieQcu1J7jhjcskLtjKK-htxVWpfEukZsRtZvm8J1V_lpb_na3kZL_zLka7vorRHMTc9leqfqk/s320/IMG_0588.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Common Buzzard</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRlNY-15DaoU9td70oWmEE_wSeRB1E2Thbdp2A6zisay1BXp3Vo4JJ0UW6mMqa5AW6YpMFxoa017sQT_ZvgHyZOGNGwTpB60U9Q12jZoGyJ0CCZ7-ggatACFgMCZSMJhVgDO3RkA6SXCfsAN1iuPQl1qF4NGO_ePjEGZ_-VtUTaJxXxFrfoBpX/s493/_DSC0302%20(Small).JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="233" data-original-width="493" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRlNY-15DaoU9td70oWmEE_wSeRB1E2Thbdp2A6zisay1BXp3Vo4JJ0UW6mMqa5AW6YpMFxoa017sQT_ZvgHyZOGNGwTpB60U9Q12jZoGyJ0CCZ7-ggatACFgMCZSMJhVgDO3RkA6SXCfsAN1iuPQl1qF4NGO_ePjEGZ_-VtUTaJxXxFrfoBpX/s320/_DSC0302%20(Small).JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Kite</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <br /><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Up in the mountains....</b></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEOWCbiqyjdED38V9nfKRY0eJBNXjw30iot2ue6djno2VnFTB5QS0WOwyLuJOpF6d4m6RCzAb6Urtgqxo2XnC9Zk4lWjCSy3wG9hAZfJpCFOumPBzXG00id4L4na-1JureU3jSW_S4gytMIroTXdHpBpwpB3wo6oysnmUPDnLaZOK7UBWxpm4_/s2009/IMG_7348.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="987" data-original-width="2009" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEOWCbiqyjdED38V9nfKRY0eJBNXjw30iot2ue6djno2VnFTB5QS0WOwyLuJOpF6d4m6RCzAb6Urtgqxo2XnC9Zk4lWjCSy3wG9hAZfJpCFOumPBzXG00id4L4na-1JureU3jSW_S4gytMIroTXdHpBpwpB3wo6oysnmUPDnLaZOK7UBWxpm4_/w400-h196/IMG_7348.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>July in the Cairngorm Mountains</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400;"><span style="background-color: white;">July is 'last chance saloon' for seeing all 3 of our mountain top species ( <b>Ptarmigan, Snow Bunting </b>and <b>Dotterel</b>) in one trip, as the <b>Dotterel </b>often depart in early August , but being pretty busy with safaris, and with no sightings reported, I didn't venture up myself</span></span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;">...so I have included some photos from previous years, to show what is (or was) possible ....</span></b></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1JRFC--MZ-SilWvykSLbVhygGum89p1riPjqYZSKHoijc2aiKRbaC_NCWgpA90CqN56eHNcCw5rXoqPAJnJ6r8BBsiEIuvWLyY2-mectyYVClqQ6PfAyzedF3JHGURrIgikH_n-F_j8dqkXakb4xDfhIad1gkyhdeAVPapEk-D-pJw53ASWMG/s3519/DSCN2334.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2217" data-original-width="3519" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1JRFC--MZ-SilWvykSLbVhygGum89p1riPjqYZSKHoijc2aiKRbaC_NCWgpA90CqN56eHNcCw5rXoqPAJnJ6r8BBsiEIuvWLyY2-mectyYVClqQ6PfAyzedF3JHGURrIgikH_n-F_j8dqkXakb4xDfhIad1gkyhdeAVPapEk-D-pJw53ASWMG/s320/DSCN2334.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Snow Bunting (photo from July 2018)</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn0myWzCzpXLZXAnuj_jWJnzi9lenni-SJCdOSvKnGKKBcJBU9bUXDnEnae6o3tLXD2Bdd4EJ5uQ7s0HjYfcdfKW8L-FQGkUbX2JMhIOLnKvgMQTBZxQcmFIFcWUvc4kJzcBys_Z6kktsEkhZ4sFoh2OPGz65q3tqafjw2GxbtXIOSNJ7CpOvI/s4606/DSCN2339.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3454" data-original-width="4606" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn0myWzCzpXLZXAnuj_jWJnzi9lenni-SJCdOSvKnGKKBcJBU9bUXDnEnae6o3tLXD2Bdd4EJ5uQ7s0HjYfcdfKW8L-FQGkUbX2JMhIOLnKvgMQTBZxQcmFIFcWUvc4kJzcBys_Z6kktsEkhZ4sFoh2OPGz65q3tqafjw2GxbtXIOSNJ7CpOvI/w400-h300/DSCN2339.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Juvenile Dotterel (photo from July 2017)</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuCXQUg6Tz_PA74mFHHgru2qhxdn4mvP9iNg98NHfaNQj2AhlmKn836Zg1N9KEnInQf1wDK2Cs1kGH7XXoc9B8sMGcEaF68m6trSS7uj9o3v_3bwlr_GF5tD7HyFvtbObjSzY8TUUUFjPHBPlXB9sHjoz5WK17KFnt6imx_sxHZ3-o8jiFeeeb/s2263/Bob%20Ptarmigan%205.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1295" data-original-width="2263" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuCXQUg6Tz_PA74mFHHgru2qhxdn4mvP9iNg98NHfaNQj2AhlmKn836Zg1N9KEnInQf1wDK2Cs1kGH7XXoc9B8sMGcEaF68m6trSS7uj9o3v_3bwlr_GF5tD7HyFvtbObjSzY8TUUUFjPHBPlXB9sHjoz5WK17KFnt6imx_sxHZ3-o8jiFeeeb/w400-h229/Bob%20Ptarmigan%205.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Ptarmigan family by Bob Smith (photo from July 2019)</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">On farmland....</b></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz_WPSvCtfiueTSLaJOYaCp8JVKYOdXC3Fsjnd3b-XFUOSVi9WNyhiKW6m-KfnfhlCpNUtP81x53BYwjLxnK3DFVJg6IRwZNRTP1K8lSJyji-4Sm2cTciAxCaKKVc-_Ws69cKBrwUw-aJ1dQxGB8KqzkFHkrBdWJUGxKBf8Qj0-z4-xC16j9WQ/s1976/IMG_9170.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="637" data-original-width="1976" height="129" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz_WPSvCtfiueTSLaJOYaCp8JVKYOdXC3Fsjnd3b-XFUOSVi9WNyhiKW6m-KfnfhlCpNUtP81x53BYwjLxnK3DFVJg6IRwZNRTP1K8lSJyji-4Sm2cTciAxCaKKVc-_Ws69cKBrwUw-aJ1dQxGB8KqzkFHkrBdWJUGxKBf8Qj0-z4-xC16j9WQ/w400-h129/IMG_9170.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Typical local grazing farmland</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p>Although wader numbers on local farmland are definitely reducing post-breeding, we still managed a few views of families of <b>Lapwing</b>, <b>Curlew</b> and <b>Oystercatcher</b>.....</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ5zkloCYBXFAhohRXQ4vze6u71uJtTS4v56aKMsSg36oiiUitt8H1qDqREYmeKw5DPeSjrCkriE7aFyS_Y5PNp1rmIH3VzI5eLGu-OCzrygcTVlpeWMe6F3vaA8EzJv_jTWXa4xqx9VLrp6VSAvcDD6pq4jnHFUhVho5kyg8rHpvfy7BiXkbf/s2660/IMG_7682.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2660" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ5zkloCYBXFAhohRXQ4vze6u71uJtTS4v56aKMsSg36oiiUitt8H1qDqREYmeKw5DPeSjrCkriE7aFyS_Y5PNp1rmIH3VzI5eLGu-OCzrygcTVlpeWMe6F3vaA8EzJv_jTWXa4xqx9VLrp6VSAvcDD6pq4jnHFUhVho5kyg8rHpvfy7BiXkbf/s320/IMG_7682.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Curlew</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivid02N-cDynUcPCkxjxTuc8bJTc4rpKnUHo4q9E1KoRwsVLNBGtBDnshzsyOIqTjxNlEJnozB6-sb3l4Ap_TGdUeZM3gqy_SQEUwGPkgD7LiOX2YJGNaKUytDbL4OexhCiUY1-4FlwHC6NphC847JNdi6Eoq_af3NQ4YmPYoPAKPhgQIPvX00/s4608/DSCN6049.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivid02N-cDynUcPCkxjxTuc8bJTc4rpKnUHo4q9E1KoRwsVLNBGtBDnshzsyOIqTjxNlEJnozB6-sb3l4Ap_TGdUeZM3gqy_SQEUwGPkgD7LiOX2YJGNaKUytDbL4OexhCiUY1-4FlwHC6NphC847JNdi6Eoq_af3NQ4YmPYoPAKPhgQIPvX00/s320/DSCN6049.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Lapwing</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifaHOOSH4rETVxXViZ1lVd2yH8yiQ46LfRODb4xbdqfa_kbUl-BBcISo3rSy86xjFl6r2P2cWx5DViqmqH8sTEIiSRi3zsVTfhAoodFO6uPwP8IyK32VaY1HTxVzFc_7dlDy-sPkYg1VSjP0-69zTN8HrmLlaN3tMn1J7HnU9dIW370--_Dt42/s1050/Oyster%20Catcher.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1050" data-original-width="1050" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifaHOOSH4rETVxXViZ1lVd2yH8yiQ46LfRODb4xbdqfa_kbUl-BBcISo3rSy86xjFl6r2P2cWx5DViqmqH8sTEIiSRi3zsVTfhAoodFO6uPwP8IyK32VaY1HTxVzFc_7dlDy-sPkYg1VSjP0-69zTN8HrmLlaN3tMn1J7HnU9dIW370--_Dt42/s320/Oyster%20Catcher.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Oystercatcher</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Other good/scarce birds seen/reported locally this month included:</b></p><p><br /></p><p>A <b>Nuthatch </b>at Carrbridge on the 3rd, a <b>Shoveler</b> , a <b>Common Scote</b>r, and a <b>Marsh Harrier</b> at Insh Marshes/Loch Insh, and a <b>Kingfisher</b> on the River Gynack, near Kingussie....</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 700;">A few photos of more common birds seen locally this month: </span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEzGxMxBmk4P_Bjxye6h4dgGU0NOQzttp7NBtXBq2_baHWCg4IOOUUWGzGlAisyRK59Z9yX20ipqiey9RJ156MVSqTHRX3vobtsUGHQPKbILeI6TK_UIOfDTSwnB5uvGz90ibYRqojpUF3XjHf8dYIX-dPvRIzJa1MsdfDXcwi6sH4Al0g98DD/s3686/DSCN6051.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2369" data-original-width="3686" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEzGxMxBmk4P_Bjxye6h4dgGU0NOQzttp7NBtXBq2_baHWCg4IOOUUWGzGlAisyRK59Z9yX20ipqiey9RJ156MVSqTHRX3vobtsUGHQPKbILeI6TK_UIOfDTSwnB5uvGz90ibYRqojpUF3XjHf8dYIX-dPvRIzJa1MsdfDXcwi6sH4Al0g98DD/s320/DSCN6051.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Sky Lark</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAp7Dz6Zgi372XBH_ZU1jvqsBE3sNUQqd9c_sTfUGEE70hkMmsJzCwBEeukMcZElkcnG_j737uOGJwjDYDjwRwiLKn95lVDiGQCn_ov-YZyo0OQbGd7fFVeOM4EL1PTHhBPahFLUCBYRedya_QaxLVt3S1eKCoqFsuK3adY-7cr96ZPoPYHkrX/s4608/DSCN6048.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAp7Dz6Zgi372XBH_ZU1jvqsBE3sNUQqd9c_sTfUGEE70hkMmsJzCwBEeukMcZElkcnG_j737uOGJwjDYDjwRwiLKn95lVDiGQCn_ov-YZyo0OQbGd7fFVeOM4EL1PTHhBPahFLUCBYRedya_QaxLVt3S1eKCoqFsuK3adY-7cr96ZPoPYHkrX/s320/DSCN6048.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Redshank</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAgt_RjZ-Wp61op3pmxOn9HWCNyA618JBMRpOtrKsNRaOlpj1EI5tLw2Hx0ZA8rO9N-cthFu1f3fx0vDqLBIVgzGc4Exk19MFjQVFGWz-lZdS3DF35TVsz0wa5J_SV1_ELgVCxnvFV6qm873ziMB0kLtKLsFNGJPqBqTs6G98ct9tWPZe3P-JJ/s3542/DSCN6136.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2621" data-original-width="3542" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAgt_RjZ-Wp61op3pmxOn9HWCNyA618JBMRpOtrKsNRaOlpj1EI5tLw2Hx0ZA8rO9N-cthFu1f3fx0vDqLBIVgzGc4Exk19MFjQVFGWz-lZdS3DF35TVsz0wa5J_SV1_ELgVCxnvFV6qm873ziMB0kLtKLsFNGJPqBqTs6G98ct9tWPZe3P-JJ/s320/DSCN6136.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Goldfinch</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpDA39WGeknRGEEvo3tklkNVIzTluMw4rSamIlkrlBTJ71LZ3JgnKRrLYn6kbjYpMb2KGkLCgNys1GocDJFKGgX4cB7HuXXVHvZb93Fbxsm-l-mORlJwncFAkpVxEsYszl3t_ptnwQt965wnucJ1QU6h25p30_OXY9cvoXrxro5Ec4_IiZtwYZ/s1977/Curlew%20chick%20by%20Bob%20Smith.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1226" data-original-width="1977" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpDA39WGeknRGEEvo3tklkNVIzTluMw4rSamIlkrlBTJ71LZ3JgnKRrLYn6kbjYpMb2KGkLCgNys1GocDJFKGgX4cB7HuXXVHvZb93Fbxsm-l-mORlJwncFAkpVxEsYszl3t_ptnwQt965wnucJ1QU6h25p30_OXY9cvoXrxro5Ec4_IiZtwYZ/w400-h248/Curlew%20chick%20by%20Bob%20Smith.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Curlew Chick by Bob Smith</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEPnfdCS2T3G9_4EEOjZXqzenbT7X8NIjWN3JcOEgNLwGqVNnevgDUMXXb63MTSCd5V8d6sdRnx077zAYX3750KkBhcnJ0FaM1gVO7UYn0im_AcBzS6IS-VYpS3ZtBUzw9Ath8JVmhvW2ew1fpTr-vyuPeUH2p8k8PFwjD2qosg7NXYh1cjD2-/s372/IMG_1141.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="372" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEPnfdCS2T3G9_4EEOjZXqzenbT7X8NIjWN3JcOEgNLwGqVNnevgDUMXXb63MTSCd5V8d6sdRnx077zAYX3750KkBhcnJ0FaM1gVO7UYn0im_AcBzS6IS-VYpS3ZtBUzw9Ath8JVmhvW2ew1fpTr-vyuPeUH2p8k8PFwjD2qosg7NXYh1cjD2-/s320/IMG_1141.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Stonechat</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSLknU1QkCZTOk_HGrtmQFvehPHvpCHfdBgR3YXLfWA9q5wuKL166HxAeMiX_c03lzXvqdCJqnfX5MIYJ9Iiu5bl4ZOCtDMXhuEh1w4Ck1wjy0jASF0S3gr99oJX_ARc6l0_BfgD9tb_AcTx1bHEot5dkNs7j58zWqBTPW9BjWAmbQpJKMasaV/s501/IMG_1156.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="330" data-original-width="501" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSLknU1QkCZTOk_HGrtmQFvehPHvpCHfdBgR3YXLfWA9q5wuKL166HxAeMiX_c03lzXvqdCJqnfX5MIYJ9Iiu5bl4ZOCtDMXhuEh1w4Ck1wjy0jASF0S3gr99oJX_ARc6l0_BfgD9tb_AcTx1bHEot5dkNs7j58zWqBTPW9BjWAmbQpJKMasaV/s320/IMG_1156.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Barn Swallow</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZsinrceO9Qd3i2o9fI3E5hklt7DbIh1jamW4UOPBkFwH4KX1qt-62iqXqNPYF3G0K8chfNcGGMf-iRK0-s-pwiJzBIDKAu0U97mhtAavKWwfc6mQg1pO42x4h02w6Ec_gTiuaJ65MDVHwc0j5q0gxiuxw5YPkg7f3o4iZDdg5TH1Vg6WkRNlZ/s2501/IMG_0045.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1540" data-original-width="2501" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZsinrceO9Qd3i2o9fI3E5hklt7DbIh1jamW4UOPBkFwH4KX1qt-62iqXqNPYF3G0K8chfNcGGMf-iRK0-s-pwiJzBIDKAu0U97mhtAavKWwfc6mQg1pO42x4h02w6Ec_gTiuaJ65MDVHwc0j5q0gxiuxw5YPkg7f3o4iZDdg5TH1Vg6WkRNlZ/s320/IMG_0045.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Common Sandpiper</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;">Adventures 'out of area':</span></b></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYMed0sRa4WG9J9E0r-bfibYUxStLnYu6v2W1gfum2FaX8YqvagIIFhlNOVPnuqGeCi9B5S5i2uboWNVU2XG9ibhwYkaxXytl7u1T61xCGm7qCYjKN-_9wlHA6FSjArcZv7kgoHODkMmUtdSjb0LO98ZbCpIgurrycW1LR8CIR2Bsjsxz8-i3Q/s1987/IMG_1540.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1100" data-original-width="1987" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYMed0sRa4WG9J9E0r-bfibYUxStLnYu6v2W1gfum2FaX8YqvagIIFhlNOVPnuqGeCi9B5S5i2uboWNVU2XG9ibhwYkaxXytl7u1T61xCGm7qCYjKN-_9wlHA6FSjArcZv7kgoHODkMmUtdSjb0LO98ZbCpIgurrycW1LR8CIR2Bsjsxz8-i3Q/w400-h221/IMG_1540.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Lossiemouth East Beach and lagoon</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p>A very enjoyable day at the nearby Moray Coast (about an hour's drive away), on the 8th, visiting a variety of saltmarshes, bays, headlands, and harbours saw us enjoy great sightings of <b>Ospreys</b>, <b>Terns </b>and <b>Gannets - </b>all fishing,<b> </b>a nice selection of <b>Auks</b>, <b>waders</b>, <b>wildfow</b>l and <b>seaducks</b>, and a bonus rarity in the form of a <b>Ruddy Shelduck</b>, with mammals well represented by <b>Seals</b> and leaping <b>Dolphins</b>....</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8FztWzgolyxq4Xf_jKyfRLrJEDRQ2D3KngMCBbJhNqPnQyVq81vuwynkxCKMCY50s-kuPG0EZW3J13FCAr_wUSzXkk23XB3hfyXBuyuZ0fVGR4Bp3fVDEIIqCCxJlY2C4dRwpM37ZJmHGQs_EC50RWFHUd_JxCAzMRmdZjghTn1mlJ9JaQk6O/s2192/DSCN6092.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="790" data-original-width="2192" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8FztWzgolyxq4Xf_jKyfRLrJEDRQ2D3KngMCBbJhNqPnQyVq81vuwynkxCKMCY50s-kuPG0EZW3J13FCAr_wUSzXkk23XB3hfyXBuyuZ0fVGR4Bp3fVDEIIqCCxJlY2C4dRwpM37ZJmHGQs_EC50RWFHUd_JxCAzMRmdZjghTn1mlJ9JaQk6O/w400-h144/DSCN6092.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red-Breasted Mergansers</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4GGPjr8nNDBxe-_IXt9DfrBxTJsRF_KJDwbHvWic73IBnU7zx1lsPx7sonZBr-TDOwvA65pvZWnUoH7iJpaqMfMwTkaQ0BRVUatU_8V4LaRnjpT0RhS_k_5_o2OTEJOX21-sP_4pF_aWvrRYURcSptI5N--jJw10e2Oks9_LeZUbfLTEoaAfL/s4198/DSCN6094.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1732" data-original-width="4198" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4GGPjr8nNDBxe-_IXt9DfrBxTJsRF_KJDwbHvWic73IBnU7zx1lsPx7sonZBr-TDOwvA65pvZWnUoH7iJpaqMfMwTkaQ0BRVUatU_8V4LaRnjpT0RhS_k_5_o2OTEJOX21-sP_4pF_aWvrRYURcSptI5N--jJw10e2Oks9_LeZUbfLTEoaAfL/w400-h165/DSCN6094.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Mute Swans</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAKCeSPkg7ukdpdoeFIGnldbOLeYA-MDHHkJt5jD2cSStBRz2-ngEod5XAdQ6UXbdGw6VpcNBg-FS8xGDDxwqxKrrL68_ZcjKkrzyOn-3vyidwBREunbmZp009hvvU0Tdaqh_7Uif4OVsMWvZFCaUWIRBOccW3l8PlIrspgRbnTjoQvbDbacJ0/s4000/Osp%20by%20Bob%20Smith.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAKCeSPkg7ukdpdoeFIGnldbOLeYA-MDHHkJt5jD2cSStBRz2-ngEod5XAdQ6UXbdGw6VpcNBg-FS8xGDDxwqxKrrL68_ZcjKkrzyOn-3vyidwBREunbmZp009hvvU0Tdaqh_7Uif4OVsMWvZFCaUWIRBOccW3l8PlIrspgRbnTjoQvbDbacJ0/w400-h300/Osp%20by%20Bob%20Smith.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Osprey with fish by Bob Smith</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">July 2023 mammal sightings in more detail:</b></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">Red Squirrel </b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;">was probably voted 'mammal of the day' most frequently by my safari clients this month, with many of them excited to see these charismatic and undeniably cute little animals for the first time, and bringing home to me the fact that, although I am lucky to see them regularly here, they are now very difficult to see in most of the UK, being confined mainly to the northern Scottish Highlands, with just a few small localised populations remaining in other areas...</span></b></p><div><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIWbEBHrxWcZHM9yyUaThfuNVQF5r8mdXTfStswTMOhdgIWQcz46ZJ-j7HkUsuqH9Ml1TyjjY1Y2ZPI_SGHo0Iuq6PoN5ibjAdt3_Wd8gF6SskrldTvWWwuvtwR9eNH-HP1sCnlT_Rg0tPSI_5AD12nL59WYrvVWAmgJPzR5orNM464Dm__D90/s4232/DSCN6053.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2845" data-original-width="4232" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIWbEBHrxWcZHM9yyUaThfuNVQF5r8mdXTfStswTMOhdgIWQcz46ZJ-j7HkUsuqH9Ml1TyjjY1Y2ZPI_SGHo0Iuq6PoN5ibjAdt3_Wd8gF6SskrldTvWWwuvtwR9eNH-HP1sCnlT_Rg0tPSI_5AD12nL59WYrvVWAmgJPzR5orNM464Dm__D90/s320/DSCN6053.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Squirrel</b></td></tr></tbody></table></b></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); font-weight: 400;">Similarly, another iconic 'Highland speciality', </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"> Red Deer </b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); font-weight: 400;">were seen regularly in local upland glens, usually in large same-sex herds, the stags happily feeding and seemingly relaxing, and the hinds with their fast-growing young always nearby ....</span></b></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwJLYsqcgpUwEyu4Nor6w7e3y3JD5cmJoOSFbRgQ_QPHv5Wnwm4-rVOgQSWo6PmO8B5XO-m6Ur3-S4ZhUpjb7LAIg2tdUg4hffJ7TIzTQhmnCNcJ9gqRooV-kKxRGzOcohgzAuIRKLO0ON0U4ryNaSRcq2p8EelGjyEJPK2H3Y5VRi7spWpqqC/s4569/DSCN6061.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1875" data-original-width="4569" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwJLYsqcgpUwEyu4Nor6w7e3y3JD5cmJoOSFbRgQ_QPHv5Wnwm4-rVOgQSWo6PmO8B5XO-m6Ur3-S4ZhUpjb7LAIg2tdUg4hffJ7TIzTQhmnCNcJ9gqRooV-kKxRGzOcohgzAuIRKLO0ON0U4ryNaSRcq2p8EelGjyEJPK2H3Y5VRi7spWpqqC/w400-h164/DSCN6061.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Deer</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX4VaTPZGCQVa_XqvUN6T_4o6fsq05WMrHipuBcC_MkEWeexn094zKvhfPt7PhEBFOswNOSklwPm6y3hbNGIXZpNwXOR8eXi9OyXgzvYxBHJZ1sz10IKm8AEBC38hynZ-cW5ozwO2UKnBwIPiGoMmXZD5FYT7bsn2UiJe0r0AG3EKNoKqM6leg/s3471/DSCN6079.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2874" data-original-width="3471" height="331" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX4VaTPZGCQVa_XqvUN6T_4o6fsq05WMrHipuBcC_MkEWeexn094zKvhfPt7PhEBFOswNOSklwPm6y3hbNGIXZpNwXOR8eXi9OyXgzvYxBHJZ1sz10IKm8AEBC38hynZ-cW5ozwO2UKnBwIPiGoMmXZD5FYT7bsn2UiJe0r0AG3EKNoKqM6leg/w400-h331/DSCN6079.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Deer Stag</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p></div><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Strangely, we struggled for sightings of another scarce and very localised mammal, the feral </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Mountain Goat </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">this month....i</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">nteresting animals, that seem to like remote upland areas, and come in a wide variety of colours, from white, through grey and brown to black, or sometimes a mixture of all of these..</span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg36OTl8uHu3nEnwzqyzFO9Ljh61UfaKhgisNi1gWyiZRwjM2xKCZrHYlUfLo1dKzorYKSVir0HzKG6zhI43cEUP4PMvvGc1RAZVHISAasfqw8uNRJdWbq1adqBvekOqvRakqn-eyDnsnUPhjPl2TkVWA8AC8Ztg7-J8BoQOSugNrLgsLbV3dsB/s4608/DSCN0469.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg36OTl8uHu3nEnwzqyzFO9Ljh61UfaKhgisNi1gWyiZRwjM2xKCZrHYlUfLo1dKzorYKSVir0HzKG6zhI43cEUP4PMvvGc1RAZVHISAasfqw8uNRJdWbq1adqBvekOqvRakqn-eyDnsnUPhjPl2TkVWA8AC8Ztg7-J8BoQOSugNrLgsLbV3dsB/w400-h300/DSCN0469.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Feral Mountain Goats</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""><span face="">Though </span><b>Roe Deer</b><span face=""> are actually quite common and widespread across the UK, their shy, nervous disposition means that they are more frequently found in quieter, less disturbed places, especially at dawn and dusk, meaning that most members of the general public rarely encounter them...but we saw them most days, especially if we made a reasonably early start...</span></span></span></span></p><div><br /></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""><span face=""><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOlPgHvl8ArN-i0plpXI9iCPsd81SkKb4u6Ia_MfLHVTKqkUTclZUheSoGf2goIqVoksaEe1JUApOSF_Z2PdGcaYRacBbV5WvdhesdOihW3srmbA0_H_BjWQKXlc_96TdnQYgr9nfWcay50N1pTnr6zu6x0yWIr5Jt7G6ShAo9G5eNTCph4QsT/s4608/DSCN6128.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOlPgHvl8ArN-i0plpXI9iCPsd81SkKb4u6Ia_MfLHVTKqkUTclZUheSoGf2goIqVoksaEe1JUApOSF_Z2PdGcaYRacBbV5WvdhesdOihW3srmbA0_H_BjWQKXlc_96TdnQYgr9nfWcay50N1pTnr6zu6x0yWIr5Jt7G6ShAo9G5eNTCph4QsT/s320/DSCN6128.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Roe Deer</b></td></tr></tbody></table></span></span></span></div><div><br /></div><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;">The same could also be said of </span><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">Brown Hares</b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;">, with most of our sightings coming early in the day before too much human disturbance, and generally on the more remote and secluded areas of open farmland...</span></b></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivpnQU5pX1jTZGV7U_NQWqVtYrgwQ2QPprHd61FQJrbP3NOM025iDNi8rhlwThDWi6O10yaeYd5m7PobXFwpuItsA2hRNWHvwuCSDxE-SG9QDv47qXDmZqAdiqcoR7STxRzaf0KtJ1crd1uRYsMbeg0RM1Bs56mHI51gQPG4fqCC_HOP4bT0wk/s2459/DSCN0671.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1390" data-original-width="2459" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivpnQU5pX1jTZGV7U_NQWqVtYrgwQ2QPprHd61FQJrbP3NOM025iDNi8rhlwThDWi6O10yaeYd5m7PobXFwpuItsA2hRNWHvwuCSDxE-SG9QDv47qXDmZqAdiqcoR7STxRzaf0KtJ1crd1uRYsMbeg0RM1Bs56mHI51gQPG4fqCC_HOP4bT0wk/s320/DSCN0671.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Brown Hare (photo from July 2019)</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"><b>Mountain Hares </b><span face="">too are actually pretty tricky to find, certainly outside of the winter months, especially in their 'summer camouflage' coats of mottled brown and grey, and the one sighting that we did manage this month was a brief 'random' encounter on high moorlands, whilst in search of the special birds of that habitat..</span></span></b></p><div><br /></div><div><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"><span face=""><br /></span></span></b></div><div><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj33YyC3O_HkVp3ERgC2BtVePzlgH3jvgTyAlX-qtPsLfRroetJZ_GwvcS2jfvldTfj7DswafygMcheVYWyKVTffdBCPc7yDVQ9Nb53nj21yHK84FWzcbGdSrAy_vNQaUPbDl1jw5_qpd0E2S52cNlXOfDo1QZpAeNkdOjuP_bMG3mpkqoxOxZN/s1400/Mountain%20Hare.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1400" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj33YyC3O_HkVp3ERgC2BtVePzlgH3jvgTyAlX-qtPsLfRroetJZ_GwvcS2jfvldTfj7DswafygMcheVYWyKVTffdBCPc7yDVQ9Nb53nj21yHK84FWzcbGdSrAy_vNQaUPbDl1jw5_qpd0E2S52cNlXOfDo1QZpAeNkdOjuP_bMG3mpkqoxOxZN/s320/Mountain%20Hare.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Mountain Hare</b></td></tr></tbody></table></span></b></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"><span face=""><br /></span></span></b></div><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Hairy Highland Coo's</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"> always prove to be popular with my safari clients, especially those who do not have them close to home, so don't be afraid to ask me if you fancy going to see them, and maybe even get to feed and 'pat' them, as I have a couple of great sites....</span></b></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5YB3yv0AFE8n7fz6wHWtThuiVEGS5i49YuD7jYPkJf7ZC9Uuy1UszuYYkbvKd16YBg2gxGyINPZ1VaCwX1b_Zi5s4Q7OHVSMRlilVfE20RlhloL2V-UUgM29lbdAzpJXfq4k2ukS9ufFuiC2iR6Id53YuCUMUe4xDULUz2_hgnRFJbEYjMiVn/s1731/IMG_1586.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1223" data-original-width="1731" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5YB3yv0AFE8n7fz6wHWtThuiVEGS5i49YuD7jYPkJf7ZC9Uuy1UszuYYkbvKd16YBg2gxGyINPZ1VaCwX1b_Zi5s4Q7OHVSMRlilVfE20RlhloL2V-UUgM29lbdAzpJXfq4k2ukS9ufFuiC2iR6Id53YuCUMUe4xDULUz2_hgnRFJbEYjMiVn/w400-h283/IMG_1586.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Carrot time for Murdo</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><p><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Rare/nocturnal mammals:</b></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">I get a few enquiries about the possibility of seeing </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Badgers</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> and </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Pine Marten</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> from my safari clients, many of whom I suspect are unaware that they are actually a largely nocturnal creature, and although we do get the occasional (maybe one or two a year) dawn glimpse of one, you would definitely have a much higher chance of seeing them at a specific dusk Badger/Pine Marten watching hide - Please contact me for more information.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Similarly, our inland </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Otters</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> too are mainly active during the hours of darkness, and again, although we do get a few early-morning sightings on local lochs and rivers each year, looking for them feeding in a suitably quiet, kelp - filled bay on the coast on a rising tide, but at any time of day, would give you a much better chance.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: quot; line-height: 1.4;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: quot; line-height: 1.4;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Whilst we are still on the 'tricky to see stuff', the <b>Scottish Wildcat </b>too, as well as being incredibly rare now, is also generally nocturnal, and the fact that I have had a mere handful of (dawn or dusk) sightings in 17 years of providing wildlife safaris should give you an idea of how difficult they are to see.</span></p></span></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Other wildlife:</b></p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;">Midsummer is peak time for butterflies and wild flowers in this area, and a typical June, given some sunny and calm days, usually sees us enjoying sightings of </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;"> Comma, Red Admiral</b><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;">,</span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;"> Peacock</b><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;">. <b>Small</b> </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;">Pearl-Bordered Fritillary</b><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;">, </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;">Small Copper</b><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;">, </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;">Common Blue </b><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;">and </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;">Orange Tip </b><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;">among others, with the local speciality <b>Scotch Argus</b> possible from late July...and a splendid range of wild flowers including several types of </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;">Orchids</b><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;">....and our local <b>Wood Ant</b>s are now very active....</span></p><div><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdlJEDVuTuHd-MuUY2g9gGKlznbZTQ4uhjd8M9x6YbgopX1YZM1viGgq_su0QvC8SeJTxdvVWpzrZUkr81lA509XHRyOzyYbUIxlTZPpiR9igdl4QNA-M8O7O0UNV3xVecl-_v8dbxyW2F0RYDWDtsFQNNECZG6xiN_JWyLq1gz03xfXwcwXk3/s802/Blob%20s%20P%20B%20Fr%202.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="655" data-original-width="802" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdlJEDVuTuHd-MuUY2g9gGKlznbZTQ4uhjd8M9x6YbgopX1YZM1viGgq_su0QvC8SeJTxdvVWpzrZUkr81lA509XHRyOzyYbUIxlTZPpiR9igdl4QNA-M8O7O0UNV3xVecl-_v8dbxyW2F0RYDWDtsFQNNECZG6xiN_JWyLq1gz03xfXwcwXk3/s320/Blob%20s%20P%20B%20Fr%202.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Small Pearl-Bordered Fritillary by Bob Smith</b></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUvjfk-VM20OtS4DZ75JhXRNyRI50lAaoOtSigtg1fJTfZ38Ya1e9e1wrtoEe1y8nk2YPw00rzV82Ljjvnp30zPT8HcV5A6i89jL8TcRThgEhFiFRnjUu3_snVAluI-t_07XgtCOVfaqGaVkhrwAsegE6HEL7LrPGV4ephYYn1kL6GnoyqjceM/s2955/IMG_1172.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1961" data-original-width="2955" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUvjfk-VM20OtS4DZ75JhXRNyRI50lAaoOtSigtg1fJTfZ38Ya1e9e1wrtoEe1y8nk2YPw00rzV82Ljjvnp30zPT8HcV5A6i89jL8TcRThgEhFiFRnjUu3_snVAluI-t_07XgtCOVfaqGaVkhrwAsegE6HEL7LrPGV4ephYYn1kL6GnoyqjceM/s320/IMG_1172.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Common Blue<br /><br /><br /></b></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9WE0uA6iYJddXbHQWGMFqrg-Zvm8oV34oHjzj_750hb4HkE7sB2NZTv540My-Man5aPxL19JkItO6HkUAHVhEnnDffoJDD2XF8KfifyGUJmzESJNgnhxQHGVrx5hDPFiCai4D6-stqqyQ36RazI-CJKmmYkXP4J2PjxcNKn1wu-oPFGxzhu0n/s3762/DSCN0758.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2771" data-original-width="3762" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9WE0uA6iYJddXbHQWGMFqrg-Zvm8oV34oHjzj_750hb4HkE7sB2NZTv540My-Man5aPxL19JkItO6HkUAHVhEnnDffoJDD2XF8KfifyGUJmzESJNgnhxQHGVrx5hDPFiCai4D6-stqqyQ36RazI-CJKmmYkXP4J2PjxcNKn1wu-oPFGxzhu0n/s320/DSCN0758.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Comma</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWfWjZ7A-izJymgF20_SoXreakG9S_ZcNORIaPhUp2NQjHrAe_Yy8613PLxTBHGeddoRr7aXoBe3fj6VwB-vxsschrEjrXTtExTCaHZlVGJ5f8B-RiK8bzI1Ckeideno2dGn3I2Y4perj9RtdhLRx1DX-fnkPWL6Q6vG2TnDoCcNtsXrpQPBK_/s3114/DSCN4097.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2193" data-original-width="3114" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWfWjZ7A-izJymgF20_SoXreakG9S_ZcNORIaPhUp2NQjHrAe_Yy8613PLxTBHGeddoRr7aXoBe3fj6VwB-vxsschrEjrXTtExTCaHZlVGJ5f8B-RiK8bzI1Ckeideno2dGn3I2Y4perj9RtdhLRx1DX-fnkPWL6Q6vG2TnDoCcNtsXrpQPBK_/s320/DSCN4097.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Small Tortoiseshell</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilcXa-8_oWHci63QLhI5JHj9HpY5Ejm2T2zMvq5Hw6Q3AJFwTgKidddzvFtertPbiMwGD7MLn1n0pfMhK8acZYApGT3wY1896FO4JO6WHikw1K_mPIWRM_6oCCQFq8LcmLALkgiaGREcrFYPYKEXwKYpRL3uyV1ZM6BoCnTBVotLWh3NHOfrS9/s1088/N%20B%20Argus%20by%20Bob.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="772" data-original-width="1088" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilcXa-8_oWHci63QLhI5JHj9HpY5Ejm2T2zMvq5Hw6Q3AJFwTgKidddzvFtertPbiMwGD7MLn1n0pfMhK8acZYApGT3wY1896FO4JO6WHikw1K_mPIWRM_6oCCQFq8LcmLALkgiaGREcrFYPYKEXwKYpRL3uyV1ZM6BoCnTBVotLWh3NHOfrS9/s320/N%20B%20Argus%20by%20Bob.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Northern Brown Argus by Bob Smith</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL8NEetfmXwxhgn2pTJJO3MQa_UNJTlCofLAGh1PEN--aGlLA7t2BZvqDys0gMuoxTABXJZG7QxrEJeUOdb_CaKgTiKjDj83eXwQ1oFvKrX4n1LavTz1p3bXUvS0DOjooYoFLGZQfsdlLS9c1rN3KtU8Arp6ZFtbl5hFvEZD9zKZhwUFN1mK4h/s2167/IMG_1247.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1829" data-original-width="2167" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL8NEetfmXwxhgn2pTJJO3MQa_UNJTlCofLAGh1PEN--aGlLA7t2BZvqDys0gMuoxTABXJZG7QxrEJeUOdb_CaKgTiKjDj83eXwQ1oFvKrX4n1LavTz1p3bXUvS0DOjooYoFLGZQfsdlLS9c1rN3KtU8Arp6ZFtbl5hFvEZD9zKZhwUFN1mK4h/s320/IMG_1247.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Scotch Argus</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN0XMXki3M9avls8tnxP13q9qgq-DWhgm9Bm5_XG2TjiBhG71Koq80F_SDfxxHytsV81Ch_V5Ml_9uuJQXjdgEJyojI76J_WedcQWaTt4fjvwpgowyyVY8XCuX-Kz3W3VuzeLxz-dFsA94SXnwYZyZ8Q5AQlNEtScXk4YmuZ9w8s-ZKtDhRE5a/s2425/IMG_1182.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1504" data-original-width="2425" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN0XMXki3M9avls8tnxP13q9qgq-DWhgm9Bm5_XG2TjiBhG71Koq80F_SDfxxHytsV81Ch_V5Ml_9uuJQXjdgEJyojI76J_WedcQWaTt4fjvwpgowyyVY8XCuX-Kz3W3VuzeLxz-dFsA94SXnwYZyZ8Q5AQlNEtScXk4YmuZ9w8s-ZKtDhRE5a/w400-h248/IMG_1182.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Wood Ant nest</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Midsummer is also a good time to witness leaping </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Atlantic Salmon</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> making their way up to the spawning grounds in the upper reaches of Highland rivers. They can usually be seen well at a number of well known sites, though with the rivers well below 'normal' levels this year, they may be stuck in deeper stretches further downstream for a while yet.... </span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLlBwMU5mO2_D5SwtYgCodlI04R7K1Vx8Rt3wzVwS5O1UCl3RgZFHxbWgX8wTWLdFWXSoo_Cq9exh3Z6FFlz5p2ZoIRwuVLghWw_U8QtQ3hy1_zIjAWXij69RVwXJRDowyo6wR5G8hnqUMeIo1C89KTuSNIwSYpXTlB2IsnqGRmP32rsqmjK9L/s2599/DSCN2411.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1034" data-original-width="2599" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLlBwMU5mO2_D5SwtYgCodlI04R7K1Vx8Rt3wzVwS5O1UCl3RgZFHxbWgX8wTWLdFWXSoo_Cq9exh3Z6FFlz5p2ZoIRwuVLghWw_U8QtQ3hy1_zIjAWXij69RVwXJRDowyo6wR5G8hnqUMeIo1C89KTuSNIwSYpXTlB2IsnqGRmP32rsqmjK9L/w400-h159/DSCN2411.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Leaping Atlantic Salmon (photo from July 2017)</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">News:</b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">I am very pleased to announce that Highland Wildlife & Birdwatch Safaris has recently been awarded - for the second consecutive year - a Travellers Choice accreditation from Trip Advisor, for being ranked in the top 10% of visitor attractions worldwide based on customer reviews and feedback.</span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; margin-left: 4.8pt;"><span lang="EN-US">This achievement would not have been possible without the support of all my family, friends, safari clients, social media followers, regular blog readers , the Visit Scotland 'mystery shoppers', and everyone else who has helped and encouraged me along the way to ‘living my dream’ of being a wildlife safari guide, since 2004, especially over the last few very difficult COVID affected years, so a big THANK YOU to you all :)</span><o:p></o:p></p><div><br /></div><p><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">All tourism/hospitality/activities in Scotland are open , are free of restrictions and I have now completed two years of (thankfully!) increasingly busy and extremely enjoyable safaris with clients with no major issues arising.</span></p><p><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">With all national travel restrictions lifted too, Scotland is officially 'open for business' for visitors from all over the UK, and from abroad, and already this year, I have enjoyed meeting my first ever clients from Chile, and Singapore....</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">For those considering a visit, these wildlife/outdoor tourism websites may prove useful:</span></p><p><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">June - September is midge season - But thankfully, this area is not usually affected too badly - This link explains why: </span></p><p><a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-65939262" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">Bumper midge hatch alert after warm spell - BBC News</a></p><p><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b>https://www.gov.scot/collections/coronavirus-covid</b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p><a href="https://www.outdooraccess-scotland.scot/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">NatureScot (outdooraccess-scotland.scot)</a></p><p><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xGdTZcC2ZQ" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-line: none;">Can Nature Help Health? | Nature Prescriptions - YouTube</a></b></p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1HBKnnGr-g" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;">Scotland, Yours to Enjoy. Responsibly. - YouTube</a></p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://cairngorms.co.uk/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">Cairngorms National Park Authority</a></p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://www.highlandwildlifepark.org.uk/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">Highland Wildlife Park</a></p><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.gov.scot/publications/avian-influenza-outbreaks/" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;">Avian influenza (bird flu) outbreaks - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)</a></div><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://www.rspb.org.uk/about-the-rspb/about-us/how-the-rspb-is-run/annualreport/annual-report-2022_scotland-news/?utm_source=notes_on_nature_20220903&utm_medium=email&utm_term=notes_on_nature&utm_content=27&utm_campaign=notes_on_nature" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;">Positive prescriptions | The RSPB</a></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB6MmDJKEA43vMTVjJ7sch5TQ0jJLmxN-esXmXtKZbNWgWYoLAuw0RCZ5Zhd21NZ9lfeXSYWvAV2MWezSzDr21rGtyS172ZG7ygOSHjI2laXKe5Ya7B8uEY__YkE6P8XkCZ-r1-GG9kXnJL82SAgxnkbCn3GKL5BYhu3pLL-3ysQu9EtoYPWtu/s1997/IMG_1509.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1073" data-original-width="1997" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB6MmDJKEA43vMTVjJ7sch5TQ0jJLmxN-esXmXtKZbNWgWYoLAuw0RCZ5Zhd21NZ9lfeXSYWvAV2MWezSzDr21rGtyS172ZG7ygOSHjI2laXKe5Ya7B8uEY__YkE6P8XkCZ-r1-GG9kXnJL82SAgxnkbCn3GKL5BYhu3pLL-3ysQu9EtoYPWtu/w400-h215/IMG_1509.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Rosebay Willowherb or 'Fireweed'</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>COVID-19</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">The Scottish Highlands, being very sparsely populated, has had very few COVID-19 cases in comparison to most of the UK, and on my safaris we tend to visit remote , wild habitats well away from the more popular tourist areas, and usually have very little interaction with other people, and this is something that I intend to continue.</b></p><div><br /></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLGBTPF4sHJmXKLNHX3VM19a9zDbwfjgGXTNnWll3R1_bKrSWw4N-J_0HscFTeRQxKxcL3m2CuB_dOL_PiKZyjUKtDETAFuSxzdQ7-T1wqSPWF3FFnxqlWfZwQNQgLNLrNjFXFnOJCLMrhiQU--PaYqEneyfP2Avk5arn5VWr5yPCT6qhLgiJy/s1781/IMG_1495.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1130" data-original-width="1781" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLGBTPF4sHJmXKLNHX3VM19a9zDbwfjgGXTNnWll3R1_bKrSWw4N-J_0HscFTeRQxKxcL3m2CuB_dOL_PiKZyjUKtDETAFuSxzdQ7-T1wqSPWF3FFnxqlWfZwQNQgLNLrNjFXFnOJCLMrhiQU--PaYqEneyfP2Avk5arn5VWr5yPCT6qhLgiJy/w400-h254/IMG_1495.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Common Spotted Orchids in a local woodland</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Summary:</b></p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">Although the bird breeding season is almost over and the birds are much 'quieter' than in springtime, July is still a pretty decent month to see a good selection of birds, animals and butterflies in this area, </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">with no need for a really early start (6am-8am is fine) and it's also good for a mountain-top adventure, or a trip to a seabird colony with (usually) fairly good weather, and all still with plenty of daylight hours....</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">I must confess though, that I always tend to feel just a little sad at the end of every July , as I know that many of our iconic summer visiting birds like Osprey, Slavonian Grebe, Ring Ouzel and the Divers, are soon to vacate our area and fly south to warmer climes as summer turns to early autumn next month, so I try to savour every sighting of these species....</span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR-9SHCkZ3OOFWIwmQX1U71g95N396EWR6D0Ns3-Zg1TJnyZqgb5bEfiRmWIJfoaJ1rpF3tnVvJSYyfvNsCUjXLbFnqSSazkCPVnCIHLhGyqtDSu9fmwxlZDY2B_0CsDQvAYBr9gYHVlI-wgSp9N6yX6KUjwiY1UyD_M6Ayuhirnwvpq5U6KAL/s1644/IMG_1492.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="996" data-original-width="1644" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR-9SHCkZ3OOFWIwmQX1U71g95N396EWR6D0Ns3-Zg1TJnyZqgb5bEfiRmWIJfoaJ1rpF3tnVvJSYyfvNsCUjXLbFnqSSazkCPVnCIHLhGyqtDSu9fmwxlZDY2B_0CsDQvAYBr9gYHVlI-wgSp9N6yX6KUjwiY1UyD_M6Ayuhirnwvpq5U6KAL/w400-h243/IMG_1492.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>My trusty LandRover Discovery out on safari</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Reviews:</b></span></p><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span face="" style="color: #06004c;">I know a lot of visitors to this area very wisely check out reviews of attractions/experiences at </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">TripAdvisor</b><span face="" style="color: #06004c;"> before 'taking the plunge' and booking - We now have over 300 reviews online, so if you wish, you can check out our clients comments at the link below....</span></div><p><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><div style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"></span></span><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;" /><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g186537-d3335134-Reviews-</span></span></span></span></span></div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"></span></span><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;" /><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Highland_Wildlife_Birdwatch_Safaris-Aviemore_Aviemore_and_the_Cairngorms_Scottish.html</span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div></div></div><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcDpZYIy04rLrl4xRO-DLWObfZIYCPaqGGMlmKCoHRYwcR48Wepi6PShQZR_JgfF2hLDl6aAmnuPZtTbTyJMWWXI_KuWX3ENt0aEM4zmYpzvV7lIlJCDJNhnvJDeRXtno8zThYQjnJjR2X3Wm_HwYW_h24yzrudfMOfpeXuJXbyaB2ped1OsDg/s1977/IMG_1501.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="760" data-original-width="1977" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcDpZYIy04rLrl4xRO-DLWObfZIYCPaqGGMlmKCoHRYwcR48Wepi6PShQZR_JgfF2hLDl6aAmnuPZtTbTyJMWWXI_KuWX3ENt0aEM4zmYpzvV7lIlJCDJNhnvJDeRXtno8zThYQjnJjR2X3Wm_HwYW_h24yzrudfMOfpeXuJXbyaB2ped1OsDg/w400-h154/IMG_1501.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Purple heather on a local hillside</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><p><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><b>G</b></span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">ift Certificates:</b></p><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><div style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; color: #222222; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 5px; position: relative;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T95gARK_lkQ/XAvNUI2tI6I/AAAAAAAADwU/GDPgK9hH9LwgLQ8gPnoaLdf04Yn2BLebwCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_1578.JPG" style="background: none 0% 0% / auto repeat scroll padding-box border-box transparent; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 5px;" width="400" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 10.56px; text-align: center;"><b>Safari gift voucher</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></span></span></div></div></div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><br /></div><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span face="" style="color: #06004c; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;">If you think you know someone who may enjoy a taste of what I do, why not treat them to a safari gift </span><span face="" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;">certificate? They make a thoughtful and imaginative present, are available for any amount and are valid for a whole year from date of purchase........</span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span face="" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div></span></div><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Highland Wildlife & Birdwatch Safarishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04327130550058794301noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26724394.post-53049734352974178602023-06-30T20:35:00.000+01:002023-06-30T20:35:48.914+01:00<div class="separator"> <b>June 2023</b></div><p><br /></p><p>The first half of June 2023 saw us continue where May left-off weather-wise, with generally warm, dry, sunny and calm weather, and even an official 'heatwave' being recorded! The second half, however, was a little more 'changeable' though still decent, with even some (very welcome) rain showers helping us to keep a potential drought, and the risk of wildfires at bay.</p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">It should be noted though, that it can be pretty cool early in the mornings after a clear night, and we even had a slight ground frost on one occasion early in the month, so bringing layers of clothing is still recommended.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px;">With nearly 20 hours of usable daylight and all of our summer visiting bird species on territory, bird day-lists are usually just below the highest in the year now, with full-day (8-10 hours with starts no earlier than 6am needed) multi-habitat safaris regularly producing over 50 species - many with youngsters - and June is definitely 'fledgling month' up here - so if you enjoy seeing baby birds, this is definitely the month to visit!</span></p><p>The combination of plenty of sun and , later on, occasional rain this month gave the spectacular highland scenery a lush, green, almost spring-like appearance, and helped stop the rivers from drying up, whilst the wild flowers are really starting to bloom now, and a few patches of pink and purple heather began to appear on south-facing banks towards the end of the month.</p><div style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><br />A few more butterfly and day-flying moth species were noted on the sunnier days, and the Wood Ants nests are now very active...</div><div style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><br /></div><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjxrxs8Mdnjf326n0IBhxP9igHxao3mpNEAckpjDI9DM04tiRwXXW7Dsw-bISnG5d22Jaj-mpo7_udkU_-ZQL572E198v6kNroGRZq37YGB1ZqbwO5ya8NWOR7c9DKuzu2tPwzEXyN5LCG5qYWQelcnMHjQ2uSOX-WMbzZbUl7jPCej4INM9F1/s1999/IMG_7158.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="999" data-original-width="1999" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjxrxs8Mdnjf326n0IBhxP9igHxao3mpNEAckpjDI9DM04tiRwXXW7Dsw-bISnG5d22Jaj-mpo7_udkU_-ZQL572E198v6kNroGRZq37YGB1ZqbwO5ya8NWOR7c9DKuzu2tPwzEXyN5LCG5qYWQelcnMHjQ2uSOX-WMbzZbUl7jPCej4INM9F1/w400-h200/IMG_7158.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Early Summer in the Cairngorms</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">To give you an idea of what you may realistically hope to see if you are considering a future June visit, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">I hope the following more detailed information, illustrated with photos taken at sites in and around the Cairngorms National Park by myself, my friends or my safari clients this month and in previous June's will help....clicking on the picture enlarges it to full-screen. </span></p><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Local speciality/upland bird species seen regularly during the month included</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">:</span></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Osprey</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Red Grouse,</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Slavonian Grebe</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Red-Throated Diver,</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Black-Throated Diver, Goldeneye</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> and </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Dipper,</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> with a few hard-earned sightings of </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Ring Ouzel</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, <b>Pied Flycatcher</b>, <b>Wood Warbler</b>, and </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Crossbills</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, just a couple of glimpses of </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Crested Tits </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>and</b></span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"> </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">sadly, but not unusually now, </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Capercaillie</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> was not seen at all, and , as is normal for this time of year, we only managed a couple of brief distant views of </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Golden Eagle</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> and one of a </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">White-Tailed Eagle</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">....</span></p><div><br /></div><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Mammal species seen regularly included:</b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Rabbit, </b><b>Red Squirrel, Red Deer, Roe Deer, Reindeer,</b> <span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">and </span><b>feral Mountain Goat</b>, <span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">and we also had a few early-morning sightings of</span> <b>Brown Hare </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">and just </span>one of </span></span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Mountain Hare </b></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">All photographs of wildlife, especially Schedule 1 and other protected bird species were taken at long range with powerful zoom lenses, or from my vehicle on public roads, well away from nest sites, and no disturbance was caused to any wildlife....</b></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">June 2023 bird sightings in more detail:</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">On the lochs...</b></b></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkvNp2xNrBI0quVUJ_gqc5MKJ0R4P-6VhCue-yh7cbuI-6VPGknszsejOtFGebr0__uAj-xer3ggAJdL77XxMkigshtntTWCewXZKn36XUerXIF_-hNEiqVhrcXWPAhQz_FYC-QjklC6akU1vNeJCiNXVeZ7ee8VO_FG831UOObnZjvHyQqjEZ/s2001/IMG_7031.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="835" data-original-width="2001" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkvNp2xNrBI0quVUJ_gqc5MKJ0R4P-6VhCue-yh7cbuI-6VPGknszsejOtFGebr0__uAj-xer3ggAJdL77XxMkigshtntTWCewXZKn36XUerXIF_-hNEiqVhrcXWPAhQz_FYC-QjklC6akU1vNeJCiNXVeZ7ee8VO_FG831UOObnZjvHyQqjEZ/w400-h168/IMG_7031.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Early summer at a local loch</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYhbuMweRrslpfoRE9uKSlpEAgKT6TFc7Xjrhfn2Xu3UUZx_HN0RzuUMffdbbWzY2Xq75o8ggX5zWYKjg8hDZyIGI0lMRvDFJFrFFPw9EULbuvpRA0ZGrOeR6R-OHuXzvxD1LG4YNvSdFKrMHCJiklxDX7s_jMQ2p8Y3IxZQ-ceYp3MagLZ-I8/s2334/DSCN5918.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1634" data-original-width="2334" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYhbuMweRrslpfoRE9uKSlpEAgKT6TFc7Xjrhfn2Xu3UUZx_HN0RzuUMffdbbWzY2Xq75o8ggX5zWYKjg8hDZyIGI0lMRvDFJFrFFPw9EULbuvpRA0ZGrOeR6R-OHuXzvxD1LG4YNvSdFKrMHCJiklxDX7s_jMQ2p8Y3IxZQ-ceYp3MagLZ-I8/w400-h280/DSCN5918.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Osprey</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp4v4aGEgiKdg0TngMTrTDga58oIUGsk59-8nJmW6MSe31b__hAIFJnhg0mvOb1wynQtRJmTaAxn5LMSumAoGCVrcmAAobCahfSvPuc9H3WZu3uOj0ytjVQE1_BlHECT1Htcua2EPfy9bgriOuAelf11iVF3nmOdoO99ENN00-ISO6gSo9zPAJ/s3282/DSCN5983.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2277" data-original-width="3282" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp4v4aGEgiKdg0TngMTrTDga58oIUGsk59-8nJmW6MSe31b__hAIFJnhg0mvOb1wynQtRJmTaAxn5LMSumAoGCVrcmAAobCahfSvPuc9H3WZu3uOj0ytjVQE1_BlHECT1Htcua2EPfy9bgriOuAelf11iVF3nmOdoO99ENN00-ISO6gSo9zPAJ/w400-h278/DSCN5983.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Osprey fish delivery</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;">Osprey</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"> is usually the 'star bird' of the mid-summer months in this area, and that proved to be the case this month, with my safari parties often fortunate enough to see them sat in, on </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">or around their nest, occasionally plunge-diving spectacularly to catch a fish, or delivering a fish on several occasions, and from mid month we started to see the rapidly growing 'downy' youngsters heads popping up in the nests whilst being fed by their parents, for the first time this year....a marvelous and heart-warming sight!</span></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></b></b></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM0Zc8omcqSNxjl2LUFp7AMuEzVslUmrNrngp9ZNTZY-eklwGef8LYqBxN_KUL2LFBGvg8tTpAyugd-RiHwD4y9IH6K245coIJ_ON-n5f1PDdl-JWUPVPxM6zA2YEPbYFjcmqe1xAUlXDe2HuJERhmH5FUMAohQraWgpgIDZZJ08P601NijuGs/s3802/DSCN5953.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1609" data-original-width="3802" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM0Zc8omcqSNxjl2LUFp7AMuEzVslUmrNrngp9ZNTZY-eklwGef8LYqBxN_KUL2LFBGvg8tTpAyugd-RiHwD4y9IH6K245coIJ_ON-n5f1PDdl-JWUPVPxM6zA2YEPbYFjcmqe1xAUlXDe2HuJERhmH5FUMAohQraWgpgIDZZJ08P601NijuGs/w400-h169/DSCN5953.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Slavonian Grebe with youngster</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF98M8yM6XUrZdweXLXHaRpuCY55Q0Lz69A2jnWydqqdj2Fz4nh_aune7nmMzLS3KmwQcruLRMIEVs-ffv6Jy789nAzlySotCntKMuKLneQw04VYYDS9J2nwZk_P48S0UR2vdaKWarYNjU90MeyHnGlANCS6xK8eMn8ORf3cRs0B3nkR7ZAHWL/s4322/Steven%20Plant%20S%20G%20Close.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2980" data-original-width="4322" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF98M8yM6XUrZdweXLXHaRpuCY55Q0Lz69A2jnWydqqdj2Fz4nh_aune7nmMzLS3KmwQcruLRMIEVs-ffv6Jy789nAzlySotCntKMuKLneQw04VYYDS9J2nwZk_P48S0UR2vdaKWarYNjU90MeyHnGlANCS6xK8eMn8ORf3cRs0B3nkR7ZAHWL/s320/Steven%20Plant%20S%20G%20Close.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Adult Slavonian Grebe by Steve Plant</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;">Slavonian Grebes, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">in their beautiful summer plumage, were seen and enjoyed from a safe, legal and respectable distance, on their favoured quiet lochans, the males frequently observed delivering food to the female birds on their nests hidden deep in the sedge beds , and we were delighted to confirm much-needed breeding success for this (UK-wise) rare and threatened species, when we got to see the incredibly cute humbug-striped youngsters early in the month...though as we know from last year, they are not totally safe from predation yet.....</span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><br /></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><br /></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDRAfMxKWz1yNqNqvjYMWxJcZrGUY-o8jxvaN4MMY-qDWG10whXzy-zjelJWxUmrUawYn3vhvcZQ1A8JNYhfqyqbqm-sjHwaCrVCbXffUFLi1yjweQDxN1k7xK3v-xFDKzl0YwqpMIP-Ub4_fGQgckTo5Lt2xFpBH0m7HFHG3lmMaNlo0Du10C/s3437/Steve%20Plant%20BG%20X.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2561" data-original-width="3437" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDRAfMxKWz1yNqNqvjYMWxJcZrGUY-o8jxvaN4MMY-qDWG10whXzy-zjelJWxUmrUawYn3vhvcZQ1A8JNYhfqyqbqm-sjHwaCrVCbXffUFLi1yjweQDxN1k7xK3v-xFDKzl0YwqpMIP-Ub4_fGQgckTo5Lt2xFpBH0m7HFHG3lmMaNlo0Du10C/s320/Steve%20Plant%20BG%20X.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Black-Throated Diver by Stephen Plant</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKRRZ_FZCXgwDGbXH8nc1pL9VRfMSxd8SKVvozVfq0KeyxtI-_CiXAuYzBd9tPTaka8iH_E_Yxm0nhpsVplXNSvQX3Cu0NesiiJueWhRDV-YkG4Lt2kAaL3mxvM5AzGkpdKom-ncxz2lI9rkJnjmwR_1v248U5_Vfndh5OofVvfqUKHFHEXlVp/s4363/DSCN5967.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3271" data-original-width="4363" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKRRZ_FZCXgwDGbXH8nc1pL9VRfMSxd8SKVvozVfq0KeyxtI-_CiXAuYzBd9tPTaka8iH_E_Yxm0nhpsVplXNSvQX3Cu0NesiiJueWhRDV-YkG4Lt2kAaL3mxvM5AzGkpdKom-ncxz2lI9rkJnjmwR_1v248U5_Vfndh5OofVvfqUKHFHEXlVp/s320/DSCN5967.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Black-Throated Diver</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;">Black-Throated Divers</span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"> in their strikingly beautiful summer plumage, were seen reasonably regularly on suitable secluded local lochs, though they were not totally reliable, and it should be noted that generally we had our best views on calmer days, with little or no ripple on the water, and usually had the closest encounters early in the day, when human disturbance was it it's lowest...and thankfully we were able to confirm local breeding success when one pair were spotted with 2 cute grey chicks early in the month...</span></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZsEx42QTA5gQRvbRUVa6eXIY53yAysBrUue0gPeoF81T1NQTYrkzQyE87or0nBpdyakgCHEKC1TRFwx3nrysx1iPyRE9IGLoQx3nuM31vMyW598fnzYbgqXh-gbInRdSGUm0T-2CGtL6TICeqNHm834g8PIP-7otgItLV17vxM6IPbS3Vu_eM/s2656/DSCN5994.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1445" data-original-width="2656" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZsEx42QTA5gQRvbRUVa6eXIY53yAysBrUue0gPeoF81T1NQTYrkzQyE87or0nBpdyakgCHEKC1TRFwx3nrysx1iPyRE9IGLoQx3nuM31vMyW598fnzYbgqXh-gbInRdSGUm0T-2CGtL6TICeqNHm834g8PIP-7otgItLV17vxM6IPbS3Vu_eM/w400-h217/DSCN5994.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red-Throated Diver</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX0aRsLwGbaNxSfguMQHGpnUDDmgpVztV7p7U72rNhNuCRaIkHJGMPstBxDnzPnoUsk_dfSg8dPTJa2Vg1DzLufLvUZr0rLLAQ5hZRotOpMYa5Lsqp1sxAAsUXBkQRQBZJl4PcslmAxbRkOoethb4k-E3KCJEjf4waEiAS17U0_VkKMwKvp1ye/s4419/Stephen%20plant%20RTD%20X.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3315" data-original-width="4419" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX0aRsLwGbaNxSfguMQHGpnUDDmgpVztV7p7U72rNhNuCRaIkHJGMPstBxDnzPnoUsk_dfSg8dPTJa2Vg1DzLufLvUZr0rLLAQ5hZRotOpMYa5Lsqp1sxAAsUXBkQRQBZJl4PcslmAxbRkOoethb4k-E3KCJEjf4waEiAS17U0_VkKMwKvp1ye/w400-h300/Stephen%20plant%20RTD%20X.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red-Throated Diver by Stephen Plant</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Red-Throated Divers</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">, however, proved to be a bit elusive this month, with just a couple of fairly distant views achieved, and no evidence of any local breeding success confirmed yet...</span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAxZaZV4pgwYVzHlvH5se8TNXSjAK39yUH9QB6GNnsj5ksdcjvb58llpf1qR2NlMWhkHIl1CaxAymfN6i5eWzpV01Z2yCAzCt7dQpzwdeGiMoIEMuTaEdLo1fkJyTV7yeBScktO-XGi_zeJVxxYzkT13K8J2XV12UKuRAmnS9zjHpkEEEh4eON/s3752/DSCN5969.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2027" data-original-width="3752" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAxZaZV4pgwYVzHlvH5se8TNXSjAK39yUH9QB6GNnsj5ksdcjvb58llpf1qR2NlMWhkHIl1CaxAymfN6i5eWzpV01Z2yCAzCt7dQpzwdeGiMoIEMuTaEdLo1fkJyTV7yeBScktO-XGi_zeJVxxYzkT13K8J2XV12UKuRAmnS9zjHpkEEEh4eON/w400-h216/DSCN5969.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Female Goldeneye with young </b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;">Goldeneye</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"> too are a 'local speciality' breeding bird, with Highland Scotland their only UK breeding area, and our local nest boxes proving popular, we enjoyed good views of families of these very attractive little ducks throughout the month.</span></p><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><br /></span></div><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Up on the moors....</b></b></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHidZUpRPLn1bx9ExMdc3aPc3GIs0Qn5fPbyGm2DxLbYyymEGdulcwgqplUgYYlZTEhJpSp4e-WOiRsOdsbb57uDRkbpgvB2s4SJ6LPQ-BG8lB76HdgkEDPswtDpWE5LYnp94hHW2QlzLFYfPlf8IuxyVgTBxcUEMKuQNjJIBzJ7fC2BD3SrYW/s2016/IMG_1364.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1235" data-original-width="2016" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHidZUpRPLn1bx9ExMdc3aPc3GIs0Qn5fPbyGm2DxLbYyymEGdulcwgqplUgYYlZTEhJpSp4e-WOiRsOdsbb57uDRkbpgvB2s4SJ6LPQ-BG8lB76HdgkEDPswtDpWE5LYnp94hHW2QlzLFYfPlf8IuxyVgTBxcUEMKuQNjJIBzJ7fC2BD3SrYW/w400-h245/IMG_1364.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A local upland heather moorland</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0CfuupV-7gsXh_kIOnk5F0Sjkxy4rhbLRWgnb9e9zEvmuBwzjp5KkFngNDKk0OSFbOZCT-nrC14sMOYhdbPCk5LIpAkxtbNQ9UcMCumredzCgijw_ixh0ciPYibldDcd_18IVeLTgHZoDhcDaVGTTp18HwGBCRuwxYM9awHXqAp7ogEdiSNXM/s4038/DSCN6022.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2286" data-original-width="4038" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0CfuupV-7gsXh_kIOnk5F0Sjkxy4rhbLRWgnb9e9zEvmuBwzjp5KkFngNDKk0OSFbOZCT-nrC14sMOYhdbPCk5LIpAkxtbNQ9UcMCumredzCgijw_ixh0ciPYibldDcd_18IVeLTgHZoDhcDaVGTTp18HwGBCRuwxYM9awHXqAp7ogEdiSNXM/w400-h226/DSCN6022.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Red Grouse with youngster</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZDFyzOHPV6qA8LOInOm_WoCNdIz9gcKBBi81zNE7q-EV3-3M2MCiC2YV9hhCtdU9S4bmSQQXFcCiw2VrCki454tY41nfsV5KeANtsbeJyrY7RvWmaVJYBsB3V5jqoHmJ9H7msbpi3EwrMBPvqD6NCyPbqAdwtsytQ6QlrwnnDDP6iIX6KOE2f/s3288/DSCN5942.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2235" data-original-width="3288" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZDFyzOHPV6qA8LOInOm_WoCNdIz9gcKBBi81zNE7q-EV3-3M2MCiC2YV9hhCtdU9S4bmSQQXFcCiw2VrCki454tY41nfsV5KeANtsbeJyrY7RvWmaVJYBsB3V5jqoHmJ9H7msbpi3EwrMBPvqD6NCyPbqAdwtsytQ6QlrwnnDDP6iIX6KOE2f/s320/DSCN5942.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Female Red Grouse</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisIr7q-xw_Dh5L4mWS72hKVBg2wtFEmEYhADxucW7hoDNDWgjXEl3QHZsjA7nLAKToMJysIqUKb7nr9S6DdRfOttAe_kwa0j5uzKXgmzYSFesxlwz99RLOuf3GTJFubL2J1pU4JAE0sZD6vtrfqJxGODFNB-6Kn4JrKgIa554864Ls4DNqPZsX/s4608/Stephen%20Plant%20R%20G.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisIr7q-xw_Dh5L4mWS72hKVBg2wtFEmEYhADxucW7hoDNDWgjXEl3QHZsjA7nLAKToMJysIqUKb7nr9S6DdRfOttAe_kwa0j5uzKXgmzYSFesxlwz99RLOuf3GTJFubL2J1pU4JAE0sZD6vtrfqJxGODFNB-6Kn4JrKgIa554864Ls4DNqPZsX/s320/Stephen%20Plant%20R%20G.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Red Grouse by Stephen Plant</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;">Red Grouse</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;"> were not too difficult to find in suitable areas of heather moorland, despite their impressive camouflage, and if you could spot the heads of the adults popping up like periscopes above the dense heather, waited patiently, and looked carefully, you then usually got to see their brood of very cute, fast-growing youngsters too...</span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">I</span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">n the Caledonian forests...</b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2jsIc83rs3LtpdAZdmbENpDX1GyWqQGnZpFK8A1y_oIdQ6739vhxUCFyxgBdaQYKcfy83BYAuA0PFcdS1v5Hv3ZTp7jMxOW27m3cehZy8DeaDb1DAlIR-ysPWeIgPk6Ezehhgn0-EkAidylrY1WLFRLud-aJWPK_HKeLNlqBMB1-lU4oo0HSt/s2016/IMG_7113.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2jsIc83rs3LtpdAZdmbENpDX1GyWqQGnZpFK8A1y_oIdQ6739vhxUCFyxgBdaQYKcfy83BYAuA0PFcdS1v5Hv3ZTp7jMxOW27m3cehZy8DeaDb1DAlIR-ysPWeIgPk6Ezehhgn0-EkAidylrY1WLFRLud-aJWPK_HKeLNlqBMB1-lU4oo0HSt/w400-h300/IMG_7113.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Ancient Caledonian Forest</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b><p></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwSrvueX9YRkQpww1TjVtIxLyLzwS9iSfVu5pBYxrSI_-hN813zy5I0eZuqGVAphlpzsuhn4oU04_VLIwzsijQTEqZHh_QSLCk5bEvjtEd4U8S8ZXVmV4xG7ikmltdIczkjao954TMZjaTETPcPOxafEZjkExG6441y82FW7AnjWPXUKjRAqVk/s2021/Byron%20Taylor%20Crestie%201.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="1603" data-original-width="2021" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwSrvueX9YRkQpww1TjVtIxLyLzwS9iSfVu5pBYxrSI_-hN813zy5I0eZuqGVAphlpzsuhn4oU04_VLIwzsijQTEqZHh_QSLCk5bEvjtEd4U8S8ZXVmV4xG7ikmltdIczkjao954TMZjaTETPcPOxafEZjkExG6441y82FW7AnjWPXUKjRAqVk/s320/Byron%20Taylor%20Crestie%201.jpg" width="320" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Crested Tit by Byron Taylor - Photo from June 2017</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;">Crested Tit</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;"> (finally!!!) became a little less difficult to see on our Caledonian forest walks, though they could still not be described as 'easy', as the recently-fledged youngsters learned to forage for food with their parents in family groups, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">but please be aware that they are extremely 'flitty', rarely sitting still for photo opportunities, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">often only alerting us to their presence in the Caledonian pine forests with their distinctive rippling trills.... and you need to be able to hear and recognise this to have a decent chance....don't worry, I will use the apps on my ipad and mobile phone to train you up!!</span></p><p><b style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">As I have mentioned previously, it is well worth noting that the colder winter months (October-Feb), when they regularly visit feeding stations, are actually the best time of year for seeing the 'wee Cresties', as these characterful little birds can be frustratingly secretive, unobtrusive and almost silent during the breeding season, with sightings being much more difficult to obtain between March and September....</b></p><p><b style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6kahjcyMUBOrjLTP62Q4PZM3x6PWfp_7A5tHlgfsFKdmI4FL_reMr_fhqw7VXDDKl6Fr2OIxgY1icoH_MZxEecWCFcQUR8nCIAw_AQfHWz_JFx97uWGWVkqyPxIdWXmjTTB3uQb1lbgaZGqmguiUC67kiwyncab7TU6wRq_F9TLz-QWoIEGc-/s2312/Crossbill.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="2312" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6kahjcyMUBOrjLTP62Q4PZM3x6PWfp_7A5tHlgfsFKdmI4FL_reMr_fhqw7VXDDKl6Fr2OIxgY1icoH_MZxEecWCFcQUR8nCIAw_AQfHWz_JFx97uWGWVkqyPxIdWXmjTTB3uQb1lbgaZGqmguiUC67kiwyncab7TU6wRq_F9TLz-QWoIEGc-/s320/Crossbill.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Crossbill - Photo from June 2016<br /><br /></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">The same could definitely be said of </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;">Crossbills</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">, usually one of the more tricky species to see well regularly due to their unpredictable 'irruptive' behaviour, but by listening out for their trademark 'jip jip' calls and for falling pine cones....although most of our sighting were still of the frustrating fly-over variety, we actually got lucky and managed decent sightings on a couple of occasions this month, though a decent photo escaped me...</span></p><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><br /></span></div><p><b style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">I was all set to write the usual, "sadly, we failed to manage any sightings of Capercaillie<b> </b>this month"... until the 27th, when during a mid-morning forest walk in Caledonian forest in search of Crossbills, an adult female <b>Capercaillie</b> walked slowly across the track about 50m ahead of us... followed by not 1. not 2, not 3, but 4 chicks!!! An amazingly lucky moment for us, and great news for this iconic but threatened Highland species.....</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikXQOqU44ztTc2BOJouyy6AMFVZdxmzqoQJPC4xHwDmMMez-vmarr_ZIXcpczaf5YB-DroE-yonQgZvj5Csqz7Mp3LcTqsIRG1fsWnVyAKjV1_-_7uPPvpdgA4ih4iDHVJeGJzBRO70CEsTMCk3e-VVYilAMyUXeHHscLmkrGZAshj6JeFo1ae/s2098/DSCN6037.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1113" data-original-width="2098" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikXQOqU44ztTc2BOJouyy6AMFVZdxmzqoQJPC4xHwDmMMez-vmarr_ZIXcpczaf5YB-DroE-yonQgZvj5Csqz7Mp3LcTqsIRG1fsWnVyAKjV1_-_7uPPvpdgA4ih4iDHVJeGJzBRO70CEsTMCk3e-VVYilAMyUXeHHscLmkrGZAshj6JeFo1ae/w400-h213/DSCN6037.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Capercaillie chick</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0kQiIYciNPAFMTJgQJl383oyBzUFscSrU17dPqEKrDTjJlr5rgTrb8-VqZaxcElFQDhppeLqdtn0Nwizq4S3dii2T9ob44qiS3zsMeOBZ9BDrktbN6lULg5B3S8eDxdBhO0IBW5YPxXQDrmUN0x_DZNh4JV2Z3jR8HJmvWIATbUsRkpfDOZEu/s2016/IMG_1491.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0kQiIYciNPAFMTJgQJl383oyBzUFscSrU17dPqEKrDTjJlr5rgTrb8-VqZaxcElFQDhppeLqdtn0Nwizq4S3dii2T9ob44qiS3zsMeOBZ9BDrktbN6lULg5B3S8eDxdBhO0IBW5YPxXQDrmUN0x_DZNh4JV2Z3jR8HJmvWIATbUsRkpfDOZEu/s320/IMG_1491.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Capercaillie pooh</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-size: 15.972px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-size: 13.2px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;"><span style="font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4;">Please note: In order to help protect them and keep sensitive sites 'off the radar', I no longer take clients on specific Capercaillie-hunting missions, and although we do visit suitable areas of forest, I would only rate our chances of seeing one on my safaris as "very slim" at best, </span></span></span></span></b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400;">and during 'lekking' and breeding season, I will be 'responsible' by staying out of 'sensitive' areas at dawn between April and July to allow this now very rare and elusive bird to (hopefully) lek and breed in peace....</span></b></p><p><b style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">In the birch woods:</b></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU3k4wvpZxn9OBb-u6zO9Vc-eoyC94IiSStOxr__J06xLMs2kugNmf3UYY4CsTZkqHKRfDYhPFJ36tqF0_qHK-0V30NL5oY33XwsLowFu-FnuCDDUkeXc9MRLl_-wqc0ywZ09YlB_8bpcKNeIpDQdI07_26U6FsMu_N3Xs7gyei0wAcpEkObFT/s2016/IMG_7083.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU3k4wvpZxn9OBb-u6zO9Vc-eoyC94IiSStOxr__J06xLMs2kugNmf3UYY4CsTZkqHKRfDYhPFJ36tqF0_qHK-0V30NL5oY33XwsLowFu-FnuCDDUkeXc9MRLl_-wqc0ywZ09YlB_8bpcKNeIpDQdI07_26U6FsMu_N3Xs7gyei0wAcpEkObFT/w400-h300/IMG_7083.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A local birch woodland</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuGR3ScZS42KqTIWfg5LTor5c-StdaRvn9aJSyytCz-Gq1XLGLXIOaFmhkuj-uwHeJg1agxXebyD1E7bA6hCNxP3Tm5Ux2sbA51BfWYa14mmLMDjxapNN2fh60bim5UV2VzhwZEyONlJJrm-X-oO5f8mmq39WmOBgmI7rw6LxPFAPxRr8EilnM/s3265/DSCN6469.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2121" data-original-width="3265" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuGR3ScZS42KqTIWfg5LTor5c-StdaRvn9aJSyytCz-Gq1XLGLXIOaFmhkuj-uwHeJg1agxXebyD1E7bA6hCNxP3Tm5Ux2sbA51BfWYa14mmLMDjxapNN2fh60bim5UV2VzhwZEyONlJJrm-X-oO5f8mmq39WmOBgmI7rw6LxPFAPxRr8EilnM/s320/DSCN6469.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Singing Wood Warbler</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQxFJXDC_soC6NX5k866ih0fcFGoPWGSX4ok9FDZplpoXD2k-s2csBYnL3qnPjkou6KGFPcYhit0q10iZ_xs9B4pwo93ZkhgDGcPvkdeCMucU3W8b75c_TQfjUw_qkZAgLtRCBcPEF6qI8GEpBkLHojJKv1miruIXz0VJfSr72-R7Jbrse1E4m/s2494/IMG_1071.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2040" data-original-width="2494" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQxFJXDC_soC6NX5k866ih0fcFGoPWGSX4ok9FDZplpoXD2k-s2csBYnL3qnPjkou6KGFPcYhit0q10iZ_xs9B4pwo93ZkhgDGcPvkdeCMucU3W8b75c_TQfjUw_qkZAgLtRCBcPEF6qI8GEpBkLHojJKv1miruIXz0VJfSr72-R7Jbrse1E4m/s320/IMG_1071.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Pied Flycatcher</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <br /><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Although </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Wood Warbler</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> and </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Pied Flycatcher</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> are more commonly found in the ancient Atlantic oak woods on the west coast of the UK, we are usually fortunate to get a few in our local birch woods from May-August, and although they are much more difficult to spot now the trees are fully leafed, with a bit of persistence, and by using our ears to follow their distinctive calls and songs, we managed to get a few half-decent views of <b>both species </b>on and off throughout the month, and although I haven't actually seen any fledglings, their behaviour suggested that they are feeding young...</span></p><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">On the rivers...</b></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFE2ZiJs8qwxfkyWKE5wcf4DwhYOF6HiHxO0wOTtd3UGfqtPC97v2NCNJW4IiC3DCABgkHH2Df0R5SC0SS02gardCis9j8084m60TmF0r3oqi4Wnrvo5IC67ZJKoiLqWIlqY9hkrc9o2mD9kzMtW0gxZSpVQ_S-dFAyinO2MumZ8z_YB9PQXqy/s2016/IMG_1299.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFE2ZiJs8qwxfkyWKE5wcf4DwhYOF6HiHxO0wOTtd3UGfqtPC97v2NCNJW4IiC3DCABgkHH2Df0R5SC0SS02gardCis9j8084m60TmF0r3oqi4Wnrvo5IC67ZJKoiLqWIlqY9hkrc9o2mD9kzMtW0gxZSpVQ_S-dFAyinO2MumZ8z_YB9PQXqy/w400-h300/IMG_1299.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A local river</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNocs0yNiqYXErpeyhwmTaEfX3iHuNs3Wch5makhHJENJ0xJGLLRFLgrF1axjxWW7Lfd14dKm2BVYjJlJwzrK2G_fRyjEoQpPQoxVxiVt5HyYQGZGcn8kpdK8eRkqA7InT19wpQnvTuM1cG46aIlVz4C1V8V04i2q3L26P23bW2xrd8ssVKMei/s3479/DSCN6009.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2114" data-original-width="3479" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNocs0yNiqYXErpeyhwmTaEfX3iHuNs3Wch5makhHJENJ0xJGLLRFLgrF1axjxWW7Lfd14dKm2BVYjJlJwzrK2G_fRyjEoQpPQoxVxiVt5HyYQGZGcn8kpdK8eRkqA7InT19wpQnvTuM1cG46aIlVz4C1V8V04i2q3L26P23bW2xrd8ssVKMei/s320/DSCN6009.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Dipper</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBCfEfA5GzizBl7YBWHMxKU1dTrAww9RliLtyDo4CfTUc_-EcMHoH2cDGVOTk9-EEyZzDF-eRTlBcrIH5CgwT-DOqERpl4DXwOrthYzgErkKt3VGvmvtelLhUPt3iSubFVHbGzn-jiru6YqwQUviIqMwUoDw2hstmOpd-rgtUA1QtIK0JMBO6E/s3076/Stephen%20Plant%20Dipper%20X.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2346" data-original-width="3076" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBCfEfA5GzizBl7YBWHMxKU1dTrAww9RliLtyDo4CfTUc_-EcMHoH2cDGVOTk9-EEyZzDF-eRTlBcrIH5CgwT-DOqERpl4DXwOrthYzgErkKt3VGvmvtelLhUPt3iSubFVHbGzn-jiru6YqwQUviIqMwUoDw2hstmOpd-rgtUA1QtIK0JMBO6E/s320/Stephen%20Plant%20Dipper%20X.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Dipper by Stephen Plant</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;">Dippers</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"> featured reasonably frequently on my safaris this month, although they weren't totally reliable, but our local rivers produced a few decent views of adults with beaks full of food, and the fast-growing families of these characterful and endearing little birds, that always prove to be popular with my clients, many of whom do not have them on or near their local patch, as they are generally restricted to upland areas in the north and west of the UK.</span></p><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN3P33sW05zB3raDdBcscjP1G60aYfmj6ssQFHRx6wvs7JXGyPNmEdtpRVF1jH2p888TWMIh6j4mrMO474pnRp-AG7yRXwwr5rgbMQeMw5i0EnBoWKnBJxw5lBvrGc_Y0Jsym6j0QfLg0ch36r8npGgeO598-YKnNh7hx1PmQ7kcZEDDczccY-/s4388/DSCN2849.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1717" data-original-width="4388" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN3P33sW05zB3raDdBcscjP1G60aYfmj6ssQFHRx6wvs7JXGyPNmEdtpRVF1jH2p888TWMIh6j4mrMO474pnRp-AG7yRXwwr5rgbMQeMw5i0EnBoWKnBJxw5lBvrGc_Y0Jsym6j0QfLg0ch36r8npGgeO598-YKnNh7hx1PmQ7kcZEDDczccY-/w400-h156/DSCN2849.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Goosander family - Photo from June 2022</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><br /></span></div><div>With a UK distribution similar to <b>Dippe</b>r, <b>Goosanders </b>too, are a bit of a local speciality, and we were fortunate to see some good sized family groups from mid-month...</div><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;">Up in the glens...</b></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC6fOjDI33Qpf1iLdQG45lRX9bDF6KOXu5d9MtPFE5lzVdPdAXbEClXyci4ycs-SwJGSBUi5CPQpTGgC7SXAsHaxCjiNytGmZuNvVtoZ-AqCgse9FXe5naYIsLM7VS7RYACYWsYIHBziDnDRVxvluPIXN6v9BCR4y364e0nQC4WwEaagLqVWxc/s1993/IMG_7166.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1091" data-original-width="1993" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC6fOjDI33Qpf1iLdQG45lRX9bDF6KOXu5d9MtPFE5lzVdPdAXbEClXyci4ycs-SwJGSBUi5CPQpTGgC7SXAsHaxCjiNytGmZuNvVtoZ-AqCgse9FXe5naYIsLM7VS7RYACYWsYIHBziDnDRVxvluPIXN6v9BCR4y364e0nQC4WwEaagLqVWxc/w400-h219/IMG_7166.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A local upland glen</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2QBh3_vR0fIcool9jFH0mSS0fODln4ew8SSQcUaDMFL4TUFHgAewnG7EkliTgLXveTVPjaDig-AJq4cXzZXuhyAzAhfSoPZJm1p8xLsH-CaWLAuzBcD_IYMtT-PqD203jpq6sfIQZBbJpTru4fzEffztDW8BrtIc3m3TaL7e1ZRbbo8utKn2F/s1830/Liz%20Rodgers%20Goldie%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1189" data-original-width="1830" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2QBh3_vR0fIcool9jFH0mSS0fODln4ew8SSQcUaDMFL4TUFHgAewnG7EkliTgLXveTVPjaDig-AJq4cXzZXuhyAzAhfSoPZJm1p8xLsH-CaWLAuzBcD_IYMtT-PqD203jpq6sfIQZBbJpTru4fzEffztDW8BrtIc3m3TaL7e1ZRbbo8utKn2F/w400-h260/Liz%20Rodgers%20Goldie%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Golden Eagle by Liz Rodgers - Photo from June 2019</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <br /><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><strong style="line-height: 18.2px;">Golden Eagle </strong><span style="line-height: 18.2px;">and </span><strong style="line-height: 18.2px;">White-Tailed Eagle</strong><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"> are iconic 'Scottish' birds which always seems to be on visiting birders 'wish-lists', and we are fortunate to have a number of suitable upland glens nearby, however.... it should be noted that, with most females still with young chicks, and 20+ hours of daylight available for the males and sub-adults to use for hunting, the chances of us just happening to be in the right place at the right time to see them are fairly low </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13.2px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400;">during spring and summer (when compared to the autumn/winter months) and generally raptor sightings in this area were pretty hard to come by this month...but we did manage to get a couple of distant views of sub-adult examples of Golden and one of White-Tailed....</span></b></p><div><br /></div><div><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13.2px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13.2px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13.2px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13.2px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13.2px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13.2px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB_70YM3Qiz0ytQBJy6yAthtQwP44F5CWgvbORmngClPKJDTd2CJxVgECOEBXYTrPgDbV-Wi5_dWnngstYT5yBueLQltdpvNNK7ViqWSjohbI-K9Pxj3LUEwH7oImAyoL-nO_m-31qse-mf40iJV4M14FcQDG8Ej15gjDCQ5cIQgoM0LxhhNuU/s1481/IMG_7646.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="891" data-original-width="1481" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB_70YM3Qiz0ytQBJy6yAthtQwP44F5CWgvbORmngClPKJDTd2CJxVgECOEBXYTrPgDbV-Wi5_dWnngstYT5yBueLQltdpvNNK7ViqWSjohbI-K9Pxj3LUEwH7oImAyoL-nO_m-31qse-mf40iJV4M14FcQDG8Ej15gjDCQ5cIQgoM0LxhhNuU/w400-h241/IMG_7646.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Common Buzzard</b></td></tr></tbody></table></b></div><div><br /></div><div><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13.2px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13.2px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13.2px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13.2px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMFWIEjS_SlucbKXOVGL8HOoRpPqAIQ0COZDRCm56crphmkOfMr5DE00mFHPcx_ddTGBWdMqfnDrH85MJkgDeqb1yl-HvVF-hq8ns4u4fkUDHAsIivwi34DU4lVq_Zv8vSewwNbgvZCSefaJ3njOCw3gUF-jY5RQ97BCKQkq2lX2p6WvwFu2OY/s1017/PHOTO-2020-06-15-14-05-08.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="1017" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMFWIEjS_SlucbKXOVGL8HOoRpPqAIQ0COZDRCm56crphmkOfMr5DE00mFHPcx_ddTGBWdMqfnDrH85MJkgDeqb1yl-HvVF-hq8ns4u4fkUDHAsIivwi34DU4lVq_Zv8vSewwNbgvZCSefaJ3njOCw3gUF-jY5RQ97BCKQkq2lX2p6WvwFu2OY/w400-h256/PHOTO-2020-06-15-14-05-08.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Kite</b></td></tr></tbody></table></b></div><div><br /></div><div><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13.2px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13.2px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;">Similarly to the Eagles, other birds of prey are less easy to see at this time of year, but we did manage to get views of </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;">Osprey</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;">, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;">Common Buzzard</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;">, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;">Kestrel</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;">, <b>Sparrowhawk</b>, and <b>Red Kite , </b>with a couple of glimpses of <b>Peregrine</b>, but strangely, and similarly to last year, I have still yet to see a <b>Merlin </b>this year!!</span></p><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></div><p><br /></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Up in the mountains....</b></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj33LRXZlPQ_VSzfoZtUi4QPjN4i7_aKeJ_YPo07b6LaHCQo5BB8Hmc3ylBHlG_vc0J8O24UeatF4pmUSPPk5aDVIKfIvTvZnW49UiwnVmmlqkKK6qL5V0gvgQvF1j0hnM-PJOVOXkGx8x2pjttZeXr0o-6spLa8GbsXL4S76LXAoGtApRqxB7M/s2016/IMG_7119.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj33LRXZlPQ_VSzfoZtUi4QPjN4i7_aKeJ_YPo07b6LaHCQo5BB8Hmc3ylBHlG_vc0J8O24UeatF4pmUSPPk5aDVIKfIvTvZnW49UiwnVmmlqkKK6qL5V0gvgQvF1j0hnM-PJOVOXkGx8x2pjttZeXr0o-6spLa8GbsXL4S76LXAoGtApRqxB7M/w400-h300/IMG_7119.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Early summer in the Cairngorm Mountains</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /><br /><br /><br /></b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAPXdbtu6d0_Q8E0ZlrtWMsJhRiE-uMo9iHBTigtkPLJcYoZGzgfDp_T7zoVJK4YJB8VgqNl1QcQJvaKa0WZsD8jH8t_x8ojpgJviotdVjvVbf0TP9M4zSOMulA03tTt-Q1w74SdLyx0wvydmkiJl-MjrcYVuSinBmynqsI_du4qvp616-i-1l/s3856/IMG_9959.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2428" data-original-width="3856" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAPXdbtu6d0_Q8E0ZlrtWMsJhRiE-uMo9iHBTigtkPLJcYoZGzgfDp_T7zoVJK4YJB8VgqNl1QcQJvaKa0WZsD8jH8t_x8ojpgJviotdVjvVbf0TP9M4zSOMulA03tTt-Q1w74SdLyx0wvydmkiJl-MjrcYVuSinBmynqsI_du4qvp616-i-1l/s320/IMG_9959.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Snow Bunting - Photo from June 2015</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg73UbY9j3oRrfT_iN78q08mTQCGYY12H885Asus_XGK2vQC5E-NpRXoWnzKYE1ywUq9noIuMaHLy2tCBl1ckuhw6q2VZlQRMJAfNkTVoDpFV_xsf8W7y8MtR4Jsdb-m8Hho8VoinUawT_lnRZkjZG_WHf1Q-tYcArK8jpymrk0WjNn6Y9R2oS9/s2992/IMG_0938.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2118" data-original-width="2992" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg73UbY9j3oRrfT_iN78q08mTQCGYY12H885Asus_XGK2vQC5E-NpRXoWnzKYE1ywUq9noIuMaHLy2tCBl1ckuhw6q2VZlQRMJAfNkTVoDpFV_xsf8W7y8MtR4Jsdb-m8Hho8VoinUawT_lnRZkjZG_WHf1Q-tYcArK8jpymrk0WjNn6Y9R2oS9/w400-h284/IMG_0938.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Ptarmigan - Photo from June 2016</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghMgWwZf7Rti8TnQGRJ5om95q_JQde9RcHKaZ5rh4YBla3naYeCRCP3HiLbLTM4KNlzy26CkN4RVtZWTx5Yd3GEXV7Tez45dPbbdxQRwdX43wHNqFrTk0PnDHWv3jKX67BAiEAmXgayrmf84Hp7nA6IDOzbXWaxee1_mkAxSLUeY4MNAqmDuch/s2365/IMG_0949.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1895" data-original-width="2365" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghMgWwZf7Rti8TnQGRJ5om95q_JQde9RcHKaZ5rh4YBla3naYeCRCP3HiLbLTM4KNlzy26CkN4RVtZWTx5Yd3GEXV7Tez45dPbbdxQRwdX43wHNqFrTk0PnDHWv3jKX67BAiEAmXgayrmf84Hp7nA6IDOzbXWaxee1_mkAxSLUeY4MNAqmDuch/s320/IMG_0949.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Female Dotterel - Photo from June 2016</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;">June is probably the best month to have a chance of seeing all 3 of our mountain top bird species in one trip - </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;">Ptarmigan</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;">, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;">Dotterel </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;">and </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;">Snow Bunting</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;"> , and although I didn't venture up myself this month, I have included a few photos from previous June visits, to give you an idea of what is (or was) possible.......</span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijVMr2nkR521DzPp48XGMoSsC4KqenEfM8GKQIcB28_MXe_b67TR52F00tttOQwE5UCI39_m5QlNydG43e8SJUYN4xnGdhS_Oq8BHREAYMKJbVDlcl4Qi7kt0qlY5sxKKWFAJgXw7PW8JuuGddS9MA4F4rZCLeNE_rNx7FHD7lZsv1OCgByuSl/s3833/DSCN5909.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2498" data-original-width="3833" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijVMr2nkR521DzPp48XGMoSsC4KqenEfM8GKQIcB28_MXe_b67TR52F00tttOQwE5UCI39_m5QlNydG43e8SJUYN4xnGdhS_Oq8BHREAYMKJbVDlcl4Qi7kt0qlY5sxKKWFAJgXw7PW8JuuGddS9MA4F4rZCLeNE_rNx7FHD7lZsv1OCgByuSl/s320/DSCN5909.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Ring Ouzel</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDEN2XEIzTEJhEe2-KDpBMTU3R4tFOapZaKzFKw0FO8jNrhmqIxScGQzIvpbYeOyjBvEP2kx5_gSXlw98jVoUfoHhoeTIAF4NPajfX7DcD-l0jLAiNVUylFCGXCpKKU-4R62GwgNeJ_bTSmNsIoKbg_3fQAcmhPr5H7tRIkOSpRt-speyV9CJE/s2365/IMG_0614.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2062" data-original-width="2365" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDEN2XEIzTEJhEe2-KDpBMTU3R4tFOapZaKzFKw0FO8jNrhmqIxScGQzIvpbYeOyjBvEP2kx5_gSXlw98jVoUfoHhoeTIAF4NPajfX7DcD-l0jLAiNVUylFCGXCpKKU-4R62GwgNeJ_bTSmNsIoKbg_3fQAcmhPr5H7tRIkOSpRt-speyV9CJE/s320/IMG_0614.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Ring Ouzel</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">At slightly lower levels, but generally still above 1,500ft/450m, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 18.2px;"> Ring Ouzels</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"> </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">can often be seen in their upland and mountainside habitat, especially early in the day before human disturbance, though when compared to April and May they are now definitely harder to find, as most are no longer be singing or calling, and sightings are mainly restricted to adult birds collecting beakfuls of worms to take to their newly fledged youngsters.</span></p><div><br /></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">On farmland....</b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMkAetNJ05l0MeY2VoCm14LUVanrqTUGHuDdvkILrdD5tbyjSvN2qU_OOLbcE2HFmm5DG7yjhNWD1zW06c3wYj5GL-LMedSF4hctNtcbJsmju9lzmkWfIdQCzapvQlYFxpqU8rEFfz_E4ZR6ldUhAg28kT29iphivzF5lLvCC4-NNjylICPGGm/s2015/IMG_9171.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1119" data-original-width="2015" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMkAetNJ05l0MeY2VoCm14LUVanrqTUGHuDdvkILrdD5tbyjSvN2qU_OOLbcE2HFmm5DG7yjhNWD1zW06c3wYj5GL-LMedSF4hctNtcbJsmju9lzmkWfIdQCzapvQlYFxpqU8rEFfz_E4ZR6ldUhAg28kT29iphivzF5lLvCC4-NNjylICPGGm/w400-h223/IMG_9171.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Typical local farmland</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /><br /><br /><br /></b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKE4LCDZDYmsvM-Pu2mHwMTobWkUGU_TaVlFAZ3gfLQEdlp4tttBy9QboyWtNhOQrdQ-wWgnFjnjkycFgmjkbK1nZHLiheisdDi6uX6JhwYpijKg5_KKvvNZmMPvM8yHk_DYgzjZ5x5PPO1GPMZLe7MEig0Rcvpdt1F_ss_aN6gAVjgwfo9okG/s3842/DSCN6528.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2364" data-original-width="3842" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKE4LCDZDYmsvM-Pu2mHwMTobWkUGU_TaVlFAZ3gfLQEdlp4tttBy9QboyWtNhOQrdQ-wWgnFjnjkycFgmjkbK1nZHLiheisdDi6uX6JhwYpijKg5_KKvvNZmMPvM8yHk_DYgzjZ5x5PPO1GPMZLe7MEig0Rcvpdt1F_ss_aN6gAVjgwfo9okG/s320/DSCN6528.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Lapwing</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK8O450Q3igKU67HeAW6ZvVCL3hkZsdmwMqDthQOqs6rcUneTFRqpGTc9cyUBFHGbxUrmoi-_RAeRyDouqFFR6zfJti99xs6OWFzLixrRdSsGbrcDttpVDzZZyvLGgQiyCeJGQayEoHathRFxif59D-RZ2Kle724CnF7CWFG5tv2mZJq6JF_El/s4585/DSCN3879.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3110" data-original-width="4585" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK8O450Q3igKU67HeAW6ZvVCL3hkZsdmwMqDthQOqs6rcUneTFRqpGTc9cyUBFHGbxUrmoi-_RAeRyDouqFFR6zfJti99xs6OWFzLixrRdSsGbrcDttpVDzZZyvLGgQiyCeJGQayEoHathRFxif59D-RZ2Kle724CnF7CWFG5tv2mZJq6JF_El/s320/DSCN3879.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Oystercatcher</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Plenty of </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Oystercatcher</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> and </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Lapwing</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> families were seen, though </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Curlews</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> seem to be in smaller numbers than in previous years....</span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Other good/scarce birds seen/reported locally this month included:</b></p><p>A <b>Short-Eared Owl</b> near Newtonmore on the 1st, a singing <b>Quail </b>near Grantown On Spey on the 10th, and a <b>Hoopoe</b> near Aviemore on the 20th......</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 700;">A few photos of more common birds seen locally this month: </span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj16kVnZrvD4j_0ILIS93BZLimYqThRczgz9UeQ-lPdL0mdyKi-U-mu3AG5bcFRzxEkkRLi59o9mb1K2MfR227c2CO-K1T_uzIv9z36PyQW0vIHzxKLX_MT5HYEYZ0t-992SqTlqdcaMkPVaWezyP1z6sDZ2rEyeN3dskxeo8dX6b75mXAPhxbg/s4008/DSCN5959.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1970" data-original-width="4008" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj16kVnZrvD4j_0ILIS93BZLimYqThRczgz9UeQ-lPdL0mdyKi-U-mu3AG5bcFRzxEkkRLi59o9mb1K2MfR227c2CO-K1T_uzIv9z36PyQW0vIHzxKLX_MT5HYEYZ0t-992SqTlqdcaMkPVaWezyP1z6sDZ2rEyeN3dskxeo8dX6b75mXAPhxbg/w400-h196/DSCN5959.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Female Mallard with young</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiak_COA_NWVq44U4M8vSIaoV1Mie9oL-Wd36GYb9cLi5G-2H9itimFFPjKgDUxA8L_pD45os-dk3V4VsJ2EFCm9slRtMQEy27YabwIvtT58sfIclqS043pnPUWfbDA1QRTeWIRLJe2-piXTTKuSw6ukeKqjE5Yq7olM4_A8ZvPORq0IALcHJmf/s2881/DSCN5911.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1963" data-original-width="2881" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiak_COA_NWVq44U4M8vSIaoV1Mie9oL-Wd36GYb9cLi5G-2H9itimFFPjKgDUxA8L_pD45os-dk3V4VsJ2EFCm9slRtMQEy27YabwIvtT58sfIclqS043pnPUWfbDA1QRTeWIRLJe2-piXTTKuSw6ukeKqjE5Yq7olM4_A8ZvPORq0IALcHJmf/s320/DSCN5911.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Female Bullfinch</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB7bLecLOj_JvEkWIh3fpefnkp6MLxXopiRCoLDH6fLFxoICXQbKUVIllzgvxwEdH2SOhoFsXq7rlAVkm9TJbbVAi3dnaB2YdhIL1mVeFGCG05xSHySvGc_WGtJtViYAxPjtY3dstvtQGJQERhPariis8JyFefmiTRPPcrAjqbi1yHRTOcMoKE/s3170/DSCN5912.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1829" data-original-width="3170" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB7bLecLOj_JvEkWIh3fpefnkp6MLxXopiRCoLDH6fLFxoICXQbKUVIllzgvxwEdH2SOhoFsXq7rlAVkm9TJbbVAi3dnaB2YdhIL1mVeFGCG05xSHySvGc_WGtJtViYAxPjtY3dstvtQGJQERhPariis8JyFefmiTRPPcrAjqbi1yHRTOcMoKE/s320/DSCN5912.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Bullfinch</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggRwtL-VLofmNMTI5agyvEQReoq7Z0xpw-u82EuErjFRfG-bSwPLQHNLxD7ytnN7gRJDzsRYp32ICG1hEk7NsDaGGerJwd9zF0zq2ywWDTaQdraHHI_6MoqXXuKfdOadVujxDB2I3Sf3YNqUhcer0lAtZHuBG08J88f51vNV3VGRVhHSqk2Kj5/s3811/DSCN5916.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2690" data-original-width="3811" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggRwtL-VLofmNMTI5agyvEQReoq7Z0xpw-u82EuErjFRfG-bSwPLQHNLxD7ytnN7gRJDzsRYp32ICG1hEk7NsDaGGerJwd9zF0zq2ywWDTaQdraHHI_6MoqXXuKfdOadVujxDB2I3Sf3YNqUhcer0lAtZHuBG08J88f51vNV3VGRVhHSqk2Kj5/s320/DSCN5916.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Wren</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqQSXUpWuIfO3O7bf__qt7hpCylnaKjGMHprahpEK1gTNN17kO_HlCMTKoz-RGCysTdN9C42_DEBxnNVnuaRwZf3F5fluEBT0X8lRZbUQ9Rl2pmJsQDX3LBsIpDRTVDNtRZ4ZtWubwWfwfvMeuYDLHeWj10xt9Jl3lAsLDTHDjOvQAGLhT8V04/s4608/DSCN5932.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqQSXUpWuIfO3O7bf__qt7hpCylnaKjGMHprahpEK1gTNN17kO_HlCMTKoz-RGCysTdN9C42_DEBxnNVnuaRwZf3F5fluEBT0X8lRZbUQ9Rl2pmJsQDX3LBsIpDRTVDNtRZ4ZtWubwWfwfvMeuYDLHeWj10xt9Jl3lAsLDTHDjOvQAGLhT8V04/s320/DSCN5932.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Blackcap</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7pjLyZkiNqU-JpxsYlM2257kQzt_JB7KeZVIYGXj5bmgwMMkUz0yLNrhN4KlSfDJZmxwjyVz2faMqeLNrVEgnT-hcfFFCynEfe7wf5leH287SVefLP7LWuciu_EPimrHu3T-aT03YUgSbMrQpPP1VdjAlBc5H6vu-ytlLyCCcqyaz0rgYuOFB/s2108/DSCN5941.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1423" data-original-width="2108" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7pjLyZkiNqU-JpxsYlM2257kQzt_JB7KeZVIYGXj5bmgwMMkUz0yLNrhN4KlSfDJZmxwjyVz2faMqeLNrVEgnT-hcfFFCynEfe7wf5leH287SVefLP7LWuciu_EPimrHu3T-aT03YUgSbMrQpPP1VdjAlBc5H6vu-ytlLyCCcqyaz0rgYuOFB/s320/DSCN5941.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Reed Bunting</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUOMthVIhiv1dsJQzURICmFZbb6SqXhU1Khqx8qpk1sPSOfupN4C_7Ylf45sUdi0De-YzYyDZ2LskPL7K8WQKK9z4yAI7h_96YamPaeNb71cWxVnzeOGXl6gYfzkJbBo5ZT_sELZ-z2BgUKAmVuljPZe5MIKMqXOD4bkoD43GTLNToolkGDdja/s3370/DSCN5955.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1689" data-original-width="3370" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUOMthVIhiv1dsJQzURICmFZbb6SqXhU1Khqx8qpk1sPSOfupN4C_7Ylf45sUdi0De-YzYyDZ2LskPL7K8WQKK9z4yAI7h_96YamPaeNb71cWxVnzeOGXl6gYfzkJbBo5ZT_sELZ-z2BgUKAmVuljPZe5MIKMqXOD4bkoD43GTLNToolkGDdja/s320/DSCN5955.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Spotted Flycatcher</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihEErCZ2kYn1r5a-3KzgVA76mYbk9msytSsJL1cFfhy_bNKEuPCUjmSZtQtRavHPmmCosq4IId0GWJQ2VC0pidW6VcuG-XTQd5q9_YCjJFI4zdVHXiOL-kvc78jS945Vsc1jnBmxJBYHS8iVkK-_uHOKZBuStxBuKRmcsy_cWqolbewQMhKZu2/s4249/DSCN5961.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2664" data-original-width="4249" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihEErCZ2kYn1r5a-3KzgVA76mYbk9msytSsJL1cFfhy_bNKEuPCUjmSZtQtRavHPmmCosq4IId0GWJQ2VC0pidW6VcuG-XTQd5q9_YCjJFI4zdVHXiOL-kvc78jS945Vsc1jnBmxJBYHS8iVkK-_uHOKZBuStxBuKRmcsy_cWqolbewQMhKZu2/s320/DSCN5961.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Long-Tailed Tit</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj63qwzduU4GBLfCVX-ZwOIX7738wpYqsyu2RkpO-Mv5441blCtjJNGhZwGNsx1vUHPvgd07GLRrX0FTvoOLXDgMc8inFGc_m5uS5QZd2itNRnjfYMB9TiUJbCvlIx_NNeXpgIulJeMZfKFRRlsjR5YAtm-hoSZe1znIn6OyyKdedAdlEx8uTo7/s3693/DSCN5963.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2224" data-original-width="3693" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj63qwzduU4GBLfCVX-ZwOIX7738wpYqsyu2RkpO-Mv5441blCtjJNGhZwGNsx1vUHPvgd07GLRrX0FTvoOLXDgMc8inFGc_m5uS5QZd2itNRnjfYMB9TiUJbCvlIx_NNeXpgIulJeMZfKFRRlsjR5YAtm-hoSZe1znIn6OyyKdedAdlEx8uTo7/s320/DSCN5963.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Willow Warbler</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvG9q3qFCizITkkrM4R21iX-pLU9IeAAt4umCaC2Dsrd67nsWuPBzqJZvH_T9IaQxMXIgKq7c0X3MuJ8rOj-MX665P1iEolgzwFiOUG8rswEX7U8M1qMLR0nETj9EZOlumx6NTc5mDzGtpj_tzV_ciMkRgIGZmHlP6AMLABLTh7WYrICJ1gQ9n/s4608/Stepehn%20Plant%20St.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvG9q3qFCizITkkrM4R21iX-pLU9IeAAt4umCaC2Dsrd67nsWuPBzqJZvH_T9IaQxMXIgKq7c0X3MuJ8rOj-MX665P1iEolgzwFiOUG8rswEX7U8M1qMLR0nETj9EZOlumx6NTc5mDzGtpj_tzV_ciMkRgIGZmHlP6AMLABLTh7WYrICJ1gQ9n/s320/Stepehn%20Plant%20St.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Stonechat by Stephen Plant</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSzMSbEnBw5bIiUbbdnED-dGvp6CLgJRzvqixCMZGyCJaZ8-8VeapzN6ZA6iqMqV2xM3SaOvtcAAQYJW4NL4-Mh17u_agBnCSoA5_InJHhUbjKg0McMnBL9axZ2eJeQozwSFQ61Z3C7v334ljNljUDdvBgnWBxqVNkFspJGosG3IN6aPbG0l_l/s4608/Stephen%20Plant%20C%20S.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSzMSbEnBw5bIiUbbdnED-dGvp6CLgJRzvqixCMZGyCJaZ8-8VeapzN6ZA6iqMqV2xM3SaOvtcAAQYJW4NL4-Mh17u_agBnCSoA5_InJHhUbjKg0McMnBL9axZ2eJeQozwSFQ61Z3C7v334ljNljUDdvBgnWBxqVNkFspJGosG3IN6aPbG0l_l/s320/Stephen%20Plant%20C%20S.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Common Sandpiper by Stephen Plant</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgauN_QQXskn0IXppEVVNScQedwUCGLNqYzAlVtLaAUYX4meE0p5ryQtiJBkkmIJEItLUePJcYkUa_zexMQqn2uhzUsPba4F3Une85DyV6vO1a3xbiygGwY72ZYp4YM-voNh_Xzd9uz8zfTgmljeb9wfDyS6HrB098ZaRQd4lka9OzTzwVNkkS8/s4608/Stephen%20Plant%20G%20H.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgauN_QQXskn0IXppEVVNScQedwUCGLNqYzAlVtLaAUYX4meE0p5ryQtiJBkkmIJEItLUePJcYkUa_zexMQqn2uhzUsPba4F3Une85DyV6vO1a3xbiygGwY72ZYp4YM-voNh_Xzd9uz8zfTgmljeb9wfDyS6HrB098ZaRQd4lka9OzTzwVNkkS8/w400-h300/Stephen%20Plant%20G%20H.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Grey Heron by Stephen Plant</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicmBX-0Sjr3NybYWucU9fu9al4eUVb4yni0pcqSVPiGxAI-oHSZDz1VNSv6wIvkiGL7qgTf7uBMC4nqgQm5lpdyRnfAhcNoTkjelM8kW6osgUnNz1e8NJkebsIXLZyhXOVWMvD9KVPYL-093TujEeN1oftWLY9dGBu1HZ0T65YEM9UptTw1D_W/s4608/Stephen%20Plant%20WH.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicmBX-0Sjr3NybYWucU9fu9al4eUVb4yni0pcqSVPiGxAI-oHSZDz1VNSv6wIvkiGL7qgTf7uBMC4nqgQm5lpdyRnfAhcNoTkjelM8kW6osgUnNz1e8NJkebsIXLZyhXOVWMvD9KVPYL-093TujEeN1oftWLY9dGBu1HZ0T65YEM9UptTw1D_W/s320/Stephen%20Plant%20WH.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Wheatear by Stephen Plant</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9KBhLd6jdtch38bgtFi7WUANqFynctp1ZLbNJ7ESXX38eE92S-lNHx-XBfwON7ULC2kyXMVj4jb4_6xDP_UOT83BKANbx0A52PRhLMw_sJqUeAcF20h8fzdhU9u6N9iEjTz9VG1VmDACSEMSDZ2QkgsoEZbEV3Aiv24GmuDLj03F5DheBowMU/s4608/Stephen%20plant%20S%20T.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9KBhLd6jdtch38bgtFi7WUANqFynctp1ZLbNJ7ESXX38eE92S-lNHx-XBfwON7ULC2kyXMVj4jb4_6xDP_UOT83BKANbx0A52PRhLMw_sJqUeAcF20h8fzdhU9u6N9iEjTz9VG1VmDACSEMSDZ2QkgsoEZbEV3Aiv24GmuDLj03F5DheBowMU/s320/Stephen%20plant%20S%20T.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Song Thrush by Stephen Plant</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyy5Xa_jz738cQaPfxXMP_LjLUDhRsUVpzpFCLPxMwCV6Y5bIH1-79l6JSJK_9fn4DKgR5o3xKAB_oY6PA28SwMvf6hNngARuYUtrYmt30_2qsNSJZbijOxlKIm-cMBGYakTJzJ3gM52TElrhV4fmzlYOYNU80xQThWouU3efGXEa43AtcQvMF/s4608/Stephen%20plant%20R%20L%20P.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyy5Xa_jz738cQaPfxXMP_LjLUDhRsUVpzpFCLPxMwCV6Y5bIH1-79l6JSJK_9fn4DKgR5o3xKAB_oY6PA28SwMvf6hNngARuYUtrYmt30_2qsNSJZbijOxlKIm-cMBGYakTJzJ3gM52TElrhV4fmzlYOYNU80xQThWouU3efGXEa43AtcQvMF/s320/Stephen%20plant%20R%20L%20P.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red-Legged Partridge by Stephen Plant</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;">Adventures 'out of area':</span></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></p><p>Sadly, I wasn't able to manage any adventures out of area this month......</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">June 2023 mammal sightings in more detail:</b></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0zdb9PT3onsiaTF_s9xhLjG5KzMyprCdgz_i71f3hN9bMQwZ5fpEXSLIEcZHKSrFUH_YIyG7-4jhiZvgoRLZH_Hy7uYdqYw75ZfdSVoimHxNR-VifTBUalKoHmTmpN39ALkXLm9kgXJlymDQDsQbKygIsGCnwP7CGDOzSCf-UVoG8PWXDJtj0/s2644/IMG_7424%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2093" data-original-width="2644" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0zdb9PT3onsiaTF_s9xhLjG5KzMyprCdgz_i71f3hN9bMQwZ5fpEXSLIEcZHKSrFUH_YIyG7-4jhiZvgoRLZH_Hy7uYdqYw75ZfdSVoimHxNR-VifTBUalKoHmTmpN39ALkXLm9kgXJlymDQDsQbKygIsGCnwP7CGDOzSCf-UVoG8PWXDJtj0/s320/IMG_7424%20(2).jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Squirrel</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p><b> </b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq87VmL3zrmwwON-UG4DysZcPFARHtw46DAuEFWxvwZ2pkLTp2yfa5C4B4X0UbtoasIEGq3UIsW49nlXxSYM2LYx8rdzr-wprNlIQ1WtxUrBxJtNC8OgmoxToDd-d7O5GvXpW9Ya5Hbp9eafVexdf0_onGFU5nSthCpkAYguHkBebxHH9JCnqj/s3868/DSCN6035.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2917" data-original-width="3868" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq87VmL3zrmwwON-UG4DysZcPFARHtw46DAuEFWxvwZ2pkLTp2yfa5C4B4X0UbtoasIEGq3UIsW49nlXxSYM2LYx8rdzr-wprNlIQ1WtxUrBxJtNC8OgmoxToDd-d7O5GvXpW9Ya5Hbp9eafVexdf0_onGFU5nSthCpkAYguHkBebxHH9JCnqj/w400-h301/DSCN6035.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Squirrel</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Red Squirrels </b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">often feature on my safari clients 'wish-lists', not surprising I suppose as they are sadly largely absent from most of the UK now, and just happen to be very attractive, entertaining and endearing little animals that can usually (with a little patience) be relied upon to appear at forest feeding stations for a free meal, though we often get more 'natural' random sightings whilst on forest walks and drives too...</span></p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq1k5SjxcXiE536PUpnbEHgcEFbfHZ4IRNzKId6hXXBv03HHn7Xw6otBBEKHH21lINnOi9NATTTLvgE9v_eSC9gSwxa11k181dbGuqc0H691YmdaWjrKZ4gSR1ffF4QUwt3HieT-dM_XuV5l-KN2S-wsf4QlKONgaql3qLFmi-pqYxH5yxTgSF/s4553/DSCN5903.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2616" data-original-width="4553" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq1k5SjxcXiE536PUpnbEHgcEFbfHZ4IRNzKId6hXXBv03HHn7Xw6otBBEKHH21lINnOi9NATTTLvgE9v_eSC9gSwxa11k181dbGuqc0H691YmdaWjrKZ4gSR1ffF4QUwt3HieT-dM_XuV5l-KN2S-wsf4QlKONgaql3qLFmi-pqYxH5yxTgSF/w400-h230/DSCN5903.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Deer Stags</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6d8STXSkOvy3DoEEDv23mdvSJuC2Vvwdd3lzJA3_815L_tA2XL3mQj_sj_hujePCedzu2e7sMvguiPC9jhKw3l4epzdPgy6Fa6JzLh-djhn3lMgH0cUaNN7F-GyOv_1J_14OnIquTo2s9ghVewFAZOsXY9e58Hu-mVM6ZsrUMEP5cIaDw1Df6/s2570/DSCN0660%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1173" data-original-width="2570" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6d8STXSkOvy3DoEEDv23mdvSJuC2Vvwdd3lzJA3_815L_tA2XL3mQj_sj_hujePCedzu2e7sMvguiPC9jhKw3l4epzdPgy6Fa6JzLh-djhn3lMgH0cUaNN7F-GyOv_1J_14OnIquTo2s9ghVewFAZOsXY9e58Hu-mVM6ZsrUMEP5cIaDw1Df6/w400-h183/DSCN0660%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Deer hinds with a youngster - Photo from June 2019</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">My clients always love to </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">see</span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold;"> Red </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Deer</b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> too, with the iconic 'Monarch of the glen' stags being a sought-after sighting, and although they are not at their magnificent best as they are still growing new antlers at this time of year, they still proved popular, as did the large groups of hinds gathered in their favourite birthing areas, with the first new-born youngsters.... </span></p><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5p_HsMne8GQQv0X2R90fJhCd-ir5LrdMYIAjQcFrw2sXLGXbQKAHZQM8uPwyKL7cHGNjRAsNKIMHGy-zfsR4Pxq0gynziTpDtvKDDDhit3i1wHnmpTC9SXQqkcC8QHGHg5Z1yEOOVO87tmWOCVNKhaXgJqnsatZp5s8sfkN27ioxpZb2mnidI/s4288/DSCN5945.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1631" data-original-width="4288" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5p_HsMne8GQQv0X2R90fJhCd-ir5LrdMYIAjQcFrw2sXLGXbQKAHZQM8uPwyKL7cHGNjRAsNKIMHGy-zfsR4Pxq0gynziTpDtvKDDDhit3i1wHnmpTC9SXQqkcC8QHGHg5Z1yEOOVO87tmWOCVNKhaXgJqnsatZp5s8sfkN27ioxpZb2mnidI/w400-h153/DSCN5945.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Feral Mountain Goats</b></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Feral Mountain Goats</b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> are rare across much of the UK, being a living remnant from the crofting age, and largely confined to remote upland areas, but we managed to see them on several times this month, with this year's young now almost as big as their parents..</span></span></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo4jQe5UkaG16X5GPTFWncflGaDEiRclJPTcbuf3wa_FXgsx-a1O1YF-oEh2AS-txZcrJnfPypIjmSjuoMlTElqcJogsssLN3yA8_DBUyqq_JcinPrgeefbf0lnVLboBX9F-zDug00N91LWyLk46MgzcvN3O8-IxAsIFTy635-5KvPVmk2oRyD/s3655/DSCN0566.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2395" data-original-width="3655" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo4jQe5UkaG16X5GPTFWncflGaDEiRclJPTcbuf3wa_FXgsx-a1O1YF-oEh2AS-txZcrJnfPypIjmSjuoMlTElqcJogsssLN3yA8_DBUyqq_JcinPrgeefbf0lnVLboBX9F-zDug00N91LWyLk46MgzcvN3O8-IxAsIFTy635-5KvPVmk2oRyD/w400-h263/DSCN0566.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Roe Deer - Photo from June 2019</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Roe Deer</b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> are actually reasonably common across much of the UK, but their nervous, wary, crepuscular nature, means that they are rarely seen well, unless you are out and about early or late in the day....</span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizfqqUEOg291rVfrHpB2bWNykcb59LhDCzOdz5Khxq4HxUfdtOliThWOCCvJZlj2etnL_ZwqNc9CYWrGBI_hskMy4gwBypMamtTb-7Hd_0QR5TP2ILbOJ6A-bjw5mO7K4QnixyH-hQaa7lAFfPzBk3Vx4b8dclxSgglBzQU9oO8ziIDJga45Mg/s3090/DSCN5960.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2110" data-original-width="3090" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizfqqUEOg291rVfrHpB2bWNykcb59LhDCzOdz5Khxq4HxUfdtOliThWOCCvJZlj2etnL_ZwqNc9CYWrGBI_hskMy4gwBypMamtTb-7Hd_0QR5TP2ILbOJ6A-bjw5mO7K4QnixyH-hQaa7lAFfPzBk3Vx4b8dclxSgglBzQU9oO8ziIDJga45Mg/s320/DSCN5960.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Brown Hare</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Brown Hare</b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> sightings were a little less frequent this month, probably because we were not out and about quite as early as in April and May, but we still managed a few decent views in quieter locations...</span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOcdR3Zy5pB9Z5qsQurKHSZfil5oy_VKdSIfBoIx-AO1mWloJvRIWGKWmn96QiuDtQ6BcwpeAJUL24yu-kHmhIrq2BANnyNnZ48B42dm1TeV1ash-pIs9HObCwy5znGQGj6WooqlKbf2Na5fIZKfF5NjachxDWL04zPuEzm7X5y43mXi8uAuWa/s3882/DSCN5906.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3136" data-original-width="3882" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOcdR3Zy5pB9Z5qsQurKHSZfil5oy_VKdSIfBoIx-AO1mWloJvRIWGKWmn96QiuDtQ6BcwpeAJUL24yu-kHmhIrq2BANnyNnZ48B42dm1TeV1ash-pIs9HObCwy5znGQGj6WooqlKbf2Na5fIZKfF5NjachxDWL04zPuEzm7X5y43mXi8uAuWa/s320/DSCN5906.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Mountain Hare</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Mountain Hare</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> sightings too, were largely restricted to early mornings, and it doesn't help that their mottled blue-grey, brown and white coats provide great camouflage against the lichen-covered rocks in their upland habitat..</span></p><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglB0EaAHL6jFX7s8WYWet0FkdWrfyrFiMeXi7zFNOJrpylPmZl338imGnGKON7rTX9yYi2jd_KTYLyEHctdJGzEKGrqEtwFesZHkOhrS-KkbQB-VpS5Z5UlGk17v_ITaOs_dQ2k_uSn-TGI2Hpmv67E3YgOliHeN6Fo96GZF00sAvEohFjIsf-/s1907/IMG_1421.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1442" data-original-width="1907" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglB0EaAHL6jFX7s8WYWet0FkdWrfyrFiMeXi7zFNOJrpylPmZl338imGnGKON7rTX9yYi2jd_KTYLyEHctdJGzEKGrqEtwFesZHkOhrS-KkbQB-VpS5Z5UlGk17v_ITaOs_dQ2k_uSn-TGI2Hpmv67E3YgOliHeN6Fo96GZF00sAvEohFjIsf-/w400-h303/IMG_1421.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Carrot time for Murdo means smiles all round...</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Hairy Highland Coo's</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"> always prove to be popular with my safari clients, especially those who do not have them close to home, so don't be afraid to ask me if you fancy going to see them, and maybe even get to feed and 'pat' them, as I have a couple of great sites....</span></b></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><p><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Rare/nocturnal mammals:</b></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">I get a few enquiries about the possibility of seeing </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Badgers</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> and </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Pine Marten</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> from my safari clients, many of whom I suspect are unaware that they are actually a largely nocturnal creature, and although we do get the occasional (maybe one or two a year) dawn glimpse of one, you would definitely have a much higher chance of seeing them at a specific dusk Badger/Pine Marten watching hide - Please contact me for more information.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Similarly, our inland </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Otters</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> too are mainly active during the hours of darkness, and again, although we do get a few early-morning sightings on local lochs and rivers each year, looking for them feeding in a suitably quiet, kelp - filled bay on the coast on a rising tide, but at any time of day, would give you a much better chance.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: quot; line-height: 1.4;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: quot; line-height: 1.4;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Whilst we are still on the 'tricky to see stuff', the <b>Scottish Wildcat </b>too, as well as being incredibly rare now, is also generally nocturnal, and the fact that I have had a mere handful of (dawn or dusk) sightings in 17 years of providing wildlife safaris should give you an idea of how difficult they are to see.</span></p></span></div><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Other wildlife:</b></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJiFUnxmxzLljqlPEDYjrPGmid0ngZ4qLDlLbEuPuTJdUTJwJqxoA8zC0Mqy6hX3XDhMQHIiwpsNUxP7xZXk-zsrLDYMntHuhIK4EGjsChvhHM76W-F04_B4Jogq00ug1gFWUwU1gUviQDnYuFkodF74NrIX2teI0fphJCDY_pdN8bM9TIlYkM/s2497/DSCN8948.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1752" data-original-width="2497" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJiFUnxmxzLljqlPEDYjrPGmid0ngZ4qLDlLbEuPuTJdUTJwJqxoA8zC0Mqy6hX3XDhMQHIiwpsNUxP7xZXk-zsrLDYMntHuhIK4EGjsChvhHM76W-F04_B4Jogq00ug1gFWUwU1gUviQDnYuFkodF74NrIX2teI0fphJCDY_pdN8bM9TIlYkM/s320/DSCN8948.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Small Pearl-Bordered Fritillary</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDrWRnX2r_On3tY2htA8-FojITIRSiCQrq4i5qaYDVX7po1Q3KysFy4fbYXdJEP2doijN9XfuAmuBfxQZl05smsB_kMu86CoeKCuU7DkkFKG5BoHBQlZS0gFG-41OnWXf7GbwTNOkfJC6l_6N8LQukObYaaHUXALG_J9XnfTq3jzGsDUOrwnIx/s1340/DSCN1963.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1055" data-original-width="1340" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDrWRnX2r_On3tY2htA8-FojITIRSiCQrq4i5qaYDVX7po1Q3KysFy4fbYXdJEP2doijN9XfuAmuBfxQZl05smsB_kMu86CoeKCuU7DkkFKG5BoHBQlZS0gFG-41OnWXf7GbwTNOkfJC6l_6N8LQukObYaaHUXALG_J9XnfTq3jzGsDUOrwnIx/s320/DSCN1963.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Small White</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDOi6APOWcimIzzCEBZsCoBjHJRAGYzO1zjKNsLhYdmTvx4S4AZXaxhmBmQksqKN9UtqWV1vXGn0QRLGntIpyEw86rG4ErT9QFcoP4W1TwheGguoND4gymHuDt6C4b-0BubQPx-tj6otjK6RHPvfoTAdTyuINx7f9LKp9F9vRnFs6EH4ZoUUhq/s2100/DSCN1961.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1950" data-original-width="2100" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDOi6APOWcimIzzCEBZsCoBjHJRAGYzO1zjKNsLhYdmTvx4S4AZXaxhmBmQksqKN9UtqWV1vXGn0QRLGntIpyEw86rG4ErT9QFcoP4W1TwheGguoND4gymHuDt6C4b-0BubQPx-tj6otjK6RHPvfoTAdTyuINx7f9LKp9F9vRnFs6EH4ZoUUhq/w320-h297/DSCN1961.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Admiral</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip3b8UuJmYLnatZ8Y-Iv4owE5OTa9l4zI0sc__MItqwW6yQY2nlaxtx2Kr4ma4DGFGD2lPKKMO-0GwspftO4sg0DM-vs3QHRn8MH9v5m14fePtn45lkxBm8CaKdQjorM0e53_gju66EPk9Zq9E-Pd9F3MjA41LLDsD8lL6fjgtawxsI1zlereP/s1445/IMG_7137.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="921" data-original-width="1445" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip3b8UuJmYLnatZ8Y-Iv4owE5OTa9l4zI0sc__MItqwW6yQY2nlaxtx2Kr4ma4DGFGD2lPKKMO-0GwspftO4sg0DM-vs3QHRn8MH9v5m14fePtn45lkxBm8CaKdQjorM0e53_gju66EPk9Zq9E-Pd9F3MjA41LLDsD8lL6fjgtawxsI1zlereP/w400-h255/IMG_7137.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Thistle</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghiXigbpiBTGrBp5qd87Tmbnki39GVPz8AcXtjEoNP8fSIgejT43Aae5gWf_whPAUf7Wi2dr19gBmBq-syP3B2slWHWsvHg_Pgbs5qCre1n8EKoPxiXGvMr5qEP66w2XUqoagAdx-Z6kuw8kOKR96JLqP69L4RBh1nCPQWq1E9rYAEZX6UqEM-/s2497/DSCN2027.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1535" data-original-width="2497" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghiXigbpiBTGrBp5qd87Tmbnki39GVPz8AcXtjEoNP8fSIgejT43Aae5gWf_whPAUf7Wi2dr19gBmBq-syP3B2slWHWsvHg_Pgbs5qCre1n8EKoPxiXGvMr5qEP66w2XUqoagAdx-Z6kuw8kOKR96JLqP69L4RBh1nCPQWq1E9rYAEZX6UqEM-/s320/DSCN2027.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Giant Poppies</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjJ_j6i6UlYQrMZizUsJQTZesiWhfvdBIGYrmbZcMqPf1HP1LiTTQ3wU_rF8ppd_hytMQnvkLZ-am81jIY7TuCg_UfLEvLyjyKHDMXCgHMDG2QK-_Z27eG4ipuX4lRYotkXEJvEUVuHS53o_JxB0eB0FLDqhXuyAV9NXnmV-0mizjdl64-wUsNE" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="260" data-original-width="320" height="325" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjJ_j6i6UlYQrMZizUsJQTZesiWhfvdBIGYrmbZcMqPf1HP1LiTTQ3wU_rF8ppd_hytMQnvkLZ-am81jIY7TuCg_UfLEvLyjyKHDMXCgHMDG2QK-_Z27eG4ipuX4lRYotkXEJvEUVuHS53o_JxB0eB0FLDqhXuyAV9NXnmV-0mizjdl64-wUsNE=w400-h325" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Common Spotted Orchid</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinnwezVQLxzyKW5VCwhHzSL-d4ZpsTyhX5XOlk_udgqK_vNEvmjLIKLEz597b0aNsdQwuh32nGUb2jH4SYIQUXGCIWyKD6d7pZt4hJHQOgzRpdQ4ALFjrF-a2VDnPoLvYqYWtEajG57qtKHi1VzKSCxRjbVqV3HJkreM-VcD1PTKiXHgUdmEPF/s4608/DSCN6010.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinnwezVQLxzyKW5VCwhHzSL-d4ZpsTyhX5XOlk_udgqK_vNEvmjLIKLEz597b0aNsdQwuh32nGUb2jH4SYIQUXGCIWyKD6d7pZt4hJHQOgzRpdQ4ALFjrF-a2VDnPoLvYqYWtEajG57qtKHi1VzKSCxRjbVqV3HJkreM-VcD1PTKiXHgUdmEPF/w400-h300/DSCN6010.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Wood Ant nest</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;">Midsummer is peak time for butterflies and wild flowers in this area, and a typical June, given some sunny and calm days, usually sees us enjoying sightings of </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;"> Red Admiral</b><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;">,</span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;"> Peacock</b><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;">. </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;">Pearl-Bordered Fritillary</b><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;">, </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;">Small Copper</b><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;">, </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;">Common Blue </b><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;">and </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;">Orange Tip </b><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;">among others, ...and a splendid range of wild flowers including several types of </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;">Orchids</b><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;">....and our local <b>Wood Ant</b>s are now very active....</span></p><p><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPYS-4l2XFz2Omir2Jk7idKSkEXn3nKyi8feqJN8lqPZCQ1IXwBzbwclYEglkbU1UFmK6aV_b4q7YDxiCld4PDmEov6T-OiPBDf_zvI-SXG59SKP5-7qC4HnmAupu-McmbFXGqOO_1Puh_T8wv_N42HVtkPKRXNehrhdJaUUMXCX2u6cIk83CR/s960/M%20Holland%20Salmon.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPYS-4l2XFz2Omir2Jk7idKSkEXn3nKyi8feqJN8lqPZCQ1IXwBzbwclYEglkbU1UFmK6aV_b4q7YDxiCld4PDmEov6T-OiPBDf_zvI-SXG59SKP5-7qC4HnmAupu-McmbFXGqOO_1Puh_T8wv_N42HVtkPKRXNehrhdJaUUMXCX2u6cIk83CR/w400-h320/M%20Holland%20Salmon.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Leaping Atlantic Salmon - Photo by Margaret Holland from June 2016</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Midsummer is also a good time to witness leaping </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Atlantic Salmon</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> making their way up to the spawning grounds in the upper reaches of Highland rivers. They can usually be seen well at a number of well known sites, though with the rivers well below 'normal' levels this year, they may be stuck in deeper stretches further downstream for a while yet.... </span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">News:</b></span></p><p><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">All tourism/hospitality/activities in Scotland are open , are free of restrictions and I have now completed well over a year and a half of (thankfully!) increasingly busy and extremely enjoyable safaris with clients with no major issues arising.</span></p><p><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">With all national travel restrictions lifted too, Scotland is officially 'open for business' for visitors from all over the UK, and from abroad.</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">For those considering a visit, these wildlife/outdoor tourism websites may prove useful:</span></p><p><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">June - September is midge season - But thankfully, this area is not usually affected too badly - This link explains why: </span></p><p><a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-65939262" style="font-size: 13px;">Bumper midge hatch alert after warm spell - BBC News</a></p><p><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b>https://www.gov.scot/collections/coronavirus-covid</b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p><a href="https://www.outdooraccess-scotland.scot/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">NatureScot (outdooraccess-scotland.scot)</a></p><p><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xGdTZcC2ZQ" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-line: none;">Can Nature Help Health? | Nature Prescriptions - YouTube</a></b></p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1HBKnnGr-g" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;">Scotland, Yours to Enjoy. Responsibly. - YouTube</a></p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://cairngorms.co.uk/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">Cairngorms National Park Authority</a></p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://www.highlandwildlifepark.org.uk/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">Highland Wildlife Park</a></p><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.gov.scot/publications/avian-influenza-outbreaks/" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;">Avian influenza (bird flu) outbreaks - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)</a></div><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://www.rspb.org.uk/about-the-rspb/about-us/how-the-rspb-is-run/annualreport/annual-report-2022_scotland-news/?utm_source=notes_on_nature_20220903&utm_medium=email&utm_term=notes_on_nature&utm_content=27&utm_campaign=notes_on_nature" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;">Positive prescriptions | The RSPB</a></p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQOZHLAMZloCDM91u8Ai-yA-ZGflOwqg4CDvYR5i4eiFvL1UKNnnuZjPQBS_VOUtzIMMdKdmDsUGNF7KmIiJQp8IwrL4m2v_44OU5JV4RHLU8tGU3fC_BGM-KfJowyU5feiRrE9o7ZmNBUcXe9SqeVWJPVmpKLzaKpXt5zrsfXctO0oOL5zW17/s2016/IMG_1488.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1274" data-original-width="2016" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQOZHLAMZloCDM91u8Ai-yA-ZGflOwqg4CDvYR5i4eiFvL1UKNnnuZjPQBS_VOUtzIMMdKdmDsUGNF7KmIiJQp8IwrL4m2v_44OU5JV4RHLU8tGU3fC_BGM-KfJowyU5feiRrE9o7ZmNBUcXe9SqeVWJPVmpKLzaKpXt5zrsfXctO0oOL5zW17/w400-h253/IMG_1488.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Purple heather on a local moorland</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>COVID-19</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">The Scottish Highlands, being very sparsely populated, has had very few COVID-19 cases in comparison to most of the UK, and on my safaris we tend to visit remote , wild habitats well away from the more popular tourist areas, and usually have very little interaction with other people, and this is something that I intend to continue.</b></p><div><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><br /></b></div><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxwQh5ng6xJnhkd7XvekXDGz3xP2RaP00yzwWrBt_1QzKcIbbDnq6vLeM4af6_krKqJLQQ6GwS6gufRxbP1NKU_Q9zO1n_2tEcoPyvlMHlk9S4P9QRRs7D7yLej-bw9KvhG97jpv8pvJVj6afqZToJzNuGm0lgfGRMp4Bvy9FhhyerZDoSvWeo/s2016/IMG_1447.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1031" data-original-width="2016" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxwQh5ng6xJnhkd7XvekXDGz3xP2RaP00yzwWrBt_1QzKcIbbDnq6vLeM4af6_krKqJLQQ6GwS6gufRxbP1NKU_Q9zO1n_2tEcoPyvlMHlk9S4P9QRRs7D7yLej-bw9KvhG97jpv8pvJVj6afqZToJzNuGm0lgfGRMp4Bvy9FhhyerZDoSvWeo/w400-h205/IMG_1447.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Glenmore Forest and Loch Morlich viewed from Cairngorm Mountain</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Summary:</b></p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;">Looking back through my photos whilst compiling this blog report, although it never quite hits the 'highs' of May, I think it is fair to say that June 2023 was definitely another excellent month of wildlife watching, with a splendid variety of wildlife seen, and mostly in good weather. </span></b></b><b><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;">It was certainly great to see the much-needed breeding success of some of our rarer bird species , to utter a few "ahhhs" at the cute fledglings of so many more common birds, and enjoy the feelgood factor of just spending time out and about enjoying the long summer days in the beautiful Cairngorms National Park among all the lovely wild flowers and spectacular scenery.... but... the real highlight for me , as always, was sharing it with other like-minded people from all round the world, seeing their smiles and hearing the occasional sharp intake of breath, or "wow" as they saw something special.....</span></b></b></p><div><b><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></b></div><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Reviews:</b></span></p><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span face="" style="color: #06004c;">I know a lot of visitors to this area very wisely check out reviews of attractions/experiences at </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">TripAdvisor</b><span face="" style="color: #06004c;"> before 'taking the plunge' and booking - We now have nearly 300 reviews online, so if you wish, you can check out our clients comments at the link below....</span></div><p><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><div style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"></span></span><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;" /><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g186537-d3335134-Reviews-</span></span></span></span></span></div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"></span></span><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;" /><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Highland_Wildlife_Birdwatch_Safaris-Aviemore_Aviemore_and_the_Cairngorms_Scottish.html</span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div></div></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjppHJMNoP8XfnlWvD4hhs2X3CE8q_mPt2f8Ih2H9A2_HLT3eaIN5Gu1qNkCVU-XhWIg5cee5tHOFJsWrvN162brtsxJFLSDTQ77pbHeAVt6QLZ3HiP-EdNnF9PkjkoctYJ_snY2BhmrXtVsM4s7bzig2jdbmTSgUHJy9WhU7XJS4WLrmV_A-Di/s3444/Sutherland.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1051" data-original-width="3444" height="122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjppHJMNoP8XfnlWvD4hhs2X3CE8q_mPt2f8Ih2H9A2_HLT3eaIN5Gu1qNkCVU-XhWIg5cee5tHOFJsWrvN162brtsxJFLSDTQ77pbHeAVt6QLZ3HiP-EdNnF9PkjkoctYJ_snY2BhmrXtVsM4s7bzig2jdbmTSgUHJy9WhU7XJS4WLrmV_A-Di/w400-h122/Sutherland.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A panoramic shot of typical Highland scenery</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><p><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><b>G</b></span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">ift Certificates:</b></p><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><div style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; color: #222222; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 5px; position: relative;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T95gARK_lkQ/XAvNUI2tI6I/AAAAAAAADwU/GDPgK9hH9LwgLQ8gPnoaLdf04Yn2BLebwCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_1578.JPG" style="background: none 0% 0% / auto repeat scroll padding-box border-box transparent; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 5px;" width="400" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 10.56px; text-align: center;"><b>Safari gift voucher</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></span></span></div></div></div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><br /></div><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span face="" style="color: #06004c; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;">If you think you know someone who may enjoy a taste of what I do, why not treat them to a safari gift </span><span face="" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;">certificate? They make a thoughtful and imaginative present, are available for any amount and are valid for a whole year from date of purchase........</span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span face="" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div></span></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Highland Wildlife & Birdwatch Safarishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04327130550058794301noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26724394.post-65512731296172369292023-05-31T20:48:00.005+01:002023-05-31T20:48:28.721+01:00<div class="separator"><br /></div><div class="separator"><br /></div><p><b>May 2023</b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p>May 2023 saw us enjoy some very decent spring, and occasionally summery weather in the Cairngorms National Park. Overall, it was a generally calm, mainly dry month, with plenty of sunshine and no extreme conditions experienced, which was a bit of a relief, as it is always the best, and my busiest month for safaris....</p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 15.972px;">With around 18 hours of usable daylight, and all of our summer visiting birds arrived by mid-month, our local full-day bird species day-lists climbed ever higher, with 50+ species a regular occurrence, and the early starts - when animals are more active - (now 4am or earlier) for the Black Grouse 'leks', also helped us to see up to 7 different mammals in a day too!!</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 15.972px;"><br style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;" /></span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;">With the 'dawn chorus' still in full swing, the wild flowers in full bloom, and butterflies, bees and other insects on the wing, a day out in the wilds, visiting a huge variety of habitats, in May in this area really could honestly be described as a 'whirlwind of wildlife'</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 15.972px;"><br style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;" /></span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;">A few day-trips further afield to various favourite places, including Handa Island, and the Moray Coast, gave me my annual 'fix' of seabirds , including <b>Terns</b>, <b>Skuas,</b> <b>sea ducks</b> and <b>Auks</b> including <b>Puffins</b>, and some decent raptor and sea mammal sightings.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTz3snMkGY7uWGf-U60l8LU9M75n2aqUZsXurVCMLwa-JrLftQ1yPaQdwAJtJj8EBA3uJxnnzNA_P5VR6MzvGBORGGnZ-WKBhHEfks6xl1n8dbn-fY94Q-sZRq-OeVGv6kvNGx0CbvKPmDJBUkuJdviXkIUFmH-9wih-8CwzrWq4vaQ3ufyw/s1970/IMG_1283.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1379" data-original-width="1970" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTz3snMkGY7uWGf-U60l8LU9M75n2aqUZsXurVCMLwa-JrLftQ1yPaQdwAJtJj8EBA3uJxnnzNA_P5VR6MzvGBORGGnZ-WKBhHEfks6xl1n8dbn-fY94Q-sZRq-OeVGv6kvNGx0CbvKPmDJBUkuJdviXkIUFmH-9wih-8CwzrWq4vaQ3ufyw/w400-h280/IMG_1283.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Sunrise at a picturesque local loch</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">To give you an idea of what you may realistically hope to see if you are considering a future May visit, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">I hope the following more detailed information, illustrated with photos taken at sites in and around the Cairngorms National Park by myself, my friends or my safari clients this month and in previous May's will help....clicking on the picture enlarges it to full-screen. </span></p><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Local speciality/upland bird species seen regularly during the month included</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">:</span></p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><b>Black Grouse </b>(at or soon after dawn only), </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Red Grouse</b><b style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">, Osprey, Ring Ouzel</b><b style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">, Slavonian Grebe</b><b style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">, Red-Throated</b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Diver</b><b style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">, Black-Throated Diver</b><b style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">, Goldeneye</b><b style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">and</span><b style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> Dipper, </b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">with a chance of </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Wood Warbler </b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">and </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Pied Flycatcher.</b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">..</span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;"></span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;">We also had a couple of half-</span></span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">decent local sightings of</span><b style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> Golden Eagle </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">and</span><b style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> White-Tailed Eagle - </b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">usually sub-adult birds</span><b style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">though, as is normal for this time of year, they are definitely getting harder to see...</span><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-size: 15.972px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-size: 17.5692px; line-height: 1.4;"></span></span></span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><div class="separator" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); clear: both; color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: center;"></div><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-size: 15.972px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-size: 17.5692px; line-height: 1.4;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;">It should be noted that, due <span style="font-weight: bold;">to </span>their very secretive and almost silent nature at nesting time<span style="font-weight: bold;"> ,</span><b> Crested Tits</b><b> </b>continue to be extremely difficult to see during their breeding season (April-May), and we usually struggle to see them until they fledge their young late in the month....and <b>Crossbill</b> sightings, are usually largely restricted to brief fly-over glimpses...</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;"></span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"></span></span></span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-size: 15.972px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></span></span></span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-size: 15.972px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;">With the snow largely restricted to the mountain tops by May, that's where you have to go to have a chance of seeing <b>Snow Bunting</b>, <b>Ptarmigan</b> (and from mid-month) <b>Dotterel</b>....please be aware that this would usually take a good part of a day, and a lot of strenuous hill walking to achieve, and would need to be a separate adventure from a 'normal' safari excursion.....</span></span></span></span><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-size: 15.972px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></span></span></span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-size: 15.972px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Summer migrant birds continued to flood in throughout the month, with <b>Common Swift,</b> <b>Spotted Flycatcher, Pied Flycatcher , Wood Warbler, Common Whitethroat</b>, <b>Sedge </b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><b>Warbler,</b> and<b> Whinchat,</b> joining <b>Wheatear</b>, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;">Common Sandpiper</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;">Sand Martin</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;">House Martin</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;">Swallow</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;">Willow Warbler</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;">Chiffchaff</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;">Blackcap</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">, <b>Redstart</b>, and<b> Tree Pipit,</b> to name just a few....</span></p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Mammal species seen regularly included:</b></p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Rabbit, Brown Hare (mainly very early in the day) , </b><b>Red Squirrel, Red Deer, Roe Deer, Reindeer, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>and</b> </span><b>feral Mountain Goat, with just a couple of views of </b><b>Mountain Hare </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">(now a mottled blue-grey), </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">and we also had one sighting of</span><b> Sika Deer, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">and one brief glimpse each of <b>Stoat</b> and</span><b> </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Bank Vole</b></span><b>....</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">Whilst trips to the coas</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">t usually provided both types of</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> </span><b>Seal.</b></p><div><b><br /></b></div><p><br /></p><p><b>All photographs of wildlife, especially Schedule 1 and other protected species were taken at long range with powerful zoom lenses, well away from nest sites, and no disturbance was caused to any wildlife....</b></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">May 2023 bird sightings in more detail:</b></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">On the lochs...</b></b></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDNSP19W3ywwoljcjMcnCpVP2tsgwyurPjm9hh2pr2F9M55iDphysW8sBnfhlOcB2h9O5qnUbikd-nuLLfugHwf3G3yWZET0RA0vBsk3fcm3WkmAFSiApotwIxesvokfhB6_-lWZMMNMaI47Q7_XefcJhVAXQDD7peykBBpFDc0k3J7e0_nw/s1835/IMG_9050.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="896" data-original-width="1835" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDNSP19W3ywwoljcjMcnCpVP2tsgwyurPjm9hh2pr2F9M55iDphysW8sBnfhlOcB2h9O5qnUbikd-nuLLfugHwf3G3yWZET0RA0vBsk3fcm3WkmAFSiApotwIxesvokfhB6_-lWZMMNMaI47Q7_XefcJhVAXQDD7peykBBpFDc0k3J7e0_nw/w400-h195/IMG_9050.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A picturesque local loch</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbVN-MdjYc1LSVg4CF2MUsBc6GWHJlzrKA4ndiQKaprO9N-rX4cpuwwq_P07IUSazO2-kFPgFL3asoPs8rRn5Ut-1VoDcVwnIqOqzNlhhf4xGkg6WSWH1-y-VS-aBNokGrnbKCbB1og7YNgT8ItiLWh2WaPmS4FC-NzhYL4sxvB_PsEzzIaQ/s3967/DSCN5534.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2940" data-original-width="3967" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbVN-MdjYc1LSVg4CF2MUsBc6GWHJlzrKA4ndiQKaprO9N-rX4cpuwwq_P07IUSazO2-kFPgFL3asoPs8rRn5Ut-1VoDcVwnIqOqzNlhhf4xGkg6WSWH1-y-VS-aBNokGrnbKCbB1og7YNgT8ItiLWh2WaPmS4FC-NzhYL4sxvB_PsEzzIaQ/w400-h296/DSCN5534.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A local pair of Ospreys</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJLP0OIE_QQxJCi1lrfI8sbcEHfGOqCywaqwGXdROKaiZ-blY2kYCCHJ2LXxQpWwR56AT9XsCLfbQEDTcQ1bvanTdd7G8QU3O1onjwtmAjA-Ad273kblFwv9teYpZQcVV-wvo2xQkIz42mNeyiATPxN79JBwhqwvX8p_7ZIjRt7977jx87vQ/s3026/DSCN5306.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1931" data-original-width="3026" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJLP0OIE_QQxJCi1lrfI8sbcEHfGOqCywaqwGXdROKaiZ-blY2kYCCHJ2LXxQpWwR56AT9XsCLfbQEDTcQ1bvanTdd7G8QU3O1onjwtmAjA-Ad273kblFwv9teYpZQcVV-wvo2xQkIz42mNeyiATPxN79JBwhqwvX8p_7ZIjRt7977jx87vQ/w400-h255/DSCN5306.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Osprey with a fish</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgIOoxpcWUnFvxnznZSlogv1tPZx-6Lnyd-AQ8hv2uKfw1P_mFENKwOmJHVbsmMFgUBrHMjPAudfDZH22xRfabwSa9-vx-NL4r4cPOSILd5E2YYn43qespHi0YrR5juUzW2e_KrnKedWFJ06oe2Fi7bFRM11TFMfS86FOOaQeWzNocQbZTRg/s3609/Ron%20Mitchell%205.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2403" data-original-width="3609" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgIOoxpcWUnFvxnznZSlogv1tPZx-6Lnyd-AQ8hv2uKfw1P_mFENKwOmJHVbsmMFgUBrHMjPAudfDZH22xRfabwSa9-vx-NL4r4cPOSILd5E2YYn43qespHi0YrR5juUzW2e_KrnKedWFJ06oe2Fi7bFRM11TFMfS86FOOaQeWzNocQbZTRg/w400-h266/Ron%20Mitchell%205.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Osprey making a fish delivery by Ron Mitchell</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;">Our local </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="line-height: 18.2px;">Ospreys</span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="line-height: 18.2px;"> </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;">continued to entertain and excite my safari clients, often being voted as 'Bird of the day', though it should be noted that, with the female birds spending much of the month deep in their nests incubating eggs with just their heads visible, and later in the month, brooding young, sightings could be a bit frustrating, as we needed a bit of luck to coincide our visit with the male birds being 'at home' or delivering a fish or more nest-building materials.....though we did also see birds fishing local lochs and rivers on a few occasions, and sometimes we even witness a successful 'plunge-dive'!! always a treat....</span></b></b></b></p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMOUDHx-K37uCTVQzzKYT-XcSu-5VpbE6Xv751OqxQ7vYccJrnlYerMaLv1dQ0GOi_zV0Z2l6P8ZPGTdBth_XQh1kO2MIESEdFRBM3tBlu8gWStWRcsdCMqj6Si1WrU39z3GKzn0DVOenfjOcQnX1b7bEbsantrHawBBOpSeGBEWw43dveUg/s3616/DSCN5526.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2114" data-original-width="3616" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMOUDHx-K37uCTVQzzKYT-XcSu-5VpbE6Xv751OqxQ7vYccJrnlYerMaLv1dQ0GOi_zV0Z2l6P8ZPGTdBth_XQh1kO2MIESEdFRBM3tBlu8gWStWRcsdCMqj6Si1WrU39z3GKzn0DVOenfjOcQnX1b7bEbsantrHawBBOpSeGBEWw43dveUg/w400-h234/DSCN5526.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Slavonian (Horned) Grebe</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZX9FoDKq3UV0vgY4Ga6wkfm119kXimaQ6y8MpbSgYChTFWlcHpO_D_t-RfAX8GMFmNjgyDPd6RKcm1rdcG1CPho8qEicVroiwDqUCiavQg4zT4KIBhsfksgB09sps5zsMo3NJGWODtmrOS9I91S-bapO1hqK3m8PU57ut2uGNr2bzOUBdiQ/s4518/DSCN5529.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2958" data-original-width="4518" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZX9FoDKq3UV0vgY4Ga6wkfm119kXimaQ6y8MpbSgYChTFWlcHpO_D_t-RfAX8GMFmNjgyDPd6RKcm1rdcG1CPho8qEicVroiwDqUCiavQg4zT4KIBhsfksgB09sps5zsMo3NJGWODtmrOS9I91S-bapO1hqK3m8PU57ut2uGNr2bzOUBdiQ/s320/DSCN5529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Slavonian (Horned) Grebe</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih5rLA9C2bt24Gq21JgPVg_x6ZxhoS-7QX-Pp2civYx5oaWJEwJeBNoICKNZ4w9vSWp3VURAs5m7NGdfPpLGLeOHkTZlR4iwhRB-B2uNM4S76iK7O3jZC519PKcr0J35PDm2DM7MMvHAHFyBfhsnJF96vRzbIGPwsQ-mI_EJ77uHfwaWVn7g/s4238/DSCN5618.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2766" data-original-width="4238" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih5rLA9C2bt24Gq21JgPVg_x6ZxhoS-7QX-Pp2civYx5oaWJEwJeBNoICKNZ4w9vSWp3VURAs5m7NGdfPpLGLeOHkTZlR4iwhRB-B2uNM4S76iK7O3jZC519PKcr0J35PDm2DM7MMvHAHFyBfhsnJF96vRzbIGPwsQ-mI_EJ77uHfwaWVn7g/w400-h261/DSCN5618.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red-Throated Divers</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmIAo4f7kw52xxa9BzPICKHfodHZ-EQu2buYc4CDW_SdPRCXzrJv3u35Np3jMKDe3TX5TCtxiizk2fYZ8BUrzc9f_TozgmtB5gRtPlMaYvgL014QKpIk2mRxINEGSumPAb5tszRdTqqBXTY6jAD3ADPoW2H38g5wTiLem0m_6dcjjZMxfRag/s2841/DSCN5197.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1903" data-original-width="2841" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmIAo4f7kw52xxa9BzPICKHfodHZ-EQu2buYc4CDW_SdPRCXzrJv3u35Np3jMKDe3TX5TCtxiizk2fYZ8BUrzc9f_TozgmtB5gRtPlMaYvgL014QKpIk2mRxINEGSumPAb5tszRdTqqBXTY6jAD3ADPoW2H38g5wTiLem0m_6dcjjZMxfRag/s320/DSCN5197.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red-Throated Diver</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjX_FgUHnt6QwC0PEr1GvBuRqCvIXRNPt9UtPH8m0krkxEVoagMzVk4HVdBXTaGItUjXHUFFT-M4cYaRAO9MwFBM07RwW6oCgxnXKdLyvQlpnIqauJVUerOuwP3F-sb4HJJAJaFAZHQVr7kf8qiSIwA-2IcvrQzMwVTkcW2W-XssY8A1mvxQ/s3174/DSCN5547.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1295" data-original-width="3174" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjX_FgUHnt6QwC0PEr1GvBuRqCvIXRNPt9UtPH8m0krkxEVoagMzVk4HVdBXTaGItUjXHUFFT-M4cYaRAO9MwFBM07RwW6oCgxnXKdLyvQlpnIqauJVUerOuwP3F-sb4HJJAJaFAZHQVr7kf8qiSIwA-2IcvrQzMwVTkcW2W-XssY8A1mvxQ/w400-h164/DSCN5547.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Black-Throated Diver<br /><br /><br /></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ-MDI7xoQRxM30L3OD3EDmIRS8pEk7hIth0LIpTs8Vs-E8blbk6DaZFuxM9ThyckyFREltbZcl_ZPLEkf8S4L26ue40YGT-SojRhwpoa8_zsRnfu9lCtrDeV7IuAh8mROFFfNJeSP5oXOdiNcmASIu2skrtYlEIMSRCc7Kg6hS8jnKUXkvA/s2194/Ron%20Mitchell%206.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1462" data-original-width="2194" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ-MDI7xoQRxM30L3OD3EDmIRS8pEk7hIth0LIpTs8Vs-E8blbk6DaZFuxM9ThyckyFREltbZcl_ZPLEkf8S4L26ue40YGT-SojRhwpoa8_zsRnfu9lCtrDeV7IuAh8mROFFfNJeSP5oXOdiNcmASIu2skrtYlEIMSRCc7Kg6hS8jnKUXkvA/s320/Ron%20Mitchell%206.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Superb Black-Throated Diver close-up (taken from my vehicle!) by Ron Mitchell</b></td></tr></tbody></table> <p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-weight: 400;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><b>Slavonian Grebe</b>, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 18.2px;">Red-Throated</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"> <b>Diver</b> and </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 18.2px;">Black-Throated Diver</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"> UK-wise, are only usually found breeding, and in their dapper summer plumage, on suitable secluded lochs in northern Scotland and it's islands, and we are very fortunate to get a handful of nesting pairs locally.</span></span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"> Though the Slavonian Grebes can be quite obliging, due to the Divers' general wariness of humans, most of the views we get of them are through a scope at a fair distance, and any decent ripple on the water makes finding them very difficult to find, but on a few occasions, and with a little persistence, we got lucky and obtained a slightly closer look, without risk of disturbing them, and even managed a few rare photo opportunities....</span></b></b></p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheL_zjVMe4HdunVv1yi7J6RTJasGt81CuaBdSLjhj-6e2hPiPO0hCtRvG2lSFdswxPc02Ywd0WaFBpPUKXp9Qem86FDnOxlRK8l0U_nLBq4HUFfJKm9KqHs_CPjTnCaaJF2ueKsLR0aTov5ev-UhtVeQYQQGy6mEfvrGftt50OtYDF4dhrUw/s4132/DSCN5585.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2485" data-original-width="4132" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheL_zjVMe4HdunVv1yi7J6RTJasGt81CuaBdSLjhj-6e2hPiPO0hCtRvG2lSFdswxPc02Ywd0WaFBpPUKXp9Qem86FDnOxlRK8l0U_nLBq4HUFfJKm9KqHs_CPjTnCaaJF2ueKsLR0aTov5ev-UhtVeQYQQGy6mEfvrGftt50OtYDF4dhrUw/w400-h240/DSCN5585.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Goldeneye</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHsvWskgGUm_pyK9GVuLkU5EqhOdsn8qvAc40GLCYvEcw9qFJS0fscYdGC1xUVLXfh5cUTa4AYvD0_IQracDDfyeVgA2wQKnDIVvzDqinuCy5vDwwVaBje3zIaH8Bl4o4e6DmW4yVqipFWVq2ZZmf02W7n-0LiP4GOGCjLt12gS_5lxLI55w/s3993/DSCN3501.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1591" data-original-width="3993" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHsvWskgGUm_pyK9GVuLkU5EqhOdsn8qvAc40GLCYvEcw9qFJS0fscYdGC1xUVLXfh5cUTa4AYvD0_IQracDDfyeVgA2wQKnDIVvzDqinuCy5vDwwVaBje3zIaH8Bl4o4e6DmW4yVqipFWVq2ZZmf02W7n-0LiP4GOGCjLt12gS_5lxLI55w/w400-h160/DSCN3501.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Female Goldeneye with young (photo from May 2020)</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">The same could be said of our </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">Goldeneye</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">, with this attractive tree-nesting duck (yes, really!!) being a north of Scotland breeding speciality too, and late in the month we often get to see a few females with their ridiculously cute youngsters too... nice!</span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidoercpGvThWveWFU-iGp-V45e0vfGSHolWjErS7n9aF_wS_jdL6h9yp1o-MjGWIwJKk63xT1G3-yUKiXcAYzlJgt8V7LdhBNdYv8_ezM7tUstx-eTHB7hNEdISs6SBKTBQbCIrKu3frTDqsXgNNvoFyL87iuKRIcowJh8sd7Hf2-wxv-3UA/s4145/DSCN3188.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1700" data-original-width="4145" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidoercpGvThWveWFU-iGp-V45e0vfGSHolWjErS7n9aF_wS_jdL6h9yp1o-MjGWIwJKk63xT1G3-yUKiXcAYzlJgt8V7LdhBNdYv8_ezM7tUstx-eTHB7hNEdISs6SBKTBQbCIrKu3frTDqsXgNNvoFyL87iuKRIcowJh8sd7Hf2-wxv-3UA/w400-h164/DSCN3188.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Goosanders</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><b>Goosanders</b> too, are a bit of a northern/upland UK speciality, and we managed a few decent sightings this month.</p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Up on the moors....</b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Xvrh5JeVOfbUrd-qzbjHLicvseWIGEHRQEZd5Rw0sw8sZHRQQmZb_4yxRA4zu6BUlTauc9YuFdyBigFofgbojcqjk0Xc_cds_AZGo9F6ihPQ9vnLshf3JxXFmic9v1211hk7TNR_UPRIF5QdW_7wpp37MAkGGzvf4TWl5qyrNZIAaNsUyQ/s1955/IMG_1276.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1088" data-original-width="1955" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Xvrh5JeVOfbUrd-qzbjHLicvseWIGEHRQEZd5Rw0sw8sZHRQQmZb_4yxRA4zu6BUlTauc9YuFdyBigFofgbojcqjk0Xc_cds_AZGo9F6ihPQ9vnLshf3JxXFmic9v1211hk7TNR_UPRIF5QdW_7wpp37MAkGGzvf4TWl5qyrNZIAaNsUyQ/w400-h223/IMG_1276.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A local upland heather moorland</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVpCZz-Bb5_POxFbt0B0x4xYH9naHeJ6wUUAybV5XKrGLDa3mJfBM_f-p7XQqV3VtW1zdCr82Vxt0Rqf4EzWGavtrDzrJHUNGv5KRTUGAfygMRZnGhwenbymvN8FzfpC_mmMC_6OWecmPPts05d8p3p75zCzpOdMECYyf99PqDDYXK-G78Rw/s4101/DSCN5572.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2015" data-original-width="4101" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVpCZz-Bb5_POxFbt0B0x4xYH9naHeJ6wUUAybV5XKrGLDa3mJfBM_f-p7XQqV3VtW1zdCr82Vxt0Rqf4EzWGavtrDzrJHUNGv5KRTUGAfygMRZnGhwenbymvN8FzfpC_mmMC_6OWecmPPts05d8p3p75zCzpOdMECYyf99PqDDYXK-G78Rw/w400-h196/DSCN5572.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Lekking Black Grouse</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdnDCao0EyezUCfI_t_WXNjwygIZx1pd-fedmCr3msbSKYHmMLgMVNjRK8C9Jgd846VnpT4RyQMjUiAyZfoQAEfPVQRZPgkyZTT7bvxYBVJMCEX3aGKLr16HGzXKDO2ftGDFeIBZqgChT4jXLODoaPbpGTOQ9FOlodYxZZ8NfAjXdRNQMYtQ/s3600/IMG_8709.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="1811" data-original-width="3600" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdnDCao0EyezUCfI_t_WXNjwygIZx1pd-fedmCr3msbSKYHmMLgMVNjRK8C9Jgd846VnpT4RyQMjUiAyZfoQAEfPVQRZPgkyZTT7bvxYBVJMCEX3aGKLr16HGzXKDO2ftGDFeIBZqgChT4jXLODoaPbpGTOQ9FOlodYxZZ8NfAjXdRNQMYtQ/s320/IMG_8709.JPG" width="320" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Lekking Black Grouse (photo taken from a hide in 2015)</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG0NmZXvCGhn3MKl08t41p1EoeSBo2SMcKNhcJrOeYa-TpNDQk5J1fQdcg6LeU4kgEsvfMlv0VOM81gUE56VGwfjS9wtlvWSfWM774g9-Hjcleh876UNybIdYb_Y4ndDy1fZsfyywvEw3WVo0QHW-QldBcR9jmIw1eNyX59jRNmJyeBWyQtw/s4246/DSCN5582.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="2934" data-original-width="4246" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG0NmZXvCGhn3MKl08t41p1EoeSBo2SMcKNhcJrOeYa-TpNDQk5J1fQdcg6LeU4kgEsvfMlv0VOM81gUE56VGwfjS9wtlvWSfWM774g9-Hjcleh876UNybIdYb_Y4ndDy1fZsfyywvEw3WVo0QHW-QldBcR9jmIw1eNyX59jRNmJyeBWyQtw/s320/DSCN5582.JPG" width="320" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>An opportunistic shot of a male Black Grouse taken from my vehicle</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b><p></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><b>Black Grouse</b><b> </b>'lekking' is surely one of British wildlife's top 10 sights (and sounds), and our local birds continued to 'perform' throughout the month, with up to 8 cock birds seen fighting it out, though usually not quite as vigorously as in April, except for when female birds were seen 'checking out' the lek, though with dawn at around 4 am, and the performance only lasting for around 90 minutes on average, it should be noted that a </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">very</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"> early start is needed if you want to see them...and please be aware that we have to view from a respectful distance to avoid disturbance........but with a quality spotting scope, this is still a highly recommended and memorable experience, especially as on a few occasions whilst watching the lek, we can have a supporting cast of hunting raptors, displaying <b>Curlew</b> and <b>Snipe </b>and calling <b>Cuckoo,</b> and up to 5 different mammal species including Mountain Hare , all in the first hour and a half of daylight!!</span></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></b></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="trebuchet ms, trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-size: 15.972px; line-height: 1.4;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;">Please note though, that by the end of May the <b>Black Grouse </b>lekking season is usually over, with the birds seemingly losing interest, numbers at the lek decreasing, and them then generally 'disappearing' until the winter....</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-OKTRDbNy_0992HXcC8bZfqDbhAG987fMJB5aIkwwhTfAPwhVLoMfAnVoWJt0_53iXKGB8sE_f6-UH-lYiNf6-hVpQAb3NDAgWHVNySMAl2fM1rLTNXBcV_6qH9u4QK6mffI9UkcDRccgt2dL9vE9k6_96-0w2UbylcTcME2ZzARdl2SzFg/s3588/DSCN5632.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2223" data-original-width="3588" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-OKTRDbNy_0992HXcC8bZfqDbhAG987fMJB5aIkwwhTfAPwhVLoMfAnVoWJt0_53iXKGB8sE_f6-UH-lYiNf6-hVpQAb3NDAgWHVNySMAl2fM1rLTNXBcV_6qH9u4QK6mffI9UkcDRccgt2dL9vE9k6_96-0w2UbylcTcME2ZzARdl2SzFg/w400-h248/DSCN5632.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Red Grouse</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvLKA5oDb7XCRUuhTEgm3xDQbjGHvXULRfofJK-IsAjEVga6FGuSS5n4_otKVC1-AgoXqq11iUx_Uww6h5pAVvVaJc7J_ZGgDKo-lbnaFvM4kFhnkU_R2Gw9aKp-UQFMno-gbe5Wta95MtvOFBJ_x-fu1dWczBYqadGS6AB5TjdoA3ZwnO5w/s3940/Male%20Red%20Grouse%20and%20chick.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="2636" data-original-width="3940" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvLKA5oDb7XCRUuhTEgm3xDQbjGHvXULRfofJK-IsAjEVga6FGuSS5n4_otKVC1-AgoXqq11iUx_Uww6h5pAVvVaJc7J_ZGgDKo-lbnaFvM4kFhnkU_R2Gw9aKp-UQFMno-gbe5Wta95MtvOFBJ_x-fu1dWczBYqadGS6AB5TjdoA3ZwnO5w/s320/Male%20Red%20Grouse%20and%20chick.jpg" width="320" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Red Grouse with chick - Photo by Malcolm Fincham from May 2015</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">Also on our local upland heather moorlands, the much more common and 'birder-friendly' </span><strong style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">Red Grouse</strong><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"> continued to show well, with some cock birds even still displaying and calling whilst defending their territory and nesting female, their guttural 'go bak go bak' calls echoing across the moor, and from mid-month we began to see the hen birds with their newly fledged families of very cute fluffy youngsters...</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></p><p>Still on the moorlands, we occasionally see birds of prey taking advantage of the abundant prey items to be found there, with <b>Kestrel, Buzzard, Red Kite</b> and <b>Golden Eagle</b> all sighted....</p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"></span></p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Times New Roman";">I</span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75);">n the Caledonian forests...</b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9wusyVeU7r-vOf8pJg5rt77fwYqiQsbOlKVHnBORzpg-_lGySTgGb_4aHzO6xUGgwH7Hz3CHz4Q3BmwYOY8xiugsxhGL-KsalI01ypyX5Nrm6V-6aIABBdgv3IGp2_ayjn-l1gMZkWzIt3_g8Iyl5lo7Es6Wr2dHgXhOJv4urO1VmkglEkA/s2016/IMG_1306.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9wusyVeU7r-vOf8pJg5rt77fwYqiQsbOlKVHnBORzpg-_lGySTgGb_4aHzO6xUGgwH7Hz3CHz4Q3BmwYOY8xiugsxhGL-KsalI01ypyX5Nrm6V-6aIABBdgv3IGp2_ayjn-l1gMZkWzIt3_g8Iyl5lo7Es6Wr2dHgXhOJv4urO1VmkglEkA/w400-h300/IMG_1306.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Ancient Caledonian Forest</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb02t53aGehbAd1mjMnmXwZcU4E4vycDJIYuOvMMzxSUdqN-FaHKf8_eRUNLYMIthNL1Ko_6zB7KfDdk9Z6ZNnQKC_riQylJXXtuQtZN_9x-oOUT4IErf_zvmswaOtJ8tpyM_EC82yAlMrFtd3nSHt6LphanxIEg2pm3yeVuleXIRiavKadA/s1427/Steve%20Nicklin%20Crestie.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="952" data-original-width="1427" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb02t53aGehbAd1mjMnmXwZcU4E4vycDJIYuOvMMzxSUdqN-FaHKf8_eRUNLYMIthNL1Ko_6zB7KfDdk9Z6ZNnQKC_riQylJXXtuQtZN_9x-oOUT4IErf_zvmswaOtJ8tpyM_EC82yAlMrFtd3nSHt6LphanxIEg2pm3yeVuleXIRiavKadA/s320/Steve%20Nicklin%20Crestie.jpg" width="320" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Crested Tit by Steve Nicklin - Photo from May 2018</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b>Crested Tit </b>sightings are usually very difficult to obtain in May, with the birds nesting very secretively, rarely visiting feeders, and only occasionally heard singing or calling. To give you an example, one May we spoke to a party of birders who had spent 10 hours one day, walking round several local pine forests without a hint of a sighting...though with a lot of persistence, we can sometimes manage a </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">glimpse, though you really do need to be familiar with their distinctive calls and song...</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.3px; line-height: 1.4;"></span></span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46;"></span><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46;" /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75);"></b></span></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><b>As I have mentioned previously, it is well worth noting that the colder winter months (October-Feb), when they regularly visit feeding stations, are actually the best time of year for seeing the 'wee Cresties', as these characterful little birds can be frustratingly secretive, unobtrusive and almost silent during the breeding season, with sightings being much more difficult to obtain between March and September....</b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 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style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBMgEwfY2rCG_B9Pr2Ip9mG6SK1QLg6eJ4Il4LK8cHsUFFKfT8VkKx8iF9_x603w4EKz03z5XJMul4u8XIblBBultklTxuoYFJwZ3v6hcidWsAiaho_OD0MFSI6kp39VDrJbMSxysdkWjkninwD96lfsnb4FQ-s-LpMeUAbqQFGvM6ASpM5A/s3425/DSCN5591.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2650" data-original-width="3425" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBMgEwfY2rCG_B9Pr2Ip9mG6SK1QLg6eJ4Il4LK8cHsUFFKfT8VkKx8iF9_x603w4EKz03z5XJMul4u8XIblBBultklTxuoYFJwZ3v6hcidWsAiaho_OD0MFSI6kp39VDrJbMSxysdkWjkninwD96lfsnb4FQ-s-LpMeUAbqQFGvM6ASpM5A/s320/DSCN5591.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Young Crossbill</b></td></tr></tbody></table></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><br /></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">Continuing the forest theme, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 18.2px;"> Crossbills</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"> are all too often the cause of much frustration on my safaris, with me regularly hearing their distinctive 'jip' jip' jip' calls overhead, and my safari clients getting just a brief glimpse of the birds flying away, usually never to be seen again! But occasionally they can actually be more obliging, with us getting some good views, sometimes even through the scope, of family parties feeding together on pine cone seeds, giving us the chance to admire the brick-red males, greeny-yellow females and streaky youngsters, Photographic opportunities are usually a rare occurrence though...</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">As is usual, sadly, we failed to manage any sightings of Capercaillie this month......</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-size: 15.972px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-size: 13.2px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;"><span style="font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4;">Please note: In order to help protect them and keep sensitive sites 'off the radar', I no longer take clients on specific Capercaillie-hunting missions, and although we do visit suitable areas of forest, I would only rate our chances of seeing one on my safaris as "very slim" at best, </span></span></span></span></b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400;">and during 'lekking' season, I will be 'responsible' by staying out of 'sensitive' areas at dawn through April and May to allow this now very rare and elusive bird to (hopefully) lek and breed in peace....</span></b></p><div><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><p><b>In the birch woods:</b></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9S9Mq10tKhzwj2nPl8FMAmISgdN7KOi2nfewzGuwY1KLVTq9nDARL5NRxxCp9mvb27G4qbSx9VZVLEOx2jTqqLnriuqKkrWUjH0fxmUqxiv0Il_DxwpT5Llzug1tPoj4FroEjehZ0FJBjkdfdlPPY-qYIEHhelGKceSIVeQhuIp9WQKht0w/s2003/IMG_1286.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1277" data-original-width="2003" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9S9Mq10tKhzwj2nPl8FMAmISgdN7KOi2nfewzGuwY1KLVTq9nDARL5NRxxCp9mvb27G4qbSx9VZVLEOx2jTqqLnriuqKkrWUjH0fxmUqxiv0Il_DxwpT5Llzug1tPoj4FroEjehZ0FJBjkdfdlPPY-qYIEHhelGKceSIVeQhuIp9WQKht0w/w400-h255/IMG_1286.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A local birch woodland</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWZS_lQhrXncRhegMUmjjZm8tEyjEJjjCl_QdsIcq0ZRIzLe2QztOVC2ZehjIfg_b0bFdx6C_63Nvs3ZUiKaSy-j9XU38CiUr3qCuVpQ93K3FCKvYabRU8lBWf5GFekaU_YMQkJJ-XBArKK51PEGVW_ibP4HJPnL3U3nrNZzffkX8ZgGc-Ow/s2699/DSCN5743.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1888" data-original-width="2699" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWZS_lQhrXncRhegMUmjjZm8tEyjEJjjCl_QdsIcq0ZRIzLe2QztOVC2ZehjIfg_b0bFdx6C_63Nvs3ZUiKaSy-j9XU38CiUr3qCuVpQ93K3FCKvYabRU8lBWf5GFekaU_YMQkJJ-XBArKK51PEGVW_ibP4HJPnL3U3nrNZzffkX8ZgGc-Ow/w400-h280/DSCN5743.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Redstart<br /><br /><br /><br /></b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg37wh0yfUedjD5f0s6AJ6dkRFF_Au1saU7oYXYKonRo9CIrdyXpbxLfR9e5Uf3z-jOr-1OCS6DwSndDdnrhdWwyMWuOxIqhKHhXq9nRPjqdScmKPsUCWG_eIm6NsUmErqGjbSv8KfkcPTXgPtdbNIkQ7x-Gym8m5akr2R62TpJwgJlW46Otg/s4608/DSCN5703.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg37wh0yfUedjD5f0s6AJ6dkRFF_Au1saU7oYXYKonRo9CIrdyXpbxLfR9e5Uf3z-jOr-1OCS6DwSndDdnrhdWwyMWuOxIqhKHhXq9nRPjqdScmKPsUCWG_eIm6NsUmErqGjbSv8KfkcPTXgPtdbNIkQ7x-Gym8m5akr2R62TpJwgJlW46Otg/s320/DSCN5703.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Wood Warbler</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><b></b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDpwdknFymkQbZOjbYHVlZgy_9G6JZ_pwNXskjk_BIrO0ZZ8XldjZH82eHrfwjpGGnbRnrhY5mZ_HKryZOeDAUG2nIwHYve9XweEm8VQRZ6ypTFJigtDDuCE6yhKHg_HRmSnzasVoj0TRVi-o5cpPAU3sNu8fe17UCRI5vtSAA7UGIDrWIMg/s4607/DSCN5782.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2502" data-original-width="4607" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDpwdknFymkQbZOjbYHVlZgy_9G6JZ_pwNXskjk_BIrO0ZZ8XldjZH82eHrfwjpGGnbRnrhY5mZ_HKryZOeDAUG2nIwHYve9XweEm8VQRZ6ypTFJigtDDuCE6yhKHg_HRmSnzasVoj0TRVi-o5cpPAU3sNu8fe17UCRI5vtSAA7UGIDrWIMg/w400-h217/DSCN5782.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Pied Flycatcher</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Although </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Wood Warbler</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> and </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Pied Flycatcher</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> are more usually found in the ancient Atlantic oak woods on the west coast of the UK, we are usually fortunate to get a few in our local birch woods from May-August, and with a bit of persistence, and by using our ears to follow their distinctive calls and songs, we managed to get some decent views and even a few photos this month. We also get decent numbers of the slightly more common, but still very attractive <b>Spotted Flycatcher , Tree Pipit, </b>and <b>Common Redstart</b> too...</span></p><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">On the rivers...</b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCC-sQ-BOVBvUx6zOWRgmi6Pb8gPhEymxvzGQdhYWQcJNrfz0lwdFjRFew2T3n3BzH-Z01_PLDTlTzxrSPNFVTkmF-MiurH5poUnI6l3wkWGnXwQrG1aR-uI7jYyhYUl2cjpD9IBxGcVDPuzphk6UhD7qxIlHDZlABoxb6v7cQ-ZzdIrzM-w/s2016/IMG_1307.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCC-sQ-BOVBvUx6zOWRgmi6Pb8gPhEymxvzGQdhYWQcJNrfz0lwdFjRFew2T3n3BzH-Z01_PLDTlTzxrSPNFVTkmF-MiurH5poUnI6l3wkWGnXwQrG1aR-uI7jYyhYUl2cjpD9IBxGcVDPuzphk6UhD7qxIlHDZlABoxb6v7cQ-ZzdIrzM-w/w400-h300/IMG_1307.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The River Spey</b></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFaLCQKkSeQQiRb7Z9mKHcOnpKfRVRpf2AFKOWfNg5A9nu_VGugRBZtSWSMBuw9b12zK3sNZIBS5ttvDf_AJ7DNXSMf2DySFEL2YQ3As8JvNMr1cHjm5ov5dW4PFvVM_qJx0-tzQ-SzYOSlZ-9rfR1-R9Kk0ZKK3pzJVlSjQjmD3SG2Eiaww/s3773/DSCN5642.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2125" data-original-width="3773" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFaLCQKkSeQQiRb7Z9mKHcOnpKfRVRpf2AFKOWfNg5A9nu_VGugRBZtSWSMBuw9b12zK3sNZIBS5ttvDf_AJ7DNXSMf2DySFEL2YQ3As8JvNMr1cHjm5ov5dW4PFvVM_qJx0-tzQ-SzYOSlZ-9rfR1-R9Kk0ZKK3pzJVlSjQjmD3SG2Eiaww/w400-h225/DSCN5642.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Dipper</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoZKpM2k8R2gAvgq39GqF5kDInrkGrCX2vzbWDGyQKuha6KYp35zKl-uTVBNDm3J_RVdAFpWR2Izn11YqxKTJvHHzyyYnal7t0pjlbRhpVJu2fT0YSAxiZBeP6IBMsykTOlPI2Q-aLD1vGPTrkFsDPR70KFvh2ZfEsNO9dPIuol5tjn-OEaA/s3527/DSCN5644.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2323" data-original-width="3527" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoZKpM2k8R2gAvgq39GqF5kDInrkGrCX2vzbWDGyQKuha6KYp35zKl-uTVBNDm3J_RVdAFpWR2Izn11YqxKTJvHHzyyYnal7t0pjlbRhpVJu2fT0YSAxiZBeP6IBMsykTOlPI2Q-aLD1vGPTrkFsDPR70KFvh2ZfEsNO9dPIuol5tjn-OEaA/s320/DSCN5644.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Dipper</b></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><p style="font-weight: 400;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 18.2px;">Dippers</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"> always prove to be popular with my safari clients, being absent from large parts of the central, eastern and southern UK, many struggle to see them, but we are fortunate to have healthy populations in this area. Most of our sightings recently, were of males collecting and delivering food for the females in the nest, but from mid-month, we got to see the first newly-fledged, pale looking youngsters being fed by both parents.</span></p><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></div></b></span></div><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;">Up in the glens...</b></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMkoZY2OXjXmcEbwMoWFPIcvafSP1OREJlvrreUZJYcof7E7FPAxqHt6sw_36VRdIoEEnu4uR-EAxpws0jjoMqEmIIIVvxLPI5RlqbB8utTPigkIsdlNEXSdhFokUSY-OCA1ZMjZaNsnvKvisz0uPOHbWOFIc4xmOxrioMQwfmcmjveJEU7g/s2015/IMG_9052.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1511" data-original-width="2015" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMkoZY2OXjXmcEbwMoWFPIcvafSP1OREJlvrreUZJYcof7E7FPAxqHt6sw_36VRdIoEEnu4uR-EAxpws0jjoMqEmIIIVvxLPI5RlqbB8utTPigkIsdlNEXSdhFokUSY-OCA1ZMjZaNsnvKvisz0uPOHbWOFIc4xmOxrioMQwfmcmjveJEU7g/w400-h300/IMG_9052.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A local upland glen</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisrk9eP6f9P0tFIpSJIUbtcet3f0yoxOGefJJzhl8sMiU7PjRcXlXR0xtbIov_jYQoAMCYDubw5UU6ZP8Lw0N1SSAWBbePBY3K2mLy1I0-kMDjlan7w8HxP4-vsk-eBtZg4j_4oIt7S9g2SuH-fwWEQKkVbwa61sWLj1wws4z1Q_CvMtImJg/s1514/DSCN5794.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="786" data-original-width="1514" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisrk9eP6f9P0tFIpSJIUbtcet3f0yoxOGefJJzhl8sMiU7PjRcXlXR0xtbIov_jYQoAMCYDubw5UU6ZP8Lw0N1SSAWBbePBY3K2mLy1I0-kMDjlan7w8HxP4-vsk-eBtZg4j_4oIt7S9g2SuH-fwWEQKkVbwa61sWLj1wws4z1Q_CvMtImJg/w400-h208/DSCN5794.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A distant Peregrine Falcon</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoKj3gylgFRkFqh3yTdQOU5v9bUuPF35tD46FL2WxDsS7uUzPgMzettchhqdxUDLikVz-gYSC07uHsC4rpEdpRYdBUwPxyAo3q0p5JVWU_joef62FMqwPoGXZOhVGxsvwGDKdK3FpQQHIYpXkdbXUxbIOrebNOsCTz5tkOwkjokPLKEkRDZg/s3602/DSCN5661.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1938" data-original-width="3602" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoKj3gylgFRkFqh3yTdQOU5v9bUuPF35tD46FL2WxDsS7uUzPgMzettchhqdxUDLikVz-gYSC07uHsC4rpEdpRYdBUwPxyAo3q0p5JVWU_joef62FMqwPoGXZOhVGxsvwGDKdK3FpQQHIYpXkdbXUxbIOrebNOsCTz5tkOwkjokPLKEkRDZg/w400-h215/DSCN5661.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Common Buzzard</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6thS8uoYmNoRnAn86wtMYVuc4lWSCg_CzkWSCZOra0efEBJJEuLM-hcceKEYxH6gdU0B2GxJs8h6ISNo9Su_IZt29N1S89Ud16LaT2PdBg0164lh9CTm9jslrxmlqHOw95MVmH4bOioCQYkI6ZuvtZJWXw7G8qSoKVpOrbuINKh2lseNZCA/s2283/IMG_0447.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1395" data-original-width="2283" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6thS8uoYmNoRnAn86wtMYVuc4lWSCg_CzkWSCZOra0efEBJJEuLM-hcceKEYxH6gdU0B2GxJs8h6ISNo9Su_IZt29N1S89Ud16LaT2PdBg0164lh9CTm9jslrxmlqHOw95MVmH4bOioCQYkI6ZuvtZJWXw7G8qSoKVpOrbuINKh2lseNZCA/w400-h245/IMG_0447.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Golden Eagle - Photo from May 2016<br /><br /></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwRBsIs8gCLgDLaeZtLH4uwXMqJXRZ8VNSijuIEvPoe4C4O-SMaPowvEPLduX9OLMpieb3T9riZ0yi-wMBmsiF2W4Jw2wys-jAQuWZkLKwxkNjSgqAgt9HLdg7yWXmf4P7366fSJHkyJJ48rhC4UxT8hn1chwJ4LWxvVAyzsGIlGZ9xpnASA/s2087/DSCN6024.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1341" data-original-width="2087" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwRBsIs8gCLgDLaeZtLH4uwXMqJXRZ8VNSijuIEvPoe4C4O-SMaPowvEPLduX9OLMpieb3T9riZ0yi-wMBmsiF2W4Jw2wys-jAQuWZkLKwxkNjSgqAgt9HLdg7yWXmf4P7366fSJHkyJJ48rhC4UxT8hn1chwJ4LWxvVAyzsGIlGZ9xpnASA/w400-h258/DSCN6024.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>White-Tailed Eagle - Photo from May 2018</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;"><span style="font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;">Bird of prey sightings usually become less frequent during the longer days of spring and early summer, with many of the adult female birds now nesting, often with the adult males in close attendance, and many more hours of daylight available for hunting, and that proved to be the case this month. H</span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;">owever, we still managed reasonably regular sightings of </span><span style="font-size: 13.2px;">Osprey</span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;"> , </span><span style="font-size: 13.2px;">Common Buzzard </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;">,</span><span style="font-size: 13.2px;"> </span><span style="font-size: 13.2px;">Red Kite, Peregrine, Kestrel and Sparrowhawk, </span></b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">and there is always a chance of </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: bold;">Goshawk</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: bold;">Golden Eagle </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">and </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: bold;">White-Tailed Eagle</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, and maybe even a <b>Merlin</b> - though I have still yet to see one this year!</span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Up in the mountains....</b></span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdtOAUGAl9fDMXNvCPOfn9OTSXl6iG7UBK3e8a4Sv6ykizHZWwkm11BiX2kS3mCid_wCRSSCV30FfwlEOBTzLxXbWkbhEZjj0rM804CBMkcprI1tkcRmCTbn_KOym_yqp-J4c_Vain0LvlRwYT37nlqFvIjP_vGFHyolph5LRPHP7Hnpp7Yg/s2015/IMG_1273.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1112" data-original-width="2015" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdtOAUGAl9fDMXNvCPOfn9OTSXl6iG7UBK3e8a4Sv6ykizHZWwkm11BiX2kS3mCid_wCRSSCV30FfwlEOBTzLxXbWkbhEZjj0rM804CBMkcprI1tkcRmCTbn_KOym_yqp-J4c_Vain0LvlRwYT37nlqFvIjP_vGFHyolph5LRPHP7Hnpp7Yg/w400-h221/IMG_1273.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Spring in the Cairngorm Mountains</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ9rFkt0xnJj1RwW1NMYflRwL_KiLoYgmPiosQURIDdaE1I58GJMD9J156oOjGE6ghe_ykfrwAS24f7MmfEArrxbGWOwg-S2nr0h3OidUr5-jsGvLRXyVHtxcEwyJmfTLW2Uas5k1qDijarv3nCY2Ynlz7N8LAjOyamz72SXOMYBTAUOnfYA/s3071/DSCN5752.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1882" data-original-width="3071" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ9rFkt0xnJj1RwW1NMYflRwL_KiLoYgmPiosQURIDdaE1I58GJMD9J156oOjGE6ghe_ykfrwAS24f7MmfEArrxbGWOwg-S2nr0h3OidUr5-jsGvLRXyVHtxcEwyJmfTLW2Uas5k1qDijarv3nCY2Ynlz7N8LAjOyamz72SXOMYBTAUOnfYA/w400-h245/DSCN5752.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Snow Bunting</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr8z4TSSeRtS25Jp4eP0PetKnXgg2wOLbGM_Hh6763BXHVYJLLBBEo0uKfOD5opYoc7rAsVGG3jaxixB-39tb1XfxglLGeXw1cskpzLvXgfGIuO49jHFhyNSlAWvvcbt4N3bii0rawX9k_dKRd1Llx8R-4F8aQoohQMaYWnkH3QK2AsA-_qw/s4090/DSCN5757.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3057" data-original-width="4090" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr8z4TSSeRtS25Jp4eP0PetKnXgg2wOLbGM_Hh6763BXHVYJLLBBEo0uKfOD5opYoc7rAsVGG3jaxixB-39tb1XfxglLGeXw1cskpzLvXgfGIuO49jHFhyNSlAWvvcbt4N3bii0rawX9k_dKRd1Llx8R-4F8aQoohQMaYWnkH3QK2AsA-_qw/s320/DSCN5757.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Dotterel</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCfU-49gInoGEgqUoNEHRil32qHBs0_wQX12O27p4Z0kMzY1OKRN9aiWFPQt7bVw7Xjw5p-3PARyc48Rl4WoD7GXoa9Io6JbCP6x-uxVO7nmSCCfExdLX0y2Q1X5FQ6tWCyCDVbqXvs12PCFsPUbIDmHxk_391zkhjX7hUNgo1WjsHajASIA/s3798/DSCN5765.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2524" data-original-width="3798" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCfU-49gInoGEgqUoNEHRil32qHBs0_wQX12O27p4Z0kMzY1OKRN9aiWFPQt7bVw7Xjw5p-3PARyc48Rl4WoD7GXoa9Io6JbCP6x-uxVO7nmSCCfExdLX0y2Q1X5FQ6tWCyCDVbqXvs12PCFsPUbIDmHxk_391zkhjX7hUNgo1WjsHajASIA/s320/DSCN5765.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Female Dotterel</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p>With the Cairngorm Funicular railway up and running, and my Cairngorm Mountain Guide Permit renewed, I was not slow to take advantage of the privilege of being able to 'let the train take the strain' and then exit the 'closed system' and take a walk to the summit and back (sticking to the paths), and I am pleased to report that we managed sightings of 2 out of the 3 target species, with Snow Bunting and Dotterel both being seen well, though sadly, Ptarmigan remained elusive.....</p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;">Please be aware though, that several miles of strenuous hill-walking is required, so a good level of physical fitness is needed, and some basic survival/navigation skills preferable, as well as suitably friendly weather, </span></b></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1iXxNvkzWejFV7f-Z1L_BAtqENNrA9-0dgfrlclqiNm2d-93nvHhb0bBkYhLv16x1lYGeyQ-af_yNxCKYTNaM3OPSb5xT_O_VjCeLYf2UoGAF0z6JInnG2aNeAF-Mvvbh9MREPFXgO9MEN8AayNgNzyRsirRZVD3V6xTEro2pYJN4RwZKQQ/s3622/DSCN5683.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2632" data-original-width="3622" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1iXxNvkzWejFV7f-Z1L_BAtqENNrA9-0dgfrlclqiNm2d-93nvHhb0bBkYhLv16x1lYGeyQ-af_yNxCKYTNaM3OPSb5xT_O_VjCeLYf2UoGAF0z6JInnG2aNeAF-Mvvbh9MREPFXgO9MEN8AayNgNzyRsirRZVD3V6xTEro2pYJN4RwZKQQ/w400-h291/DSCN5683.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Ring Ouzel</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAPteDOi2NcxZBgwPrzzhdLbxvrdHmDtNvNdSc1MyTx48b1Mnz55zmQuuWXlPnfSjHCD6JWIzlay719ZMObCi7qhL3RFfcak2YFN7Lopf3fiN3m2RgypktiLR9nC-OWCSBbC52i7KhW_5Mt_TU6n1EKh7osuMJ1CeLA9fTppfhcJ6_vSHGTg/s2652/IMG_7251.JPG" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2083" data-original-width="2652" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAPteDOi2NcxZBgwPrzzhdLbxvrdHmDtNvNdSc1MyTx48b1Mnz55zmQuuWXlPnfSjHCD6JWIzlay719ZMObCi7qhL3RFfcak2YFN7Lopf3fiN3m2RgypktiLR9nC-OWCSBbC52i7KhW_5Mt_TU6n1EKh7osuMJ1CeLA9fTppfhcJ6_vSHGTg/s320/IMG_7251.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Ring Ouzel</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">At slightly lower levels, but generally still above 1,500ft/450m, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 18.2px;"> Ring Ouzels</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"> </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">can often be seen in their upland and mountainside habitat, especially early in the day, though when compared to April, they now become a little harder to find, as most will no longer be singing or calling, and sightings are mainly restricted to male birds collecting beakfuls of worms, as the females will presumably mostly be still on nests.....</span></p><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">On farmland....</b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihMxPSGfuoq8GYtU0eyQQ3YRCDszn4Z6rYnpjtTsVzhhLCgaYxrLLeueU1ZXSzf72fq2aJp1ksR70dZZcLjKwb7VoCC3UwKjJQkazBorLgK8nO1iWWIehZGwYI31XVz6rrto5bIeIiNepAzpFq-HNZe-kXgtSssfUtJ7aDzXaAoWXxUfx1VQ/s2016/IMG_1224.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="874" data-original-width="2016" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihMxPSGfuoq8GYtU0eyQQ3YRCDszn4Z6rYnpjtTsVzhhLCgaYxrLLeueU1ZXSzf72fq2aJp1ksR70dZZcLjKwb7VoCC3UwKjJQkazBorLgK8nO1iWWIehZGwYI31XVz6rrto5bIeIiNepAzpFq-HNZe-kXgtSssfUtJ7aDzXaAoWXxUfx1VQ/w400-h174/IMG_1224.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Typical local farmland</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6j92M_tHQ3mOFVxNdPOvPYe4IhO0oqyPrt7wDG2DQk1zpElQDMYhaa-z2BXDBynYPcPQhcBWjcL5nvZ9XyNpiNVUw7vKP_pWcKfab6kuxZZ1_LaiKu7vjDtKg2lw_iVWCVmZiPuAwZkaD6GUfyfahpSAGoHBvpBX1BYOKq51OkvJn47tzhQ/s2741/IMG_7064.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2138" data-original-width="2741" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6j92M_tHQ3mOFVxNdPOvPYe4IhO0oqyPrt7wDG2DQk1zpElQDMYhaa-z2BXDBynYPcPQhcBWjcL5nvZ9XyNpiNVUw7vKP_pWcKfab6kuxZZ1_LaiKu7vjDtKg2lw_iVWCVmZiPuAwZkaD6GUfyfahpSAGoHBvpBX1BYOKq51OkvJn47tzhQ/s320/IMG_7064.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Oystercatcher</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ5maQll2WvENb_SyfL5qKUmve1rUdEzhippHX_ggEKF9nLT0x77BK5owXiuTT2NT68xLzbiNu6N-L7TQYTX3TWi3Sx2FP5UcCDvGlRbv1SYGhw809Lp9_O73c2al7ehSWou2CALlMy-6_1WF5NOypHxDPiELTgRKLBlO2-C-MMA_X4ug2wA/s4269/DSCN1669.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2543" data-original-width="4269" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ5maQll2WvENb_SyfL5qKUmve1rUdEzhippHX_ggEKF9nLT0x77BK5owXiuTT2NT68xLzbiNu6N-L7TQYTX3TWi3Sx2FP5UcCDvGlRbv1SYGhw809Lp9_O73c2al7ehSWou2CALlMy-6_1WF5NOypHxDPiELTgRKLBlO2-C-MMA_X4ug2wA/s320/DSCN1669.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Curlew</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSUGkCBey3OjnPinmN2rH_Oex-mciCZLbQe5VAB83fD1eCvaW7yi0DWNoenMaSjjTd3xGtmIECp0ZY5w0c_m9rjuOrs0bez2S_Jkv0MvtOSTMuZHa4WZ2MLYP06Z98lXfjgIyolP4yRUQHlmMrw1yZ0AyUiE5EFaxQdRW3_ToEOoY9UGVzPQ/s2992/IMG_0094.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2992" data-original-width="2992" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSUGkCBey3OjnPinmN2rH_Oex-mciCZLbQe5VAB83fD1eCvaW7yi0DWNoenMaSjjTd3xGtmIECp0ZY5w0c_m9rjuOrs0bez2S_Jkv0MvtOSTMuZHa4WZ2MLYP06Z98lXfjgIyolP4yRUQHlmMrw1yZ0AyUiE5EFaxQdRW3_ToEOoY9UGVzPQ/s320/IMG_0094.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Lapwing</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Lots of waders have now returned to their spring/summer breeding grounds on local farmland, with </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Oystercatcher</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Lapwing</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> and </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Curlew</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> all being noted, and some had young by the end of the month...</span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Other good/scarce birds seen/reported locally this month included:</b></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p>A couple of <b>Ring-Necked Ducks</b>, a late <b>Brambling</b>, a <b>Long-Eared Owl</b>, a <b>Short-Eared Owl</b>, and a <b>Grasshopper Warbler</b>...</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 700;">A few photos of more common birds seen locally this month: </span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh20G27_RT-_KeTYoNOfjJxcS8TSV1UQop3RLSbbXBhAMDQ5d9jrSeAGGYFLkCiLd0ktGXvnjTRDHOUy1eyttRNLhKTgsSQ-hJgLergzPXP_s2kiGdauS9nBvgG15uCIZEd84EpyxiMnstWT5WYEo1iY2Yj9Ec9RjA9qCjcDUM2CuY9hp3-mQ/s4408/DSCN5522.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2574" data-original-width="4408" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh20G27_RT-_KeTYoNOfjJxcS8TSV1UQop3RLSbbXBhAMDQ5d9jrSeAGGYFLkCiLd0ktGXvnjTRDHOUy1eyttRNLhKTgsSQ-hJgLergzPXP_s2kiGdauS9nBvgG15uCIZEd84EpyxiMnstWT5WYEo1iY2Yj9Ec9RjA9qCjcDUM2CuY9hp3-mQ/s320/DSCN5522.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Willow Warbler</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgScD5cF7HJ9jzn-IzNFvncOLlK7jWYlHocaSp6yOUWkbbPQepXM8j-g2L9P-sDd47Ojia1pVhXV1xZMf-ciLdDxejZYrU56VoLW-l1Rei5UgG3OjHSORbIV76HZ1VvrXokbCeUm2nZv9DNo7zxEkZo_fLMbaS_ZwZ9Mc7NpdNvo8LA7BgA-g/s2900/DSCN5504.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1713" data-original-width="2900" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgScD5cF7HJ9jzn-IzNFvncOLlK7jWYlHocaSp6yOUWkbbPQepXM8j-g2L9P-sDd47Ojia1pVhXV1xZMf-ciLdDxejZYrU56VoLW-l1Rei5UgG3OjHSORbIV76HZ1VvrXokbCeUm2nZv9DNo7zxEkZo_fLMbaS_ZwZ9Mc7NpdNvo8LA7BgA-g/s320/DSCN5504.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Wheatear</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ-PI3k3XQY4nMT75tPJPZNCt6JZEg-p9f3g5EECiKmAqCmx8dispqi1KZwubqw9plZZycBTzSrSWJ6GgDj10CZxP4umrCOERC3T_JemRGEa5ZpETRNAW7To6gLH0YDUij5R8NETd-JYFRkXvJfP5aKBC4tw5Q-hDlVcsaK7EPUZsXdq2Ekg/s4048/DSCN5595.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2647" data-original-width="4048" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ-PI3k3XQY4nMT75tPJPZNCt6JZEg-p9f3g5EECiKmAqCmx8dispqi1KZwubqw9plZZycBTzSrSWJ6GgDj10CZxP4umrCOERC3T_JemRGEa5ZpETRNAW7To6gLH0YDUij5R8NETd-JYFRkXvJfP5aKBC4tw5Q-hDlVcsaK7EPUZsXdq2Ekg/s320/DSCN5595.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Blackbird</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_bGWRrAppKnnzLrIJUXSwfn-4eQcM8XkqEgbC4uGMnGWNS7AJwVgl1eavCPxk9l3Ww4MN19Qof9y25lmmlLDPyfVqTPnIFOOjMXxzYvm7Zi1gP-T5I6FOzlFIpFZlNAOert-eGBQHBVxVV7PqWBPUHXRpgPgo0FBtMH6vgf-Xv1FEdiLxkg/s3238/DSCN5648.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2377" data-original-width="3238" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_bGWRrAppKnnzLrIJUXSwfn-4eQcM8XkqEgbC4uGMnGWNS7AJwVgl1eavCPxk9l3Ww4MN19Qof9y25lmmlLDPyfVqTPnIFOOjMXxzYvm7Zi1gP-T5I6FOzlFIpFZlNAOert-eGBQHBVxVV7PqWBPUHXRpgPgo0FBtMH6vgf-Xv1FEdiLxkg/s320/DSCN5648.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Song Thrush</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR36F-mkWIfDixGiBcZ5RjfGeh9o4mmSjW8u-LAKSEsR1dnHYReOpE6fmDY8M6UcP0VVpmpKCMLP5dq16muQkEKpEfUssOAAEF3fqjFP3KYibPU9zN3Wx3uIQ3NNfwr7x8kx3X_Rv_mHKzcP6Jc7jzSMFq4N1dO1IXaw7le0_ko9htzBe7Aw/s4002/DSCN5698.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2604" data-original-width="4002" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR36F-mkWIfDixGiBcZ5RjfGeh9o4mmSjW8u-LAKSEsR1dnHYReOpE6fmDY8M6UcP0VVpmpKCMLP5dq16muQkEKpEfUssOAAEF3fqjFP3KYibPU9zN3Wx3uIQ3NNfwr7x8kx3X_Rv_mHKzcP6Jc7jzSMFq4N1dO1IXaw7le0_ko9htzBe7Aw/s320/DSCN5698.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red-Legged Partridge</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSWL5yqZsa5bXJt7pVcs1W2qOWnlgcGriqL2To6kgenTCqc0v4tQjvl6Z1X-XfPl9Iif4iIBGQ-MS9B1hW5AT8o8OFR3ai3Rxo7CNuX-vp0cumztLvDeNyFh7GTRhNdpTtLjWiJML_Frvu3TnHbkrQ8JjCPK2KnRNUl29gm7sn-YrcRraC3Q/s3784/DSCN5808.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3064" data-original-width="3784" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSWL5yqZsa5bXJt7pVcs1W2qOWnlgcGriqL2To6kgenTCqc0v4tQjvl6Z1X-XfPl9Iif4iIBGQ-MS9B1hW5AT8o8OFR3ai3Rxo7CNuX-vp0cumztLvDeNyFh7GTRhNdpTtLjWiJML_Frvu3TnHbkrQ8JjCPK2KnRNUl29gm7sn-YrcRraC3Q/s320/DSCN5808.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Yellowhammer</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;">Adventures 'out of area':</span></b></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs3s4pD9M9BY8Gu8u0Je6TSYRiV4GBNU1Co-Ie6K9Xajo7Qicpe2Tz676kQ5c_QGt3CyKL5z0ByEpjxf5qpVPfX81XN9hd3ibcyqnqZC07qg2ZOZ4ekpy_DBMn2DcJ3HIxIFNjNs_OvJYL9zAbY3cz6IVQ364ezNbeVObRXKymF4YkRzMh2Q/s2016/IMG_1322.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs3s4pD9M9BY8Gu8u0Je6TSYRiV4GBNU1Co-Ie6K9Xajo7Qicpe2Tz676kQ5c_QGt3CyKL5z0ByEpjxf5qpVPfX81XN9hd3ibcyqnqZC07qg2ZOZ4ekpy_DBMn2DcJ3HIxIFNjNs_OvJYL9zAbY3cz6IVQ364ezNbeVObRXKymF4YkRzMh2Q/w400-h300/IMG_1322.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The impressive sea cliffs on Handa Island</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif">May, June , July and the first half of August are the only months in which to visit a coastal seabird colony, and the 16th saw us take a very scenic drive up to Assynt on the north-west coast, then on a pre-arranged boat excursions to the SWT's wonderfully remote and beautiful </span><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif">Handa </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif">Island</span></b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif">.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm9khXgB1BeZzbsZaj8BVJ-VPoRTFFAlpKSqOgaxZIBKSBNouQoGQS-JwcGJPqWciHSlu6uXGhnGwNz7CzCBM4jBaezx-6XfNz9zzD4c2H083QddIvynyKHOS_RKfAWOoX9DDZtI_iFbjkJNuY97BUGTsjOJiGXY9OBjIcMkQBt5PvP4keMg/s4386/DSCN5731.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2570" data-original-width="4386" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm9khXgB1BeZzbsZaj8BVJ-VPoRTFFAlpKSqOgaxZIBKSBNouQoGQS-JwcGJPqWciHSlu6uXGhnGwNz7CzCBM4jBaezx-6XfNz9zzD4c2H083QddIvynyKHOS_RKfAWOoX9DDZtI_iFbjkJNuY97BUGTsjOJiGXY9OBjIcMkQBt5PvP4keMg/s320/DSCN5731.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Razorbills and Common Guillemots</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN1DZn6e7b0Mhq-Eu916N_3BKcjJ-sbvsnug6QbM0DDHVO7EhbpQ3GjEUOaqw_W2Q1P8Dmnpdier8b-IsGdWbzPHa9K2By5sNUkD2pyINIcRjh1F5hjE1dHNWQpxdZu001qyG34a1nWkdLVYrrajlYoFr5RC3tlHs3FGxJUZ6BfbynqhUiUw/s3925/DSCN5733.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2220" data-original-width="3925" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN1DZn6e7b0Mhq-Eu916N_3BKcjJ-sbvsnug6QbM0DDHVO7EhbpQ3GjEUOaqw_W2Q1P8Dmnpdier8b-IsGdWbzPHa9K2By5sNUkD2pyINIcRjh1F5hjE1dHNWQpxdZu001qyG34a1nWkdLVYrrajlYoFr5RC3tlHs3FGxJUZ6BfbynqhUiUw/w400-h226/DSCN5733.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Puffins</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLe4aedJjr8MGLyjUV7qcHb_yMKH90LxFrGDDLsOMj79tKxM02eOuQukEl0JpfGzACk1Qj6W2jAQwbyAWKO4AfAStc1-MKDyGvfXxDNbd_rX3hG2O76VGdblDv9LUwPIdrHxyfutNE_KGHgGZVh7hTFhsZAIZ8yyk_t0NElKbZByb7cArsaw/s4150/DSCN5739.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2469" data-original-width="4150" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLe4aedJjr8MGLyjUV7qcHb_yMKH90LxFrGDDLsOMj79tKxM02eOuQukEl0JpfGzACk1Qj6W2jAQwbyAWKO4AfAStc1-MKDyGvfXxDNbd_rX3hG2O76VGdblDv9LUwPIdrHxyfutNE_KGHgGZVh7hTFhsZAIZ8yyk_t0NElKbZByb7cArsaw/s320/DSCN5739.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Arctic Skua</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFofuUfSuS7WbS23yM0twtfpIE8xWe8Xk9rkDbnW3FPG7lcoS-0sxDJUPKaKgoA-RCre98aIT8LBAJqLtzt13Cx70e8lF5pTvP1CWxR4c69FGQc2tEX67uGm4tYxDBXzKI5O8tkP8ncctkpsQ1EZ_YoitiDx53YEpDWoF4DWI41WoUfAL4Xw/s4608/DSCN5715.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFofuUfSuS7WbS23yM0twtfpIE8xWe8Xk9rkDbnW3FPG7lcoS-0sxDJUPKaKgoA-RCre98aIT8LBAJqLtzt13Cx70e8lF5pTvP1CWxR4c69FGQc2tEX67uGm4tYxDBXzKI5O8tkP8ncctkpsQ1EZ_YoitiDx53YEpDWoF4DWI41WoUfAL4Xw/s320/DSCN5715.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Great Skua</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"></span></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">Black-Throated Divers </b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif">were seen on lochans en route, and </span><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">Twite, Ringed Plovers, Wheatears, </b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif">and</span><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"> Common Sandpipers </b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif"> were seen feeding around Tarbet harbour car park, and even the short ferry crossing gave us super close-up views of <b>Arctic Terns</b>, </span><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">Seals</b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif">, and </span><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">Common Guillemot and Black Guillemot, </b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif">, and once on the island, we went on to see more </span><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">Red-Throated Divers, </b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif"> </span><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">Snipe</b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif">, <b>Red</b> <b>Grouse</b>, </span><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">Wheatears</b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">Skylarks</b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">Arctic</b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif"> <b>Skuas</b> and </span><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">Great Skuas</b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif"> nesting on the moors. </span></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;" /><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif">Once at the impressively high (350ft+) cliffs and coastal stacks, we were treated to the unique sights, sounds (and smells!) of a seabird city, with good numbers of </span><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">Fulmars</b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">Kittiwakes</b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">Razorbills</b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">Guillemots </b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif"> and yes, plenty of everybody's favourite - </span><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">Puffins</b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif">!</span></div><p><br /></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13.2px;">I only visited the Moray coast a couple of times in May, and we had two really enjoyable and productive days , the highlights being </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13.2px;">Great Northern Diver, Red-Throated Diver, Black-Throated Diver, Black Guillemot, Common Guillemot, Razorbill, Kittiwake, Fulmar, Gannets , Eider, Shag, </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13.2px;"> <b>Common Terns</b>, and one <b>Scaup.</b></span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSBlOBgMyAJRX95WwNwMEI-pOG6ujSAxjrptxQfHpqo1SXV0AaO0mvkE-r9Z6Ssxn4s3M7BsFCmkT2NCovyIkTPZreBN4Rs3RPBKbd7p6IhpP1J1bBth-sXlCYcJXQ8IBaa-W2QhDwsTTM7zKoUSLjRWzWEYW_9oXGbBxpgDLXF2fsbu3Fig/s2016/IMG_1350.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSBlOBgMyAJRX95WwNwMEI-pOG6ujSAxjrptxQfHpqo1SXV0AaO0mvkE-r9Z6Ssxn4s3M7BsFCmkT2NCovyIkTPZreBN4Rs3RPBKbd7p6IhpP1J1bBth-sXlCYcJXQ8IBaa-W2QhDwsTTM7zKoUSLjRWzWEYW_9oXGbBxpgDLXF2fsbu3Fig/w400-h300/IMG_1350.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The Moray Coast</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl6GnGHKKkoKrjs-xBrV76V5CENeFXwJCmMG4IDOzkF96MMT66Rz4xgUKtdIeKDhynAwZQFn_VRAp4n0o28tEDhqcGY4WNzPB44cfsarRMc3pp7V2XGP-9hhdcpophfiQ_76lNIuQrXMsS8ewoSptU4zK1i4mDBCea0yB5v9w7VYRpr5-R0w/s4029/DSCN5803.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2855" data-original-width="4029" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl6GnGHKKkoKrjs-xBrV76V5CENeFXwJCmMG4IDOzkF96MMT66Rz4xgUKtdIeKDhynAwZQFn_VRAp4n0o28tEDhqcGY4WNzPB44cfsarRMc3pp7V2XGP-9hhdcpophfiQ_76lNIuQrXMsS8ewoSptU4zK1i4mDBCea0yB5v9w7VYRpr5-R0w/s320/DSCN5803.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Dunlin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_sK7zmfyrxpTvkZ7zCl3flFRhyslARR1I-YTBS3ZZkF9awc_O838WLJDTmZV_24ATV_lvOk8S_wnUMIoTEH0lWklFAAXbPZg_JdvdiIRLyBmKPBWdwvjdfxs90rBth4oBXorIwsjVeiysoHSEOoiJTRTZRh3lehyhz3mNz8e1Y2R9568LCA/s4608/DSCN5802.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_sK7zmfyrxpTvkZ7zCl3flFRhyslARR1I-YTBS3ZZkF9awc_O838WLJDTmZV_24ATV_lvOk8S_wnUMIoTEH0lWklFAAXbPZg_JdvdiIRLyBmKPBWdwvjdfxs90rBth4oBXorIwsjVeiysoHSEOoiJTRTZRh3lehyhz3mNz8e1Y2R9568LCA/s320/DSCN5802.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Ringed Plovers</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6cEfkoWetjS3oN3bpuKMkonMEwgzgF7zMeiY9wiINYNTuNg1_CV1wT0HK_15Mqd6plSSn78lX6lEckC5O5PWBYDe9fA2iTRVokXlKn6cx1g9RC2ahpkDqbJhOfBBckkhs6yaR2TItzAVIV84gZMAl46gjzzoRSLpi-tcSHdz_IJI-XQ6ZSQ/s4608/DSCN5812.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6cEfkoWetjS3oN3bpuKMkonMEwgzgF7zMeiY9wiINYNTuNg1_CV1wT0HK_15Mqd6plSSn78lX6lEckC5O5PWBYDe9fA2iTRVokXlKn6cx1g9RC2ahpkDqbJhOfBBckkhs6yaR2TItzAVIV84gZMAl46gjzzoRSLpi-tcSHdz_IJI-XQ6ZSQ/s320/DSCN5812.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Scaup</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvZ3BGhQOrfxgtcXoyYRCM1zksf7j5i8W3PNhHBS14OYdp9xmDOOPJOmeQr3zpeuZdwR7ANeBKiwKwlSXp9svu0_1wvIAo9-P4k_Sn9PWbEnTkN7JvmRavmzgCtLdGLUn3w0tN3WT0UT4D5C21rMJsBT3sivSUKJr4pI3xAcPSCnPcGt3RSw/s5472/Herring%20Gull%206.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvZ3BGhQOrfxgtcXoyYRCM1zksf7j5i8W3PNhHBS14OYdp9xmDOOPJOmeQr3zpeuZdwR7ANeBKiwKwlSXp9svu0_1wvIAo9-P4k_Sn9PWbEnTkN7JvmRavmzgCtLdGLUn3w0tN3WT0UT4D5C21rMJsBT3sivSUKJr4pI3xAcPSCnPcGt3RSw/s320/Herring%20Gull%206.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Herring Gull by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0cW0kG6L9GG1EduLoO8kvfJhsJWLov3iUSJNo8RhTLDH4fI_Kv_uP7xhQ0aH6mjUP7ZG3-Ep5OdAKZZZZMBEngL05reykUDznFTQ5-JQejSFoXMXXbq6W_kOm8FES4jd3riouJI94_jTwl5YgKkwvPfLGTjNX75yz_os8lf9STkUE1vVGtw/s2985/Shag%2011.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1990" data-original-width="2985" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0cW0kG6L9GG1EduLoO8kvfJhsJWLov3iUSJNo8RhTLDH4fI_Kv_uP7xhQ0aH6mjUP7ZG3-Ep5OdAKZZZZMBEngL05reykUDznFTQ5-JQejSFoXMXXbq6W_kOm8FES4jd3riouJI94_jTwl5YgKkwvPfLGTjNX75yz_os8lf9STkUE1vVGtw/s320/Shag%2011.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Shags by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHGuVo0IKuPKOTuoM_v5WDEkQFi_1rRrMBIJGc2a9_AtqiQKj_U2KpAaZQZtJBF7lEOnwL6AKlfvLm0q8XsayCHRQtkuC2w2t_iSbBcDcgnWneVbK1HxdpjRo5tp8YR6nftDKeeVBfh1ow5Kntkb5Z5GaVsg4qKbbU9JlReY4NbRnfhjhRMw/s3036/Kittiwake.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2024" data-original-width="3036" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHGuVo0IKuPKOTuoM_v5WDEkQFi_1rRrMBIJGc2a9_AtqiQKj_U2KpAaZQZtJBF7lEOnwL6AKlfvLm0q8XsayCHRQtkuC2w2t_iSbBcDcgnWneVbK1HxdpjRo5tp8YR6nftDKeeVBfh1ow5Kntkb5Z5GaVsg4qKbbU9JlReY4NbRnfhjhRMw/s320/Kittiwake.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Kittiwake by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoBGx0JgD9Eej2CXZbbQ91-_iWg_p0PlohuOYKSZQnnEvfCdL8R02-83ZnUHxHlyDQqjyycDvZV3WIKev2QTXZlpHjAxyGsvE1MroStnDv3omkyF2XoBWqUjaWizObDEo3dRs5KzaS-rZinvWWPRvo7BkXxkix2vxkNWvUyunNn_DLqq6W6w/s2062/Razorbill.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1375" data-original-width="2062" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoBGx0JgD9Eej2CXZbbQ91-_iWg_p0PlohuOYKSZQnnEvfCdL8R02-83ZnUHxHlyDQqjyycDvZV3WIKev2QTXZlpHjAxyGsvE1MroStnDv3omkyF2XoBWqUjaWizObDEo3dRs5KzaS-rZinvWWPRvo7BkXxkix2vxkNWvUyunNn_DLqq6W6w/s320/Razorbill.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Razorbill by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyXxunVlxqWqmKZF3ZcSA007VH_ySalhBXl-i3aCnMTE-ZdT8OM_cNx8peRz7O4himbbMN4ZEDPuii7jjea9OTu6LtQqPgU8rglNvumaYzal63lP0_5C2zig0mrmLvYey-1onlFO8E2sArG0C5OLIcTmzrhwhvc_7B0UhT0g5PyGt-GQS3vA/s2576/Whimbrel%2010.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1717" data-original-width="2576" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyXxunVlxqWqmKZF3ZcSA007VH_ySalhBXl-i3aCnMTE-ZdT8OM_cNx8peRz7O4himbbMN4ZEDPuii7jjea9OTu6LtQqPgU8rglNvumaYzal63lP0_5C2zig0mrmLvYey-1onlFO8E2sArG0C5OLIcTmzrhwhvc_7B0UhT0g5PyGt-GQS3vA/s320/Whimbrel%2010.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Whimbrel by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">May 2023 mammal sightings in more detail:</b></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8g-6NpjyzuWBuzjPIp3UhJBpRbqV3VKBXs7-37XWzTNYSr1DWHi1hXfW70JfVlqfVKBTMoSvyHPYeORYZV8bMq9mBq8b0cjixlT3xKNpbyl9HXhiShDTU76gqN90iOYiHNZWCEVg4har5J7HcK-XJ5NADfYdU6VMurlwAKTagWUpWhmpL4Q/s4608/DSCN5454.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8g-6NpjyzuWBuzjPIp3UhJBpRbqV3VKBXs7-37XWzTNYSr1DWHi1hXfW70JfVlqfVKBTMoSvyHPYeORYZV8bMq9mBq8b0cjixlT3xKNpbyl9HXhiShDTU76gqN90iOYiHNZWCEVg4har5J7HcK-XJ5NADfYdU6VMurlwAKTagWUpWhmpL4Q/w400-h300/DSCN5454.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Squirrel</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); line-height: 18.2px;"><b>Red Squirrels</b> can be surprisingly elusive, but a walk or slow drive through Caledonian forest always give you a chance, and we did manage a few 'random' sightings this month, though perhaps unsurprisingly, feeding stations still tend to be a 'hotspot'....</span></span></span></span></b></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;"></span></span></span></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4bpWcK-h-O9jGoCkTK0-dCWtHBYlf4R7tyVwZjc-j4HxfvNzbP6AkEuKiJ1gHhsqNDqWS5tQtH5QG-cWkkqRiACYwy-k2UL9tEHPzQJG0KHx24sTw5JjTEH9Ha-pKRdRNnP7b_3s3Xxsm0d_D-gzkN_2u3_OXAcZxelLRkY1urmsnsvyZug/s3325/DSCN5514.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1730" data-original-width="3325" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4bpWcK-h-O9jGoCkTK0-dCWtHBYlf4R7tyVwZjc-j4HxfvNzbP6AkEuKiJ1gHhsqNDqWS5tQtH5QG-cWkkqRiACYwy-k2UL9tEHPzQJG0KHx24sTw5JjTEH9Ha-pKRdRNnP7b_3s3Xxsm0d_D-gzkN_2u3_OXAcZxelLRkY1urmsnsvyZug/w400-h208/DSCN5514.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Deer</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;"></span></span></span></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJnwv_3DTifVOYHwayAgb4XF-4U-PWlXal1GDwIsa2rUHlx0lrnhs_NmfTfCpjWRclsPBtKsUx4oTDzCOdkp8ww3JRq9YXh94F-hAohibUuY41BnD1nKf8TbbuWnXSJ9AmF3k6-mMYAhRYwT6Blpeo9GCgjePP-2dJ1W2XJ2L23hmDHaNXQg/s4083/DSCN5503.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2837" data-original-width="4083" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJnwv_3DTifVOYHwayAgb4XF-4U-PWlXal1GDwIsa2rUHlx0lrnhs_NmfTfCpjWRclsPBtKsUx4oTDzCOdkp8ww3JRq9YXh94F-hAohibUuY41BnD1nKf8TbbuWnXSJ9AmF3k6-mMYAhRYwT6Blpeo9GCgjePP-2dJ1W2XJ2L23hmDHaNXQg/s320/DSCN5503.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Deer stag<br /><br /></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Red Deer</b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"> are most commonly encountered up in the hills and glens, but during late May it is not uncommon to see the hinds (females) assemble in rough fields with long grassy tussocks, in preparation for giving birth soon. Here, the new-born youngsters can be hidden, making them much less likely to fall prey to patrolling Eagles, who tend to stick to higher altitudes.</span></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;">We also saw several large herds of stags, most 'in velvet', with their new antlers growing rapidly.</span></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgujCKHfqQBPn7GNad0lY48QfT4yHXiNDS6lC1fdf5ne_VFT9gjVb0L1z4SeIfRjit75ObYfIvDtEI-WPEI5BJ6Qqy20jvEi8fHRthGOSk86hC1xPsLP_Vguh_MxQIB8PoHQvmIFJpK1FdUsG4rI5-Cquz7BK7DMDtvwfRSXGf1-iGAwZzrHw/s3535/DSCN5654.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1868" data-original-width="3535" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgujCKHfqQBPn7GNad0lY48QfT4yHXiNDS6lC1fdf5ne_VFT9gjVb0L1z4SeIfRjit75ObYfIvDtEI-WPEI5BJ6Qqy20jvEi8fHRthGOSk86hC1xPsLP_Vguh_MxQIB8PoHQvmIFJpK1FdUsG4rI5-Cquz7BK7DMDtvwfRSXGf1-iGAwZzrHw/w400-h211/DSCN5654.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Feral Mountain Goats</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Feral Mountain Goats</b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"> too, can often be seen in my favourite upland glens, often in large extended family groups, and always prove to be popular with my safari clients, as, being largely a remnant of the 'crofting' communit</span></b><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;">ies,</span></b><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"> they are not found in many places in the UK...</span></b></p><div><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;"></span></span></span></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG86BZNwcuj6jmGm014Qh1Kza3KdNlNQf70EoICHXqAFR1NzPOBQg5-oG2lVV5D2lJBfETF03seq7KOV8vdgXkdYjwZgdU0R0qUaEN60CZjKH3fAosn7zEJddkSMEP4RocCXJq7B1ihoRoVXx1z-yaJWa3EbD0VL9MIJ5YlCBJT8YJbOf61w/s2282/James%20Ball%20M%20H.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="1582" data-original-width="2282" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG86BZNwcuj6jmGm014Qh1Kza3KdNlNQf70EoICHXqAFR1NzPOBQg5-oG2lVV5D2lJBfETF03seq7KOV8vdgXkdYjwZgdU0R0qUaEN60CZjKH3fAosn7zEJddkSMEP4RocCXJq7B1ihoRoVXx1z-yaJWa3EbD0VL9MIJ5YlCBJT8YJbOf61w/s320/James%20Ball%20M%20H.jpg" width="320" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Mountain Hare by James Ball - Photo from May 2019</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Mountain Hare</span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"> sightings tend to be few and far between in the spring and summer months, and true to form, we only managed a couple of brief glimpses on local upland moorlands.....</span></b></div><div><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgacvIoiS41kfVg1ko_obbDYy036U388DFwMlk3l0bTRTboTQD0gY5INlnpjb2ranan6zNXwEb_DVVrYGRl6y3N3iKL59iDO5dN0l8DMANEyo98WBX1r7Nob7SoN1E_rQrnmcow8zBQp1vP3OhOPnaN3UDcYzTX8NcqQDhLdVTdXE1vAr6o5w/s2106/DSCN0016.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1210" data-original-width="2106" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgacvIoiS41kfVg1ko_obbDYy036U388DFwMlk3l0bTRTboTQD0gY5INlnpjb2ranan6zNXwEb_DVVrYGRl6y3N3iKL59iDO5dN0l8DMANEyo98WBX1r7Nob7SoN1E_rQrnmcow8zBQp1vP3OhOPnaN3UDcYzTX8NcqQDhLdVTdXE1vAr6o5w/w400-h230/DSCN0016.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Roe Deer</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Roe Deer </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">can be encountered just about anywhere, except for the high tops, but b</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">eing very</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">wary, nervous animals, they </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">are usually quite 'crepuscular' in their behaviour, but we saw plenty whilst out on our early morning adventures...</span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdKRei8juKhSFmFd9rxJ0WPnJ1rF9ui-X-EFVT5j2E4M1PZVu7DQdh2osXwaqeeBJv91HRc4qJTNYzuYtnN2ZAHy4nPoRUcyQtLh1TGDzIzMFiRNMBlO8hczLDtbquFp1t6QVapTKnS8ePp4ghqHp3B0z2862YbJ315VukXV3soxK3kRP_tA/s3814/DSCN5498.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2399" data-original-width="3814" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdKRei8juKhSFmFd9rxJ0WPnJ1rF9ui-X-EFVT5j2E4M1PZVu7DQdh2osXwaqeeBJv91HRc4qJTNYzuYtnN2ZAHy4nPoRUcyQtLh1TGDzIzMFiRNMBlO8hczLDtbquFp1t6QVapTKnS8ePp4ghqHp3B0z2862YbJ315VukXV3soxK3kRP_tA/w400-h251/DSCN5498.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Brown Hare</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Brown Hares </b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;">too can be a bit elusive away from dawn and dusk, and tend to 'spook' easily, so, as usual, most of our sightings this month, were during the first couple of hours of daylight..</span></b></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7N5Md-S1TIpzBU60SXBq4ke8DcjVvzsb_G5uIkISkpaUCPpgl4h_c0mfcuvcbUKUWMRwVOiWSpUs-BJKWvp9WTYy5Vr_84EghQ1PsEi4yvEafmhPQBTD4KBLe_hF8ebUKwaQI3pz7dqKfpWzu1ZNSsXd0ObzGQfYwyGuzE0cl57WgpC87mg/s1702/IMG_1261.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1305" data-original-width="1702" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7N5Md-S1TIpzBU60SXBq4ke8DcjVvzsb_G5uIkISkpaUCPpgl4h_c0mfcuvcbUKUWMRwVOiWSpUs-BJKWvp9WTYy5Vr_84EghQ1PsEi4yvEafmhPQBTD4KBLe_hF8ebUKwaQI3pz7dqKfpWzu1ZNSsXd0ObzGQfYwyGuzE0cl57WgpC87mg/w400-h306/IMG_1261.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Carrot time for Murdo</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Hairy Highland Coo's</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"> always prove to be popular with my safari clients, especially those who do not have them close to home, so don't be afraid to ask me if you fancy going to see them, and maybe even get to feed and 'pat' them, as I have a couple of great sites....</span></b></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><p><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Rare/nocturnal mammals:</b></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">I get a few enquiries about the possibility of seeing </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Badgers</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> and </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Pine Marten</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> from my safari clients, many of whom I suspect are unaware that they are actually a largely nocturnal creature, and although we do get the occasional (maybe one or two a year) dawn glimpse of one, you would definitely have a much higher chance of seeing them at a specific dusk Badger/Pine Marten watching hide - Please contact me for more information.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Similarly, our inland </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Otters</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> too are mainly active during the hours of darkness, and again, although we do get a few early-morning sightings on local lochs and rivers each year, looking for them feeding in a suitably quiet, kelp - filled bay on the coast on a rising tide, but at any time of day, would give you a much better chance.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: quot; line-height: 1.4;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: quot; line-height: 1.4;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Whilst we are still on the 'tricky to see stuff', the <b>Scottish Wildcat </b>too, as well as being incredibly rare now, is also generally nocturnal, and the fact that I have had a mere handful of (dawn or dusk) sightings in 17 years of providing wildlife safaris should give you an idea of how difficult they are to see.</span></p></span></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Other wildlife:</b></p><p><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); line-height: 18.2px;">The sunnier, warmer days saw more species of butterfly join the early flyers, with <b>Red Admiral</b> , <b>Orange Tip, Small White, </b> and <b>Speckled Wood </b>all noted...there are also lots more <b>Bees</b> around now, taking advantage of the abundance of wild flowers coming into bloom....we also see lots of Bats feasting on insects at dawn/dusk, and in the forests the <b>Wood Ants</b> nests are now becoming more active.....</span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;"><br /></span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisyhiK3DksCeWQy9C3y1_w-I9L8UkENn3hHEKpB0s4ccwEJtV-8FjZbTTnRoSuRd5L4aGbmbdtjLYXPYFM8rxhQtMAyUsXjSbMlNHjSZfvuTOmcYvIAFs8bmDXzBI3ZTpdJT_twZl7RnOQxAtS7cj9tWsqc2XtyWAyaYC0P80CurIps7Y5sA/s4608/DSCN6333.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisyhiK3DksCeWQy9C3y1_w-I9L8UkENn3hHEKpB0s4ccwEJtV-8FjZbTTnRoSuRd5L4aGbmbdtjLYXPYFM8rxhQtMAyUsXjSbMlNHjSZfvuTOmcYvIAFs8bmDXzBI3ZTpdJT_twZl7RnOQxAtS7cj9tWsqc2XtyWAyaYC0P80CurIps7Y5sA/s320/DSCN6333.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Wood Ants nest</b></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p><br /></p><p>Of interest, we also witnessed a large Bat (probably a Noctule) feeding over the River Spey in the middle of the day on the 6th , but before I could grab a photo, it was taken by a male Sparrowhawk!</p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">News:</b></span></p><p><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">All tourism/hospitality/activities in Scotland are open , are free of restrictions and I have now completed well over a year and a half of (thankfully!) increasingly busy and extremely enjoyable safaris with clients with no major issues arising.</span></p><p><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">With all national travel restrictions lifted too, Scotland is officially 'open for business' for visitors from all over the UK, and from abroad.</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">For those considering a visit, these wildlife/outdoor tourism websites may prove useful:</span></p><p><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b>https://www.gov.scot/collections/coronavirus-covid</b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p><a href="https://www.outdooraccess-scotland.scot/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">NatureScot (outdooraccess-scotland.scot)</a></p><p><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xGdTZcC2ZQ" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-line: none;">Can Nature Help Health? | Nature Prescriptions - YouTube</a></b></p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1HBKnnGr-g" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;">Scotland, Yours to Enjoy. Responsibly. - YouTube</a></p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://cairngorms.co.uk/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">Cairngorms National Park Authority</a></p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://www.highlandwildlifepark.org.uk/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">Highland Wildlife Park</a></p><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.gov.scot/publications/avian-influenza-outbreaks/" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;">Avian influenza (bird flu) outbreaks - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)</a></div><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://www.rspb.org.uk/about-the-rspb/about-us/how-the-rspb-is-run/annualreport/annual-report-2022_scotland-news/?utm_source=notes_on_nature_20220903&utm_medium=email&utm_term=notes_on_nature&utm_content=27&utm_campaign=notes_on_nature" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;">Positive prescriptions | The RSPB</a></p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi__5MvjTVcB_Niy3PPwTRslSn6QxR5eEMnQzJjlNCnUeZVVOX8sJ8js93AIeS9cHr_BrIHaf5oIIQrcSkLr9umHRO9pVVebp30u86oAbg3bM5ZPsdzRAXw12X4GehvsUE1D4ra2ZYhB9DQVteKKr8B8yOHP9GKnb_XuDnuLZv1VjAYNeMgGQ/s2016/IMG_1348.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi__5MvjTVcB_Niy3PPwTRslSn6QxR5eEMnQzJjlNCnUeZVVOX8sJ8js93AIeS9cHr_BrIHaf5oIIQrcSkLr9umHRO9pVVebp30u86oAbg3bM5ZPsdzRAXw12X4GehvsUE1D4ra2ZYhB9DQVteKKr8B8yOHP9GKnb_XuDnuLZv1VjAYNeMgGQ/w400-h300/IMG_1348.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The view south from Cairngorm summit</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>COVID-19</b></p><p style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">The Scottish Highlands, being very sparsely populated, has had very few COVID-19 cases in comparison to most of the UK, and on my safaris we tend to visit remote , wild habitats well away from the more popular tourist areas, and usually have very little interaction with other people, and this is something that I intend to continue.</b></p><div><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><br /></b></div><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEhl7hCOe4RuYaQAzqBDxg2GMoTzhisAsOzCNzmKMa77QNsnfFoyroinDJJaJeK13rle8HhvmMWTUSNnfAfhKDKt7IzyZmQiMrP-jZItLSzxFivC-Js4CJHmxeCmXDi5S7kk9ZVaZPmJdDANaHOct9XuRh9jG1_55D44bCUnswcEkcH7FXLA/s2016/IMG_1366.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="2016" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEhl7hCOe4RuYaQAzqBDxg2GMoTzhisAsOzCNzmKMa77QNsnfFoyroinDJJaJeK13rle8HhvmMWTUSNnfAfhKDKt7IzyZmQiMrP-jZItLSzxFivC-Js4CJHmxeCmXDi5S7kk9ZVaZPmJdDANaHOct9XuRh9jG1_55D44bCUnswcEkcH7FXLA/w400-h199/IMG_1366.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Sunrise on a local upland moorland</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Summary:</b></p><p>Wow! What a marvelous May that was! It feels like the saying "tired but happy" could have been invented especially for me this month, as it seems to have flashed by in a whirlwind of pre-3am alarms, spectacular sunrises, picturesque backdrops and memorable wildlife sightings!</p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="line-height: 18.2px;">After all those early starts, epic adventures and long days, I think it is definitely fair to say that I am feeling a little mentally and physically tired... but also very happy that by being out almost every day, I definitely feel that we managed to really make the most of my favourite month of the year!</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="line-height: 18.2px;">As well as being a very busy month for safaris (a big thank you to all my clients!) in mostly decent weather, now I have finally had time to sit back and reflect, whilst putting together this report, I reckon that it will definitely rate as one of my most memorable too... for the sheer enjoyment of being in such a beautiful part of the world, at (in my opinion) the best time of year, in majestic , incredibly varied, and largely unspoilt scenery, sharing special wildlife sightings with fellow wildlife enthusiasts from around the globe... as far as 'job - satisfaction' goes, I may never be a rich man, but this'll do very nicely for me, thank you!</span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Reviews:</b></span></p><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span face="" style="color: #06004c;">I know a lot of visitors to this area very wisely check out reviews of attractions/experiences at </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">TripAdvisor</b><span face="" style="color: #06004c;"> before 'taking the plunge' and booking - We now have over 280 reviews online, so if you wish, you can check out our clients comments at the link below....</span></div><p><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><div style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"></span></span><br /><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g186537-d3335134-Reviews-</span></span></span></span></span></div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"></span></span><br /><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Highland_Wildlife_Birdwatch_Safaris-Aviemore_Aviemore_and_the_Cairngorms_Scottish.html</span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div></div></div></span></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1OLHZihOjzzkrqeb1XJ6RCrCQ14SBFJ6I-SZfC-3TXc4NK3I3-RC2EPnTPnTFD9CdEqMxckAzkt3tbM-hsAOLLWnJyJ8cZjMhiDSnJ8Sc2Onn4vstqD7vwRtEXFKDnJC3el8MmtZ49fVgiWadO7TI-zID49AA_qWcorCwysfihCEiWJZgMA/s1632/IMG_1318.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="969" data-original-width="1632" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1OLHZihOjzzkrqeb1XJ6RCrCQ14SBFJ6I-SZfC-3TXc4NK3I3-RC2EPnTPnTFD9CdEqMxckAzkt3tbM-hsAOLLWnJyJ8cZjMhiDSnJ8Sc2Onn4vstqD7vwRtEXFKDnJC3el8MmtZ49fVgiWadO7TI-zID49AA_qWcorCwysfihCEiWJZgMA/w400-h238/IMG_1318.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Common Spotted Orchids</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><p><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><b>G</b></span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">ift Certificates:</b></p><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><div style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; color: #222222; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 5px; position: relative;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T95gARK_lkQ/XAvNUI2tI6I/AAAAAAAADwU/GDPgK9hH9LwgLQ8gPnoaLdf04Yn2BLebwCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_1578.JPG" style="background: none 0% 0% / auto repeat scroll padding-box border-box transparent; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 5px;" width="400" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 10.56px; text-align: center;"><b>Safari gift voucher</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></span></span></div></div></div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><br /></div><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span face="" style="color: #06004c; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;">If you think you know someone who may enjoy a taste of what I do, why not treat them to a safari gift </span><span face="" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;">certificate? They make a thoughtful and imaginative present, are available for any amount and are valid for a whole year from date of purchase........</span></span></span></span></span></div></span></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Highland Wildlife & Birdwatch Safarishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04327130550058794301noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26724394.post-15474426315240989342023-04-30T19:55:00.000+01:002023-04-30T19:55:30.335+01:00<p><b>April 2023</b></p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: justify;"><b style="background-color: transparent; text-align: left;">April 2023 </b><span style="background-color: transparent; text-align: left;">started - and ended - in quite a wintry fashion, with more hill snow and low temperatures, but after the first week or so, high pressure soon kicked-in and went on to dominate the middle third of the month meaning that we enjoyed predominately sunny and dry, and occasionally warm weather with light winds, but with regular overnight frosts, and it was often almost perfect for safaris!</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px;">The days really are lengthening nicely now, with around 14 hours of usable daylight, but dawn (for the Black Grouse lek) is now a slightly less sociable 5:30 am, so if this species is on your 'wish-list', be prepared for an early start...</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;">Although many of the winter visiting birds had departed by mid-month, the ever increasing influx of summer migrant birds north into this area helped bird species day-lists creep ever higher, and 50+ species would not be uncommon on a full day local safari, or considerably more if you include a visit to the nearby Moray coast, whilst full day mammal species day-lists can creep up towards double figures, with early starts usually providing best results for the shyer ones.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><br /></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">The dawn chorus is at it's best in April, and it is always great to have your early start rewarded by getting to enjoy hearing the resident birds being joined by the newly arrived migrants like Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Blackcap and Tree Pipit.</span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Add to this the first butterflies and bees on the wing, the explosion of spring flowers into full bloom and frogs and toads on the move, and the feelgood factor of this time of year is hard to beat...</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOIh-rRY5RgPk-QCtrbBW9eCzlMo_I_A72CEcYmTbYm0uGF_RCz1fSpbL55EkxPzqDi47EakX2a5G4pGCWKe_2NRiRMlSlZIfSjPtxyfl8IYwiDHvcONPmXdUlrSUBlZTouSFvzo4F8EYhweI2qho1Cq5PDN4zhQZ0xlugzZY4PXDm7mq1Ow/s2015/IMG_4508.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="818" data-original-width="2015" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOIh-rRY5RgPk-QCtrbBW9eCzlMo_I_A72CEcYmTbYm0uGF_RCz1fSpbL55EkxPzqDi47EakX2a5G4pGCWKe_2NRiRMlSlZIfSjPtxyfl8IYwiDHvcONPmXdUlrSUBlZTouSFvzo4F8EYhweI2qho1Cq5PDN4zhQZ0xlugzZY4PXDm7mq1Ow/w400-h163/IMG_4508.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Early Spring in the Cairngorms National Park</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">To give you an idea of what you may realistically hope to see if you are considering a future April visit, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">I hope the following more detailed information, illustrated with photos taken at sites in and around the Cairngorms National Park by myself, my friends or my safari clients this month and in previous April's will help....clicking on the picture enlarges it to full-screen. </span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Local speciality/upland bird species seen regularly during the month included</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">:</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Black Grouse </b>(at, or soon after dawn only), <b>Osprey</b>, <b>Red Grouse</b>, <b>Ring Ouzel</b>, <b>Slavonian Grebe</b>, <b>Red-Throated Diver,</b> <b>Black-Throated Diver</b>, and <b>Dipper</b>, with a few decent sightings of <b>Golden Eagle</b> and <b>White-Tailed Eagle early in the month</b>... and just a few brief glimpses of <b>Crested Tit </b>and <b>Crossbill.</b>.....</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 700;">Snow Buntings</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> were seen at low level sites early in the month, but seemed to retreat high up to the mountain tops, when the snow line receded...where </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 700;">Ptarmigan</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> can also sometimes be seen...</span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Winter visiting birds were represented early in the month by a few remaining family groups of <span style="font-weight: 700;">Whooper Swans</span>, flocks of <span style="font-weight: 700;">Greylag</span> and <b>Pink-Footed</b> <span style="font-weight: 700;">Geese, </span>wildfowl such as<span style="font-weight: 700;"> Wigeon and Teal, </span>and a few lingering <b>Bramblings</b>, <span style="font-weight: 700;">Redwings</span> and <span style="font-weight: 700;">Fieldfares</span> , but most had departed by mid-month...</span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Summer migrant birds flooded in throughout the month, with the first sightings this year of <b>Osprey</b>, Wheatear, </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Common Sandpiper</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">, </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Sand Martin</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">, </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">House Martin</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">, </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Swallow</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">, </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Willow Warbler</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">, </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Chiffchaff</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">, </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Blackcap</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">T</span><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">ree Pipit, Redstart </b><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">and </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Cuckoo, </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> to name just a few...</span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">A good variety of</span><b> seabirds</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>waders, </b><b>w</b><b>ildfowl , Divers </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">and</span><b> Geese </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">can be enjoyed at the</span><b> Moray Coast </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">and the nearby inland lochs...</span></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Mammal species seen regularly included:</b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Red Deer, Roe Deer, Rabbit, Brown Hare, Red Squirrel, </b>and<b> Feral Mountain Goat,</b> whilst <b>Mountain Hare </b>became a little trickier as they morphed into their spring coat..and both types of<b> Seal</b> were seen at the nearby Moray coast...</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b> </b></span></p><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">April 2023 bird sightings in more detail:</b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">On the lochs...</b></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzMPHxcgyzOmMAsd_Oul9yAp8rw6Z-ozHkX9SycPHysJP7cOrWJBYydSvvRuUKhhWBVp3EoJaFoSatR19zHzaGyhTSHOjviKOl8VPzHQX9SxytoKaZ77H_j7ZoOHyVpC9MU6V1nbWmz6yw0qT7IUlOZANvm49idte7EMpULFYiyoSTXQC_Gg/s1993/IMG_6790.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="921" data-original-width="1993" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzMPHxcgyzOmMAsd_Oul9yAp8rw6Z-ozHkX9SycPHysJP7cOrWJBYydSvvRuUKhhWBVp3EoJaFoSatR19zHzaGyhTSHOjviKOl8VPzHQX9SxytoKaZ77H_j7ZoOHyVpC9MU6V1nbWmz6yw0qT7IUlOZANvm49idte7EMpULFYiyoSTXQC_Gg/w400-h185/IMG_6790.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Early Spring at a picturesque local loch</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK0JudChkTxJJfLTW-73BdBL936bNSry3mEoNEzd1-rovTPIhpdYQ4GfqMadVbGjxPgUV1XkWw2ektjxX40k4KbPrYlLBmWCObpFKtueqOEsnIcB1WmVd1qZgAuuQtiM2WwhzxxOM_knXVNGFcSBf2acakaL37fNGo3d3iUz-5_lJlzV3DJQ/s4275/DSCN5418.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2656" data-original-width="4275" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK0JudChkTxJJfLTW-73BdBL936bNSry3mEoNEzd1-rovTPIhpdYQ4GfqMadVbGjxPgUV1XkWw2ektjxX40k4KbPrYlLBmWCObpFKtueqOEsnIcB1WmVd1qZgAuuQtiM2WwhzxxOM_knXVNGFcSBf2acakaL37fNGo3d3iUz-5_lJlzV3DJQ/w400-h249/DSCN5418.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Ospreys</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE6PfsZS7viFUbOm1kdbPDWJZsJOMKp_KU6hX1NfNoFOfU_agh-diBCFcTCIWDd7lVcb8T_b57jc52l-oQrLgZJVm04JnbgqT3dIVFh0rNCmT8Cu-2azqptlfOf18UbkBxvER50oQXrPJAx9P_PHDtTlBr-c8sML30RjV8iCBMvHjUMiVvMw/s3429/DSCN5340.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3148" data-original-width="3429" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE6PfsZS7viFUbOm1kdbPDWJZsJOMKp_KU6hX1NfNoFOfU_agh-diBCFcTCIWDd7lVcb8T_b57jc52l-oQrLgZJVm04JnbgqT3dIVFh0rNCmT8Cu-2azqptlfOf18UbkBxvER50oQXrPJAx9P_PHDtTlBr-c8sML30RjV8iCBMvHjUMiVvMw/s320/DSCN5340.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Osprey with fish</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsApsCqRMWixz9B1hESJBBWq2yIapHBgRVunHLIYBKdD43VIoySlenha7eRZAgiawGFP3Erkfn8sMoo3Tx0qIwsHOeI7VcuxVCzWVUr8LL4zdBjzwjzVMsU1InhSc4CErt2W6V6eUaPUXvxIcsIjRY_1YIvzv7Xzb2Z2eHJI9A3olxLB8EQg/s2799/Steve%20Nicklin%20Osp%202.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1866" data-original-width="2799" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsApsCqRMWixz9B1hESJBBWq2yIapHBgRVunHLIYBKdD43VIoySlenha7eRZAgiawGFP3Erkfn8sMoo3Tx0qIwsHOeI7VcuxVCzWVUr8LL4zdBjzwjzVMsU1InhSc4CErt2W6V6eUaPUXvxIcsIjRY_1YIvzv7Xzb2Z2eHJI9A3olxLB8EQg/w400-h266/Steve%20Nicklin%20Osp%202.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Osprey by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table></b></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqXuk4KUIfCK7_TmAaEsb_EikAt9ZTiGWXqx1dZZTXBxGdyp2wCyohoVm3_WGjLRszhNXFkucD764vkvlQiApXnpuBjYIE9K8azj0xKNNO4_7u2AaecWFeC1INbLLtS73T-GZhJsTtLkXjZwVx8R14qgFtRev4BG2QmE615bSeg7kRVm887w/s2860/Jan%20Shields%20Osp%202.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2355" data-original-width="2860" height="329" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqXuk4KUIfCK7_TmAaEsb_EikAt9ZTiGWXqx1dZZTXBxGdyp2wCyohoVm3_WGjLRszhNXFkucD764vkvlQiApXnpuBjYIE9K8azj0xKNNO4_7u2AaecWFeC1INbLLtS73T-GZhJsTtLkXjZwVx8R14qgFtRev4BG2QmE615bSeg7kRVm887w/w400-h329/Jan%20Shields%20Osp%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Mating Ospreys by Jan Shields<br /><br /></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;">One of my most eagerly-awaited wildlife moments every year, is the return of our local </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.2px;">Ospreys</span><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"> to their nesting sites, and </span><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;">these impressive birds of prey are always popular with my safari clients, with their dashing good looks, large size, aerial acrobatics and spectacular plunge diving to catch fish. Many of our local pairs were reunited by mid-month after a winter apart in West Africa, and were soon seen building up their nests with sticks, chasing off intruders and mating frequently, and by the very end of the month some of the hen birds appeared to be incubating eggs as the cock birds began to perform all of the fishing duties, whilst the females presumably carried out brooding duties..</span></b></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><div><br /></div><div><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjzGE254yUd_KePumaAoHLe_oTI2Hd43C5b1zJDCdbtP7CrtwyeLbxoAufMCz47RQnAWs6XdKezXJB5KNtnJpeftVSV_egJIb5OmpIIk7-AQebt0nv_44PL69XZIqsyw-nlCXNWdHZLE9_X4mucV9PPp75BbToWP3qwBOJL1RzOkHGqUZ8SQ/s4382/DSCN5405.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2493" data-original-width="4382" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjzGE254yUd_KePumaAoHLe_oTI2Hd43C5b1zJDCdbtP7CrtwyeLbxoAufMCz47RQnAWs6XdKezXJB5KNtnJpeftVSV_egJIb5OmpIIk7-AQebt0nv_44PL69XZIqsyw-nlCXNWdHZLE9_X4mucV9PPp75BbToWP3qwBOJL1RzOkHGqUZ8SQ/w400-h228/DSCN5405.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Slavonian (Horned) Grebe</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"></span></b></div><div><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></div><div><br /></div><div><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcNgM5vmRmN4T28ice8iSYcO7-wuWOEqHY_y52WRzoQf7LF_oGtMDDwT8fES5U5u10Kg8hK5HFK_iBnn4GedKjsMH2CHbHxvzOSSBznK-nhJE-kDwQ8b1gUv99RV1JLB7sHBiyZelgThi1muVa0Y9TC-HtcYaqcy7jyuhMT3ZIlHSWcZvA2A/s2432/Jan%20Shields%20S%20G.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1824" data-original-width="2432" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcNgM5vmRmN4T28ice8iSYcO7-wuWOEqHY_y52WRzoQf7LF_oGtMDDwT8fES5U5u10Kg8hK5HFK_iBnn4GedKjsMH2CHbHxvzOSSBznK-nhJE-kDwQ8b1gUv99RV1JLB7sHBiyZelgThi1muVa0Y9TC-HtcYaqcy7jyuhMT3ZIlHSWcZvA2A/s320/Jan%20Shields%20S%20G.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Slavonian (Horned) Grebe by Jan Shields</b></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv03Z8_HgHrQccP5iruOi378IwJOsXWAY5mv6UTPYSRlZCVN1zF8DCF7mn5zBdz_IpQPuNiGMkYEp0zfqMTcPpxwdyW3c3l0A66D5G_hXWnQdwRZuSVd0oMMLjNtC_qYegh-ACZMC9fahjuJIRYLO9B_TCq5H5HA_QvXaVtQxbk01yWDv9rw/s4607/DSCN5397.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1570" data-original-width="4607" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv03Z8_HgHrQccP5iruOi378IwJOsXWAY5mv6UTPYSRlZCVN1zF8DCF7mn5zBdz_IpQPuNiGMkYEp0zfqMTcPpxwdyW3c3l0A66D5G_hXWnQdwRZuSVd0oMMLjNtC_qYegh-ACZMC9fahjuJIRYLO9B_TCq5H5HA_QvXaVtQxbk01yWDv9rw/w400-h136/DSCN5397.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red-Throated Divers</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></b></div><div><br /></div><div><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpSUabI1dJtnvT3JWRUtPCsNNH0TTReWCD9EGUWOuC2G4Lsl0lTuigS5gwAEkGp0AbV2UXPRswZS40800MGqmlbHwfbWk92UhF_AtwPwvtqQfdX-Fg4tlu0AVy-VGn1I9pws1ftG4wF1fYFOkbt06ht4ouUdjbhHiCpPb62Y85SonR8qJR8w/s2288/Shannon%20Anderson%20RTD.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1526" data-original-width="2288" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpSUabI1dJtnvT3JWRUtPCsNNH0TTReWCD9EGUWOuC2G4Lsl0lTuigS5gwAEkGp0AbV2UXPRswZS40800MGqmlbHwfbWk92UhF_AtwPwvtqQfdX-Fg4tlu0AVy-VGn1I9pws1ftG4wF1fYFOkbt06ht4ouUdjbhHiCpPb62Y85SonR8qJR8w/s320/Shannon%20Anderson%20RTD.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red-Throated Diver close-up by Shannon Anderson</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></b></div><div><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIjAmM9IGGKIvDNBSHTESeS20IrwPAIxbLEYjoo_8JIDHukWWsp9q70NTi19JYGsMkUC_NGrIMyRRqKWUJMCb3ALID3cvCawuuYgtOQO3Mc-ZSMT3HrPLfpyy7Tsm3nBgR5PhaOkLFcBHtoiAd9qiG42irlEbxIggNA2__vIutFTh6mydINQ/s4012/DSCN5434.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1959" data-original-width="4012" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIjAmM9IGGKIvDNBSHTESeS20IrwPAIxbLEYjoo_8JIDHukWWsp9q70NTi19JYGsMkUC_NGrIMyRRqKWUJMCb3ALID3cvCawuuYgtOQO3Mc-ZSMT3HrPLfpyy7Tsm3nBgR5PhaOkLFcBHtoiAd9qiG42irlEbxIggNA2__vIutFTh6mydINQ/w400-h195/DSCN5434.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Black-Throated Diver</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></b></div><div><br /></div><div><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRVErjW-WxrJsQUt_mz-z2VbluNgQB-jivKs_6NKdyzAmLMTQ8Me8PLADg8-7YInCSGq8nA0XC9nGmDCF3GXPV_M8YFTxd_iXBAUHu1iMYQQMn81tPfZCm72AbzYo-GAJGHhxk3tlb0ZdhY9KM-20XiiR2LgP-r2rxcUHaC6KFY0h6k73j6Q/s2166/Steve%20Nicklin%20BTD%202.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="1442" data-original-width="2166" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRVErjW-WxrJsQUt_mz-z2VbluNgQB-jivKs_6NKdyzAmLMTQ8Me8PLADg8-7YInCSGq8nA0XC9nGmDCF3GXPV_M8YFTxd_iXBAUHu1iMYQQMn81tPfZCm72AbzYo-GAJGHhxk3tlb0ZdhY9KM-20XiiR2LgP-r2rxcUHaC6KFY0h6k73j6Q/s320/Steve%20Nicklin%20BTD%202.jpg" width="320" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Black-Throated Diver close-up by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table></b></div><div><br /></div><div><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></b></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;">Now the local lochs are no longer in danger of freezing over, some of our highly prized local speciality water birds are back on their summer breeding territories, and we managed to see some of the most attractive and rare examples regularly this month - namely</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> Slavonian (Horned) Grebe</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;">, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Red-Throated Diver</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"> and </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Black-Throated Diver</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;">, all in their splendid summer plumage.</span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA0cWLIBXJJ2kmzLY4x6Ujm53QVBhs3Ypu3e1YXnrz5GtkKIux8DELmW47ZxxDSVpJEUSUNbTHFnJYF4wFEBdsbz_NYct184JXos5csYkauoewMWPsxUU_iIjAs2bW8P7fQ0KoiJUc0--ZNXykIcotW5CESFBtcj-a8HESnXK1xFWxdjwWOw/s1868/Ron%20Mitchell%206.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="1296" data-original-width="1868" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA0cWLIBXJJ2kmzLY4x6Ujm53QVBhs3Ypu3e1YXnrz5GtkKIux8DELmW47ZxxDSVpJEUSUNbTHFnJYF4wFEBdsbz_NYct184JXos5csYkauoewMWPsxUU_iIjAs2bW8P7fQ0KoiJUc0--ZNXykIcotW5CESFBtcj-a8HESnXK1xFWxdjwWOw/s320/Ron%20Mitchell%206.jpeg" width="320" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Displaying male Goldeneye by Ron Mitchell - Photo from April 2019</b></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></div></b></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;">Also on the lochs (and rivers), we must not forget our breeding </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Goldeneye</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"> population , and we were fortunate enough to see them regularly this month, with many of the dapper males still performing their unique and spectacular 'head-banging' mating display!</span></b></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></b></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></b></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></b></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Up on the moors....</b></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7D_ZKuJFLbUb8i8tsIymUiNduSmh3OKNPMPwVLQlq7MAbifsTDnshfGNaDi9-TN6JKHPs2qCi7C03vduKUxiMSQokvna0rIZ9o7U5vFkV0QdgyOn7OzhGK-to3NefBYNRTPq5cwy51lSsknGgLP7NB-bXrCHYjm-ftxRW3tO_jc7Rz9WD8g/s2008/IMG_6584.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1227" data-original-width="2008" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7D_ZKuJFLbUb8i8tsIymUiNduSmh3OKNPMPwVLQlq7MAbifsTDnshfGNaDi9-TN6JKHPs2qCi7C03vduKUxiMSQokvna0rIZ9o7U5vFkV0QdgyOn7OzhGK-to3NefBYNRTPq5cwy51lSsknGgLP7NB-bXrCHYjm-ftxRW3tO_jc7Rz9WD8g/w400-h245/IMG_6584.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A local upland heather moorland</b></td></tr></tbody></table></b></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnmk0lyV3aaB4B8kJF1nuUkA3Zoot6-KHu4Z8dQssl0oQq9sszranBg8buIk4TED1Z3KiWmO89YHBzVNEjJuJk0cixEyoXzyxdrS9q7JKhcf1noIoFg_PgN4AGPnMjGgMXSdfQBnV0XYCOIVG7kRQzPVm-wkCWsSQvo1W2HX9fS50jgMNm7Q/s2228/Jan%20Shields%20B%20G.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1337" data-original-width="2228" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnmk0lyV3aaB4B8kJF1nuUkA3Zoot6-KHu4Z8dQssl0oQq9sszranBg8buIk4TED1Z3KiWmO89YHBzVNEjJuJk0cixEyoXzyxdrS9q7JKhcf1noIoFg_PgN4AGPnMjGgMXSdfQBnV0XYCOIVG7kRQzPVm-wkCWsSQvo1W2HX9fS50jgMNm7Q/w400-h240/Jan%20Shields%20B%20G.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Lekking Black Grouse by Jan Shields</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3YLmqAIyclOn8JBFdnlmjFyz5JQOAO9iMCGx_NWC2rxdnwl5VdS7t8bvkJSMMmgkHBOmA0Vm3r9wFFaKt6RFwRFFbR6RudtaLWEibW9dK-1mIc-PFG8O5rbwNhGVh3ktedc-v0ewDvbD8kRUpllTndt4ODHrZiV7Qtez9mN6wjXUL2iKVpQ/s4232/Ian%20Dennis%20B%20G%20Lek.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1962" data-original-width="4232" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3YLmqAIyclOn8JBFdnlmjFyz5JQOAO9iMCGx_NWC2rxdnwl5VdS7t8bvkJSMMmgkHBOmA0Vm3r9wFFaKt6RFwRFFbR6RudtaLWEibW9dK-1mIc-PFG8O5rbwNhGVh3ktedc-v0ewDvbD8kRUpllTndt4ODHrZiV7Qtez9mN6wjXUL2iKVpQ/w400-h185/Ian%20Dennis%20B%20G%20Lek.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Lekking Black Grouse by Ian Dennis</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;">April is definitely THE month to see <b>Black Grouse</b>, and dawn (now around 5:30am) visits to local </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">Black Grouse </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;">leks usually delight and amaze my safari clients with as many as 8 blue-black cock birds seen 'performing' in spectacularly aggressive fashion, their incredible bubbling and whooshing sounds drifting across the moor, and late in the month, we are often lucky to witness the hen birds walking among them, watching the action, and presumably 'rating' the contestants, only around 20% of whom will 'get lucky', and previously we have even been lucky enough to see them mating with their chosen partner - a truly fantastic wildlife spectacle and a great way to start the day! </span></b></b></b></b></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></b></b></b></b></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></b></b></b></b></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></b></b></b></b></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></b></b></b></b></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></b></b></b></b></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></b></b></b></b></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWzeZt7JtB2S06Flaxy4OHJTyXh6kFNIowIg1SV4dQB5gPZGUQ6p5SnUNV2uco-TQNLdGGZKvFrw8cRq41x9JRoGNdnhhaYOigo540Rsn2VYwyElIK9_qwMEOd8m3Zl2kN4Lll3dCYd07Ve_IKfj8KplOf_X5P0p2vqY8rp-pBs6wtedmkUg/s3427/DSCN5431.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2194" data-original-width="3427" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWzeZt7JtB2S06Flaxy4OHJTyXh6kFNIowIg1SV4dQB5gPZGUQ6p5SnUNV2uco-TQNLdGGZKvFrw8cRq41x9JRoGNdnhhaYOigo540Rsn2VYwyElIK9_qwMEOd8m3Zl2kN4Lll3dCYd07Ve_IKfj8KplOf_X5P0p2vqY8rp-pBs6wtedmkUg/w400-h256/DSCN5431.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Red Grouse</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></b></b></b></b></b></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVXw-Dy_ivIAbBfwr1aXtyx7bTVTZU3B1WrLOJdoAPfx7edE8N7is6Z7MdwBqY7j8ZjcqKz9wCg67lsl4_rA-KG9P6gDvcakmbR5x92ITBBMK7tS9-8ZTPgJxVUMiqjoHONCXaFRf8mQRGcO1jgX8n5tQ11UTE19WFZp95fdkWYkajGtP3xw/s4608/DSCN5185.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVXw-Dy_ivIAbBfwr1aXtyx7bTVTZU3B1WrLOJdoAPfx7edE8N7is6Z7MdwBqY7j8ZjcqKz9wCg67lsl4_rA-KG9P6gDvcakmbR5x92ITBBMK7tS9-8ZTPgJxVUMiqjoHONCXaFRf8mQRGcO1jgX8n5tQ11UTE19WFZp95fdkWYkajGtP3xw/w400-h300/DSCN5185.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Red Grouse close-up</b></td></tr></tbody></table></b></b></b></b></b></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></b></b></b></b></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;">Our local moorlands continued to echo with the characteristic cackling calls of the cock </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">Red Grouse</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;">, many of whom were seen still actively displaying</span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"> from raised positions, with red 'eyebrows' aglow, presumably 'guarding' their territory and nesting female, and from mid-month I saw very few hen birds, suggesting that many may already be incubating eggs.....</span></b></b></b></b></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></b></b></b></b></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></b></b></b></b></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;">Up in the glens...</b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNML4-H0gi-MVAXYwcqoTtDCKlV4N0CtIt9ATQu-dwRTjYYU2hqd0TKpG8g7Aknnh23SSPPCpsKs5htpaVfuFhHm6VzsqjMfrN-hffTKDYzTEo2aS3IHFSGVftDrVHxeyBUe1HuprV_FOIJKI5U0LbICWTXdogdm3JOOXwrLMKd56X3jVBGQ/s1966/IMG_6708.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1178" data-original-width="1966" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNML4-H0gi-MVAXYwcqoTtDCKlV4N0CtIt9ATQu-dwRTjYYU2hqd0TKpG8g7Aknnh23SSPPCpsKs5htpaVfuFhHm6VzsqjMfrN-hffTKDYzTEo2aS3IHFSGVftDrVHxeyBUe1HuprV_FOIJKI5U0LbICWTXdogdm3JOOXwrLMKd56X3jVBGQ/w400-h240/IMG_6708.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Early spring at a local upland glen</b></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJiVQbDUqGOO0HDy6Os_niZ6R0qjxqAnrafDP8dgjEKVV0gsarC1N2b7eBGMXNdeCqROfE-_Asx6uDhRSi-yFy5QL3AobLcMnAkm87H-_xrb0hMfm9gVbZfkvUlcx15gWdeQXS3qbMIhWe6sgFWB2vs0SpgaAgG2mh_CAshpjtQq-chJ3-3Q/s1955/DSCN5347.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1118" data-original-width="1955" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJiVQbDUqGOO0HDy6Os_niZ6R0qjxqAnrafDP8dgjEKVV0gsarC1N2b7eBGMXNdeCqROfE-_Asx6uDhRSi-yFy5QL3AobLcMnAkm87H-_xrb0hMfm9gVbZfkvUlcx15gWdeQXS3qbMIhWe6sgFWB2vs0SpgaAgG2mh_CAshpjtQq-chJ3-3Q/w400-h229/DSCN5347.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Ring-Tail Hen Harrier</b></td></tr></tbody></table></b></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Q64KE2_0cQnC3yTnwtZ5sufMMZ8ac3JjThIVW1t_asBzh0K5cWGe6YCGP5Xr6wc1s6JHHL9NdlFotFYcuIGv9T4-_ju4NetK4Ni_4B47GlyR8EB24PNtUhi8n4vcrHeOLJhKnxTIBIyHDdn5Tn4XhBWJOEIuDYqhIS0jCl2QZ5YQqXji7A/s2287/Ian%20Dennis%20Buzzard.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="2287" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Q64KE2_0cQnC3yTnwtZ5sufMMZ8ac3JjThIVW1t_asBzh0K5cWGe6YCGP5Xr6wc1s6JHHL9NdlFotFYcuIGv9T4-_ju4NetK4Ni_4B47GlyR8EB24PNtUhi8n4vcrHeOLJhKnxTIBIyHDdn5Tn4XhBWJOEIuDYqhIS0jCl2QZ5YQqXji7A/w400-h239/Ian%20Dennis%20Buzzard.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Common Buzzard by Ian Dennis</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwVe9m_kRgs1rN0UAGEuveuI_Qz27Gc5dYl1PQ20sf4DoYrly65dNR-au4VlA9p2YdWhNKgv0YoHTDwCGyR4OJfvtgrcl0APCZRcHDjOZVBdqCKil5Pxz02si8eSK_cSLhjGCWteA87BuMnj2COq-aN37_9v4NtPp8uFUy-P8qOLm_mXC_Fg/s1281/Steve%20Nicklin%20Goshawk.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="854" data-original-width="1281" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwVe9m_kRgs1rN0UAGEuveuI_Qz27Gc5dYl1PQ20sf4DoYrly65dNR-au4VlA9p2YdWhNKgv0YoHTDwCGyR4OJfvtgrcl0APCZRcHDjOZVBdqCKil5Pxz02si8eSK_cSLhjGCWteA87BuMnj2COq-aN37_9v4NtPp8uFUy-P8qOLm_mXC_Fg/w400-h266/Steve%20Nicklin%20Goshawk.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Goshawk by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table></b></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2aJ0cESlmLP0W8oguOjVyumlzkxluyBdGrILYExhP5Q4EAlLHkfttzG_oItfcsI7akykfTQuWBSoRoHvvphbYgP88gG6OIO20ge_5KQujnXlo1FLz486wMRb6oMP8IGyjeySdVdWS6woZiepVC4Ah_vDhfB0-nJie4HL8Wgp8_i0PETbZbQ/s2553/DSCN2001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1555" data-original-width="2553" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2aJ0cESlmLP0W8oguOjVyumlzkxluyBdGrILYExhP5Q4EAlLHkfttzG_oItfcsI7akykfTQuWBSoRoHvvphbYgP88gG6OIO20ge_5KQujnXlo1FLz486wMRb6oMP8IGyjeySdVdWS6woZiepVC4Ah_vDhfB0-nJie4HL8Wgp8_i0PETbZbQ/w400-h244/DSCN2001.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Kite - Photo from April 2022</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4TAON8DPVCcnS9tFMhAtiPI5oN-Qmu651TcHVz3rbopXVeNR_c-VAi0vQ0Y2n3f8Ray1SpKE9ewx7SyNfkvuszm-7X9QPkZgS6pmC_64rScwMm9xPXITgbIe0CYwz5OW6EBhuOsqV-fU8VRie_NAyB0Q_KtNiLqQETuqm8xGpwFNDc9NFfg/s1877/DSCN1996.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1055" data-original-width="1877" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4TAON8DPVCcnS9tFMhAtiPI5oN-Qmu651TcHVz3rbopXVeNR_c-VAi0vQ0Y2n3f8Ray1SpKE9ewx7SyNfkvuszm-7X9QPkZgS6pmC_64rScwMm9xPXITgbIe0CYwz5OW6EBhuOsqV-fU8VRie_NAyB0Q_KtNiLqQETuqm8xGpwFNDc9NFfg/w400-h225/DSCN1996.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Golden eagle - Photo from April 20</b>22 </td></tr></tbody></table></b></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQQ4HOETaCG9oDXbybkEiHPsETVZkA1aPGrrXZLmRzXodN-rBbHkkhUWcXhNmHNPolMz-1qcTGO67F41TDI7gguHCEHLPPuubq6enHP515IuKjmSEs_ERWL6Y66vyKCWPZL6BvTJq48nLdgvUw0zD4NXSkt5Coa6nQ3_4AAvqzMkzE1aBcOQ/s1782/DSCN1936.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1108" data-original-width="1782" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQQ4HOETaCG9oDXbybkEiHPsETVZkA1aPGrrXZLmRzXodN-rBbHkkhUWcXhNmHNPolMz-1qcTGO67F41TDI7gguHCEHLPPuubq6enHP515IuKjmSEs_ERWL6Y66vyKCWPZL6BvTJq48nLdgvUw0zD4NXSkt5Coa6nQ3_4AAvqzMkzE1aBcOQ/w400-h249/DSCN1936.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>White-Tailed Eagle - Photo from April 2022</b></td></tr></tbody></table></b></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><p><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14.52px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;">Up in the local glens, it is worth noting that </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">bird of prey sightings usually become less frequent during the longer days of spring and early summer, with many of the female birds nesting and many more hours of daylight available for hunting meaning that our chances are reduced. </span></b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b>However, we still managed reasonably regular sightings of Osprey,</b> </span><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Common Buzzard</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Red Kite</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">, Peregrine, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Kestrel</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> </span></b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold;">and </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold;">Sparrowhawk</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold;">, and also a few views of </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold;">Goshawk</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold;">, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold;">Golden Eagle</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold;"> and </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold;"><b>White-Tailed Eagle, </b>though I am still yet to see a <b>Merlin </b>this year...</span></p><p style="font-weight: bold;"><br style="font-weight: 400;" /></p><p style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></p></span></span></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">I</span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">n the forests...</b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg91DWHJMJmI5ZUKoLxN3BuUVNCthV7oNHwIFyj5jrRWITQ18MfTSFyDs3diYScllVKWjdqNP8Ke38FhrQcqWlFDuJ7sdNVpeKz6JKpvpNRESTNT-tDtEF1YlubzJLZ4ACuQFFUyZwxcQCJCpYM0G8BZLX7Mve86SwFIA0DHQxlzugEmZ9Zdw/s1939/IMG_6541.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1251" data-original-width="1939" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg91DWHJMJmI5ZUKoLxN3BuUVNCthV7oNHwIFyj5jrRWITQ18MfTSFyDs3diYScllVKWjdqNP8Ke38FhrQcqWlFDuJ7sdNVpeKz6JKpvpNRESTNT-tDtEF1YlubzJLZ4ACuQFFUyZwxcQCJCpYM0G8BZLX7Mve86SwFIA0DHQxlzugEmZ9Zdw/w400-h258/IMG_6541.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Ancient Caledonian forest</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBUPfD-seRod2lCEUIoV3tmcEQ9Uw-bC8u_1TFPBJUTlI6mdJPVWvuGD_mM92NwsePO3_tD87VgnhiEAgKwEPKTKAEaTqGg0ocXoYuE9zLkfM-9HbpN6VE-nH1E87dTG1TYYm4Zvj21LQtcQ2xKYEEMfY-FmYnRxU_3KER1C5zNEKualXM-A/s3544/DSCN5330.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2378" data-original-width="3544" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBUPfD-seRod2lCEUIoV3tmcEQ9Uw-bC8u_1TFPBJUTlI6mdJPVWvuGD_mM92NwsePO3_tD87VgnhiEAgKwEPKTKAEaTqGg0ocXoYuE9zLkfM-9HbpN6VE-nH1E87dTG1TYYm4Zvj21LQtcQ2xKYEEMfY-FmYnRxU_3KER1C5zNEKualXM-A/w400-h269/DSCN5330.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Crested Tit</b></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;">In the Caledonian forests, </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white;">Crested Tit</span><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: 400;"> sightings became much more difficult to obtain this month, with one or two birds seen using forest feeding stations on the colder mornings, but generally they were pretty elusive, seemingly quietly going about their business breeding.....and I should point out that you really need to be familiar with their 'chuckling trill' of a song to have a realistic chance of seeing them... but I usually plan a short Caledonian forest walk in order to give us a chance...</span></b></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4;">It is well worth noting that the colder winter months (October-Feb) are actually the best time of year for seeing the 'wee Cresties', as these characterful little birds can be frustratingly secretive, unobtrusive and almost silent during the breeding season, with sightings being much more difficult to obtain between March and September....</span></b></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6bsCU91ZrFG9t7xZo1d6fpjCq48LFJjYBc5ubxNhK7epmhYRfsFqBKGxFMl_I4oZUk8LYRZwNx1wxEcdfhe3l1LeeGYwGMwlE1-_6XXyO6Zu1_7xPLJzFGifYWy1W9x-8uUhN7XQj7YrfV4ZC9NRM8U7JO47XSrZmvd-05ZpKOuvblMR3_g/s2404/DSCN5276.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1502" data-original-width="2404" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6bsCU91ZrFG9t7xZo1d6fpjCq48LFJjYBc5ubxNhK7epmhYRfsFqBKGxFMl_I4oZUk8LYRZwNx1wxEcdfhe3l1LeeGYwGMwlE1-_6XXyO6Zu1_7xPLJzFGifYWy1W9x-8uUhN7XQj7YrfV4ZC9NRM8U7JO47XSrZmvd-05ZpKOuvblMR3_g/w400-h250/DSCN5276.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Crossbill</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE3YZ4VVXIN7vMHmHLvsdjjM-MrBnz7-G_NSIEwquBOhmSsUcAdwxK78M3b6RaFPNN12U0rBKsaPPqEGsFiFKCBUEvY3yFp8HvsZOdo-t_-YZBQ1qKOWo40_SxVHIEdgb4oA8iNNZ_s5T2UHYIXTjHVjFann7LIATyAbbGF5RrQxQ9GJ2oZw/s1178/Steve%20Nicklin%20Xbill.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="786" data-original-width="1178" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE3YZ4VVXIN7vMHmHLvsdjjM-MrBnz7-G_NSIEwquBOhmSsUcAdwxK78M3b6RaFPNN12U0rBKsaPPqEGsFiFKCBUEvY3yFp8HvsZOdo-t_-YZBQ1qKOWo40_SxVHIEdgb4oA8iNNZ_s5T2UHYIXTjHVjFann7LIATyAbbGF5RrQxQ9GJ2oZw/s320/Steve%20Nicklin%20Xbill.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Female Crossbill by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><p style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;">Continuing the forest theme, unusually, we actually did ok for </span>Crossbill<span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"> sightings , though most of them were of the typical and rather annoying fly-over variety, we also had a couple of better views, and (unusually!) on the 3rd and the 6th, we even managed a few photos, when birds perched obligingly for a few seconds!</span></b></p><p style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br style="font-weight: 400;" /></p></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">We finally got our first glimpse (3 seconds of a male flying) of a </span>Capercaillie<span style="font-weight: 400;"> on the 25th of the month, rather ironically, whilst on a mid-morning forest walk in search of Cresties and Crossbills!</span></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHSyzXGtfUF_JfwKKvz0EYcfF7ZOHwmz-CN6RiAyvzJSR6ryzgnB3fbkEQLDmsedo1n6DwMVAhCt6t926vDTYX_YyFzsnMdTir4QGxCeoZbRfsRf4Cl5tS2GJSsNoRyoNXtmtP2F3U7GFe19QXWOBbeDY7DtnGV-IPbbEkwMDjGR4H16OpSQ/s4608/Ian%20Dennis%20caper%201.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHSyzXGtfUF_JfwKKvz0EYcfF7ZOHwmz-CN6RiAyvzJSR6ryzgnB3fbkEQLDmsedo1n6DwMVAhCt6t926vDTYX_YyFzsnMdTir4QGxCeoZbRfsRf4Cl5tS2GJSsNoRyoNXtmtP2F3U7GFe19QXWOBbeDY7DtnGV-IPbbEkwMDjGR4H16OpSQ/s320/Ian%20Dennis%20caper%201.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Capercaillie by Ian Dennis</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">One of my regular safari clients also got lucky whilst on a drive through a local Caledonian forest, when a male Capercaillie poked it's head up out of the heather for a few seconds...</span></span></div><p style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-size: 15.972px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-size: 13.2px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;"><span style="font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4;">Please note that Capercaillie numbers would still appear to be declining alarmingly, and I would only rate our chances of seeing one my safaris as "very slim" at best, </span></span></span></span></b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400;"> </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400;">and now we are into 'lekking' season, I will be 'responsible' by staying out of 'sensitive' areas at dawn through April and May to allow this now very rare and elusive bird to (hopefully) lek and breed in peace....</span></b></p><div><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">On the rivers...</b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi34TuxFgQ-BJcumxyNM97ifnHUSPunQdi_OPbvuaJ7NrrcJf6t67tW-LV3pm185DPB9gUqddBTO_ULStxhwJ95Yqq9OVLVY5KeIS9wVjCQO5EL9jy5eYHf9DviHywvupvTY8pyPGL5FWWRncdghPUw4mhUbXQflEbU8RXjYFTTtXqi1i7jAw/s1961/IMG_6746.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1212" data-original-width="1961" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi34TuxFgQ-BJcumxyNM97ifnHUSPunQdi_OPbvuaJ7NrrcJf6t67tW-LV3pm185DPB9gUqddBTO_ULStxhwJ95Yqq9OVLVY5KeIS9wVjCQO5EL9jy5eYHf9DviHywvupvTY8pyPGL5FWWRncdghPUw4mhUbXQflEbU8RXjYFTTtXqi1i7jAw/w400-h248/IMG_6746.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A local stretch of the River Spey</b></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMdav8F6XyA_UZQyjHo3WRmQEWjIoBi0wI64ZBosaPjmUxyBOYVoGkmVNGvjtUXTIp09HTrb_y3qCWbBIHxf7gEYDiKa_nP-igF1fQ5AwUkKzyCsbVhKj1l0sNV1PyFXLVuHE5lC37epxhvfz-Ag9uu_G9jMtZonrCvstEWmOHk9CYIoO0OQ/s4247/DSCN5341.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2764" data-original-width="4247" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMdav8F6XyA_UZQyjHo3WRmQEWjIoBi0wI64ZBosaPjmUxyBOYVoGkmVNGvjtUXTIp09HTrb_y3qCWbBIHxf7gEYDiKa_nP-igF1fQ5AwUkKzyCsbVhKj1l0sNV1PyFXLVuHE5lC37epxhvfz-Ag9uu_G9jMtZonrCvstEWmOHk9CYIoO0OQ/s320/DSCN5341.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Dipper</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgajEANVnX-NZHBozy_MNS99kA0HFewZay7FhXiVUmfNE53BElRLvp5LnSn8tmPGnGPPDnnP3VQT1w-HTpco5DaNHg2bjuJmeC5uLf_yYPojuQebgip0VS-IdWiRNUiJ_GcF5HLxgZ5koK5OnTVwHZfwUKEzogRm7Q6S6Ir9LD5VEXltZzRcw/s4163/Ian%20Dennis%20Dipper.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2813" data-original-width="4163" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgajEANVnX-NZHBozy_MNS99kA0HFewZay7FhXiVUmfNE53BElRLvp5LnSn8tmPGnGPPDnnP3VQT1w-HTpco5DaNHg2bjuJmeC5uLf_yYPojuQebgip0VS-IdWiRNUiJ_GcF5HLxgZ5koK5OnTVwHZfwUKEzogRm7Q6S6Ir9LD5VEXltZzRcw/s320/Ian%20Dennis%20Dipper.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Dipper close-up by Ian Dennis</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;">It was noticeable that there were increased occurrences of male </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Dippers</span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"> seemingly delivering food and additional nest material to the now well hidden female birds at their nest sites , usually underneath bridges or under high , overhanging banks...and we also witnessed a few instances of rival males having territorial disputes....</span></b></b></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></b></b></b></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></b></b></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></b></b></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZvG9Gp1dUtgSp62lntNNOq9OvBql0kLI-75L97qoBog-yu6yGe8d7Hk2SRkxu75ZREsSpy_jY8Q4UYhQcY3kLmg6HSoe_ziZN7hJe-PqZeu4sSyEsDWtXH7CPA0lswadqUbTV0yKZoPSrLJxiApYB25D27hEPSJ1O_pIIfmCXW4KCxeWs6w/s4353/DSCN5190.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3091" data-original-width="4353" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZvG9Gp1dUtgSp62lntNNOq9OvBql0kLI-75L97qoBog-yu6yGe8d7Hk2SRkxu75ZREsSpy_jY8Q4UYhQcY3kLmg6HSoe_ziZN7hJe-PqZeu4sSyEsDWtXH7CPA0lswadqUbTV0yKZoPSrLJxiApYB25D27hEPSJ1O_pIIfmCXW4KCxeWs6w/w400-h284/DSCN5190.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Goosander</b></td></tr></tbody></table></b></b></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></b></b></b></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></b></b></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh443jnt4erEJvllhZHo8ZcHjx6NhlfSEMyA-tWIENEaJldE1V_XAmmoneL3SwbyTEAwj5MB4lSDkArMWJk6rY3-mSaZ8PCuA_RNkXOuY4c-VFXNPtE-yQOjoFIRK8QLNmxB7KxjaHakNzdoUWxW97Du0_9xaWjh5WxzkNId1lI-6cPfKIbpg/s1984/Josh%20Allan%201.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1488" data-original-width="1984" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh443jnt4erEJvllhZHo8ZcHjx6NhlfSEMyA-tWIENEaJldE1V_XAmmoneL3SwbyTEAwj5MB4lSDkArMWJk6rY3-mSaZ8PCuA_RNkXOuY4c-VFXNPtE-yQOjoFIRK8QLNmxB7KxjaHakNzdoUWxW97Du0_9xaWjh5WxzkNId1lI-6cPfKIbpg/s320/Josh%20Allan%201.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Common Sandpiper by Josh Allan</b></td></tr></tbody></table></b></b></b></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></b></b></b></span></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">We also saw Goosanders reasonably frequently on local rivers this month....and the first Common Sandpipers have returned too......</b></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Up in the mountains....</b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBkUyE_m7zbEeT-dWlBKbE7mFtutTN3OH-BYUXML7VmOMUj3hAZBl7FY6agZbXiot85_YitxQ9SmWjZXdjWyZkCJMYZvMZYl35l8kHT1JdaXtiqD6NEH_71acXA2TpYRLW41g-juihdOB-RQ9HsU7H0cQwcLKPytG69XIQRWigH6r-2OFpyw/s2015/IMG_1042.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1175" data-original-width="2015" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBkUyE_m7zbEeT-dWlBKbE7mFtutTN3OH-BYUXML7VmOMUj3hAZBl7FY6agZbXiot85_YitxQ9SmWjZXdjWyZkCJMYZvMZYl35l8kHT1JdaXtiqD6NEH_71acXA2TpYRLW41g-juihdOB-RQ9HsU7H0cQwcLKPytG69XIQRWigH6r-2OFpyw/w400-h234/IMG_1042.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A snowy April morning at Cairngorm Mountain</b></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-JUKspLN-fZtQbv2F8ab0Ay4Vlc_bwDk59rck7RAck9yM5CCx7AdsmRqXR_T5wyp26qv5qjcRmBYRYKZtoXR9tDmLL0bR7EuyLVbiXuC40geM3BA_CM0bLaED1VOxk6NNoimtHoCMx-aE_yOW2CxzJdRdWy8m4_qetB04kaBSjiBdaHtucw/s2574/DSCN5320.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1456" data-original-width="2574" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-JUKspLN-fZtQbv2F8ab0Ay4Vlc_bwDk59rck7RAck9yM5CCx7AdsmRqXR_T5wyp26qv5qjcRmBYRYKZtoXR9tDmLL0bR7EuyLVbiXuC40geM3BA_CM0bLaED1VOxk6NNoimtHoCMx-aE_yOW2CxzJdRdWy8m4_qetB04kaBSjiBdaHtucw/w400-h226/DSCN5320.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Snow Buntings</b></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg46cxs61kqX6bmP9YfDWSIQk-EcxdJ9hVCrWb2gk3ZPge2u9qfD4BFRUInPqP1RLVgK37WqpNZubMl-l4CiNOIY8CZ8SqZRFCFEHcaGT34Zl_ChOVJ_RL4zUGw-bGY5bdA5rLN7JdJgkdmluGmiYlYINdN1wbmEcBM5yJuJYX1WGFu0_oDUw/s4285/DSCN5282.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2829" data-original-width="4285" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg46cxs61kqX6bmP9YfDWSIQk-EcxdJ9hVCrWb2gk3ZPge2u9qfD4BFRUInPqP1RLVgK37WqpNZubMl-l4CiNOIY8CZ8SqZRFCFEHcaGT34Zl_ChOVJ_RL4zUGw-bGY5bdA5rLN7JdJgkdmluGmiYlYINdN1wbmEcBM5yJuJYX1WGFu0_oDUw/s320/DSCN5282.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Snow Bunting</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">Although I did not walk up to the the summit area myself this month visits to the ski centre car park early in the month, while the snow was still down to lower levels, gave us</span></span></b><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"> some good views of a few lingering </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 700;">Snow Buntings</span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">, </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;">but they seemed to retreat high up to the mountain tops as the snow line receded....</span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"> Those that do walk up though, can get some decent sightings of </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Ptarmigan</span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"> as well, with both species now morphing into their summer plumage...</span></b></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></b></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></b></b></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></b></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXp4A94wzHMecKv-0S_-iU2ML3t8m8RDWigQo7OSy2i1KtCz7337FYDJ3IUS9qP49rfMWZNwaViLDLtxVCCF1JQnK8gMgmKVdqD0Cw8UaJ8mtExmYkvQMt3dVAfywZuzrya0AEi4CVD5B4ypE7KbEvb49pw6MOlQ_ILgkTaWtcWDo0dtTONw/s1224/Martin%20Stillion%20%20Ringo.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="734" data-original-width="1224" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXp4A94wzHMecKv-0S_-iU2ML3t8m8RDWigQo7OSy2i1KtCz7337FYDJ3IUS9qP49rfMWZNwaViLDLtxVCCF1JQnK8gMgmKVdqD0Cw8UaJ8mtExmYkvQMt3dVAfywZuzrya0AEi4CVD5B4ypE7KbEvb49pw6MOlQ_ILgkTaWtcWDo0dtTONw/w400-h240/Martin%20Stillion%20%20Ringo.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Ring Ouzel by Martin Stillion</b></td></tr></tbody></table></b></b></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></b></b></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></b></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuEXmhgrUIog0m1hXBpvf3oVfjF4a9nF1sZPf0JU4CFlB1-hJewf54iO0ERhmIHsKZhYH7NS9jhzJl54kyEs9b5c3hGwTpy2JaqmHnrviGe-M8-EE6JKtOksTVjkqu-A5gGUGSSUgrm3d3A96tdY7mQSiMjy3INM5xRnno4WNyS5Sc687GMg/s1461/Josh%20Allan%20%20Ringo.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1461" data-original-width="1461" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuEXmhgrUIog0m1hXBpvf3oVfjF4a9nF1sZPf0JU4CFlB1-hJewf54iO0ERhmIHsKZhYH7NS9jhzJl54kyEs9b5c3hGwTpy2JaqmHnrviGe-M8-EE6JKtOksTVjkqu-A5gGUGSSUgrm3d3A96tdY7mQSiMjy3INM5xRnno4WNyS5Sc687GMg/w400-h400/Josh%20Allan%20%20Ringo.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male and Female Ring Ouzel by Josh Allan</b></td></tr></tbody></table></b></b></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></b></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFKi5NRMtamRLhm5h6g1HmgTQzLeRvqOr2z8a8xNCoJgCvsh1rftxYIwwQvQKhPDEotSjDjwLK0iihY9eSlm0Zi2wzRsfCqodP0ZIxXGulIk0LZNoIDxwJk_UtLqrgpARUjHLivjFoHtw5SFMLLp1z0tAdHArBgf6h9iYpzjYAJciIwsEy8g/s3604/DSCN5482.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2767" data-original-width="3604" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFKi5NRMtamRLhm5h6g1HmgTQzLeRvqOr2z8a8xNCoJgCvsh1rftxYIwwQvQKhPDEotSjDjwLK0iihY9eSlm0Zi2wzRsfCqodP0ZIxXGulIk0LZNoIDxwJk_UtLqrgpARUjHLivjFoHtw5SFMLLp1z0tAdHArBgf6h9iYpzjYAJciIwsEy8g/w400-h308/DSCN5482.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Ring Ouzel</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></b></b></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;">At slightly lower levels ( but still generally at 1,500ft/450m +) newly-arrived </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 18.2px;">Ring Ouzels - </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 18.2px;">sometimes called the Blackbird's mountain dwelling cousin -</span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 18.2px;"> </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 18.2px;"> always prove to be popular with my safari clients, presumably because not many will have seen them locally, as they tend to breed only in remote upland areas well away from human disturbance, and can be quite tricky to find. We are fortunate in having plenty of suitable habitat for them in this area though, and we are often able to get decent views and sometimes photographs of newly-arrived male and female birds .....</span></span></b></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></span></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">On farmland....</b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><br /></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; color: #222222; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 5px; position: relative;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD_6VIdfLflGhytnk2M8d8dlgn-jWq03SZZSGcFoIDAhQH3ov095kkel6xpBSLBy9vGiV77L1MalsQUHJSLtOQIG3HfGUFpRd6B_l3kaNv5hJ8O-ZUFjql41JJfNqd6aoGC-eegYCxwwrsMm59t2mEhALVPXFYuO47PyPinMbUrhGJKRi8Vg/s4417/DSCN7200.JPG" style="color: #0e2b46; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2422" data-original-width="4417" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD_6VIdfLflGhytnk2M8d8dlgn-jWq03SZZSGcFoIDAhQH3ov095kkel6xpBSLBy9vGiV77L1MalsQUHJSLtOQIG3HfGUFpRd6B_l3kaNv5hJ8O-ZUFjql41JJfNqd6aoGC-eegYCxwwrsMm59t2mEhALVPXFYuO47PyPinMbUrhGJKRi8Vg/w400-h219/DSCN7200.JPG" style="background: transparent; border: none; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 10.56px; text-align: center;"><b>Typical local rough farmland<br /><br /></b></td></tr></tbody></table></b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><br /></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhACcB50Qhmn_IlbbI8OJ_PMjTw8BNIsipvMWXLYUCgqqGh-U3RkgGZi3xi0jv1UZ4eF-UzwjnII8gGIBllHKW7jNGxcPfdEVjNsDpxqwrGoYliyVczLXRDSEEFWzQqk8AlvvlZBP-XXLLVuBgSmCrsrqMofo1i1zf2pbMEEK2oZnvYUhCi3Q/s2992/IMG_0093.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2992" data-original-width="2992" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhACcB50Qhmn_IlbbI8OJ_PMjTw8BNIsipvMWXLYUCgqqGh-U3RkgGZi3xi0jv1UZ4eF-UzwjnII8gGIBllHKW7jNGxcPfdEVjNsDpxqwrGoYliyVczLXRDSEEFWzQqk8AlvvlZBP-XXLLVuBgSmCrsrqMofo1i1zf2pbMEEK2oZnvYUhCi3Q/s320/IMG_0093.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Lapwing - Photo from April 2016</b></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ6X_l4QCPZUN1udjuzcCbcnsqGrwEwGMGEENy1iAJwZkhpmDWolOJMBCxk_lJqFc9t8UrbVixbqypOc66Y3rrSOfSG_yEyXAZ-ggf0WN6voEdrcZ1fy5Ch4ehuLGqEokr7p0-IpsDiUHrwhLmCnchRyXJh4B5Fj7MBftGRh_fa7HC5whapQ/s1826/IMG_0103.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="910" data-original-width="1826" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ6X_l4QCPZUN1udjuzcCbcnsqGrwEwGMGEENy1iAJwZkhpmDWolOJMBCxk_lJqFc9t8UrbVixbqypOc66Y3rrSOfSG_yEyXAZ-ggf0WN6voEdrcZ1fy5Ch4ehuLGqEokr7p0-IpsDiUHrwhLmCnchRyXJh4B5Fj7MBftGRh_fa7HC5whapQ/w400-h199/IMG_0103.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Oystercatcher</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGOtWgBPDv-b5eWF3PGY5svFnyDZNh6QMedQi0KRXCBuTrhpDompvE7cCBHmYIEw33VFIXYkKWerlPOkoOvmWBV5iEbhnrY-hX7O_FLwi2MfwmBGxJ4OZeOzRlYpyWnKtENX0UaWGwObsYIXrXHidWskezr-ZsnpoSa-ge4O3BnTYfskVgUw/s2012/IMG_9802.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1473" data-original-width="2012" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGOtWgBPDv-b5eWF3PGY5svFnyDZNh6QMedQi0KRXCBuTrhpDompvE7cCBHmYIEw33VFIXYkKWerlPOkoOvmWBV5iEbhnrY-hX7O_FLwi2MfwmBGxJ4OZeOzRlYpyWnKtENX0UaWGwObsYIXrXHidWskezr-ZsnpoSa-ge4O3BnTYfskVgUw/w400-h293/IMG_9802.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Curlew - Photo from April 2016</b></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">Lots of waders have now returned to their spring/summer breeding grounds on local farmland, with </span><b>Oystercatcher</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Lapwing</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Golden Plover,</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> and </span><b>Curlew</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> all being noted.....</span></p><p><br style="font-weight: 400;" /></p></b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Lingering winter-visiting birds seen in our area this month included:</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> </span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnGmzMTCKFhDUWcuMwsLrcRkAUyLPpjYwEVwM6iLTmxI7AinQxTTJw9wnQcPAem5nL7i3FIQlfoDhRRdHdBeZQ8j42BqkXUBRno6xZAlsVz7FGj8Rs7Xeb9AvlX4ciZC3QonEJ6RR_H67toisoKntTAk31rn6uqIgCR2NVSXVJW2LvMoX01A/s3836/DSCN5429.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1649" data-original-width="3836" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnGmzMTCKFhDUWcuMwsLrcRkAUyLPpjYwEVwM6iLTmxI7AinQxTTJw9wnQcPAem5nL7i3FIQlfoDhRRdHdBeZQ8j42BqkXUBRno6xZAlsVz7FGj8Rs7Xeb9AvlX4ciZC3QonEJ6RR_H67toisoKntTAk31rn6uqIgCR2NVSXVJW2LvMoX01A/w400-h173/DSCN5429.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Whooper Swan</b></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip_BThwJ9QPrt7vFuy6chOUtqu2QD9HqUvl_k8MKCktYpq7kuFg3W4QPgap7KG5v95jCiVuVi9wmMbGCuoMlyZ1JOBvrw_vNSlKGRDCqepJYXJxO7pHJWhm4dudI96qU83_-jZlR4lg3T7K4AyuDqboDw7LTNqTg7vZUajSxlTtC6D_-3J4g/s4014/DSCN5214.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2207" data-original-width="4014" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip_BThwJ9QPrt7vFuy6chOUtqu2QD9HqUvl_k8MKCktYpq7kuFg3W4QPgap7KG5v95jCiVuVi9wmMbGCuoMlyZ1JOBvrw_vNSlKGRDCqepJYXJxO7pHJWhm4dudI96qU83_-jZlR4lg3T7K4AyuDqboDw7LTNqTg7vZUajSxlTtC6D_-3J4g/w400-h220/DSCN5214.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The last local Waxwing of the winter</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;">A few Whooper Swans</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;">Grey Geese (Greylag and Pink-Footed), Redwings, Fieldfares and </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>just one Waxwing</b> ..though these are all likely to depart this area soon....</span></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Other good/scarce birds seen/reported locally this month included:</b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">A<b> Black Redstart </b>in Grantown on Spey, a couple of<b> Ring-Necked Ducks </b>on various local lochs, an<b> Alpine Swift </b>briefly<b> </b>at Strathdearn, 4<b> Twites </b>near Newtonmore, and a pair of <b>Red-Breasted Mergansers </b>at Lochindorb</span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-weight: 700;">A few photos of more common birds seen locally this month: </span></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW58u8QcLY15AO2-tNv6B7Fmvd-ka6OThNXV0ZtOMJPoojWlxsw00E0IvALvYdp3KFrQUYqovN_K-n9kpxGtrCPD02KePq5I5W0XPuFFWMLJVjBgG82uT4XSzVzkYcXX61JkBhXCPFdrjs9U6cKmU28SXOyZaLkqvGdZHgY4gGjM3kcma7hw/s4608/Ian%20Dennis%20Mallards.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW58u8QcLY15AO2-tNv6B7Fmvd-ka6OThNXV0ZtOMJPoojWlxsw00E0IvALvYdp3KFrQUYqovN_K-n9kpxGtrCPD02KePq5I5W0XPuFFWMLJVjBgG82uT4XSzVzkYcXX61JkBhXCPFdrjs9U6cKmU28SXOyZaLkqvGdZHgY4gGjM3kcma7hw/w400-h300/Ian%20Dennis%20Mallards.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Mallard family by Ian Dennis</b></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs6ftnRq7xkYEK0zh_Vh0GcqGD-xvGchcQcIup7pF_f2ZecZ6Yw9pIRWZ9C5higMcFX1ZDui7u9qm72VFoodLX0UVxzfzCGsavgCZgzU0eVEZgapT9vgB1btysJaVSS43KLUq96TeVsKEM44rFNqcsr906jrmE3sm6NYektcWCjWvVmIctmQ/s2629/Jan%20Shields%20C%20S.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1174" data-original-width="2629" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs6ftnRq7xkYEK0zh_Vh0GcqGD-xvGchcQcIup7pF_f2ZecZ6Yw9pIRWZ9C5higMcFX1ZDui7u9qm72VFoodLX0UVxzfzCGsavgCZgzU0eVEZgapT9vgB1btysJaVSS43KLUq96TeVsKEM44rFNqcsr906jrmE3sm6NYektcWCjWvVmIctmQ/w400-h179/Jan%20Shields%20C%20S.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A newly-arrived Common Sandpiper by Jan Shields</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="color: #06004c; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV9jRk5tcmF3t0ivwU9Rn7TrIJPeNbroAE6mGxjkuxOqYCXvQeSDfeX8XJHYAphAJ5wiUVpnYGaTxG2JFocnzBgYJiXNVYm7koufVwmxPNoK46Eq-RTNcKwMcbAa_W6Bgi_Ey-hwg_dKOFIYU4EFgXBdavGMuRBiNoACrXf6nsqA5-_slxwA/s4005/DSCN5256.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2223" data-original-width="4005" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV9jRk5tcmF3t0ivwU9Rn7TrIJPeNbroAE6mGxjkuxOqYCXvQeSDfeX8XJHYAphAJ5wiUVpnYGaTxG2JFocnzBgYJiXNVYm7koufVwmxPNoK46Eq-RTNcKwMcbAa_W6Bgi_Ey-hwg_dKOFIYU4EFgXBdavGMuRBiNoACrXf6nsqA5-_slxwA/s320/DSCN5256.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Canada Geese</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="color: #06004c; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIGduXA-Dzvc7tkrqY3iAajsUBanc3O5Ux2_9MzmpMcCObt1uNK1_e7krCKZwah0XFpFP0i11ceED7x-1PJhKD_GTAyjU0PaPbSEO7fogusvh1J0QU6KUK5JKsriRC893GsHn8m47WyC8S0gdGY-MzCal29_1-ahSrxeU5mt2pY-n3roNU5w/s3892/DSCN5291.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2374" data-original-width="3892" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIGduXA-Dzvc7tkrqY3iAajsUBanc3O5Ux2_9MzmpMcCObt1uNK1_e7krCKZwah0XFpFP0i11ceED7x-1PJhKD_GTAyjU0PaPbSEO7fogusvh1J0QU6KUK5JKsriRC893GsHn8m47WyC8S0gdGY-MzCal29_1-ahSrxeU5mt2pY-n3roNU5w/s320/DSCN5291.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Collared Dove</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcLChynIYdfqpaljljjtLpWU-bQlS-1o3HdWQWs4LLNTPQgS2oK9Oa0dFDVyc3bEbMKCIdPP-PAY0V034x0qWtKhN-lR5xCHSFDCvoZDD4n0hX1MALWhsrxixnexO09eeprQ4Np0I5jVMoErhCw9umQIQOQ1PiOA2jvu0nV8tMi9ZoYOujZA/s3684/Jan%20Shields%20Common%20Gulls.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2553" data-original-width="3684" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcLChynIYdfqpaljljjtLpWU-bQlS-1o3HdWQWs4LLNTPQgS2oK9Oa0dFDVyc3bEbMKCIdPP-PAY0V034x0qWtKhN-lR5xCHSFDCvoZDD4n0hX1MALWhsrxixnexO09eeprQ4Np0I5jVMoErhCw9umQIQOQ1PiOA2jvu0nV8tMi9ZoYOujZA/s320/Jan%20Shields%20Common%20Gulls.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Common Gulls by Jan Shields</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="color: #06004c; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy7GzSJM2FR67FKQsCc0950e_iz8tNzMk9g30N5ORWwdrNNiZS1GdF2XjweIMvbg9AtkjSg9FmF5XbrIarACIMkxlvSwhbwV_AL6FGF_dMj2eFRZ95P3eHlY2iMUjizcOqYYqi0Kb2pjQED7Phg64dYYFNA7DyaZjvM5Br7JsnqdrvIue0xQ/s2329/Steve%20Nicklin%20Mipit.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1553" data-original-width="2329" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy7GzSJM2FR67FKQsCc0950e_iz8tNzMk9g30N5ORWwdrNNiZS1GdF2XjweIMvbg9AtkjSg9FmF5XbrIarACIMkxlvSwhbwV_AL6FGF_dMj2eFRZ95P3eHlY2iMUjizcOqYYqi0Kb2pjQED7Phg64dYYFNA7DyaZjvM5Br7JsnqdrvIue0xQ/s320/Steve%20Nicklin%20Mipit.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Meadow Pipit by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="color: #06004c; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRn7jRWRjyo5ncEJ_PGnLyIG-FTIxmODSbT2s4IjgdUXp6xn8-kzsTFojUCWh9K0WIXjUYKnTuGzZcyJAkSH7fAOhe16BmO4w01YvxG6_mbYKYbE8w0rjCysk-zYZ-DP-l-xqqU7eIeKx23b8rxQSBTxezd3L08QbjM6FoJAXMLLqVc0-qow/s1836/Steve%20Nicklin%20Stonechat.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1224" data-original-width="1836" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRn7jRWRjyo5ncEJ_PGnLyIG-FTIxmODSbT2s4IjgdUXp6xn8-kzsTFojUCWh9K0WIXjUYKnTuGzZcyJAkSH7fAOhe16BmO4w01YvxG6_mbYKYbE8w0rjCysk-zYZ-DP-l-xqqU7eIeKx23b8rxQSBTxezd3L08QbjM6FoJAXMLLqVc0-qow/s320/Steve%20Nicklin%20Stonechat.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Stonechat by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg9RnFscCpPKvnVAdIE1_FS1r7WLN30wY23QLepafzNH4cTz_fPYDZ-HNzaQOEBmryjBEIusqOTZ5L6_Q7S8la3xO3ZlRLFXFGsSq8RnZCxIPBX7OjrcjFe5nCU4WBuzeltSmeuPm8-IMHTMx3ixe-LJ0jeymTO903u2ds6U4oK7Ftl-q5QQ/s4112/DSCN5176.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2832" data-original-width="4112" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg9RnFscCpPKvnVAdIE1_FS1r7WLN30wY23QLepafzNH4cTz_fPYDZ-HNzaQOEBmryjBEIusqOTZ5L6_Q7S8la3xO3ZlRLFXFGsSq8RnZCxIPBX7OjrcjFe5nCU4WBuzeltSmeuPm8-IMHTMx3ixe-LJ0jeymTO903u2ds6U4oK7Ftl-q5QQ/s320/DSCN5176.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Greater-Spotted Woodpecker</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;">Adventures 'out of area':</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"> The Moray Coast.</span></b></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsFXYrKSenCu33p2pyxgBuTrTP9ZBeX8fU-9OijcxTwCBNAg7KmRDWqgvGnr4hcRE1pLnn-x-cL3AxE44_l5yCLUESijvsPB3qRdHT_ED_ltqS4d6Lr_uFf8RdLnMPr6KLcBkX9eomiVHrkFQiXtiyssSol-3im6pBRGmd-IND5Ym6tUm1dw/s2016/IMG_1168.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsFXYrKSenCu33p2pyxgBuTrTP9ZBeX8fU-9OijcxTwCBNAg7KmRDWqgvGnr4hcRE1pLnn-x-cL3AxE44_l5yCLUESijvsPB3qRdHT_ED_ltqS4d6Lr_uFf8RdLnMPr6KLcBkX9eomiVHrkFQiXtiyssSol-3im6pBRGmd-IND5Ym6tUm1dw/w400-h300/IMG_1168.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The ruggedly beautiful Moray Coast</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxgNU9xK0xbYGEJ2IuMfJrdwbhY9N9sD6abfvNScJPh5DK2JxZdbGBRfpReqyhX5WXAC-BTBvxlNYaywIITgZHdGntEbLUMUNVgrYcX0LtCZW4hp49Nj-9Wikdz8YrVhnJ5OhoBijkwjKcLz1fLpfCqn-rMb1cMr2oW04RrhA1GlbLIwzAgw/s1670/Steve%20Nicklin%20Rock%20pipit.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1114" data-original-width="1670" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxgNU9xK0xbYGEJ2IuMfJrdwbhY9N9sD6abfvNScJPh5DK2JxZdbGBRfpReqyhX5WXAC-BTBvxlNYaywIITgZHdGntEbLUMUNVgrYcX0LtCZW4hp49Nj-9Wikdz8YrVhnJ5OhoBijkwjKcLz1fLpfCqn-rMb1cMr2oW04RrhA1GlbLIwzAgw/s320/Steve%20Nicklin%20Rock%20pipit.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Rock Pipit by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpeABEbV8QYIpLcFun-kWdaDpKXMw9j_bIfH3Nvv5c0OL-wuEb0PaClS6gbtXia6I22DjWF0kWZisWYurTUpnVvpBQo3WdeIflP7KLGtJKnBFz8yUGhVF-rydlJ5K9dCgeMvpgwx-gQ9gRG6205K5kWnZiwRdSsr9-d_4OODy76BIeYKV67A/s1128/Steve%20Nicklin%20Razorbills.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="751" data-original-width="1128" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpeABEbV8QYIpLcFun-kWdaDpKXMw9j_bIfH3Nvv5c0OL-wuEb0PaClS6gbtXia6I22DjWF0kWZisWYurTUpnVvpBQo3WdeIflP7KLGtJKnBFz8yUGhVF-rydlJ5K9dCgeMvpgwx-gQ9gRG6205K5kWnZiwRdSsr9-d_4OODy76BIeYKV67A/s320/Steve%20Nicklin%20Razorbills.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Razorbills by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtzCcZTT13lhNMDU3W6GCjemoe1QCPLFrMR6j89sojdzLWxy6tiWyiZA2Smm-P39rI44IXXEoHHqybTp8u5T4AiCALNwTMu6OJ2OSI0Wr1dlZwi9LHQ3jGbHI-wpY8ASgLpvAfRsi_mqAAO30ZMGgWyXdUFPeAEWXPS2_lV0S8byGf6SviKQ/s1856/Steve%20Nicklin%20Shag.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1237" data-original-width="1856" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtzCcZTT13lhNMDU3W6GCjemoe1QCPLFrMR6j89sojdzLWxy6tiWyiZA2Smm-P39rI44IXXEoHHqybTp8u5T4AiCALNwTMu6OJ2OSI0Wr1dlZwi9LHQ3jGbHI-wpY8ASgLpvAfRsi_mqAAO30ZMGgWyXdUFPeAEWXPS2_lV0S8byGf6SviKQ/s320/Steve%20Nicklin%20Shag.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Shag by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwRnZPSajZYibeByYqdeKr5wUEQM3oQsaRoAHCeXSgdN08iXKyPuhTlwmNFAtIpNf7dSKYJtqzR8bWRRHfY_NFHCGNTw_Pmvdnfc8gr_nj7xnD9iDXg2N1NphSFAkj8Dfwpck46LCMVduCLmWOwOk9KY0orBr36GGPH3DYksLCJOO5VucMUg/s1449/Steve%20Nicklin%20RBM.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="966" data-original-width="1449" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwRnZPSajZYibeByYqdeKr5wUEQM3oQsaRoAHCeXSgdN08iXKyPuhTlwmNFAtIpNf7dSKYJtqzR8bWRRHfY_NFHCGNTw_Pmvdnfc8gr_nj7xnD9iDXg2N1NphSFAkj8Dfwpck46LCMVduCLmWOwOk9KY0orBr36GGPH3DYksLCJOO5VucMUg/s320/Steve%20Nicklin%20RBM.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Red-Breasted Merganser by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbzImjqZNw6h8yG8nNwuqo9deTZ-2sKdBuB-CGg61oAVKZRvhRMs3_53f4UU5efeqqqBLsG2G7wwLSEb2NCdpYBfwol7jx4BH5VuPbo485UnjUJvyq0N1dF5vPl-Id8-1PysgJYqxJEf6j-aIZqAyWXnlPEiQqqm8lN2I6voyyi0tTJhkFRA/s1312/Steve%20Nicklin%20greay%20Plover.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="875" data-original-width="1312" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbzImjqZNw6h8yG8nNwuqo9deTZ-2sKdBuB-CGg61oAVKZRvhRMs3_53f4UU5efeqqqBLsG2G7wwLSEb2NCdpYBfwol7jx4BH5VuPbo485UnjUJvyq0N1dF5vPl-Id8-1PysgJYqxJEf6j-aIZqAyWXnlPEiQqqm8lN2I6voyyi0tTJhkFRA/s320/Steve%20Nicklin%20greay%20Plover.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Grey Plover by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsN5HES6hiJ7CkL779d78G_BIaJnxnlmp72iNTHAr7Hu9fU6VWf0VEXDvF6c9salwIyJyILOm9tf0I_WpcphWPDuRbB-fGnQR6plDp7fqty-6V9ye5btl-_WbuoqQkBuEdz-_pVLrQzlQEpF_l5nwMThjGJGBBLLU-04JnSfPb5xMmAXX2gg/s5472/Steve%20Nicklin%20LTD.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsN5HES6hiJ7CkL779d78G_BIaJnxnlmp72iNTHAr7Hu9fU6VWf0VEXDvF6c9salwIyJyILOm9tf0I_WpcphWPDuRbB-fGnQR6plDp7fqty-6V9ye5btl-_WbuoqQkBuEdz-_pVLrQzlQEpF_l5nwMThjGJGBBLLU-04JnSfPb5xMmAXX2gg/s320/Steve%20Nicklin%20LTD.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Long-Tailed Duck by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdFKHGSYOaioinCz6zoJC0t3UmlwnrjOHZCcBOEXqTH6ZP7GCqGVsADfkYe8PKn7uTxQMboI0JaWQdQo-I7KaAsRRDK3HrcCi6w03Q33rvn0hn9DgyJ5YkhEqthbpqL5FEuAWS_nmnALIQqWCZIbJ7vLWXZy5nKU4Adt_QUrwWDelDAh36Mg/s1659/Steve%20Nicklin%20Redshank.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1106" data-original-width="1659" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdFKHGSYOaioinCz6zoJC0t3UmlwnrjOHZCcBOEXqTH6ZP7GCqGVsADfkYe8PKn7uTxQMboI0JaWQdQo-I7KaAsRRDK3HrcCi6w03Q33rvn0hn9DgyJ5YkhEqthbpqL5FEuAWS_nmnALIQqWCZIbJ7vLWXZy5nKU4Adt_QUrwWDelDAh36Mg/s320/Steve%20Nicklin%20Redshank.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Redshank by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGflSBHElntF7aUxNcKC7q7BW7Lh2fXTyaL-TjGkIPb6lNw3z7qIJZpT9qlTZB9UTtu1uetjp7pBLWUpH-nnLumMRDkbqLbL4DYo5SGh4lBirObWLA_LJOJrl2smVO6e9ObwodpSAxRloWnYtWtqfiuQKs4EjLXuITLaZKryNNQfTs5L9zFQ/s2548/Steve%20Nicklin%20Fulmar.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1699" data-original-width="2548" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGflSBHElntF7aUxNcKC7q7BW7Lh2fXTyaL-TjGkIPb6lNw3z7qIJZpT9qlTZB9UTtu1uetjp7pBLWUpH-nnLumMRDkbqLbL4DYo5SGh4lBirObWLA_LJOJrl2smVO6e9ObwodpSAxRloWnYtWtqfiuQKs4EjLXuITLaZKryNNQfTs5L9zFQ/s320/Steve%20Nicklin%20Fulmar.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Fulmar by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">The very scenic Moray coast is only about a one hour drive north of Aviemore, and my April trips to favourite reserves, lochs, bays and harbours provided good views of resident and wintering birds such as </span><b>Greylag</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> </span><b>Geese</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Pink-Footed Geese</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> </span><b>Whooper Swan, Wigeon, Teal, </b><b>Scaup</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Pintail</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">,</span><b> </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> </span><b>Bar-Tailed and Black-Tailed Godwit</b><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><span style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> Golden Plover</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> , </span></b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Rock Pipit, </b></span><b>Redshank, Oystercatcher, Turnstone, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Curlew</b>, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Dunlin</b>, <b>Eider</b>, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> </span><b>Red-Throated Diver,</b><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> and </span></b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b> Ringed Plov</b></span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>er, </b>and a good selection of scarcer birds including a few <b>White-Billed Divers</b>...</span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> </span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>On the 'stacks' , Shag, Gannet, </b></span><b>Fulmar</b>, <b>Kittiwake ,</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Razorbill, Common Guillemot and Black Guillemot were all seen to be nesting already. </b></span><b> </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">It was noticeable though, that some of the winter -visiting species were in smaller number than last month</span><b>, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">and of course, many of these birds will disappear off north to their breeding grounds soon...</span></p></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>April 2023 mammal sightings in more detail:</b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1OxFONNnOKkKAo4Wy28om5eNbrWx4cfWY0h5VKZj5B336kzEp6_ECtCHE9C2cTj4u-aDCwujRQVl0wsIKqEqqs7X-QmU-nzpB2LL_GbiTUXCvzXCFW4QWvfO8YqwtyVZpewg_k7cKEReAv66TKhHVGHdeJSxQtCfOlnN4_0yRl7Dl_RTSPg/s4995/Jan%20Shields%20R%20D%202.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2571" data-original-width="4995" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1OxFONNnOKkKAo4Wy28om5eNbrWx4cfWY0h5VKZj5B336kzEp6_ECtCHE9C2cTj4u-aDCwujRQVl0wsIKqEqqs7X-QmU-nzpB2LL_GbiTUXCvzXCFW4QWvfO8YqwtyVZpewg_k7cKEReAv66TKhHVGHdeJSxQtCfOlnN4_0yRl7Dl_RTSPg/w400-h206/Jan%20Shields%20R%20D%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Deer by Jan Shields</b></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv1HNBEvq240pXFS05Gg_Mhw97HjD2_pXru21BhRVVJEOKX0JDBunJRcrOkbDNpBxqAPZ2BLgNiuExdypdaq4WQeK0B_9967UtegwPH5c2-jy91YgohiuOnQ3E62BURF2aiOVaXx9dm5l8NwUWJcW6ewHLjpJdaT4Eto4-3GJ1C1AcgpFanw/s4608/DSCN5243.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv1HNBEvq240pXFS05Gg_Mhw97HjD2_pXru21BhRVVJEOKX0JDBunJRcrOkbDNpBxqAPZ2BLgNiuExdypdaq4WQeK0B_9967UtegwPH5c2-jy91YgohiuOnQ3E62BURF2aiOVaXx9dm5l8NwUWJcW6ewHLjpJdaT4Eto4-3GJ1C1AcgpFanw/s320/DSCN5243.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Deer stag</b></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><p><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif">Red Deer</span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.3px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4;"> always prove popular with my safari clients. Being an iconic animal of the Scottish Highlands, the 'Monarch of the Glen' is on most visitors 'wish-lists', and we usually manage to see them regularly in large same-sex herds in upland glens this month, though views are usually quite distant, many of the stags have now lost their old fully-grown antlers, and look a little less impressive while they are growing a new set...</span></b></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW_CF-NCDNYSqT1dKQ_JEWC9xzq9mWxd5CtN4zEtvKpPLQBwDS7-V5ji32-nmLAXVzDavt6e9z_rV5cpBDKVL8hKSCL10b-yARKl5TDYOVuUtE-wMB50SHLWpuLCCKYF5uob-Ih6U98_krqTgjd8-bCPfyhE2a69Ta7uVNIwC7qoj6ABfuKw/s4608/DSCN5273.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW_CF-NCDNYSqT1dKQ_JEWC9xzq9mWxd5CtN4zEtvKpPLQBwDS7-V5ji32-nmLAXVzDavt6e9z_rV5cpBDKVL8hKSCL10b-yARKl5TDYOVuUtE-wMB50SHLWpuLCCKYF5uob-Ih6U98_krqTgjd8-bCPfyhE2a69Ta7uVNIwC7qoj6ABfuKw/s320/DSCN5273.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Mountain Hare</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Despite most of them now sporting their mottled white and blue-grey spring outfits,</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 700;"> Mountain Hares</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> usually seem to be the one to beat in our 'mammal of the day' awards in April - if we get to see them - far from guaranteed- as they certainly become tricky to find among the mottled white and blue-grey rocks of their upland homes!!</span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.3px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4;"></span></b></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;">It should be noted though, that most of our views are at range through my telescope, and that a closer view or photographic opportunity usually involves some considerable amount of rough uphill walking, sometimes on snow, yes, even in April!</span></span></span></span></span></b></span></b></p></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5qo3_ql2_VRd_KLECdXJlXCKddKcuzIypslEwpKu5Q78Si8kM8AdenDn2bJ0qaZTWAfiOJfMh3bI5IElVZ7h0TDPSGGjmN8N0MK7Ric8HLgnazbGfatH3pOlMZyJtOrPJyGpsacq1b3ZjecphH8PfbE1WRV2_BwZO-knH-EYTX09AkEH33Q/s4608/DSCN5438.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2135" data-original-width="4608" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5qo3_ql2_VRd_KLECdXJlXCKddKcuzIypslEwpKu5Q78Si8kM8AdenDn2bJ0qaZTWAfiOJfMh3bI5IElVZ7h0TDPSGGjmN8N0MK7Ric8HLgnazbGfatH3pOlMZyJtOrPJyGpsacq1b3ZjecphH8PfbE1WRV2_BwZO-knH-EYTX09AkEH33Q/w400-h185/DSCN5438.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Feral Mountain Goats</b></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_P-tW90u7gi-_DaqLW5bl_obIpkYlVj6H_AGYyWAsPfQaHqhe75t-ZGHU1SWcXYRMcyRi4BW_-1a2PHjde9zrnKOhJvFJBWGhLe6QlfpkqsX26VuUT4yyCdL2ukIGnO8HMPMNCcccilYHFM9tKtAdu7rscXO9ogKfYn3kDxUWC4CHBFeWWQ/s4511/Jan%20Shields%20F%20G.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3025" data-original-width="4511" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_P-tW90u7gi-_DaqLW5bl_obIpkYlVj6H_AGYyWAsPfQaHqhe75t-ZGHU1SWcXYRMcyRi4BW_-1a2PHjde9zrnKOhJvFJBWGhLe6QlfpkqsX26VuUT4yyCdL2ukIGnO8HMPMNCcccilYHFM9tKtAdu7rscXO9ogKfYn3kDxUWC4CHBFeWWQ/s320/Jan%20Shields%20F%20G.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Feral Mountain Goats by Jan Shields</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 18.2px;">Feral Mountain Goats </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;"> too are only found in a few remote upland areas of the UK, and we are often fortunate enough to have good views of these wild looking, multi-coloured creatures, with the fast-growing youngsters now almost as big as the adults...</span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiYaaOISAXKJdTAKwo9Q-PCAZruKus2UGzjNC2ZF0oawAYizcjefH3GnTA6_eoZIKxs4-_ezeGUyQHizKr2F0bnMC9TmqpW95eT4MyyBqIc0436aSkLyOBXvV9fYvOG63irhn5pOa3srhmowVJhlhe3dIMvVGVCpbyUr9ngGYg7LH8PKTO3Q/s4368/DSCN5451.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3455" data-original-width="4368" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiYaaOISAXKJdTAKwo9Q-PCAZruKus2UGzjNC2ZF0oawAYizcjefH3GnTA6_eoZIKxs4-_ezeGUyQHizKr2F0bnMC9TmqpW95eT4MyyBqIc0436aSkLyOBXvV9fYvOG63irhn5pOa3srhmowVJhlhe3dIMvVGVCpbyUr9ngGYg7LH8PKTO3Q/s320/DSCN5451.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Squirrel</b></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1X-sLMnFAyz0T77dOa8zaPSvRHOUWXcqyxQAZ0U3Wx4xLfznMo0Xw_qDpaZN-KlYPE9dhmhqNWeZV7pzhRWAO8IjVyq4nwyd1tq1eURCZ3tKluNSnd9PKS3-cWsh0j4O7qadN38oMV2S7rDZHpcNiSiKZ5R2RHPck0Wb4Q3pZa0TwZTfrhQ/s3900/Jan%20Shields%20R%20S%202.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2832" data-original-width="3900" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1X-sLMnFAyz0T77dOa8zaPSvRHOUWXcqyxQAZ0U3Wx4xLfznMo0Xw_qDpaZN-KlYPE9dhmhqNWeZV7pzhRWAO8IjVyq4nwyd1tq1eURCZ3tKluNSnd9PKS3-cWsh0j4O7qadN38oMV2S7rDZHpcNiSiKZ5R2RHPck0Wb4Q3pZa0TwZTfrhQ/s320/Jan%20Shields%20R%20S%202.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Squirrel by Jan Shields</b></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;"><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Seeing a</span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"> Red Squirrel</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> is always a treat, especially for those who don't have them locally - sadly, most UK residents - but we have good numbers here, and we were fortunate enough to see them regularly this month, sometimes at forest feeding stations, and sometimes running around or climbing trees...</span></p><div><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ZTDhm78AoLl8zYpVxZSy8Qg5NuoRXKcGpMhSBn3MiOURP9gLIXSuaKF3-3VXx0JqEzgmNpEZxbyyJZlvwXi-vvIpI5J186wMc8Pbl2sakcvOu7S7DuYOA3CKQnMIohgcCDv6JEZMs1KX4HJn81xOm7kqyLz8kWcNIMUHzFCSqjSL5XelnQ/s2559/DSCN3162.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1397" data-original-width="2559" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ZTDhm78AoLl8zYpVxZSy8Qg5NuoRXKcGpMhSBn3MiOURP9gLIXSuaKF3-3VXx0JqEzgmNpEZxbyyJZlvwXi-vvIpI5J186wMc8Pbl2sakcvOu7S7DuYOA3CKQnMIohgcCDv6JEZMs1KX4HJn81xOm7kqyLz8kWcNIMUHzFCSqjSL5XelnQ/w400-h219/DSCN3162.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Roe Deer</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 700;">Roe Deer</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> however, are common and numerous over most of the UK, but due to their nervous nature and crepuscular habits, they are rarely seen well unless you are out and about early or late, or in a really quiet place, well away from human disturbance..</span></div><div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-IEoOQJnVX7IVFEJhpX-QzzctmIu2hJ7Jclx9fjrl6tEekG7vnk8MfgNZNFXsRfASMABYicIdvywADsHEPzvvoL6abOkUAGg6zeU5ymUcPi8BHjsZYRddBwoUbeDFsOZ_Xb7o6XhmaW-ZyQ1Z6Avfb86wIbSumv7RAV-TYiaySTRKce6VnA/s2794/Steve%20Nicklin%20Brown%20Hare.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1863" data-original-width="2794" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-IEoOQJnVX7IVFEJhpX-QzzctmIu2hJ7Jclx9fjrl6tEekG7vnk8MfgNZNFXsRfASMABYicIdvywADsHEPzvvoL6abOkUAGg6zeU5ymUcPi8BHjsZYRddBwoUbeDFsOZ_Xb7o6XhmaW-ZyQ1Z6Avfb86wIbSumv7RAV-TYiaySTRKce6VnA/s320/Steve%20Nicklin%20Brown%20Hare.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Brown Hare by Steve Nicklin - Photo from April 2018</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">As spring tends to reach us a little later this far north, where <b>Brown Hares</b> are concerned, we tend to get 'Mad April Hares' rather than 'Mad March Hares''</span><b style="background-color: transparent; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> , </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">and that proved to be the case this month, with lots of frisky behaviour being witnessed.</span></p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjqVqPYBtyr0kRlkcCjRL-lEyD_1OkykYn6c16iQuqvW3VuoRKr-KK5yZlSg7gX5k2PkhF4UrUK6cTcexCC4H6QSt8eQbebgv4gVjU0Fh6O-7CXPaXYj9WK-xM5I7ZblRN0Y2pb7Bdh4v5P3_2kbgkFwR_ZWJK9daa3WxzoA3yLUzkX90ngg/s4498/DSCN1785.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2453" data-original-width="4498" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjqVqPYBtyr0kRlkcCjRL-lEyD_1OkykYn6c16iQuqvW3VuoRKr-KK5yZlSg7gX5k2PkhF4UrUK6cTcexCC4H6QSt8eQbebgv4gVjU0Fh6O-7CXPaXYj9WK-xM5I7ZblRN0Y2pb7Bdh4v5P3_2kbgkFwR_ZWJK9daa3WxzoA3yLUzkX90ngg/w400-h219/DSCN1785.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Seals at the Moray Coast</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>As I mentioned earlier, both types of <b>seal</b> can be seen at the nearby Moray coast at a number of well known 'haul-out' sites. Please give them plenty of space though, and avoid disturbing them....</p></div></div><div><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p></div></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></div></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL9mfMBg3H43zRYyY4RSDH6WoReIUoVAiVsiA6EsA5OpCg7AwQ60NDGsDkXcB5mJBXEgHmCO6pegOgF8PL5UD06gjfUTNszd0OvWREfU7FNZNczkBhgiyZ9PW9JtcjetNg40wttTtRJToeD1V8-IkjmIWec9n5y-1CVsyxRjz2DkRLsD7yAQ/s1941/IMG_1190.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1327" data-original-width="1941" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL9mfMBg3H43zRYyY4RSDH6WoReIUoVAiVsiA6EsA5OpCg7AwQ60NDGsDkXcB5mJBXEgHmCO6pegOgF8PL5UD06gjfUTNszd0OvWREfU7FNZNczkBhgiyZ9PW9JtcjetNg40wttTtRJToeD1V8-IkjmIWec9n5y-1CVsyxRjz2DkRLsD7yAQ/w400-h274/IMG_1190.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Carrot time for Murdo</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b><br /></b></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Hairy Highland Coo's</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"> always prove to be popular with my safari clients, especially those who do not have them close to home, so don't be afraid to ask me if you fancy going to see them, and maybe even get to feed and 'pat' them, as I have a couple of great sites....</span></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><p><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Rare/nocturnal mammals:</b></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">I get a few enquiries about the possibility of seeing </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Badgers</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> and </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Pine Marten</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> from my safari clients, many of whom I suspect are unaware that they are actually a largely nocturnal creature, and although we do get the occasional (maybe one or two a year) dawn glimpse of one, you would definitely have a much higher chance of seeing them at a specific dusk Badger/Pine Marten watching hide - Please contact me for more information.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Similarly, our inland </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Otters</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> too are mainly active during the hours of darkness, and again, although we do get a few early-morning sightings on local lochs and rivers each year, looking for them feeding in a suitably quiet, kelp - filled bay on the coast on a rising tide, but at any time of day, would give you a much better chance.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: quot; line-height: 1.4;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: quot; line-height: 1.4;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Whilst we are still on the 'tricky to see stuff', the <b>Scottish Wildcat </b>too, as well as being incredibly rare now, is also generally nocturnal, and the fact that I have had a mere handful of (dawn or dusk) sightings in 17 years of providing wildlife safaris should give you an idea of how difficult they are to see.</span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="date-posts" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><div class="post-outer"><div class="post hentry uncustomized-post-template" itemprop="blogPost" itemscope="itemscope" itemtype="http://schema.org/BlogPosting" style="margin: 0px 0px 25px; min-height: 0px; position: relative;"><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-5005908076811293301" itemprop="description articleBody" style="font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 550.007px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p><b>Other wildlife:</b></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; color: #222222; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 5px; position: relative;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaw0GjnqD9dsa285w1wkOK4ReZ0pQjIhZouMiZyeMSGLjoAODZ8wnvM77VsbAEaIha4Iwh21AYuOLvXizxKtIB34w9MkukVoJH7-GB-5gRhPYyk5DaWlR42TgF61Sy5esUPUPMnUtbfMFFVdCAV7olrWb9XLbgGBiOgw49TuCFO84RmZB1_Q/s4608/DSCN2059.JPG" style="color: #0e2b46; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaw0GjnqD9dsa285w1wkOK4ReZ0pQjIhZouMiZyeMSGLjoAODZ8wnvM77VsbAEaIha4Iwh21AYuOLvXizxKtIB34w9MkukVoJH7-GB-5gRhPYyk5DaWlR42TgF61Sy5esUPUPMnUtbfMFFVdCAV7olrWb9XLbgGBiOgw49TuCFO84RmZB1_Q/s320/DSCN2059.JPG" style="background: transparent; border: none; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 10.56px; text-align: center;"><b>A Wood Ant nest</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p>Some of the warmer days saw a few pioneering butterflies - <b>Small Tortoiseshell</b>, <b>Peacock</b>, <b>Comma</b> and <b>Small White</b> - on the wing, joining the increasing numbers of bees, the first activity this year was noted in the <b>Wood Ant</b> colonies, and a few Bats were seen hawking insects over water at dusk.</p></div></div></div></div><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">News:</b></span></p><p><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">All tourism/hospitality/activities in Scotland are open , are free of restrictions and I have now completed well over a year and a half of (thankfully!) increasingly busy and extremely enjoyable safaris with clients with no major issues arising.</span></p><p><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">With all national travel restrictions lifted too, Scotland is officially 'open for business' for visitors from all over the UK, and from abroad.</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">For those considering a visit, these wildlife/outdoor tourism websites may prove useful:</span></p><p><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b>https://www.gov.scot/collections/coronavirus-covid</b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p><a href="https://www.outdooraccess-scotland.scot/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">NatureScot (outdooraccess-scotland.scot)</a></p><p><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xGdTZcC2ZQ" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-line: none;">Can Nature Help Health? | Nature Prescriptions - YouTube</a></b></p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1HBKnnGr-g" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;">Scotland, Yours to Enjoy. Responsibly. - YouTube</a></p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://cairngorms.co.uk/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">Cairngorms National Park Authority</a></p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://www.highlandwildlifepark.org.uk/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">Highland Wildlife Park</a></p><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.gov.scot/publications/avian-influenza-outbreaks/" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;">Avian influenza (bird flu) outbreaks - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)</a></div><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://www.rspb.org.uk/about-the-rspb/about-us/how-the-rspb-is-run/annualreport/annual-report-2022_scotland-news/?utm_source=notes_on_nature_20220903&utm_medium=email&utm_term=notes_on_nature&utm_content=27&utm_campaign=notes_on_nature" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;">Positive prescriptions | The RSPB</a></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAgwoTzTCV60m9i3KRzR9-iKhJRnIx4TTxmmGYiRZeRDQ4FVUvjBNY38CYEKQ1kXlCEHYYG-GB6PUHnhS_HrcgWjB8t_AE3Wr2IBL6lXAMtTwDSPytv7ZjOkZyQ-IbgzqCePfDbHlNbUZF75SbUdOvpK5WzawBPidjbmbRwqAFWDfI8Wd8yA/s2016/IMG_6603.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1312" data-original-width="2016" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAgwoTzTCV60m9i3KRzR9-iKhJRnIx4TTxmmGYiRZeRDQ4FVUvjBNY38CYEKQ1kXlCEHYYG-GB6PUHnhS_HrcgWjB8t_AE3Wr2IBL6lXAMtTwDSPytv7ZjOkZyQ-IbgzqCePfDbHlNbUZF75SbUdOvpK5WzawBPidjbmbRwqAFWDfI8Wd8yA/w400-h260/IMG_6603.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Insh Marshes - flooded due to snow-melt</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b>COVID-19</b></p><p><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">The Scottish Highlands, being very sparsely populated, has had very few COVID-19 cases in comparison to most of the UK, and on my safaris we tend to visit remote , wild habitats well away from the more popular tourist areas, and usually have very little interaction with other people, and this is something that I intend to continue.</b></p><div><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><br /></b></div></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7koNY57K1fRV8yzT8YJFl5CvGaBa22Ynm3ycjbvhzjLyuTVoezdeQMYlEwhh-TxaZN9_WITOvIgl0Ab8DeFsImu-6qTydg3DFsWCqcMu8bRu7uKUW7yroF_XBsY00k5XXXaNEhQwn6qG4YH7U_QmTJXuL3oDabfX-z-zuKfHzxsNArh9_Qg/s2016/IMG_1037.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7koNY57K1fRV8yzT8YJFl5CvGaBa22Ynm3ycjbvhzjLyuTVoezdeQMYlEwhh-TxaZN9_WITOvIgl0Ab8DeFsImu-6qTydg3DFsWCqcMu8bRu7uKUW7yroF_XBsY00k5XXXaNEhQwn6qG4YH7U_QmTJXuL3oDabfX-z-zuKfHzxsNArh9_Qg/w400-h300/IMG_1037.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Spring colours</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b><br /></b></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">Summary:</b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">I apologise for repeating myself, but It is only when I have time to sit down and compile my monthly wildlife sightings blog and look back through my notes and the photos that I and my safari clients have taken during the month that I really become aware of what a great time we have had, appreciate how lucky I am to live and work here, and see how successful our safaris have been.... and it would appear that</span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> , despite the changeable weather, April 2023</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">, turned out to be a really excellent and very enjoyable month for wildlife watching in and around the Cairngorms National Park.</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> With the returning summer visiting birds flooding northwards to join our local speciality resident species, the dawn chorus, the days lengthening, flowers (finally!) blooming, the huge variety of unique and stunning scenery and the weather </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">( generally! ) improving, I can honestly say that I would not want to be anywhere else in the world than here in the majestic Scottish Highlands at this time of year, and it was especially nice this month to be able to show it all off, and spend time with, lots of my valued regulars, and also a number of new safari clients from all round the world, who were visiting this area for the first time.......happy days!!</span></p><p><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-weight: 400;" /></p></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Reviews:</b></span></p><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span face="" style="color: #06004c;">I know a lot of visitors to this area very wisely check out reviews of attractions/experiences at </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">TripAdvisor</b><span face="" style="color: #06004c;"> before 'taking the plunge' and booking - We now have over 280 reviews online, so if you wish, you can check out our clients comments at the link below....</span></div><p><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><div style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"></span></span><br /><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g186537-d3335134-Reviews-</span></span></span></span></span></div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"></span></span><br /><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Highland_Wildlife_Birdwatch_Safaris-Aviemore_Aviemore_and_the_Cairngorms_Scottish.html</span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div></div></div></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><br /></b></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEN5o-iwcbPGqFuOxZxIhqBQW_Nc8znceeQ9rzNdaJm7FD32Tomggs5I3EEU5k4sDLS2eHsXBwzg-8KNMGXZ08EO9Fv84NRMTySVuM8lZf7EJcWb7P9-eX7qoL_Mx1Zmkm9VArz1ycvofI_ly7rDhAjYYtA-ZzGjMwYUJbeexcnIdlrPvtOw/s2016/IMG_1173.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1246" data-original-width="2016" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEN5o-iwcbPGqFuOxZxIhqBQW_Nc8znceeQ9rzNdaJm7FD32Tomggs5I3EEU5k4sDLS2eHsXBwzg-8KNMGXZ08EO9Fv84NRMTySVuM8lZf7EJcWb7P9-eX7qoL_Mx1Zmkm9VArz1ycvofI_ly7rDhAjYYtA-ZzGjMwYUJbeexcnIdlrPvtOw/w400-h248/IMG_1173.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Spring at the nearby Moray Coast</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><br /></b></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><p><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><b>G</b></span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">ift Certificates:</b></p><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><div style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; color: #222222; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 5px; position: relative;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T95gARK_lkQ/XAvNUI2tI6I/AAAAAAAADwU/GDPgK9hH9LwgLQ8gPnoaLdf04Yn2BLebwCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_1578.JPG" style="background: none 0% 0% / auto repeat scroll padding-box border-box transparent; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 5px;" width="400" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 10.56px; text-align: center;"><b>Safari gift voucher</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></span></span></div></div></div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><br /></div><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span face="" style="color: #06004c; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;">If you think you know someone who may enjoy a taste of what I do, why not treat them to a safari gift </span><span face="" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;">certificate? They make a thoughtful and imaginative present, are available for any amount and are valid for a whole year from date of purchase........</span></span></span></span></span></div></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div>Highland Wildlife & Birdwatch Safarishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04327130550058794301noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26724394.post-86302017845477510722023-03-31T09:45:00.003+01:002023-03-31T09:45:52.559+01:00<p><b>March 2023</b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b>March 2023 </b>started with a cold and wintry feel, but the remainder of the month saw our weather largely dominated by low pressure systems from the west, and occasionally the north, with just the odd high pressure day, meaning it was very changeable with just about every type of weather experienced at some stage, and sometimes even in the same day!</p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">It should be noted that temperatures can vary from -6c to +16c in the same day at this time of year!, so I would recommend bringing a good variety of clothing if you are planning a future March visit as the weather can be very unpredictable.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">The milder days and occasional sun really got the birds active, and it was great to hear the ever-increasing dawn chorus, with lots more bird species heard singing for the first time this year , Woodpeckers drumming, Snowdrops and Crocuses in flower, the first Frogs and Toads emerging, and a few more brave insects on the wing, ...welcome signs that winter is turning into spring...</span></p><p><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">The days are really lengthening noticeably now, with up to 12 hours of usable daylight, and dawn (for the Black Grouse) is still a relatively sociable 6 am, with dusk at around 7 pm.</span></p><p>I was away visiting relatives for the second week of the month, so my report may be a little shorter than usual, and may include some photos from previous March's for illustration of 'typical sighting' purposes....</p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6anlW_lcGs9-GGvweBtruar1RbQGNsWxMsbJZHgrseRmP4k1zLT7Pj1hU59zGnEyT2tUMmnAIHENTuTZCkdA1wUD3UTlpe9x26mwaG5bxz01SQn7TURup_CoZCoCzkZg5WTfYfIlf_-zM7iQwL3Pz0pivofImpQ802xK9E0it2RLQOrLK8w/s1925/IMG_4395.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="848" data-original-width="1925" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6anlW_lcGs9-GGvweBtruar1RbQGNsWxMsbJZHgrseRmP4k1zLT7Pj1hU59zGnEyT2tUMmnAIHENTuTZCkdA1wUD3UTlpe9x26mwaG5bxz01SQn7TURup_CoZCoCzkZg5WTfYfIlf_-zM7iQwL3Pz0pivofImpQ802xK9E0it2RLQOrLK8w/w400-h176/IMG_4395.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Late winter at a picturesque local loch</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">To give you an idea of what you may realistically hope to see if you are considering a future March visit, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">I hope the following more detailed information, illustrated with photos taken at sites in and around the Cairngorms National Park, and sometimes further afield, by myself, my friends or my safari clients this month and in previous March's will help....clicking on the picture enlarges it to full-screen. </span></p><p><br /></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Local speciality/upland bird species seen regularly during the month included</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">:</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Black Grouse</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> (dawn or soon after only) , </span><b>Red Grouse</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">,</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> </span><b>Dipper</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, and <b>Goldeneye</b>, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> we also had several decent views of soaring </span><b>Golden Eagle</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> and <b>White-Tailed Eagle</b>, and a few brief sightings of </span><b>Crossbills</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>,</b> and <b>Crested Tits</b>, and from the third week, our first local views this year of</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> </span><b>Red-Throated Diver and </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> </span><b>Black-Throated Diver</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">- both coming into their splendid summer breeding plumage - and at the very end of the month, our first</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> </span><b>Ospreys</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">,</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> </span><b>Slavonian Greb</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">es and</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> </span><b>Ring Ouzels</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">joined the ever-increasing numbers of other Summer visiting birds , such as</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> </span><b>Lapwing</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">,</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> </span><b>Oystercatcher</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">and</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> </span><b>Curlew.</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">Sadly though, my 'year-tick' <b>Capercaillie</b> sighting still escapes me, despite my best efforts....</span></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Mammal species seen regularly included:</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Red Deer, Roe Deer, Rabbit, Brown Hare, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Mountain Hare</b></span><b> (still mostly white), Red Squirrel, and Feral Mountain Goat (with young), </b>with just one glimpse of a<b> </b>white<b> Stoat </b>on the 6th<b>, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">whilst two <b>Otters</b> were seen feeding in the sea near Inverness on the 16th, and both types of </span><b>Seal </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">were seen at the nearby Moray coast.</span></p><div><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></div><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">March 2023 bird sightings in more detail:</b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Up on the moors....</b></b></b></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b></b></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVGS53FLQlEixZvzP1pIFv-bxpJJ7BBOBtXniCCHNfcjOYDx-CJJjTS6YCO-qoxewj9hffsJX5Q0ycExyltJ7Q2sOdn0TQceiYjJZGdwF3AotgXlmQ5-oIH-A1-pYRnyAlEivx6BHwp-1C5faCXV7C4gCzDyXqNg5cbG268cN_ts2Kt6NlNw/s1992/IMG_6517.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="906" data-original-width="1992" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVGS53FLQlEixZvzP1pIFv-bxpJJ7BBOBtXniCCHNfcjOYDx-CJJjTS6YCO-qoxewj9hffsJX5Q0ycExyltJ7Q2sOdn0TQceiYjJZGdwF3AotgXlmQ5-oIH-A1-pYRnyAlEivx6BHwp-1C5faCXV7C4gCzDyXqNg5cbG268cN_ts2Kt6NlNw/w400-h183/IMG_6517.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A local upland heather moorland</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjad_0B4PnA69uqV6Pfu3_bz1C9wbLaca0y4Alu-SPox0MAxhyxJ99eeBKxxQFjPjl-sknXMuhzXvlBhFDCV1v7aJDVVO-8rNWSQhD6OyaI-6iPnZdMpglsqf7uZP7ijWBOFPQMjIphvZveyguUJFsv74VnP1RWrSzAMSXKrEgqi8W97HIl2w/s4608/DSCN1192.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2100" data-original-width="4608" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjad_0B4PnA69uqV6Pfu3_bz1C9wbLaca0y4Alu-SPox0MAxhyxJ99eeBKxxQFjPjl-sknXMuhzXvlBhFDCV1v7aJDVVO-8rNWSQhD6OyaI-6iPnZdMpglsqf7uZP7ijWBOFPQMjIphvZveyguUJFsv74VnP1RWrSzAMSXKrEgqi8W97HIl2w/w400-h183/DSCN1192.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Lekking Black Grouse (photo from March 2022)</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjskm_cR29IJkMuMMnJRbrP5wk6s4QIcuNurMBoSV5II56IVz519QodFR5dir8AHiTacVOxEEJ7WTy6XeyaUDs6utPQTh7niQbGQ5LUuINVNlFQYeSR1gQu28jla0LmXWmuQhZOuDUo5QnpayeMkp4IF_3k2VwAllZ1vbRKzQPOshQsqL-gJw/s3503/DSCN7114.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2117" data-original-width="3503" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjskm_cR29IJkMuMMnJRbrP5wk6s4QIcuNurMBoSV5II56IVz519QodFR5dir8AHiTacVOxEEJ7WTy6XeyaUDs6utPQTh7niQbGQ5LUuINVNlFQYeSR1gQu28jla0LmXWmuQhZOuDUo5QnpayeMkp4IF_3k2VwAllZ1vbRKzQPOshQsqL-gJw/s320/DSCN7114.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Lekking Black Grouse (photo from March 2021)</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Black Grouse</span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400;"> are not an easy species to see in most of the UK now, having suffered an 80% decline in numbers over the last 20 years, with their range contracting northwards. They are birds of remote upland moors, preferably with forests and a grassy 'lekking' patch nearby, a very specific combination of habitats that is not so common nowadays. Fortunately, the Scottish Highlands still has a decent number of active 'lek' sites, where the cock birds gather to 'strut their stuff', and dawn (about 6 am in March) on my safaris in the first five months of the year is usually spent enjoying this memorable experience. 'Performances' were noticeably better on calm, frosty mornings.... but please be aware that to avoid disturbance, we have to view from a respectful (and legal) distance, that sightings are not guaranteed, and the birds can fail to show , sometimes without any obvious reason, or if disturbed by a predator or wandering sheep, cattle , horses.... or inconsiderate birders/photographers...... </span></b></p><p><br /></p><p><b><br /></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEu_sw6s5IeJ84h7Sc6adCxK9BLh97g5cF1XG4UWfcI2VlHta2czIzaDYNijuoI3NIq9zYWhAuj8I3dmpEw-0ZxG4AyAnqqnXj5djjW00nSD7fj6JbOGv4AhNOeIiwMftEl8Ew1mvWmE_yVHzmbIYHqsdINAJs1qX2lHopBV5Ae4twH2ks5g/s3608/DSCN1404.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2419" data-original-width="3608" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEu_sw6s5IeJ84h7Sc6adCxK9BLh97g5cF1XG4UWfcI2VlHta2czIzaDYNijuoI3NIq9zYWhAuj8I3dmpEw-0ZxG4AyAnqqnXj5djjW00nSD7fj6JbOGv4AhNOeIiwMftEl8Ew1mvWmE_yVHzmbIYHqsdINAJs1qX2lHopBV5Ae4twH2ks5g/s320/DSCN1404.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Female Red Grouse (photo from March 2022)</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxptu-lVg9mP0c2Zi9UJr5FwrHiZ9DdKcClCu9eeR9PYvf8fCTGvi8aWO96dq1OHyFaQ2JCs0JrNID1u4S64OAwhzFHDGqq47kQyVuw60TaRoChVRnQOgsidfmp7qbO-S_ToWIOywH_QtleBI8F6XR8yApGsyDAeZjwyVg2BSidiVXlDyZ-A/s3952/DSCN5036.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2564" data-original-width="3952" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxptu-lVg9mP0c2Zi9UJr5FwrHiZ9DdKcClCu9eeR9PYvf8fCTGvi8aWO96dq1OHyFaQ2JCs0JrNID1u4S64OAwhzFHDGqq47kQyVuw60TaRoChVRnQOgsidfmp7qbO-S_ToWIOywH_QtleBI8F6XR8yApGsyDAeZjwyVg2BSidiVXlDyZ-A/w400-h260/DSCN5036.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male and female Red Grouse<br /><br /><br /></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Still on the upland heather moorlands, many of our our local </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;">Red Grouse</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"> have most definitely already paired-up, and the cock birds, with red 'eyebrows' aglow, now seem to be concentrating more on defending their territory and partner from rival birds, often posturing aggressively from the higher parts of the moor whilst cackling loudly, and occasionally flying aggressively at encroaching competitors....</span></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;">Up in the glens...</b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;"><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHE48PMHBg-BArZlTx5U8TuJUl3USijsP93qOaVSdL8WLTxxLNRaf1NTCyXiS82kH5kof-l5hHI6uXVl1KrWXE56iJBnjNa8ZFdyY33nNDh-gC0fljCmCRysCzwGKWLNJJa4myohI_FiTJMtzfg807DEOjhxVqvae9syELGfiGMoNNCEAQOQ/s1880/Findhorn%20Valley.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1187" data-original-width="1880" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHE48PMHBg-BArZlTx5U8TuJUl3USijsP93qOaVSdL8WLTxxLNRaf1NTCyXiS82kH5kof-l5hHI6uXVl1KrWXE56iJBnjNa8ZFdyY33nNDh-gC0fljCmCRysCzwGKWLNJJa4myohI_FiTJMtzfg807DEOjhxVqvae9syELGfiGMoNNCEAQOQ/w400-h253/Findhorn%20Valley.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Late winter in a local upland glen</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;"><br /></b></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJLkvbzuT7JSbgAZlmycivBp3LWpGpp889QgI4x84pPT-Sfp-67CSijX_pHU7UmdwQPnuZQVajcXWrbDtjEt3zXrC9jRSMnLXk1DAZ31rhH25DNd6tYWuZgCYAkOPLIYPklcQwi0DgEITt_CXruNavW4SeAdMM4m_h0byXxpDxCYHqoLN_hg/s2301/Goldie%202.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1573" data-original-width="2301" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJLkvbzuT7JSbgAZlmycivBp3LWpGpp889QgI4x84pPT-Sfp-67CSijX_pHU7UmdwQPnuZQVajcXWrbDtjEt3zXrC9jRSMnLXk1DAZ31rhH25DNd6tYWuZgCYAkOPLIYPklcQwi0DgEITt_CXruNavW4SeAdMM4m_h0byXxpDxCYHqoLN_hg/w400-h274/Goldie%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Golden Eagle by Steve Nicklin (photo from March 2018)</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXksn0Q6lUV22eO1v0g49EYAD1_cg637iOtQsjzQkZUystsBk2dB7f-SruVw5XVBHFvuomaZXh3aOxmRBTVfo_jeaNULVpr6LE74Q4M8QbHPAf3l5c6cqMAefDCY3wALagH0PETxYaas68DJYkNUxqEDRG_DE4TkGGJmL2sY2H6clw9y50CA/s1756/DSCN7150.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1756" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXksn0Q6lUV22eO1v0g49EYAD1_cg637iOtQsjzQkZUystsBk2dB7f-SruVw5XVBHFvuomaZXh3aOxmRBTVfo_jeaNULVpr6LE74Q4M8QbHPAf3l5c6cqMAefDCY3wALagH0PETxYaas68DJYkNUxqEDRG_DE4TkGGJmL2sY2H6clw9y50CA/w400-h246/DSCN7150.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>White-Tailed Eagle (photo from March 2021)</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;">As I have mentioned many times before, the shorter days of the winter months (Oct-Feb) give us our best chance of seeing </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;">Golden Eagles </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;">and</span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;"> White-Tailed Eagles</span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;">, as when the days lengthen and breeding season commences, the frequency of sightings definitely reduces, but despite the adult females presumably preoccupied by nesting by now, we were still fortunate enough to enjoy a few decent sightings of these majestic birds hunting in my favourite upland glens.</span></p><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixiEleAse_kCEC1IQmooPPeTROOy92-s2J6gdn0wJMZo3GAk4j-Y6jA81Q9sPXf4kc6BL79ktTWHOnnKguL1R3xFj4HToJP87cLa2Dg5z9JPUvBweYqkXGCiKCJtj12u3JK64mY8JfxewAVgmL_SAznGloq5QNk-bqMYXAnT23AEYrwqlW8Q/s3268/DSCN7129.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1595" data-original-width="3268" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixiEleAse_kCEC1IQmooPPeTROOy92-s2J6gdn0wJMZo3GAk4j-Y6jA81Q9sPXf4kc6BL79ktTWHOnnKguL1R3xFj4HToJP87cLa2Dg5z9JPUvBweYqkXGCiKCJtj12u3JK64mY8JfxewAVgmL_SAznGloq5QNk-bqMYXAnT23AEYrwqlW8Q/s320/DSCN7129.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Kestrel (photo from March 2021)</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;"></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJTpifyO-nCQxXbsjv3EabMwydWIAjoRAx19WDqEzB1U4cHqsQsXxn75y9UzE5CTfBjTEgtfC9Aa8dfpNXLwAZbPpNpUF_kqNUczu4mWCDwMewalPwVdyewSs2Xpn54jyZOlPY99_Jez8iAuEDC-Rxy5O94HIV9gEYyQbbMa7J29MBfgcNIg/s1972/DSCN1067.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="884" data-original-width="1972" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJTpifyO-nCQxXbsjv3EabMwydWIAjoRAx19WDqEzB1U4cHqsQsXxn75y9UzE5CTfBjTEgtfC9Aa8dfpNXLwAZbPpNpUF_kqNUczu4mWCDwMewalPwVdyewSs2Xpn54jyZOlPY99_Jez8iAuEDC-Rxy5O94HIV9gEYyQbbMa7J29MBfgcNIg/w400-h179/DSCN1067.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Peregrine Falcon (photo from March 2017)</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguDSvuDlvDJaycFues42qJZO9BpEKCC359hxqxj0EulFwpT910t0IgwWdwQkPywwUjzhnjMwOdf_1K_TQ_E_XX-lEmLb6waaBZgCNS-rJEg7mql9sklJU56gwOFptZ4JJQc1SRdrL9ysy3lVz4FGF8lNQDR3WnJD3g8XNLFzGUKvq_Re1o8A/s1970/DSCN1244.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="970" data-original-width="1970" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguDSvuDlvDJaycFues42qJZO9BpEKCC359hxqxj0EulFwpT910t0IgwWdwQkPywwUjzhnjMwOdf_1K_TQ_E_XX-lEmLb6waaBZgCNS-rJEg7mql9sklJU56gwOFptZ4JJQc1SRdrL9ysy3lVz4FGF8lNQDR3WnJD3g8XNLFzGUKvq_Re1o8A/w400-h198/DSCN1244.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Common Buzzard (photo from March 2022)</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZBwfrxFDeXyUQP9oVtUTX5YX1As9PSotJqlk2CrnnU9UeKyRf7jjVvgDRlrJEeoWNU8qeW5kbF_L8TOiy_AH7UZ8z5kmSAYnZxM-xIfY6zC75KAq5MDJjtCXus2CBNqJYD1gMQ5T34ukCLZJKNcxtwm_eAA7_E-EIhNCYF1edW2GKozk-Gw/s1263/Goshawk%202022.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="843" data-original-width="1263" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZBwfrxFDeXyUQP9oVtUTX5YX1As9PSotJqlk2CrnnU9UeKyRf7jjVvgDRlrJEeoWNU8qeW5kbF_L8TOiy_AH7UZ8z5kmSAYnZxM-xIfY6zC75KAq5MDJjtCXus2CBNqJYD1gMQ5T34ukCLZJKNcxtwm_eAA7_E-EIhNCYF1edW2GKozk-Gw/w400-h268/Goshawk%202022.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Goshawk by Steve Nicklin (photo from March 2022)</b></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFGaBS_cGYx2m3lV8IcYPeOLNJe7A7-rIxzXuekqPXnf8d61QJ45Z4SwZsg2Zu2cxmoL17gPGp5Qf3HLFJHb4HIxmx5jpxaqtJZOFbF_ydTNeLa_KZqUShMEu-uKFXNs8aGFR3wJgZCX8mKuOMrKf6Dxte5bN68dFR_im5w95889UwZHYRZw/s2266/DSCN1248.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1300" data-original-width="2266" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFGaBS_cGYx2m3lV8IcYPeOLNJe7A7-rIxzXuekqPXnf8d61QJ45Z4SwZsg2Zu2cxmoL17gPGp5Qf3HLFJHb4HIxmx5jpxaqtJZOFbF_ydTNeLa_KZqUShMEu-uKFXNs8aGFR3wJgZCX8mKuOMrKf6Dxte5bN68dFR_im5w95889UwZHYRZw/w400-h230/DSCN1248.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Kite (photo from March 2022)</b></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; line-height: 1.4;">It was a similar story with the other birds of prey, but raptors in general were still fairly well represented this month, with </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 700;">Kestrel</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; line-height: 1.4;">, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 700;">Sparrowhawk</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; line-height: 1.4;">, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 700;">Common Buzzard, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; line-height: 1.4;">and</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 700;"> Red Kite </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; line-height: 1.4;"> all being seen regularly, <b>Goshawk </b>and<b> Peregrine</b> sighted a couple of times and the first returning </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Ospreys </b></span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; line-height: 1.4;">have been reported locally in the last few days of the month....though a <b>Merlin</b> sighting still eludes me.....</span></span></div><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">I</span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">n the forests...</b></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4tabKxt4iX3oV5B-Asbrd03BynHtegxCd28gx_NTLEVdQ6lA_uaZQ_mm0cd2eL4TFg5O3YIgfiXAHKuE-kWb0-7KkSjoGW83ppQzVaqTSIkVnJG77enN386W6_NBl8-nLxGHpyrahPgVSaLCya32FheR0eK8O5o4oyMOylXL-MOJcu4W67A/s1955/IMG_0939.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1271" data-original-width="1955" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4tabKxt4iX3oV5B-Asbrd03BynHtegxCd28gx_NTLEVdQ6lA_uaZQ_mm0cd2eL4TFg5O3YIgfiXAHKuE-kWb0-7KkSjoGW83ppQzVaqTSIkVnJG77enN386W6_NBl8-nLxGHpyrahPgVSaLCya32FheR0eK8O5o4oyMOylXL-MOJcu4W67A/w400-h260/IMG_0939.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Ancient Caledonian forest</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirJjVAdDR1Ulk0Zmn5fpUeU98L8DmrHvh6OWS2KfCSw3rG6REW_lQTYAVfNN6FMT-odJu49bdgO9KWtVLaq6K8czBgBgLTb6F202SoF8yulFD6ZKR8n_lNboBmkMhE-1sdfkDfhIMDEIpfAl7b_rhRsU9yo9W_R3qHHBqR8uoVuXdUHXohHg/s2928/Jan%20S%20Crestie%205.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1784" data-original-width="2928" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirJjVAdDR1Ulk0Zmn5fpUeU98L8DmrHvh6OWS2KfCSw3rG6REW_lQTYAVfNN6FMT-odJu49bdgO9KWtVLaq6K8czBgBgLTb6F202SoF8yulFD6ZKR8n_lNboBmkMhE-1sdfkDfhIMDEIpfAl7b_rhRsU9yo9W_R3qHHBqR8uoVuXdUHXohHg/w400-h244/Jan%20S%20Crestie%205.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Crested Tit by Jan Shields (photo from march 2020)</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Crested Tits</b><span style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;"> were occasionally seen at and around my favourite feeding stations , at least early in the month anyway, but sadly, as the month progressed, they often failed to show and when they did, they didn't stay for long and rarely called, suggesting perhaps, that they are now concentrating on breeding rather than feeding.....but if you can familiarise yourself with their distinctive calls and song, you always have a chance of seeing them whilst walking in suitable habitat....</span></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4;">It is well worth noting that the colder winter months (October-Feb) are actually the best time of year for seeing the 'wee Cresties', as these characterful little birds can be frustratingly secretive, unobtrusive and almost silent during the breeding season, with sightings being much more difficult to obtain between March and September....</span></b></p><div><br /></div><div><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC5uoJ8h7cwxtUKo4MpUUcWDBBiA1ksAzZPlLiWeJwf7DvYNHvhSWcGPF5X4PVFwY7xsE3R-4jxwnLQSPJ_WLg-GK99MsTq2utRFFE8QNb0TCkEY8Rww18bv8MLkBuyUXDQq5pNAop36ftw06XDpcs43CkWdR1MdjJCb4hYSokVMqSfcByuQ/s2864/DSCN5078.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2215" data-original-width="2864" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC5uoJ8h7cwxtUKo4MpUUcWDBBiA1ksAzZPlLiWeJwf7DvYNHvhSWcGPF5X4PVFwY7xsE3R-4jxwnLQSPJ_WLg-GK99MsTq2utRFFE8QNb0TCkEY8Rww18bv8MLkBuyUXDQq5pNAop36ftw06XDpcs43CkWdR1MdjJCb4hYSokVMqSfcByuQ/s320/DSCN5078.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Female Crossbill</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4;"><br /></span></b></div><div><br /></div><div><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghr3pbYbk2D6nykrFrsS5lHwvOuJSPPYKit7TeG47Klzp6PZH3qFrx1ElVIfJumdaXbi4TkgXVTY0K0DgijhGOkpyEpyY3E3X1XpGsEzFX-v1Z3f_MX77r55c90E_FAWEVuaAlfnMD0MWdM36BbO4EYZw0QW8UGtltw2tRXL-Ye-PpzQLrew/s3216/DSCN4831.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2317" data-original-width="3216" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghr3pbYbk2D6nykrFrsS5lHwvOuJSPPYKit7TeG47Klzp6PZH3qFrx1ElVIfJumdaXbi4TkgXVTY0K0DgijhGOkpyEpyY3E3X1XpGsEzFX-v1Z3f_MX77r55c90E_FAWEVuaAlfnMD0MWdM36BbO4EYZw0QW8UGtltw2tRXL-Ye-PpzQLrew/s320/DSCN4831.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Crossbill</b></td></tr></tbody></table></b></div><div><br /></div><div><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAcFmKQiLnla1yYQ-hqlNBoc7AyUcEi5SFcc0c2kifwxFTyhX2TC1AtIrZBiodSZbIt8bmGRy0d_rv1eJVjlArDJPDOksTuSjIJ5rgh-esf6SpKaeYtE85c5eaOl5DsDNqnR9psPuBf3uICgEuHHTqWnmpoJUySynnnAhUxB61OFjdIrOxvA/s3755/DSCN5094.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2790" data-original-width="3755" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAcFmKQiLnla1yYQ-hqlNBoc7AyUcEi5SFcc0c2kifwxFTyhX2TC1AtIrZBiodSZbIt8bmGRy0d_rv1eJVjlArDJPDOksTuSjIJ5rgh-esf6SpKaeYtE85c5eaOl5DsDNqnR9psPuBf3uICgEuHHTqWnmpoJUySynnnAhUxB61OFjdIrOxvA/s320/DSCN5094.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Juvenile Crossbill</b></td></tr></tbody></table></b></div><div><br /></div><div><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-size: 15.972px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-size: 13.2px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;"><span style="font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="line-height: 1.4;">Still in the Caledonian forests, and similarly to Jan and Feb, we actually did ok for </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 700;">Crossbill </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="line-height: 1.4;">sightings again this month, with some decent views...mainly because the period between December and March is breeding season for them, which means that this is your best chance to see them perched in treetops, often singing to defend a territory and attract a mate, and on the 21st I saw my first streaky youngsters this year, whereas they can be very unpredictable, and pretty tricky to see for the rest of the year..</span></span></span></span></span></b></b></div><div><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4;"><br /></span></b></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">As I mentioned earlier, I have still yet to get even a glimpse of a Capercaillie this year, despite many hours spent walking quietly round suitable forest areas....In all but one of my previous 20 years living here, I have always seen one by now....</span></div><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-size: 15.972px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-size: 13.2px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;"><span style="font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4;">Please note that Capercaillie numbers would still appear to be declining alarmingly, and I would only rate our chances of seeing one my safaris as "very slim" at best, </span></span></span></span></b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400;"> </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400;">and now we are into 'lekking' season, I will be 'responsible' by staying out of 'sensitive' areas at dawn through April and May to allow this now very rare and elusive bird to (hopefully) lek and breed in peace....</span></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">On the lochs...</b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDXy9N84exFLUlmkc43eaxlBLIOlUB09ilOnUcTkmluRn0FEUt2szZIkGQ817mun44QyWS9x-MtwEUroYxEmPLxT999x9haAPRNwfUrOG1_2tnXLIoO_YFsmE8AjQ9juL7nN9Up5jqqOK4364NeVu4KS-82VZM8cvNRx8zRizkW-NTqnwdow/s1989/LOch%20Insh.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="897" data-original-width="1989" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDXy9N84exFLUlmkc43eaxlBLIOlUB09ilOnUcTkmluRn0FEUt2szZIkGQ817mun44QyWS9x-MtwEUroYxEmPLxT999x9haAPRNwfUrOG1_2tnXLIoO_YFsmE8AjQ9juL7nN9Up5jqqOK4364NeVu4KS-82VZM8cvNRx8zRizkW-NTqnwdow/w400-h180/LOch%20Insh.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A picturesque local loch</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvx-rzCtNTH3OsCax7AZMpW527kE6DQ0eCEcY2GCxiqIcwrT3TbVzs1D3moW6bz25vFcD3tQYW0vHcZkak6uaGDy9kbO3XHzP0gZztk0RBkX-QwvJudAGRBoboWMAO5x7h447aI2vgPV-h7YOn-YvywMVlgEoGaNdzh1qkEA4vRO8SsCTi_w/s3729/Slav%201.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1986" data-original-width="3729" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvx-rzCtNTH3OsCax7AZMpW527kE6DQ0eCEcY2GCxiqIcwrT3TbVzs1D3moW6bz25vFcD3tQYW0vHcZkak6uaGDy9kbO3XHzP0gZztk0RBkX-QwvJudAGRBoboWMAO5x7h447aI2vgPV-h7YOn-YvywMVlgEoGaNdzh1qkEA4vRO8SsCTi_w/w400-h213/Slav%201.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Slavonian (Horned) Grebe (photo from late March 2017)</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA4bw3xGMhBA21nVEf6IySE6kY3vdG1zhy_V8tOOdGE80f6ZtzoG00a-QhzN-n5hG0jJ0KAQ3qZs4_WgppsV3qTkF9Ha9GRObd9fyvH4guDbyNSEK_pTznGpb9Jq1-8TB3eFqkC1TiIToqZ78RG5Cv49VzQAAA5iLaNNWV7CFFk2OMnZn4yw/s2526/DSCN9509.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1561" data-original-width="2526" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA4bw3xGMhBA21nVEf6IySE6kY3vdG1zhy_V8tOOdGE80f6ZtzoG00a-QhzN-n5hG0jJ0KAQ3qZs4_WgppsV3qTkF9Ha9GRObd9fyvH4guDbyNSEK_pTznGpb9Jq1-8TB3eFqkC1TiIToqZ78RG5Cv49VzQAAA5iLaNNWV7CFFk2OMnZn4yw/s320/DSCN9509.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red-Throated Diver (photo from late March 2019)</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0guH5I63IcGhstMrE2r-h9CiFJMYpsYt8mY9IoaKZiD5n8_z0leidogr0ckmJ3G9QAYGgCr2Frs3CGpX004Mu0zNMBD1j1417B5eiHFy7rfGNoyb254Dt0dBM-30Eqf29Dq4AuFoBCJZAtNIbOWxOsnZ647ED5vDSvUt5PkUH_YyBvEWexw/s3909/DSCN1474.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1914" data-original-width="3909" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0guH5I63IcGhstMrE2r-h9CiFJMYpsYt8mY9IoaKZiD5n8_z0leidogr0ckmJ3G9QAYGgCr2Frs3CGpX004Mu0zNMBD1j1417B5eiHFy7rfGNoyb254Dt0dBM-30Eqf29Dq4AuFoBCJZAtNIbOWxOsnZ647ED5vDSvUt5PkUH_YyBvEWexw/w400-h196/DSCN1474.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Black-Throated Diver (photo from late March 2022)</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 17.5692px;">Towards the end of March, it is always great to see the return inland (they winter on the sea around the coast of the UK) of some of our rarest and in my opinion, most beautiful local speciality birds, namely </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 17.5692px;">Red-Throated Diver, Black-Throated Diver </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 17.5692px;">and </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 17.5692px;">Slavonian Grebe. </b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></b></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 17.5692px;">Scotland is at the south-westerly edge of the world-wide breeding range for these very sought-after species, and the only place in the UK to see them in summer plumage, and I am always very happy (and relieved) to see them back on their favoured waters....</span></p><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 17.5692px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 17.5692px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 17.5692px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 17.5692px;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjttZq4sE7Ua2NmUYcPnz0odbgONRcFexPdZwTSec8PjPCI_gNGXkvKKvQBL8oCSx5C6q7guidadbmPiqY0RWrny8-vKXGlJO7hbaxUTM3QWGlKN0LrBzQYswu2J1mvtU9fNW62gM6ZHQVM5LZ4Dc_Wjf3SS0xYWoaecMI03V6U53C355Cg3Q/s1560/Goldeneye%20(M)%209.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="1041" data-original-width="1560" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjttZq4sE7Ua2NmUYcPnz0odbgONRcFexPdZwTSec8PjPCI_gNGXkvKKvQBL8oCSx5C6q7guidadbmPiqY0RWrny8-vKXGlJO7hbaxUTM3QWGlKN0LrBzQYswu2J1mvtU9fNW62gM6ZHQVM5LZ4Dc_Wjf3SS0xYWoaecMI03V6U53C355Cg3Q/s320/Goldeneye%20(M)%209.JPG" width="320" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Goldeneye by Steve Nicklin (photo from March 2022)</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 17.5692px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 17.5692px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 17.5692px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 19.3261px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;">Of course, we must not forget our resident breeding </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;">Goldeneye</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 19.3261px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"> population, and we were fortunate enough to see them regularly this month, with many of the males now performing their unique and spectacular 'head-banging' courtship display!</span></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 17.5692px;"><br /></span></div><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">On the rivers...</b></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDg4TUiToVXs5-8xy34W-0MvcwDIf8dj8Zg3Im8v_EUVoqgqAWpedp3PaBbgqjEcGoReoklHgCsEfLCL_3jyj8-MyejNToEx6ZBgKq7DiSM9Z4XxDR3vhWtQVwqJmA41vwNNCvW4sgDhFl93VRaXlpr9qpHicW9IhV-TvjmQ8GhR0G9aNSPg/s2016/IMG_0774.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDg4TUiToVXs5-8xy34W-0MvcwDIf8dj8Zg3Im8v_EUVoqgqAWpedp3PaBbgqjEcGoReoklHgCsEfLCL_3jyj8-MyejNToEx6ZBgKq7DiSM9Z4XxDR3vhWtQVwqJmA41vwNNCvW4sgDhFl93VRaXlpr9qpHicW9IhV-TvjmQ8GhR0G9aNSPg/w400-h300/IMG_0774.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A local stretch of the River Spey</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggIpLfTtBOnXwQzmnsTUdeFaFjsrck8RifiNaBtY2aVNxr4yXJlwQA8mlJuaUhlWBqk9v39onKuhVtysNFtwpfHl2eAihfJhH9qw0-3dbVbFrj_ZGOwzfK2NMODs0uJ2VCKfYo9L1VCiOyEB4VWj9cfGam1r_D4fF6FxyByJUL5eKOXQW7Cg/s3781/DSCN4738.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3066" data-original-width="3781" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggIpLfTtBOnXwQzmnsTUdeFaFjsrck8RifiNaBtY2aVNxr4yXJlwQA8mlJuaUhlWBqk9v39onKuhVtysNFtwpfHl2eAihfJhH9qw0-3dbVbFrj_ZGOwzfK2NMODs0uJ2VCKfYo9L1VCiOyEB4VWj9cfGam1r_D4fF6FxyByJUL5eKOXQW7Cg/s320/DSCN4738.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Dipper</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim7kADInhWwu96mOALyYAO1B3sNaYjk8sDV7oTgXeZoJOsaFi1nkzAzwxtI3GaDln_KJI6KVU56a-5uIiHWgL5kuDUQ_pzUUFTilFeFKU_S4AdTKjyYBF1qrumtmj-sT6L3P756O-z1x4_AMy6gPlYVzYsi_otOMgqVZa-nD8tKtGF5mUc6Q/s2854/Steve%20N%20Dipper.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="1903" data-original-width="2854" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim7kADInhWwu96mOALyYAO1B3sNaYjk8sDV7oTgXeZoJOsaFi1nkzAzwxtI3GaDln_KJI6KVU56a-5uIiHWgL5kuDUQ_pzUUFTilFeFKU_S4AdTKjyYBF1qrumtmj-sT6L3P756O-z1x4_AMy6gPlYVzYsi_otOMgqVZa-nD8tKtGF5mUc6Q/s320/Steve%20N%20Dipper.JPG" width="320" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Dippers by Steve Nicklin (photo from March 2020)</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><b>Dippers </b></span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 19.3261px; line-height: 1.4;">were seen frequently on local rivers this month, and they seemed to have procreation on their minds, as I am now (presumably) only seeing male birds, and late in the month they appeared to be delivering nesting material to their mates, and defending territory near their favourite nest sites of old bridges....</span></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPqnSbqY4W35xLwY4D74lH0HGCTqHDGolmMM9Pf6ZcORapFGZFkyHnBEQ5wZpPZqGXGAaW-PA3Br10w6vGN0xxMRh-MtV1Jcvj1JSBn-BP7Idteo8Cttf3q8BVc2615ORd0GbtLObvG-rM6bmlRLkU0n9hp-yzWYhlzQ3WbxpU3Ew49Bt4Vg/s2943/DSCN1282.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1631" data-original-width="2943" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPqnSbqY4W35xLwY4D74lH0HGCTqHDGolmMM9Pf6ZcORapFGZFkyHnBEQ5wZpPZqGXGAaW-PA3Br10w6vGN0xxMRh-MtV1Jcvj1JSBn-BP7Idteo8Cttf3q8BVc2615ORd0GbtLObvG-rM6bmlRLkU0n9hp-yzWYhlzQ3WbxpU3Ew49Bt4Vg/w400-h221/DSCN1282.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Goosander</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 19.3261px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4;">We also saw </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 19.3261px; line-height: 1.4;">Goosanders </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 19.3261px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4;">reasonably frequently on local rivers this month too...</span></b></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>On farmland....</b></span></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirefL9yRgajaad9sIXyuRxK_4_ysT3V09c-V17IZGFHkvIpQf2aPe_dBqvs3tQPl9VpDrxV0QJe_bYcnymez55MsnSqaGkMzjhhYjWeG4X7qpiis_iyl1Ck7UWu0HQ6BPb6l4MTQ8yLWF0VVf45nDCWg_lNn_VRociame7t7zfkyNGO5iCpw/s4566/DSCN1277.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1928" data-original-width="4566" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirefL9yRgajaad9sIXyuRxK_4_ysT3V09c-V17IZGFHkvIpQf2aPe_dBqvs3tQPl9VpDrxV0QJe_bYcnymez55MsnSqaGkMzjhhYjWeG4X7qpiis_iyl1Ck7UWu0HQ6BPb6l4MTQ8yLWF0VVf45nDCWg_lNn_VRociame7t7zfkyNGO5iCpw/w400-h169/DSCN1277.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Typical local farmland</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b><p></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkSpbQtZYVdWTkjVsHp6OigZdRFdutl31riqhB-yY5yrkvRGx2GJn1kmRYcQZI15zNOQU-17UwzmxyzShLddbF3DYkUYefJDN9G1oUby2Gj2--pSgeKIXlTaBhCQto3P7ajtXVfej92d9GpA4Nsv3FM4rlpwmylj6kLTZUVJ4YPrUk_GBjLg/s4608/DSCN1279.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2628" data-original-width="4608" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkSpbQtZYVdWTkjVsHp6OigZdRFdutl31riqhB-yY5yrkvRGx2GJn1kmRYcQZI15zNOQU-17UwzmxyzShLddbF3DYkUYefJDN9G1oUby2Gj2--pSgeKIXlTaBhCQto3P7ajtXVfej92d9GpA4Nsv3FM4rlpwmylj6kLTZUVJ4YPrUk_GBjLg/s320/DSCN1279.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Oystercatchers</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOlwY-ce2LgNehKlRQnEsAMuRHRf5WBeNbOY3vIZlQi2abCzu3RWaA3dr-qVcwaI2i6QzSjWd6NTyybXFPJsZ8QTfyG5D7ZdASzREyHbkrtzgUgj-r8s_8sFEUQV7KY_g9GQwCYf93JcG6ok1Oy7ejyAMANIM04qyVjmOMOZXV8wqoSizI6A/s2926/DSCN1488.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1608" data-original-width="2926" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOlwY-ce2LgNehKlRQnEsAMuRHRf5WBeNbOY3vIZlQi2abCzu3RWaA3dr-qVcwaI2i6QzSjWd6NTyybXFPJsZ8QTfyG5D7ZdASzREyHbkrtzgUgj-r8s_8sFEUQV7KY_g9GQwCYf93JcG6ok1Oy7ejyAMANIM04qyVjmOMOZXV8wqoSizI6A/s320/DSCN1488.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Lapwing</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Lots of waders were seen returning to their spring/summer breeding grounds, with increasing numbers of </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Oystercatcher</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Lapwing</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Golden Plover</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Curlew</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> and a few <b>Redshanks</b> all being noted.....</span></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></b></p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Up in the mountains....</b></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_KtWAiUB69PJvCgbb2VYsO-29kib7dI2E7cfbNsM3g3BA4NKFmKMeTsyVLKSAFqUTO535ebW3d4dth-wjIc7z91EpNtzqZ6sZYQ6ZYWmwbtd3XoPYZZtnhAsWGjJdpsMZyvEKPlgBbNasvgiUTOsGzKWmx3lKfJSGA4bO6jAOjpBA9B7OcQ/s2015/Cairngorms.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1144" data-original-width="2015" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_KtWAiUB69PJvCgbb2VYsO-29kib7dI2E7cfbNsM3g3BA4NKFmKMeTsyVLKSAFqUTO535ebW3d4dth-wjIc7z91EpNtzqZ6sZYQ6ZYWmwbtd3XoPYZZtnhAsWGjJdpsMZyvEKPlgBbNasvgiUTOsGzKWmx3lKfJSGA4bO6jAOjpBA9B7OcQ/w400-h228/Cairngorms.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The Cairngorm Mountains in late winter</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilqYWvgCMvNbePPtZRv7jXbdi0HiyQExrfWvbeP2oStt19zZ4w3gNI3g_bgno-AAhcgpbG5OA5a2bZE9uzEsgvDPKhKL9BQmKyXyctO4eWmppMPvnX4BxaB6rxuekSIS2JInaEOdyDixn6ev4YU9mUtYqzdQXMSsdBMTSOaF3GMDGfj0XdGQ/s4500/DSCN1221.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3009" data-original-width="4500" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilqYWvgCMvNbePPtZRv7jXbdi0HiyQExrfWvbeP2oStt19zZ4w3gNI3g_bgno-AAhcgpbG5OA5a2bZE9uzEsgvDPKhKL9BQmKyXyctO4eWmppMPvnX4BxaB6rxuekSIS2JInaEOdyDixn6ev4YU9mUtYqzdQXMSsdBMTSOaF3GMDGfj0XdGQ/s320/DSCN1221.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Snow Bunting</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Snow Buntings</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> can often be seen in and around the Cairngorms Ski Centre car park in winter time, and that was the case on a few occasions this month, with up to 6 of these attractive and characterful little birds being seen. Their confiding nature means that you can sometimes creep reasonably close for photos too, especially if you put some wild bird seed out to attract and distract them....Though it should be noted that, as soon as the snowline recedes higher up the mountain , as it did from mid month, the birds usually stop visiting the car park area....</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">I didn't venture up into the mountain-tops myself this month, but for future reference, a few </span><b>Ptarmigan</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> , still totally white, can sometimes be seen, up around the 'snow-line', usually sheltering in corries or on the leeward sides of ridges, out of the cold wind...</span></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Winter-visiting birds seen in our area this month included:</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> </span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL00dRvydkk4e6yJz-u1AzLQU1S6-oQ4Y21NCEpA3MH6kFYrK2h5JPrzF3OMvVt-HzAN6EQLYbvB_Z5hOo6MqoD-Tku_nW5e8V08VZ-z1d6x3LFBr8IBRrdZ1BuqIA1Px0eKVVC5HSVUQIrqSMB9K8Guzu_S7s53j3tEbeP81PinFM_00pqQ/s2556/DSCN5016.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1636" data-original-width="2556" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL00dRvydkk4e6yJz-u1AzLQU1S6-oQ4Y21NCEpA3MH6kFYrK2h5JPrzF3OMvVt-HzAN6EQLYbvB_Z5hOo6MqoD-Tku_nW5e8V08VZ-z1d6x3LFBr8IBRrdZ1BuqIA1Px0eKVVC5HSVUQIrqSMB9K8Guzu_S7s53j3tEbeP81PinFM_00pqQ/w400-h256/DSCN5016.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Fieldfare</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3CHD_KI0X8KPMdqj79YmGLIabzJ9bihXSlJF0XVU2-Aatq1qSb00umnCR63HW8wNq6H90BESvpLUx6_EyOYs3IE6LmcEd2QBrqw1ACfDlaGNMoF3fDuCKAuDzkIxrYuOtJUvhWC4ji-EzYUvSGFQYxSJDOQW09GSbQn-KNvTX0H0q_nW7zg/s4040/DSCN9561.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1813" data-original-width="4040" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3CHD_KI0X8KPMdqj79YmGLIabzJ9bihXSlJF0XVU2-Aatq1qSb00umnCR63HW8wNq6H90BESvpLUx6_EyOYs3IE6LmcEd2QBrqw1ACfDlaGNMoF3fDuCKAuDzkIxrYuOtJUvhWC4ji-EzYUvSGFQYxSJDOQW09GSbQn-KNvTX0H0q_nW7zg/w400-h180/DSCN9561.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Whooper Swans</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1aUrDYq7SdYMr80wfPn92fgUYnZKAPZ6ItvOqgcRyF8KFIZUY76QZ1ojqujdeov1_IpWANt0e82L_-OljvZ8DWAF77p-qCOWwC31Leo7LeQCtgFlQikFYeS6uiXFIHfXRcKwjWmJUF-Eygr1J46WCLkFZ5WPG9Lk0GQmq6BjIJzU-rn4u5w/s2976/DSCN5058.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2251" data-original-width="2976" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1aUrDYq7SdYMr80wfPn92fgUYnZKAPZ6ItvOqgcRyF8KFIZUY76QZ1ojqujdeov1_IpWANt0e82L_-OljvZ8DWAF77p-qCOWwC31Leo7LeQCtgFlQikFYeS6uiXFIHfXRcKwjWmJUF-Eygr1J46WCLkFZ5WPG9Lk0GQmq6BjIJzU-rn4u5w/s320/DSCN5058.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Waxwing</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Whooper Swans</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Grey Geese (Greylag , Pink-Footed </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">and a few <b>Barnacle)</b>, <b>Redwings</b>, <b>Fieldfares,</b> <b>Redpolls</b>, a few elusive <b>Bramblings</b>, and just one <b>Waxwing</b>...please be aware though, that these are all likely to depart this area soon....</span></span></p><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Other good/scarce birds seen/reported locally this month included:</b></p><p>A couple of <b>Ring-Necked Ducks</b> on local lochs, and a <b>Nuthatch</b> in the Insh area....</p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 700;">A few photos of more common birds seen locally this month: </span></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWVaqyAIBd_mwwdX6cPhHHQ-FNsOsUvOHYrY7QZ0HBpYDDZ6w73T2Prqlpnd02Te8Xm8x33lRv9ts30nQe2nSgJFQWarRDPhhyIaFu4b9unjwgpIcM_LUD8PJeCDmUQeDYU-Akh5Ul0kv2NWtndhIdBMDOrcDaJNImiowQhCw0cIFvDnLTiw/s3873/DSCN5076.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1799" data-original-width="3873" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWVaqyAIBd_mwwdX6cPhHHQ-FNsOsUvOHYrY7QZ0HBpYDDZ6w73T2Prqlpnd02Te8Xm8x33lRv9ts30nQe2nSgJFQWarRDPhhyIaFu4b9unjwgpIcM_LUD8PJeCDmUQeDYU-Akh5Ul0kv2NWtndhIdBMDOrcDaJNImiowQhCw0cIFvDnLTiw/w400-h186/DSCN5076.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Canada Geese</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUAOSqu7ooB6D9HqZpjJEvl4OzIeljLeH7_WJFnPpaszkO63aDL7TcSK9r5_GEy_Xavkykhtt1cvmB92HKBTkPeFokM7Vigb_Q_ioPhCiaOCjyG7myezZ-XYDuRvdaqVdPWHeQ_v33a6woZZGnW0jhZU5DHj7SKxGieBToZQK7472j1qaeBg/s3324/DSCN5039.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2209" data-original-width="3324" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUAOSqu7ooB6D9HqZpjJEvl4OzIeljLeH7_WJFnPpaszkO63aDL7TcSK9r5_GEy_Xavkykhtt1cvmB92HKBTkPeFokM7Vigb_Q_ioPhCiaOCjyG7myezZ-XYDuRvdaqVdPWHeQ_v33a6woZZGnW0jhZU5DHj7SKxGieBToZQK7472j1qaeBg/s320/DSCN5039.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Wood Pigeon</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgngi3AGxDw-m0wo-Oyx7hUtd1IW1uNcjdrAPuBk4QJF2DFgQj7YrABbLyHAhK9u5WnSwHP8mje32GXAVgtgvavZBHVUQ0fCdvTn4xj8AerpRrG0Dt5TvWI_qwuG6hLHPyOFp73StFfIxwddwmLuv1S46A_K_DBJ1W9y1HJNUqxleGgpvwm5g/s4608/DSCN5027.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgngi3AGxDw-m0wo-Oyx7hUtd1IW1uNcjdrAPuBk4QJF2DFgQj7YrABbLyHAhK9u5WnSwHP8mje32GXAVgtgvavZBHVUQ0fCdvTn4xj8AerpRrG0Dt5TvWI_qwuG6hLHPyOFp73StFfIxwddwmLuv1S46A_K_DBJ1W9y1HJNUqxleGgpvwm5g/s320/DSCN5027.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Blackbird</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEialLKMONoeVSpn3GxmLRghp3vL-NV1crPkXtXXBnop5FCskZ7vobu-nJVj9uq41F9jlgizKIBTR_HZbYU4wO8Mm-kjP-ifNgWEOQ4BtvrO1YiF3ctxZ3ZKdV_0qqqMxFmEXrbBuoKvmpJFXyXBLMDsETEKzkz4hnf2WIMP0yZEGzTpbKeMAw/s4608/DSCN5025.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEialLKMONoeVSpn3GxmLRghp3vL-NV1crPkXtXXBnop5FCskZ7vobu-nJVj9uq41F9jlgizKIBTR_HZbYU4wO8Mm-kjP-ifNgWEOQ4BtvrO1YiF3ctxZ3ZKdV_0qqqMxFmEXrbBuoKvmpJFXyXBLMDsETEKzkz4hnf2WIMP0yZEGzTpbKeMAw/s320/DSCN5025.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Yellowhammer</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;">Adventures 'out of area':</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"> The Moray Coast.</span></b></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmlvMaKnV6loSPQeLINIU7w3t07CNYrmqhstFCJ3_YZHdaDmB6pbsF7nht_XulZrgdTca2M-eygZgjJ3vuDDdky_Y7Ls41fL11ZS0prSwnXuHEbODed-V4SoK-OfZpeHakBK-k0q91ddx-TdvRNg2EpfOpnzDmVrt9txGUIO80N79xzcvMmA/s1912/IMG_8797.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1182" data-original-width="1912" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmlvMaKnV6loSPQeLINIU7w3t07CNYrmqhstFCJ3_YZHdaDmB6pbsF7nht_XulZrgdTca2M-eygZgjJ3vuDDdky_Y7Ls41fL11ZS0prSwnXuHEbODed-V4SoK-OfZpeHakBK-k0q91ddx-TdvRNg2EpfOpnzDmVrt9txGUIO80N79xzcvMmA/w400-h248/IMG_8797.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The Moray Coast</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuyTWDQDTsL4M4yAwkEYpHj-Mjky7Q08aU3Sv_cjtnviCHic_ftozqsGoLV3OLEG2bK91llxG9bjyISj0i_GwP5mqyrw-6ZTpE3tmJbeL96gKApPtlc_ZBvDTnYGazXTN1R6u8Hkdral1FuhWNaSA8deZd_Ra5KtcAERNY4eGbUSTbeNVv1Q/s4608/DSCN9436.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2014" data-original-width="4608" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuyTWDQDTsL4M4yAwkEYpHj-Mjky7Q08aU3Sv_cjtnviCHic_ftozqsGoLV3OLEG2bK91llxG9bjyISj0i_GwP5mqyrw-6ZTpE3tmJbeL96gKApPtlc_ZBvDTnYGazXTN1R6u8Hkdral1FuhWNaSA8deZd_Ra5KtcAERNY4eGbUSTbeNVv1Q/w400-h175/DSCN9436.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Pink-Footed Geese</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpCVjsKc9R0fzRN3Q5mZIxeGYQxrQO_JTjOR2sjT5v7-AOp5uyTKq0UWacgCN6qjoroLCXPOuRomklHBXflckXpzXAVMcWJ1l-SOaqLN6zU9BMu1llLGE-IcBk0GHWiqna6eCKcsrdrCq_IRRKmaOjxcz4trqKyFYxPT9eYiRUS1DXx_MVsg/s4607/DSCN5021.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2582" data-original-width="4607" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpCVjsKc9R0fzRN3Q5mZIxeGYQxrQO_JTjOR2sjT5v7-AOp5uyTKq0UWacgCN6qjoroLCXPOuRomklHBXflckXpzXAVMcWJ1l-SOaqLN6zU9BMu1llLGE-IcBk0GHWiqna6eCKcsrdrCq_IRRKmaOjxcz4trqKyFYxPT9eYiRUS1DXx_MVsg/s320/DSCN5021.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Curlew</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYgsTkkthwfprTifithxSZmb-GyDsyOqY-3CLiFLlRSTUog-n8pOKkkLN9ZH7TyQwInyeoisPNOKpkdHjjiF1OQkfP_4Ld6O7DDDRL6Xd7hvQd3Dv78aO6aHrH1hAzG9_m8dvcwKJBjUkK1QWP-GSFm1ieAUVh3TanGyT_4HuFaclB-v0R0g/s3899/DSCN7002.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2105" data-original-width="3899" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYgsTkkthwfprTifithxSZmb-GyDsyOqY-3CLiFLlRSTUog-n8pOKkkLN9ZH7TyQwInyeoisPNOKpkdHjjiF1OQkfP_4Ld6O7DDDRL6Xd7hvQd3Dv78aO6aHrH1hAzG9_m8dvcwKJBjUkK1QWP-GSFm1ieAUVh3TanGyT_4HuFaclB-v0R0g/s320/DSCN7002.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Purple Sandpipers</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUsOImKCn4VjqgttDnW8b8Q5uxQ0mkMuOjdgpV36ofEgHLKkQ1Xqb-Rb99WvuviQyaZObgtVyo1ZXf9B7G_TPFGUhICR9-SFRyVXVFsBFTILxCTnold_JAUbEDP_lpXHvg9Pq6BePCOcsTnA1pVxi7r_hNfea-NPJk35kauYsb3F8KLYoTgQ/s4512/DSCN1354.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2709" data-original-width="4512" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUsOImKCn4VjqgttDnW8b8Q5uxQ0mkMuOjdgpV36ofEgHLKkQ1Xqb-Rb99WvuviQyaZObgtVyo1ZXf9B7G_TPFGUhICR9-SFRyVXVFsBFTILxCTnold_JAUbEDP_lpXHvg9Pq6BePCOcsTnA1pVxi7r_hNfea-NPJk35kauYsb3F8KLYoTgQ/s320/DSCN1354.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Long-Tailed Duck</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjezcDR_URpevZgvbBTEmIfcvEyEmOnXkdeAxugvllpUMnTqk6kAp4N9bZQeNGB92ZXYlmSXa4-AcdwDntD31oHktVLCnnBBTqZl8vA73j50MbO0b5_QV035Cr3dO9n1V57YL32krAebN-nVm_PRuKXBtFDfBJidt66n4r6qFPfUwTQH7BQPg/s3973/DSCN7030.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2607" data-original-width="3973" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjezcDR_URpevZgvbBTEmIfcvEyEmOnXkdeAxugvllpUMnTqk6kAp4N9bZQeNGB92ZXYlmSXa4-AcdwDntD31oHktVLCnnBBTqZl8vA73j50MbO0b5_QV035Cr3dO9n1V57YL32krAebN-nVm_PRuKXBtFDfBJidt66n4r6qFPfUwTQH7BQPg/s320/DSCN7030.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Eider</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b><br /></b><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2wIywYB8aR389j0Apl57MhCQa6v4g-CkYD0x--Foqh0Xq5waY8A7Nq_IATYujMax3f5-D09v01EA05V0jbRY693oAqeaaJKyblrWAMJagdRY3lJIHyuM6R4JS-Hrr2-gcpeNqF0OWYukrIBqBmbQNG3T5fK4Ha73grgvUeDJ5VqtmQwy4Cw/s4546/DSCN1328.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2247" data-original-width="4546" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2wIywYB8aR389j0Apl57MhCQa6v4g-CkYD0x--Foqh0Xq5waY8A7Nq_IATYujMax3f5-D09v01EA05V0jbRY693oAqeaaJKyblrWAMJagdRY3lJIHyuM6R4JS-Hrr2-gcpeNqF0OWYukrIBqBmbQNG3T5fK4Ha73grgvUeDJ5VqtmQwy4Cw/s320/DSCN1328.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Wigeon</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">The Moray coast is only about an hour drive north of Aviemore, and trips to favourite reserves, lochs, bays and harbours gave good views of wintering birds such as </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Greylag</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Geese</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Pink-Footed Geese</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Whooper Swan</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Shoveler</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Wigeon</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Teal</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Pintail</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">,</span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"> </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Black-Tailed Godwit</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, <b>Bar-Tailed Godwit</b>, </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Knot, Golden Plover</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> , </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Grey Plover </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Ringed Plover</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Purple Sandpiper, Redshank, Oystercatcher, Turnstone, Curlew, </b><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Common Scoter</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, <b>Velvet Scoter</b>, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Long-Tailed Ducks, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Eiders</b></span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">, Divers, and Slavonian Grebe, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">with the chance of scarce birds such as <b>Tree Sparrow </b>and<b> Grey Partridge</b>, </span><span style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">and</span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"> rare gulls.....</b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">March 2023 mammal sightings in more detail:</b></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg069CftRka1LqHlwJSmaSgvIQxpngvP-_KrGUfE9V-U9QtnIZnRn20BQmadZQjbeIDq6KmJ97hzhdR38ZoN8F7a5vVaZwnCplCSe-iU9RowkHH9-0x3i0YwCvGeJd4tVpv9ESUy06Teoy-JiLPT1kfWssoLHIUm2enELsg-G6zdkwIWYoC8w/s1847/IMG_9714.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1117" data-original-width="1847" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg069CftRka1LqHlwJSmaSgvIQxpngvP-_KrGUfE9V-U9QtnIZnRn20BQmadZQjbeIDq6KmJ97hzhdR38ZoN8F7a5vVaZwnCplCSe-iU9RowkHH9-0x3i0YwCvGeJd4tVpv9ESUy06Teoy-JiLPT1kfWssoLHIUm2enELsg-G6zdkwIWYoC8w/w400-h243/IMG_9714.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Mountain Hare</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;">March is the last month to see our local </span><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Mountain Hares</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"> in their beautiful all-white winter coats, though a few are usually starting to morph into their spring blue/grey colours by now, and a few may have grey-brown faces, but they still usually get voted as 'mammal of the day', with many of my safari clients delighted to see them, often for the first time, and if their upland habitats remain relatively snow-free , they can actually be reasonably easy for me to find, and can often be quite confiding, occasionally allowing a reasonably close approach for photography....</span></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;">It should be noted though, that most of our views are at long range through my telescope, and that a closer view usually involves some considerable amount of rough uphill walking, often on snow.</span></span></span></span></span></b></span></b></p><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></b></div><div><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></b></div><div><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="1865" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_6XBhh6TeHtJ0i6tUh-det2e1jTxLk5L3y34aKIf4S-vSu6TBn4lwjxkOjg-uG1v22FeFJbVEwGI_MwNDmNc-H7F4SBQILP7kMwPsafhEmVQ_CeOHLYZ7VXB2Vfttr46KtCfPHQaql0oDZhazJRZL4U1xd5J_UM4s7B7SkYGOyAivRpgpsw/w400-h230/DSCN2558.JPG" width="400" /></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Deer stags (photo from March 2020)</b></td></tr></tbody></table></span></span></span></span></b></span></b></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></b></div><div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Red Deer are obviously an iconic Highlands animal, often featuring on the wish-list of my safari clients, and visits to suitable upland areas usually result in us getting to see them, often in large same-sex herds, though again, it should be noted, that most of our views are from a fair distance and that many of the stags have now shed their old antlers, and are growing new sets, and are therefore not quite as impressive as they look in autumn and winter.</b></p></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX0fwWl1Ug1rjLg8NZVG5YdMYXVcUNslNMhsi6107Vw9_JgHLx3CuKzXKMaHa5PfCW1ODQBlOxB4NvdZI3BoG5ODqIL-1fh8aHLRqx1VuVaqrpfAh1259CoI5FSC4ai1zcZLDDMbjJcqlBLAmx4s5Nmx-bW_AJJ6p5OWEa2ZbN4ggXz9ADuw/s4607/DSCN4859.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2275" data-original-width="4607" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX0fwWl1Ug1rjLg8NZVG5YdMYXVcUNslNMhsi6107Vw9_JgHLx3CuKzXKMaHa5PfCW1ODQBlOxB4NvdZI3BoG5ODqIL-1fh8aHLRqx1VuVaqrpfAh1259CoI5FSC4ai1zcZLDDMbjJcqlBLAmx4s5Nmx-bW_AJJ6p5OWEa2ZbN4ggXz9ADuw/w400-h198/DSCN4859.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Feral Mountain Goats</b></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Still up in the glens, our local feral</span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"> Mountain Goats </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">can sometimes be seen too, and at this time of year, they often have very cute , fast-growing youngsters with them, that always prove popular with my safari clients.</span></div><div><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGjWLXJGPunMt7I8Bt2lgi4HhFq57a0TmYDWOyYBv9JzbSPj08YyxhJAvnJymWwvZefTgOAXb4_8lirCj_NYCnrggHt_fmg3HQ2LBqTLbbtXhFprBRErgRlZA1O05u31Ntk3f95iQv3ORYBWLbY__mvM4lbtSypUzUSueQ34AB5-v9WFpEAw/s3996/DSCN5167.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2830" data-original-width="3996" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGjWLXJGPunMt7I8Bt2lgi4HhFq57a0TmYDWOyYBv9JzbSPj08YyxhJAvnJymWwvZefTgOAXb4_8lirCj_NYCnrggHt_fmg3HQ2LBqTLbbtXhFprBRErgRlZA1O05u31Ntk3f95iQv3ORYBWLbY__mvM4lbtSypUzUSueQ34AB5-v9WFpEAw/w400-h284/DSCN5167.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Squirrel</b></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif">Red Squirrels</span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4;"> are pretty reliable visitors to the quieter forest feeding stations, especially during the colder weather, and we saw them regularly on our adventures this month, and we also had some nice random sightings on our drives and walks through local forests...</span></b></b></p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b></b></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq9NdcZX52jXoWqhGVwXZyZDPd_S43-mJtxIUIBQZyz_bdLjaoAI-6CRM_JyUslwfDGdMYbjMTxnHOotFwrqkF6UyyGTTlNCPHJAwUGQp30fGZgeYLPbYrYJoySONaWu4QON3P0VIh_eg6BbrrZLtLcLEftm0So7UrWkq12wVIX9UDUnY8lg/s4131/DSCN5174.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2019" data-original-width="4131" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq9NdcZX52jXoWqhGVwXZyZDPd_S43-mJtxIUIBQZyz_bdLjaoAI-6CRM_JyUslwfDGdMYbjMTxnHOotFwrqkF6UyyGTTlNCPHJAwUGQp30fGZgeYLPbYrYJoySONaWu4QON3P0VIh_eg6BbrrZLtLcLEftm0So7UrWkq12wVIX9UDUnY8lg/w400-h195/DSCN5174.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Roe Deer</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Roe Deer, despite being common and widespread throughout the UK, due to their crepuscular nature and slightly nervous disposition, can actually be surprisingly difficult to see. However, if you are out and about early or late in the day in suitably quiet areas, you always have a chance...</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><div>Similarly<b>, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Brown Hares</b></span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"> too, are a bit shy and nervous, and we did see a few early in the morning on quiet local farmland this month, though sadly, they didn't stick around long enough for me to grab any photos...</b></div><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEignsALTv4vj2KHyejSEker_AcRA-Wpcg4wqvJR0XgPa2TZILI-5FwiP49VELDJkAtarrk0PF2E-C7c7Y1E85R3rI2SRpsVPtXKD8l_l3QAVYPPdVsll4JALnd24UpOfDdZasxjwXDL3ZZM0gv2REYhgoP1dW54_zBDnsyYO9YNYDdxz7nhQA/s3466/DSCN5018.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1863" data-original-width="3466" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEignsALTv4vj2KHyejSEker_AcRA-Wpcg4wqvJR0XgPa2TZILI-5FwiP49VELDJkAtarrk0PF2E-C7c7Y1E85R3rI2SRpsVPtXKD8l_l3QAVYPPdVsll4JALnd24UpOfDdZasxjwXDL3ZZM0gv2REYhgoP1dW54_zBDnsyYO9YNYDdxz7nhQA/w400-h215/DSCN5018.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Junior Hairy Highland Coos</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI4QJMD-dyj5tWgASSdmqKQjMomBUirz4LcAiq-i8L333ijH7obioL_XTU4qlXg6D0_d7bs8MuPQBMjMdzhua4yh1KGFHrtxomi6CrKdeFDA7_qFPBlnPwwHpMTk9IoVklv9JrR7mq6ZbYTB2oK7hwXaSWcPd6gzKjzQNhj8X2i8dsrtsrrw/s1870/IMG_0971.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1284" data-original-width="1870" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI4QJMD-dyj5tWgASSdmqKQjMomBUirz4LcAiq-i8L333ijH7obioL_XTU4qlXg6D0_d7bs8MuPQBMjMdzhua4yh1KGFHrtxomi6CrKdeFDA7_qFPBlnPwwHpMTk9IoVklv9JrR7mq6ZbYTB2oK7hwXaSWcPd6gzKjzQNhj8X2i8dsrtsrrw/w400-h275/IMG_0971.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Carrot time for Murdo The Magnificent means big smiles all round</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Hairy Highland Coo's</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"> always prove to be popular with my safari clients, especially those who do not have them close to home, so don't be afraid to ask me if you fancy going to see them, and maybe even get to feed and 'pat' them, as I have a couple of great sites....</span></b></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Rare/nocturnal mammals:</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">I get a few enquiries about the possibility of seeing </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Badgers</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> and </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Pine Marten</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> from my safari clients, many of whom I suspect are unaware that they are actually a largely nocturnal creature, and although we do get the occasional (maybe one or two a year) dawn glimpse of one, you would definitely have a much higher chance of seeing them at a specific dusk Badger/Pine Marten watching hide - Please contact me for more information.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Similarly, our inland </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Otters</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> too are mainly active during the hours of darkness, and again, although we do get a few early-morning sightings on local lochs and rivers each year, looking for them feeding in a suitably quiet, kelp - filled bay on the coast on a rising tide, but at any time of day, would give you a much better chance.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-family: quot; line-height: 1.4;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: quot; line-height: 1.4;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Whilst we are still on the 'tricky to see stuff', the <b>Scottish Wildcat </b>too, as well as being incredibly rare now, is also generally nocturnal, and the fact that I have had a mere handful of (dawn or dusk) sightings in 17 years of providing wildlife safaris should give you an idea of how difficult they are to see.</span></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Other wildlife:</b></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbguGksiDMsC5FBUitQRd0O44IaPxOIAr-GveLrz9LwWq0ttnDNgaTIwHY_gGciRxENtjDBEqmTqBKemQZxlYpfabSiIxfmRWv0Y4KtKegxAojN12nnachK-zhwAfO42BkVA5aFqOOCVLAFwB5pHNdYj2m00gembo_XlESf0NNotXs5G2EMw/s2016/IMG_0941.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbguGksiDMsC5FBUitQRd0O44IaPxOIAr-GveLrz9LwWq0ttnDNgaTIwHY_gGciRxENtjDBEqmTqBKemQZxlYpfabSiIxfmRWv0Y4KtKegxAojN12nnachK-zhwAfO42BkVA5aFqOOCVLAFwB5pHNdYj2m00gembo_XlESf0NNotXs5G2EMw/w400-h300/IMG_0941.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Common Toad</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p>The first <b>Frogs</b> and <b>Toads</b> were seen out and about this month, and even a few brave insects were seen out on the wing for the first time this year....</p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">News:</b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">All tourism/hospitality/activities in Scotland are open , are free of restrictions and I have now completed well over a year and a half of (thankfully!) increasingly busy and extremely enjoyable safaris with clients with no major issues arising.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">With all national travel restrictions lifted too, Scotland is officially 'open for business' for visitors from all over the UK, and from abroad.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">For those considering a visit, these wildlife/outdoor tourism websites may prove useful:</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b>https://www.gov.scot/collections/coronavirus-covid</b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.outdooraccess-scotland.scot/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">NatureScot (outdooraccess-scotland.scot)</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xGdTZcC2ZQ" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-line: none;">Can Nature Help Health? | Nature Prescriptions - YouTube</a></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1HBKnnGr-g" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;">Scotland, Yours to Enjoy. Responsibly. - YouTube</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://cairngorms.co.uk/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">Cairngorms National Park Authority</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.highlandwildlifepark.org.uk/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">Highland Wildlife Park</a></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.gov.scot/publications/avian-influenza-outbreaks/" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;">Avian influenza (bird flu) outbreaks - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)</a></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.rspb.org.uk/about-the-rspb/about-us/how-the-rspb-is-run/annualreport/annual-report-2022_scotland-news/?utm_source=notes_on_nature_20220903&utm_medium=email&utm_term=notes_on_nature&utm_content=27&utm_campaign=notes_on_nature" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;">Positive prescriptions | The RSPB</a></p><p><br /></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcuoAj7ew5YA_5qFKtcs7XR-gsGPGvGh3BuKuwkx9EOsNnWzNjUgH-c93KL00MyStUlhgGyFd-IbyuRGHwYIIdxb8nEmDGqjxQytTmWt_m6uR3ZZC8hmGjCQufEKyRjZvStnOM2zDcCI_8iBDfEgSI4mAxRIjXD5fNRHFufH6to4ICO1TARQ/s1622/IMG_0867.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1171" data-original-width="1622" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcuoAj7ew5YA_5qFKtcs7XR-gsGPGvGh3BuKuwkx9EOsNnWzNjUgH-c93KL00MyStUlhgGyFd-IbyuRGHwYIIdxb8nEmDGqjxQytTmWt_m6uR3ZZC8hmGjCQufEKyRjZvStnOM2zDcCI_8iBDfEgSI4mAxRIjXD5fNRHFufH6to4ICO1TARQ/w400-h289/IMG_0867.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Snowdrops</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>COVID-19</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">The Scottish Highlands, being very sparsely populated, has had very few COVID-19 cases in comparison to most of the UK, and on my safaris we tend to visit remote , wild habitats well away from the more popular tourist areas, and usually have very little interaction with other people, and this is something that I intend to continue.</b></p><div><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><br /></b></div><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB1nVN1n-BeOLwlEhvjNPL62jQRGe3-VscCLJ7KkW_kDjlgvMc57xnEIav79TIRCv5yvkVbB1cCSAFaBRuQH4tCyiChB1MxY9fXhdozcIdFvkcTAAQTP7SlJ3RrgDGFCLX-qteqGpRz9J-GpIeyhSFOEaEHTGcJITQbbW8LA4RODbbjFB54g/s1264/Kinrara.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="663" data-original-width="1264" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB1nVN1n-BeOLwlEhvjNPL62jQRGe3-VscCLJ7KkW_kDjlgvMc57xnEIav79TIRCv5yvkVbB1cCSAFaBRuQH4tCyiChB1MxY9fXhdozcIdFvkcTAAQTP7SlJ3RrgDGFCLX-qteqGpRz9J-GpIeyhSFOEaEHTGcJITQbbW8LA4RODbbjFB54g/w400-h210/Kinrara.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A local marshland</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Summary:</b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Although March can be a bit of a 'transitional' month, with winter slowly turning to spring, and the weather often a bit changeable, looking back through my sightings log and photos, I reckon that we did pretty well for birds and mammals this month. Most of the 'winter specialities' continued to show reasonably well, if admittedly not as frequently as last month, the resident species generally cooperated pretty well, and we enjoyed the return of a few summer breeding birds towards the end of the month too.</b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">I certainly enjoyed my times out in the wilds this month, and most importantly, I think my safari clients did too, and with lots of them visiting this area for the first time, it was great to see them smiling, and hear the sharp intakes of breath and the "wows" when they saw something rare, exciting or new to them..</b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Reviews:</b></span></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="" style="color: #06004c;">I know a lot of visitors to this area very wisely check out reviews of attractions/experiences at </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">TripAdvisor</b><span face="" style="color: #06004c;"> before 'taking the plunge' and booking - We now have over 280 reviews online, so if you wish, you can check out our clients comments at the link below....</span></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><div style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"></span></span><br /><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g186537-d3335134-Reviews-</span></span></span></span></span></div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"></span></span><br /><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Highland_Wildlife_Birdwatch_Safaris-Aviemore_Aviemore_and_the_Cairngorms_Scottish.html</span></span></span></span></span></div></div></div><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNSBOdv2IDO7_eYvCq0QsxYThPH6dvMyCtna0AIKeI0ZKGSCJUNVcNL-BUkQOTz9_1hAtwMeSI6BZnjHNUsvll8_3Zl4vdyWlm7ivJJuh2aRcaHqEPD05PXg9VKgTlG_NzE_RgHeHKKhGm7yE_Geeg_qbPIdXJVNjfahK56zU8Gf_pX_zXnQ/s1961/IMG_8786.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1471" data-original-width="1961" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNSBOdv2IDO7_eYvCq0QsxYThPH6dvMyCtna0AIKeI0ZKGSCJUNVcNL-BUkQOTz9_1hAtwMeSI6BZnjHNUsvll8_3Zl4vdyWlm7ivJJuh2aRcaHqEPD05PXg9VKgTlG_NzE_RgHeHKKhGm7yE_Geeg_qbPIdXJVNjfahK56zU8Gf_pX_zXnQ/w400-h300/IMG_8786.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>An early morning walk in a Caledonian forest</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><div style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><b>G</b></span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">ift Certificates:</b></p><div><div style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; color: #222222; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 5px; position: relative;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T95gARK_lkQ/XAvNUI2tI6I/AAAAAAAADwU/GDPgK9hH9LwgLQ8gPnoaLdf04Yn2BLebwCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_1578.JPG" style="background: none 0% 0% / auto repeat scroll padding-box border-box transparent; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 5px;" width="400" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 10.56px; text-align: center;"><b>Safari gift voucher</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></span></span></div></div></div><div><br /></div><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><div><span face="" style="color: #06004c; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;">If you think you know someone who may enjoy a taste of what I do, why not treat them to a safari gift </span><span face="" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;">certificate? They make a thoughtful and imaginative present, are available for any amount and are valid for a whole year from date of purchase........</span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span face="" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div></span></span></div></div></div><p><br /></p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Highland Wildlife & Birdwatch Safarishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04327130550058794301noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26724394.post-17051637967181407322023-02-28T20:00:00.001+00:002023-03-09T11:18:31.144+00:00<p><b> February 2023</b></p><p>The first half of the month was strangely mild weather-wise in this area. With south-westerly winds from the Atlantic dominating, this meant that the weather was often breezy and showery with little in the way of sunshine. Storm Otto saw us battered by gales for a day on the 17th, meaning I had to cancel a safari booked for that day, we then had a brief snowy time, before the month ended with some colder but calmer and brighter weather , but overall, despite it's changeable nature, it was a pretty decent month for wildlife watching.</p><p><b><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">The days are lengthening noticeably now, with up to 9-10 hours of usable daylight, and dawn (for the Black Grouse) is still a relatively sociable 7am, with dusk at around 5pm.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">Full-day local safari bird lists usually top-out in the 30's or 40's, though a trip to the nearby (one hour by car ) Moray Coast can boost this total considerably, whilst mammal day lists can vary between 3 and 8 species, depending on the time of our start and number of habitats visited, with early starts usually proving to be best.</span></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq4x4RLw76S_8fJiUZxBG5YVw0S6Bxi5yzjz-iVBGOQ_EceKhTBfFr3dNbDF2mNgIlrmAPthFgcmyXByk3CAgP8B68UuxQR5Q88GZo7LByQVHZjokyKYKxDXVoQR6n2aePRLFv7qQxl64CHNbB7avQUcARZ0UYwE0Mv5KQqHQM9_f5nAfp5g/s2016/IMG_0826.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq4x4RLw76S_8fJiUZxBG5YVw0S6Bxi5yzjz-iVBGOQ_EceKhTBfFr3dNbDF2mNgIlrmAPthFgcmyXByk3CAgP8B68UuxQR5Q88GZo7LByQVHZjokyKYKxDXVoQR6n2aePRLFv7qQxl64CHNbB7avQUcARZ0UYwE0Mv5KQqHQM9_f5nAfp5g/w400-h300/IMG_0826.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The source of the River Spey</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">To give you an idea of what you may realistically hope to see if you are considering a future February visit, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">I hope the following more detailed information, illustrated with photos taken at sites in and around the Cairngorms National Park, and sometimes further afield, by myself, my friends or my safari clients this month and in previous February's will help....clicking on the picture enlarges it to full-screen. </span></p><p><br /></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Local speciality/upland bird species seen regularly during the month included</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">:</span></p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Black Grouse </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">(usually first hour of light only), </span><b>Red Grouse</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, <b>Snow Bunting</b>, </span>and<b> </b><b>Dipper, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">we also managed </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">a few decent views of</span><b> Crested Tits </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">on our forest walks early in the month, a</span>nd a few reasonable <b>Golden Eagle </b>and<b> White-Tailed Eagle </b>sightings up in the glens...sadly, <b>Crossbills</b> proved very elusive, with just a few brief glimpses, and despite many hours spent walking and driving around local Caledonian forests searching for<b> Capercaillie, </b>I failed dismally, and had to settle for seeing the odd Caper poo on forest tracks...</span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">A good variety of</span><b> seabirds</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>waders, </b><b>w</b><b>ildfowl </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">and</span><b> Geese </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">were seen at the</span><b> Moray Coast </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">and the nearby inland lochs...</span></span></span></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Mammal species seen regularly included:</b></p><p><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Red Deer, Roe Deer, Red Squirrel, Rabbit, Mountain Goat, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">with just a few sightings of </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Mountain Hare </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">(still white)</span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">, Brown Hare, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">and</span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> Bank Voles </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">...</span></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">February 2023 bird sightings in more detail:</b></span></p><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></div><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Up on the moors....</b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7QpL-uKnaSXr3VAutL7I0ufSQA47PqA9ZCxBpp_d0JQulnKcqsQcfZIr8CRefQEzUINg1bRQ7mjeqHNqSfnVSG3B5Q66UTY4TkkbbEFtCodSZ8Q07aKvD-B8IrOMoPVIoxYObCBScu7I1fDY0ZemsbZxnUUAcdnKl--1x2-4zWQAJMJWrhA/s1907/IMG_0713.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1061" data-original-width="1907" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7QpL-uKnaSXr3VAutL7I0ufSQA47PqA9ZCxBpp_d0JQulnKcqsQcfZIr8CRefQEzUINg1bRQ7mjeqHNqSfnVSG3B5Q66UTY4TkkbbEFtCodSZ8Q07aKvD-B8IrOMoPVIoxYObCBScu7I1fDY0ZemsbZxnUUAcdnKl--1x2-4zWQAJMJWrhA/w400-h223/IMG_0713.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A local upland heather moorland</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></b></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqKskUIQK4Dv3mm04Dv3apzmqbaob1JFAypvVovjmekCb6rWK9VNeH7VHG4Au76xlEUkda-ovnNdXB2iOBQq6A9xIczlERJeErjGtQ-U9gfPxEapouEk0iMlln5XACcoVG3Jw7bpvCBkegMZeoeLmtg4NtumLtlIeMT6YXlABLYeU1HjmB1A/s4010/DSCN4938.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2435" data-original-width="4010" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqKskUIQK4Dv3mm04Dv3apzmqbaob1JFAypvVovjmekCb6rWK9VNeH7VHG4Au76xlEUkda-ovnNdXB2iOBQq6A9xIczlERJeErjGtQ-U9gfPxEapouEk0iMlln5XACcoVG3Jw7bpvCBkegMZeoeLmtg4NtumLtlIeMT6YXlABLYeU1HjmB1A/w400-h243/DSCN4938.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Lekking Black Grouse</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></b></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ8CHECg5kr01qErwVuzCBOEkjmrPsDJ3xmhZBxtk7rQ3epKyEjc7cCQqogXfK48pHZr1KYJqzEsYPd6qfpp5H_wXZSXhfOT4IAtEDgkYX9NCO0cVmDKV27UhJHAEllshDWKgrTv2y2gTAAZ1CMrdEawzMOS7R9cF7gex1xOhwtT2oh5BBuA/s2836/DSCN4950.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1565" data-original-width="2836" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ8CHECg5kr01qErwVuzCBOEkjmrPsDJ3xmhZBxtk7rQ3epKyEjc7cCQqogXfK48pHZr1KYJqzEsYPd6qfpp5H_wXZSXhfOT4IAtEDgkYX9NCO0cVmDKV27UhJHAEllshDWKgrTv2y2gTAAZ1CMrdEawzMOS7R9cF7gex1xOhwtT2oh5BBuA/w400-h221/DSCN4950.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Lekking Black Grouse</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400;">Dawn in February (still a pretty user-friendly 7 am) on my safaris is usually spent visiting one (or more if needed!) local </span><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;">Black Grouse</b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400;"> lek sites, usually a flat, grassy area on an upland heather moorland with forest not too far away, and we often enjoyed the spectacle of up to 10 of these attractive, but sadly now increasingly rare, blue-black cock birds displaying, posturing aggressively and flutter-jumping in a bid to out-display and intimidate their opponents in a bid to secure their little patch of the 'arena' for the forthcoming breeding season, all accompanied by their distinctive bubbling and whooshing calls drifting across the moor... surely one of British wildlife's 'must-see' (and 'must hear') experiences? 'Performances' are usually noticeably better on cold, still mornings.... but please be aware that we have to view from a respectful (and legal) distance, and that sightings are not 'guaranteed' as the birds can fail to show for no apparent reason, as was the case on a few occasions this month...</span></b></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRhJbhXlHRO_l6t2kS5c6PnAY6owe6YRHn-CYK3gHd-f9EqWlxKRORcKjuL4IuOFnr6dB07R-eqvdOhD0Sn-woKDJmraLWX-WOKDHu2tkittZFREOHqfySNm26Ft2cM1TNs2Me8iE0j6AdAqPC87YIQE6zucLYY61Bjd1lRNiK-L4Mnwt_Eg/s4200/DSCN4981.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2943" data-original-width="4200" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRhJbhXlHRO_l6t2kS5c6PnAY6owe6YRHn-CYK3gHd-f9EqWlxKRORcKjuL4IuOFnr6dB07R-eqvdOhD0Sn-woKDJmraLWX-WOKDHu2tkittZFREOHqfySNm26Ft2cM1TNs2Me8iE0j6AdAqPC87YIQE6zucLYY61Bjd1lRNiK-L4Mnwt_Eg/w400-h280/DSCN4981.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The local Red Grouse are now 'pairing-up'</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsiNP-f4pWrlaCyjFW80kXIaeh6jAN3sRwqLwENOvoZ3Pa3xvvaTAweH3rh6PNzBfTtWLxTMMhN5cjdUklJEidRvbCFGGlB3p6ogdEtQCAHSep7txhp2NDl8gogqH2ayU8w5ohcrp0yrufHChCaiEGwvQB7FtkNTLPFsuuLcZGSak0FpCMqg/s4454/DSCN4977.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3405" data-original-width="4454" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsiNP-f4pWrlaCyjFW80kXIaeh6jAN3sRwqLwENOvoZ3Pa3xvvaTAweH3rh6PNzBfTtWLxTMMhN5cjdUklJEidRvbCFGGlB3p6ogdEtQCAHSep7txhp2NDl8gogqH2ayU8w5ohcrp0yrufHChCaiEGwvQB7FtkNTLPFsuuLcZGSak0FpCMqg/s320/DSCN4977.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Red Grouse</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 17.5692px;">Still on the moors, the cock </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 17.5692px;">Red Grouse</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 17.5692px;"> too, are now becoming very territorial and full of aggression , as they defend their chosen 'territory' from rivals and try to attract a mate </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 19.3261px; line-height: 1.4;">with much calling and posturing and their red eye wattles aglow, usually from one of the few higher vantage points, making them (usually) nice and easy for us to find!</span></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;">Up in the glens...</b></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8GNanVMm0In4vncblMvDFilyE7RiGrfUbo6uMOAhvelPX4vXwxs_BOYtXYCQr0qKxSQsqzv4G7bha6U07K_oUjQjHMk8mFxkyZjNYR96A_XVdaZSeW8bXY88SHOsR9p-rYV9Obq7bJnzLs3n2TrMbodYtPWbdpdsB4rtVyas60B1nTvwzYw/s1995/IMG_0727.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1045" data-original-width="1995" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8GNanVMm0In4vncblMvDFilyE7RiGrfUbo6uMOAhvelPX4vXwxs_BOYtXYCQr0qKxSQsqzv4G7bha6U07K_oUjQjHMk8mFxkyZjNYR96A_XVdaZSeW8bXY88SHOsR9p-rYV9Obq7bJnzLs3n2TrMbodYtPWbdpdsB4rtVyas60B1nTvwzYw/w400-h210/IMG_0727.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A local upland glen</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXd2CXiTwr7F1lDIj_6thLCQjba_4lnC-psTza41MGKJEYF2lYuivfXtO_hWCupMXUZpXkFGyufXgrv-Jb4v7p7mknbNJveSO6xUnBNTT95_EOx6zHlCjlqCZ8iVhdr2cFaeFj4JPx-A1otwNAd5Ys_Zh4gb-d5NcenjuL0Tb1tOqOik-FxA/s856/DSCN0799.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="569" data-original-width="856" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXd2CXiTwr7F1lDIj_6thLCQjba_4lnC-psTza41MGKJEYF2lYuivfXtO_hWCupMXUZpXkFGyufXgrv-Jb4v7p7mknbNJveSO6xUnBNTT95_EOx6zHlCjlqCZ8iVhdr2cFaeFj4JPx-A1otwNAd5Ys_Zh4gb-d5NcenjuL0Tb1tOqOik-FxA/w400-h266/DSCN0799.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Golden Eagle (photo from Feb 2017)</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw5NeNDxYFuwCDVYp6C4twrvIO7Sq8HHZV8NKk2oz6FaPxn4FtYoNxH3k4mDzEo-fYSbPZ6vSSKnJlDtwtAj4X6me1EpqzBH6K9i1aUfa7ntkVMzmP1jqWl8FELC0GMXKzoDQ2cT_UGd8M7RzcmXzAPT0Kcw0eX-MFTw8MuDnTVAX3cSXjCQ/s1727/DSCN2345.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1038" data-original-width="1727" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw5NeNDxYFuwCDVYp6C4twrvIO7Sq8HHZV8NKk2oz6FaPxn4FtYoNxH3k4mDzEo-fYSbPZ6vSSKnJlDtwtAj4X6me1EpqzBH6K9i1aUfa7ntkVMzmP1jqWl8FELC0GMXKzoDQ2cT_UGd8M7RzcmXzAPT0Kcw0eX-MFTw8MuDnTVAX3cSXjCQ/w400-h240/DSCN2345.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Young Golden Eagle (photo from Feb 2020)</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgybn3GioW1sMi0SeCwQkyiGDwsX6iEDYVA1gpZwM4BC1fFnT0aoMNZAHN4Y5q4yqwSg6q-Rz8hD8iWBKfN2-nRkVedKwo8a_WcOGDuL3_wzRAwGcXmcVKwRk01i44D9fn1dDdMnUUipgkgaXlyv58jw6bHVC_a7YPFcgY08NVLTbjDJpL7Rw/s396/IMG_1292.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="282" data-original-width="396" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgybn3GioW1sMi0SeCwQkyiGDwsX6iEDYVA1gpZwM4BC1fFnT0aoMNZAHN4Y5q4yqwSg6q-Rz8hD8iWBKfN2-nRkVedKwo8a_WcOGDuL3_wzRAwGcXmcVKwRk01i44D9fn1dDdMnUUipgkgaXlyv58jw6bHVC_a7YPFcgY08NVLTbjDJpL7Rw/w400-h285/IMG_1292.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>White-Tailed Eagle</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;">Golden Eagle </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px;">and</span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;"> White-Tailed Eagle</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px;"> are nearly always on my safari clents' "wish-lists", and as I have said before, the shorter days of the winter months , and no nesting distractions definitely give us the best chance of seeing them. That trend was continued this month, with several sightings of <b>GE</b> and a couple of <b>WTE</b> being achieved, though not as frequently as we had enjoyed in the 3-4 months before this...</span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCTlqJgS6mqMbYzqz0aSSIAkTC7lfgEAtH78s6hXslIq9P0Mh_2kk6CsdhxdensDQjneCSXok4R3lg4ccIKxmh4r3dAuSX3W5-U1OikQpyc-RRhT2DDpV6_4kQ0Fsnav53IO0_1djTnSKqVLc_dQxYVC1ROnaDCzBQl7MDKSrEFk7d48Pv3Q/s2134/DSCN4788.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1236" data-original-width="2134" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCTlqJgS6mqMbYzqz0aSSIAkTC7lfgEAtH78s6hXslIq9P0Mh_2kk6CsdhxdensDQjneCSXok4R3lg4ccIKxmh4r3dAuSX3W5-U1OikQpyc-RRhT2DDpV6_4kQ0Fsnav53IO0_1djTnSKqVLc_dQxYVC1ROnaDCzBQl7MDKSrEFk7d48Pv3Q/s320/DSCN4788.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Kestrel</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimc-8MQDLoSMo7UCueFJV7zIzwlcjvzYS_gGFZf5-3f0YFXxG9oZuIvkuANsMpqC2UmK3KF4O8ml05MgXzo3lhFDMS2mVOcSvoqVQzKMGheF2PzyZtmwh7-wiktFo8X7gHMwOimlo0UHfPbX-pvGY17uXqEOH6ytHb3UhbPJZLkzEBOaoHww/s2289/DSCN4784.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1392" data-original-width="2289" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimc-8MQDLoSMo7UCueFJV7zIzwlcjvzYS_gGFZf5-3f0YFXxG9oZuIvkuANsMpqC2UmK3KF4O8ml05MgXzo3lhFDMS2mVOcSvoqVQzKMGheF2PzyZtmwh7-wiktFo8X7gHMwOimlo0UHfPbX-pvGY17uXqEOH6ytHb3UhbPJZLkzEBOaoHww/s320/DSCN4784.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Common Buzzard</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2sR-iPpEqRCz-OutqB3qbYz9xzxv3JQwFpTi5_-s3pq5sK1G0xn1y-tCmnxki46cJuBq4es6xUCGfIPwTngRV5wvAeOkulwP8xqxtKVes4buhUE_qFqiuAS6Rd2oeuKBejBMcFUSKAgGXRInL9chR06aIGXyKuq1rV6BQuZ84qzbUaZITGQ/s2674/DSCN4791.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1397" data-original-width="2674" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2sR-iPpEqRCz-OutqB3qbYz9xzxv3JQwFpTi5_-s3pq5sK1G0xn1y-tCmnxki46cJuBq4es6xUCGfIPwTngRV5wvAeOkulwP8xqxtKVes4buhUE_qFqiuAS6Rd2oeuKBejBMcFUSKAgGXRInL9chR06aIGXyKuq1rV6BQuZ84qzbUaZITGQ/s320/DSCN4791.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Kite</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEittdYx5AwDsNKkMduZaxri7I1cn8x6srO2LENj2CWRF_yi0lJROiWFMFyKxLcdLrVWtTh1JiFoN7FFY1ugfqvi69HgGoAH-KJ8_581lECo_p2-BpA3q9x22Yc0JGuf3TbbwAcuS1UcEIEd9yQHQm9kIDuLjUSvJkKPEpiKT0xoHIWDT6UjsA/s913/DSCN6981.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="612" data-original-width="913" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEittdYx5AwDsNKkMduZaxri7I1cn8x6srO2LENj2CWRF_yi0lJROiWFMFyKxLcdLrVWtTh1JiFoN7FFY1ugfqvi69HgGoAH-KJ8_581lECo_p2-BpA3q9x22Yc0JGuf3TbbwAcuS1UcEIEd9yQHQm9kIDuLjUSvJkKPEpiKT0xoHIWDT6UjsA/w400-h269/DSCN6981.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Goshawk (photo from Feb 2021)</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Should the <b>Eagles </b>fail to show, the regular 'raptor back-up cast' of <b>Kestrel</b>, <b>Sparrowhawk</b>,<b> </b></span><strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Buzzard</strong><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> , </span><strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Red Kite, </strong><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">and the chance of even the occasional <b>Peregrine</b>, </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Merlin</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Hen Harrier</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> or </span><strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Goshawk </strong><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">often provide good entertainment by way of consolation though, and some of these species were seen performing courtship displays, another sign that breeding season will soon be upon us... </span></p><p><br /></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">I</span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">n the forests...</b></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhodf5FfSX31qkqnPxAsjpllT0OxTFDn8zBxxcEAtvlzgPtzyR1Wdgn1V8FYItjXL_Uzp0DRdTLPrY3BUgyyoYN3mdUfcqNHTgk_EYPClEVB68J0e9MGE3hkFBPIR-yrdJ67A8siKHYq2-TRwrhpzRwdpZhphGQsUw2Q3VeSRzT2C-qk858bA/s2016/IMG_0706.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhodf5FfSX31qkqnPxAsjpllT0OxTFDn8zBxxcEAtvlzgPtzyR1Wdgn1V8FYItjXL_Uzp0DRdTLPrY3BUgyyoYN3mdUfcqNHTgk_EYPClEVB68J0e9MGE3hkFBPIR-yrdJ67A8siKHYq2-TRwrhpzRwdpZhphGQsUw2Q3VeSRzT2C-qk858bA/w400-h300/IMG_0706.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A local ancient Caledonian forest</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivrcC5S6fzYnvjVucL0Ee4l1mJzF2Le8JBXIuYftFtY3_5-J_Sw5_mOmmSVl91EHpCP7umhk2xC5Qb4yNitpyAa9F4Q5jspHrfUkxgNGcYT-A2FwQBayaLIh_Vm6UDmacJDeXeivZlgypzaQusiaB3qeAMsCHEoiiZQxSt6UO0HPItCH1DEw/s4607/DSCN4841.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2757" data-original-width="4607" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivrcC5S6fzYnvjVucL0Ee4l1mJzF2Le8JBXIuYftFtY3_5-J_Sw5_mOmmSVl91EHpCP7umhk2xC5Qb4yNitpyAa9F4Q5jspHrfUkxgNGcYT-A2FwQBayaLIh_Vm6UDmacJDeXeivZlgypzaQusiaB3qeAMsCHEoiiZQxSt6UO0HPItCH1DEw/w400-h239/DSCN4841.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Crested Tit</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPb1hTjPS8SKnI64YOgBVnZHMfsESb_9rjRslwkqpaU0jkm-M43OOZ13nOlx-BLbm1XTMIpE3aqJ5fPFFagqOGhJNb3rRdjXXBWOIV0Jm03GVmWNVz2Ik7tOv5r9rW9WYlSFmCNJOofKwB10ScyBO5Hpv4LHndoWVoI8SgRvQgtDDVJTB7ww/s3065/DSCN2253%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2034" data-original-width="3065" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPb1hTjPS8SKnI64YOgBVnZHMfsESb_9rjRslwkqpaU0jkm-M43OOZ13nOlx-BLbm1XTMIpE3aqJ5fPFFagqOGhJNb3rRdjXXBWOIV0Jm03GVmWNVz2Ik7tOv5r9rW9WYlSFmCNJOofKwB10ScyBO5Hpv4LHndoWVoI8SgRvQgtDDVJTB7ww/w400-h265/DSCN2253%20(2).JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Crested Tit (photo from Feb 2020)</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p>Similarly to last February,<span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Crested Tits</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> proved to be a little elusive this month, with fewer sightings than normal achieved, though thankfully, it wasn't just me, as guides from other safaris experienced the same disappointment, with the favourite theory as to why, being that the strangely mild and spring-like weather may have made them less dependent on feeding stations and may have even prompted them to begin courtship and nesting season very early....</span></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 19.3261px;">Generally though, it is well worth noting that the colder winter months (October-Feb) are actually the best time of year for seeing the 'wee Cresties', as these characterful little birds can be frustratingly secretive, unobtrusive and almost silent during the breeding season, with sightings being much more difficult to obtain between March and September...</span></p><p><br /></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDemcpAWIR2Ao_-gxlm6nZCrFT6dp3Inlg0oYHErJjsBRiagXxWHNIbeV82LPT0jkr4Vfn3CpAwj7ewdnKhyu9WuxmSVpJSzDLfSbmGou_VaTw24myPwNXZdgM98Zj4_IRSNdcFxANF2m8FB_ICquxv7M2RyC2EOeBsys1uFnNyl2AM1F3NQ/s2616/DSCN4828.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1712" data-original-width="2616" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDemcpAWIR2Ao_-gxlm6nZCrFT6dp3Inlg0oYHErJjsBRiagXxWHNIbeV82LPT0jkr4Vfn3CpAwj7ewdnKhyu9WuxmSVpJSzDLfSbmGou_VaTw24myPwNXZdgM98Zj4_IRSNdcFxANF2m8FB_ICquxv7M2RyC2EOeBsys1uFnNyl2AM1F3NQ/w400-h261/DSCN4828.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Singing Crossbill</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;">Still in the Caledonian forests, we actually did ok for </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 700;">Crossbill </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;">sightings again this month, with a few decent views...mainly because the period between December and March is breeding season for them, which means that this is your best chance to see a male perched on a treetop, often singing to defend a territory and attract a mate....whereas they can be pretty tricky to see (apart from flyovers) for the rest of the year...</span></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;">Despite numerous dawn walks in my local Caledonian forests again this month, sadly, I failed to see a single <b>Capercaillie</b> , though I did spot a few Caper poos, so there is still hope of a sighting in the future...</span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13.2px;">Please note that </span><b style="font-size: 13.2px;">Capercaillie</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13.2px;"> numbers would still appear to be declining alarmingly, they are now very rare and elusive, and I would only rate our chances of seeing one on my safaris as "very slim" at best...</span></span></span></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">On the rivers...</b></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIkoBfAVdA3UxG1jh8Ow_igx9n_csS7XXxky6wh5J-W3Ul58ReF8UTzrtncqgjP8EXIrmkqcZdYsmVzJFgk_7NXBws6KEK-NCSGamv7yCZCApJHPdvI-OwwBj8G8JCp4Ty6AX9OvY262R4kxOp1_HFKEhKZCrVPUm5OO2dA0qnc8Fw9zXC8Q/s1794/IMG_0699.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1346" data-original-width="1794" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIkoBfAVdA3UxG1jh8Ow_igx9n_csS7XXxky6wh5J-W3Ul58ReF8UTzrtncqgjP8EXIrmkqcZdYsmVzJFgk_7NXBws6KEK-NCSGamv7yCZCApJHPdvI-OwwBj8G8JCp4Ty6AX9OvY262R4kxOp1_HFKEhKZCrVPUm5OO2dA0qnc8Fw9zXC8Q/w400-h300/IMG_0699.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A local river</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdlpL51XQ5e4WRNa_7DECLlUntTaw825z_QeKxbU_4_ATMAbChv5io2i3WKr1YHk10H5XgUK5vCq2NOEPpfh8m7qlqeE5BPu746oB3IHvgpDrOGZkD-hmrBGu6Mam4QVf6vOsuhOXGXpjAXJDrhiXllZ9p_Tv9WpHBIhayrclOhqhpnNVRSA/s2984/Ron%20MItchell%20Dippers.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1502" data-original-width="2984" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdlpL51XQ5e4WRNa_7DECLlUntTaw825z_QeKxbU_4_ATMAbChv5io2i3WKr1YHk10H5XgUK5vCq2NOEPpfh8m7qlqeE5BPu746oB3IHvgpDrOGZkD-hmrBGu6Mam4QVf6vOsuhOXGXpjAXJDrhiXllZ9p_Tv9WpHBIhayrclOhqhpnNVRSA/w400-h201/Ron%20MItchell%20Dippers.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Dueling Dippers by Ron Mitchell</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTdjHphGTG0bSnYQGVtnTiWDKxKd9bh_en1huko-kZb0l4GUa34ZcBxlZxaFjxphvkmz5tXfGFJ-aRsu7pxy_AV6sbrWcbGtwCpNUhId0VsP16Mbugs5MQYkzB6oZMdyMb_LZ1pvxBmKSRUI-yoqTPMelI-tUgStVKXYzGjgYd1ttNLC_qyA/s4391/DSCN4741.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3078" data-original-width="4391" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTdjHphGTG0bSnYQGVtnTiWDKxKd9bh_en1huko-kZb0l4GUa34ZcBxlZxaFjxphvkmz5tXfGFJ-aRsu7pxy_AV6sbrWcbGtwCpNUhId0VsP16Mbugs5MQYkzB6oZMdyMb_LZ1pvxBmKSRUI-yoqTPMelI-tUgStVKXYzGjgYd1ttNLC_qyA/s320/DSCN4741.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Dipper</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 19.3261px; line-height: 1.4;">Our </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;">Dippers</span><span style="font-size: 19.3261px; line-height: 1.4;"> are in full 'breeding season mode' now, and early morning visits to known favourite sites (keeping a respectful distance of course) usually give us great views of these characterful and hardy little birds singing their hearts out, with wings back and chests pushed out... and towards the end of the month we sometimes see one or two carrying nesting material....and it still makes me shiver every time I see these tough little birds submerge themselves when feeding in the freezing winter months...</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 19.3261px; line-height: 1.4;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">We also occasionally see <b>Goosander </b>and<b> Goldeneye </b>on our local rivers too....</p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">On the lochs...</b></b></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw8cac-fVDrnxR4WB2ImVj8-iNx2axu9dlVmAQxJkoPClpK3uSYxEamG39AbqkiHxafuRKvrmVCIQ9FF1wUEj1nXLvT_71sAz3TAz5izoBGkJGknLy4pidO27SaWqkqdxmxjwtNVsXJ1oHewDNLtbFAY4jA12sW1E_qKpa0xl-a-JRov5JLA/s1985/IMG_0780.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1154" data-original-width="1985" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw8cac-fVDrnxR4WB2ImVj8-iNx2axu9dlVmAQxJkoPClpK3uSYxEamG39AbqkiHxafuRKvrmVCIQ9FF1wUEj1nXLvT_71sAz3TAz5izoBGkJGknLy4pidO27SaWqkqdxmxjwtNVsXJ1oHewDNLtbFAY4jA12sW1E_qKpa0xl-a-JRov5JLA/w400-h233/IMG_0780.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>An idyllic scene at a local loch</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5hVQRmf63JZMc9L9fSagpcfQpj-7p_K7W0Bt4GYYO5shg_kH-F0Rtq-OYytM9TdKIHCZ5jSonHK3gtUVCiAP9X1exL0CmnFshCSFOKkbdYpPE38UbyKcdPQ2n7fiY_7BEjjRyZQav1WiM_BtcUb2sXI4HiNrIo1qvfQZwQhWauZ16c2Szvw/s3511/DSCN4970.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1595" data-original-width="3511" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5hVQRmf63JZMc9L9fSagpcfQpj-7p_K7W0Bt4GYYO5shg_kH-F0Rtq-OYytM9TdKIHCZ5jSonHK3gtUVCiAP9X1exL0CmnFshCSFOKkbdYpPE38UbyKcdPQ2n7fiY_7BEjjRyZQav1WiM_BtcUb2sXI4HiNrIo1qvfQZwQhWauZ16c2Szvw/w400-h181/DSCN4970.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Female Goldeneye</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPN8008EsXUUaM3AYFcMIOfpTl0s_MY3cXhFkOF4wHwOu7r_cx87QIV5_rSft6dx7WOJCoR9qj-DOrZDde0qVBaLUXznj3oC8oQeZV2sbyBmRH_VYX-w-gcDh4t4kDIJoqe9CnlAmEQ3TbCvw5NTk2lDoPtGIgIKJuA6R0AQmB3nUru7T4bQ/s3872/DSCN4982.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2134" data-original-width="3872" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPN8008EsXUUaM3AYFcMIOfpTl0s_MY3cXhFkOF4wHwOu7r_cx87QIV5_rSft6dx7WOJCoR9qj-DOrZDde0qVBaLUXznj3oC8oQeZV2sbyBmRH_VYX-w-gcDh4t4kDIJoqe9CnlAmEQ3TbCvw5NTk2lDoPtGIgIKJuA6R0AQmB3nUru7T4bQ/w400-h220/DSCN4982.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Goosander</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6awj3vlmPQs-wpyY_Psy5UE8akwJtySahnjo9W99NPbU_V3iwLp37y5BqiQZRx-ZGdiLyQaSqi1IiPLzaEvEVdv6Gn5zgfdu_WFip9eF0pQ0BKoj1c-MtzBJldUNuzqXG7kNZgzyg3w5CEuXuAqUIRIIYn4OZmA8-THkPyR07x-FtoKvvWA/s4015/DSCN4820.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2573" data-original-width="4015" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6awj3vlmPQs-wpyY_Psy5UE8akwJtySahnjo9W99NPbU_V3iwLp37y5BqiQZRx-ZGdiLyQaSqi1IiPLzaEvEVdv6Gn5zgfdu_WFip9eF0pQ0BKoj1c-MtzBJldUNuzqXG7kNZgzyg3w5CEuXuAqUIRIIYn4OZmA8-THkPyR07x-FtoKvvWA/w400-h256/DSCN4820.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Young Whooper Swan</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">Star birds on the lochs during the winter are probably the </span><b>Goldeneyes</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, with the males now in their dapper breeding plumage and some displaying, and the winter-visiting </span><b>Whooper Swans,</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> with a back up cast of </span><b>Goosander</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Teal</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Wigeon </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">and </span><b>Tufted Ducks</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Up in the mountains....</b></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsG8ELBTQGgjip01CuasnfLikyztY_-Rd2npy8M_jCn3cqpSrdUtV8MntV3zIX3GUBxvRvNFOrlzR5752d4KVTaZeQyVS5nQLidcktz8MbfZxLokvThRw0Ed6q5HK8OsrAfhLPJQhyWAoafezRYm-5dtIWdUm_2OV1_D5PNeRn67bNirTSuA/s2004/IMG_0719.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1012" data-original-width="2004" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsG8ELBTQGgjip01CuasnfLikyztY_-Rd2npy8M_jCn3cqpSrdUtV8MntV3zIX3GUBxvRvNFOrlzR5752d4KVTaZeQyVS5nQLidcktz8MbfZxLokvThRw0Ed6q5HK8OsrAfhLPJQhyWAoafezRYm-5dtIWdUm_2OV1_D5PNeRn67bNirTSuA/w400-h203/IMG_0719.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A snowy scene at Cairngorm Mountain</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSYGWB2Z6ZkEISGCoSExmYmCxS2vDF0TV9cnm9Obk_mdtrZXI_ctDmxXq0lhLcxWJxrkek_QLcBj0zL3bphkqgYBL5hUJfJv3iHO4qb9YODudf-7hCaGI5jVIr2T5l5IvCJJ5ym7WX8Bh51UYKn4iGWkzv5Ax5G-QtT7mtR-E48JpzQu80Ag/s4608/DSCN4928.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSYGWB2Z6ZkEISGCoSExmYmCxS2vDF0TV9cnm9Obk_mdtrZXI_ctDmxXq0lhLcxWJxrkek_QLcBj0zL3bphkqgYBL5hUJfJv3iHO4qb9YODudf-7hCaGI5jVIr2T5l5IvCJJ5ym7WX8Bh51UYKn4iGWkzv5Ax5G-QtT7mtR-E48JpzQu80Ag/w400-h300/DSCN4928.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Snow Buntings</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_wp1sLKHd2zar5TnqLcBymuIuaQn1siGNrU-U-d-JP1B8qLosfK0xwwJ7eInJ1KAKU2nLEfl6fAm_Wv-gMu8Noy3tPP0_dl_E9a5Tm3tObriqLKSwbNzzr5zu7RhDtH4SbbPey9-jWv7mFsEyOqeSKxAwvriO5AzZR-zE6JdVTlUbV9oCjA/s2588/Ron%20MItchell%20SB.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1726" data-original-width="2588" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_wp1sLKHd2zar5TnqLcBymuIuaQn1siGNrU-U-d-JP1B8qLosfK0xwwJ7eInJ1KAKU2nLEfl6fAm_Wv-gMu8Noy3tPP0_dl_E9a5Tm3tObriqLKSwbNzzr5zu7RhDtH4SbbPey9-jWv7mFsEyOqeSKxAwvriO5AzZR-zE6JdVTlUbV9oCjA/s320/Ron%20MItchell%20SB.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Snow Bunting by Ron Mitchell</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Snow Buntings</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> can often be seen in and around the Cairngorms Ski Centre car park in the winter months, if it can be accessed in the often heavy snow and high winds!!, and that was the case on a few occasions this month, with up to 12 of these attractive and characterful little birds being seen. Their confiding nature means that you can sometimes creep reasonably close for photos too, especially if you put some wild bird seed out to attract and distract them....</span></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Although the Cairngorm Funicular Railway is now open again, with walking access restricted to the piste area, and a lot of snowsports activity , noise and disturbance on the mountain, and with the days still quite short , I didn't venture up into the tops myself this month, but for future reference, a few </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Ptarmigan,</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> still totally white, can sometimes be seen, up around the 'snow-line', usually sheltering in corries or on the leeward sides of ridges, out of the cold wind...</span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">On farmland....</b></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif1A6daf1m_y6U8gMobndXEyIi0FWQulcyn2cT4pzo7jsuSBrSLiWnqCRyUnD1q47h9DGQvdYg-vqJ5GPyJ4XuMYSn_VtKIEdA62VLOnx_WlNvFVZgrcgfLZOkkIXX0Hun3twNf6kaoUghl_gqn2yfi7GQk_wXepEHJCfR1I6_A7d7veixew/s4306/DSCN8931.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3027" data-original-width="4306" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif1A6daf1m_y6U8gMobndXEyIi0FWQulcyn2cT4pzo7jsuSBrSLiWnqCRyUnD1q47h9DGQvdYg-vqJ5GPyJ4XuMYSn_VtKIEdA62VLOnx_WlNvFVZgrcgfLZOkkIXX0Hun3twNf6kaoUghl_gqn2yfi7GQk_wXepEHJCfR1I6_A7d7veixew/s320/DSCN8931.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Curlew</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Q1Ju9iUmVoqFaLV_6z2mm0HrxXV0GgJVcWvsttQHo08nbUN58PzpFZqeuZSlhl2S2A1388BblKwjanWBAPycTQVXfCvI5005R7mO6S6KUrZ1-tssFrDTWJv4Pu39UAt8aySJJ_NPgpevv5ZiCqWpBTgPYSqZytlC74mfLDOiVqGuKef7hw/s4608/DSCN8937.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Q1Ju9iUmVoqFaLV_6z2mm0HrxXV0GgJVcWvsttQHo08nbUN58PzpFZqeuZSlhl2S2A1388BblKwjanWBAPycTQVXfCvI5005R7mO6S6KUrZ1-tssFrDTWJv4Pu39UAt8aySJJ_NPgpevv5ZiCqWpBTgPYSqZytlC74mfLDOiVqGuKef7hw/s320/DSCN8937.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Oystercatchers</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">The first waders were seen returning to their spring/summer breeding grounds, with </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Oystercatcher</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Lapwing</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Golden Plover</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> and </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Curlew</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> all being noted.....</span></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Winter-visiting birds seen in our area this month included:</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> </span></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeZBjKNQ-i1GP0gZ8c-EMUZGsTe13quTffTpscNXsde8DmEONWESh77ztHlX9xSZs9ilm71wNx4pZ_cmfSIWN7NF6r_ItVo132wutTGuPdTO6j7q6qQzeMIgWcmiBcUkLOcZ2IlLWG_b_9JhUJieJy947Tm4LoS_iZqxfNaAxksx9dJQm5sg/s4128/DSCN2228%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2077" data-original-width="4128" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeZBjKNQ-i1GP0gZ8c-EMUZGsTe13quTffTpscNXsde8DmEONWESh77ztHlX9xSZs9ilm71wNx4pZ_cmfSIWN7NF6r_ItVo132wutTGuPdTO6j7q6qQzeMIgWcmiBcUkLOcZ2IlLWG_b_9JhUJieJy947Tm4LoS_iZqxfNaAxksx9dJQm5sg/w400-h201/DSCN2228%20(2).JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Whooper Swans and Greylag Geese </b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWNuqUI8P46DxNGwMXHPxmdsUXmwVlbWAtSOmI1gv0FsOlVsnjEO_2-zLFCqZf-bCGk1jb62k9XmQa1Y7dRnkWjPozH5jMYWz7BHcM_Xt_H9eaTxSOVvtn6wGrQA9lFr7Zr85ZK_6yfXkSnurd7PiFJOtp5l7NnL1rqK_xZNb5qKihO1pxEA/s4255/DSCN9111.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2618" data-original-width="4255" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWNuqUI8P46DxNGwMXHPxmdsUXmwVlbWAtSOmI1gv0FsOlVsnjEO_2-zLFCqZf-bCGk1jb62k9XmQa1Y7dRnkWjPozH5jMYWz7BHcM_Xt_H9eaTxSOVvtn6wGrQA9lFr7Zr85ZK_6yfXkSnurd7PiFJOtp5l7NnL1rqK_xZNb5qKihO1pxEA/w400-h246/DSCN9111.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Fieldfare</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Other good/scarce birds seen/reported locally this month included:</b></p><p>A<b> Marsh Harrier </b>and <b>Russian White-Fronted Geese</b> at Insh Marshes, a <b>Nuthatch</b>, near Newton more, and a <b>Ring-Necked Duck</b> at Loch Vaa....</p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 700;">A few photos of more common birds seen locally this month: </span></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzGmk6nqM14A4JtAuJ0MzfH_H7IOVUUm7JWP7yr-xGIiXhmhEK18lRkENaYWzSMv74wwImd81mu3TuWy6EXkaeKsUK9TpA8-kRLFOEuvp45TsltxzEEf9HPn970Hggv2Cl3Dbe-9hPXe2frAhogztJFOwgiSS71IkJVFwEEjk1iLQtb3KqXQ/s4608/DSCN4774.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzGmk6nqM14A4JtAuJ0MzfH_H7IOVUUm7JWP7yr-xGIiXhmhEK18lRkENaYWzSMv74wwImd81mu3TuWy6EXkaeKsUK9TpA8-kRLFOEuvp45TsltxzEEf9HPn970Hggv2Cl3Dbe-9hPXe2frAhogztJFOwgiSS71IkJVFwEEjk1iLQtb3KqXQ/w400-h300/DSCN4774.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red-Legged Partridge</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijN5bNmgugEi85Jkx4ZHovvSWtFIH7Mz8sCQ_Kl85Jt5NSPoPda2LoV_YmdW41KJGzp9ZViM_TTyRu9mtB2hqStZQ4v8Vi7gUKOWqYhZah88uzJM-uoBtX-jsd1jwGF5F_JZk82TujNoTsUElgApJ634-uIv5vrGcAjHRpe83ReE6UL3IHHA/s4608/DSCN4808.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijN5bNmgugEi85Jkx4ZHovvSWtFIH7Mz8sCQ_Kl85Jt5NSPoPda2LoV_YmdW41KJGzp9ZViM_TTyRu9mtB2hqStZQ4v8Vi7gUKOWqYhZah88uzJM-uoBtX-jsd1jwGF5F_JZk82TujNoTsUElgApJ634-uIv5vrGcAjHRpe83ReE6UL3IHHA/w400-h300/DSCN4808.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Mute Swan</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjYoW2wrJYr9ZSHlHP6m91IBlOM8vqhUsEvdLyV7pIFD5EY7ribd6shvG6B5ra0t9Q2OGD6JRQbM2cN7b1-DfQ9CjtoVX0xoLtQU0yGQNatCczDuVyJBSH3hzdaaU2yHyfeGnuXVK_vTVr-UT1SNzLGorw_o-JxJQ9fvxBQc6gxnVj1GuFuQ/s4150/DSCN4822.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2671" data-original-width="4150" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjYoW2wrJYr9ZSHlHP6m91IBlOM8vqhUsEvdLyV7pIFD5EY7ribd6shvG6B5ra0t9Q2OGD6JRQbM2cN7b1-DfQ9CjtoVX0xoLtQU0yGQNatCczDuVyJBSH3hzdaaU2yHyfeGnuXVK_vTVr-UT1SNzLGorw_o-JxJQ9fvxBQc6gxnVj1GuFuQ/w400-h258/DSCN4822.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Grey Heron</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsFJHRkIytSxdJXbDud4zoje8f6Fph1JPDrkI27qAEanr5Ocoz1wX-DbttH8lkwaWfRltSvVcZP7EEc_8TLMAcE6eaofkyjJLYW5Y_HqS_moELEU132AlTFPrdC5rzUBEheHxZpL1x9tKImGADbjXbJvwP9hhbztT8NvFl7HUvydu7kkUqhQ/s2961/DSCN4776.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1857" data-original-width="2961" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsFJHRkIytSxdJXbDud4zoje8f6Fph1JPDrkI27qAEanr5Ocoz1wX-DbttH8lkwaWfRltSvVcZP7EEc_8TLMAcE6eaofkyjJLYW5Y_HqS_moELEU132AlTFPrdC5rzUBEheHxZpL1x9tKImGADbjXbJvwP9hhbztT8NvFl7HUvydu7kkUqhQ/s320/DSCN4776.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Long-Tailed Tit</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFk-TuJwzynUaPzO9prHnc3OkGprgZAKoFxu5qpvN59Qwcmp5gSzIPKqq3o3ymnmSeIARAmoh0UZTPb0Ek7Lh-ogMi_7N21KJ2NzNF8LLye-ri8xzCWs1BzelxF8QJIyNBKZ4TCHcxiZUVyquZ_ga4gUMugK_1W1BwstNX0kBIFQ6e9BbSGQ/s4608/DSCN4906.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFk-TuJwzynUaPzO9prHnc3OkGprgZAKoFxu5qpvN59Qwcmp5gSzIPKqq3o3ymnmSeIARAmoh0UZTPb0Ek7Lh-ogMi_7N21KJ2NzNF8LLye-ri8xzCWs1BzelxF8QJIyNBKZ4TCHcxiZUVyquZ_ga4gUMugK_1W1BwstNX0kBIFQ6e9BbSGQ/s320/DSCN4906.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Blue Tit</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXU6jLh58dIAHDEuoogLnAthMFhyvSUCbJKH7_9XP-PEW_9j9YJN2qkjP-CK3nfJHwG2yhzappkq-I32KqRJRRg4VQXdorYuZrhItaWOvlWAaAYj9o6g_fmveTCIAM4msK_Zy6b-_80Yn57itjKPKuI2BcBYMuqNCFGybKMb_VNw0LC7TVsg/s4608/DSCN4909.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXU6jLh58dIAHDEuoogLnAthMFhyvSUCbJKH7_9XP-PEW_9j9YJN2qkjP-CK3nfJHwG2yhzappkq-I32KqRJRRg4VQXdorYuZrhItaWOvlWAaAYj9o6g_fmveTCIAM4msK_Zy6b-_80Yn57itjKPKuI2BcBYMuqNCFGybKMb_VNw0LC7TVsg/s320/DSCN4909.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Great Tit</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi03Hu8cCzKiSryPcEDkNIpj7_lUCKSR352AmNQSJDEQIPgcP1utyf8a2uxciX5gJT9v3voAYrXZxdYUR2dGHFoq1xDE65TdO0DQRsYzjOYKmusaHUg2KUcvdA77Vko0NimvTraopQJo-SfTLgkh0-KjejKy9-wP7Tdl2N_RDJiORkvFGq4Lg/s4607/DSCN4758.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3163" data-original-width="4607" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi03Hu8cCzKiSryPcEDkNIpj7_lUCKSR352AmNQSJDEQIPgcP1utyf8a2uxciX5gJT9v3voAYrXZxdYUR2dGHFoq1xDE65TdO0DQRsYzjOYKmusaHUg2KUcvdA77Vko0NimvTraopQJo-SfTLgkh0-KjejKy9-wP7Tdl2N_RDJiORkvFGq4Lg/s320/DSCN4758.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Coal Tit</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_tQSN2WYiLqJdOi5MEDt1L1Vwvzid6Ko7YukFigr2ALNdC2bc3H6u2_q5R4z7cXWshmM73g63z44qsnG6B_R9TBR6nFTXCxU6hHA4Vqr2OpGPu9eTkhf-T8zB8DZpsYvSh2PILvdJwwAv2s-LD9kQjv0GGNhyaYR5IqogNCVE4bwOp-xvWg/s4608/DSCN4756.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_tQSN2WYiLqJdOi5MEDt1L1Vwvzid6Ko7YukFigr2ALNdC2bc3H6u2_q5R4z7cXWshmM73g63z44qsnG6B_R9TBR6nFTXCxU6hHA4Vqr2OpGPu9eTkhf-T8zB8DZpsYvSh2PILvdJwwAv2s-LD9kQjv0GGNhyaYR5IqogNCVE4bwOp-xvWg/s320/DSCN4756.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Robin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;">Adventures 'out of area':</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"> The Moray Coast.</span></b></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo1qACOQNZRkc2zV2SA4NwEa60YYyP11wXUQTSoLrXPz15sG2AyvZhoLdWjtvPxuyvLBwfIuFt9GpfXpI8DkF-0s5FrrXgOVnZf4INgZYsm-zrh_9ByDsFFNRaN1bf1xYbY3Dt9gXZFj2KYQ2j9_Ms0SnBe-DolQQgCQN52UQekBXCRGkejg/s4606/DSCN5148.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1962" data-original-width="4606" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo1qACOQNZRkc2zV2SA4NwEa60YYyP11wXUQTSoLrXPz15sG2AyvZhoLdWjtvPxuyvLBwfIuFt9GpfXpI8DkF-0s5FrrXgOVnZf4INgZYsm-zrh_9ByDsFFNRaN1bf1xYbY3Dt9gXZFj2KYQ2j9_Ms0SnBe-DolQQgCQN52UQekBXCRGkejg/w400-h170/DSCN5148.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Lossiemouth East Beach and lagoon</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_XHdaeSN6B4VZpOfL7B0exNj5YS6eXkxhjvSUva65w0sfr5oQz1ZYbBU5gybwL0RznVSH9QVHSI_4O7-wZC1wjQCQ9fAD8nVAAZyJJKHKMAQ6gzaN84fxnsZ5BDcK2oCEokTjuTMcNZ4e20zl6wvhUQ35iQbX8THdPhKT51aq0ReE3Oq-kw/s4526/DSCN4795.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2600" data-original-width="4526" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_XHdaeSN6B4VZpOfL7B0exNj5YS6eXkxhjvSUva65w0sfr5oQz1ZYbBU5gybwL0RznVSH9QVHSI_4O7-wZC1wjQCQ9fAD8nVAAZyJJKHKMAQ6gzaN84fxnsZ5BDcK2oCEokTjuTMcNZ4e20zl6wvhUQ35iQbX8THdPhKT51aq0ReE3Oq-kw/w400-h230/DSCN4795.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Grey Partridges</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b><p></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixuWjn-LbYX4Ndq6XEzoIYIp6Ov7Nd8jHk6R35QOfdY9kPbWazJTZbmcWkjV3v2OnUPJMXVPynQMGTm2g15c4_b7_LdpnyPS2R5noTXDWwvs0FgmcmzqZl91ExYTd-jbl262QVJVzf2OtD8b--Iefja6aJfioT3L8kLS6kkaH4ZASs3nqCuw/s4081/DSCN4897.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1581" data-original-width="4081" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixuWjn-LbYX4Ndq6XEzoIYIp6Ov7Nd8jHk6R35QOfdY9kPbWazJTZbmcWkjV3v2OnUPJMXVPynQMGTm2g15c4_b7_LdpnyPS2R5noTXDWwvs0FgmcmzqZl91ExYTd-jbl262QVJVzf2OtD8b--Iefja6aJfioT3L8kLS6kkaH4ZASs3nqCuw/w400-h155/DSCN4897.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Pink-Footed Geese</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6MGT9tfDyxW3ytA-88pLEYTGwlpa0aqBmr9QJMPnNPhmW4uFmmVdsGgYSShHqYAE4SvtTY5oRw_TEgNQ7cCncdZjQVhChR11CaWNranTtR9KHsQeML8tYl2N6QZkcI73LhfwtED53PMgrID_yiLDIfgXNL9zzLddI76M4RzRTDXYGk6l2QA/s4608/DSCN4812.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6MGT9tfDyxW3ytA-88pLEYTGwlpa0aqBmr9QJMPnNPhmW4uFmmVdsGgYSShHqYAE4SvtTY5oRw_TEgNQ7cCncdZjQVhChR11CaWNranTtR9KHsQeML8tYl2N6QZkcI73LhfwtED53PMgrID_yiLDIfgXNL9zzLddI76M4RzRTDXYGk6l2QA/s320/DSCN4812.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Yellowhammer</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil7Uzimj7otpOZlcayNZW1IXdbxn8PYOH4XrYYvIagXEPVmR4ZL16bSKioubZ-roUsm1XJLnpSMrN5MKo9MhekZOVfXlQY-TL4oROLyh3Qe1TcH8RKbSYiH7Id15arVDiWfSRh39ndATI8L5B3xk43z622B9_s8qbAZI-eWcd2IKxqt7vjTQ/s4608/DSCN4814.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil7Uzimj7otpOZlcayNZW1IXdbxn8PYOH4XrYYvIagXEPVmR4ZL16bSKioubZ-roUsm1XJLnpSMrN5MKo9MhekZOVfXlQY-TL4oROLyh3Qe1TcH8RKbSYiH7Id15arVDiWfSRh39ndATI8L5B3xk43z622B9_s8qbAZI-eWcd2IKxqt7vjTQ/s320/DSCN4814.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Tree Sparrow</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv-DZaV6oj4Z_PjR9QY9ggqYcJSEcSWAuzuDMjEKKURywF2fp4wCSvS_pO7N_H-3dZbPUCCd0NQH7dAo6iC6nlK7IarwckTwgGUlyAG1KSllhof7Eit3oL_tb8_kvM9mPppOF_c8dvHaNho2UPaeka4IO-5w1LKxQQOcBMhvXlIqn6MmD7OQ/s4608/DSCN4800.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv-DZaV6oj4Z_PjR9QY9ggqYcJSEcSWAuzuDMjEKKURywF2fp4wCSvS_pO7N_H-3dZbPUCCd0NQH7dAo6iC6nlK7IarwckTwgGUlyAG1KSllhof7Eit3oL_tb8_kvM9mPppOF_c8dvHaNho2UPaeka4IO-5w1LKxQQOcBMhvXlIqn6MmD7OQ/w400-h300/DSCN4800.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Redshanks and Turnstones</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKUF1Z6MmnAmvnwlOAmByTCXa3we0URcMpxso2Mb1VHa-Uxz_0JRdklnfjh-zku4AC12HOm6WdJ-ZUvqOOISurIqxP1fGeerC6_-yWqnwjsVx6Rz2XrXKCac8OT5_gIn1PRDEHpywatcFR8TPVhK_2Ag5BRrELAl0zkOdZlqynT6gymTFdwg/s3919/DSCN4807.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2796" data-original-width="3919" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKUF1Z6MmnAmvnwlOAmByTCXa3we0URcMpxso2Mb1VHa-Uxz_0JRdklnfjh-zku4AC12HOm6WdJ-ZUvqOOISurIqxP1fGeerC6_-yWqnwjsVx6Rz2XrXKCac8OT5_gIn1PRDEHpywatcFR8TPVhK_2Ag5BRrELAl0zkOdZlqynT6gymTFdwg/w400-h285/DSCN4807.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Wigeon</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYe9OOroznu3swv6yVZ0BxffTDsl2L9ixdhWeyDOYZA92J5TzZHoMGxZXq5cNiV2wzqwEa0IadvkhGgDsxMBfXzScKIE-Zxd7mG-P28KcQ8siFgywweX5U13DriurHV0vEamIxw7NOfQWoSFMKg3-5kdBzojVWy34lR7qBqP8MPEAZ5aIJ0A/s2716/DSCN2232%20(4)%20-%20Copy.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1887" data-original-width="2716" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYe9OOroznu3swv6yVZ0BxffTDsl2L9ixdhWeyDOYZA92J5TzZHoMGxZXq5cNiV2wzqwEa0IadvkhGgDsxMBfXzScKIE-Zxd7mG-P28KcQ8siFgywweX5U13DriurHV0vEamIxw7NOfQWoSFMKg3-5kdBzojVWy34lR7qBqP8MPEAZ5aIJ0A/s320/DSCN2232%20(4)%20-%20Copy.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Long-Tailed Duck (photo from Feb 2020)</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJELW2P5lE-fV4qfP5oGpvDzBxRmAyRHGEiwrxEfedL4CnEUKtMjEGsV57skijjEvAQzrSId38JbGCgrmCTqVQK15xOwPZlCS31d5banTTYaDWazePlEImZ9h4xAjIm5kdmNOWTDBVemkCXzJ8UlSNnxPutBVcVwdWkVKX3nstMmI2v8O7oQ/s4183/DSCN2243%20(2)%20-%20Copy.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2825" data-original-width="4183" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJELW2P5lE-fV4qfP5oGpvDzBxRmAyRHGEiwrxEfedL4CnEUKtMjEGsV57skijjEvAQzrSId38JbGCgrmCTqVQK15xOwPZlCS31d5banTTYaDWazePlEImZ9h4xAjIm5kdmNOWTDBVemkCXzJ8UlSNnxPutBVcVwdWkVKX3nstMmI2v8O7oQ/s320/DSCN2243%20(2)%20-%20Copy.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Eider (photo from Feb 2020)</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b><p></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">The Moray coast is only about an hour drive north of Aviemore, and trips to favourite reserves, lochs, bays and harbours gave good views of wintering birds such as </span><b>Greylag</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> </span><b>Geese</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Pink-Footed Geese</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Whooper Swan</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Shoveler</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Wigeon</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Teal</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> </span><b>Pintail</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">,</span><b> </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> </span><b>Black-Tailed Godwit</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, <b>Bar-Tailed Godwit</b>, </span><b>Knot, Golden Plover</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> , </span><b>Grey Plover </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Ringed Plover</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Purple Sandpiper, Redshank, Oystercatcher, Turnstone, Curlew, </b><b>Common Scoter</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, <b>Velvet Scoter</b>, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> </span><b>Long-Tailed Ducks, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Eiders</b></span><b>, Divers, and Slavonian Grebe, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">with the chance of scarce birds such as <b>Tree Sparrow and Grey Partridge</b>, </span><b>and rare gulls.....</b></p><div><b><br /></b></div><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">February 2023 mammal sightings in more detail:</b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2k8ChlkvstVh0ds7VRkodnGnBSa8eXfVZ1NIKR5APCZEJIaOPC9PjLW0NxsyVVBtOb_7WNanN2IGNMUWfPOTFxlEhHAwgYqdl78xRxD953u-A_6SDM653aOpuSnjqbrhjMOBPbr3P-hNNA_lE4sCHiWx7TJZ5o_mSJBT0p2PQz7-bZD-RdQ/s4608/DSCN4917.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2k8ChlkvstVh0ds7VRkodnGnBSa8eXfVZ1NIKR5APCZEJIaOPC9PjLW0NxsyVVBtOb_7WNanN2IGNMUWfPOTFxlEhHAwgYqdl78xRxD953u-A_6SDM653aOpuSnjqbrhjMOBPbr3P-hNNA_lE4sCHiWx7TJZ5o_mSJBT0p2PQz7-bZD-RdQ/s320/DSCN4917.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Mountain Hare</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI46ImDOIUYGpSxX57zL1EwN6yuj0NgTQHS0fKmrz3kxhlOHtrb-4PKomPTNyOnPW7NyL2FAIkW3dGnUcZij6ReJtNdVYJJLx3H5oGZUlpcnOvk2CYluzevk6-dauKzNSofDxYdSe50ABWYsP1bkuooPnlRLSnxzk2-86eMOOkwp-rmCL72Q/s4353/DSCN4923.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3075" data-original-width="4353" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI46ImDOIUYGpSxX57zL1EwN6yuj0NgTQHS0fKmrz3kxhlOHtrb-4PKomPTNyOnPW7NyL2FAIkW3dGnUcZij6ReJtNdVYJJLx3H5oGZUlpcnOvk2CYluzevk6-dauKzNSofDxYdSe50ABWYsP1bkuooPnlRLSnxzk2-86eMOOkwp-rmCL72Q/s320/DSCN4923.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Mountain Hare</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJvOFs_7huV8d1BTyn4AJCifgRw36YKR3oSjQmNIRcpMppnbfW7XqLH6SDpWOcN2dlR8pNFwolwRxODVM3iBSWXVbKhoX8nVcH9898xaQ7oamQPZHpJY_ThNUtFZ_XMO-9u4R2vIQTk3SvbGRBZ0d7mjBPJ6TdJZB9SpyL0ARgy6GqFjBx3w/s3827/DSCN4919.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2109" data-original-width="3827" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJvOFs_7huV8d1BTyn4AJCifgRw36YKR3oSjQmNIRcpMppnbfW7XqLH6SDpWOcN2dlR8pNFwolwRxODVM3iBSWXVbKhoX8nVcH9898xaQ7oamQPZHpJY_ThNUtFZ_XMO-9u4R2vIQTk3SvbGRBZ0d7mjBPJ6TdJZB9SpyL0ARgy6GqFjBx3w/s320/DSCN4919.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Mountain Hare</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Star mammal for January is usually that much sought-after local speciality the <b>Mountain Har</b>e, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">and rightly so, as Britain's only native 'lagomorph' and with their UK distribution being restricted to just a few remote upland areas, seeing one is always a treat. </span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Seeing them was actually easier than usual for much of the month with the lack of snow meaning that their white coats..</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">It should be noted though, that most of our views are at range through my telescope, and that a closer view or photo opportunity usually involves some considerable rough uphill walking, often in deep snow....</span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXFgjbgVP261dz7KvpjPVV2kSzNO74-H46gX4zBNtA4D8Rw4WZUgkJVF4GGQHxy7Z-JqyW-f7_tGXhTC4m4kKvT6IMX2rbdH-n_VrfPz-YwBpzewYqK7dG524PXxD8p0QBRrqs02Gxfp3eUQ88GKdqkPNWDlA2XR77n4gWstW7sPbog_34GA/s4098/DSCN4902.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2280" data-original-width="4098" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXFgjbgVP261dz7KvpjPVV2kSzNO74-H46gX4zBNtA4D8Rw4WZUgkJVF4GGQHxy7Z-JqyW-f7_tGXhTC4m4kKvT6IMX2rbdH-n_VrfPz-YwBpzewYqK7dG524PXxD8p0QBRrqs02Gxfp3eUQ88GKdqkPNWDlA2XR77n4gWstW7sPbog_34GA/s320/DSCN4902.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Deer stags</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOhmC9UN0gzZQrAEpWPnL_Y4nFz0TivwmhJesRDdhy-4y07cUClGmGsUtPg3mw4hbyT5zSmZNu8_iFWWhw855TVAEEzKiWq7xTbk1zii2Y8pWFYdddAMkPUDVhebkucXbRWU7qc-62jI88M5UoRtij1ZY_lqFfbFSOyFVSlRwqZAJEeQPZxg/s2120/Ron%20Mitchell%20RD.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1413" data-original-width="2120" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOhmC9UN0gzZQrAEpWPnL_Y4nFz0TivwmhJesRDdhy-4y07cUClGmGsUtPg3mw4hbyT5zSmZNu8_iFWWhw855TVAEEzKiWq7xTbk1zii2Y8pWFYdddAMkPUDVhebkucXbRWU7qc-62jI88M5UoRtij1ZY_lqFfbFSOyFVSlRwqZAJEeQPZxg/s320/Ron%20Mitchell%20RD.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Deer stag by Ron Mitchell</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">In the same upland glens, </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Red Deer, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> mainly in large same-sex herds, can usually be seen, although a number of factors such as the weather, in particular the wind strength and depth of the snow, and whether there is any local shooting activity , can dictate whether we get nice close-up views, or distant views through the telescope....</span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn74czZPtSskqOt4tNd3HB3O3uvKe4_ter1D1BAvcA2trOt6pH7XTUGx_yURoQ00nq8xm41HCJ8H0yaEXEmfi84zizfUDDIURiLbAW_2Jl4FQA1jqM1NGpoxqz8_YsYOpkWcAH1GbBJ5mczhvNktpNw3CDGNp4bSXVRIeTxg54fRrLoobPjA/s4214/DSCN4861.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2043" data-original-width="4214" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn74czZPtSskqOt4tNd3HB3O3uvKe4_ter1D1BAvcA2trOt6pH7XTUGx_yURoQ00nq8xm41HCJ8H0yaEXEmfi84zizfUDDIURiLbAW_2Jl4FQA1jqM1NGpoxqz8_YsYOpkWcAH1GbBJ5mczhvNktpNw3CDGNp4bSXVRIeTxg54fRrLoobPjA/w400-h194/DSCN4861.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Feral Mountain Goats</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ2NtmPjnQyWu5KQUvNh53AqbKt1x6DOUYV0WJZgC5k_OCARjSvT5gjQD8FPHojZnKCISV1b4DT6LFC40m2zepbIXwtn7gT8uKd5ck73mlxfOKO12FO7C6lF94GeaxNevS72nh1Mr-E--qc-WTHjkAVhA8slWhxAlwx0ensaAjwSup7QW0sw/s3892/Ron%20Mitchell%20FMG.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="3892" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ2NtmPjnQyWu5KQUvNh53AqbKt1x6DOUYV0WJZgC5k_OCARjSvT5gjQD8FPHojZnKCISV1b4DT6LFC40m2zepbIXwtn7gT8uKd5ck73mlxfOKO12FO7C6lF94GeaxNevS72nh1Mr-E--qc-WTHjkAVhA8slWhxAlwx0ensaAjwSup7QW0sw/s320/Ron%20Mitchell%20FMG.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Feral Mountain Goat by Ron Mitchell</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">Still up in the glens, another local speciality mammal, our </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75);">Feral Mountain Goats </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">can often seen on the same sheltered sides of the ridges as the Red Deer , and at this time of year it is not unusual to see them with the first , very cute, new-born youngsters ....</span></span></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDysrMFtfLaIMdYXMR8zn4zvXrCwUpG6rWRsN7DCwYjR5o1l1TKqMtLnL7i3hNSMtN7dhQcBpWnkOnSj88zcFUF4wo9ZUgMkXZMfNtpYIN2gnX9gxHRkAar-pB4VmQgoCZggQ2iS2u_U39-khm34sVU_3YEAtxgwY3YKiq2VNZ6he005Wjdg/s4607/DSCN4973.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3075" data-original-width="4607" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDysrMFtfLaIMdYXMR8zn4zvXrCwUpG6rWRsN7DCwYjR5o1l1TKqMtLnL7i3hNSMtN7dhQcBpWnkOnSj88zcFUF4wo9ZUgMkXZMfNtpYIN2gnX9gxHRkAar-pB4VmQgoCZggQ2iS2u_U39-khm34sVU_3YEAtxgwY3YKiq2VNZ6he005Wjdg/s320/DSCN4973.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Squirrel</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOIyeX6-Mc0zBKrIVIJKcT4rxbST3MpM26EtX4hw5yTencF5uqHZCcPlAPuHO8pSsxR-RP1C7k8OUc4uuQUfZjz-H5wqdd2NxzYOu83gCw31Z_CL7mwHCRmZaUgVJRz6nA65GQcAwTYi3Lxf1_FWPPlwkeg_fvKsvCk5WKWanLrS430OlyzQ/s3312/DSCN4850.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2800" data-original-width="3312" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOIyeX6-Mc0zBKrIVIJKcT4rxbST3MpM26EtX4hw5yTencF5uqHZCcPlAPuHO8pSsxR-RP1C7k8OUc4uuQUfZjz-H5wqdd2NxzYOu83gCw31Z_CL7mwHCRmZaUgVJRz6nA65GQcAwTYi3Lxf1_FWPPlwkeg_fvKsvCk5WKWanLrS430OlyzQ/s320/DSCN4850.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Squirrel</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Red Squirrels</b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> are a true Highlands speciality, and we are usually fortunate enough to see at least one on most of my safaris, mainly chomping on peanuts at forest feeding stations, but with the occasional random sighting whilst walking or driving in suitable habitat.</span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg68Y3kxD7sU7Snv59Cf_uk4AaTYu6YwqLnJZOyWayoMW_MhrtgF3urGr3YA19-y09gQd--A0KgklpQsZ3dWDTUa6STgLqdX28SRqqARFwH0etxi5uc2cQFkSoYbB2dyGO-N6OxVE_DDvqdYQh0O_9eKpeSw0YSXewbmFsQpGM-812BrSLITQ/s1476/Steve%20Nicklin%20Roe%20Deer%2015.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="981" data-original-width="1476" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg68Y3kxD7sU7Snv59Cf_uk4AaTYu6YwqLnJZOyWayoMW_MhrtgF3urGr3YA19-y09gQd--A0KgklpQsZ3dWDTUa6STgLqdX28SRqqARFwH0etxi5uc2cQFkSoYbB2dyGO-N6OxVE_DDvqdYQh0O_9eKpeSw0YSXewbmFsQpGM-812BrSLITQ/s320/Steve%20Nicklin%20Roe%20Deer%2015.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Roe Deer by Steve Nicklin (photo from Feb 2019)</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Roe Deer</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> are most commonly seen at dawn or dusk and generally at the quieter, more remote sites well away from human disturbance, their shy, nervous nature making them much harder to see than Red Deer, despite being considerably more numerous and widespread than their larger 'cousins'...</span></p><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihEt6gY3veIldT56tErZ92ojeHDNcKTqPN3ro7EUkHyHA1NSwvO5YavdmqdgqRXDjKeeT9dkOrkICah7A7S-8SGIrqQ1CpuuiaOFRL85woGlzImBjADWROSt0QH2--s-T-wFUY9apoAGyPgr1Hkz-X6_5bbT9q0sXSSFqMVa9xa5fZWub0yA/s4608/DSCN4895.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihEt6gY3veIldT56tErZ92ojeHDNcKTqPN3ro7EUkHyHA1NSwvO5YavdmqdgqRXDjKeeT9dkOrkICah7A7S-8SGIrqQ1CpuuiaOFRL85woGlzImBjADWROSt0QH2--s-T-wFUY9apoAGyPgr1Hkz-X6_5bbT9q0sXSSFqMVa9xa5fZWub0yA/s320/DSCN4895.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Brown Hare</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWtyj7eQxz1xfzwwlvqM7z6bkIAvX8_ByNhUtpBAyMaMzx2qR4wvyGhe9L9fk7QtJrZShg_5WeDEvACtX8DDSyjFFtwk9OqMjHC2SFuGCxSpPrO7u5la0dfyN4cHPZ9z3IfhoJIxqt6xmxEBNHrCsVfmPaPXcTDhrV5-gjMdL5sqaxgdGK-w/s3629/Ron%20Mitchell%20BH.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2419" data-original-width="3629" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWtyj7eQxz1xfzwwlvqM7z6bkIAvX8_ByNhUtpBAyMaMzx2qR4wvyGhe9L9fk7QtJrZShg_5WeDEvACtX8DDSyjFFtwk9OqMjHC2SFuGCxSpPrO7u5la0dfyN4cHPZ9z3IfhoJIxqt6xmxEBNHrCsVfmPaPXcTDhrV5-gjMdL5sqaxgdGK-w/s320/Ron%20Mitchell%20BH.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Brown Hare by Ron Mitchell</b></td></tr></tbody></table></span></span></div><div><br /></div><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">We managed a few (mainly early morning) sightings of </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Brown Hare</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> this month, usually on the quieter farmland areas, they were mainly very fleeting glimpses, except for one very obliging animal on the 20th, who allowed us a reasonably close approach...</span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhErZQKJz5lf2T7HRGND3dUb4aUKOWJxAr6Bw-6J7N3lIBWGGwq4Gq3FC50quJnHPpc21aFyvVYakxotfCnV5XSdtijU0-h-Iy9N-hOYdJKvap_OeDx1e0HHa0qzKxnQ2HlRzcU_vAPieHR8d9nYTWLkOYtsLVdcvnpiNzEq5I_0qp73Vswgw/s1814/IMG_0847.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1237" data-original-width="1814" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhErZQKJz5lf2T7HRGND3dUb4aUKOWJxAr6Bw-6J7N3lIBWGGwq4Gq3FC50quJnHPpc21aFyvVYakxotfCnV5XSdtijU0-h-Iy9N-hOYdJKvap_OeDx1e0HHa0qzKxnQ2HlRzcU_vAPieHR8d9nYTWLkOYtsLVdcvnpiNzEq5I_0qp73Vswgw/w400-h272/IMG_0847.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Carrot time for Murdo means smiles all round!</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Hairy Highland Coo's</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"> always prove to be popular with my safari clients, especially those who do not have them close to home, so don't be afraid to ask me if you fancy going to see them, and maybe even get to feed and 'pat' them, as I have a couple of great sites....</span></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Rare/nocturnal mammals:</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">I get a few enquiries about the possibility of seeing </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Badgers</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> and </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Pine Marten</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> from my safari clients, many of whom I suspect are unaware that they are actually a largely nocturnal creature, and although we do get the occasional (maybe one or two a year) dawn glimpse of one, you would definitely have a much higher chance of seeing them at a specific dusk Badger/Pine Marten watching hide - Please contact me for more information.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Similarly, our inland </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Otters</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> too are mainly active during the hours of darkness, and again, although we do get a few early-morning sightings on local lochs and rivers each year, looking for them feeding in a suitably quiet, kelp - filled bay on the coast on a rising tide, but at any time of day, would give you a much better chance.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-family: quot; line-height: 1.4;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: quot; line-height: 1.4;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Whilst we are still on the 'tricky to see stuff', the <b>Scottish Wildcat </b>too, as well as being incredibly rare now, is also generally nocturnal, and the fact that I have had a mere handful of (dawn or dusk) sightings in 17 years of providing wildlife safaris should give you an idea of how difficult they are to see.</span></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><p><b><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Other wildlife:</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">Nothing to report in this category this month, I'm afraid....</span></p><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">News:</b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">All tourism/hospitality/activities in Scotland are open , are free of restrictions and I have now completed well over a year and a half of (thankfully!) increasingly busy and extremely enjoyable safaris with clients with no major issues arising.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">With all national travel restrictions lifted too, Scotland is officially 'open for business' for visitors from all over the UK, and from abroad.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">For those considering a visit, these wildlife/outdoor tourism websites may prove useful:</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b>https://www.gov.scot/collections/coronavirus-covid</b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.outdooraccess-scotland.scot/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">NatureScot (outdooraccess-scotland.scot)</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xGdTZcC2ZQ" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-line: none;">Can Nature Help Health? | Nature Prescriptions - YouTube</a></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1HBKnnGr-g" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;">Scotland, Yours to Enjoy. Responsibly. - YouTube</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://cairngorms.co.uk/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">Cairngorms National Park Authority</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.highlandwildlifepark.org.uk/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">Highland Wildlife Park</a></p><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.gov.scot/publications/avian-influenza-outbreaks/" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;">Avian influenza (bird flu) outbreaks - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)</a></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://www.rspb.org.uk/about-the-rspb/about-us/how-the-rspb-is-run/annualreport/annual-report-2022_scotland-news/?utm_source=notes_on_nature_20220903&utm_medium=email&utm_term=notes_on_nature&utm_content=27&utm_campaign=notes_on_nature" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;">Positive prescriptions | The RSPB</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p><br /></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihwPvaIg7pN0ubG37sFgkyZnIMeg8TrSAGn86uvmYXnHfk5uzemkcSB55Wc3lJHJA3olBsBgoLiY0NFMtd-Qx-5oc_7BCy2JSqFeCuwMNSngQm1VaE7UHTsb7rcH5jSfTqiORrLQbRb22zIk_e7dBJeDLjwJaJ0Y6LRkOQYIKCG_BB7GzIQA/s2015/IMG_0749.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1173" data-original-width="2015" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihwPvaIg7pN0ubG37sFgkyZnIMeg8TrSAGn86uvmYXnHfk5uzemkcSB55Wc3lJHJA3olBsBgoLiY0NFMtd-Qx-5oc_7BCy2JSqFeCuwMNSngQm1VaE7UHTsb7rcH5jSfTqiORrLQbRb22zIk_e7dBJeDLjwJaJ0Y6LRkOQYIKCG_BB7GzIQA/w400-h233/IMG_0749.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Insh Marshes</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>COVID-19</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">The Scottish Highlands, being very sparsely populated, has had very few COVID-19 cases in comparison to most of the UK, and on my safaris we tend to visit remote , wild habitats well away from the more popular tourist areas, and usually have very little interaction with other people, and this is something that I intend to continue.</b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVep_jCecUDeIwcpEtaD1UQ37v1gWcvNNcApIKAjzbP1TJxYnmUTfy_9NXOhOJp3zeowRqxEgFwpB0_SKOoGj4-evXVLSEBRv7nnBq0_khf720c0eSlbdUK8SBu_hjWt8JAQB4TRgXT4Eubcaf5YWB_9Wo2-gGQ1GvcIoHPGknccolfKCDDg/s2016/IMG_0754.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1281" data-original-width="2016" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVep_jCecUDeIwcpEtaD1UQ37v1gWcvNNcApIKAjzbP1TJxYnmUTfy_9NXOhOJp3zeowRqxEgFwpB0_SKOoGj4-evXVLSEBRv7nnBq0_khf720c0eSlbdUK8SBu_hjWt8JAQB4TRgXT4Eubcaf5YWB_9Wo2-gGQ1GvcIoHPGknccolfKCDDg/w400-h254/IMG_0754.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The Cairngorm Mountains viewed from Glenmore Forest</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Summary:</b></p><p>Although, with just one safari booked, I felt like a bit of a 'Norman No Mates' for the first half of the month, thankfully, much of the second half was spent showing off the spectacular scenery and special wildlife of the Cairngorms National Park to a nice mix of first-timers, returners and valued regulars, some of whom have become good friends, which was much more enjoyable, and although the weather was a little changeable, it wasn't bad for February, and looking back through my sightings notes and photos, I reckon we did ok, with a good selection of local specialities, winter visitors and common species seen and enjoyed, and some good times , a few laughs, and plenty of hot drinks and shortbread enjoyed along the way ....</p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><br /></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Reviews:</b></span></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="" style="color: #06004c;">I know a lot of visitors to this area very wisely check out reviews of attractions/experiences at </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">TripAdvisor</b><span face="" style="color: #06004c;"> before 'taking the plunge' and booking - We now have over 270 reviews online, so if you wish, you can check out our clients comments at the link below....</span></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><div style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"></span></span><br /><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g186537-d3335134-Reviews-</span></span></span></span></span></div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"></span></span><br /><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Highland_Wildlife_Birdwatch_Safaris-Aviemore_Aviemore_and_the_Cairngorms_Scottish.html</span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><br /></div></div></div><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6zvEBY33t9rmZu7QfgCUEt3UnjbzmBRHSKIIchQ5yocyLUW8lAAZdS_mVkZyDZR32qATbBtj0FckWgWJb9keb7OrD2Gv6l4aoMBdD5eJh996olbxVbfzxzwXArjRogJQS5W99trpDSoO5tyuzBeQB5hOsJjc7BllXYHaruQ5tgJSmlT0g1w/s1899/IMG_0711.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="993" data-original-width="1899" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6zvEBY33t9rmZu7QfgCUEt3UnjbzmBRHSKIIchQ5yocyLUW8lAAZdS_mVkZyDZR32qATbBtj0FckWgWJb9keb7OrD2Gv6l4aoMBdD5eJh996olbxVbfzxzwXArjRogJQS5W99trpDSoO5tyuzBeQB5hOsJjc7BllXYHaruQ5tgJSmlT0g1w/w400-h209/IMG_0711.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A snowy morning on a local moorland</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Photos:</b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></p><p><b>Prints of any of the photos (taken by myself) shown on this blog, going right back to 2015, </b><b>reproduced on high quality photographic paper, </b><b> with a choice of sizes up to A3, and satin pearl or glossy finishes available, </b><b>can now be purchased from me at very reasonable prices</b><b>. So if you see an image that might look nice in a frame (provided by yourself) on your wall, please make a note of the year and month of my blog in which it appeared, and email me for more information.</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p><br /></p><p></p><p><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><div style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><b>G</b></span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">ift Certificates:</b></p><div><div style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; color: #222222; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 5px; position: relative;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T95gARK_lkQ/XAvNUI2tI6I/AAAAAAAADwU/GDPgK9hH9LwgLQ8gPnoaLdf04Yn2BLebwCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_1578.JPG" style="background: none 0% 0% / auto repeat scroll padding-box border-box transparent; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 5px;" width="400" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 10.56px; text-align: center;"><b>Safari gift voucher</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></span></span></div></div></div><div><br /></div><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><div><span face="" style="color: #06004c; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;">If you think you know someone who may enjoy a taste of what I do, why not treat them to a safari gift </span><span face="" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;">certificate? They make a thoughtful and imaginative present, are available for any amount and are valid for a whole year from date of purchase........</span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span face="" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div></span></span></div></div></div><p><br /></p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p>Highland Wildlife & Birdwatch Safarishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04327130550058794301noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26724394.post-3902220511407688812023-01-31T21:06:00.000+00:002023-01-31T21:06:59.715+00:00<p> <b>January 2023</b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p>The first 3 weeks of January 2023 saw us 'enjoy' weather more akin to Narnia than Nairn!, with regular heavy snow and temperatures down to -10c creating a world in white, and turning the Cairngorms National Park into a real 'winter wonderland'.</p><p>Thankfully, the excellent all-weather ability of my trusty 4-wheel drive Land Rover Discovery allowed us to access most of my favourite sites without too much difficulty, and on the plus side, the spectacular snowy scenery was a sight to behold, giving ample scenic landscape photo opportunities.</p><p>The last week of the month, rather unusually, saw the weather turn unseasonably mild, with Atlantic lows dominating, temperatures way above average and lots of grey cloudy days, and all the snow at lower levels rapidly melted.</p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">The days are lengthening noticeably now, with up to 8-9 hours of usable daylight, and dawn (for the Black Grouse) is still a relatively sociable 8am, with dusk at around 5pm.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">Full-day local safari bird lists usually top-out in the 30's or 40's, though a trip to the nearby (one hour by car ) Moray Coast can boost this total considerably, whilst mammal day lists can vary between 3 and 8 species, depending on the time of our start and number of habitats visited, with early starts usually proving to be best.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8yJvGO1_PhaIw4wv_L_Tynh_CZs_cTAjUVEcQlWBbuQKNmRO_aOmGGuNIMEgRp4ikKfRItBkl2aCjr-EEzleRRgtclEFch2Vf6183blMBLbwx9LkwlNOLJf4CxeRRQZZyPJzB7X9BB_aDFH7z_PtJjMsZ18hMP5qkjNw3TLnkWo0jfMCW7A/s2016/IMG_0627.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1048" data-original-width="2016" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8yJvGO1_PhaIw4wv_L_Tynh_CZs_cTAjUVEcQlWBbuQKNmRO_aOmGGuNIMEgRp4ikKfRItBkl2aCjr-EEzleRRgtclEFch2Vf6183blMBLbwx9LkwlNOLJf4CxeRRQZZyPJzB7X9BB_aDFH7z_PtJjMsZ18hMP5qkjNw3TLnkWo0jfMCW7A/w400-h208/IMG_0627.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A picturesque midwinter scene at a local loch</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">To give you an idea of what you may realistically hope to see if you are considering a future January visit, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">I hope the following more detailed information, illustrated with photos taken at sites in and around the Cairngorms National Park, and sometimes further afield, by myself, my friends or my safari clients this month and in previous January's will help....clicking on the picture enlarges it to full-screen. </span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Local speciality/upland bird species seen regularly during the month included</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">:</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Crested Tit</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Red Grouse</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, <b>Golden Eagle</b> and </span><b>Dipper, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">whilst </span><b>Black Grouse </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">were occasionally seen at or soon after dawn at traditional lek sites, and we also had a few decent sightings of <b>Golden Eagle </b></span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">and a couple of views of </span><b>White-Tailed Eagle</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">Local winter visiting birds were represented by <b>Redwings and Fieldfares,</b> family groups of <b>Whooper Swans, s</b>everal species of 'grey' <b>Geese, </b>and a few <b>Redpolls </b>were spotted...and a few <b>Waxwings </b>were seen locally for the first week, though <b>Bramblings </b>seem to be very few and far between this winter....</span></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Mammal species seen regularly included:</b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Red Squirrel</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Red Deer</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Reindeer</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Roe Deer</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Mountain Goat</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> , </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Rabbit </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">and</span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"> </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">(white)</span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"> Mountain Hare</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">.....with just a couple of (mainly dawn) views of </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Brown Hare</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> , and a few brief glimpses of </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Bank Vole</b><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"> </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">underneath bird feeders<span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>....</b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">January 2023 bird sightings in more detail:</b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="font-size: 14.52px;">Up in the glens...</b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiraOCkUp-lyZuo6cRGAG0w1vol5c-TmdRZoG7Gv6t6Y0D2Ql096-vFSNFtJ3eMdCe94jzokRHvDlToKDOSS3Sy1IS69Gxd54dQu054ixzCWaICISEPMNVTowKnssYX29tgsR-SKxT_N5CL8gVI7SQTTv2rmpw2QYIi3bmQZnUnV0IpjG1g0A/s1908/IMG_0604.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1101" data-original-width="1908" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiraOCkUp-lyZuo6cRGAG0w1vol5c-TmdRZoG7Gv6t6Y0D2Ql096-vFSNFtJ3eMdCe94jzokRHvDlToKDOSS3Sy1IS69Gxd54dQu054ixzCWaICISEPMNVTowKnssYX29tgsR-SKxT_N5CL8gVI7SQTTv2rmpw2QYIi3bmQZnUnV0IpjG1g0A/w400-h231/IMG_0604.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A local upland glen</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-gQg-VCTKmYIYEHSJJlc0K0hAjpeg6F1Y5YhL9f5SpQSU_AogDE3U424nMKRVGn9lRGlcN6ZNWhXW_pxD0gmVEEwsbr-9yrM5mhWhEuZGOL9h_UDsdpJmL2ZbW6WjlNH6_oLOqsVcB6hfYH8nbb-paNdtRQGGctuOBR9NkCYFbXQFGuCrRg/s2490/DSCN4475.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1244" data-original-width="2490" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-gQg-VCTKmYIYEHSJJlc0K0hAjpeg6F1Y5YhL9f5SpQSU_AogDE3U424nMKRVGn9lRGlcN6ZNWhXW_pxD0gmVEEwsbr-9yrM5mhWhEuZGOL9h_UDsdpJmL2ZbW6WjlNH6_oLOqsVcB6hfYH8nbb-paNdtRQGGctuOBR9NkCYFbXQFGuCrRg/w400-h200/DSCN4475.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Golden Eagle</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpsep8cLcAFgCt_p-izbhWvugud3ljiKgr9ja7SVyXrh69BqgiVfjtjf-2ct0qbdW9LCABZIQw9zRzpyPfS9bwYTACo2MAr77n2ERN-b8_dqHIP1arGuMYvhdtduGf8wK8wsiAWf1m8VSCG33a_gOgk3hbEOLmtLZcbSdIhF-1uydPhkA4iQ/s2886/Bob%203.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1924" data-original-width="2886" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpsep8cLcAFgCt_p-izbhWvugud3ljiKgr9ja7SVyXrh69BqgiVfjtjf-2ct0qbdW9LCABZIQw9zRzpyPfS9bwYTACo2MAr77n2ERN-b8_dqHIP1arGuMYvhdtduGf8wK8wsiAWf1m8VSCG33a_gOgk3hbEOLmtLZcbSdIhF-1uydPhkA4iQ/w400-h266/Bob%203.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Golden Eagle by Bob Smith (Photo from Jan 2022)</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYrZ7hcAVxPoFR8IK1y_9cbw-Mei-G2095J_cbaxjLmvZYnJNGPPmsH9zHvwt8TB-tR3zIMxDWxcD3n6dhW1h2Xv5dDYKaG4539ft1L_w6j9dRanaYYcL6iO7eaSqzot9J9D-lgSqiQ3p0RzsVKGRy5cI8qGKP5xPdZ0_g-9We69fzPMV7kQ/s2895/DSCN4663.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1762" data-original-width="2895" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYrZ7hcAVxPoFR8IK1y_9cbw-Mei-G2095J_cbaxjLmvZYnJNGPPmsH9zHvwt8TB-tR3zIMxDWxcD3n6dhW1h2Xv5dDYKaG4539ft1L_w6j9dRanaYYcL6iO7eaSqzot9J9D-lgSqiQ3p0RzsVKGRy5cI8qGKP5xPdZ0_g-9We69fzPMV7kQ/w400-h244/DSCN4663.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>White-Tailed Eagle with Common Buzzard </b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><span style="font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;">Although sightings of Eagles were a little less frequent when compared to the usual annual peak viewing time of October-December, both </span><b style="font-size: 13.2px;">Golden Eagle </b><span style="font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;">and </span><b style="font-size: 13.2px;">White-Tailed Eagle</b><span style="font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;"> were seen several times in favoured local glens this month. It was great to get my 'year-tick' of both of these iconic and awesomely impressive birds by mid-month, and although most views were at some distance, we got really lucky on the 18th, when an adult White-Tailed Eagle</span><span style="font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;"> had a mid-air duel with a Common Buzzard at quite low altitude,</span><span style="font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;"> giving sensational close-up views, and even a rare photo opportunity - a truly magical moment! </span></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikj3eYSURmKi3Bnj1qC9_YQHotEzEEociwuXokOTmgaZ1n5uJoVIOJkUyPrXWr0wp_vGHGLGer5jEe6BF6B9R5GQP9zMF6x2qQj7-VmYRu3MI-9Ut_geH7qGOKKM-CHAONo8NQB7j4wvzqKERUjtMalZGs1cfP2zz5hyqn-asFJeaZ1MqHig/s1876/DSCN1906.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1073" data-original-width="1876" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikj3eYSURmKi3Bnj1qC9_YQHotEzEEociwuXokOTmgaZ1n5uJoVIOJkUyPrXWr0wp_vGHGLGer5jEe6BF6B9R5GQP9zMF6x2qQj7-VmYRu3MI-9Ut_geH7qGOKKM-CHAONo8NQB7j4wvzqKERUjtMalZGs1cfP2zz5hyqn-asFJeaZ1MqHig/w400-h229/DSCN1906.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Kite</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjiyRfwLjW-Hy9lLu6oVs4qfITdqc32GKyWL-ryYe56Aepfimy1d20bCN7-sZsTR8NMSrl74LOgJF9rWq_zif6Mo7QFWc3KNerVjd_99XmX1V8ov12zIMrLK5UMi4qZURX1jHt1mU84Ba0dku5bFj1HnZ2j9zERb5ycABl-hW_mtTzJlMFBw/s3136/DSCN4667.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1666" data-original-width="3136" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjiyRfwLjW-Hy9lLu6oVs4qfITdqc32GKyWL-ryYe56Aepfimy1d20bCN7-sZsTR8NMSrl74LOgJF9rWq_zif6Mo7QFWc3KNerVjd_99XmX1V8ov12zIMrLK5UMi4qZURX1jHt1mU84Ba0dku5bFj1HnZ2j9zERb5ycABl-hW_mtTzJlMFBw/w400-h213/DSCN4667.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Ring-Tail Hen Harrier</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_33q4zSg3hXlJgOgyKwh4__9VfFG5ar6CLo1Deqic-V7qjUA-IcT62OkRchHmte0X1ATwMeJK4erwt43qy4eCx5UD9A6gVGxYEqZA4BADn-WuCtGJcp292ITwpbX-5nHIZO9AYCNAquX_O7sXBT2lZe-f9djLMBGdhtcbSNqK2ayXXmATWg/s2328/DSCN0033.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="1745" data-original-width="2328" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_33q4zSg3hXlJgOgyKwh4__9VfFG5ar6CLo1Deqic-V7qjUA-IcT62OkRchHmte0X1ATwMeJK4erwt43qy4eCx5UD9A6gVGxYEqZA4BADn-WuCtGJcp292ITwpbX-5nHIZO9AYCNAquX_O7sXBT2lZe-f9djLMBGdhtcbSNqK2ayXXmATWg/s320/DSCN0033.JPG" width="320" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Kestrel</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIUeXRUCKFQ2fHRHvN6QwVN-Z8uIfCr9v3sAznUPLKPkRsh9s2KLSjPmUnoSw5SQKiBEOB1gnXlzFuhH6qDYvNvTwWbnSdpyg1mmYLvryvEg8SZVPOtc1lfyRpod-x02gRXURcpsGel8ylDzJU8Kf49ejLsfMYwOoJROEJUbQo1rFE6qpeWQ/s3864/DSCN8881.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2678" data-original-width="3864" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIUeXRUCKFQ2fHRHvN6QwVN-Z8uIfCr9v3sAznUPLKPkRsh9s2KLSjPmUnoSw5SQKiBEOB1gnXlzFuhH6qDYvNvTwWbnSdpyg1mmYLvryvEg8SZVPOtc1lfyRpod-x02gRXURcpsGel8ylDzJU8Kf49ejLsfMYwOoJROEJUbQo1rFE6qpeWQ/s320/DSCN8881.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Sparrowhawk (photo from Jan 2019)</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">The</span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"> regular 'raptor back-up cast' of </span><strong style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">Kestrel</strong><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">, </span><strong style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">Sparrowhawk</strong><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">, </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"> </span><strong style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">Buzzard</strong><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"> , </span><strong style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">Red Kite, </strong><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">and even the occasional </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">Hen Harrier</b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"> </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"> should not be forgotten though, as all were seen and enjoyed at least once this month, though <b>Goshawk</b>, <b>Merlin </b>and <b>Peregrine</b> have still yet to be encountered on my safaris this year...</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><b style="text-align: start;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Up on the moors....</b></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><b style="text-align: start;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><b style="text-align: start;"></b></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4HfSiljKGfhIf_lCnE3BX_fzmLiMJLNWzjlUse07gi2V_t3-KNxQKUolDLgmR1RwnLF9jEzrcwxxoDELGmSFQSi23TKCugZ0qSTpis5VLkFS6P4U6XsqIr5Ds0PlN6FaC-Ce7bcadmPGHM2sOXQwwhsyd22P72sUFkn9PnhplTCnWOsNhPg/s2015/IMG_0564.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1102" data-original-width="2015" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4HfSiljKGfhIf_lCnE3BX_fzmLiMJLNWzjlUse07gi2V_t3-KNxQKUolDLgmR1RwnLF9jEzrcwxxoDELGmSFQSi23TKCugZ0qSTpis5VLkFS6P4U6XsqIr5Ds0PlN6FaC-Ce7bcadmPGHM2sOXQwwhsyd22P72sUFkn9PnhplTCnWOsNhPg/w400-h219/IMG_0564.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A local upland heather moorland</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><b style="text-align: start;"><br /><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><b style="text-align: start;"></b></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfKMg9BjvGZaJsVHQb-VPKtiB9s1MktR7MHVWfchNL3aUb0qvszA2qwbINRFy_yZeC-VuOBsJRa7A2A0kOBbQpPQIscbWuT1_M7zjwdY346bGaiND1x6F_crDw0vA6XloAf69VFqYyDox-1AytARquTvlSTczsJ_ePJBrqWZfbnMI2xoOVRQ/s3642/DSCN4708.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="2090" data-original-width="3642" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfKMg9BjvGZaJsVHQb-VPKtiB9s1MktR7MHVWfchNL3aUb0qvszA2qwbINRFy_yZeC-VuOBsJRa7A2A0kOBbQpPQIscbWuT1_M7zjwdY346bGaiND1x6F_crDw0vA6XloAf69VFqYyDox-1AytARquTvlSTczsJ_ePJBrqWZfbnMI2xoOVRQ/w400-h230/DSCN4708.JPG" width="400" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Displaying Black Grouse at dawn on a local upland moorland</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjEI2u8hsqtMXHjxyXkhyOGtkAW3CMXG7tiZ3_lhV4Ajllk9i7xhDanrHS_P9PnzRnAt7feTMGaSg1AkwnuLGMJaewjrBH2d6fHC18k5KUAFRIyKGmaTvcOCSZ2KKKjohM8w6iqcVbgbyonNSsHimq5atWRp6IbOwkxoUBK3UA2j4NPW-NMw/s1281/_DSC6213.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="467" data-original-width="1281" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjEI2u8hsqtMXHjxyXkhyOGtkAW3CMXG7tiZ3_lhV4Ajllk9i7xhDanrHS_P9PnzRnAt7feTMGaSg1AkwnuLGMJaewjrBH2d6fHC18k5KUAFRIyKGmaTvcOCSZ2KKKjohM8w6iqcVbgbyonNSsHimq5atWRp6IbOwkxoUBK3UA2j4NPW-NMw/w400-h146/_DSC6213.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Displaying Black Grouse by Karen Weissmann</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Black Grouse</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> are one of my favourite local speciality birds, and always prove popular with my safari clients, especially from January to May when they usually display and lek at dawn. However, our early morning visits to their traditional 'lek' sites gave 'patchy' results this month, with a few</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> 'no shows' offset by up to 8 cock birds showing beautifully on one occasion...please be aware though, that they are easily 'spooked' and are legally protected from disturbance, so we have to keep a respectable (and lawful) distance away...</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl46lLj_qc8eFS5MUmriw_RU6lmY2wBgAin1fzFypsj8_-vachazYTDFubjUHAcowFatr9H0vwc9cEsMtLx5gOBtIppdX0tP3hzFn1HJTEkbhYTgTyQJ3GFdFQ3_32ndStJm4w8LE0lfSQeFzoaM-jnFUDe6dI0JzxLUin1krmQHgQBWP-7g/s1487/_DSC6267.jpg" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="725" data-original-width="1487" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl46lLj_qc8eFS5MUmriw_RU6lmY2wBgAin1fzFypsj8_-vachazYTDFubjUHAcowFatr9H0vwc9cEsMtLx5gOBtIppdX0tP3hzFn1HJTEkbhYTgTyQJ3GFdFQ3_32ndStJm4w8LE0lfSQeFzoaM-jnFUDe6dI0JzxLUin1krmQHgQBWP-7g/w400-h195/_DSC6267.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Red Grouse by Karen Weissmann</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho9CsfYq1vL254TZbZKpn5RdzTdoVGjZ64L3YH8j91ebcjG0H8XTJ-w16akYVCcEWUb7GvZ8522w34jNB8K-mw_pgD9iDMlCszR2OA4MPtNg0swF1UpyG-vFZ4xquedNsqBhgMrTMhqJvLOTGRqou-jLsLyCJSU-hfeEAVmyRW7wsKrLzx9A/s4510/Bob%20Smith%20R%20G.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2397" data-original-width="4510" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho9CsfYq1vL254TZbZKpn5RdzTdoVGjZ64L3YH8j91ebcjG0H8XTJ-w16akYVCcEWUb7GvZ8522w34jNB8K-mw_pgD9iDMlCszR2OA4MPtNg0swF1UpyG-vFZ4xquedNsqBhgMrTMhqJvLOTGRqou-jLsLyCJSU-hfeEAVmyRW7wsKrLzx9A/w400-h213/Bob%20Smith%20R%20G.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Red Grouse</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Still on the moors, the </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Red Grouse</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> are becoming a little easier to see each week now, as the cock birds become ever bolder, often posturing aggressively from a raised position, and calling 'go-bak, go- bak' loudly to establish a territory and attract a mate, often with their red 'eyebrows' bulging impressively.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">I</span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">n the forests...</b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxVsCYvlvr2pVxmFgy2eHcyEPu_5u73oMIU2COv9cCy-WhT3vyfDH4gteFf4G69lyfo9EAJVsfOLON-zcAGkzlqAVKFbiJcTJu1JlrpoAahnjc4h-XKY996lzJQrAi5I0FAycZpt5yNB9dS5cmYqle_EiaEPwuZ-7VEuZm9QGCw40SUxnSXA/s1894/IMG_0618.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1383" data-original-width="1894" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxVsCYvlvr2pVxmFgy2eHcyEPu_5u73oMIU2COv9cCy-WhT3vyfDH4gteFf4G69lyfo9EAJVsfOLON-zcAGkzlqAVKFbiJcTJu1JlrpoAahnjc4h-XKY996lzJQrAi5I0FAycZpt5yNB9dS5cmYqle_EiaEPwuZ-7VEuZm9QGCw40SUxnSXA/w400-h293/IMG_0618.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A local ancient Caledonian forest</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgSISU7vPdaPOmNK_wUyP7HiBlioiKv-wh1HvuGFgxSSsColr4pV3aHpMvYAGJJZoRcQRhtKMS3NTTPc29VtsxeVIkdvytWPYhgEDca5XEE4UjgwVupFkK-tKHMnjpgx2y41A7U0YCqO44dEsmU_lScY0IHLkWVipOkQwo7wmClEpyhUKx5Q/s3246/Bob%20Smith%20Crestie%202.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2142" data-original-width="3246" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgSISU7vPdaPOmNK_wUyP7HiBlioiKv-wh1HvuGFgxSSsColr4pV3aHpMvYAGJJZoRcQRhtKMS3NTTPc29VtsxeVIkdvytWPYhgEDca5XEE4UjgwVupFkK-tKHMnjpgx2y41A7U0YCqO44dEsmU_lScY0IHLkWVipOkQwo7wmClEpyhUKx5Q/s320/Bob%20Smith%20Crestie%202.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Crested Tit by Bob Smith</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAzPaX_3YjesG1Ndtvleay8uNypw-rK6cu2FOS4orWHjIKYUKKKXwGEMoiQ17LUTplYldUpS-tsldB5Mp7qldzJb93BvkMpBfmWzyt5BLtfb7hsnI3lMYl-v3tNBuFfA9O_SvxvnqG6aGl211o03V_u54zIo_Ni6Od-4WmB0i_6Z6VgekH2g/s4515/Bob%20Smith%20Crestie%201.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2493" data-original-width="4515" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAzPaX_3YjesG1Ndtvleay8uNypw-rK6cu2FOS4orWHjIKYUKKKXwGEMoiQ17LUTplYldUpS-tsldB5Mp7qldzJb93BvkMpBfmWzyt5BLtfb7hsnI3lMYl-v3tNBuFfA9O_SvxvnqG6aGl211o03V_u54zIo_Ni6Od-4WmB0i_6Z6VgekH2g/w400-h221/Bob%20Smith%20Crestie%201.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Crested Tit by Bob Smith</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">In the Caledonian pine forests, our local </span><b>Crested Tits</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> occasionally showed well at my favourite forest feeding stations, especially soon after dawn, and particularly on the colder days, when they are presumably at their most desperate for food, with up to 2 of these true 'local specialities' showing at once...with several of my delighted safari clients seeing them for the first time, and we even managed a few decent photos.</span></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">It is well worth noting that the winter months (October-February) are actually the best time of year for seeing the 'wee Cresties', as these characterful little birds can be frustratingly secretive and unobtrusive during the breeding season, with sightings being much more difficult to obtain between March and September....</span></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmeAMXiupIxXM9NFpqOOGc7OKgRqruoO4IFOxjdyCK7DB13Z1HmNjezuFKb0BalsysrAW0AlaiYTKu9hhC-MIbuxzDD2mfsQ1MtiBF2bxxc41WsouzFhLOs7Oq_gnesxDwyO3o4uU5OZ2VxDi31VPaHzywCyuu6yu7hQo0yMD-dQE6Mh0mcA/s3031/DSCN6388.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1807" data-original-width="3031" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmeAMXiupIxXM9NFpqOOGc7OKgRqruoO4IFOxjdyCK7DB13Z1HmNjezuFKb0BalsysrAW0AlaiYTKu9hhC-MIbuxzDD2mfsQ1MtiBF2bxxc41WsouzFhLOs7Oq_gnesxDwyO3o4uU5OZ2VxDi31VPaHzywCyuu6yu7hQo0yMD-dQE6Mh0mcA/w400-h239/DSCN6388.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Crossbill (photo from January 2021)</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b>Crossbills </b>however, proved to be frustratingly elusive this month, with sightings largely restricted to fly-overs, and only a couple of very brief opportunities to see perched or feeding birds....</span></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirN1P0qgSPd5LSNNA0JT8ADCbER1GCR1DaV2MJ2eRTSOmpHXIVeHN_lziOLB98u1763AISbTqngC_vhMS4_zUsgLrJTBfZqQ-pKIicTytRQe7-yBv-RnJKf3ChRqnNa9K5fH6gKC2fdhqtbqtD1b4ymG_gWRXh5g7CqVFz3cZvlYDUR3IWZA/s1629/IMG_8564.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1221" data-original-width="1629" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirN1P0qgSPd5LSNNA0JT8ADCbER1GCR1DaV2MJ2eRTSOmpHXIVeHN_lziOLB98u1763AISbTqngC_vhMS4_zUsgLrJTBfZqQ-pKIicTytRQe7-yBv-RnJKf3ChRqnNa9K5fH6gKC2fdhqtbqtD1b4ymG_gWRXh5g7CqVFz3cZvlYDUR3IWZA/s320/IMG_8564.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Capercaillie poo</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Sadly, despite many hours spent and miles walked in search of a <b>Capercaillie</b> this month, not a single sighting was achieved, though I did find the odd distinctive cigarette shaped poo formed mainly of pine needles, to give me a little encouragement to continue my quest...</p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">Please note that </span><b>Capercaillie</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> numbers would still appear to be declining alarmingly, they are now very rare and elusive, and I would only rate our chances of seeing one on my safaris as "very slim" at best...</span></p><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">On the rivers...</b></p><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFZuqxTqYxoCcGdHQgVWOBQ6Gk_D-ageS9zCvCh2_x-c2-p8tE_UCiFKL8ddpre6HoVvlrSGd5QINe59EyZwzkaD0olaWKZVk9uQ8vyhM28-pLi5fWlK34q2a_ck3WK6AByMZZTXnaxLEH3PBP09As9t6n8cFU9RaiCnPIO_51rPoXtOuPXw/s1971/IMG_0647.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1477" data-original-width="1971" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFZuqxTqYxoCcGdHQgVWOBQ6Gk_D-ageS9zCvCh2_x-c2-p8tE_UCiFKL8ddpre6HoVvlrSGd5QINe59EyZwzkaD0olaWKZVk9uQ8vyhM28-pLi5fWlK34q2a_ck3WK6AByMZZTXnaxLEH3PBP09As9t6n8cFU9RaiCnPIO_51rPoXtOuPXw/w400-h300/IMG_0647.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>An icy local river</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU-3pZZ1Ivo0dDbt1du0R5TIcREuJYaGxdFz1M0z4MXDDaewxu3v9S-yLhid7O2nUfSjJ70WCF1CZ8b2ccyD_S_TvoBzboy4PVugv0oFjt89WSGOsocKcQSpZq3-LTRFlL-abJM7F86aBdUvjhWyiZ1pxJRHGRJpVx9Oxua14oJsOEbcjP6Q/s3402/Bob%20Smith%204.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2416" data-original-width="3402" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU-3pZZ1Ivo0dDbt1du0R5TIcREuJYaGxdFz1M0z4MXDDaewxu3v9S-yLhid7O2nUfSjJ70WCF1CZ8b2ccyD_S_TvoBzboy4PVugv0oFjt89WSGOsocKcQSpZq3-LTRFlL-abJM7F86aBdUvjhWyiZ1pxJRHGRJpVx9Oxua14oJsOEbcjP6Q/s320/Bob%20Smith%204.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Dipper by Bob Smith (photo from Jan 2020)</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix67XnPMTvXY7Poru4q54smCeDiGjKx80Bw06ItgcP63RbpfAU2F13TnDMZPSOvRjf0zgmTiIPxzzymNWjniVglOyF6bkJRZvGOM9fcMoxj7WJjD-JXvl8tN-6xnlc6JPtsbd47uJIpl6stTXGqS19dgvNeyhqGUS3jocnBAIwhm9A7KF2Gg/s3762/DSCN0374.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2312" data-original-width="3762" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix67XnPMTvXY7Poru4q54smCeDiGjKx80Bw06ItgcP63RbpfAU2F13TnDMZPSOvRjf0zgmTiIPxzzymNWjniVglOyF6bkJRZvGOM9fcMoxj7WJjD-JXvl8tN-6xnlc6JPtsbd47uJIpl6stTXGqS19dgvNeyhqGUS3jocnBAIwhm9A7KF2Gg/s320/DSCN0374.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Dipper<br /><br /></b><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Our local</span><b> Dippers</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> are now most definitely in territorial mode, and we were lucky enough to see them posturing and displaying and sometimes singing their distinctive 'scratchy' song from a prominent rock on several occasions, often near a bridge, where they are likely to nest...</span></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">On the lochs...</b></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlkw6AA254WpmE1E37rtys3SjJPKp8zCOqmYiXnBKb5k3LqoF1yYGpwu1fPxgtCnVRBQgJaYTjymil4U5seHkX4LmgFKtsRL3qUNn4BIsquv5cG3tflwR92ADw0FlLUw_OF93bZKvDVmSNtL_6m1vM_aZGqQSbeDQP7xv_KIZXZoY4KpTCnw/s1909/IMG_0526.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1083" data-original-width="1909" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlkw6AA254WpmE1E37rtys3SjJPKp8zCOqmYiXnBKb5k3LqoF1yYGpwu1fPxgtCnVRBQgJaYTjymil4U5seHkX4LmgFKtsRL3qUNn4BIsquv5cG3tflwR92ADw0FlLUw_OF93bZKvDVmSNtL_6m1vM_aZGqQSbeDQP7xv_KIZXZoY4KpTCnw/w400-h228/IMG_0526.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Midwinter at a local loch</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrTY_hv94wTE-XTN3--qZ3FgR03zLWBqyL2qMOb3unEcG7GhK3kPRkyPPBRropGQqIcAp99TTiijOaz0_LbIE4amaMmv4U7cqs2kQzbCKxjP6Mo7lPMLYB4Cjpin6tACjUwSlYuhvguh5zIAE8Q7vdnp5yLTGvafpg6B7qtIxhsSFAFV5Ssg/s2511/DSCN8764.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1437" data-original-width="2511" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrTY_hv94wTE-XTN3--qZ3FgR03zLWBqyL2qMOb3unEcG7GhK3kPRkyPPBRropGQqIcAp99TTiijOaz0_LbIE4amaMmv4U7cqs2kQzbCKxjP6Mo7lPMLYB4Cjpin6tACjUwSlYuhvguh5zIAE8Q7vdnp5yLTGvafpg6B7qtIxhsSFAFV5Ssg/w400-h229/DSCN8764.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Drake Goldeneye</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;">Though they were frozen and almost devoid of birds for the first 3 weeks of the month, star birds on the lochs during the winter are probably </span><b>Goldeneyes</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;">, with the males now in their dapper breeding plumage, and some even seen performing their elaborate 'head-banging' courtship displays, and the winter-visiting </span><b>Whooper Swans,</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"> with a back up cast of </span><b>Goosander</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><b>Teal</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><b>Wigeon </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;">and </span><b>Tufted Ducks</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></b></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Up in the mountains....</b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxDu_IjAqyZgKCN-cp_HhrR11wbjeE6hZj-fR0Mk1upfkuDnqbCO7wubp5Fhxyenss6YYNrSh63LybsADvKD716u_nsItAXEwUBeNv0LJygKxDs9MR9CdrvzCVFcGqk4IFUAF6NU1MT4o1JVWQyx1bmUqtRX4TAAQqWfHDF6HfFurdj4WGNg/s2016/IMG_0578.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1267" data-original-width="2016" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxDu_IjAqyZgKCN-cp_HhrR11wbjeE6hZj-fR0Mk1upfkuDnqbCO7wubp5Fhxyenss6YYNrSh63LybsADvKD716u_nsItAXEwUBeNv0LJygKxDs9MR9CdrvzCVFcGqk4IFUAF6NU1MT4o1JVWQyx1bmUqtRX4TAAQqWfHDF6HfFurdj4WGNg/w400-h251/IMG_0578.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A wintry scene in the Cairngorm Mountains</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2toIJy8NOSSOadt8KI4c2hZyx4mPO1KXLQ1D4z8B_HYepfFbgUKEL579dLzxzhRZRrDZVTnj1BPZLn5pLQEBnR4FtbOMq2pAsnmPokVSe6QGpLkZFkP5KjkGSv0zqlhvq5c2XygBzqX6kxx47HmqgdM-OFizMSJrYE1hXKIkiqAhgO1MZ5Q/s4608/DSCN4726.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2toIJy8NOSSOadt8KI4c2hZyx4mPO1KXLQ1D4z8B_HYepfFbgUKEL579dLzxzhRZRrDZVTnj1BPZLn5pLQEBnR4FtbOMq2pAsnmPokVSe6QGpLkZFkP5KjkGSv0zqlhvq5c2XygBzqX6kxx47HmqgdM-OFizMSJrYE1hXKIkiqAhgO1MZ5Q/s320/DSCN4726.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Snow Buntings</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhylx9IV0w8nijLFus9x0acFn46Dmy9qbB8PDnYz0Z0DBYBJa8i40irgPW-GQAjRuHTpfAumfE21GFbZQ4w6ybf83E_GImXb_7uJkZFD3ogwQHJiOXxWuanDbCUowTb7O0XqBHwdpHyYfQDQzr_H5oxOqjxVp7hGrBTOuaLRC3M1ydNTRGmpg/s3662/Bob%20Smith%20S%20B.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2119" data-original-width="3662" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhylx9IV0w8nijLFus9x0acFn46Dmy9qbB8PDnYz0Z0DBYBJa8i40irgPW-GQAjRuHTpfAumfE21GFbZQ4w6ybf83E_GImXb_7uJkZFD3ogwQHJiOXxWuanDbCUowTb7O0XqBHwdpHyYfQDQzr_H5oxOqjxVp7hGrBTOuaLRC3M1ydNTRGmpg/w400-h231/Bob%20Smith%20S%20B.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Snow Bunting by Bob Smith</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /><br /><br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfDZHuFTJeXLGD8HBEMdgFXQEMMITR_INwOiLnOPUM7kYtSWoES4FGLbT-nUPKxlraKtToYglDouwY9dBYt2Q49fcAIjtAAkzULU7sR_VRxO6RpBMt5eMVB3PG6V9X-zWPdqc8LuPcFsvAT2jzemTGxy_BPQoG6UXeREzhTl4uKxgFaG7ftg/s2048/_DSC6479.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfDZHuFTJeXLGD8HBEMdgFXQEMMITR_INwOiLnOPUM7kYtSWoES4FGLbT-nUPKxlraKtToYglDouwY9dBYt2Q49fcAIjtAAkzULU7sR_VRxO6RpBMt5eMVB3PG6V9X-zWPdqc8LuPcFsvAT2jzemTGxy_BPQoG6UXeREzhTl4uKxgFaG7ftg/s320/_DSC6479.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Snow Bunting by Karen Weissmann</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Snow Buntings</b> can usually be seen at slightly lower levels in the winter months, and that was the case for most of the month, as the heavy snowfall persuaded them down from the inhospitable mountain tops, and we enjoyed some good views of these attractive and endearing little birds. </p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">With the Cairngorm Funicular Railway still closed for major repairs until it finally reopened near the end of the month, and the days so short now, I didn't venture up into the mountain-tops myself this month, but for future reference, a few </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Ptarmigan</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> , still totally white, can sometimes be seen, up around the 'snow-line', usually sheltering in corries or on the leeward sides of ridges, out of the cold wind...</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Winter-visiting birds seen in our area this month included:</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> </span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwPWkByYc0bMSkI4pz5ovIhj-f_jmBMe4ewogmxgHS-Okz6yj1YUhVCiF2h61oeM5WdVuaOZnAbvbi9XXCVdcp_DYKpYyXfTYisO4wWzdqiI3-5wpIbqHIeLV7-IBS5n1T2yiN_QcXd7KjJ8kuNPNSG8sgqJUe7F29QhoiYVHECV6wjVjqXA/s1250/DSCN0771.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="934" data-original-width="1250" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwPWkByYc0bMSkI4pz5ovIhj-f_jmBMe4ewogmxgHS-Okz6yj1YUhVCiF2h61oeM5WdVuaOZnAbvbi9XXCVdcp_DYKpYyXfTYisO4wWzdqiI3-5wpIbqHIeLV7-IBS5n1T2yiN_QcXd7KjJ8kuNPNSG8sgqJUe7F29QhoiYVHECV6wjVjqXA/s320/DSCN0771.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Whooper Swans</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitLssYCeVp_0_T6Dn7m1iS8cvKqTij4Kf8LQHgOEqMzcTI3Gew8bJWQzhtPNLMcO--iQym-gvh7NkYazUJzqQMYIDuNqlkMUPN2NX6A0Si466w58JleIt8NFV8UxlcaQeJKzNcvq9k4T08jRs-3BJlOyYztvwq_2cgBVM5sPot2c_Agfd2vw/s2427/Bob%20Smith%20Lesser%20Redpoll.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1613" data-original-width="2427" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitLssYCeVp_0_T6Dn7m1iS8cvKqTij4Kf8LQHgOEqMzcTI3Gew8bJWQzhtPNLMcO--iQym-gvh7NkYazUJzqQMYIDuNqlkMUPN2NX6A0Si466w58JleIt8NFV8UxlcaQeJKzNcvq9k4T08jRs-3BJlOyYztvwq_2cgBVM5sPot2c_Agfd2vw/w400-h266/Bob%20Smith%20Lesser%20Redpoll.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Lesser Redpoll by Bob Smith</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5xIKRFKcwEdIW6IYXDohelM4e_8MRPoZP5NqIzhx_XXGObArKPKUmHKdFyH26tGm4n_vuNnXIm67JkGqFQmkvGIzhSFkSThotS3FfNCK2-a6A90A5NPPCVqAJuGCuaoR4kYG5Uugezj8X_EntmXb7C2Hk-LQdDL0ZYby5naZii739nR0eIA/s4086/DSCN4703.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2386" data-original-width="4086" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5xIKRFKcwEdIW6IYXDohelM4e_8MRPoZP5NqIzhx_XXGObArKPKUmHKdFyH26tGm4n_vuNnXIm67JkGqFQmkvGIzhSFkSThotS3FfNCK2-a6A90A5NPPCVqAJuGCuaoR4kYG5Uugezj8X_EntmXb7C2Hk-LQdDL0ZYby5naZii739nR0eIA/w400-h234/DSCN4703.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Fieldfare</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq7z4bhCIq8TGkGegm8T7spwK7pvzCw3kIPQxJQMX_GS_dJpmkewprrM-WGgEcXVCEkEQaUmBKfCgZet5-yl3ZcOnWBkqNtKjDqoFAQZnG4Odt122rtC2TIRQbbj9DwJBViC49lqK4EV4BsqM42YZCBhOy4GxiSVMPm57b2EDWQZ5ByDSmUQ/s3396/DSCN4547.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2508" data-original-width="3396" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq7z4bhCIq8TGkGegm8T7spwK7pvzCw3kIPQxJQMX_GS_dJpmkewprrM-WGgEcXVCEkEQaUmBKfCgZet5-yl3ZcOnWBkqNtKjDqoFAQZnG4Odt122rtC2TIRQbbj9DwJBViC49lqK4EV4BsqM42YZCBhOy4GxiSVMPm57b2EDWQZ5ByDSmUQ/w400-h295/DSCN4547.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Waxwings</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOq-vy641PoaemorrvMDQxZ5y03OBMkZ5vklv-hSr3-s2Ek158ZWNIKCHgMDE2f1Dvos4MJmKqSVMcw92VSQRJZyWzxk3h82EMWt91VMSFd_1Gf7ANyvWzy7BncVgay539t-NeBWY5R0Rt-y5KtjtsHZ-4BOwKlylwAJ6vCV1UFLK1TZsEBw/s4374/DSCN4544.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1986" data-original-width="4374" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOq-vy641PoaemorrvMDQxZ5y03OBMkZ5vklv-hSr3-s2Ek158ZWNIKCHgMDE2f1Dvos4MJmKqSVMcw92VSQRJZyWzxk3h82EMWt91VMSFd_1Gf7ANyvWzy7BncVgay539t-NeBWY5R0Rt-y5KtjtsHZ-4BOwKlylwAJ6vCV1UFLK1TZsEBw/w400-h181/DSCN4544.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Waxwings</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTz4xtpa7NoHVy7PoB4V6B6BcgrJ_HrZy1P77sOy4nl10YxpqH9k38602MZVsJq7KV-l2rxSPwkygqBNXJqFqv4wEI2k_b5qv6v7xfnMbVp_LQNEAK6lN10wfIalKEAQRBwksFpPiNSE1ebOQ3yJaQKzAWFCZfIfcjdOIE9_BknZ9mKT8amw/s3962/DSCN4534.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2716" data-original-width="3962" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTz4xtpa7NoHVy7PoB4V6B6BcgrJ_HrZy1P77sOy4nl10YxpqH9k38602MZVsJq7KV-l2rxSPwkygqBNXJqFqv4wEI2k_b5qv6v7xfnMbVp_LQNEAK6lN10wfIalKEAQRBwksFpPiNSE1ebOQ3yJaQKzAWFCZfIfcjdOIE9_BknZ9mKT8amw/w400-h274/DSCN4534.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Waxwings</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Other good/scarce birds seen/reported locally this month included:</b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>A Marsh Harrier all month, </b></span></span><b> a few sightings of White-Fronted Geese, and one of a Jack Snipe, all at Insh Marshes, a few Twites and </b>Bramblings<b> on local farmland, Tree Sparrows at a Nethybridge feeding station, and an Iceland Gull at Boat of Garten.....</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span style="color: #06004c; font-weight: 700;">A few photos of more common birds seen locally this month: </span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span style="color: #06004c; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span style="color: #06004c; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2cHV0ZGY-murUd4Ew8_XZQxAEh0VP1o2KjnKkzB3D1d7QAyc_LeU14dJQMYKemqMi7MH9r6qFgmJJzJZlPAD7jLA7KqV0_R5qnO9ss8XfMSJZo9u6dF09I41ojo0Kz6tHiTiUhe4aE-47D3-ebAN6b1xBrF7IZD58ObwVue8ogcDLTKfnKA/s4323/DSCN4453.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3260" data-original-width="4323" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2cHV0ZGY-murUd4Ew8_XZQxAEh0VP1o2KjnKkzB3D1d7QAyc_LeU14dJQMYKemqMi7MH9r6qFgmJJzJZlPAD7jLA7KqV0_R5qnO9ss8XfMSJZo9u6dF09I41ojo0Kz6tHiTiUhe4aE-47D3-ebAN6b1xBrF7IZD58ObwVue8ogcDLTKfnKA/w320-h241/DSCN4453.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Bullfinch</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbkBLVrj5Vp_6RLlI3D0K14gbu8kzniZVpuaTdi-bO3L-x6tN4L-tIdzNulVkERLD8hViN5eyhMEiYx_z_bNMiML5nSCamM0EJ0M5hqgh5VhXKayclv8kW656vo3NnWO9FzXrj_wusFsf_HFUGKvgzXp7GNin-dAe5KaTJeGrFAhhUA7_-hA/s4608/DSCN4639.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbkBLVrj5Vp_6RLlI3D0K14gbu8kzniZVpuaTdi-bO3L-x6tN4L-tIdzNulVkERLD8hViN5eyhMEiYx_z_bNMiML5nSCamM0EJ0M5hqgh5VhXKayclv8kW656vo3NnWO9FzXrj_wusFsf_HFUGKvgzXp7GNin-dAe5KaTJeGrFAhhUA7_-hA/s320/DSCN4639.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Female Blackbird</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv_YLGoJY7ytkVgJziymMczL1qT1olkfPXC20BRkxP3Je_yOQnbLaiHQAI-wf8VvzI7qL8UsI1zky2zJbJAAZrlNOCr763VXPq4a7kW4szpUXaKF1l7cZtANukd8NzKIYzbYWkV2q6s5KGHQ5UB-ePJPoGeUTWJUhapTU1iVp-uIy24xWosg/s4608/DSCN4640.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv_YLGoJY7ytkVgJziymMczL1qT1olkfPXC20BRkxP3Je_yOQnbLaiHQAI-wf8VvzI7qL8UsI1zky2zJbJAAZrlNOCr763VXPq4a7kW4szpUXaKF1l7cZtANukd8NzKIYzbYWkV2q6s5KGHQ5UB-ePJPoGeUTWJUhapTU1iVp-uIy24xWosg/s320/DSCN4640.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Song Thrush</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYcqr13JSaFCl9PaoUAXI-1SZMhfYEjR2iUPwIQz0NkDNR3uWn29d8JIjJZu63hihRt9Dcet1sDoGn0tZXD4-FrQaY92prTun2dPA0CFqg6wuIA5RFIhtoRP8Tnh8dESmolcreZPJc8rDKgr29Oq9qrLEP02jXIBN0quM7zXi8R_1q1sspjA/s3875/DSCN4637.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2569" data-original-width="3875" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYcqr13JSaFCl9PaoUAXI-1SZMhfYEjR2iUPwIQz0NkDNR3uWn29d8JIjJZu63hihRt9Dcet1sDoGn0tZXD4-FrQaY92prTun2dPA0CFqg6wuIA5RFIhtoRP8Tnh8dESmolcreZPJc8rDKgr29Oq9qrLEP02jXIBN0quM7zXi8R_1q1sspjA/s320/DSCN4637.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Chaffinch</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjylsC-5f3uBY_Jvc2yPgyvLFDglNSMI3n2L5rUZaCZdUzsSV5n5HzytoOXIo5v7GlI7Ky7jpiQhJ215XP3kRgE0XJPVhxWJVCHqQM8PRXHMGPLSRTlNBCUwgqYxpp9Uyg61e7db_Hze0JNgsEcL7k3tBVFT1nGfXVICvHwdBPzn3PrNJ6gQQ/s4608/DSCN4635.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjylsC-5f3uBY_Jvc2yPgyvLFDglNSMI3n2L5rUZaCZdUzsSV5n5HzytoOXIo5v7GlI7Ky7jpiQhJ215XP3kRgE0XJPVhxWJVCHqQM8PRXHMGPLSRTlNBCUwgqYxpp9Uyg61e7db_Hze0JNgsEcL7k3tBVFT1nGfXVICvHwdBPzn3PrNJ6gQQ/s320/DSCN4635.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Robin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyR4YQK_5FgG36JFQBvAt4-tKI8XYJCmKA-Nj6gUbkef7sjjLHsYibo6owtnKmZeSiQavDYy0GdOhb-JMxeyaRf1fubFBWXVF73RYRiBiNHcaT1fIxNdnKZUK5NVhFstnmjMV9OxtQY9Dt8Jx_hESKzYFDHcAokvGP0Fd6Hl3tzKAHbXwEOQ/s2048/_DSC6385.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1391" data-original-width="2048" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyR4YQK_5FgG36JFQBvAt4-tKI8XYJCmKA-Nj6gUbkef7sjjLHsYibo6owtnKmZeSiQavDYy0GdOhb-JMxeyaRf1fubFBWXVF73RYRiBiNHcaT1fIxNdnKZUK5NVhFstnmjMV9OxtQY9Dt8Jx_hESKzYFDHcAokvGP0Fd6Hl3tzKAHbXwEOQ/s320/_DSC6385.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Great Tit and Coal Tit by Karen Weissmann</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /><br /></span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFwkVlqkZI_x48LZvPpQUzzCgpoPhuxSjtDyM12ofgKEjX_HRsKeOFkuxpYiJZ_PivQT_2XcgY7jwi2ziv6zpYyjZYUg8kUtLkBVkgT_2IvvDn1e3dasoAa30Qx5IHuT2xvTxo9lGIFzMw4BwIYnErwCX1neZ8p9mqTi5M2QHr0PPrg7bLGw/s2048/_DSC6318.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1593" data-original-width="2048" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFwkVlqkZI_x48LZvPpQUzzCgpoPhuxSjtDyM12ofgKEjX_HRsKeOFkuxpYiJZ_PivQT_2XcgY7jwi2ziv6zpYyjZYUg8kUtLkBVkgT_2IvvDn1e3dasoAa30Qx5IHuT2xvTxo9lGIFzMw4BwIYnErwCX1neZ8p9mqTi5M2QHr0PPrg7bLGw/s320/_DSC6318.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Greylag Geese by Karen Weissmann</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm1s5s4miqCUiRiiuKtUxD07G5RLz6M2rvfNxtqpaKNFvYMnjpMOCS9EFuJ8y1sF24NedTS_gFe-FGrrjd7zxr7WBLhptb_HXogGvlwCwOmG8BuRdTj0Yr7ScVmSudECOjA3xvsrWLTGVvkgwRA2IJvsOWjcI8xev6JCnJ43U9YEGdJtwn2g/s2048/_DSC6278.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm1s5s4miqCUiRiiuKtUxD07G5RLz6M2rvfNxtqpaKNFvYMnjpMOCS9EFuJ8y1sF24NedTS_gFe-FGrrjd7zxr7WBLhptb_HXogGvlwCwOmG8BuRdTj0Yr7ScVmSudECOjA3xvsrWLTGVvkgwRA2IJvsOWjcI8xev6JCnJ43U9YEGdJtwn2g/s320/_DSC6278.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red-Legged Partridge by Karen Weissman</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib1jXHkMCgkD4IeUSU_zheKrcN5EbAPpWk2kVZqETG9n8GlVfD8SkZZikppVjpkIBjY8of18QZBrPYGWPW_2BFM3A3w2iDcgyEoFTVD9bSjAixET4X51PLAlN4KnqNfF-8YfAtQtRa1P1dMwYf_ksnnquIByLOG1rCmT8HfunGxiW1FzkcxQ/s2048/_DSC6429.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib1jXHkMCgkD4IeUSU_zheKrcN5EbAPpWk2kVZqETG9n8GlVfD8SkZZikppVjpkIBjY8of18QZBrPYGWPW_2BFM3A3w2iDcgyEoFTVD9bSjAixET4X51PLAlN4KnqNfF-8YfAtQtRa1P1dMwYf_ksnnquIByLOG1rCmT8HfunGxiW1FzkcxQ/w400-h266/_DSC6429.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Pheasant by Karen Weissmann</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span style="color: #06004c; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span style="color: #06004c; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;">Adventures 'out of area':</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"> </span></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b></b></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgULdx9w7j88mEDR7wxa4OdNmmzG9kicMpEcOWW1f3Mq_KG9LGSy7a44sTHod2YorgVnBJqIqy3nVd4_AOJXRrcs_hVTWJgbaYtH8ZEaALdkQxvs2benvQsTPdhap-cGl3c4jj-bj9LYnLk_eT0Wj_tBqQ-yB1xEgNtOk3jM4-TI1ajXarI4A/s2016/IMG_0552.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgULdx9w7j88mEDR7wxa4OdNmmzG9kicMpEcOWW1f3Mq_KG9LGSy7a44sTHod2YorgVnBJqIqy3nVd4_AOJXRrcs_hVTWJgbaYtH8ZEaALdkQxvs2benvQsTPdhap-cGl3c4jj-bj9LYnLk_eT0Wj_tBqQ-yB1xEgNtOk3jM4-TI1ajXarI4A/w400-h300/IMG_0552.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Hopeman Bay on the Moray Coast</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b></b></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO-tnm8BJyAoDS7f-MlC8u7hOJ82GANv2XPp8kBdLkRkbiYvwntt4QJJRKR3YmJ-xsI6ZSlb02QGMJ1f17_UvHpXQ3XWgGOehYEBecP0uS3dJaVuOBgua8ON4ugxTCyR1lT6KWsyVMOjXkXVU2OJFinUCETa_cbPNJW22_P1wECUFTsPmSBA/s3197/DSCN4571.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1194" data-original-width="3197" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO-tnm8BJyAoDS7f-MlC8u7hOJ82GANv2XPp8kBdLkRkbiYvwntt4QJJRKR3YmJ-xsI6ZSlb02QGMJ1f17_UvHpXQ3XWgGOehYEBecP0uS3dJaVuOBgua8ON4ugxTCyR1lT6KWsyVMOjXkXVU2OJFinUCETa_cbPNJW22_P1wECUFTsPmSBA/w400-h150/DSCN4571.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Cormorants, Shags, and a Greater-Black Backed Gull</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b></b></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAIennt0Jto-6VxkwB9m_ru-kN-S_T2v1sOFkuDcfCoRyQ7L6qisaqP_NaYs_Z38uQvZRPIgU6zoLfKtJoqZhbiFkHYpzWud666oN5kw9RHZzc175i3oC0u6nY3HQG-za-coLWEE2hQuHsOMkH_WtYERo7Fw1oz9dQBTKiWBD0p7RlF-xJnQ/s2203/DSCN4576.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1164" data-original-width="2203" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAIennt0Jto-6VxkwB9m_ru-kN-S_T2v1sOFkuDcfCoRyQ7L6qisaqP_NaYs_Z38uQvZRPIgU6zoLfKtJoqZhbiFkHYpzWud666oN5kw9RHZzc175i3oC0u6nY3HQG-za-coLWEE2hQuHsOMkH_WtYERo7Fw1oz9dQBTKiWBD0p7RlF-xJnQ/w400-h211/DSCN4576.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Sanderlings</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b></b></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEjLNfitqpRk3mzK0GhhgOOVINnmh5OMp_j-jDtSgZXBBwjGqXMR9eWF2PbQI2WJpHraPPVAqZKC5vPZCWsNijCXQhr-uUvAp7DJhMGhpnOs0Z3nkw-cGJKANEWLrebhgj6a4FwI0En21nbZpXVM9hVBbX6ZQhUP9mdTOplsEshQzI-qvnGg/s3841/DSCN4581.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2014" data-original-width="3841" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEjLNfitqpRk3mzK0GhhgOOVINnmh5OMp_j-jDtSgZXBBwjGqXMR9eWF2PbQI2WJpHraPPVAqZKC5vPZCWsNijCXQhr-uUvAp7DJhMGhpnOs0Z3nkw-cGJKANEWLrebhgj6a4FwI0En21nbZpXVM9hVBbX6ZQhUP9mdTOplsEshQzI-qvnGg/w400-h210/DSCN4581.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Ringed Plovers</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b></b></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqN5WFn3dpfKT51GfzMyQYDLyRe2sh1pNZML1_SGdMwhkWlYDbk8O-MLfDJ9KWKeLdbDLEyipcJAus98YJEe9bxH4oRuRlHroMocH0FTyG_fX71gzvUVLSBz2fJzf5G8lcRfswKKbgai740mn9N679BpXL-_rXDTuRxKkC9NGJ52O72W2dKQ/s4608/DSCN4585.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqN5WFn3dpfKT51GfzMyQYDLyRe2sh1pNZML1_SGdMwhkWlYDbk8O-MLfDJ9KWKeLdbDLEyipcJAus98YJEe9bxH4oRuRlHroMocH0FTyG_fX71gzvUVLSBz2fJzf5G8lcRfswKKbgai740mn9N679BpXL-_rXDTuRxKkC9NGJ52O72W2dKQ/w400-h300/DSCN4585.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red-Breasted Merganser</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b></b></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiChhUSES9gr_AYf2wz2yqU5U10VeQytiSoTqGUYmCeVZU1wfyjHx5YoUvN-xwdZ7fqUNUlvQe7lOECKkUnEJPi0C93iWEnt4SW6N9nMx1QQq9JrcUQtb4QZrHLaelV3lO4yYSe3ojPKopGkqfNiGk3kQgaVOl5JPQENMAeM0kPVdtzH-R2tQ/s4161/DSCN4617.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1775" data-original-width="4161" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiChhUSES9gr_AYf2wz2yqU5U10VeQytiSoTqGUYmCeVZU1wfyjHx5YoUvN-xwdZ7fqUNUlvQe7lOECKkUnEJPi0C93iWEnt4SW6N9nMx1QQq9JrcUQtb4QZrHLaelV3lO4yYSe3ojPKopGkqfNiGk3kQgaVOl5JPQENMAeM0kPVdtzH-R2tQ/w400-h171/DSCN4617.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Eiders</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b></b></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisGz18sLaF67ad0AH1ElP_w-7eDXlLltjY4-d0tR74KWNnmNlEEV8Od_eVBH5ZARv9snnbcBKYXxtc2cWenb_NIVPGd0BbaTwtdIDXooVS4ikbcCfHqQ0-QGLE8HLxyUNBnhybMGR6tX_8v4TbeQHRbXPIxAXQ2VG4mIGhSOr967wbm3ir3A/s4608/DSCN4630.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2947" data-original-width="4608" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisGz18sLaF67ad0AH1ElP_w-7eDXlLltjY4-d0tR74KWNnmNlEEV8Od_eVBH5ZARv9snnbcBKYXxtc2cWenb_NIVPGd0BbaTwtdIDXooVS4ikbcCfHqQ0-QGLE8HLxyUNBnhybMGR6tX_8v4TbeQHRbXPIxAXQ2VG4mIGhSOr967wbm3ir3A/w400-h256/DSCN4630.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Black-Tailed Godwit</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b></b></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNJ4ZZk06HQJBgUMVsb5HM0usOAlp5F_xV-vgcZEkXPIkvC1SiI8cU4EkOUcsNG9CquRuSsyIzyK7RZmIuD-q5ClqF2uhN_kp6uQ7WhHawR5k1yWwWRy6tCoHrCMyRcHGI8CsTxPv5__RU3POAy8nzSFT5mck-wi7bAdh3uWbmUS9Vmrd-MA/s3419/DSCN4632.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1459" data-original-width="3419" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNJ4ZZk06HQJBgUMVsb5HM0usOAlp5F_xV-vgcZEkXPIkvC1SiI8cU4EkOUcsNG9CquRuSsyIzyK7RZmIuD-q5ClqF2uhN_kp6uQ7WhHawR5k1yWwWRy6tCoHrCMyRcHGI8CsTxPv5__RU3POAy8nzSFT5mck-wi7bAdh3uWbmUS9Vmrd-MA/w400-h171/DSCN4632.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Eurasian Teal</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b></b></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiij0gCmVoWUYymlOWhnL2k0el16NrpOjfHfTedhpn2ee3SDynV8yKqo7SvrRK5JrwBe0bUCCtI1uMsAUmnNld_BvspJrBWHbwDpCuJHi3tYr0vMKjcy7IzpbAR1NWB9ejsMeCn6kkYd7vblIWzyVcWmxFfJo3HOTfwEVZ8XX57feA1lNs-Bg/s4587/DSCN4697.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2497" data-original-width="4587" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiij0gCmVoWUYymlOWhnL2k0el16NrpOjfHfTedhpn2ee3SDynV8yKqo7SvrRK5JrwBe0bUCCtI1uMsAUmnNld_BvspJrBWHbwDpCuJHi3tYr0vMKjcy7IzpbAR1NWB9ejsMeCn6kkYd7vblIWzyVcWmxFfJo3HOTfwEVZ8XX57feA1lNs-Bg/w400-h217/DSCN4697.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Green-Winged Teal</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b></b></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2s78xftsTno__7-aKfATiDm2TNO8bo_CnmN0qpWCjjJsYT8Drv8SzhLp40iL2wXw6jRbcmr-yziHCvLM0sDiwofSaox4_pCj5TW2xtbGSKBe3YLNsq3KgNdaOjCUk2JdkSvgtrIYhhd6SQFMAebq2LmziqCxPqWYWDZGyLg19imAX3tyzOA/s3463/DSCN4587.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2127" data-original-width="3463" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2s78xftsTno__7-aKfATiDm2TNO8bo_CnmN0qpWCjjJsYT8Drv8SzhLp40iL2wXw6jRbcmr-yziHCvLM0sDiwofSaox4_pCj5TW2xtbGSKBe3YLNsq3KgNdaOjCUk2JdkSvgtrIYhhd6SQFMAebq2LmziqCxPqWYWDZGyLg19imAX3tyzOA/w400-h246/DSCN4587.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Iceland Gull and Eurasian Wigeon</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b></b></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAMlmcza_kSN-QffTlMDu76ArJ3NQqhX-3k07ee8bYeVYeLORXadMXHdebYCe8NEAH6CWChwif4MLXafooUaGLhx3_zyKvyr9mIfcpPryqzgMHmNbzNPtrsXrO8hL2vZiq46SgO9YruxNAjPXIYIeK7cmAqvBBdbevMWYQARg8jAtsbWHmQQ/s4940/Bob%20Smith%20Grey%20Partridges.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1821" data-original-width="4940" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAMlmcza_kSN-QffTlMDu76ArJ3NQqhX-3k07ee8bYeVYeLORXadMXHdebYCe8NEAH6CWChwif4MLXafooUaGLhx3_zyKvyr9mIfcpPryqzgMHmNbzNPtrsXrO8hL2vZiq46SgO9YruxNAjPXIYIeK7cmAqvBBdbevMWYQARg8jAtsbWHmQQ/w400-h148/Bob%20Smith%20Grey%20Partridges.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Grey Partridges at dawn by Bob Smith</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b></b></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_mlMZEEFVXBAIEqwa0s4Tp81FSNa0B5gyuoL2E57i-s-C_yY_AhAi5jUAGmxArBATB3mmfXhClt7uAiDh2vdokXc_h0tdvdduOxHtVYnqVH7-J86_1O81tCBt8Qy8oKTQQs-2s4BH2aBXMwFBa5KsfmbTxWkK761y4jvqWuZTKtrzBI2dAQ/s4608/DSCN4651.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_mlMZEEFVXBAIEqwa0s4Tp81FSNa0B5gyuoL2E57i-s-C_yY_AhAi5jUAGmxArBATB3mmfXhClt7uAiDh2vdokXc_h0tdvdduOxHtVYnqVH7-J86_1O81tCBt8Qy8oKTQQs-2s4BH2aBXMwFBa5KsfmbTxWkK761y4jvqWuZTKtrzBI2dAQ/s320/DSCN4651.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Tree Sparrows</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b></b></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu5L0o6kPic03HzzVJ79LyY4njOfJXvr3Etu2zEky8pDIoIvc-oIZ8p7fGxr7TkHhD2U4VuB-p-XN0MytzQs4aHwK_vvOFco5fljdX52qroDOUbw32qthepGtPUyQ63OZzf2AMcnZFTbOzjgywYd_Lj84_VQo6FnkQnHe_2QryI_g9NzJp9g/s4608/DSCN4657.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu5L0o6kPic03HzzVJ79LyY4njOfJXvr3Etu2zEky8pDIoIvc-oIZ8p7fGxr7TkHhD2U4VuB-p-XN0MytzQs4aHwK_vvOFco5fljdX52qroDOUbw32qthepGtPUyQ63OZzf2AMcnZFTbOzjgywYd_Lj84_VQo6FnkQnHe_2QryI_g9NzJp9g/s320/DSCN4657.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Yellowhammer</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">The Moray coast is only about an hour drive north of Aviemore, and trips to favourite reserves, lochs, bays and harbours gave good views of wintering birds such as </span><b>Greylag</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> </span><b>Geese</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Pink-Footed Geese</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Whooper Swan</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Shoveler</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Wigeon</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Teal</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> </span><b>Pintail</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">,</span><b> </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> </span><b>Black-Tailed Godwit</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Knot, Golden Plover</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> , </span><b>Grey Plover </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Ringed Plover</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Purple Sandpiper, Redshank, Oystercatcher, Turnstone, Curlew, </b><b>Common Scoter</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> </span><b>Long-Tailed Ducks, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Eiders</b></span><b>, Divers, and Slavonian Grebe, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">with the chance of scarce birds such as <b>Tree Sparrow and Grey Partridge</b>, and rarities such as</span><b> </b><b>Snow Geese,</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> rare</span><b> Scoters, rare gulls, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">and</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> </span><b>King Eider.....</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>January 2023 mammal sightings in more detail:</b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG5tOssawSE34uwSJvLwCEmBMW7A0CEjriNLymDhtoiORGpgVvIdK_jgwfkGl4iPzShVP06f78RlxolDFzm_ZnMO0sZOtI34crUs1-e5rLF8AEjKYCjMahg-KftV95nLPBhMzMFvSsjsMn4kQjP-izyXwK_t2qbAQGO695FSXQK4-KBWJKjw/s2086/DSCN0350.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="1262" data-original-width="2086" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG5tOssawSE34uwSJvLwCEmBMW7A0CEjriNLymDhtoiORGpgVvIdK_jgwfkGl4iPzShVP06f78RlxolDFzm_ZnMO0sZOtI34crUs1-e5rLF8AEjKYCjMahg-KftV95nLPBhMzMFvSsjsMn4kQjP-izyXwK_t2qbAQGO695FSXQK4-KBWJKjw/w400-h243/DSCN0350.JPG" width="400" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Mountain Hare (photo from Jan 2017)</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></b></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWjIUM6gsDf9GEzGJvCul-W39dEJTHRjmYpueuTR1dtdXsz_XODwTevIr5DSxPmGNGyCmpP2-HFoCvsgNn3gnWEkr55TLkrMzcp6XNZZmEi-U7TsftZmy-geEr4ggWUy-X4vyZsGWetjAHSAMrg2Ki1_wyqQguke-a3zsDX47q7UOpfrKNwA/s5472/Steve%20Nicklin%20Mountain%20Hare.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWjIUM6gsDf9GEzGJvCul-W39dEJTHRjmYpueuTR1dtdXsz_XODwTevIr5DSxPmGNGyCmpP2-HFoCvsgNn3gnWEkr55TLkrMzcp6XNZZmEi-U7TsftZmy-geEr4ggWUy-X4vyZsGWetjAHSAMrg2Ki1_wyqQguke-a3zsDX47q7UOpfrKNwA/s320/Steve%20Nicklin%20Mountain%20Hare.jpg" width="320" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Mountain Hare by Steve Nicklin (photo from Jan 2018)</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Star mammal for January is usually that much sought-after local speciality the <b>Mountain Har</b>e, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">and rightly so, as Britain's only native 'lagomorph' and with their UK distribution being restricted to just a few remote upland areas, seeing one is always a treat. </span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Seeing them was actually easier said than done for much of the month though, with the heavy snow making the job of finding a white animal on a white background pretty tricky, with following their pawprints in the snow proving to be the best method. of finding them...</span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">It should be noted though, that most of our views are at range through my telescope, and that a closer view or photo opportunity usually involves some considerable rough uphill walking, often in deep snow....</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSALBpJVGdsCF24LZ_N_96Dj-IlHOT6VIbp_NkU6ajCwsDypPVETmvK7bOss0J6v1BDE8gIYlwI8b9_tY_jmLc-DkRfBr9eIo-nxuYH_uwmSSrioEJzR0pQ3UzJ7EmJ1qTCemoRfCUFA6kzaPmsPSt92oAR2x83MoDDS6L44BbZ3QNAgOaJg/s4024/DSCN4678.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2360" data-original-width="4024" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSALBpJVGdsCF24LZ_N_96Dj-IlHOT6VIbp_NkU6ajCwsDypPVETmvK7bOss0J6v1BDE8gIYlwI8b9_tY_jmLc-DkRfBr9eIo-nxuYH_uwmSSrioEJzR0pQ3UzJ7EmJ1qTCemoRfCUFA6kzaPmsPSt92oAR2x83MoDDS6L44BbZ3QNAgOaJg/w400-h235/DSCN4678.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Deer hinds</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjX66yVpuPxJiE9-JE6FVYPUV2xelmDOxqu7IiXZDqt1vhVnz426hRpBLr1N5W7JBrynGn_DCt1TGPsV2s90TB-LPVsCHBt7hjXptKktjkpelrcfqUhD1y_mgla8Yz31dmhBwcj18Ywvy3IBQye47zIlW7jpINDG38mLnvoq8gfOYF6wJI5g/s4521/DSCN4680.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1893" data-original-width="4521" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjX66yVpuPxJiE9-JE6FVYPUV2xelmDOxqu7IiXZDqt1vhVnz426hRpBLr1N5W7JBrynGn_DCt1TGPsV2s90TB-LPVsCHBt7hjXptKktjkpelrcfqUhD1y_mgla8Yz31dmhBwcj18Ywvy3IBQye47zIlW7jpINDG38mLnvoq8gfOYF6wJI5g/w400-h168/DSCN4680.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Deer stags</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">In the same upland glens, </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Red Deer, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> mainly in large same-sex herds, can usually be seen, although a number of factors such as the weather, in particular the wind strength and depth of the snow, and whether there is any local shooting activity , can dictate whether we get nice close-up views, or distant views through the telescope....</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Up3iZsZRxqy6mT-WubLRL3jPoZv814Jcf7eiJMQ9Ekubn5Up64sXo8UsKfjVDf-tyrfKFT4TgcDi2h2hOce914DIGj6qah93SMUZKvFPLI2rsSRGSvL-NqvQyaEZyRHkcvDiH4D9RWSxPfqRFFjGoMGixEhnyKZRmPRfQ3xTYYW6YcWhbg/s1475/83816038_10158058458917430_533036498342117376_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="729" data-original-width="1475" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Up3iZsZRxqy6mT-WubLRL3jPoZv814Jcf7eiJMQ9Ekubn5Up64sXo8UsKfjVDf-tyrfKFT4TgcDi2h2hOce914DIGj6qah93SMUZKvFPLI2rsSRGSvL-NqvQyaEZyRHkcvDiH4D9RWSxPfqRFFjGoMGixEhnyKZRmPRfQ3xTYYW6YcWhbg/w400-h198/83816038_10158058458917430_533036498342117376_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Feral Mountain Goats (photo from Jan 2020)</b></td></tr></tbody></table></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Still up in the glens, another local speciality mammal, our </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Feral Mountain Goats </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">can often seen on the same sheltered sides of the ridges as the Red Deer , and at this time of year it is not unusual to see them with the first , very cute, new-born youngsters ....</span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ4bnOlzzzu6NRWcv_0EllapYVSUPPsNp6mUKbtEiOFzAcKmWSc1P6WwKto8ZfZhULq_U0GluiBY0UZKWDh_O_gM7gKQLPIQPmnKTzubFcL_YaXBFjRWFU6A75RR1e6wY4xbVvgxpNM7kQvgl-46021VnMTsqyhgrauorIR2pdPME8rRe9gA/s932/Caterina%20Mazzocchi%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="696" data-original-width="932" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ4bnOlzzzu6NRWcv_0EllapYVSUPPsNp6mUKbtEiOFzAcKmWSc1P6WwKto8ZfZhULq_U0GluiBY0UZKWDh_O_gM7gKQLPIQPmnKTzubFcL_YaXBFjRWFU6A75RR1e6wY4xbVvgxpNM7kQvgl-46021VnMTsqyhgrauorIR2pdPME8rRe9gA/w400-h299/Caterina%20Mazzocchi%201.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Squirrel by Caterina Mazzocchi</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Red Squirrels</b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> are a true Highlands speciality, and we are usually fortunate enough to see at least one on most of my safaris, mainly chomping on peanuts at forest feeding stations, but with the occasional random sighting whilst walking or driving in suitable habitat.</span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT7c5vTt8E0rujPm2xyXovdtiTB_eRdECakiNAfK0iUxLO6kWgG8dQ8caNONbAvNGSgbmp9CvLCJbBQ4djATKYcC6CRthud33ebvQPvY0AXoVN1t22EL2zwQ3BHkzA6gPimv6OFZXhZooAx2UxR6BIsZa24q6O0tTr-uBqWvgivDlEBjWVxw/s4151/S%20N%20Roe%20Deer.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="2768" data-original-width="4151" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT7c5vTt8E0rujPm2xyXovdtiTB_eRdECakiNAfK0iUxLO6kWgG8dQ8caNONbAvNGSgbmp9CvLCJbBQ4djATKYcC6CRthud33ebvQPvY0AXoVN1t22EL2zwQ3BHkzA6gPimv6OFZXhZooAx2UxR6BIsZa24q6O0tTr-uBqWvgivDlEBjWVxw/s320/S%20N%20Roe%20Deer.JPG" width="320" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Roe Deer by Steve Nicklin (photo from Jan 2020)</b></td></tr></tbody></table></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Roe Deer</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> are most commonly seen at dawn or dusk and generally at the quieter, more remote sites well away from human disturbance, their shy, nervous nature making them much harder to see than Red Deer, despite being considerably more numerous and widespread than their larger 'cousins'...</span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Although we managed a few early morning sightings of </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Brown Hare</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> this month, mainly on the quieter farmland areas, they were very fleeting glimpses, and sadly, I failed to get a decent photo ...</span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span style="color: #06004c; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCq8UQw_qepORptsUJoVjDdcq2JvtDLWYaLL1lErmiexrdZl2kTu5gsXSDU9V24YK_v62PVkbI51iqFu55RH5VchvmnJ9gvKp_AO7YeZclBItf8hLKg8vda_IogiNfzIYBa-jKSXJ7liGDKzGUmpQQN4KZ3xlwmYllKUX01QQ0qNFJ2Rxf5Q/s1896/IMG_0522.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1282" data-original-width="1896" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCq8UQw_qepORptsUJoVjDdcq2JvtDLWYaLL1lErmiexrdZl2kTu5gsXSDU9V24YK_v62PVkbI51iqFu55RH5VchvmnJ9gvKp_AO7YeZclBItf8hLKg8vda_IogiNfzIYBa-jKSXJ7liGDKzGUmpQQN4KZ3xlwmYllKUX01QQ0qNFJ2Rxf5Q/w400-h270/IMG_0522.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Carrot time for Murdo means smiles all round...</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Hairy Highland Coo's</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"> always prove to be popular with my safari clients, especially those who do not have them close to home, so don't be afraid to ask me if you fancy going to see them, and maybe even get to feed and 'pat' them, as I have a couple of great sites....</span></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Rare/nocturnal mammals:</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">I get a few enquiries about the possibility of seeing </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Badgers</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> and </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Pine Marten</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> from my safari clients, many of whom I suspect are unaware that they are actually a largely nocturnal creature, and although we do get the occasional (maybe one or two a year) dawn glimpse of one, you would definitely have a much higher chance of seeing them at a specific dusk Badger/Pine Marten watching hide - Please contact me for more information.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Similarly, our inland </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Otters</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> too are mainly active during the hours of darkness, and again, although we do get a few early-morning sightings on local lochs and rivers each year, looking for them feeding in a suitably quiet, kelp - filled bay on the coast on a rising tide, but at any time of day, would give you a much better chance.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-family: quot; line-height: 1.4;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: quot; line-height: 1.4;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Whilst we are still on the 'tricky to see stuff', the <b>Scottish Wildcat </b>too, as well as being incredibly rare now, is also generally nocturnal, and the fact that I have had a mere handful of (dawn or dusk) sightings in 17 years of providing wildlife safaris should give you an idea of how difficult they are to see.</span></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Other wildlife:</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">Nothing to report in this category this month, I'm afraid....</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">News:</b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">All tourism/hospitality/activities in Scotland are open , are free of restrictions and I have now completed well over a year of (thankfully!) increasingly busy and extremely enjoyable safaris with clients with no major issues arising.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">With all national travel restrictions lifted too, Scotland is officially 'open for business' for visitors from all over the UK, and from abroad.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">For those considering a visit, these wildlife/outdoor tourism websites may prove useful:</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b>https://www.gov.scot/collections/coronavirus-covid</b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.outdooraccess-scotland.scot/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">NatureScot (outdooraccess-scotland.scot)</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xGdTZcC2ZQ" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-line: none;">Can Nature Help Health? | Nature Prescriptions - YouTube</a></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1HBKnnGr-g" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;">Scotland, Yours to Enjoy. Responsibly. - YouTube</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://cairngorms.co.uk/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">Cairngorms National Park Authority</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.highlandwildlifepark.org.uk/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">Highland Wildlife Park</a></p><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.gov.scot/publications/avian-influenza-outbreaks/" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;">Avian influenza (bird flu) outbreaks - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)</a></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://www.rspb.org.uk/about-the-rspb/about-us/how-the-rspb-is-run/annualreport/annual-report-2022_scotland-news/?utm_source=notes_on_nature_20220903&utm_medium=email&utm_term=notes_on_nature&utm_content=27&utm_campaign=notes_on_nature" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;">Positive prescriptions | The RSPB</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIKM0t2Y1nW5KHiQvc05ERKPgeDnM96f2aazecrUzmpOPDEi9VsRDLUhwVu41yuAeyzQlcbODRaq-X4izopXZW4bGXmETloi_1DqijGTDgsz1_C-ANaQ3PVp0lM2Hy-3GXOZer88xhnq0CNercHjcMOVQCfcU9aakHpFpO7_KHWtsnnOoW4A/s2015/IMG_0622.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1063" data-original-width="2015" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIKM0t2Y1nW5KHiQvc05ERKPgeDnM96f2aazecrUzmpOPDEi9VsRDLUhwVu41yuAeyzQlcbODRaq-X4izopXZW4bGXmETloi_1DqijGTDgsz1_C-ANaQ3PVp0lM2Hy-3GXOZer88xhnq0CNercHjcMOVQCfcU9aakHpFpO7_KHWtsnnOoW4A/w400-h211/IMG_0622.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A snowy scene at Insh Marshes RSPB Reserve</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>COVID-19</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">The Scottish Highlands, being very sparsely populated, has had very few COVID-19 cases in comparison to most of the UK, and on my safaris we tend to visit remote , wild habitats well away from the more popular tourist areas, and usually have very little interaction with other people, and this is something that I intend to continue.</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYrlj1TlC1aW8Vs1j7UP4jq9usnuyfJVTtHEIOfjsDVB1D6pZKpyF0do4_IHmNePEeOq1L1W-4qJfSjBbGALQrdBtkBgJfjJI_jaEaJzYoV5sIS3aX0oEW4nl8XCCn1KhXGBkVv7o6ZQiZsIQ_E-jF91ZwAR8zD-xR4Op502wGC-OkqrasGA/s1514/IMG_0657.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1112" data-original-width="1514" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYrlj1TlC1aW8Vs1j7UP4jq9usnuyfJVTtHEIOfjsDVB1D6pZKpyF0do4_IHmNePEeOq1L1W-4qJfSjBbGALQrdBtkBgJfjJI_jaEaJzYoV5sIS3aX0oEW4nl8XCCn1KhXGBkVv7o6ZQiZsIQ_E-jF91ZwAR8zD-xR4Op502wGC-OkqrasGA/w400-h294/IMG_0657.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Thank goodness for 4-wheel drive!</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><br />Summary:</b><div><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><br /></b></div><div><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">Although I was only booked for 2 safaris this month - January is always 'quiet' - I am pleased to report that I managed to get out and about in the wilds to enjoy the spectacularly scenery and wildlife of the Cairngorms National Park on a regular basis , not so good for my bank balance, but great for my physical and mental health, general well-being , and my ever-increasing 2023 bird 'year-list', and thankfully, my safari bookings diary is filling - up nicely for future months....<br /><br /><br /><br /></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Reviews:</b></span></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="" style="color: #06004c;">I know a lot of visitors to this area very wisely check out reviews of attractions/experiences at </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">TripAdvisor</b><span face="" style="color: #06004c;"> before 'taking the plunge' and booking - We now have over 270 reviews online, so if you wish, you can check out our clients comments at the link below....</span></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><div style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"></span></span><br /><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g186537-d3335134-Reviews-</span></span></span></span></span></div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"></span></span><br /><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Highland_Wildlife_Birdwatch_Safaris-Aviemore_Aviemore_and_the_Cairngorms_Scottish.html</span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvce31mTXJLZQrChK2AHW5dPaY3nCEF4zVhIOUcpeUMckz4MrzoQREjCr80nGmiRIIDw872x1GEc45OcZlZhlSfqa9aSqedImBZ0c8EqHo3X0bLqc-_XeKg55MmjDokFly8uuQJQ76kNgYAgJFeIX_Cp6UIDmDP0Ms_dcR28lDb7GPIWsoWw/s1919/IMG_0650.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1287" data-original-width="1919" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvce31mTXJLZQrChK2AHW5dPaY3nCEF4zVhIOUcpeUMckz4MrzoQREjCr80nGmiRIIDw872x1GEc45OcZlZhlSfqa9aSqedImBZ0c8EqHo3X0bLqc-_XeKg55MmjDokFly8uuQJQ76kNgYAgJFeIX_Cp6UIDmDP0Ms_dcR28lDb7GPIWsoWw/w400-h269/IMG_0650.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Snow-covered local farmland</b></td></tr></tbody></table></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div></div></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Photos:</b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></p><p><b>Prints of any of the photos (taken by myself) shown on this blog, going right back to 2015, </b><b>reproduced on high quality photographic paper, </b><b> with a choice of sizes up to A3, and satin pearl or glossy finishes available, </b><b>can now be purchased from me at very reasonable prices</b><b>. So if you see an image that might look nice in a frame (provided by yourself) on your wall, please make a note of the year and month of my blog in which it appeared, and email me for more information.</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p><br /></p><p></p><p><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><div style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><b>G</b></span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">ift Certificates:</b></p><div><div style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; color: #222222; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 5px; position: relative;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T95gARK_lkQ/XAvNUI2tI6I/AAAAAAAADwU/GDPgK9hH9LwgLQ8gPnoaLdf04Yn2BLebwCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_1578.JPG" style="background: none 0% 0% / auto repeat scroll padding-box border-box transparent; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 5px;" width="400" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 10.56px; text-align: center;"><b>Safari gift voucher</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></span></span></div></div></div><div><br /></div><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><div><span face="" style="color: #06004c; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;">If you think you know someone who may enjoy a taste of what I do, why not treat them to a safari gift </span><span face="" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;">certificate? They make a thoughtful and imaginative present, are available for any amount and are valid for a whole year from date of purchase........</span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span face="" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div></span></span></div></div></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></span></p><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Highland Wildlife & Birdwatch Safarishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04327130550058794301noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26724394.post-64364895742791680782022-12-30T11:36:00.000+00:002022-12-30T11:36:01.091+00:00<p><b>December 2022</b></p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!!</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>I would like to wish all my readers a healthy, happy, and wildlife-filled 2023.</b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">December 2022, weather-wise, saw winter hit the Highlands with a vengeance for the middle two weeks of the month, with our snowiest and coldest pre-Christmas weather for over a decade, but despite the wilder than usual conditions, thanks to the excellent all-weather abilities of my trusty 4-wheel drive Land Rover Discovery, we managed to access even the remotest sites without too much trouble.</p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">The Cairngorms National Park is the coldest - temperatures hit -20c locally this month - and snowiest place in Britain though, so if you are considering a future winter visit, you would be wise to check the weather forecast in advance, and pack suitable warm clothing and footwear.</p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">Despite the days being at their shortest now, with only around 7 hours of usable daylight, by 'cherry-picking' the best ones, we still enjoyed some memorable adventures, with plenty of exciting wildlife sightings, and often against dramatic and picturesque snowy Highland backdrops.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">With all our winter-visiting birds now here, full-day local safari bird lists topped-out in the 30's, or more if you include a trip to the nearby Moray Coast - though I didn't manage a trip there myself this month, whilst mammal day lists varied between 3 and 7 depending on the time of our start and number of habitats visited, with earlier starts, as usual, proving to be best....</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisO8MhiZmuUWWvzJUAWg1tRknyn1pEcptfxyJifavb6-kdO0-aAB-hjg-J7pK8I3yWlQM5TvKIYfGsBH_ZbGHtxVuj4z7dTEEoucx2WaP83T6oMcqiGNE03-dNffGZUnfyysf2GYVJf9oc8qcaXYCKTRxRsj9XWvkK7UK8sC96EAQmQj99WA/s2016/IMG_0277.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisO8MhiZmuUWWvzJUAWg1tRknyn1pEcptfxyJifavb6-kdO0-aAB-hjg-J7pK8I3yWlQM5TvKIYfGsBH_ZbGHtxVuj4z7dTEEoucx2WaP83T6oMcqiGNE03-dNffGZUnfyysf2GYVJf9oc8qcaXYCKTRxRsj9XWvkK7UK8sC96EAQmQj99WA/w400-h300/IMG_0277.jpg" width="400" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A suitably festive scene in the Cairngorms National Par</b>k</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">To give you an idea of what you may realistically hope to see if you are considering a future December visit, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">I hope the following more detailed information, illustrated with photos taken at sites in and around the Cairngorms National Park, and sometimes further afield, by myself, my friends or my safari clients this month and in previous December's will help....clicking on the picture enlarges it to full-screen. </span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Local speciality/upland bird species seen regularly during the month included</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">:</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Crested Tit</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Red Grouse</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, <b>Golden Eagle</b> , <b>White-Tailed Eagle,</b> and </span><b>Dipper, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">whilst </span><b>Black Grouse </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">were occasionally seen at or soon after dawn at traditional lek sites, and we also had a few decent sightings of <b>Snow Bunting.....and a couple of views of Crossbills</b>.<b>...</b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">Local winter visiting birds were represented by <b>Redwings and Fieldfares,</b> family groups of <b>Whooper Swans, s</b>everal species of 'grey' <b>Geese, </b>and a few <b>Redpolls and Bramblings </b>were also seen...whilst <b>Waxwings</b> were finally reported locally from mid-month....</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Mammal species seen regularly included:</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Red Squirrel</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Red Deer</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Reindeer</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Roe Deer</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Mountain Goat</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> , </span><b>Rabbit </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">and</span><b> </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">(white)</span><b> Mountain Hare</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">.....with just a few (mainly dawn) views of </span><b>Brown Hare</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> and a few brief glimpses of </span><b>Bank Vole </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">and</span><b> Wood Mouse </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">underneath forest bird feeders</span><b>...</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">December 2022 bird sightings in more detail:</b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="font-size: 14.52px;">Up in the glens...</b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZbkKs1DWQAFPF-Z4AJ7Sb1Svjr0J2Y5GQD5Gd6FgAUZKyo-4rfMzVxJnNjoHHHk0QkhLq-A1gAWi3piFv5ReQonTmq4E9ysVpUceBGZ1oYjwvrRjb2stmg64nZs9sCT5POkGYh2WDQeCJGawSDxoG05I7kSUFzoXhEsvSa28nKeni2OQwAA/s1954/IMG_3755.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1151" data-original-width="1954" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZbkKs1DWQAFPF-Z4AJ7Sb1Svjr0J2Y5GQD5Gd6FgAUZKyo-4rfMzVxJnNjoHHHk0QkhLq-A1gAWi3piFv5ReQonTmq4E9ysVpUceBGZ1oYjwvrRjb2stmg64nZs9sCT5POkGYh2WDQeCJGawSDxoG05I7kSUFzoXhEsvSa28nKeni2OQwAA/w400-h235/IMG_3755.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Winter in a local upland glen</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjfKmEN0W_29UFRem8a9r_4J0Oa1e11w0j9X1174l1fNdJa6g5jK4oyosErliArXDHESQItgFxX3_aALkqXqlRF8jByZtbKjxb6E9VMkKP-djHBUKSB9_WP4y4l9WXpPGqFTb0EUv5P8toPRKHFjysWEaRsHc0L594fjJmXMXJiFnDpmHEug/s2983/DSCN4135.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1692" data-original-width="2983" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjfKmEN0W_29UFRem8a9r_4J0Oa1e11w0j9X1174l1fNdJa6g5jK4oyosErliArXDHESQItgFxX3_aALkqXqlRF8jByZtbKjxb6E9VMkKP-djHBUKSB9_WP4y4l9WXpPGqFTb0EUv5P8toPRKHFjysWEaRsHc0L594fjJmXMXJiFnDpmHEug/w400-h228/DSCN4135.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Golden Eagle</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqHMmEJNPJ5dyDMSVJvHNKDTJWLVoS-RX6IMm7g1qwkh23pqGEtcfBHRi1xuTHbdo0xByvABgxL2xBlm-9IXIE14dOkiFs-kHnRHqw7HbhmdIQtnG2Nd6Hp0NtmkvLc_FoeS84mznAzZ818pkZznhrBxQ9c-Z_tLgHadoWwx9vx4V3XsXSzA/s2888/DSCN4137.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1829" data-original-width="2888" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqHMmEJNPJ5dyDMSVJvHNKDTJWLVoS-RX6IMm7g1qwkh23pqGEtcfBHRi1xuTHbdo0xByvABgxL2xBlm-9IXIE14dOkiFs-kHnRHqw7HbhmdIQtnG2Nd6Hp0NtmkvLc_FoeS84mznAzZ818pkZznhrBxQ9c-Z_tLgHadoWwx9vx4V3XsXSzA/w400-h254/DSCN4137.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Golden Eagle</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgurtr7G03ggiVFgc8z8DebF0-PND18X0RNUowffsV_m-lvkyAyvqSyyVAVao6DOW0vQi0qbU2JstJacZ-ZBMXKzVKru1by70NGGV-joi3ZhVw8kbGuIsaLs6b1TCLMamcGfGH_oKpLioCrRstk7sxtQpMBYlENl2ti4WekTs__6vyJen-tXA/s1671/Steve%20N%20GE%201.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1114" data-original-width="1671" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgurtr7G03ggiVFgc8z8DebF0-PND18X0RNUowffsV_m-lvkyAyvqSyyVAVao6DOW0vQi0qbU2JstJacZ-ZBMXKzVKru1by70NGGV-joi3ZhVw8kbGuIsaLs6b1TCLMamcGfGH_oKpLioCrRstk7sxtQpMBYlENl2ti4WekTs__6vyJen-tXA/w400-h266/Steve%20N%20GE%201.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Golden Eagle by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiSyOwQ2JezMDTe_CEAuUvp8j4OiwszUmQIkWopgJMKCBZ0f3HMDNYO1-41Yh2SLZg5e6QjNfpdo9YcNj2CB8U7qnoUldqQfs1yOS3l_AXpLXeEbtiAzeoB8KvfaJfG1B3W6vJsW8FJgPuurCHIPwZAS0k1kFO58UeofsxMr73oW_4ZrvefA/s2357/Steve%20N%20GE.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1571" data-original-width="2357" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiSyOwQ2JezMDTe_CEAuUvp8j4OiwszUmQIkWopgJMKCBZ0f3HMDNYO1-41Yh2SLZg5e6QjNfpdo9YcNj2CB8U7qnoUldqQfs1yOS3l_AXpLXeEbtiAzeoB8KvfaJfG1B3W6vJsW8FJgPuurCHIPwZAS0k1kFO58UeofsxMr73oW_4ZrvefA/w400-h266/Steve%20N%20GE.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Golden Eagle by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHdDqm-WcP6zlrEKeivRZHY6Bku-voVOqAuLjEflcbr5AhRcLdJPNu14f9tG57fxKn-xuZ3kmR1DHuy_vIAUB8qjgD6R-vtkjY8fE7sS7HgisYfgdthMOsS8PzIHOkk_EzHYTlIctA7Na2TTX921hHZi0nL8QPB5AqSYfGkrf9x2lGDSaTWA/s962/Josh%20Allan%20WTE%20pair.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="962" data-original-width="962" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHdDqm-WcP6zlrEKeivRZHY6Bku-voVOqAuLjEflcbr5AhRcLdJPNu14f9tG57fxKn-xuZ3kmR1DHuy_vIAUB8qjgD6R-vtkjY8fE7sS7HgisYfgdthMOsS8PzIHOkk_EzHYTlIctA7Na2TTX921hHZi0nL8QPB5AqSYfGkrf9x2lGDSaTWA/w400-h400/Josh%20Allan%20WTE%20pair.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>White-Tailed Eagles by Josh Allan</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf5Hl-R2FhOgciU6I7xIJDzc0_SjiPYUSoF-3QV61J3QoGwzx4ZLznARVzWLs6vBDwVLGT9wQvri-IwdOWEMdfJ_SiwwanOz9pwZCVuKvMV1o_QAvFEUUGUDOd5MQyEtk1JqADZUHiO6EC65WrSV8cYRlwCrRIxipTe-kaYnK-kmkkOonzoQ/s690/Josh%20Allan%20WTE.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="568" data-original-width="690" height="329" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf5Hl-R2FhOgciU6I7xIJDzc0_SjiPYUSoF-3QV61J3QoGwzx4ZLznARVzWLs6vBDwVLGT9wQvri-IwdOWEMdfJ_SiwwanOz9pwZCVuKvMV1o_QAvFEUUGUDOd5MQyEtk1JqADZUHiO6EC65WrSV8cYRlwCrRIxipTe-kaYnK-kmkkOonzoQ/w400-h329/Josh%20Allan%20WTE.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>White-Tailed Eagle by Josh Allan</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr9QgDDmg3b3Fp2ZY1NspG-_0htRq10s2Tk7ZHleNbQ8SlUcHbROS7q-XmSXcCk1xyemxR_eLz2Li0bZPl5lZWvG-V6LXyqLpqLBdz3T3Owvm32_pBZgYGvrGp3n_YQkoHYmW78lELk8euip4CMZxvWUOh4bDTHqBAp_9CF0k8XrrdehZFSA/s3717/DSCN4422.JPG" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2871" data-original-width="3717" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr9QgDDmg3b3Fp2ZY1NspG-_0htRq10s2Tk7ZHleNbQ8SlUcHbROS7q-XmSXcCk1xyemxR_eLz2Li0bZPl5lZWvG-V6LXyqLpqLBdz3T3Owvm32_pBZgYGvrGp3n_YQkoHYmW78lELk8euip4CMZxvWUOh4bDTHqBAp_9CF0k8XrrdehZFSA/w400-h309/DSCN4422.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Young White-Tailed Eagle</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;">As I have mentioned before, the short daylight hours, and no breeding season distractions, mean that</span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> winter is definitely the best time of year for raptor sightings in this area</b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;">, and this month again proved very fruitful, with my favourite local upland glens providing us with pleasingly regular sightings, and even the occasional (and rare) photo opportunity, of the much sought after </span><strong style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Golden Eagle </strong><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;">and</span><strong style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> White-Tailed Eagle, </strong><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;">with views of these magnificent and truly huge birds always putting a smile on our faces, and filling us with awe.....</span></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyFdUtnx9QkKGHI15lynhbpHs0KcoIbNbQJ1dyRDDS71uVPdUr-SSnqQdVW7TLl1toB7XImleaeGtDpiubNK_Gmg5ptbUYV98838zfOeRHbvEshYS_jDpwIVDryPbs7HE2AyKft767cnN9mPtIrPn1HHlQqlNnvIotI9cQvzNgLa68_YXFOA/s3539/DSCN0589.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2655" data-original-width="3539" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyFdUtnx9QkKGHI15lynhbpHs0KcoIbNbQJ1dyRDDS71uVPdUr-SSnqQdVW7TLl1toB7XImleaeGtDpiubNK_Gmg5ptbUYV98838zfOeRHbvEshYS_jDpwIVDryPbs7HE2AyKft767cnN9mPtIrPn1HHlQqlNnvIotI9cQvzNgLa68_YXFOA/s320/DSCN0589.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Kite</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijMlmKRGnwFDJdjol__IxOjfCUko25tzASFVxuDGbsX5FlgOGMWfNXZucZF0dyCiYTDvmaFCYHdITHQJE7NL97eCWmb5yB1gAM0FOtkato93wZw85QPaK9-yXUxJPq-OCmQF9hxhMpJLOEcRCdkkcqOLxxqE-M_BC-w-m9JqjmTE6dfGWJfw/s2438/DSCN6036.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1613" data-original-width="2438" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijMlmKRGnwFDJdjol__IxOjfCUko25tzASFVxuDGbsX5FlgOGMWfNXZucZF0dyCiYTDvmaFCYHdITHQJE7NL97eCWmb5yB1gAM0FOtkato93wZw85QPaK9-yXUxJPq-OCmQF9hxhMpJLOEcRCdkkcqOLxxqE-M_BC-w-m9JqjmTE6dfGWJfw/s320/DSCN6036.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Common Buzzard</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Should the Eagles fail to show, the regular 'raptor back-up cast' of </span>Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Peregrine, Buzzard,<span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span></span><strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Red Kite</strong><strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;">, </strong><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;">and the chance of even the occasional </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Merlin</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Hen Harrier</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;"> and </span><strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Goshawk</strong><strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;"> </strong><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;">often provide good entertainment by way of consolation though....</span></span></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></span></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></span></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14.52px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Up on the moors...</b></span></span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJPIQJcFiLic-fRvUIyTNoAI0ZBGGnLZomDPP7EpD4-8MsnqwQMGpTr75KM8fvLEKuFuY7of5niCox0WVIQxTkcyCxWqR_66pujeDkQS7tNAHW9zQzynlDeegVHiPKWU691xM25xntJh-fji0mVzW9PG9t8HkldXWPK6aYeWyC8uuFR4BUng/s2008/IMG_0370.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1245" data-original-width="2008" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJPIQJcFiLic-fRvUIyTNoAI0ZBGGnLZomDPP7EpD4-8MsnqwQMGpTr75KM8fvLEKuFuY7of5niCox0WVIQxTkcyCxWqR_66pujeDkQS7tNAHW9zQzynlDeegVHiPKWU691xM25xntJh-fji0mVzW9PG9t8HkldXWPK6aYeWyC8uuFR4BUng/w400-h248/IMG_0370.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A local upland heather moorland</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjknQuEkJxMMkUbnt4AF4W0cOMomJAxNa0AGqlYz1GdmfYjxUOf9cPfLsGnXU8HaZUMKYpcnMuSODemSiJscS7q72k1Z11fi7NIBX8_tupv-GD6VPHk4cVULMz_a4A6V5rL-8oz1x8d6k64fmSZifZTRsTcRhBjSvc0330dUehTy5pd_MFNaw/s4089/DSCN4150.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2754" data-original-width="4089" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjknQuEkJxMMkUbnt4AF4W0cOMomJAxNa0AGqlYz1GdmfYjxUOf9cPfLsGnXU8HaZUMKYpcnMuSODemSiJscS7q72k1Z11fi7NIBX8_tupv-GD6VPHk4cVULMz_a4A6V5rL-8oz1x8d6k64fmSZifZTRsTcRhBjSvc0330dUehTy5pd_MFNaw/w400-h270/DSCN4150.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Displaying Black Grouse</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;">Pre-dawn starts - a relatively user friendly 8am at this time of year - gave us decent views of up to 12 displaying male </span><b>Black Grouse</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"> on local moorland 'lek' sites, though rather frustratingly, they proved to be a little unpredictable, with seemingly no obvious pattern to whether they would show or not - they are more reliable from Feb-May- so it should be noted that we did fail to see them on a few occasions...</span></b></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></b></b></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpNY7UZqT0doTuWtf4N5EX_fiMkzjqD9xx2HuxEY889ZU9oDDypnyUjGqezIE1HihUcDExCsF6hHe2__pn6xHBPk__y7ZbYBjuiBL8ASq1fRTnv8Ni_tisdwoP_24hRUDM4mSK0BFeJbnJV7gZ-6YWc9kdO8lm3MDNBzOPP69UBWBp_Jjhcg/s4607/DSCN4004.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2982" data-original-width="4607" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpNY7UZqT0doTuWtf4N5EX_fiMkzjqD9xx2HuxEY889ZU9oDDypnyUjGqezIE1HihUcDExCsF6hHe2__pn6xHBPk__y7ZbYBjuiBL8ASq1fRTnv8Ni_tisdwoP_24hRUDM4mSK0BFeJbnJV7gZ-6YWc9kdO8lm3MDNBzOPP69UBWBp_Jjhcg/w400-h259/DSCN4004.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male and Female Red Grouse</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT5QW5amkpuBm-HW_QiM2pQpiA14-CmPt2x3pc78zF-t0u0wWqOE2kct4Zf9VNuIEVEqvRciMwI2r8N9JhHB3zZiKOWV39lsuboXK_QUwYqvepEAs2T4nqRvMStrked5ud9kAsIE64n0qiMiuiAYk_wAlraJaoisRmYXfyas33vrL0plSGrw/s3921/DSCN4218.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2250" data-original-width="3921" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT5QW5amkpuBm-HW_QiM2pQpiA14-CmPt2x3pc78zF-t0u0wWqOE2kct4Zf9VNuIEVEqvRciMwI2r8N9JhHB3zZiKOWV39lsuboXK_QUwYqvepEAs2T4nqRvMStrked5ud9kAsIE64n0qiMiuiAYk_wAlraJaoisRmYXfyas33vrL0plSGrw/w400-h230/DSCN4218.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Female Red Grouse - Note the white winter leg feathering</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"></p><p></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">By using my safari vehicle as a stealthy and slow-moving 'mobile hide', our local </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Red Grouse</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> were reasonably easy to see and photograph on their favoured upland heather moorlands this month, as some of the cock birds already seem to be getting a little aggressive and territorial, with a few individuals seen perching prominently on the few higher points and occasionally even being heard uttering their guttural 'go-back, go back' calls, with their red 'eyebrows' aglow....</span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">I</span><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">n the forests...</b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcFzgWYJPetSSe-Hrtfe9Zih6wD5zeesnHV49OJB74x7jlcsv_q5mfS_BA37n70TmY8Sf-WOW07CVlKc1JeKBPvKJOyFHPNaFsZoZj5AZF2w0cAZGO_BSXLU1WrajD7l2gR3Unpn43sYwFhNe6T1A2AelkjJZ_1MK1j7ewNDUZ3WNjlSj4fQ/s2016/IMG_0259.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcFzgWYJPetSSe-Hrtfe9Zih6wD5zeesnHV49OJB74x7jlcsv_q5mfS_BA37n70TmY8Sf-WOW07CVlKc1JeKBPvKJOyFHPNaFsZoZj5AZF2w0cAZGO_BSXLU1WrajD7l2gR3Unpn43sYwFhNe6T1A2AelkjJZ_1MK1j7ewNDUZ3WNjlSj4fQ/w400-h300/IMG_0259.jpg" width="400" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Local ancient Caledonian forest - Before the snow came...</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifXd4JzIf5d4mf_PU7D_q9qxuo00IAJHB8G-ZYKyxeaalo3gViPbn0JlAnY9F28Js_X4tnm77JBxlfnjOGzerrqshaR1z19kUcuvhpR2OrsBxoLiNIOyRu0cxdRxdXgZtIy7QRT1qtxpOjHUBwr9oOEmwd65nyvvSK-WYdP3lEv_skbMn1BA/s2371/DSCN4234.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1737" data-original-width="2371" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifXd4JzIf5d4mf_PU7D_q9qxuo00IAJHB8G-ZYKyxeaalo3gViPbn0JlAnY9F28Js_X4tnm77JBxlfnjOGzerrqshaR1z19kUcuvhpR2OrsBxoLiNIOyRu0cxdRxdXgZtIy7QRT1qtxpOjHUBwr9oOEmwd65nyvvSK-WYdP3lEv_skbMn1BA/w400-h293/DSCN4234.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Crested Tit</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8wbTs1FOCz0qD_mVnrtCcw3Mu9QzOa7TvRh_e4gXTib3gnv0h7Y_F9UaJTb5_qW1YKNV6Hk-9lYs0NFxGc0o-myawjnb3mcQNsz8rbzRHtu_BQ62b9n6oIDQKhwTESIHUPi_der5U8Q7UvfKjC2ZuiH-VrSk5OajQX8nSWnGBEQzBd_M8OQ/s771/Josh%20Allan%202.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="578" data-original-width="771" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8wbTs1FOCz0qD_mVnrtCcw3Mu9QzOa7TvRh_e4gXTib3gnv0h7Y_F9UaJTb5_qW1YKNV6Hk-9lYs0NFxGc0o-myawjnb3mcQNsz8rbzRHtu_BQ62b9n6oIDQKhwTESIHUPi_der5U8Q7UvfKjC2ZuiH-VrSk5OajQX8nSWnGBEQzBd_M8OQ/w400-h300/Josh%20Allan%202.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Crested Tit by Josh Allan</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgscIY7Py9ZvqjSIOwvLrsWiFQ-_wh8Y5jpDGkXDUdntxhZan3nLVpGgT7FtIpuOQZUEUjUSoCyZ5OpMdgDX4KWNv8tqQuSMthiYlcV5C_mQMtt5SYPtvFWFd0PrlT8nl3Pf9Wmo9pp_RNX5qyEJNb3HQ_Ffzkmmt8BUBlTm0bN386-hN54tw/s3276/DSCN3820.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3097" data-original-width="3276" height="379" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgscIY7Py9ZvqjSIOwvLrsWiFQ-_wh8Y5jpDGkXDUdntxhZan3nLVpGgT7FtIpuOQZUEUjUSoCyZ5OpMdgDX4KWNv8tqQuSMthiYlcV5C_mQMtt5SYPtvFWFd0PrlT8nl3Pf9Wmo9pp_RNX5qyEJNb3HQ_Ffzkmmt8BUBlTm0bN386-hN54tw/w400-h379/DSCN3820.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Crested Tit</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Crested Tits</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> are always a joy to see (and hear - they have a characteristic chuckling trill)), being a true local speciality , and during the winter months they can usually be relied upon to put in an appearance at my favourite Caledonian forest feeding stations, especially on the colder days, though it should be noted that, being extremely 'flitty' and quick, they rarely give good photo opportunities...</span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwvWRsmrKNQyYdjoGNHykP4mQbJXbrjQDZKbUBmjGOaIasOvHllMsqylSL-x1ld1wCD3fGy8O-u8D_YVj-aDg9BdxPhjdKfneFftW6WpSUQM9XwA8xgkANTbMDikXjp44cw1wM-1jRjnLaS2SbH72HwwZD8wL2-N1HyThiTlzoWMzzasUXlw/s2014/IMG_0337.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1123" data-original-width="2014" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwvWRsmrKNQyYdjoGNHykP4mQbJXbrjQDZKbUBmjGOaIasOvHllMsqylSL-x1ld1wCD3fGy8O-u8D_YVj-aDg9BdxPhjdKfneFftW6WpSUQM9XwA8xgkANTbMDikXjp44cw1wM-1jRjnLaS2SbH72HwwZD8wL2-N1HyThiTlzoWMzzasUXlw/w400-h223/IMG_0337.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Ancient Caledonian forest after the snow arrived...</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO7iin4wL-6oWoZennP8F3e3ok-nJy8XHBcUPutZ8XIZwk1OV6tsvX5VGNMDhDakZUsO2jxNk1IDhrhq1BqQCqEVNI-BDX_ZkxRiMKgrh2cRIsBAvI0Xa_GsuvIoiXAMqnALIPN-Mw4maycfEleJTGRh6UXJkgmuCQIaTw_BnBCwRNiNfrMQ/s988/Josh%20Allan%20XB%203.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="792" data-original-width="988" height="321" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO7iin4wL-6oWoZennP8F3e3ok-nJy8XHBcUPutZ8XIZwk1OV6tsvX5VGNMDhDakZUsO2jxNk1IDhrhq1BqQCqEVNI-BDX_ZkxRiMKgrh2cRIsBAvI0Xa_GsuvIoiXAMqnALIPN-Mw4maycfEleJTGRh6UXJkgmuCQIaTw_BnBCwRNiNfrMQ/w400-h321/Josh%20Allan%20XB%203.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Female Crossbill by Josh Allan</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8yPDc_uKJmJlxz1hYhxqg8iffBs24a72Rw-GywrCK4LwKBYNXt49sZ07lizX_WK1TMXzdkM8Cig9rLxN56XwnGMYjeNoQsytdLK5Ot926jSoEXlCKqnMG8-nRmE0JDO2gEOSqhZGF1VIiTdBGaS0d-pMNrmyFecht5w8OcQX4aVytCOVbqQ/s1195/Ron%20Mitchell%203.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="864" data-original-width="1195" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8yPDc_uKJmJlxz1hYhxqg8iffBs24a72Rw-GywrCK4LwKBYNXt49sZ07lizX_WK1TMXzdkM8Cig9rLxN56XwnGMYjeNoQsytdLK5Ot926jSoEXlCKqnMG8-nRmE0JDO2gEOSqhZGF1VIiTdBGaS0d-pMNrmyFecht5w8OcQX4aVytCOVbqQ/w400-h289/Ron%20Mitchell%203.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Female Crossbill by Ron Mitchell - Photo from Dec 2019</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Still in the Caledonian forests, sadly, </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Crossbil</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">l sightings were, as usual, mainly restricted to the fly-over variety, and we usually only identified them by their characteristic 'jip jip' calls.....though as they are early nesters, we now have a chance of some better views of singing and displaying birds over the next couple of months... and that was the case on the 4th when a small group actually posed nicely for a short while, allowing a rare photo opportunity...</span></p><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Continuing the forest theme, despite numerous walks and drives through suitable habitat, sadly, but not unusually, we failed to see a single </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Capercaillie</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> again this month...but I will be increasing my efforts soon, in order to try and get what is becoming an increasingly difficult 'year-tick'!!</span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>On the rivers...</b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhejDaoqcAvt-8RRbUTUiLGaP_hMSIgom98UGAQnz6-UxoWfRzGiwyW1ASOQYloZ-IuPHucgVtru3ySR8lbpEd70JNsDQTM5m8nIvd9pY_ferTOyqOb_exlSXyYPZuEH27pRbNY8-uiHblu5XOWMY3n0svbDVINQYkNHNYk1k4WQy6xd-UQnw/s1627/IMG_0377.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="999" data-original-width="1627" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhejDaoqcAvt-8RRbUTUiLGaP_hMSIgom98UGAQnz6-UxoWfRzGiwyW1ASOQYloZ-IuPHucgVtru3ySR8lbpEd70JNsDQTM5m8nIvd9pY_ferTOyqOb_exlSXyYPZuEH27pRbNY8-uiHblu5XOWMY3n0svbDVINQYkNHNYk1k4WQy6xd-UQnw/w400-h245/IMG_0377.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Winter on a local stretch of the River Spey</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /><br /><br /><b><br /></b></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXtrIMd2LXrH-gYm73K3p5WWRCznsnrG1U-byuX_b2K5hJjkiFWknY_hMmFSaBgEGNZ5a57McrpGr24HjL8oiJ5xwYJavnuZWHuV5Y7F6aqOsyvNvetGhcytU_B-Figr2s9nVhMTMoMn1ENcNnbXLaTvh5XAz2bs1Yjn8MMA1hHhyo4ttkgQ/s4182/DSCN4409.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2411" data-original-width="4182" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXtrIMd2LXrH-gYm73K3p5WWRCznsnrG1U-byuX_b2K5hJjkiFWknY_hMmFSaBgEGNZ5a57McrpGr24HjL8oiJ5xwYJavnuZWHuV5Y7F6aqOsyvNvetGhcytU_B-Figr2s9nVhMTMoMn1ENcNnbXLaTvh5XAz2bs1Yjn8MMA1hHhyo4ttkgQ/w400-h230/DSCN4409.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Dipper</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="847" data-original-width="1285" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb_Zq2rzY2sJl2hNPs18FRohVgY_7N6OJ60Z_29SJerxmnspHL7kh4pGqVydstItjLnZ8aTNwGWhsvuoKMMiplc1JvLLmFDlXXNj5AB0saDt9U0DiTllAmW7ElIZWDpP-BRVUtMsx43pCCIZorBrKTxAI5KZ-y-VuFmxo4yQCcrqo1O-v7Pw/s320/Lizee%20Oliver%20Dipper%202.jpg" width="320" /></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Dipper by Lizee Oliver - Photo from Dec 2019</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">On our local rivers, the Dippers are usually pretty reliable in December, </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">with much aggression, singing and displaying being witnessed</span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> especially soon after dawn, and usually near to favoured nesting (and viewing) spots, particularly bridges....which is very useful , as it gives us much more chance to see and photograph them....however, our local rivers were partly frozen for much of this month, so sightings were less regular than normal....</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span></span></p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">On the lochs...</b></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja0l6i9fcktWjobI9Y5yFxOH5i6sMV2GD83BoutAi3Q-jFfNZaDdWngg5iLGMYreHNCJ6GGbNJ42ws1bSDAwpk22s5OhBW09qPrfepl6YcUr8NPCdhWJkkM-ptsWQi7VdX1wRnQTrHgw9Te2mRtdOufHSijmQfiS2hxYRx6G6hCWUPGI1DuA/s4607/DSCN4328.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2521" data-original-width="4607" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja0l6i9fcktWjobI9Y5yFxOH5i6sMV2GD83BoutAi3Q-jFfNZaDdWngg5iLGMYreHNCJ6GGbNJ42ws1bSDAwpk22s5OhBW09qPrfepl6YcUr8NPCdhWJkkM-ptsWQi7VdX1wRnQTrHgw9Te2mRtdOufHSijmQfiS2hxYRx6G6hCWUPGI1DuA/w400-h219/DSCN4328.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A frozen Loch Garten</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhVO_3R9qCDpUrY-IYqmUKQonff5ZcDcaH7eeWeik3Xidomsr-ntruM_grfFbsvBUxQclrNAAx13YWryTieMVlcah8ZPjAaXLxTEjPpsT_MtB55Uoj9I90ZmjiZveowSgniIqyB_yNQqUVP7RtCCqgxwSYJWSA8k0V2XVZZhXX4eAk_WQQmQ/s4608/DSCN4214.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1306" data-original-width="4608" height="114" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhVO_3R9qCDpUrY-IYqmUKQonff5ZcDcaH7eeWeik3Xidomsr-ntruM_grfFbsvBUxQclrNAAx13YWryTieMVlcah8ZPjAaXLxTEjPpsT_MtB55Uoj9I90ZmjiZveowSgniIqyB_yNQqUVP7RtCCqgxwSYJWSA8k0V2XVZZhXX4eAk_WQQmQ/w400-h114/DSCN4214.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Goldeneyes</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Star birds on the lochs during the winter are probably <b>Goldeneyes</b>, with the males now in their dapper breeding plumage, and the winter-visiting <b>Whooper Swans,</b> with a back up cast of <b>Goosander</b>, <b>Teal</b>, <b>Wigeon </b>and <b>Tufted Ducks</b>, but as the lochs were frozen from the 5th onwards, sightings were somewhat limited this month....</p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Up in the mountains....</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ3JwUHIafyAa-MnB7ZjDRY6vkaZgG58-Du7UCiqcFivQa5CCjAj0oFgp6HqSS23uUxEMvzwZj5CDBtnRCQa8hgooQ3oy72hFmlgnPgKELYmPSKys57tai55wfA8HdHOjFhxX-weOSugRWbG7LYCfSeML-7NTxOaxCp93z2QAK1sN_AlEPNg/s1997/IMG_0281.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1997" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ3JwUHIafyAa-MnB7ZjDRY6vkaZgG58-Du7UCiqcFivQa5CCjAj0oFgp6HqSS23uUxEMvzwZj5CDBtnRCQa8hgooQ3oy72hFmlgnPgKELYmPSKys57tai55wfA8HdHOjFhxX-weOSugRWbG7LYCfSeML-7NTxOaxCp93z2QAK1sN_AlEPNg/w400-h213/IMG_0281.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A snowy scene in the Cairngorm Mountains</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b><br /><br /></b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvb5mky6nHXKNjlp4wEj6119uTDRcshg5SjswinTZ2mUaaP_AWDJAg0j6b1PQhKJ4L8vEpyYQvv3EqkEcn_l906urRtSOTV9gcGJZ4HKOsf5MUAINVf3EkYk0h_MpX4DOTIhEUFwZlmSc6Bm3sgWG8uCzDCN_FVb6hGmpknuEHRmGXv2rZAw/s4608/DSCN4278.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2411" data-original-width="4608" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvb5mky6nHXKNjlp4wEj6119uTDRcshg5SjswinTZ2mUaaP_AWDJAg0j6b1PQhKJ4L8vEpyYQvv3EqkEcn_l906urRtSOTV9gcGJZ4HKOsf5MUAINVf3EkYk0h_MpX4DOTIhEUFwZlmSc6Bm3sgWG8uCzDCN_FVb6hGmpknuEHRmGXv2rZAw/w400-h209/DSCN4278.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Snow Buntings</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi62lIFyX0S5w1twcglb7d43KTHpDY9ImV3nDK6PfIWAKP2yVdisaIKVe9pVmfhZ9frV51Sb0_MSPF6ko3bVdqofXGkvgkz0B2TWjnlHXgxuFxwMI1LR0xvpPRVCzC9diwwUWeOdj2U_m7M4fsh-6-2X2nMYmuWV1_NGXHomilkJLF5gEDD-A/s3350/DSCN4294.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2281" data-original-width="3350" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi62lIFyX0S5w1twcglb7d43KTHpDY9ImV3nDK6PfIWAKP2yVdisaIKVe9pVmfhZ9frV51Sb0_MSPF6ko3bVdqofXGkvgkz0B2TWjnlHXgxuFxwMI1LR0xvpPRVCzC9diwwUWeOdj2U_m7M4fsh-6-2X2nMYmuWV1_NGXHomilkJLF5gEDD-A/w400-h272/DSCN4294.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Snow Buntings</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b><br /></b><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd251y2uuwzxZcQaoOf0XQpxUZJgURdxBkgF3S-IvtSUuafFCPWpmZe3roD6U5gxbbITcfTDjyNYzp63315TNu4BQgYgNRPNqfyRIsu_V4NcF2FVbTm-pg7MT7RJBRK93zHJVy7Jci69u6U5M2NUX1OF1KjXzCKgYe1oImNOpRV-HxfEv6gw/s3496/Steve%20N%20SB.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2331" data-original-width="3496" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd251y2uuwzxZcQaoOf0XQpxUZJgURdxBkgF3S-IvtSUuafFCPWpmZe3roD6U5gxbbITcfTDjyNYzp63315TNu4BQgYgNRPNqfyRIsu_V4NcF2FVbTm-pg7MT7RJBRK93zHJVy7Jci69u6U5M2NUX1OF1KjXzCKgYe1oImNOpRV-HxfEv6gw/w400-h266/Steve%20N%20SB.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Snow Bunting by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Snow Buntings</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"> can often be seen well during the winter as they usually begin to frequent known lower altitude sites, possibly driven down from the mountain tops by the snow and cold, and with their numbers likely to have been swelled by visitors from Scandinavia...and I am always sure to have a bag of wild bird seed on board, as they can sometimes be tempted to come and feed at quite close range....as was the case several times this month....</span></b></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilEXRrNoaqUZj30HFjYf2qgThAAouJm5UuWJXr3sn6zJnDQrtEqCj4LVbQeVtXTK-Gskjl5gyHGQ_Gv2u7-gH4CBhOYv45LfPaR9ydn8th44hfVEFtg3PYAjIMyaWCQ-BgS4fQzV24BBV8iW6kbeLGec53zy1AqW4pH_jKbNVLAw5F-fiBvg/s1024/Paul%20Sharman%20Ptarmigan.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilEXRrNoaqUZj30HFjYf2qgThAAouJm5UuWJXr3sn6zJnDQrtEqCj4LVbQeVtXTK-Gskjl5gyHGQ_Gv2u7-gH4CBhOYv45LfPaR9ydn8th44hfVEFtg3PYAjIMyaWCQ-BgS4fQzV24BBV8iW6kbeLGec53zy1AqW4pH_jKbNVLAw5F-fiBvg/w400-h266/Paul%20Sharman%20Ptarmigan.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Ptarmigan by Paul Sharman - Photo from Dec 2018</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">With the Cairngorm Funicular Railway still closed for major repairs, the weather rarely being suitable, and the days so short now, I didn't venture up into the mountain-tops myself this month, but for future reference, a few </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Ptarmigan</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> , now almost totally white, can sometimes be seen, up around the 'snow-line', usually sheltering on the leeward sides of ridges, out of the cold wind...</span></p><div><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Winter-visiting birds seen in our area this month included:</b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><br /></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhifafOKtGOmR5i3GsBvDYbOTJa-33zi-OgN7z-fDBi1mz0DLFYj5LMz2nMLqTfsKF3_zFoHYJGtNjJ9q4zD859-WZw51VwNVqUQWRiXIza1mQiI1Jx2AEdlhxF3zjXfqw1PeASwTMpJJT7ov73TvvvpuOK9bfSEP7XVlXfcGDz6slB__v7iA/s2757/IMG_0571.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1402" data-original-width="2757" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhifafOKtGOmR5i3GsBvDYbOTJa-33zi-OgN7z-fDBi1mz0DLFYj5LMz2nMLqTfsKF3_zFoHYJGtNjJ9q4zD859-WZw51VwNVqUQWRiXIza1mQiI1Jx2AEdlhxF3zjXfqw1PeASwTMpJJT7ov73TvvvpuOK9bfSEP7XVlXfcGDz6slB__v7iA/w400-h204/IMG_0571.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Whooper Swans</b></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXwMb-QpFMI79DYVm6M1gYeEixuw9GySUGLUlrLjSlGHhzdqWXIWSoWiZEaIpB8aG8vJEPShlZKtLDTLQsa3_UUWaVqcJJ4uxYjaVeXI7tOYco_x3mDEKk_YFJpGShAziGErmKGcQdeRyRU8LW7WtXwepyI_rPoCm3o1pzmJbbqAE9q0c4Vg/s4135/DSCN4414.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3014" data-original-width="4135" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXwMb-QpFMI79DYVm6M1gYeEixuw9GySUGLUlrLjSlGHhzdqWXIWSoWiZEaIpB8aG8vJEPShlZKtLDTLQsa3_UUWaVqcJJ4uxYjaVeXI7tOYco_x3mDEKk_YFJpGShAziGErmKGcQdeRyRU8LW7WtXwepyI_rPoCm3o1pzmJbbqAE9q0c4Vg/w400-h291/DSCN4414.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Fieldfare</b></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNB_SjpuIm--txzor_fp5olHQapkbspsP7rAkE57j1Ztq0cQ052I18XcGZDPbXTLcLKlcAXAcgGvb6qHF42ioBXQUGWCsym7F1E-2TX0PcW8a2GD3VBDs2BJDSJ92JyqzAzdPakzCqEAkKGAWhpPzqaKBsvunQSY4zRhSS1UIScPyR7Ha8ZA/s1266/Steve%20N%20Redwing.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="844" data-original-width="1266" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNB_SjpuIm--txzor_fp5olHQapkbspsP7rAkE57j1Ztq0cQ052I18XcGZDPbXTLcLKlcAXAcgGvb6qHF42ioBXQUGWCsym7F1E-2TX0PcW8a2GD3VBDs2BJDSJ92JyqzAzdPakzCqEAkKGAWhpPzqaKBsvunQSY4zRhSS1UIScPyR7Ha8ZA/s320/Steve%20N%20Redwing.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Redwing by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglD5O9_MGwiqMPFUQ4O3vc8ro27s4eOreZnzi1sI4YI2RuTKq7H2CBxF8RhaAfv7CasLMqGiVvQocKIJ-PwJePSPd3xh3mX7bTVMqrpyYrUSL7A0JM-IR0P0hzV75dGXEVswH1NWRLtd17z_ZDGQSQKxyQa0_cD1HoC0dlpchOdekouEIupg/s2045/Steve%20N%20Wax%202.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1363" data-original-width="2045" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglD5O9_MGwiqMPFUQ4O3vc8ro27s4eOreZnzi1sI4YI2RuTKq7H2CBxF8RhaAfv7CasLMqGiVvQocKIJ-PwJePSPd3xh3mX7bTVMqrpyYrUSL7A0JM-IR0P0hzV75dGXEVswH1NWRLtd17z_ZDGQSQKxyQa0_cD1HoC0dlpchOdekouEIupg/w400-h266/Steve%20N%20Wax%202.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Waxwing by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy0ZY7AHk7btCBbqrfKz-6Zps9B2dmW5X65ov138KSdAa1EUmgrtMgyHkbikvxUqW4x6q9BATArBBrZCtbXPFVAp735Trn2CMPuP-boaGDbpgOg-9iyLRZgeFY-PIbFk40Ur_55LrczpNFfyQZf05f1CO28CEi1A9m0RabXzOMYnzWa4TlZg/s2704/Steve%20N%20Wax%201.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1803" data-original-width="2704" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy0ZY7AHk7btCBbqrfKz-6Zps9B2dmW5X65ov138KSdAa1EUmgrtMgyHkbikvxUqW4x6q9BATArBBrZCtbXPFVAp735Trn2CMPuP-boaGDbpgOg-9iyLRZgeFY-PIbFk40Ur_55LrczpNFfyQZf05f1CO28CEi1A9m0RabXzOMYnzWa4TlZg/w400-h266/Steve%20N%20Wax%201.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Waxwing by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Local winter visiting birds were represented by </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Redwings and Fieldfares,</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> family groups of </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Whooper Swans, s</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">everal species of 'grey' </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Geese, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">and a few </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Redpolls and Bramblings </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">were also seen...whilst </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Waxwings</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> were finally reported locally from mid-month....</span></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></div></b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Other good/scarce birds seen/reported locally this month included:</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">A<b> Ring-Necked Duck </b>on Loch Insh early and late in the month , flocks of <b>Twites </b>on local farmland, a Kingfisher on the River Spey, a <b>Marsh Harrier </b>at Insh marshes on and <b>off throughout the month, </b>and 3<b> Russian White-Fronted Geese </b>there late in the month..</p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-weight: 700;">A few photos of more common birds seen locally this month: </span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFmZbbwIoHfjx5mi7A6dXh0JE5nsqJeDO_hUt8NgCE-PBvuvEn8g83gKLz7nxGKqTFTcKyVEv9L5Ox-8yxNIAS-uWzLFqJUlyrhqrQ7HG8dBEL7Rw2znkVLt6FHtIYw2nS35Q5H1qnw5Kc0uT87DzBCIOkc_hYJgAt4cQjpXj7DfmTf0_DlQ/s4116/DSCN4334.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2581" data-original-width="4116" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFmZbbwIoHfjx5mi7A6dXh0JE5nsqJeDO_hUt8NgCE-PBvuvEn8g83gKLz7nxGKqTFTcKyVEv9L5Ox-8yxNIAS-uWzLFqJUlyrhqrQ7HG8dBEL7Rw2znkVLt6FHtIYw2nS35Q5H1qnw5Kc0uT87DzBCIOkc_hYJgAt4cQjpXj7DfmTf0_DlQ/s320/DSCN4334.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Coal Tit</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsBrhdOkX3lb-wVFnu19LjbwHAdT7Kz2oD58SuBFFhfsa0XdFlneq5EjZs_5DCcwIW14ycmCuEwuKhS1_jL6eOXKknl5X-Euu0UUh75phi_lAfECxMiKlpCCu6Te6X5csPqwgB5lffbopkCMLW0txfIQFxerWWLnAgr0yDK45zCxal0epZVQ/s3398/DSCN4335.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2408" data-original-width="3398" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsBrhdOkX3lb-wVFnu19LjbwHAdT7Kz2oD58SuBFFhfsa0XdFlneq5EjZs_5DCcwIW14ycmCuEwuKhS1_jL6eOXKknl5X-Euu0UUh75phi_lAfECxMiKlpCCu6Te6X5csPqwgB5lffbopkCMLW0txfIQFxerWWLnAgr0yDK45zCxal0epZVQ/s320/DSCN4335.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Great Tit</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNrTVjZwK8kTNHg4QtmDu5f6wtZ6U_35K8hRxozdLctBUqAjeV0tg8VMHMNWqxHyOSlWK-4J92VgcQJBYm1Q5P14g8SHB07Hhwyk8oHxpC9poIEZJ_Izm04aJK4uHnSWdMLy73GIT_4V_Z_08FxqwGL5-maaANYW05QQBPZFXKs_G_sh9wgw/s3295/DSCN4413.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2293" data-original-width="3295" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNrTVjZwK8kTNHg4QtmDu5f6wtZ6U_35K8hRxozdLctBUqAjeV0tg8VMHMNWqxHyOSlWK-4J92VgcQJBYm1Q5P14g8SHB07Hhwyk8oHxpC9poIEZJ_Izm04aJK4uHnSWdMLy73GIT_4V_Z_08FxqwGL5-maaANYW05QQBPZFXKs_G_sh9wgw/s320/DSCN4413.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Greenfinch</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="color: #06004c; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSSYnMBNFw5IOq47GINoZBokuobOAZ0rE5XF1v4syjz75whNxeiE8_Rb5dF4ma70gulCEJxn3Ku8s1MCqrergxn8jKu_rDs1CpV9EOzBegSj56pzXshjaDF0pANWtRXvSD5-MSpw87f54IP-xTu-kNxF_WTClo39nsNWWri8Ji_oEtbv2C_A/s2465/DSCN4166.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1880" data-original-width="2465" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSSYnMBNFw5IOq47GINoZBokuobOAZ0rE5XF1v4syjz75whNxeiE8_Rb5dF4ma70gulCEJxn3Ku8s1MCqrergxn8jKu_rDs1CpV9EOzBegSj56pzXshjaDF0pANWtRXvSD5-MSpw87f54IP-xTu-kNxF_WTClo39nsNWWri8Ji_oEtbv2C_A/w400-h305/DSCN4166.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Robin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRHSr8st-4uKL8u4pSCOt8xxa75qWq1MAHaOsGowUpqJQYddl5YwacJTMqJgFP6puoS4IFPlOF62nhG-uFG9VZP-O0MNmJfxILJHDkMayHkdhYiWDRSO5Ru_z4FHmZsIJYfvzo0eEQ-qahAs9PjUA8j4j1o_Hf8zwW2X4azb3MD7i686wq1A/s4034/DSCN4400.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2134" data-original-width="4034" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRHSr8st-4uKL8u4pSCOt8xxa75qWq1MAHaOsGowUpqJQYddl5YwacJTMqJgFP6puoS4IFPlOF62nhG-uFG9VZP-O0MNmJfxILJHDkMayHkdhYiWDRSO5Ru_z4FHmZsIJYfvzo0eEQ-qahAs9PjUA8j4j1o_Hf8zwW2X4azb3MD7i686wq1A/w400-h211/DSCN4400.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Grey Heron</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;">Adventures 'out of area':</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"> </span></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">Although I didn't make a trip there myself this month, the Moray coast is only about an hour drive north of Aviemore, and trips to favourite reserves, lochs, bays and harbours usually give good views of wintering birds such as </span><b>Greylag</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> </span><b>Geese</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Pink-Footed Geese</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Brent Geese</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, <b>Barnacle Geese</b>, </span><b>Whooper Swan</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Shoveler</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Wigeon</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Teal</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> </span><b>Pintail</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">,</span><b> </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> </span><b>Bar-Tailed Godwit</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Knot, Golden Plover</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> , </span><b>Grey Plover </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Ringed Plover</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Purple Sandpiper</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, <b>Redshank</b>, <b>Oystercatcher</b>, <b>Turnstone</b>, <b>Curlew</b>, </span><b>Common Scoter</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Velvet Scoter</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Red-Throated Diver</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Long-Tailed Ducks, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Eiders</b></span><b>, Slavonian Grebe, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">with the chance of rarities such as</span><b> </b><b>Snow Geese,</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> rare</span><b> Scoters, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">and</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> </span><b>King Eider.....</b></p><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">December 2022 mammal sightings in more detail:</b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBKsM7yRGXVqfiC9bXKt3Wj-Q6IU30JlW2IwsTnSu43TJD1ezaqW8cOinZpiKfulaqsjU7DgQHPvwue6hzF4oSyrbVzFQEmOKAOHfhoCn0M9fPEys9Nu_RVY4ZY2ju88u-kzpnx7wAUAtrUkeZmGu0ho03GVqjemFmhsP_PRvrZjMXHeztbw/s3729/DSCN4140.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2704" data-original-width="3729" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBKsM7yRGXVqfiC9bXKt3Wj-Q6IU30JlW2IwsTnSu43TJD1ezaqW8cOinZpiKfulaqsjU7DgQHPvwue6hzF4oSyrbVzFQEmOKAOHfhoCn0M9fPEys9Nu_RVY4ZY2ju88u-kzpnx7wAUAtrUkeZmGu0ho03GVqjemFmhsP_PRvrZjMXHeztbw/w400-h290/DSCN4140.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Mountain Hare</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><br /></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY8so9Ikio8x3dj27CELMtmc4gMOpraV2SdcDYouofL-NiIdA11yyL3jJZHY933eTVIICUWM8ABItmYBQsJXUa8BIwKfYssiJqKPBC6aYlgzQG5nUtVl3RSu7SIjYf01g8gFj6szC3zzn3joq0-DNI2CFPhhER3Wq-prT2QlyB2OzLrqX22Q/s3292/Steve%20Nicklin%20Mountain%20Hare.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="2194" data-original-width="3292" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY8so9Ikio8x3dj27CELMtmc4gMOpraV2SdcDYouofL-NiIdA11yyL3jJZHY933eTVIICUWM8ABItmYBQsJXUa8BIwKfYssiJqKPBC6aYlgzQG5nUtVl3RSu7SIjYf01g8gFj6szC3zzn3joq0-DNI2CFPhhER3Wq-prT2QlyB2OzLrqX22Q/s320/Steve%20Nicklin%20Mountain%20Hare.JPG" width="320" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Mountain Hare by Steve Nicklin - Photo from Dec 2018</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaPNupahZM0B4ZpIT4TCzSombG3dZ7g-t7fcSt0wfD0xuhHJvfzLhLBdKXBc--uUc1iVnJDcfgUVJJ3DnK2QnF4blebqZt3pm9fTxuPfZPPPPITq6eMFqMz1Gqnu0vv0PyfY4VUOFdwp2zlLPbYnfgf9b6PoR6r7gahWxUUNcNCXTo14-RRw/s3501/Steve%20N%20MH.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2333" data-original-width="3501" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaPNupahZM0B4ZpIT4TCzSombG3dZ7g-t7fcSt0wfD0xuhHJvfzLhLBdKXBc--uUc1iVnJDcfgUVJJ3DnK2QnF4blebqZt3pm9fTxuPfZPPPPITq6eMFqMz1Gqnu0vv0PyfY4VUOFdwp2zlLPbYnfgf9b6PoR6r7gahWxUUNcNCXTo14-RRw/s320/Steve%20N%20MH.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Mountain Hare close-up by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Mountain Hares</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b>, </b>now they are in their most attractive winter-white outfits, are probably the most exciting mammal to see at this time of year, and with them now having protected status in Scotland, with less persecution, I am hoping to see a gradual reversal of their decline in numbers . If you fancy seeing them, we can often manage that, at distance, with my telescope from just outside my vehicle, but please be aware that some considerable rough uphill walking, often in snow, may be required to get close enough for photography purposes...</span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><p style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></p><p style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1VHUrobGJEiB8RjKUTfsLnZPDYWEw-oVl1REk6s_MXIYnE98YjZJn8N2lakBCgy7wSX_vksIxtSKv-fKe8VnMEl6m0wyHIy62sXW1XUYuZH5ixffXnj6HiJhhmvny4fR1vkzaDtk8hDy0fXLjOh3ELFF0afyVZtDt8jCo-CPYMiCRTmkiCQ/s4252/DSCN4096.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1776" data-original-width="4252" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1VHUrobGJEiB8RjKUTfsLnZPDYWEw-oVl1REk6s_MXIYnE98YjZJn8N2lakBCgy7wSX_vksIxtSKv-fKe8VnMEl6m0wyHIy62sXW1XUYuZH5ixffXnj6HiJhhmvny4fR1vkzaDtk8hDy0fXLjOh3ELFF0afyVZtDt8jCo-CPYMiCRTmkiCQ/w400-h168/DSCN4096.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Deer</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl3rfsYSj3Bv--Nn7yKWhlQQfbFVO0NhTjA5qdKz4HMMSJio5TWSNI4uVN3QGBjdjlkTlJE7rYz8af4vzqOuRRRcCVpyTZZ1u8fNvTEmpFeEXiG6wlKTNhqjznBWfkQQV2ZJskHtEyu1IarOpHpd03ooeGtM4v1tHBURqHdbQ4NZMegS2wtg/s3946/DSCN4104.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2978" data-original-width="3946" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl3rfsYSj3Bv--Nn7yKWhlQQfbFVO0NhTjA5qdKz4HMMSJio5TWSNI4uVN3QGBjdjlkTlJE7rYz8af4vzqOuRRRcCVpyTZZ1u8fNvTEmpFeEXiG6wlKTNhqjznBWfkQQV2ZJskHtEyu1IarOpHpd03ooeGtM4v1tHBURqHdbQ4NZMegS2wtg/w400-h303/DSCN4104.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Deer stag<br /><br /></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="font-weight: bold;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;">Also up in the glens, </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Red Deer</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;">, now mostly back in their same-sex herds, the October rut seemingly ancient history, were seen reasonably frequently, though often at long range, and we struggled on some days as some estates were culling the old, injured or unhealthy animals, and the disturbance, not surprisingly, made them a little more easily spooked than normal...</span></p></span></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Y_ojkCX9jJrDQLPo8o1JAHYo9bQW5PZsZ8WAjnKiVOw8qNS6yR4KwvCRxTasrG_WfYZeBKzH-SHSFEUVgYYGdcvVQPXF36QAi_Ylbp6b5j2kHDnTr2hPTN9rOWEqSEPWS2KapPs8KYC7LAW83g7Al8lTE6KhDQg304IRPiBLQyTA5aZ-AQ/s4608/DSCN4197.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Y_ojkCX9jJrDQLPo8o1JAHYo9bQW5PZsZ8WAjnKiVOw8qNS6yR4KwvCRxTasrG_WfYZeBKzH-SHSFEUVgYYGdcvVQPXF36QAi_Ylbp6b5j2kHDnTr2hPTN9rOWEqSEPWS2KapPs8KYC7LAW83g7Al8lTE6KhDQg304IRPiBLQyTA5aZ-AQ/s320/DSCN4197.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Feral Mountain Goat - Photo from Dec 2017</b></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div></b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><p><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75);"><b>Feral Mountain Goat</b>s </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif">also frequent our local upland glens, but they proved to be a bit elusive this month, which may well be because many of the females appear to be heavily pregnant, and keeping away from perceived dangers.... </span><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;" /></span></p><div style="font-weight: bold;"><br style="font-weight: 400;" /></div><div style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></div><div style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></div><div style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_4nn2zuG2mrbQmnMka73im3IQc1msq1PmiGVIeHWybD4S0Eh2Hhdi2zm0nwmM4ybr5dRXbDHwnjAs1VoddqFUJvCt04OyrgDrfKrnuhuPLOCRlR5YU1SdRJDpEYkWWxS7-BgKSt_4Ds9QOd_D-qLajxXMTtETMoSWe-prkPZALoha7Nj2GQ/s4608/DSCN5740.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_4nn2zuG2mrbQmnMka73im3IQc1msq1PmiGVIeHWybD4S0Eh2Hhdi2zm0nwmM4ybr5dRXbDHwnjAs1VoddqFUJvCt04OyrgDrfKrnuhuPLOCRlR5YU1SdRJDpEYkWWxS7-BgKSt_4Ds9QOd_D-qLajxXMTtETMoSWe-prkPZALoha7Nj2GQ/s320/DSCN5740.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Squirrel</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></div><div style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></div></span></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Red Squirrels</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"> are always a joy to see, with their relative rarity and very localised distribution in the UK, cute looks and cheeky nature, and they are pretty reliable visitors to forest feeding stations, and if you avoid sudden movements and keep quiet, you can often creep fairly close for photos.....</span></b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO0h_wJtjLBX-hSHusB8OAStNJ-SUwvv-7O5bcIqMBWLwASDTPLB6cTpEURDNHOFCBS8paTEP5F8zO_c9Uv4UrCbwjQsuOuYoYc-b6WcL2AWI9TkQUCpmm86gP_WdiKxx-QXHTaY8Phqx86l6CwpPCktxVu3wjr5CaGNqPKmJ86pWAKXdwDQ/s3952/DSCN8179.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2855" data-original-width="3952" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO0h_wJtjLBX-hSHusB8OAStNJ-SUwvv-7O5bcIqMBWLwASDTPLB6cTpEURDNHOFCBS8paTEP5F8zO_c9Uv4UrCbwjQsuOuYoYc-b6WcL2AWI9TkQUCpmm86gP_WdiKxx-QXHTaY8Phqx86l6CwpPCktxVu3wjr5CaGNqPKmJ86pWAKXdwDQ/w400-h289/DSCN8179.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Roe Deer</b></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><p style="font-weight: 400;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Roe Deer</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> are actually nowhere near as rare as most people think, being present throughout most of the UK, it's just that their nervous disposition and crepuscular nature tends to make them less obvious, and I tend to get most sightings in very undisturbed areas or at dawn and dusk..</span></p><div><br /></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfXR0lCmagg23ZZj6CY32NvygNQr-zZtmtvR5l-xm44bGDFkCVmwsfl0smMTYQ0Kh7cEA_QKCubkMwyLhlSW7rXcgWamgGhUAcowg8BUhUddY53EiNAKV092eIAxYs0C-l8_0rv2kaEOfsBgxTT-fkkIV6P7H6SU6CT6cIBIm9Kn_ZHXzdWw/s4608/DSCN4106.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfXR0lCmagg23ZZj6CY32NvygNQr-zZtmtvR5l-xm44bGDFkCVmwsfl0smMTYQ0Kh7cEA_QKCubkMwyLhlSW7rXcgWamgGhUAcowg8BUhUddY53EiNAKV092eIAxYs0C-l8_0rv2kaEOfsBgxTT-fkkIV6P7H6SU6CT6cIBIm9Kn_ZHXzdWw/s320/DSCN4106.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A typically wary Brown Hare</b></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div></b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><b>Brown Hares</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">, similarly to the Roe Deer, can also be very nervous and 'crepuscular' in nature, and most of our best sightings happen in the first hour of daylight, though sightings were very few and far between this month...</span></b></b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb5pecU0pAx_nv-XLY8gacHotjwPg8jtxjYkJjOZP12Qm3cdgFKED9Klbf2QJKqlYx3H-UIdl1OawQuC1tgCHne4--iQ0sWKmgf7TyiNVM3pBPE1dKjsR-7yLcdoA0w9npQUUheYTvfnnuY0kC9sWaaOBPCDI1ipI2LqLcTdsD1sm60I8nVA/s4367/DSCN4324.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1608" data-original-width="4367" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb5pecU0pAx_nv-XLY8gacHotjwPg8jtxjYkJjOZP12Qm3cdgFKED9Klbf2QJKqlYx3H-UIdl1OawQuC1tgCHne4--iQ0sWKmgf7TyiNVM3pBPE1dKjsR-7yLcdoA0w9npQUUheYTvfnnuY0kC9sWaaOBPCDI1ipI2LqLcTdsD1sm60I8nVA/w400-h148/DSCN4324.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Reindeer</b></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9i1VT1T4V9O3q7bHtFozJESeapOgOBnNbDilzMESO10eujIRsQewyZBvsdtxWODc7sd-o3rzXt9FJU89_pi17lO09SCzqSXSuvJJfLMLHSm8ODtmZVF732Wbwwa74q-LWYDNia5V3_QaYJ1JpbLHJBqIPemtvwESsYjCbnkXsP-druIneKw/s5472/Steve%20N%20REindeer%201.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9i1VT1T4V9O3q7bHtFozJESeapOgOBnNbDilzMESO10eujIRsQewyZBvsdtxWODc7sd-o3rzXt9FJU89_pi17lO09SCzqSXSuvJJfLMLHSm8ODtmZVF732Wbwwa74q-LWYDNia5V3_QaYJ1JpbLHJBqIPemtvwESsYjCbnkXsP-druIneKw/s320/Steve%20N%20REindeer%201.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Reindeer by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Britain's only free-roaming <b>Reindeer</b> can be found in the Cairngorms National Park, and we were lucky enough to get great views of them around Cairngorm Mountain early in the month....</span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEBIJkPPjIn1npFypvcUmdkDAVvY44oeyZwBe0TLU2OBsEdfxpP2sJDb7YzVruOScXZtopGZO1tPcyrdmmvf7TRIdhQbJ5tAQizLSt5KZV_Ze7erSQYlVlNV5jRbxf0roXPrNJ_RY9mYKghPKkSboDQLBiQhRhruW1BH1bI5KjNDEAvkkC6g/s2016/IMG_0243.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEBIJkPPjIn1npFypvcUmdkDAVvY44oeyZwBe0TLU2OBsEdfxpP2sJDb7YzVruOScXZtopGZO1tPcyrdmmvf7TRIdhQbJ5tAQizLSt5KZV_Ze7erSQYlVlNV5jRbxf0roXPrNJ_RY9mYKghPKkSboDQLBiQhRhruW1BH1bI5KjNDEAvkkC6g/w400-h300/IMG_0243.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Merry Christmas Murdo!!</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Highland Coo's</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"> always prove to be popular with my safari clients, especially those who do not have them close to home, so don't be afraid to ask me if you fancy going to see them, and maybe even get to feed and 'pat' them, as I have a couple of great sites....</span></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Rare/nocturnal mammals:</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">I get a few enquiries about the possibility of seeing </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Badgers</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> and </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Pine Marten</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> from my safari clients, many of whom I suspect are unaware that they are actually a largely nocturnal creature, and although we do get the occasional (maybe one or two a year) dawn glimpse of one, you would definitely have a much higher chance of seeing them at a specific dusk Badger/Pine Marten watching hide - Please contact me for more information.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Similarly, our inland </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Otters</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> too are mainly active during the hours of darkness, and again, although we do get a few early-morning sightings on local lochs and rivers each year, looking for them feeding in a suitably quiet, kelp - filled bay on the coast on a rising tide, but at any time of day, would give you a much better chance.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-family: quot; line-height: 1.4;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: quot; line-height: 1.4;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Whilst we are still on the 'tricky to see stuff', the <b>Scottish Wildcat </b>too, as well as being incredibly rare now, is also generally nocturnal, and the fact that I have had a mere handful of (dawn or dusk) sightings in 17 years of providing wildlife safaris should give you an idea of how difficult they are to see.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Other wildlife:</b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Nothing to report this month....</p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">News:</b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">All tourism/hospitality/activities in Scotland are open , are free of restrictions and I have now completed well over a year of (thankfully!) increasingly busy and extremely enjoyable safaris with clients with no major issues arising.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">With all national travel restrictions lifted too, Scotland is officially 'open for business' for visitors from all over the UK, and from abroad.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">For those considering a visit, these wildlife/outdoor tourism websites may prove useful:</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b>https://www.gov.scot/collections/coronavirus-covid</b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.outdooraccess-scotland.scot/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">NatureScot (outdooraccess-scotland.scot)</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xGdTZcC2ZQ" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-line: none;">Can Nature Help Health? | Nature Prescriptions - YouTube</a></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1HBKnnGr-g" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;">Scotland, Yours to Enjoy. Responsibly. - YouTube</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://cairngorms.co.uk/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">Cairngorms National Park Authority</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.highlandwildlifepark.org.uk/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">Highland Wildlife Park</a></p><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.gov.scot/publications/avian-influenza-outbreaks/" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;">Avian influenza (bird flu) outbreaks - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)</a></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://www.rspb.org.uk/about-the-rspb/about-us/how-the-rspb-is-run/annualreport/annual-report-2022_scotland-news/?utm_source=notes_on_nature_20220903&utm_medium=email&utm_term=notes_on_nature&utm_content=27&utm_campaign=notes_on_nature" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;">Positive prescriptions | The RSPB</a></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf6jKJvCTYVrRtJqsgJUOoEL38BEAD1sYLadCFynRYP52caGFgbVK0WJIb2llPbLuXpmViNJFenrdXM54vnJbZO-4Tb2npmrfDgKASsO2Mg3BbTwcNxlGbgHFmqlghTFxkdNYx52S0q90drPbp5roEjRk6HkOpBO_iyaLdS-3bMQUXhYqhPA/s2015/IMG_0306.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1364" data-original-width="2015" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf6jKJvCTYVrRtJqsgJUOoEL38BEAD1sYLadCFynRYP52caGFgbVK0WJIb2llPbLuXpmViNJFenrdXM54vnJbZO-4Tb2npmrfDgKASsO2Mg3BbTwcNxlGbgHFmqlghTFxkdNYx52S0q90drPbp5roEjRk6HkOpBO_iyaLdS-3bMQUXhYqhPA/w400-h271/IMG_0306.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Midwinter in a local birch wood</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p><b>COVID-19</b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">The Scottish Highlands, being very sparsely populated, has had very few COVID-19 cases in comparison to most of the UK, and on my safaris we tend to visit remote , wild habitats well away from the more popular tourist areas, and usually have very little interaction with other people, and this is something that I intend to continue.</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ59FekS-fYeYWSA4nOOL_GJFP-qVVZs4_2bP6u77kyiwYfnU-zyARIPhD66q5-WeHMf44ySsowhmZgU5EZkaM3s75q0NOZV2q3wV2esIHcSmFVb2Pfea8cg3GK6TKJp_bF9My9Pwt4RLaL4iBPtE35lJ-SRyA8CQwNXp5u3S8Jp2Dx_1HOg/s4324/DSCN4398.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2705" data-original-width="4324" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ59FekS-fYeYWSA4nOOL_GJFP-qVVZs4_2bP6u77kyiwYfnU-zyARIPhD66q5-WeHMf44ySsowhmZgU5EZkaM3s75q0NOZV2q3wV2esIHcSmFVb2Pfea8cg3GK6TKJp_bF9My9Pwt4RLaL4iBPtE35lJ-SRyA8CQwNXp5u3S8Jp2Dx_1HOg/w400-h250/DSCN4398.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Ruthven Barracks on Insh Marshes </b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Summary:</b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Well, after a couple of extremely difficult years, where the future of my business was very much in the balance, I am really pleased to announce that 2022 saw me booked for a record high number of safari days, narrowly beating my previous best year of 2019 - Meaning that we look to be well on the way to financial recovery - So it's a big thank you to all my clients, social media followers, and everyone else who has supported me in so many ways again this year, as I am very aware that I could not do this by myself.....</b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Looking back through my reports and photos at the end of the year is always a joy, and once again, it looks like 2022 for me, was a year filled with varied and beautiful highland scenery, exciting and awe-inspiring wildlife sightings, and happy times spent with lots of friendly and interesting like-minded people from all over the world - some new, some post- COVID returnees, and some valued 'regulars' who have become friends - special memories that have kept me - hopefully them, and maybe you - somewhere near sane during what has apparently been a bit of a depressing year, if you watch the news - Thankfully I don't!!</span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">I hope you have enjoyed viewing my photos and reading my safari updates as much as I have whilst experiencing and writing about them throughout the year.....And I am already looking forward to even more wildlife-filled adventures in 2023...and sharing them them with you all.....</span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Reviews:</b></span></p><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span face="" style="color: #06004c;">I know a lot of visitors to this area very wisely check out reviews of attractions/experiences at </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">TripAdvisor</b><span face="" style="color: #06004c;"> before 'taking the plunge' and booking - We now have over 270 reviews online, so if you wish, you can check out our clients comments at the link below....</span></div><p><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><div style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"></span></span><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;" /><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g186537-d3335134-Reviews-</span></span></span></span></span></div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"></span></span><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;" /><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Highland_Wildlife_Birdwatch_Safaris-Aviemore_Aviemore_and_the_Cairngorms_Scottish.html</span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div></div></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Photos:</b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></p><p><b>Prints of any of the photos (taken by myself) shown on this blog, going right back to 2015, </b><b>reproduced on high quality photographic paper, </b><b> with a choice of sizes up to A3, and satin pearl or glossy finishes available, </b><b>can now be purchased from me at very reasonable prices</b><b>. So if you see an image that might look nice in a frame (provided by yourself) on your wall, please make a note of the year and month of my blog in which it appeared, and email me for more information.</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p><br /></p><p></p><p><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><div style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><b>G</b></span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">ift Certificates:</b></p><div><div style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; color: #222222; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 5px; position: relative;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T95gARK_lkQ/XAvNUI2tI6I/AAAAAAAADwU/GDPgK9hH9LwgLQ8gPnoaLdf04Yn2BLebwCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_1578.JPG" style="background: none 0% 0% / auto repeat scroll padding-box border-box transparent; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 5px;" width="400" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 10.56px; text-align: center;"><b>Safari gift voucher</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></span></span></div></div></div><div><br /></div><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><div><span face="" style="color: #06004c; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;">If you think you know someone who may enjoy a taste of what I do, why not treat them to a safari gift </span><span face="" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;">certificate? They make a thoughtful and imaginative present, are available for any amount and are valid at any time, with (currently) no expiry date........</span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span face="" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div></span></span></div></div></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Highland Wildlife & Birdwatch Safarishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04327130550058794301noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26724394.post-6549062404556243172022-11-30T20:55:00.000+00:002022-11-30T20:55:56.656+00:00<div class="separator"><br /></div><div class="separator"><br /></div><div class="separator"><br /></div><div class="separator"><b>November 2022</b></div><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b>November 2022</b> similarly to last year, was generally much milder than average in this area, though with mainly south-westerly winds bringing a succession of Atlantic lows our way, the weather was frequently rainy and often a bit breezy, with unusually, hardly a frost or any snow..... until the final third of the month, when winter finally arrived, with our first frosts and proper covering of the white stuff on the mountain tops...</p><p>The unseasonably mild weather meant that many trees have retained their colourful autumn leaves, though the local berry stocks are now looking severely depleted after a month of attention from the winter thrushes.</p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Though the days are shortening noticeably now, with only around 8-9 hours of usable daylight (7am-4pm approx), a further influx of winter-visiting birds from further north, helped to boost local full-day bird day-lists into the 30's , or more if you include a trip to the nearby Moray coast, whilst mammal day-lists varied between 3 and 6 species, depending on the time of our start, and variety of habitats visited, with early starts usually proving to be more productive.</span></p><p>The raised water levels in the rivers caused by the autumn rains meant that the Atlantic Salmon were able to reach the spawning grounds and they provided great entertainment for the first half of the month.</p><p><b><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtUc5AaQs9zOXEHRgkmjNYuaJyEqf2-ofPNWIusG4lbcpO-cb4hIkI02C51k2CIkp5OCQG82w00iDGMi9ztUiZeNIq0s5FTV1ybU2vP54W234692yoa8D_extCv3rZIBqgq3ySdB06fFi36VqE9QbJzJ2U_1sIyoMuwVEENpoD8EUO8tow6w/s1987/IMG_5443.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1261" data-original-width="1987" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtUc5AaQs9zOXEHRgkmjNYuaJyEqf2-ofPNWIusG4lbcpO-cb4hIkI02C51k2CIkp5OCQG82w00iDGMi9ztUiZeNIq0s5FTV1ybU2vP54W234692yoa8D_extCv3rZIBqgq3ySdB06fFi36VqE9QbJzJ2U_1sIyoMuwVEENpoD8EUO8tow6w/w400-h254/IMG_5443.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A picturesque autumn scene in the Spey Valley</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">To give you an idea of what you may realistically hope to see if you are considering a future November visit, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">I hope the following more detailed information, illustrated with photos taken at sites in and around the Cairngorms National Park, and sometimes further afield, by myself, my friends or my safari clients this month and in previous November's will help....clicking on the picture enlarges it to full-screen. </span></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Local speciality/upland bird species seen regularly during the month included</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">:</span></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Crested Tit</b>, <b>Red Grouse</b>, <b>Dipper, </b><b>Golden Eagle</b>, and <b>White-Tailed Eagle. </b></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Black Grouse </b>were occasionally seen at or soon after dawn at traditional lek sites, though they were a little unreliable, but sadly, <b>Crossbills</b> were frustratingly elusive again, and (not unusually) we failed to see any <b>Capercaillie</b>...</div><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span></p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Mammal species seen regularly included:</b></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><b>Red Squirrel</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><b>Red Deer</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span><b>Roe Deer</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><b>Mountain Goat</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><b>Rabbit </b><span style="font-weight: 400;">, with just a couple of sightings of </span><b> </b><span style="font-weight: 400;">(now mostly white)</span><b> Mountain Hare</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">..... a few early morning sightings of </span>Brown Hare<span style="font-weight: 400;">, a couple of brief glimpses of </span><b>Bank Vole, </b><b> </b><span style="font-weight: 400;">and we also enjoyed great close-up views of </span><b>Atlantic Salmon</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> spawning in the upper reaches of our local rivers...</span></b></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">November 2022 bird sightings in more detail:</b></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-size: 14.52px;">Up in the glens...</b></span></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitol8wNVgAS_twPZWKogHl6SXT4LBiEQYdPFbEz8250ieXEi9_8NmucqOnnwqjaJKhkI6kOAVnihxf24mmtMJpz6yyoeDSWXZHnlX4PSO8PzMM-olX--WXTN8tI6w7jfygWJYy-DBgOCOLUKiE2d_6FeFa1QEVcRAzGCExqUWoI9_V6yJrRA/s2015/IMG_0140.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1292" data-original-width="2015" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitol8wNVgAS_twPZWKogHl6SXT4LBiEQYdPFbEz8250ieXEi9_8NmucqOnnwqjaJKhkI6kOAVnihxf24mmtMJpz6yyoeDSWXZHnlX4PSO8PzMM-olX--WXTN8tI6w7jfygWJYy-DBgOCOLUKiE2d_6FeFa1QEVcRAzGCExqUWoI9_V6yJrRA/w400-h256/IMG_0140.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A favourite local upland glen</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUC2Ogj_xq8ZY-_3DZqSYxmyd61ErpBNJkfaymaJ7zJCNP9sodK6OTWUbJja2LzJtfklCr7Vr8synksoH80nJwtkw_yaf2wbni1kD1bt3eExraO0Zua3JYPciYZ3ww8BziXeWrCVWEcNou__lMsx__2GdwjTOna537WZCnF3OjajTrFiZyhA/s2910/DSCN3767.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1560" data-original-width="2910" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUC2Ogj_xq8ZY-_3DZqSYxmyd61ErpBNJkfaymaJ7zJCNP9sodK6OTWUbJja2LzJtfklCr7Vr8synksoH80nJwtkw_yaf2wbni1kD1bt3eExraO0Zua3JYPciYZ3ww8BziXeWrCVWEcNou__lMsx__2GdwjTOna537WZCnF3OjajTrFiZyhA/w400-h215/DSCN3767.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Young White-Tailed Eagle</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><br /></b></span><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvxWTrrvWemNuXYWDGUdbVTjqyJ3aY6K11FbnFYXGVYhwdSHqcY8iI9CPQ3jB5jMrjxXHeT5ukrV_a8XuKavrfYfdRRDltrPkqmmDhyupMR3b2N1ARkPGQh4kiDIaxs4SfBtl4yI9HmKtqZ2DxbyLVPubapzqKwK_W5EJFa8X-IV4SS5UGiQ/s3229/DSCN4076.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2086" data-original-width="3229" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvxWTrrvWemNuXYWDGUdbVTjqyJ3aY6K11FbnFYXGVYhwdSHqcY8iI9CPQ3jB5jMrjxXHeT5ukrV_a8XuKavrfYfdRRDltrPkqmmDhyupMR3b2N1ARkPGQh4kiDIaxs4SfBtl4yI9HmKtqZ2DxbyLVPubapzqKwK_W5EJFa8X-IV4SS5UGiQ/w400-h259/DSCN4076.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>White-Tailed Eagle - Photo from Nov 2017</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL3M8xLUHPg7I7nHQzCk6U9nCnyXfJ-schyya8oNOw86bwr71esC1NsKJt9okil1V3knIvFSBkmJo1aLlUNd49UYmE783DyUiuI3P5blJuapZ5vnZ2vqXG3-dLiHnY_oq3VtqOca6tB10FG_3HeRNi78AIFc2xMppJhv5Ty91GGJqCRSw_fw/s1752/DSCN3966.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="849" data-original-width="1752" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL3M8xLUHPg7I7nHQzCk6U9nCnyXfJ-schyya8oNOw86bwr71esC1NsKJt9okil1V3knIvFSBkmJo1aLlUNd49UYmE783DyUiuI3P5blJuapZ5vnZ2vqXG3-dLiHnY_oq3VtqOca6tB10FG_3HeRNi78AIFc2xMppJhv5Ty91GGJqCRSw_fw/w400-h194/DSCN3966.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Young Golden Eagle</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG_GR21Us7gWNOHJa-Co4__aADpqNjWhFn-BEdOQX-gK7sA79gYgFASAKjt9wQDEO1eXuhN9V1wxmbIzp0oVsfvBpruSYgx3XYnDetG94D8B04GC9bGuQQf0Mf1T3tdSwhJVnaToawT5VQBp026_4e2j3qoShkJN6UemngNrtnYSR9S1ObfQ/s1699/Steve%20N%20Goldie%201.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="988" data-original-width="1699" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG_GR21Us7gWNOHJa-Co4__aADpqNjWhFn-BEdOQX-gK7sA79gYgFASAKjt9wQDEO1eXuhN9V1wxmbIzp0oVsfvBpruSYgx3XYnDetG94D8B04GC9bGuQQf0Mf1T3tdSwhJVnaToawT5VQBp026_4e2j3qoShkJN6UemngNrtnYSR9S1ObfQ/w400-h233/Steve%20N%20Goldie%201.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Golden Eagle by Steve Nicklin - Photo from Nov 2020</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJZAXGmC4Kp2JIwLHT2pu8s9tre0xUq5BbXIm_3-hwQThztAtAFjBdpGzPLchwOHG73W_fhzqwfHHHXn6X_AHffsYpBoBag6VrJkGzNguX-oZO938w-VZOR4gLbTVlVKoNPE5tzhIxbGWtfS2YAn-nBezPcjFka01DvH4EoSsAPQgE-5gT8w/s1080/James%20Ball%20Goldie.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="670" data-original-width="1080" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJZAXGmC4Kp2JIwLHT2pu8s9tre0xUq5BbXIm_3-hwQThztAtAFjBdpGzPLchwOHG73W_fhzqwfHHHXn6X_AHffsYpBoBag6VrJkGzNguX-oZO938w-VZOR4gLbTVlVKoNPE5tzhIxbGWtfS2YAn-nBezPcjFka01DvH4EoSsAPQgE-5gT8w/w400-h249/James%20Ball%20Goldie.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Young Golden Eagle by James Ball - Photo from Nov 2018</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46;"><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDCa7t2NsbXYzxRAApOyF8ZH1yeJgLgxza2RFUesIgINohXprgcLiBwf3m3fqA0wRooUk8WoRiysDQ-Rlb5mj2A4oCaOxoWQl3fOtKG4mfl0c9lDLrTXtFXdY1PvSMHya-oXMLYD1hG4hAfJDrmkeXzjpWhK9uh31bRxQ3lXjk8rzAiILsRQ/s1381/IMG_5394.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="961" data-original-width="1381" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDCa7t2NsbXYzxRAApOyF8ZH1yeJgLgxza2RFUesIgINohXprgcLiBwf3m3fqA0wRooUk8WoRiysDQ-Rlb5mj2A4oCaOxoWQl3fOtKG4mfl0c9lDLrTXtFXdY1PvSMHya-oXMLYD1hG4hAfJDrmkeXzjpWhK9uh31bRxQ3lXjk8rzAiILsRQ/w400-h279/IMG_5394.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Golden Eagle by Jon Worthington</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdUwGVy26dXg532jQQIt_E6H_5v1AXQqq1f4Xiacg9aTm32rdUHy6SG8cPmaZYqxtvrBTyenpp0A3O37QnuA8eqaOQS19346rsqVggdkxp9rPadjRoHK-69UeF366lABIl5sViElLN7NP-9DTOW85RHYmow3qmlC6c5Bd7eDl0rmEx0_WtFQ/s2655/IMG_5393.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1733" data-original-width="2655" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdUwGVy26dXg532jQQIt_E6H_5v1AXQqq1f4Xiacg9aTm32rdUHy6SG8cPmaZYqxtvrBTyenpp0A3O37QnuA8eqaOQS19346rsqVggdkxp9rPadjRoHK-69UeF366lABIl5sViElLN7NP-9DTOW85RHYmow3qmlC6c5Bd7eDl0rmEx0_WtFQ/w400-h261/IMG_5393.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Golden Eagle by Jon Worthington</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <br /><p></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">As I have mentioned in previous years, and with no apologies for repeating myself...</span><b> November is in my opinion, THE month for raptor sightings in this area</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, and so it proved again this year, with my favourite local upland glens and moors providing my safari clients and I with pleasingly regular sightings, and even the odd (very rare) photo opportunity, of the iconic and much coveted </span><strong>Golden Eagle </strong><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">and </span><strong>White-Tailed Eagle</strong><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">,</span><strong> </strong><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">with these huge, awesome and majestic 'Kings of the skies' providing great entertainment, numerous memorable 'life-ticks' for my safari clients, and putting big smiles on many faces....</span></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><br /></b></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy3TV293rpWbDx-cwsqFDNbfbpqwxEvXOOyBjeb4ppC7WlBlu0WUOFNic75spScTGVAy_ufjCe9VzEKmP2vITCtPMjED05juH5dGGFfPr1wka2kOzz2Cq8JQI9tr01rWtZuzwfg90_NhV--siQqyISu3zaZEnusud4Xpn162lXoHvV8glL0g/s974/James%20Ball%20Merlin%201.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="789" data-original-width="974" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy3TV293rpWbDx-cwsqFDNbfbpqwxEvXOOyBjeb4ppC7WlBlu0WUOFNic75spScTGVAy_ufjCe9VzEKmP2vITCtPMjED05juH5dGGFfPr1wka2kOzz2Cq8JQI9tr01rWtZuzwfg90_NhV--siQqyISu3zaZEnusud4Xpn162lXoHvV8glL0g/s320/James%20Ball%20Merlin%201.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Merlin by James Ball - Photo from Nov 2017</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkFfca9J77Oo8mK0TqcUIKmrfi3BnunIfvdFb1_I31pZ4GhmjHSPJYjIISzTe_u7iV0Y0npE-OmmxJUci7mtkzdLjwNEPM5wEHIadQA8SBg38Vs7VxNKZDErHq3r1zZmtlsW-thpNdfVrH5NvgmZiLJYuFUH7jfHHLv29tR_vlznv7kHNpNQ/s888/IMG_5400.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="624" data-original-width="888" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkFfca9J77Oo8mK0TqcUIKmrfi3BnunIfvdFb1_I31pZ4GhmjHSPJYjIISzTe_u7iV0Y0npE-OmmxJUci7mtkzdLjwNEPM5wEHIadQA8SBg38Vs7VxNKZDErHq3r1zZmtlsW-thpNdfVrH5NvgmZiLJYuFUH7jfHHLv29tR_vlznv7kHNpNQ/s320/IMG_5400.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Kestrel by Jon Worthington</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigPuLu3OEirTc2hkMPkL0t8-QmSV47IXv94qqdosjQNsz9mp6jVPpYeqXPUHvcxgeFbHKU3PKe6GyU2V8rQ2gZGFHWg60PcD0wIxbpnb-7bEvLPA2m9Q5eseUcTFJIN-MuWadJ0t1GAZzWFTtPVyb-3SOYVWekmH904nnxRVBenLkyjPjs7A/s929/IMG_5402.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="649" data-original-width="929" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigPuLu3OEirTc2hkMPkL0t8-QmSV47IXv94qqdosjQNsz9mp6jVPpYeqXPUHvcxgeFbHKU3PKe6GyU2V8rQ2gZGFHWg60PcD0wIxbpnb-7bEvLPA2m9Q5eseUcTFJIN-MuWadJ0t1GAZzWFTtPVyb-3SOYVWekmH904nnxRVBenLkyjPjs7A/s320/IMG_5402.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Peregrine Falcon by Jon Worthington</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZrjJgFcQ7eLfEJal1wjL1YUTCvS6MYZVpHi1kN2dy1TYaLp5-iD5bKDaDJcgokJuTEpUSJvXMPIWrd7GtBjLp3PdYsqpbXa_NZ5pe64KDv__6j0KV5EBq9NzO1H-szLlhCuIZDGYqK8_YF2Kc9SG6KTNat5lSz1babQ-EMU6RGYBYjtX4Qw/s896/IMG_5397.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="624" data-original-width="896" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZrjJgFcQ7eLfEJal1wjL1YUTCvS6MYZVpHi1kN2dy1TYaLp5-iD5bKDaDJcgokJuTEpUSJvXMPIWrd7GtBjLp3PdYsqpbXa_NZ5pe64KDv__6j0KV5EBq9NzO1H-szLlhCuIZDGYqK8_YF2Kc9SG6KTNat5lSz1babQ-EMU6RGYBYjtX4Qw/s320/IMG_5397.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Goshawk by Jon Worthington</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><br /><br /><br /></b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAn7LTAFdGWxGUP9PGgxNU7FIg74biwPzXELd8g_iNC_mnR9JmDlkIVt_1IEvS5A3iL2samSyCoes6zqhMaDkBoDiIJY0migudpEw-lwj-0fAYINxQ7oYAf7APEVNhN84i_q7fdRTGx_zkdl8fQXvQ2iQ0w1qkP7rG6LD6Ur6NS-AOWyooRw/s1595/IMG_5399.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1134" data-original-width="1595" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAn7LTAFdGWxGUP9PGgxNU7FIg74biwPzXELd8g_iNC_mnR9JmDlkIVt_1IEvS5A3iL2samSyCoes6zqhMaDkBoDiIJY0migudpEw-lwj-0fAYINxQ7oYAf7APEVNhN84i_q7fdRTGx_zkdl8fQXvQ2iQ0w1qkP7rG6LD6Ur6NS-AOWyooRw/s320/IMG_5399.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Common Buzzard by Jon Worthington</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTTDdyIDJn6F1c5PwUHBrCqd7qvytgGKTG59LQC9Tvs1mYlxj6qVaZyXvJbZHb1qc14LJO43qQlI2fMcBIa8w5KkZJEGfaZGWta90hzIVPhszKV-kpMVONfnjtq2Fqe93wtX3wKef4vEEY-UiU7XXydlk5kExeFGu2TA5Usn8I1xvC9DrzEA/s1386/Rob%20Ellett%20Red%20KIte.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1088" data-original-width="1386" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTTDdyIDJn6F1c5PwUHBrCqd7qvytgGKTG59LQC9Tvs1mYlxj6qVaZyXvJbZHb1qc14LJO43qQlI2fMcBIa8w5KkZJEGfaZGWta90hzIVPhszKV-kpMVONfnjtq2Fqe93wtX3wKef4vEEY-UiU7XXydlk5kExeFGu2TA5Usn8I1xvC9DrzEA/w400-h314/Rob%20Ellett%20Red%20KIte.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Kite by Rob Ellett - Photo from Nov 2019</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">Should the Eagles fail to show, the regular 'raptor back-up cast' of </span><strong>Kestrel</strong><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><strong>Sparrowhawk</strong><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><strong>Peregrine</strong><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><strong>Buzzard</strong><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> , </span><strong>Red Kite, </strong><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">and the chance of even the occasional </span><b>Merlin</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Hen Harrier</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> and </span><strong>Goshawk </strong><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">often provide good entertainment by way of consolation though....</span></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><br /></b></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Up on the moors....</b></b></span></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUolmKn5GZToJHG-ExdH-qYvW0F2d1ZLHZgyq-j231UZBGg223zWHH-je92vJFWybJHTB8_GDnLh2tM_cZpGkqz89mmrmIaz0pmNxx5twuaDYh30z2UFHIgTug25FiSijwP1skru_BttrmVg_4vl-EDWz-YBrxrKCRKUKjcJVkK6oAl0hpBw/s2008/IMG_0136.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1243" data-original-width="2008" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUolmKn5GZToJHG-ExdH-qYvW0F2d1ZLHZgyq-j231UZBGg223zWHH-je92vJFWybJHTB8_GDnLh2tM_cZpGkqz89mmrmIaz0pmNxx5twuaDYh30z2UFHIgTug25FiSijwP1skru_BttrmVg_4vl-EDWz-YBrxrKCRKUKjcJVkK6oAl0hpBw/w400-h248/IMG_0136.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A local upland heather moorland</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Pq_HxpFaNBlCoIzWuDPx_9I9RzBsVM6WvjlyDZhd6OydP8r9wVpQVOR4Pj-IhWxvDM7_wMlrtYCa2GGOZz5tZ5mc2PrkltcLomBOTmJwYCy9CJwFvh9Z2djcuvQASHzCVTGL6aJ1hQDmwpmBbo6Hs3go9lKcTHNJnmjzDUqbmslX3jvz9A/s3874/DSCN3938.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2188" data-original-width="3874" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Pq_HxpFaNBlCoIzWuDPx_9I9RzBsVM6WvjlyDZhd6OydP8r9wVpQVOR4Pj-IhWxvDM7_wMlrtYCa2GGOZz5tZ5mc2PrkltcLomBOTmJwYCy9CJwFvh9Z2djcuvQASHzCVTGL6aJ1hQDmwpmBbo6Hs3go9lKcTHNJnmjzDUqbmslX3jvz9A/s320/DSCN3938.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Female Red Grouse</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOFgPcUhyM__8BCaq_a-dkb-GAGi8WCAZk7bNTFSTVwT0-9dn6f6X44f9v4kEZTTFiISoxJnpR2wFxtiMPwnifYtgXCX6Rvjr2PDJF5kR6PYiWH6VJ_NPlOK1_nu1SS99_641W6s6nGxb0a_2QID4s2la1y1VcBXbDigZcOvfofSGuC1ha6A/s2748/IMG_8806.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1798" data-original-width="2748" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOFgPcUhyM__8BCaq_a-dkb-GAGi8WCAZk7bNTFSTVwT0-9dn6f6X44f9v4kEZTTFiISoxJnpR2wFxtiMPwnifYtgXCX6Rvjr2PDJF5kR6PYiWH6VJ_NPlOK1_nu1SS99_641W6s6nGxb0a_2QID4s2la1y1VcBXbDigZcOvfofSGuC1ha6A/s320/IMG_8806.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Red Grouse</b></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></div><p></p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Red Grouse</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, being birds of very specific upland heather moorland habitat, are absent from much of the UK these days . Thankfully though, we have no shortage of them in this area, and sightings were pretty reliable. </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">It was interesting to note that a few of the cock birds (identifiable by their darker plumage and red 'eyebrows') are already starting to get a bit more 'showy' and aggressive, with a few seen seemingly staking their claim to prime </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">territory, often while uttering their characteristic cackling "go-bak, go-bak" calls.. </span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIltxKjpACtftfhklGz6qKfz94yxNlHElvA2gyU9Lo-wGeFLCyQ6gn5w-K5bxapakYojRSjfK3s7WODdMHWVqpFtX49kho_eA4wyPUQwz_KykDRQHXgh9FtuSvs0Fg96vP-I5iSOs5zpiZVVgW1Mq-iDFWntURRWISc3WUqcL7FzvEgQgpWQ/s2158/Ron%20Mitchell%20BG%20.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1216" data-original-width="2158" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIltxKjpACtftfhklGz6qKfz94yxNlHElvA2gyU9Lo-wGeFLCyQ6gn5w-K5bxapakYojRSjfK3s7WODdMHWVqpFtX49kho_eA4wyPUQwz_KykDRQHXgh9FtuSvs0Fg96vP-I5iSOs5zpiZVVgW1Mq-iDFWntURRWISc3WUqcL7FzvEgQgpWQ/w400-h225/Ron%20Mitchell%20BG%20.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Displaying Black Grouse by Ron Mitchell</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">On the more remote upland moors, </span><strong>Black Grouse</strong><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> are always popular with my safari clients, probably because of their relative rarity, and sadly, declining numbers over much of the UK.</span><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">However, we are fortunate to still have decent numbers in Highland Scotland, and our dawn (7:30am approx) visits to their traditional local moorland 'lek' sites produced some good sightings of up to 10 cock birds displaying, though it should be noted that we also had a few mornings when the birds failed to show, and that the period between January and late May is far more reliable...</span></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">I</span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">n the Caledonian forests...</b></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidkrzOo_JS8n7rbNbdFkRbe6tI07Iw5DXAGO82hA2nfOfP1jUz64YdqnjE2J8urNkyDUozO_pzkTCN1XyRBx8Oguc9vAk2bubzidMcxtyXSHL2E4K_D44zKHieeQRiq04zpOBe6LjM8TUzI48jdwuY-ESmJvquv2dv2nwpDBVb_8hQ2GmYsw/s2007/IMG_0124.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1320" data-original-width="2007" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidkrzOo_JS8n7rbNbdFkRbe6tI07Iw5DXAGO82hA2nfOfP1jUz64YdqnjE2J8urNkyDUozO_pzkTCN1XyRBx8Oguc9vAk2bubzidMcxtyXSHL2E4K_D44zKHieeQRiq04zpOBe6LjM8TUzI48jdwuY-ESmJvquv2dv2nwpDBVb_8hQ2GmYsw/w400-h263/IMG_0124.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Local ancient Caledonian forest</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcg5QWpCzxKVdHtSbUmG-bVLTW-BHAF99lYogYMftrilHrnQKQ5_oaI-_EDomrcg1uSLW7e9h3rXAFtItbFrS0o-Ro52VQCbH2-DjuObU8CuxMg_0QhWikMEg0YzIx1upux7tdq0tOFpB6K-XDTR9eh6Biz2Hsp3v7cBDfhESP3V1I3mTeEA/s4349/DSCN3902.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3164" data-original-width="4349" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcg5QWpCzxKVdHtSbUmG-bVLTW-BHAF99lYogYMftrilHrnQKQ5_oaI-_EDomrcg1uSLW7e9h3rXAFtItbFrS0o-Ro52VQCbH2-DjuObU8CuxMg_0QhWikMEg0YzIx1upux7tdq0tOFpB6K-XDTR9eh6Biz2Hsp3v7cBDfhESP3V1I3mTeEA/w400-h291/DSCN3902.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Crested Tit</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmAWh-hE1hNQDRTsuxkwnhEjoAl91FmPp9SWNwBmse1SCnpzVanwvq9UC1ylEWhsa1Dz1X0SDx6pub4COKOGYOFFBalnzTAbBKZogbahDXPqdEIC18yd7Mkz43FZnlgoWSDXej4B6TwzpV0zv9qdkLWZEGfYZSkswTZBnMCBMBPBIuuRQZ8w/s2815/Ron%20MItchell%204.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1877" data-original-width="2815" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmAWh-hE1hNQDRTsuxkwnhEjoAl91FmPp9SWNwBmse1SCnpzVanwvq9UC1ylEWhsa1Dz1X0SDx6pub4COKOGYOFFBalnzTAbBKZogbahDXPqdEIC18yd7Mkz43FZnlgoWSDXej4B6TwzpV0zv9qdkLWZEGfYZSkswTZBnMCBMBPBIuuRQZ8w/w400-h266/Ron%20MItchell%204.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Crested Tit by Ron Mitchell</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqe164FGYlyZHUaLSLTGZEB8o14OB59MdUTgKi-7tGNSBV4w7Ai8gl60080RM3DcuK0jSC38L4ZJT-05hXQMBjI9zLxLqmNfk641bY_WoCnK-KKvPatZwDxNoEdXrzXNsZANJycVzTAe_5dPzcc2MlKCCLlqQvlnX6JavKIWEjr5JhBwJGNw/s2268/J%20W%204.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1462" data-original-width="2268" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqe164FGYlyZHUaLSLTGZEB8o14OB59MdUTgKi-7tGNSBV4w7Ai8gl60080RM3DcuK0jSC38L4ZJT-05hXQMBjI9zLxLqmNfk641bY_WoCnK-KKvPatZwDxNoEdXrzXNsZANJycVzTAe_5dPzcc2MlKCCLlqQvlnX6JavKIWEjr5JhBwJGNw/w400-h258/J%20W%204.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Crested Tit by Jon Worthington</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih2cqrh8zutg9d7ChJWqViKk5ebJMRTHB7Y_3p3ciK-foSJlgbqF2Tv9x7qhrnEUB3mLE8xJWCJOvkp0XxfUyAabDv0Htrwgs106JP2pmJefzlPW2ivr1zN06QqJdHeBkHxXE_sHEU4Db2ROA1V4bqLr0iU8qtGrTPB1OIOBv6sOk_hrQ5IA/s1348/J%20W%20!.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="953" data-original-width="1348" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih2cqrh8zutg9d7ChJWqViKk5ebJMRTHB7Y_3p3ciK-foSJlgbqF2Tv9x7qhrnEUB3mLE8xJWCJOvkp0XxfUyAabDv0Htrwgs106JP2pmJefzlPW2ivr1zN06QqJdHeBkHxXE_sHEU4Db2ROA1V4bqLr0iU8qtGrTPB1OIOBv6sOk_hrQ5IA/s320/J%20W%20!.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Crested Tit extreme close-up by Jon Worthington</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">Winter is usually by far the best time of year to see </span><b>Crested Tits</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, as the weather turns colder and snowier, with the easy pickings on offer at my Caledonian forest feeding stations, especially soon after dawn, seemingly proving to be very enticing. With only around 1200 birds in the UK, and their distribution very localised, it was a great feeling to show off these true 'Speyside specialities' to my safari clients, especially those who were seeing them for the very first time, however, probably due to the unseasonably mild weather, sightings were not as reliable as usual....</span></p><div><br /></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuSRgnYHUPRpKn0wJLrkFrifNEXlXbL5uOQEEP3RFKcLOldhqi0m6tiCkykEgZf9YPuO4hYZzrtlZ5hgyS5hP-76X6_Ya5gjKsByZRk-PwirZCol1DXisGaadQ2_8Dl9Ai93hTaAzkxiTxWT0NEBy1plOEuXVM-du9bYiPhBmbTUI_pymiyg/s2867/DSCN3644.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2241" data-original-width="2867" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuSRgnYHUPRpKn0wJLrkFrifNEXlXbL5uOQEEP3RFKcLOldhqi0m6tiCkykEgZf9YPuO4hYZzrtlZ5hgyS5hP-76X6_Ya5gjKsByZRk-PwirZCol1DXisGaadQ2_8Dl9Ai93hTaAzkxiTxWT0NEBy1plOEuXVM-du9bYiPhBmbTUI_pymiyg/w400-h313/DSCN3644.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Crossbills</b></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Still in the Caledonian pine forests, rather frustratingly, </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Crossbills</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> continued to be a bit of a 'bogey-bird', with (yet again) sightings mainly restricted to snatched glimpses of calling birds flying around the tree tops, us only identifying them by their characteristic "jip-jip" calls...with the exception of one group that perched nicely for just a few seconds on the 2nd....</span></span></div><p><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">On the rivers...</b></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih3HWg60KztRCMhdkeLrICD-enZfGQlVChjKDPtA1GlfZI0e1MPkoZ3CR-r0N2fFWjzww7oD3OEG3ywa4cFpwECCJtjQrirZlJj5YQzhuWdQAK1T64SQ26auY4Kx49AmIWB-7oD2076tCbPvvCO9IURPgP06Q8zZkO_NnaTXC8pSQR3NZBFA/s2016/IMG_0137.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1422" data-original-width="2016" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih3HWg60KztRCMhdkeLrICD-enZfGQlVChjKDPtA1GlfZI0e1MPkoZ3CR-r0N2fFWjzww7oD3OEG3ywa4cFpwECCJtjQrirZlJj5YQzhuWdQAK1T64SQ26auY4Kx49AmIWB-7oD2076tCbPvvCO9IURPgP06Q8zZkO_NnaTXC8pSQR3NZBFA/w400-h283/IMG_0137.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Autumn at a local river</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkjx2NcIxnxSN5qWG-8HNPpNeTtlmVjIm4bTvV2x8uBZAoQwZgNHpN4xrjK7BwMPntJ6V59iGiVX1cT6Dx4tAZAzZQobEfZeL68M-0zpPkjVYObL18aHEgiy2ZHfggVJfWYZMvdaZp-BJn8iCQSVucHLqNGwlnaEwgk8DhUz-hNrhaR2LxYA/s3942/DSCN1509.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2528" data-original-width="3942" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkjx2NcIxnxSN5qWG-8HNPpNeTtlmVjIm4bTvV2x8uBZAoQwZgNHpN4xrjK7BwMPntJ6V59iGiVX1cT6Dx4tAZAzZQobEfZeL68M-0zpPkjVYObL18aHEgiy2ZHfggVJfWYZMvdaZp-BJn8iCQSVucHLqNGwlnaEwgk8DhUz-hNrhaR2LxYA/w400-h256/DSCN1509.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Dipper</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV6KxBB0cC7rvQaQOItgFx6P6Lc6HpR2Tmquoy27-cZzNHJmtm-eOMzs29fP7980TAScn7g7ylxOL8n70JypzCSs0qucE1KUKvndID7BiwsbDVdzz5tvV7asy7_HGtc0O7r_yHzKJSizzMnsHzsgoJNE7zJI7Nqv1YVgwQ8P-S8wo4LdXwxQ/s2808/James%20Ball%20Dipper%202.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1736" data-original-width="2808" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV6KxBB0cC7rvQaQOItgFx6P6Lc6HpR2Tmquoy27-cZzNHJmtm-eOMzs29fP7980TAScn7g7ylxOL8n70JypzCSs0qucE1KUKvndID7BiwsbDVdzz5tvV7asy7_HGtc0O7r_yHzKJSizzMnsHzsgoJNE7zJI7Nqv1YVgwQ8P-S8wo4LdXwxQ/w400-h248/James%20Ball%20Dipper%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Dipper by James Ball - Photo from Nov 2018</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Our local </span><strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Dippers</strong><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> are definitely becoming more aggressive now, with much displaying, dawn singing and chasing each other around being witnessed as they presumably seek to establish winter and breeding territories, and it still makes my safari clients and I shiver every time we see them disappear under the icy water in search of food - they sure are hardy little critters!</span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">With a similar UK distribution to Dipper, <b>Goosander</b> can be tricky to see in much of Britain, but we often see family groups of them in this area, though they can be very wary of humans, and I don't recall us having a decent photo opportunity this month....</span></p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">On the lochs...</b></b></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguSCmOZ7JCXHhXR7bO4_4h4qkSmHVNWxoHOhYhAJ20bbCK-X-oC54Efqc-2dEe8HXh6asG7Ovea_i14-A5ChxAI6ptYKx4wMAat2cefN9Fb940GktVGIE5WdjlITS94g9L2upDgHrusfGyMCxSl39AO_F3nZxtrIR7dh-VNO1-7e-3JFCQ3Q/s3662/IMG_0123.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1777" data-original-width="3662" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguSCmOZ7JCXHhXR7bO4_4h4qkSmHVNWxoHOhYhAJ20bbCK-X-oC54Efqc-2dEe8HXh6asG7Ovea_i14-A5ChxAI6ptYKx4wMAat2cefN9Fb940GktVGIE5WdjlITS94g9L2upDgHrusfGyMCxSl39AO_F3nZxtrIR7dh-VNO1-7e-3JFCQ3Q/w400-h194/IMG_0123.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Loch Garten</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxJzxSWS-sSOGYSzF9JPbMjuNkH7QzkLOpTJT3mVhj8WUSBTkYpR3sd6RkgkrieuPMMFwNd_VoNi4NNzAKeL31pUfd41f0faak-CLj7qf-yRuB8aj00CnME_UUQ-H1AY86FM4zP9Qy4l4IK1AlEetH-FxBwIF65zugXlGTkXSgApR-SngUdw/s4013/DSCN3700.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1848" data-original-width="4013" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxJzxSWS-sSOGYSzF9JPbMjuNkH7QzkLOpTJT3mVhj8WUSBTkYpR3sd6RkgkrieuPMMFwNd_VoNi4NNzAKeL31pUfd41f0faak-CLj7qf-yRuB8aj00CnME_UUQ-H1AY86FM4zP9Qy4l4IK1AlEetH-FxBwIF65zugXlGTkXSgApR-SngUdw/w400-h184/DSCN3700.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Whooper Swans</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">With the summer-visiting water birds all gone now, our resident </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Goldeneyes</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, are</span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"> </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">now joined by winter-visiting </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Whooper Swans</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> and 'grey' </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Geese,</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> alongside the more common species.... </span></p><p><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></p><p><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Up in the mountains....</b></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhwEF_Se6ncMi1PGrLvNFPKYqUE5hfv2kQoQ5jANT4b5hExN6NRXLsAzCv-C3jyXPPC5lWGA5ftqzkLPQdbieVAG2oq3rCxL6nYlzytKdvRNyPzbFs_CE0XHohX-80VVPX-mr4o87otwj6x8qis7UrSIPN7rr4gNLGbgbjyIH9YZdt31wNcg/s2015/IMG_0168.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1158" data-original-width="2015" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhwEF_Se6ncMi1PGrLvNFPKYqUE5hfv2kQoQ5jANT4b5hExN6NRXLsAzCv-C3jyXPPC5lWGA5ftqzkLPQdbieVAG2oq3rCxL6nYlzytKdvRNyPzbFs_CE0XHohX-80VVPX-mr4o87otwj6x8qis7UrSIPN7rr4gNLGbgbjyIH9YZdt31wNcg/w400-h230/IMG_0168.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Autumn in the Cairngorm Mountains</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">The weather was rarely suitable for taking any walks up into the hills this month, so I didn't venture up, but from previous experience, I would expect the <b>Ptarmigan </b>to be in their almost entirely white winter plumage now, which can make them less difficult to spot amongst the rocks, at least until the snow comes, anyway.</span></p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0MnVoh5NwmUGXkkV7JfTPe2NVzRbQG7XJZKOyF_B9ZimM7aVHWMXVrXSjEGm4fUTD8pRu4W3onYnabxCjDqONxsXjZ-PHCtwVDH-MS2dII1xpqVQHz5Bv1GhD9Vdo4s4iIj2OkyybAqm2VdO4SdWYAFxlmflPM_XtoXuC2KT7jbCrlAJhLA/s4608/DSCN1654.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2520" data-original-width="4608" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0MnVoh5NwmUGXkkV7JfTPe2NVzRbQG7XJZKOyF_B9ZimM7aVHWMXVrXSjEGm4fUTD8pRu4W3onYnabxCjDqONxsXjZ-PHCtwVDH-MS2dII1xpqVQHz5Bv1GhD9Vdo4s4iIj2OkyybAqm2VdO4SdWYAFxlmflPM_XtoXuC2KT7jbCrlAJhLA/w400-h219/DSCN1654.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Snow Buntings - Photo from Nov 2019<br /><br /></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">With the unseasonably mild weather meaning no snow at low levels, no <b>Snow Buntings</b> were seen at the usually reliable sites, but I would expect this to change soon as winter arrives, as they are often </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">driven down<b> </b>from the mountain tops by the snow and cold, and their numbers are likely to be swelled by visitors from Scandinavia...so I am always sure to have a bag of wild bird seed on board, as they can sometimes be tempted to come and feed at quite close range....</span></p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">On local farmland:</b></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhX9JZ3aEO_dPi3Qwq4YQi0exCfAvIsdK6xPnQrn4ZUIxpvmbEd71hva4cURb69tlIa3VwOIiA-M75i3XCqLVjefzTaQdBNCt9z9_Q-6_gSpl1WWXR0sKaQvVy3CRmn2I5DG3k1bii-4wMBRTIKd1DutN8Kq6r_uQVN2lS8xciS3pawbJXmQ/s4592/DSCN3373.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2300" data-original-width="4592" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhX9JZ3aEO_dPi3Qwq4YQi0exCfAvIsdK6xPnQrn4ZUIxpvmbEd71hva4cURb69tlIa3VwOIiA-M75i3XCqLVjefzTaQdBNCt9z9_Q-6_gSpl1WWXR0sKaQvVy3CRmn2I5DG3k1bii-4wMBRTIKd1DutN8Kq6r_uQVN2lS8xciS3pawbJXmQ/w400-h200/DSCN3373.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Local farmland</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-family: "Times New Roman"; letter-spacing: normal; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_ubs6Mf55834q51pdMeUEPxlj_bVPpN7yJfrJaxiCQnQU3cQrzOs3k6kl9bcj66F7XR2Wn06_wz7rgSdQ0mclct-bwLzsoA8NbUqRYDZK7Lcz9OuhpvaKtGziiH76fWaZw68Rtmmsgv7rLaHdUzCez_VeNxWgqCg8vtXQ3UmjPlwv4Yornw/s2992/IMG_8779.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1805" data-original-width="2992" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_ubs6Mf55834q51pdMeUEPxlj_bVPpN7yJfrJaxiCQnQU3cQrzOs3k6kl9bcj66F7XR2Wn06_wz7rgSdQ0mclct-bwLzsoA8NbUqRYDZK7Lcz9OuhpvaKtGziiH76fWaZw68Rtmmsgv7rLaHdUzCez_VeNxWgqCg8vtXQ3UmjPlwv4Yornw/w400-h241/IMG_8779.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Wild Greylag Geese</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">The seeds on local farmland during the autumn and winter months often attract large flocks of mixed </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">finches</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> and </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">buntings</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, whilst the crop remains prove tempting to </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Geese</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> and </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Whooper Swans</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">....and of course, there is always a chance of seeing the resident </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Pheasants</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> and </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Red-Legged Partridges</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">....</span></p><p><br /></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Winter-visiting birds continued to flood into our area this month:</b></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVVUPjncnEVstDND4yusk-cyOlIrw6hABstzYlbM_iLRXIFyRmcc36FoB3Tfe50qIL8x2r7r9KinGKWzqmgz3BgPQbpxivRd9L2KU43PaVRCvuWObbFR6vvvbEN05nG7YlVk_JeNBW2JYAx7jVupvMeYuFYYK_6tdoA0IpHh2LU6-GzLCicA/s2988/IMG_8635.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1626" data-original-width="2988" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVVUPjncnEVstDND4yusk-cyOlIrw6hABstzYlbM_iLRXIFyRmcc36FoB3Tfe50qIL8x2r7r9KinGKWzqmgz3BgPQbpxivRd9L2KU43PaVRCvuWObbFR6vvvbEN05nG7YlVk_JeNBW2JYAx7jVupvMeYuFYYK_6tdoA0IpHh2LU6-GzLCicA/w400-h217/IMG_8635.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Whooper Swans</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo7D_xkP8TeCPa0MbjWFudn8L5ker8mjhxa_DN1MBa7jkVpOnLiEwxo-MikWHbzJHpY42Zgi8O-fEvB3PYUBo5QImQycbZG4kuz2njrbzuLRBtsAVl6x-Jy8hb7_YgPzcuJeV23_xDRWmJlweCHDhp0e-ScRnzpKcipKCjKUgGaG0URmo3YA/s2752/IMG_8618.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1644" data-original-width="2752" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo7D_xkP8TeCPa0MbjWFudn8L5ker8mjhxa_DN1MBa7jkVpOnLiEwxo-MikWHbzJHpY42Zgi8O-fEvB3PYUBo5QImQycbZG4kuz2njrbzuLRBtsAVl6x-Jy8hb7_YgPzcuJeV23_xDRWmJlweCHDhp0e-ScRnzpKcipKCjKUgGaG0URmo3YA/w400-h239/IMG_8618.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Fieldfare</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIKowRF1Wmi0tawIg3onQ2vmFde_Tu-jXi0GoanJE-WA_RmES94wYnOvbv_LIhL3BO1lpvVtu7qWo-RQMuolgxrEUFSZIF6HJhAYon2zYdCiQNwtQ7_nGnNJYogQLO5gY6-o_KT7av02LTRvUnEkUbF53rBjjZU050trhMXsJM1d2YbxY9dA/s4075/DSCN3794.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2336" data-original-width="4075" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIKowRF1Wmi0tawIg3onQ2vmFde_Tu-jXi0GoanJE-WA_RmES94wYnOvbv_LIhL3BO1lpvVtu7qWo-RQMuolgxrEUFSZIF6HJhAYon2zYdCiQNwtQ7_nGnNJYogQLO5gY6-o_KT7av02LTRvUnEkUbF53rBjjZU050trhMXsJM1d2YbxY9dA/w400-h229/DSCN3794.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Redwings</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2nUrkZNsrdMpJFtDox1O57uPlIk5jHieib1Qj9-64N-gDyta2JehuBoxMO92nQoa3LT5BYoJ4wEpkFbHQqq99aahNuej7NW5klR1Gzws5mCiylvK2FpaAy5Ezg-skwN8aVga0_hqIbF9xqdxUgrJO5Jre1gSr3FSci7KJkqd3TKXDnJRQFw/s4097/DSCN3986.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2349" data-original-width="4097" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2nUrkZNsrdMpJFtDox1O57uPlIk5jHieib1Qj9-64N-gDyta2JehuBoxMO92nQoa3LT5BYoJ4wEpkFbHQqq99aahNuej7NW5klR1Gzws5mCiylvK2FpaAy5Ezg-skwN8aVga0_hqIbF9xqdxUgrJO5Jre1gSr3FSci7KJkqd3TKXDnJRQFw/w400-h229/DSCN3986.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Waxwings</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b><p></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzo-OjuqoSsyknXPj6SUegNgRCMzezSr606iN9GQaQMQRc5O2SfDTYyFuyVtUZK4j4kQY4NzW-zv6WgMmvyS5i0TEYgEepLQfSGOyD6z1sPirG66Lj0QeX3pJGDDo9mWhDxfTFRtgF_jhepKWR3bJ9OaneCWFCkp4ji0lH2iwGkwd4UIuzUw/s3963/Ron%20Mitchell%20Wax%201.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2641" data-original-width="3963" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzo-OjuqoSsyknXPj6SUegNgRCMzezSr606iN9GQaQMQRc5O2SfDTYyFuyVtUZK4j4kQY4NzW-zv6WgMmvyS5i0TEYgEepLQfSGOyD6z1sPirG66Lj0QeX3pJGDDo9mWhDxfTFRtgF_jhepKWR3bJ9OaneCWFCkp4ji0lH2iwGkwd4UIuzUw/s320/Ron%20Mitchell%20Wax%201.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Waxwing by Ron Mitchell</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b><p></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOsaGEmU7GfiGGZE0_2BLdPSpKhN3XiEWh1nyG6ldDy19YeQecPXvla9I6dGeWSNyzTIzeDM63Z_0bKYw3Dsa6wH-rGDp8TqPghlkjSZl2VKkD5DlFsy-yoObti7Gbws1rsrYbeWSTfvr6CkQYd58lkE1OQjc-LBkUK_71XxsUhLZmEqMIgQ/s3911/Ron%20Mitchell%20wax%202.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2606" data-original-width="3911" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOsaGEmU7GfiGGZE0_2BLdPSpKhN3XiEWh1nyG6ldDy19YeQecPXvla9I6dGeWSNyzTIzeDM63Z_0bKYw3Dsa6wH-rGDp8TqPghlkjSZl2VKkD5DlFsy-yoObti7Gbws1rsrYbeWSTfvr6CkQYd58lkE1OQjc-LBkUK_71XxsUhLZmEqMIgQ/s320/Ron%20Mitchell%20wax%202.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Waxwing by Ron Mitchell</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Whooper Swans</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Grey Geese (Greylag , Pink-Footed </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">and a few</span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"> Barnacle </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">and </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">White-Fronted),</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> and winter thrushes, first the </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Redwings</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, in particularly good numbers, then the </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Fieldfares,</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> and </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> some good sized flocks of everyone's favourite, <b>Waxwings </b>were seen<b> </b>in Moray<b>.</b>....but no <b>Bramblings </b>have been reported locally yet...</span></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 700;">A few photos of more common birds seen locally this month: </span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqJ9w6dLDz6zZ4rp4Ur2-fFfESqss1Gdy9r4HsQuVyFWxaVZcYkmSvgQmXM66zD_joV-YcqQ8hPtKq4Z2h4-nmFVbOL7EuFk0Jjjn0_Kcw-r8dMbVkrBmehjlrzVGw8QfzJWscr8DqssHVFg7I0FLMb83FcEZVGSe7oXHOQ-LobdeBpKFEnQ/s4608/DSCN3665.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqJ9w6dLDz6zZ4rp4Ur2-fFfESqss1Gdy9r4HsQuVyFWxaVZcYkmSvgQmXM66zD_joV-YcqQ8hPtKq4Z2h4-nmFVbOL7EuFk0Jjjn0_Kcw-r8dMbVkrBmehjlrzVGw8QfzJWscr8DqssHVFg7I0FLMb83FcEZVGSe7oXHOQ-LobdeBpKFEnQ/s320/DSCN3665.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Robin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhfdbRZTLVlkJnLTc3Xd0hvOgifGr1l52vOQxECdSNWPWzmvLxq-SbZRGjctmohe7EycMZXsDnAEeAYSUaSzuU0ZUBuWu8qdXDMbZD7mDAIqDvqlktMTn8MrtnWKubKjc_OwsWn7fOqfTLD-zdX89vFPwC7Ucqv-7yXDa6OgFR9gIRMOUHdw/s4199/DSCN3702.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2394" data-original-width="4199" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhfdbRZTLVlkJnLTc3Xd0hvOgifGr1l52vOQxECdSNWPWzmvLxq-SbZRGjctmohe7EycMZXsDnAEeAYSUaSzuU0ZUBuWu8qdXDMbZD7mDAIqDvqlktMTn8MrtnWKubKjc_OwsWn7fOqfTLD-zdX89vFPwC7Ucqv-7yXDa6OgFR9gIRMOUHdw/w400-h228/DSCN3702.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Great Spotted Woodpecker</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7P4u7kDX5rbIdE2keDK4zCdtumeQbKZD-bdTG4OAVUqnhLeqvPuDglR_3pEtubiGDG4ev-YUB2lqPYCYegUJoYTb4DYeg26zfLMP-5E1v29bIAPBqe8n7w9lHPpUAzbfRdqgEOy8JsHeT-PBnza3ixXDIQlS2tOOLFYGiWufJgWavAUGQ4g/s4374/DSCN3720.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2964" data-original-width="4374" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7P4u7kDX5rbIdE2keDK4zCdtumeQbKZD-bdTG4OAVUqnhLeqvPuDglR_3pEtubiGDG4ev-YUB2lqPYCYegUJoYTb4DYeg26zfLMP-5E1v29bIAPBqe8n7w9lHPpUAzbfRdqgEOy8JsHeT-PBnza3ixXDIQlS2tOOLFYGiWufJgWavAUGQ4g/s320/DSCN3720.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Chaffinch</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGnHWdPt7sQ82foJITzdvlpf5m71PIVZGg55GjhDtapUiC6Ya01nxMMQBKfvViuKDsqz6x073iwfv79Hz14TdSNLZtzXGz8WkwxBkful5ZDJ_-Cd3w0RGMp6bMb2b-d_fUJ8hUnB5ygjRMW3FDvB9EAaULBdNZ4KOnNS0P4h8RlUQATxSPCQ/s3372/DSCN3752.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2064" data-original-width="3372" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGnHWdPt7sQ82foJITzdvlpf5m71PIVZGg55GjhDtapUiC6Ya01nxMMQBKfvViuKDsqz6x073iwfv79Hz14TdSNLZtzXGz8WkwxBkful5ZDJ_-Cd3w0RGMp6bMb2b-d_fUJ8hUnB5ygjRMW3FDvB9EAaULBdNZ4KOnNS0P4h8RlUQATxSPCQ/s320/DSCN3752.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Long-Tailed Tit</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ybRNbtW6JLCibwoYVqiFZeGwh_ZozCTrKE89Y-sl1HGUsmiSy7gl0ekw6AeRmXLmsxl4nHHXLsScUlWa787ZH48XtIb0juaPZJFQvvuygeSh7pXbxtEevwSp6z2fxqjmLFL1Fy-CQOz6JoBVrbZZg4ioNmy1pzjIhNzypZXC2NqjxNJoxw/s1845/Ron%20Mitchell%203.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1187" data-original-width="1845" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ybRNbtW6JLCibwoYVqiFZeGwh_ZozCTrKE89Y-sl1HGUsmiSy7gl0ekw6AeRmXLmsxl4nHHXLsScUlWa787ZH48XtIb0juaPZJFQvvuygeSh7pXbxtEevwSp6z2fxqjmLFL1Fy-CQOz6JoBVrbZZg4ioNmy1pzjIhNzypZXC2NqjxNJoxw/s320/Ron%20Mitchell%203.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Treecreeper by Ron Mitchell</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCCiVhBIhDueyHQFy32y5a_vuQTgIw3TzeYnWU8Omqztn3lOUcsSQdhHUobOVQK6Bw031D3G3LFHCYH1UfTe5HkTWlcV3sdGn4brwMfiHJa0RUROyJzehFmkh4xDgzZKikuG1VP3Tj5hKWJ_COXUjsRogFSpPe-wneY0CHl2oUTm9AyFnmzA/s4340/DSCN3790.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2874" data-original-width="4340" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCCiVhBIhDueyHQFy32y5a_vuQTgIw3TzeYnWU8Omqztn3lOUcsSQdhHUobOVQK6Bw031D3G3LFHCYH1UfTe5HkTWlcV3sdGn4brwMfiHJa0RUROyJzehFmkh4xDgzZKikuG1VP3Tj5hKWJ_COXUjsRogFSpPe-wneY0CHl2oUTm9AyFnmzA/w400-h265/DSCN3790.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Mistle Thrush</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCpjmiKXqtmB7I6sEr8hA7pQfCmJQ3kGM0MOC3DMknwKK0fLI2YNJNyUbB3_ls7DwzYMzs9n7dT_xaQUmuLJNGWuTLcbYE3U3iRNKTmUUKQKn85Sex87gyDUYYovq-pCjtThhS7niEtWt17BKWxg2oXidixtCNUupyrM6ojQukj4QpdwewqA/s4161/DSCN3961.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2403" data-original-width="4161" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCpjmiKXqtmB7I6sEr8hA7pQfCmJQ3kGM0MOC3DMknwKK0fLI2YNJNyUbB3_ls7DwzYMzs9n7dT_xaQUmuLJNGWuTLcbYE3U3iRNKTmUUKQKn85Sex87gyDUYYovq-pCjtThhS7niEtWt17BKWxg2oXidixtCNUupyrM6ojQukj4QpdwewqA/s320/DSCN3961.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Female Blackcap</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-weight: bold;">Adventures 'out of area':</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b> The Moray Coast.</b></span></span></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXsyt5cfxj8mo2-8tnAqQk0u1RETRqx9nPZ5tkT0F1fpe_uBfR6u3ZDQSOOShMSQFdQ8Ug5FNLCpns0rYItKwurk-7O7jQur88Dk7EoESk0s8FiJlksS_NGzbeWf_-7P6FvJyqyh_JCGz9oWhqxCKx3J3lTiPcovFWnNAmbuO7LrT88IOP-w/s2015/IMG_0181.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1133" data-original-width="2015" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXsyt5cfxj8mo2-8tnAqQk0u1RETRqx9nPZ5tkT0F1fpe_uBfR6u3ZDQSOOShMSQFdQ8Ug5FNLCpns0rYItKwurk-7O7jQur88Dk7EoESk0s8FiJlksS_NGzbeWf_-7P6FvJyqyh_JCGz9oWhqxCKx3J3lTiPcovFWnNAmbuO7LrT88IOP-w/w400-h225/IMG_0181.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Autumn at the Moray Coast</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYk7H2IekFvJakW16quiezHYaxUxlAJ4NhqpebHkIliRx1Gfhxg2vrxhUgf0dV_3rFQT1D45s1iU8q44wKpaQMKrzulb4Ho-7CN4TsNtFHHMt48cXPWT5AnS7EqxOABMFjJ3XA28n9gHXpAZLM8krJrBcX82EtvNa4PJLp0pUsE2Hw-RP6uQ/s3863/DSCN1603.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2660" data-original-width="3863" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYk7H2IekFvJakW16quiezHYaxUxlAJ4NhqpebHkIliRx1Gfhxg2vrxhUgf0dV_3rFQT1D45s1iU8q44wKpaQMKrzulb4Ho-7CN4TsNtFHHMt48cXPWT5AnS7EqxOABMFjJ3XA28n9gHXpAZLM8krJrBcX82EtvNa4PJLp0pUsE2Hw-RP6uQ/s320/DSCN1603.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Redshanks and Turnstones</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b><p></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpvSpqpRS0Y5go1X-NVBij5LW82-osIrHVf0TfCMuAKJd4LgTF7eUUCkKkvdYh-lfP91jmFbYDAPKr3gkN5vQvEHhENQj2UVcosNpia-NEs_n5NuWAeLBaRRwxrGW5p2FBud9QrdubsG4OPppHUupR-5y7SYyvpCjqM8nV4VLEKWyHH5jFmQ/s1898/DSCN1611.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="866" data-original-width="1898" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpvSpqpRS0Y5go1X-NVBij5LW82-osIrHVf0TfCMuAKJd4LgTF7eUUCkKkvdYh-lfP91jmFbYDAPKr3gkN5vQvEHhENQj2UVcosNpia-NEs_n5NuWAeLBaRRwxrGW5p2FBud9QrdubsG4OPppHUupR-5y7SYyvpCjqM8nV4VLEKWyHH5jFmQ/w400-h183/DSCN1611.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Eider</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b><p></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXRgl-m1EsXwaQFwZUED9815m2eIYk069is5s8nqGmOdx2XTuL3G4NKDpV9CkSa4V9JHfZ8FnpBqNxdD_1WTKKTnMcl6DSEOBaOW7YEjPksHF6-vmGXoyIj5nNGl7oY2tMulLolr9b5rqRtTRlUo0loXWsaSPaGrrNOksU1d95kn68lmq5UA/s3752/DSCN5380.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2693" data-original-width="3752" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXRgl-m1EsXwaQFwZUED9815m2eIYk069is5s8nqGmOdx2XTuL3G4NKDpV9CkSa4V9JHfZ8FnpBqNxdD_1WTKKTnMcl6DSEOBaOW7YEjPksHF6-vmGXoyIj5nNGl7oY2tMulLolr9b5rqRtTRlUo0loXWsaSPaGrrNOksU1d95kn68lmq5UA/s320/DSCN5380.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Curlew</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjERP63EQSu2TVIreLgpqSH658xKeU1LfM2yaQMMaz-Z6iETJwcMhB_ATOKjaVULJ5WnlEt5sWypHWo5vLL5-kA7ZWmVZ0UKinQmjBIp7r_E7aI_PK9yrLSi3SIyOZQ24q99S9748BWSUyjKU4Rp_z0MzZY_tFZid5KyHhuCuYhLMt9bu2EpQ/s4174/DSCN5395.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2210" data-original-width="4174" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjERP63EQSu2TVIreLgpqSH658xKeU1LfM2yaQMMaz-Z6iETJwcMhB_ATOKjaVULJ5WnlEt5sWypHWo5vLL5-kA7ZWmVZ0UKinQmjBIp7r_E7aI_PK9yrLSi3SIyOZQ24q99S9748BWSUyjKU4Rp_z0MzZY_tFZid5KyHhuCuYhLMt9bu2EpQ/w400-h211/DSCN5395.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Cormorants</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjljQjnaFqLXxFQrr5G0wPXe0u8mpsZZqe8Z8sNLjEMTsd7XTaqopTm6Ul-d42DmPhMWbzrnqnfnFxyXggmuY-fnwjWPKwvdnsRJi-hLzfae0cp4Z-SruCWckKWPWdQlnqOKSfBf-b7SdOJMyyAmlL6XymtGinWI9FrANg55ZybqforVz0sNg/s4608/DSCN0226.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2057" data-original-width="4608" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjljQjnaFqLXxFQrr5G0wPXe0u8mpsZZqe8Z8sNLjEMTsd7XTaqopTm6Ul-d42DmPhMWbzrnqnfnFxyXggmuY-fnwjWPKwvdnsRJi-hLzfae0cp4Z-SruCWckKWPWdQlnqOKSfBf-b7SdOJMyyAmlL6XymtGinWI9FrANg55ZybqforVz0sNg/w400-h179/DSCN0226.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Teal and Wigeon</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaHRy2dgC1J5lfsnz6P7Y8zwNL0vMbvyoPJCEWl1D72VGXjsLwtdlai3ZTiJI459v2SmkQvHh0zuA8dvHGWdVW9zeyPc754H97nmPzxx9-YKNhA2ia136-4_kHiOBbBeiMkn49VBRmoVWnXf3nfPFX77MHxwt0nQqe9TSIWrY7xzjmxXKo7Q/s1449/Purple%20Sandpiper%20by%20Steve%20Nicklin.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="966" data-original-width="1449" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaHRy2dgC1J5lfsnz6P7Y8zwNL0vMbvyoPJCEWl1D72VGXjsLwtdlai3ZTiJI459v2SmkQvHh0zuA8dvHGWdVW9zeyPc754H97nmPzxx9-YKNhA2ia136-4_kHiOBbBeiMkn49VBRmoVWnXf3nfPFX77MHxwt0nQqe9TSIWrY7xzjmxXKo7Q/s320/Purple%20Sandpiper%20by%20Steve%20Nicklin.JPG" width="320" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Purple Sandpiper by Steve Nicklin - Photo from Nov 2021</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg56ldmuIivvDmaB9hPy_nBZHE0tEfz9TpZczNUAA_3ncSWAczciKHuUsTg2qL1dyO0pIXqxOjukXMzs1NX_78stofZFGfxQNJIzUJeOXoJ7EiVUqQMD7M2glvodZE-ABeSSgAi-ySUDicHlYhqOaatOIcHbQYuCZNuoWSYA5ADftD8F_R5Xg/s1670/LTD%20by%20Bob%20Smith.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1091" data-original-width="1670" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg56ldmuIivvDmaB9hPy_nBZHE0tEfz9TpZczNUAA_3ncSWAczciKHuUsTg2qL1dyO0pIXqxOjukXMzs1NX_78stofZFGfxQNJIzUJeOXoJ7EiVUqQMD7M2glvodZE-ABeSSgAi-ySUDicHlYhqOaatOIcHbQYuCZNuoWSYA5ADftD8F_R5Xg/w400-h261/LTD%20by%20Bob%20Smith.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Long-Tailed Ducks by Bob Smith - Photo from Nov 2021</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioHCVNqRqzjqURDG_ZQKuC3MYf78u3PjtjZlO-MoZK8MWlpiFVtQcgDiMptc9_MsSCiyO9CSdtQlGVI_taLVrQqVyPtO7W6wOC73NOMdWwSdjKlIRBHwjU1eAc_GBXgZ0FoaFSOzordMCHvDLGPKAsj6YQxz3XSNBNo8vFkzeOS3ajT-0ygQ/s4608/DSCN0291.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioHCVNqRqzjqURDG_ZQKuC3MYf78u3PjtjZlO-MoZK8MWlpiFVtQcgDiMptc9_MsSCiyO9CSdtQlGVI_taLVrQqVyPtO7W6wOC73NOMdWwSdjKlIRBHwjU1eAc_GBXgZ0FoaFSOzordMCHvDLGPKAsj6YQxz3XSNBNo8vFkzeOS3ajT-0ygQ/s320/DSCN0291.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Tree Sparrow</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-weight: 400;">The ruggedly attractive Moray coast is only about an hour drive north of Aviemore, and my trips to favourite reserves, lochs, bays and harbours gave good views of wintering birds such as </span><b style="color: #0e2b46;">Greylag</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-weight: 400;"> </span><b style="color: #0e2b46;">Geese</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-weight: 400;">, </span><b style="color: #0e2b46;">Pink-Footed Geese</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-weight: 400;">, </span><b style="color: #0e2b46;">Brent Geese</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-weight: 400;">, <b>Barnacle Geese</b>, </span><b style="color: #0e2b46;">Whooper Swan</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-weight: 400;">, </span><b style="color: #0e2b46;">Shoveler</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-weight: 400;">, </span><b style="color: #0e2b46;">Wigeon</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-weight: 400;">, </span><b style="color: #0e2b46;">Teal</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-weight: 400;">, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-weight: 400;"> </span><b style="color: #0e2b46;">Pintail</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-weight: 400;">,</span><b style="color: #0e2b46;"> </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-weight: 400;"> </span><b style="color: #0e2b46;">Bar-Tailed Godwit</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-weight: 400;">, </span><b style="color: #0e2b46;">Knot, Dunlin, Golden Plover</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-weight: 400;"> , </span><b style="color: #0e2b46;">Grey Plover </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-weight: 400;">, </span><b style="color: #0e2b46;">Ringed Plover</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-weight: 400;">, </span><b style="color: #0e2b46;">Purple Sandpiper</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-weight: 400;">, <b>Redshank</b>, <b>Oystercatcher</b>, <b>Turnstone</b>, <b>Curlew</b>, </span><b style="color: #0e2b46;">Common Scoter</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-weight: 400;">, </span><b style="color: #0e2b46;">Velvet Scoter</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-weight: 400;">, </span><b style="color: #0e2b46;">Red-Throated Diver</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-weight: 400;">, </span><b style="color: #0e2b46;">Long-Tailed Ducks, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-weight: 400;"><b>Eiders</b></span><b style="color: #0e2b46;">,</b><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-weight: 400;"> </span><b style="color: #0e2b46;">Gannets</b><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-weight: 400;">, a few </span><b style="color: #0e2b46;">Guillemots</b><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-weight: 400;"> , </span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46;">Black Guillemots</span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-weight: 400;">, and </span><b style="color: #0e2b46;">Razorbill</b><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-weight: 400;">s, </span><b style="color: #0e2b46;"> </b><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-weight: 400;">as well as bonus inland sightings of tricky to see birds such as </span><b style="color: #0e2b46;">Tree Sparrow....</b></span></b></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">November2022 mammal sightings in more detail:</b></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhobU2JJOxJOE-vsEHjt8WFrNlbrbkFw5WEcfn5C1PRMFmAbbSalHswFkt68RbKPrcWJyooO3pAtkJUcIP2stKS4Tro5O-X69sIBoSfkaiSZHNKEp6OI9ga7xFY2hjCTs61SYmemD9sU_IGvslEze7aSV-yHNq0EUo7YSRNnidIiyTR3ZfeJw/s1740/DSCN3784.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="945" data-original-width="1740" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhobU2JJOxJOE-vsEHjt8WFrNlbrbkFw5WEcfn5C1PRMFmAbbSalHswFkt68RbKPrcWJyooO3pAtkJUcIP2stKS4Tro5O-X69sIBoSfkaiSZHNKEp6OI9ga7xFY2hjCTs61SYmemD9sU_IGvslEze7aSV-yHNq0EUo7YSRNnidIiyTR3ZfeJw/w400-h217/DSCN3784.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Deer</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRlL-qO3hPQqciv3vehkQ6IiwjWAgaYU71SE9mVoBBgFURaL1naazIZ2Xd67RPK5Z69Hxlq7Bbz-qcLhRJ9gzOk_0OaWGsoREorQdoMQBfvss_HTv9lW3q2OA5zIfCW-F7s4EWP-jjwv_CCAl05zlz1-FOnJYCf3ea7CEUV-3uMCeFTLtp9w/s2593/Ron%20Mitchell%20Stags.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1825" data-original-width="2593" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRlL-qO3hPQqciv3vehkQ6IiwjWAgaYU71SE9mVoBBgFURaL1naazIZ2Xd67RPK5Z69Hxlq7Bbz-qcLhRJ9gzOk_0OaWGsoREorQdoMQBfvss_HTv9lW3q2OA5zIfCW-F7s4EWP-jjwv_CCAl05zlz1-FOnJYCf3ea7CEUV-3uMCeFTLtp9w/w400-h281/Ron%20Mitchell%20Stags.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Deer stags by Ron Mitchell - Photo from Nov 2015</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="background-color: white;">Up in the glens, a</span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75);">lthough the annual autumn 'rut' is now over and apparently already forgotten by the participants!, it was still a treat to see the magnificent fully antlered </span></span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">Red Deer</b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"> stags, seemingly now all friends again and concentrating on feeding and chilling out after the demands of October....</span></b></b></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></b></b></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></b></b></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b></b></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1rPIHVJrDgoIpETO-MbrAIMXa8FtXjQs-4GAltY8fs1VHxP1NA1UxYA3RkgX__I-iFEwALy1zAI-Ousgb5CaoDLqBBM25kmynkMDmIrUop_OTztuR2PWqzWDzJHiCd9Ich82bG6t09WC-rzOoAem0U7gZx4A29jGWejiZJoEX2U_5zndzKA/s3748/DSCN7816.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2110" data-original-width="3748" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1rPIHVJrDgoIpETO-MbrAIMXa8FtXjQs-4GAltY8fs1VHxP1NA1UxYA3RkgX__I-iFEwALy1zAI-Ousgb5CaoDLqBBM25kmynkMDmIrUop_OTztuR2PWqzWDzJHiCd9Ich82bG6t09WC-rzOoAem0U7gZx4A29jGWejiZJoEX2U_5zndzKA/w400-h225/DSCN7816.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Mountain Hare - photo from Nov 2018</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p>Still in the uplands, <b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Mountain Hares </b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;">, being very rare in the UK, and now they are turning 'winter white' are often voted as 'mammal of the day' by my safari clients at this time of year, and although they were pretty elusive this month, we were fortunate enough to see them on a couple of occasions, ...please be aware though, that most of our views are at long distance through a scope, and a fair bit of rough uphill walking may be required for photography purposes</span></b></b></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b></b></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR4Xmf0w8tBMXGlYg5G6HNKh_5piJZrHUthIt3-fpgNBZgdTcINSLmYPgX5hThX08RgCahdm0rUSzIEZFtD2Z5UYdfGmZ6ihqbUDVnZX8kPpwqFOnpJGj5fH6b6uDzHjkViaMo5QDhP1ERmpdfE4q9F8wKiBCidy34eTAFF71cmlbIJvZCyQ/s3718/DSCN5545.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1960" data-original-width="3718" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR4Xmf0w8tBMXGlYg5G6HNKh_5piJZrHUthIt3-fpgNBZgdTcINSLmYPgX5hThX08RgCahdm0rUSzIEZFtD2Z5UYdfGmZ6ihqbUDVnZX8kPpwqFOnpJGj5fH6b6uDzHjkViaMo5QDhP1ERmpdfE4q9F8wKiBCidy34eTAFF71cmlbIJvZCyQ/w400-h211/DSCN5545.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Feral Mountain Goat - Photo from Nov 2020</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></b></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Feral Mountain Goats</b></span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"> </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">always prove to be popular with my safari clients, and they were seen on most visits to their upland habitat, though they generally kept their distance, so photo opportunities were a bit limited..</span></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b></b></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJhX5S1Oabv7-F2HQ6F0cfOneSZEbPiS6Cyale2bR_UItnREL3M0xfhVBDO0jrSTRI3uhhp5lwFEOmld7EWJKSDNxXOwtKwE6LsviaykN9nEbPauYwPkdcO_jbt3DWLqLSs1LONnUQXr7zSAV6WEjxrnnZAS9CwTdevGkXZIcAkOtxZ4OZvg/s3143/DSCN3740.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3058" data-original-width="3143" height="389" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJhX5S1Oabv7-F2HQ6F0cfOneSZEbPiS6Cyale2bR_UItnREL3M0xfhVBDO0jrSTRI3uhhp5lwFEOmld7EWJKSDNxXOwtKwE6LsviaykN9nEbPauYwPkdcO_jbt3DWLqLSs1LONnUQXr7zSAV6WEjxrnnZAS9CwTdevGkXZIcAkOtxZ4OZvg/w400-h389/DSCN3740.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Squirrel</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></b><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b></b></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi62k4vr7lZPUme2TF5deCguqd7URPAbaABV21sC8FhZyoz6fyURdRN8dYHDKEr7fI5kexNcG-CW1j5I6liZ86xKgpLAMX4USWPyyDbYOf21vru2XAy1xSr-jVTbUCotONoEVu5fxiMUZ-b4VA5t21mkT4pNk2wG0vBMdlpWJNr9EiSytU2SA/s3962/DSCN3734.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3123" data-original-width="3962" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi62k4vr7lZPUme2TF5deCguqd7URPAbaABV21sC8FhZyoz6fyURdRN8dYHDKEr7fI5kexNcG-CW1j5I6liZ86xKgpLAMX4USWPyyDbYOf21vru2XAy1xSr-jVTbUCotONoEVu5fxiMUZ-b4VA5t21mkT4pNk2wG0vBMdlpWJNr9EiSytU2SA/s320/DSCN3734.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Squirrel</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">In the Caledonian forests,</span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> Red Squirrels</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> always prove to be popular with my safari clients , and who am I to disagree? </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Being rare in the UK outside of Highland Scotland, attractive, charismatic and cute, they certainly tick a lot of boxes, and thankfully, with a bit of patience, they can usually be relied upon to put in an appearance at feeding stations in the winter months (they love peanuts!)....though we also get the odd random sighting whilst on forest walks too...</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo0-vacY8TkXlzePuo-8lKMOIlcxYvYzKYRj5JRPyEsUBBRY-dd4jL-VfJQ6p3-pam3ZpJzO_n0yqv7aDw9UbHP3P-DFnRyFyGPFyxgnmEBriaPfgX66BHQsRBtYgs-o4gEers2hGo974BxSO1AtdPqfQlpkLmmEtPllOj_v_T94RphG-cbg/s3476/DSCN3758.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2107" data-original-width="3476" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo0-vacY8TkXlzePuo-8lKMOIlcxYvYzKYRj5JRPyEsUBBRY-dd4jL-VfJQ6p3-pam3ZpJzO_n0yqv7aDw9UbHP3P-DFnRyFyGPFyxgnmEBriaPfgX66BHQsRBtYgs-o4gEers2hGo974BxSO1AtdPqfQlpkLmmEtPllOj_v_T94RphG-cbg/w400-h243/DSCN3758.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Roe Deer</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Roe Deer, </b><span style="font-weight: 400;">although much more common UK-wide than Red Deer , can often be overlooked due to their crepuscular nature and nervous disposition... but several were seen, usually at dawn or dusk, but also during the day in less-disturbed places... </span></b></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><b>Brown Hares</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">, similarly to the Roe Deer, can also be very nervous and 'crepuscular' in nature, and most of our best sightings happen in the first hour of daylight, though sightings were very few and far between this month...</span></b></p><div><b><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b></b></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXZzBcPUIH5p_ZPa9TNpXZ5sg1yRhhLGapWVkMbETMSykWVKK63PpIJGg0kAmWSbxu_rf7GfMj8B6NZWR6NH1WnCY0ZS2j4lTVJx3JWXpyKbYitBM_ZV4Tgeb3DtbtY8kVvWI71EQ8yqELmqy0tHerl-FKmci_u2BCoM-n8C8FMjdZLNbWAA/s1726/IMG_0096.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1288" data-original-width="1726" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXZzBcPUIH5p_ZPa9TNpXZ5sg1yRhhLGapWVkMbETMSykWVKK63PpIJGg0kAmWSbxu_rf7GfMj8B6NZWR6NH1WnCY0ZS2j4lTVJx3JWXpyKbYitBM_ZV4Tgeb3DtbtY8kVvWI71EQ8yqELmqy0tHerl-FKmci_u2BCoM-n8C8FMjdZLNbWAA/w400-h299/IMG_0096.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Carrot time for Murdo</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Hairy Highland Coo's</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"> always prove to be popular with my safari clients, especially those who do not have them close to home, so don't be afraid to ask me if you fancy going to see them, and maybe even get to feed and 'pat' them, as I have a couple of great sites....</span></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Rare/nocturnal mammals:</b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">I get a few enquiries about the possibility of seeing </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Badgers</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> and </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Pine Marten</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> from my safari clients, many of whom I suspect are unaware that they are actually a largely nocturnal creature, and although we do get the occasional (maybe one or two a year) dawn glimpse of one, you would definitely have a much higher chance of seeing them at a specific dusk Badger/Pine Marten watching hide - Please contact me for more information.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Similarly, our inland </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Otters</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> too are mainly active during the hours of darkness, and again, although we do get a few early-morning sightings on local lochs and rivers each year, looking for them feeding in a suitably quiet, kelp - filled bay on the coast on a rising tide, but at any time of day, would give you a much better chance.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-family: quot; line-height: 1.4;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: quot; line-height: 1.4;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Whilst we are still on the 'tricky to see stuff', the <b>Scottish Wildcat </b>too, as well as being incredibly rare now, is also generally nocturnal, and the fact that I have had a mere handful of (dawn or dusk) sightings in 18 years of providing wildlife safaris should give you an idea of how difficult they are to see.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Other wildlife:</b></p><div><br /></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjRmAhydc_yf37xcqiWfj8Ot1RDiRPJv4W7dXOKDd6lCEHFEK8u9qWr5WCeClSW3XpOFw7kZlbwhtluToBcWyk-VNmCVSYU8nysCRT0vm39-Wjb1RJJDwvhIuxCKglrji-RhHoCvTPIlehB8vy4Nt1CixO38Gk7fLLQRde0R2NbG5wD1CLHg/s640/Rob%20Ellett%207.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="640" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjRmAhydc_yf37xcqiWfj8Ot1RDiRPJv4W7dXOKDd6lCEHFEK8u9qWr5WCeClSW3XpOFw7kZlbwhtluToBcWyk-VNmCVSYU8nysCRT0vm39-Wjb1RJJDwvhIuxCKglrji-RhHoCvTPIlehB8vy4Nt1CixO38Gk7fLLQRde0R2NbG5wD1CLHg/w400-h268/Rob%20Ellett%207.jpg" width="400" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Spawning Atlantic Salmon by Rob Ellett - Photo from Nov 2019 </b></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;">Mid October-early December is usually the time of year to see our </span><strong style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Atlantic Salmon </strong><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;">spawning. </span></b></b></div><div><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;">These remarkable and often very large fish spawn in the shallow waters in the upper reaches of our rivers, at the very spot where they themselves were hatched several years before, having originally spent 2-3 years in the river, then another 2-3 years feeding, growing and maturing out in the mid Atlantic, before undertaking a perilous journey many miles upriver, often involving avoiding poachers, anglers and predators and negotiating high falls and rapids on the way , an amazing migration story! However, sightings are very reliant on the rivers water levels - too little water and the Salmon cannot access the upper reaches - too much water, and they can get there... but we can't see them....fortunately, from the start of the month until around the 15th it all fell into place and we enjoyed some decent views.......</span></b></b></div><div><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></b></div><div><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></b></div><div><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></b></div><div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">News:</b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">All tourism/hospitality/activities in Scotland are open , are free of restrictions and I have now completed well over a year of (thankfully!) increasingly busy and extremely enjoyable safaris with clients with no major issues arising.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">With all national travel restrictions lifted too, Scotland is officially 'open for business' for visitors from all over the UK, and from abroad.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">For those considering a visit, these wildlife/outdoor tourism websites may prove useful:</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b>https://www.gov.scot/collections/coronavirus-covid</b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.outdooraccess-scotland.scot/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">NatureScot (outdooraccess-scotland.scot)</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xGdTZcC2ZQ" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-line: none;">Can Nature Help Health? | Nature Prescriptions - YouTube</a></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1HBKnnGr-g" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;">Scotland, Yours to Enjoy. Responsibly. - YouTube</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://cairngorms.co.uk/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">Cairngorms National Park Authority</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.highlandwildlifepark.org.uk/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">Highland Wildlife Park</a></p><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.gov.scot/publications/avian-influenza-outbreaks/" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;">Avian influenza (bird flu) outbreaks - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)</a></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://www.rspb.org.uk/about-the-rspb/about-us/how-the-rspb-is-run/annualreport/annual-report-2022_scotland-news/?utm_source=notes_on_nature_20220903&utm_medium=email&utm_term=notes_on_nature&utm_content=27&utm_campaign=notes_on_nature" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;">Positive prescriptions | The RSPB</a></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-iPixnR_fa8pamfKqjzYZtO0285-hTC_fjVTax5LFDL-7dug-FOAfD3MD9hpxW8ctzYdjKkXFaciGlQR8o4YJhZjefs13s8HJyTx3v66n6nZEN0OYGsdVZ_DFBhHzdEchby7gjhPwb3_iAK5EnbizKH4_-pkK03sq1nzzM1BuA6vCR_Wpsg/s2016/IMG_0068.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="974" data-original-width="2016" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-iPixnR_fa8pamfKqjzYZtO0285-hTC_fjVTax5LFDL-7dug-FOAfD3MD9hpxW8ctzYdjKkXFaciGlQR8o4YJhZjefs13s8HJyTx3v66n6nZEN0OYGsdVZ_DFBhHzdEchby7gjhPwb3_iAK5EnbizKH4_-pkK03sq1nzzM1BuA6vCR_Wpsg/w400-h194/IMG_0068.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Nice autumn colours on a local moorland</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>COVID-19</b></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span></span></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b>The Scottish Highlands has had very few COVID-19 cases in comparison to most of the UK, and on my safaris we tend to visit remote , wild habitats well away from the more popular tourist areas, and usually have very little interaction with other people, and this is something that I intend to continue.</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5vgSU9qIrrk4HpxJgaV8KOCkYFQq2UaSIJ2KaXqv-0TScU3Ov5ofZ7lJIGurX2yrpbvu98m3YB0sdO53F2HhiI725ENcnfCo6xuYfrBEjARi5UR9MJUMM4votB_K235LulzbHbH88v3xoKlUBY16MDl2dRzQO4HBPiatDmB7mWezBdkLt8Q/s4583/DSCN7861.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2046" data-original-width="4583" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5vgSU9qIrrk4HpxJgaV8KOCkYFQq2UaSIJ2KaXqv-0TScU3Ov5ofZ7lJIGurX2yrpbvu98m3YB0sdO53F2HhiI725ENcnfCo6xuYfrBEjARi5UR9MJUMM4votB_K235LulzbHbH88v3xoKlUBY16MDl2dRzQO4HBPiatDmB7mWezBdkLt8Q/w400-h179/DSCN7861.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Autumn at a picturesque local loch</b></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Summary:</b></div></span></div><p>Although, sadly, I only had a handful of safari bookings this month (November is always 'quiet'), I still managed to get out wildlife watching with friends or by myself on plenty of occasions, and by cherry-picking the best days weather-wise, some good times were enjoyed, plenty of local speciality wildlife, especially Eagles and other birds of prey, and winter visiting birds seen, and a few decent photos were achieved - perhaps suggesting that it may actually be well worth considering a visit at this time of year....</p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p></div><div><b><br /></b></div><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;">Reviews:</b></p><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span face="" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span face="" style="color: #06004c;">I know a lot of visitors to this area very wisely check out reviews of attractions/experiences at </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Tripadvisor</b><span face="" style="color: #06004c;"> before 'taking the plunge' and booking - We now have over 260 reviews online, so if you wish, you can check out our clients comments at the link below....</span></div><p><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><div style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"></span></span><br /><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g186537-d3335134-Reviews-</span></span></span></span></span></div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"></span></span><br /><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Highland_Wildlife_Birdwatch_Safaris-Aviemore_Aviemore_and_the_Cairngorms_Scottish.html</span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div></div></div><p><br /></p><p><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p><b>Buying my photos:</b></p><p><b>Prints of any of the photos (taken by myself) shown on this blog, going right back to 2015, </b><b>reproduced on high quality photographic paper, </b><b> with a choice of sizes up to A3, and satin pearl or glossy finishes available, </b><b>can now be purchased from me at very reasonable prices</b><b>. So if you see an image that might look nice in a frame (provided by yourself) on your wall, please make a note of the year and month of my blog in which it appeared, and email me for more information.</b></p><p><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><div style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span face=""><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;">G<b>ift Certificates:</b></span><br /></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; color: #222222; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 5px; position: relative;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T95gARK_lkQ/XAvNUI2tI6I/AAAAAAAADwU/GDPgK9hH9LwgLQ8gPnoaLdf04Yn2BLebwCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_1578.JPG" style="background: none 0% 0% / auto repeat scroll padding-box border-box transparent; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 5px;" width="400" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 10.56px; text-align: center;"><b>Safari gift voucher</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></span></span></div></div></div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><br /></div><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span face="" style="color: #06004c; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;">If you think you know someone who may enjoy a taste of what I do, why not treat them to a safari gift </span><span face="" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;">certificate? They make a thoughtful and imaginative present, are available for any amount as full or part-payment for an excursion, and are valid at any time subject to my availability, with a one year from purchase expiry date.</span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span face="" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><p></p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p></p><p><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></span></p><p><b><br /></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Highland Wildlife & Birdwatch Safarishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04327130550058794301noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26724394.post-89828763816626475782022-10-31T19:55:00.000+00:002022-10-31T19:55:59.511+00:00<p><b>October 2022</b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b>October 2022 </b>was very changeable weather-wise in this area, but overall, it is fair to say that it became generally more autumnal as the month progressed, although the last few days did see us enjoy above average temperatures. Although no extreme weather was experienced, it should be noted that sun, wind, rain, sleet and even a few light snow showers can all be experienced in October, sometimes in the same day, so any prospective visitors would be wise to pack a good variety of clothing.</p><p>Temperature ranged widely from a balmy +15c to a chilly -3c, <span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">and the few bright and sunny days saw us get our first proper frosts of this autumn, while the 15th saw our first snowfall linger on the mountain tops.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">Though the days are certainly shortening now, we still have around 10 hours (7am-5pm approx) of usable daylight, and the Highland scenery is still ablaze with glorious autumn colours, with most of the leaves still clinging on, the ferns a picture in copper, and many of our berry trees still fully laden.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">The autumn rains have restored the local rivers to their normal levels, allowing the Atlantic salmon to finally complete their epic journey reach the spawning grounds in the upper reaches.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">October is a really great month to witness visible bird migration in action, with large flocks of Geese, Swans, and Thrush species often witnessed flying noisily overhead, and this influx of winter visitors from colder areas further north, helped full-day safari bird lists increase up into the 40's, (or more if you include a trip to the Moray Coast), whilst mammal day-lists varied between 3 and 7 depending on the start time and number of venues visited, with early starts, as usual, proving to be best.</span></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2VuR1B4A8At9iNHQ7GfwT-iDnn8z6wxReEG7o7rlEiMDXPjA5ViecfTRAfElPdk6tX9B1F5ayZIqlnN7G1hMEc1mlxqRMBDEiA6i1jyYA1ZDySOx4GN22wuqFqz6DbI2YUY1KHYDQqOzeR7q-U9YTUCcSnWXVKTMae96sPx8gtIne1ZuRpg/s2978/IMG_8286.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1486" data-original-width="2978" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2VuR1B4A8At9iNHQ7GfwT-iDnn8z6wxReEG7o7rlEiMDXPjA5ViecfTRAfElPdk6tX9B1F5ayZIqlnN7G1hMEc1mlxqRMBDEiA6i1jyYA1ZDySOx4GN22wuqFqz6DbI2YUY1KHYDQqOzeR7q-U9YTUCcSnWXVKTMae96sPx8gtIne1ZuRpg/w400-h200/IMG_8286.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Autumn in the Scottish Highlands</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">To give you an idea of what you may realistically hope to see if you are considering a future October visit, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">I hope the following more detailed information, illustrated with photos taken at sites in and around the Cairngorms National Park, and sometimes further afield, by myself, my friends or my safari clients this month and in previous October's will help....clicking on the picture enlarges it to full-screen. </span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Local speciality/upland bird species seen regularly during the month included</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">:</span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Red Grouse, Crested Tit </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">and </span><b>Dipper, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">we also had several good sightings of </span><b>Golden Eagle </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, a couple of </span><b>White-Tailed Eagle, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> and a few fleeting glimpses of </span><b>Crossbills</b>.<b>...</b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">Newly-arrived winter visiting birds were represented by </span><b>Whooper Swans</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, several species of 'grey' </span><b>Geese, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">and from the second week onwards, good numbers of </span><b>Redwings, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">and</span><b> towards the end of the month, Fieldfares, </b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">A good variety of</span><b> sea ducks, geese, waders </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">and</span><b> wildfowl </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">were seen at the</span><b> Moray Coast.</b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Mammal species seen regularly included:</b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Red Squirrel</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Red Deer </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">(rutting</span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">),</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Roe Deer</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Mountain Goat</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> , </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Brown Hare</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> and </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Rabbit</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">......with a few</span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> sightings of Bank Vole </b><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">and</span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> Wood Mouse </b><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">at forest feeding stations.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">The second half of the month also saw us enjoy views of </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Atlantic Salmon</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> starting to spawn in the upper reaches of our local rivers....</span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">October 2022 bird sightings in more detail:</b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-size: 14.52px;">Up in the glens...</b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp9Wz3q1vkynGqTh_Kytm97hsPJjpEiq2N7GP-tMj_ZxcnssT000QZQXkNsqGutWR1vmGRQxAQ6fMpKkRcWNYlC6q7rAad5Ii63hlXSP-wSCf2bphf130bEwf3QnqMY9KHfkNok2m0lgfjvPTiERnUIajL40NDOUYLi0SY-G-r6pg967uweQ/s2016/IMG_9942.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1092" data-original-width="2016" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp9Wz3q1vkynGqTh_Kytm97hsPJjpEiq2N7GP-tMj_ZxcnssT000QZQXkNsqGutWR1vmGRQxAQ6fMpKkRcWNYlC6q7rAad5Ii63hlXSP-wSCf2bphf130bEwf3QnqMY9KHfkNok2m0lgfjvPTiERnUIajL40NDOUYLi0SY-G-r6pg967uweQ/w400-h216/IMG_9942.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Autumn in a local upland glen </b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ZhPIhEltNdMwJFSqU9l-3evG2plQb6fon9_lttsdyBku2inObnDbwpssIo-WSiaSFXOBMHQAEJfd0VHkTme4mpyvcOqw3rchycBURWk55bmGA8DQClxFiB_Re_TTmjAoqtrRk2kl8ECX94LjbfJ6b-pLLCEhCKZsvk4DcVS65mTPqm3GLQ/s4003/DSCN3583.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2751" data-original-width="4003" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ZhPIhEltNdMwJFSqU9l-3evG2plQb6fon9_lttsdyBku2inObnDbwpssIo-WSiaSFXOBMHQAEJfd0VHkTme4mpyvcOqw3rchycBURWk55bmGA8DQClxFiB_Re_TTmjAoqtrRk2kl8ECX94LjbfJ6b-pLLCEhCKZsvk4DcVS65mTPqm3GLQ/w400-h275/DSCN3583.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Golden Eagle</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9u7OU7eHQ7QLE66xSzwknHmf-pUQS_erSiAFE0mpgczAvsL758ZxzR8CDE3tJkIfUTbJ654v07_tdxCDxN310EOXH9bNo7hp6jNETRMm6NOf4_d4NESI4ZXXjftYW1hyeOcPFWddvSK1P-nL0goFpov977Sbu-B9c9ttBpZUpz4cAAxB5bQ/s2530/IMG_8524.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1051" data-original-width="2530" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9u7OU7eHQ7QLE66xSzwknHmf-pUQS_erSiAFE0mpgczAvsL758ZxzR8CDE3tJkIfUTbJ654v07_tdxCDxN310EOXH9bNo7hp6jNETRMm6NOf4_d4NESI4ZXXjftYW1hyeOcPFWddvSK1P-nL0goFpov977Sbu-B9c9ttBpZUpz4cAAxB5bQ/w400-h166/IMG_8524.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Golden Eagle - Photo from Oct 2015</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXqMJh1ZNvPBqEUJxRlXpMOeGYfvupd7QsX2bXTtp4UYBzDR2e8sOm4KxzdtoZ7njA95oD4wgGr7gjYbh12tNldN8aTtxjYj6Dt_vq5zD9DQ7j8lFWX3yzjBweWU_Rt6qbjoFK-fRCwO_azbBmRBFOQjj_L0ikJo-hSaLJLHxhq733eqt2qA/s2064/IMG_1788.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1273" data-original-width="2064" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXqMJh1ZNvPBqEUJxRlXpMOeGYfvupd7QsX2bXTtp4UYBzDR2e8sOm4KxzdtoZ7njA95oD4wgGr7gjYbh12tNldN8aTtxjYj6Dt_vq5zD9DQ7j8lFWX3yzjBweWU_Rt6qbjoFK-fRCwO_azbBmRBFOQjj_L0ikJo-hSaLJLHxhq733eqt2qA/w400-h246/IMG_1788.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Young White-Tailed Eagle - Photo from Oct 2016</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5f_VlG2XR4-kwRKlPbmt83vmwXM3m17cHGWxYNF1_Jv78rXlWGhWKgb5917z203NhVy5f-fKQOqDbLKFW-J8Zk5uAYfvgRTOuZPbxIWhB8Sh9QcY7MkMeHAJtXDEmNPv6mlQ4pWUZtUfpSDYIRpws86sCfYoEi1SRX0l1jk3Dj4J4OShsPg/s1803/Steve%20N%20Eagle%202.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1202" data-original-width="1803" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5f_VlG2XR4-kwRKlPbmt83vmwXM3m17cHGWxYNF1_Jv78rXlWGhWKgb5917z203NhVy5f-fKQOqDbLKFW-J8Zk5uAYfvgRTOuZPbxIWhB8Sh9QcY7MkMeHAJtXDEmNPv6mlQ4pWUZtUfpSDYIRpws86sCfYoEi1SRX0l1jk3Dj4J4OShsPg/w400-h266/Steve%20N%20Eagle%202.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Golden Eagle by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><b style="font-size: 13.2px;">Golden Eagle </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;">is truly an iconic bird of the Scottish Highlands, and one that always seems to be on the 'wish-list' of my safari clients, and our regular visits to my favourite upland glens paid off on a good number of occasions this month, with some pleasingly frequent and often decent sightings of these hugely impressive creatures, sometimes hunting , often in aerial combat with other raptors or Ravens, or sometimes just soaring around....and, presumably lured in by the spawning Salmon, we also saw <b>White-Tailed Eagle </b>more frequently than normal...</span></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8qIK0MpJ8jsQ5RN9vKltBbUrzpMSGgroNbt9PoWURTO01Le6_Lbamdq0IMC8y0CXzuzligQKGpGNYrEw5QSirV1fJvO-yPfWP3Jp1DjUDl2rYObmKTEY2htPz0bkqnb1PNLDb9yRaenrCkTLEhByFRepzXNu3Iq8oWfPMws27zovlNgMBbA/s1670/Steve%20N%20Kestrel.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1114" data-original-width="1670" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8qIK0MpJ8jsQ5RN9vKltBbUrzpMSGgroNbt9PoWURTO01Le6_Lbamdq0IMC8y0CXzuzligQKGpGNYrEw5QSirV1fJvO-yPfWP3Jp1DjUDl2rYObmKTEY2htPz0bkqnb1PNLDb9yRaenrCkTLEhByFRepzXNu3Iq8oWfPMws27zovlNgMBbA/s320/Steve%20N%20Kestrel.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Kestrel by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div><br /></div><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><br /></b></span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd0VwVColhtVea_kayFNJrU8WRZFLurlcp1rA-bBcclNAF6ojUC2CJGeFPzwdZq6ZMDdLTwSbLVERrWQgWD8fYeSJOr27pTChx_B6gzXNsDf9cXC_wCL0C_VIWDFGXfT_bEgky8OcbxZc4_0W6ntD8XMLkEoG5brIVWpZlxFiBy9wKA5nzBw/s3288/DSCN7306.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2044" data-original-width="3288" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd0VwVColhtVea_kayFNJrU8WRZFLurlcp1rA-bBcclNAF6ojUC2CJGeFPzwdZq6ZMDdLTwSbLVERrWQgWD8fYeSJOr27pTChx_B6gzXNsDf9cXC_wCL0C_VIWDFGXfT_bEgky8OcbxZc4_0W6ntD8XMLkEoG5brIVWpZlxFiBy9wKA5nzBw/w400-h249/DSCN7306.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Peregrine Falcon - Photo from Oct 2018</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><br /></b></span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEfmYq-CD43b5MPg_-yXdN8zy7VNXFWPFMfBv5USn2-2EfE-eX7n6-gK17WUKejhUHOn3VfhplhcL-xsmH2IXtxlYxBZuKixpOpMbpYpycfc8MSD3EgMBzcufCumRqL1czY69t8rEtdNc1JFV4zcAErYhcPanMl-7QQdrUrHbT6I77JlGksQ/s3301/DSCN5030.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2228" data-original-width="3301" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEfmYq-CD43b5MPg_-yXdN8zy7VNXFWPFMfBv5USn2-2EfE-eX7n6-gK17WUKejhUHOn3VfhplhcL-xsmH2IXtxlYxBZuKixpOpMbpYpycfc8MSD3EgMBzcufCumRqL1czY69t8rEtdNc1JFV4zcAErYhcPanMl-7QQdrUrHbT6I77JlGksQ/w400-h270/DSCN5030.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Kite - Photo from Oct 2020</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><br /></b></span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJyT7wROZOnnntmuTP8IzJLmgwcGqnldPzifTj-u6WZTaLaMO8z4LtjggluDvsaWaBi7Z2T2Z8Ye4DUJABVSi5q-L1bCAwdBgaoUxIebNg0ga3HaPJda9Bf8XhHrwrsZdsQL3lkLA48D1LB9ro_DJ7yaiNNezodQ1TxLOTSt8pskD5HzxqjA/s2127/Steve%20N%20Buzzard.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="1627" data-original-width="2127" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJyT7wROZOnnntmuTP8IzJLmgwcGqnldPzifTj-u6WZTaLaMO8z4LtjggluDvsaWaBi7Z2T2Z8Ye4DUJABVSi5q-L1bCAwdBgaoUxIebNg0ga3HaPJda9Bf8XhHrwrsZdsQL3lkLA48D1LB9ro_DJ7yaiNNezodQ1TxLOTSt8pskD5HzxqjA/s320/Steve%20N%20Buzzard.JPG" width="320" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Common Buzzard by Steve Nicklin - Photo from Oct 2019</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><br /></b></span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">In fact, if you are a bird of prey fan, it is worth noting that autumn and early winter is usually our best time of year for raptor sightings, and this month we also recorded views of </span><b>Peregrine, Sparrowhawk, Merlin, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">and numerous <b>Kestrels</b>, <b>Red Kites</b> and </span><b>Common Buzzards</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, often in family groups...</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"></b></span></span></p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Up on the moors....</b></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja0w2LLt2P-lUKYOiWozOd7-y6mYAw2DlSejjPVEr3cIRK7XAHeR_KEAYtMhP-KEmKee232EI5nrX6iO6lcmPeQ74u0nHTlLIEG-0Io6a9IO8V0ltE3sQgmwC1T9IDs60xG8jzAujXDQ1NPBcJRqGGV7OQ1jwoSlD1yXT7W-PXc0JVc24Y2A/s2016/IMG_9875.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1279" data-original-width="2016" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja0w2LLt2P-lUKYOiWozOd7-y6mYAw2DlSejjPVEr3cIRK7XAHeR_KEAYtMhP-KEmKee232EI5nrX6iO6lcmPeQ74u0nHTlLIEG-0Io6a9IO8V0ltE3sQgmwC1T9IDs60xG8jzAujXDQ1NPBcJRqGGV7OQ1jwoSlD1yXT7W-PXc0JVc24Y2A/w400-h254/IMG_9875.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Dawn on a local upland heather moorland</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_cUUK-eUCaX8ED-PrkHo9_PgKDfI4yTUd3QZqi5BOeeBHbyh_jO_qdEpJO0_cF1KfTTFxRtiJQJz0-_WlaKmtasHSKjUp_5LNdD9BboUufNR8g9u5gg2AGHVIkrHzBuiByaoQuOlIiOBkXHbf70dbn0BPE-HaMUpJght2p0BjYik4o8oJbw/s3476/DSCN3492.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2535" data-original-width="3476" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_cUUK-eUCaX8ED-PrkHo9_PgKDfI4yTUd3QZqi5BOeeBHbyh_jO_qdEpJO0_cF1KfTTFxRtiJQJz0-_WlaKmtasHSKjUp_5LNdD9BboUufNR8g9u5gg2AGHVIkrHzBuiByaoQuOlIiOBkXHbf70dbn0BPE-HaMUpJght2p0BjYik4o8oJbw/w400-h291/DSCN3492.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Female Red Grouse</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqhC2tJ3JzNpKxx7ApHWs5OpntfbTvL8RPcVX_-uuh73LBmTIFAvE91AXxIrodQe516cBm_QQOj407zkifjXOrWoVsWM8-OAa2nw0iSY-vUdzH1SoLgwM_RL6dM_tMOXh53CKKpPrAa0wKV21EfYg7PtiVzbmK9fRxTRBN04P-JSr_IlNTTQ/s4078/DSCN3485.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3328" data-original-width="4078" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqhC2tJ3JzNpKxx7ApHWs5OpntfbTvL8RPcVX_-uuh73LBmTIFAvE91AXxIrodQe516cBm_QQOj407zkifjXOrWoVsWM8-OAa2nw0iSY-vUdzH1SoLgwM_RL6dM_tMOXh53CKKpPrAa0wKV21EfYg7PtiVzbmK9fRxTRBN04P-JSr_IlNTTQ/w400-h326/DSCN3485.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Red Grouse</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Red Grouse</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">, still largely in family groups were generally pretty obliging, and by using my vehicle as a 'mobile hide', we regularly achieved excellent close-up views and photo opportunities.. and later in the month, a few of the more 'frisky' cock birds appeared to be getting a little aggressive and territorial in their behaviour....</span></b></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;">Visits to </span><b>Black Grouse</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"> leks were less successful however, with no birds seen, despite several attempts...</span></b></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">I</span><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">n the forests...</b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOXuZZxIDt__NHQf2EFLceva4Q3eljhyMhTRbzfcUZ5ez75qG5u_dr6h2nLGoTxJGLL_e-ZjY66Xa0vPo1Pi0qi2N6p7Mbcxv9ZJ8ct-86ACX3fBMfThVgT8fFWFLTa6lZMp9jmZQC1JMlaQOq_gIXmiYKgYrADNeKC9uAok7LlXYmp2RMeQ/s2016/IMG_9840.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOXuZZxIDt__NHQf2EFLceva4Q3eljhyMhTRbzfcUZ5ez75qG5u_dr6h2nLGoTxJGLL_e-ZjY66Xa0vPo1Pi0qi2N6p7Mbcxv9ZJ8ct-86ACX3fBMfThVgT8fFWFLTa6lZMp9jmZQC1JMlaQOq_gIXmiYKgYrADNeKC9uAok7LlXYmp2RMeQ/w400-h300/IMG_9840.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Nice morning light in a local Caledonian forest</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_0CQqiDmsdXWFblm_PzTFPKUZLwpFlkdYsqpbnCN3lGSN3AA68YaUhzCoM84A5k8d4WT-zj-ujHJg0LzX6eptdCb7GsF8W5Hx6OEaFJYRQHSfIlowleRLplGfkhysoVvFW8QuqWU3D2O7iGAMAfK2iobCJU7RxQEflWTOZVOGMZg2Us0r2g/s4107/DSCN3401.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2980" data-original-width="4107" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_0CQqiDmsdXWFblm_PzTFPKUZLwpFlkdYsqpbnCN3lGSN3AA68YaUhzCoM84A5k8d4WT-zj-ujHJg0LzX6eptdCb7GsF8W5Hx6OEaFJYRQHSfIlowleRLplGfkhysoVvFW8QuqWU3D2O7iGAMAfK2iobCJU7RxQEflWTOZVOGMZg2Us0r2g/w400-h290/DSCN3401.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Crested Tit</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrJFExnls09rOFIuV3-7L4etRieRJJwzuwYhXEVBLL0Xq_DU0Wakp8etvbNEERvy_bVpFK-amj8di4p3UcIa4CAH5eLz2DxUpe6EdZNC5BHjV7uwoYq5t5606v46kpgPUaB4gkaSjxJAIx3_jYWQNc7yUrc9f3Dzr4nRKZUlXR-k62Im_4hQ/s3497/DSCN3420.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2319" data-original-width="3497" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrJFExnls09rOFIuV3-7L4etRieRJJwzuwYhXEVBLL0Xq_DU0Wakp8etvbNEERvy_bVpFK-amj8di4p3UcIa4CAH5eLz2DxUpe6EdZNC5BHjV7uwoYq5t5606v46kpgPUaB4gkaSjxJAIx3_jYWQNc7yUrc9f3Dzr4nRKZUlXR-k62Im_4hQ/w400-h265/DSCN3420.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Crested Tit</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8_F954vaL9QqwKBQdTRg3WMfYM-HIcFGQ4FJaVVfEtweKEq0Q4NtP2EOgdemSwhA78nh1IywfV1sJvZ1AUk5h-JZClHERIAEc8a2kTQLMoHk5y-EXpccHU2gzIbfQIPLlE8y-Zg5dK5YKSi2ukZunr9gH6dQKYdsL6gH1rHkRr4WaY2UQDg/s4608/DSCN3354.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8_F954vaL9QqwKBQdTRg3WMfYM-HIcFGQ4FJaVVfEtweKEq0Q4NtP2EOgdemSwhA78nh1IywfV1sJvZ1AUk5h-JZClHERIAEc8a2kTQLMoHk5y-EXpccHU2gzIbfQIPLlE8y-Zg5dK5YKSi2ukZunr9gH6dQKYdsL6gH1rHkRr4WaY2UQDg/w400-h300/DSCN3354.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Crested Tit</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Crested Tits</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, having been typically 'uncooperative' and elusive through the summer months, started to become more regular visitors to forest feeding stations, especially soon after sunrise on the colder days, and we were fortunate enough to enjoy many excellent and often extremely close views of this true 'local speciality' on a number of occasions, as well as a couple of more random sightings of them in mixed winter flocks on our forest walks...</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHJLBuLfY8j71tFnxOTZdeN2aaIqVt9dmHdhTH-tj7jpOupJnCFIwq8PtRmirUpKot2_00qZyTXmPvQ2D9ZjK7Uj_Sz7F9GQAqApxtvBj3R8TsykDWZWLHng8DKPdKRWFfjBeE0Rjy-91KZsE34uTrhSDpy570jkc02ykLOweGFaAuPRrsXg/s4608/DSCN3444.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHJLBuLfY8j71tFnxOTZdeN2aaIqVt9dmHdhTH-tj7jpOupJnCFIwq8PtRmirUpKot2_00qZyTXmPvQ2D9ZjK7Uj_Sz7F9GQAqApxtvBj3R8TsykDWZWLHng8DKPdKRWFfjBeE0Rjy-91KZsE34uTrhSDpy570jkc02ykLOweGFaAuPRrsXg/w400-h300/DSCN3444.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Young Crossbills</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMqSgLa01b36uzG2XY36nsfolrDMpoqihWLUm0zY6xNR4iUuv-IvZ4fP98vNNN41AADqAi8S5ZZ1RaPniQ-cka7HdME_szYzBAei5QXu9RmxtB5JTL4s34HueX-HUCb1Ol0KAMRTSkKo8y704QtQgqkKqnl7RkGczeUhMiFPGVbGTfej12ig/s4136/DSCN3448.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2413" data-original-width="4136" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMqSgLa01b36uzG2XY36nsfolrDMpoqihWLUm0zY6xNR4iUuv-IvZ4fP98vNNN41AADqAi8S5ZZ1RaPniQ-cka7HdME_szYzBAei5QXu9RmxtB5JTL4s34HueX-HUCb1Ol0KAMRTSkKo8y704QtQgqkKqnl7RkGczeUhMiFPGVbGTfej12ig/w400-h234/DSCN3448.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Female Crossbill<br /><br /></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4EfqStF8jtlwmSUgW8-fVtBbGLB7Ii0vNQkw0rOaAZUpXPrCmb8ZOHgu1bSXh0L2m36NaBSy2pLX2fxCS1Hj2XEO-fogAGwryNLdIyo3XIdDuXQfW-VDQ-sB7ImjSrOy6llmDmHNopZsHJ1FP_6ymbbagnNOFxICYj3-XuDzg9mOYCga7cw/s3963/DSCN3447.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3442" data-original-width="3963" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4EfqStF8jtlwmSUgW8-fVtBbGLB7Ii0vNQkw0rOaAZUpXPrCmb8ZOHgu1bSXh0L2m36NaBSy2pLX2fxCS1Hj2XEO-fogAGwryNLdIyo3XIdDuXQfW-VDQ-sB7ImjSrOy6llmDmHNopZsHJ1FP_6ymbbagnNOFxICYj3-XuDzg9mOYCga7cw/w400-h348/DSCN3447.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Crossbill</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-weight: 400;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Still in the forests, </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Crossbills</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, sadly, but rather typically, were generally somewhat less obliging , with our views once again being restricted to snatched glimpses of birds flying overhead...identified only by their distinctive 'jip- jip' calls....an annoyingly familiar tale...</span></span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-weight: 400;">except on the 6th and 24th of the month, when we managed a couple of scope views and even a rare photo opportunity...</span></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>On the rivers...</b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-nq50MNPAQPBKmyMGdrL0_v1Jhmcizpltr9ZKLAr_3NBELOcN_2j1vH70bQTOBHKGA8mQwsvfTV9UBTL-lH6CzbWLgnqXWHaG300kbsTdUvvDnlqomoWOyEyXIa1Ec3Z-FnNlrzumJsWMMRrR6Z4t1cG4HrE3nMZ1U6Lv3Yl9yRzrt4a_8g/s1880/IMG_9964.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1354" data-original-width="1880" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-nq50MNPAQPBKmyMGdrL0_v1Jhmcizpltr9ZKLAr_3NBELOcN_2j1vH70bQTOBHKGA8mQwsvfTV9UBTL-lH6CzbWLgnqXWHaG300kbsTdUvvDnlqomoWOyEyXIa1Ec3Z-FnNlrzumJsWMMRrR6Z4t1cG4HrE3nMZ1U6Lv3Yl9yRzrt4a_8g/w400-h288/IMG_9964.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A local upland river</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /><b><br /></b></span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnEZjWzbVYXQgcv1lUsTNq6M75faT7CyqjRSx4qPNinakr5e_XOw8AuCPUcWEv4bcZCNDjlSlNqH2S8_8zjx-oCjuWaxT7-KUNXZlLR8YApsq_G2WpyLSTi2eCiusk1pe_fZ6U7sk8kaNdr4JLCQa1Sw9e3KD5j6lEtqeKCNNM9GeXmXvuvA/s4200/DSCN3552.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2485" data-original-width="4200" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnEZjWzbVYXQgcv1lUsTNq6M75faT7CyqjRSx4qPNinakr5e_XOw8AuCPUcWEv4bcZCNDjlSlNqH2S8_8zjx-oCjuWaxT7-KUNXZlLR8YApsq_G2WpyLSTi2eCiusk1pe_fZ6U7sk8kaNdr4JLCQa1Sw9e3KD5j6lEtqeKCNNM9GeXmXvuvA/w400-h236/DSCN3552.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Dipper</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /><b><br /></b></span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8iRb6tlirrMAQsssoIab-rQ0oeReKoNC5wsQOGIzw8ijF9XJVpbAl4uyuUHoixDhfLwWTxSi5_GqmQscBx97dXj2wWyjf9ToXo1nqOQ7n9bS4sKKZ88gDtwLMjtABc1JyHkEX4mRCi0JRtsYgK0pD6l6_5DlVoUc_RKNOkBrMgr_2miDTIA/s4608/DSCN3557.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8iRb6tlirrMAQsssoIab-rQ0oeReKoNC5wsQOGIzw8ijF9XJVpbAl4uyuUHoixDhfLwWTxSi5_GqmQscBx97dXj2wWyjf9ToXo1nqOQ7n9bS4sKKZ88gDtwLMjtABc1JyHkEX4mRCi0JRtsYgK0pD6l6_5DlVoUc_RKNOkBrMgr_2miDTIA/w400-h300/DSCN3557.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Dipper</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><strong>Dipper</strong><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> is a bird absent from large areas of central, southern and eastern Britain, preferring clear, fast-flowing upland rivers over murky, slow-flowing lowland waterways. Fortunately, if you position yourself on a bridge, they can be a fairly common sighting in this area, often seen swimming and diving to feed, or perching prominently on a rock, and always prove popular with my safari clients ,</span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-y2Q2RmYbPhGBqStM7yUvfr1SdDJ0KN3iZlcUJmMhkDhYLl9ph0xwPy7cEHr20JuHGSRKBvEyeBc_f9MeL7Oaiw7ZpgDZqrkapogSffxZDTTAq9PSeFF8j2AhnfCDKUsYqZv3LZRugf-HgACzsSNyX5sM9un1rKHLFpjcInALoz-srUh1IQ/s3697/DSCN3098.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1744" data-original-width="3697" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-y2Q2RmYbPhGBqStM7yUvfr1SdDJ0KN3iZlcUJmMhkDhYLl9ph0xwPy7cEHr20JuHGSRKBvEyeBc_f9MeL7Oaiw7ZpgDZqrkapogSffxZDTTAq9PSeFF8j2AhnfCDKUsYqZv3LZRugf-HgACzsSNyX5sM9un1rKHLFpjcInALoz-srUh1IQ/w400-h189/DSCN3098.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Female Goosander</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></span></span></p><p>With a similar UK distribution to Dipper, <b>Goosander</b> can be tricky to see in much of Britain, but we often see family groups of them in this area, though they can be very wary of humans.</p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></span></span></p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">On the lochs...</b></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9h0dCCkDpzr6XIsj6NwKcb-8TGz7NEgTtitAmGoTGdGOv08gnXO5q61SnSgxmZt519V2nMJqCdL1HdVDdk6CXHAS83FEi80J32bKUQYlStSkZVGRa-Qy9HsXv8icCIQEfTE864ZrqiC3NVfgigvErqYLCCMQYBSYLjK_1eAAd3olsp5rQFg/s2958/IMG_8113.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1432" data-original-width="2958" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9h0dCCkDpzr6XIsj6NwKcb-8TGz7NEgTtitAmGoTGdGOv08gnXO5q61SnSgxmZt519V2nMJqCdL1HdVDdk6CXHAS83FEi80J32bKUQYlStSkZVGRa-Qy9HsXv8icCIQEfTE864ZrqiC3NVfgigvErqYLCCMQYBSYLjK_1eAAd3olsp5rQFg/w400-h194/IMG_8113.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A picturesque local loch</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAQb5ujN2hHS3VvahrWVCF6JKGWCEZCcO6ZiLLWYsH1a_YCO3NDQZoUAViyyxx4Epg6SFF8bQIK1qdeHXelGWZ3NCeVKjKzSKQ-AbVuc56985swnG6wvfe-QEIT9Tk63gz7DSc0rIRNLxxcTtyxeqmeKQoIF2F3L00dTbbk_Blca6uaYFjMQ/s4440/DSCN3494.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2100" data-original-width="4440" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAQb5ujN2hHS3VvahrWVCF6JKGWCEZCcO6ZiLLWYsH1a_YCO3NDQZoUAViyyxx4Epg6SFF8bQIK1qdeHXelGWZ3NCeVKjKzSKQ-AbVuc56985swnG6wvfe-QEIT9Tk63gz7DSc0rIRNLxxcTtyxeqmeKQoIF2F3L00dTbbk_Blca6uaYFjMQ/w400-h189/DSCN3494.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Whooper Swans</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">With the summer-visiting water birds all gone now, our resident </span><b style="font-weight: bold;">Goldeneyes </b>and<b style="font-weight: bold;"> Goosanders </b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> are</span><b style="font-weight: bold;"> </b><span style="font-weight: 400;">instead joined by winter-visiting </span><b style="font-weight: bold;">Whooper Swans,</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span><b style="font-weight: bold;">Geese, and wildfowl such as Teal </b>and<b style="font-weight: bold;"> Wigeon, </b> alongside the more common species.....</span></span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Up in the mountains....</b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuidiE74dF88UdJ8ONm4jhD2b1PFzq_A5uf74dEIev1VDZPG5_xmGkvaWOY3apbLJQt3qMgLM76FcKp-4toiI_7tcmBthMcDXlJp1DRAMvQKajFj8utvLU_4OsMLOovRmCQU44XhooOLDScOvy3msfbvzbe9d3-FYWR2NQVrmOHEz93K6dwg/s4608/DSCN3576.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2078" data-original-width="4608" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuidiE74dF88UdJ8ONm4jhD2b1PFzq_A5uf74dEIev1VDZPG5_xmGkvaWOY3apbLJQt3qMgLM76FcKp-4toiI_7tcmBthMcDXlJp1DRAMvQKajFj8utvLU_4OsMLOovRmCQU44XhooOLDScOvy3msfbvzbe9d3-FYWR2NQVrmOHEz93K6dwg/w400-h180/DSCN3576.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>An autumn scene from cairngorm Mountain (photo from Oct 2017)</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></span><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv_5RnhPnIrnX3SfkyP48FDoxyfQAlkYE5zv5mAg6JYRP63Ft87gWK_57CV9pKnTV4o03mvwyD1I5gpl4BEQhkjxnrijLbGYt-Aa5-oPTP3kQT4ai7_0gEK6FSLNFIaH7tUyrbOHuRUd2zjfQGTNHIqpicHdS-Hkr973NMdbkJUvMAB3zGQQ/s4608/DSCN3559.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2608" data-original-width="4608" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv_5RnhPnIrnX3SfkyP48FDoxyfQAlkYE5zv5mAg6JYRP63Ft87gWK_57CV9pKnTV4o03mvwyD1I5gpl4BEQhkjxnrijLbGYt-Aa5-oPTP3kQT4ai7_0gEK6FSLNFIaH7tUyrbOHuRUd2zjfQGTNHIqpicHdS-Hkr973NMdbkJUvMAB3zGQQ/w400-h226/DSCN3559.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Ptarmigan - Photo from Oct 2017</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /><b><br /></b></span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: transparent;">Although I didn't take any walks up into the hills myself this month, from previous experience, I would expect the </span><b style="background-color: transparent;">Ptarmigan</b><span style="background-color: transparent;"> to be morphing into their winter-white plumage now, which can make them less difficult to spot amongst the rocks, at least until the snow comes, anyway.</span></p><p><br /></p><p>The first snow on the tops, can sometimes encourage <b>Snow Bunting</b>s down to lower levels, and I always carry a bag of mixed seed in the colder months, as they can sometimes be quite confiding once tempted in by a free feed.... though we failed to see them this month.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>On local farmland:</b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTEUhYM1CTqpxZd_cGUkdcHcdCME6UXyQCxoQVmQFk4Fq_F9UxaamhL9qL26HLBDKlIJe-lF-99Q6G7uNZbNgvh4xkkxsIVgsNKuj1La4xeQYZejB1xJ_15yjkC6XP_TJ5yk5M_KJD7VrL5LxsSLd-qJkG9J-AHNMxKmvKfqNjSDkWMf9XfQ/s2972/IMG_8042.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="809" data-original-width="2972" height="109" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTEUhYM1CTqpxZd_cGUkdcHcdCME6UXyQCxoQVmQFk4Fq_F9UxaamhL9qL26HLBDKlIJe-lF-99Q6G7uNZbNgvh4xkkxsIVgsNKuj1La4xeQYZejB1xJ_15yjkC6XP_TJ5yk5M_KJD7VrL5LxsSLd-qJkG9J-AHNMxKmvKfqNjSDkWMf9XfQ/w400-h109/IMG_8042.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Local rough farmland</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b><br /><br /></b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_gapIhr49nAz4tS-8ndtmH5zCoPo6x-l40QWbA03Z5fwIdnlsucAkw03dvcahITxAf8nr_KgcALdGoflQn6QSXE3urmEoNsxlfzsqZYXlIidDh03clFhdc-PoaRK7Nmh_iAPxsjEINGTYPZsMg7Ei68RLS2l5wZ_QbYEMwNgOUVZNJVVdqQ/s4449/DSCN5192.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2045" data-original-width="4449" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_gapIhr49nAz4tS-8ndtmH5zCoPo6x-l40QWbA03Z5fwIdnlsucAkw03dvcahITxAf8nr_KgcALdGoflQn6QSXE3urmEoNsxlfzsqZYXlIidDh03clFhdc-PoaRK7Nmh_iAPxsjEINGTYPZsMg7Ei68RLS2l5wZ_QbYEMwNgOUVZNJVVdqQ/w400-h184/DSCN5192.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Barnacle Goose among Pink-Footed Geese - Photo from Oct 2020</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p>The seeds on local farmland during the autumn and winter months often attract large flocks of mixed <b>finches</b> and <b>buntings</b>, whilst the crop remains prove tempting to <b>Geese</b> and <b>Whooper Swans</b>....and of course, there is always a chance of seeing the resident <b>Pheasants</b> and <b>Red-Legged Partridges</b>....</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggdUF1bN9_YzkOqUe2mClcTx6sGpxqOA17qEc7bulqgjvOTg7l1aEQBzVmdtSjNphoNvoy8PmN06qI8xoMHOiAO55Y1j2o9wDx5iYfs7oTTwMdc2670ycBHCDwkeELsnMM2l-TASB6seWE7esqrHBdrOx76kR6lXB8leEUOcPn-a-towAdsg/s4608/DSCN3503.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggdUF1bN9_YzkOqUe2mClcTx6sGpxqOA17qEc7bulqgjvOTg7l1aEQBzVmdtSjNphoNvoy8PmN06qI8xoMHOiAO55Y1j2o9wDx5iYfs7oTTwMdc2670ycBHCDwkeELsnMM2l-TASB6seWE7esqrHBdrOx76kR6lXB8leEUOcPn-a-towAdsg/s320/DSCN3503.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Redwing</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha_fCi80djV-xeHRigSfir-bW9HMXcUg_tzxJ7uWobtIB76yRXwaaGVH_LdnYYOoS91OU-JHgtqwBY_43Aq7uCtzlIBX4YsvlIgjC8yhD-zy0BojLgOP-XE2Y3qndqMduIMqmNz2hHhUbyfFATis7Ht0RuEbdqmqTwayvJ90SogOdfX_-h4Q/s3683/DSCN7437.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2604" data-original-width="3683" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha_fCi80djV-xeHRigSfir-bW9HMXcUg_tzxJ7uWobtIB76yRXwaaGVH_LdnYYOoS91OU-JHgtqwBY_43Aq7uCtzlIBX4YsvlIgjC8yhD-zy0BojLgOP-XE2Y3qndqMduIMqmNz2hHhUbyfFATis7Ht0RuEbdqmqTwayvJ90SogOdfX_-h4Q/s320/DSCN7437.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Fieldfare</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Winter-visiting birds flooded into our area this month: </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Whooper Swans</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Grey Geese (Greylag , Pink-Footed </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">and a few</span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"> Barnacle),</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> and winter thrushes, first the </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Redwings</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, in particularly good numbers, then the </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Fieldfares</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">...</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span></span></p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-weight: 700;">A few photos of more common birds seen locally this month: </span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvRd32h5kLws8TsyslIEONUNxursW7M90Ea3wZYzSNXaxzHAlwWS_46CDHf_2z3FkrnvxLt1EmG-mzeQlmA_FrcQdlkaD6ih9gZI1y-oYUTN2kUsj-FR-0r8D8TDpR7rChhSQZ_3G51PDEbP80NwxO0u3Qbcdd-TnAwdQgwUkCa_09H5a2GQ/s4608/DSCN3350.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvRd32h5kLws8TsyslIEONUNxursW7M90Ea3wZYzSNXaxzHAlwWS_46CDHf_2z3FkrnvxLt1EmG-mzeQlmA_FrcQdlkaD6ih9gZI1y-oYUTN2kUsj-FR-0r8D8TDpR7rChhSQZ_3G51PDEbP80NwxO0u3Qbcdd-TnAwdQgwUkCa_09H5a2GQ/s320/DSCN3350.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Chaffinch</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlYWa7A8xhst7kvWsL9H3_R20lGmh5ORmAI9ZXlBrLAxr0vNJhsXYFvOi-RmcZ978uPd3n6nRhFb3N399YpS8-LGGO9LSga1wahSVo_cJqKi73NgAuw9YJNU6EBHCjOswgCDa5Jd7dZQ6e4hMqls19gfQBKLnstt4ecVO5zyT9QmTE8TYsFw/s2700/DSCN3380.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1808" data-original-width="2700" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlYWa7A8xhst7kvWsL9H3_R20lGmh5ORmAI9ZXlBrLAxr0vNJhsXYFvOi-RmcZ978uPd3n6nRhFb3N399YpS8-LGGO9LSga1wahSVo_cJqKi73NgAuw9YJNU6EBHCjOswgCDa5Jd7dZQ6e4hMqls19gfQBKLnstt4ecVO5zyT9QmTE8TYsFw/s320/DSCN3380.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Coal Tit</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /><span style="color: #06004c; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiogNmTiKqCvcr9ldGs4GpRDFRDL8GuyxIj_obBYehYML6n6_sTVKdhQG0BTLoa8sL6IwfgqKiC6h2aqWGX9pZHlqZJtIQxJcCrnju65eF4nExzgidYiui-FxsncccuzNPNZavZCT81NTIfP-PdqCt8BedMtoyRf1LTA2wiO7In3DD31WqUwQ/s4608/DSCN3389.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiogNmTiKqCvcr9ldGs4GpRDFRDL8GuyxIj_obBYehYML6n6_sTVKdhQG0BTLoa8sL6IwfgqKiC6h2aqWGX9pZHlqZJtIQxJcCrnju65eF4nExzgidYiui-FxsncccuzNPNZavZCT81NTIfP-PdqCt8BedMtoyRf1LTA2wiO7In3DD31WqUwQ/w400-h300/DSCN3389.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Great Spotted Woodpecker</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOe1es8IypXOScrBQ376DEF-3Et8JKWZZ6ZgwEj5r-8MrYZIdQdikgD8JBCjs4YMIetG6I2gtHpdEK2sXIFeh4U7aGIL_2unlh_E8uC-uTmYYQmd79cA85K0V6pyuinPHAw4OU4_3Ly_68eFuuXIX96uFa8_HYQmEpqT6tvwWg5xKbWU6DOQ/s4608/DSCN3428.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOe1es8IypXOScrBQ376DEF-3Et8JKWZZ6ZgwEj5r-8MrYZIdQdikgD8JBCjs4YMIetG6I2gtHpdEK2sXIFeh4U7aGIL_2unlh_E8uC-uTmYYQmd79cA85K0V6pyuinPHAw4OU4_3Ly_68eFuuXIX96uFa8_HYQmEpqT6tvwWg5xKbWU6DOQ/s320/DSCN3428.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Siskin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /><span style="color: #06004c; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUutC8yeBLCbt4W8i3HjDzvyTivIG7ONPgWJvbqk2POEKZyUUU9u-77VlED6c57GzO7BZe-aLhN39zWLdfhqb-EwNSQmx_R42bQaZJreU2I5Vq0G4X5ofnSdbOzo8ReZviejUT4gB9WjBRtCEJ3904iPIpCaaYs4qxc9-G8S7HJCVIlsVzuQ/s3903/DSCN3436.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2384" data-original-width="3903" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUutC8yeBLCbt4W8i3HjDzvyTivIG7ONPgWJvbqk2POEKZyUUU9u-77VlED6c57GzO7BZe-aLhN39zWLdfhqb-EwNSQmx_R42bQaZJreU2I5Vq0G4X5ofnSdbOzo8ReZviejUT4gB9WjBRtCEJ3904iPIpCaaYs4qxc9-G8S7HJCVIlsVzuQ/w400-h244/DSCN3436.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Rook</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglzRoxPlIW6JhF3MnOTn21uJ8vQDZcOzbT54ICEFLcgccRll-exEKRpzaAr6tQMaxdUgW_oh5FaVckni7-AvxqVyIiJ2mKn7-NvOrAKz0ilodkVkacP2Qjhz5rVti56kbMXnAAPmpyZs8Q_Bysfmgyf2qp77NBDPAkwKWoKpAeoGC4KmjU5A/s4548/DSCN3441.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2919" data-original-width="4548" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglzRoxPlIW6JhF3MnOTn21uJ8vQDZcOzbT54ICEFLcgccRll-exEKRpzaAr6tQMaxdUgW_oh5FaVckni7-AvxqVyIiJ2mKn7-NvOrAKz0ilodkVkacP2Qjhz5rVti56kbMXnAAPmpyZs8Q_Bysfmgyf2qp77NBDPAkwKWoKpAeoGC4KmjU5A/w400-h256/DSCN3441.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red-Legged Partridge</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /><span style="color: #06004c; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;">Adventures 'out of area':</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"> </span></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b></b></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB4-EvDsuJFpe7jpxTjAuptscxf2t1nfvxmqmBNCtXAVoBDOx35xwrpj0cHej_oxZ4gB3Gwy-pOkHqEK4IkBC_Kkj1Cne7XgEcs6eRjKYp-9vIjA13ZDxwyP9lwkFuHxeNthCY8ilnERGpX2aFNnxBodDSBoxWBnX1EW6LmdPftNRj_zLLzQ/s1921/IMG_9984.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1091" data-original-width="1921" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB4-EvDsuJFpe7jpxTjAuptscxf2t1nfvxmqmBNCtXAVoBDOx35xwrpj0cHej_oxZ4gB3Gwy-pOkHqEK4IkBC_Kkj1Cne7XgEcs6eRjKYp-9vIjA13ZDxwyP9lwkFuHxeNthCY8ilnERGpX2aFNnxBodDSBoxWBnX1EW6LmdPftNRj_zLLzQ/w400-h228/IMG_9984.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The Moray Coast</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /><br /><br /><br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsCZOxD74RmDxq9BdCTkDju2lqpGfGRsT1IP2-uygQYGQg-x2L5uq-CEeS8n1IJsct5qXe9n9m7BuxdqXP_hKZWBdjiQGkuydPa9ac9ftaoRk9q9207KN2hLu2pBL7qN_apuSjYRG0lDNLbqyJSD6Ap83F4YWX7hefygqI5n5WhW9T9sWAVw/s3071/DSCN3505.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1801" data-original-width="3071" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsCZOxD74RmDxq9BdCTkDju2lqpGfGRsT1IP2-uygQYGQg-x2L5uq-CEeS8n1IJsct5qXe9n9m7BuxdqXP_hKZWBdjiQGkuydPa9ac9ftaoRk9q9207KN2hLu2pBL7qN_apuSjYRG0lDNLbqyJSD6Ap83F4YWX7hefygqI5n5WhW9T9sWAVw/s320/DSCN3505.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Grey Partridges</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></b></span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b></b></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQc5JYXEgDPRSHqLeJ10oQmnCOkeTyxlm_BtQP_QoJ95qdAHHpFAn3DsL2CHzmssfskqaaFr9Mdij8ybZhjn8mLv_LbxIPbMbXZtiJiZR9urEvQwnMW_ZPIgUTE5MpnHJ6pU53M_5i4E1uaZrvhqAcouMchMmYYwaxjOXnKPBam_R2XAsK2A/s4607/DSCN3511.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1637" data-original-width="4607" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQc5JYXEgDPRSHqLeJ10oQmnCOkeTyxlm_BtQP_QoJ95qdAHHpFAn3DsL2CHzmssfskqaaFr9Mdij8ybZhjn8mLv_LbxIPbMbXZtiJiZR9urEvQwnMW_ZPIgUTE5MpnHJ6pU53M_5i4E1uaZrvhqAcouMchMmYYwaxjOXnKPBam_R2XAsK2A/w400-h143/DSCN3511.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Pink-Footed Geese</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b></b></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0aw_w1YNXED-uLg0hXk-OGKj31v0hW2IpxUiTeoNy3yEdJuXSSHM4LCWK_NCA06wu0m6wu0KFRq3dE1Uao7wUwHuLagNpLBg6OdserEH7gm9vyglVeGV1yghxfA0igCZZH6CC_ZL3pInVyTaCJDK2MPankFttL5AUq7QWl7D6jY2zZpIsTg/s4608/DSCN3514.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0aw_w1YNXED-uLg0hXk-OGKj31v0hW2IpxUiTeoNy3yEdJuXSSHM4LCWK_NCA06wu0m6wu0KFRq3dE1Uao7wUwHuLagNpLBg6OdserEH7gm9vyglVeGV1yghxfA0igCZZH6CC_ZL3pInVyTaCJDK2MPankFttL5AUq7QWl7D6jY2zZpIsTg/s320/DSCN3514.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Young Gannet</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b></b></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMReGnsSY_RugTs9sE57fW_RIHylX6zG_iXWeFxWCtERGi_SS6SeDVmOEUfHsXapJLAMbDE1OL6HVxIgac_fd5pZlAouxZcN-jLpnXAt7mwKNuyILy7VDd4MlA1_FV705PLQqN0pv_5LdXfigaKKgfzTnF9VvwiBZhiO3ZwiFhg0_noP-qnw/s3319/DSCN3518.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1799" data-original-width="3319" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMReGnsSY_RugTs9sE57fW_RIHylX6zG_iXWeFxWCtERGi_SS6SeDVmOEUfHsXapJLAMbDE1OL6HVxIgac_fd5pZlAouxZcN-jLpnXAt7mwKNuyILy7VDd4MlA1_FV705PLQqN0pv_5LdXfigaKKgfzTnF9VvwiBZhiO3ZwiFhg0_noP-qnw/s320/DSCN3518.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Eiders</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b></b></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZZ43bbpOIu1lbQzlX8q6J-D9F46IZ2_AcmdO_KE8jiAb84UECab1odaZ2tqgjPYxqMLn4brIeyk88-3NJFL_WxLHVnVe3okr4EkVGejXWMmup4NQTEf8ivxthdk_Fjo8rmVS8uFIFriqfcckWIOiUkIIkbb6Qv75waUm7PxiDE5Vf6ELC-w/s3610/DSCN3524.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2776" data-original-width="3610" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZZ43bbpOIu1lbQzlX8q6J-D9F46IZ2_AcmdO_KE8jiAb84UECab1odaZ2tqgjPYxqMLn4brIeyk88-3NJFL_WxLHVnVe3okr4EkVGejXWMmup4NQTEf8ivxthdk_Fjo8rmVS8uFIFriqfcckWIOiUkIIkbb6Qv75waUm7PxiDE5Vf6ELC-w/s320/DSCN3524.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Female Long-Tailed Duck</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b></b></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh_LLpGnnGJa0lETlNUxbh8CJvOsjFsY0q2m-7fyfNn1XXYvNGXK1sqeB0ELn2NNn86fd3LbrLPusowJQ8d_wsksTmjLkfw1jWjHVjhPJfxC2O-eJH5XpTlbJiv5AMRMxaIWAZRtkpuvcqwmQFJfAer0adWhJDADLzeVTdJ2cQtUyxzarcYw/s3978/DSCN3527.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2807" data-original-width="3978" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh_LLpGnnGJa0lETlNUxbh8CJvOsjFsY0q2m-7fyfNn1XXYvNGXK1sqeB0ELn2NNn86fd3LbrLPusowJQ8d_wsksTmjLkfw1jWjHVjhPJfxC2O-eJH5XpTlbJiv5AMRMxaIWAZRtkpuvcqwmQFJfAer0adWhJDADLzeVTdJ2cQtUyxzarcYw/s320/DSCN3527.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Young Cormorant</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b></b></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5uX6kW7TxLqk2PYcZGKHbYcciHXz-W5XxPcyjKQj-FtgddMhuaI0pv3JD_7k4lK6XRuc6iAG2P626PNFnwm_Qn4KJMbWxIyxU822b0Nf-6PtRqrEJCiFnOm9RZl1Jk9KCFWLVdmwkrPOfHA_7-NKpB7y4wolnvlB7aAh-DunKgPs8csOv7A/s2877/DSCN3532.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1637" data-original-width="2877" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5uX6kW7TxLqk2PYcZGKHbYcciHXz-W5XxPcyjKQj-FtgddMhuaI0pv3JD_7k4lK6XRuc6iAG2P626PNFnwm_Qn4KJMbWxIyxU822b0Nf-6PtRqrEJCiFnOm9RZl1Jk9KCFWLVdmwkrPOfHA_7-NKpB7y4wolnvlB7aAh-DunKgPs8csOv7A/w400-h228/DSCN3532.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Turnstone and Purple Sandpipers</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu1iQYBqgfbhYK447f8GZ7BpRCDXX7x-egmoYcf-K4i2P7xIJ0h-iQ89BVqRZViJvEoTob49xTFdVN_GNt2-7UOjzHSnU8l3a-OAPoP3ntkXwFjD-ilUG8fepWYyku8LeTZgixhYRVPizptup9aNOuzVmsWF5BPj8nANzBdQ12diP_lF1FwQ/s4607/DSCN3534.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1361" data-original-width="4607" height="119" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu1iQYBqgfbhYK447f8GZ7BpRCDXX7x-egmoYcf-K4i2P7xIJ0h-iQ89BVqRZViJvEoTob49xTFdVN_GNt2-7UOjzHSnU8l3a-OAPoP3ntkXwFjD-ilUG8fepWYyku8LeTZgixhYRVPizptup9aNOuzVmsWF5BPj8nANzBdQ12diP_lF1FwQ/w400-h119/DSCN3534.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A Green-Winged Teal in a flock of Eurasian Teal</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b></b></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUchsBVsPabM7NK2DYOvwiw5L3wvpqOn_uHl1OIdqmFmtt75XNz3t_orM9-KlB22EzJs79u9o82pQbTxfEgug-SawWlWEnRhDpspEyYmFaUEMsl3RSZesm91kBpn2oGpFGCHSXxeHOM3TJJgS51xr4ObTasPP_q5D_rPaOLM-pG6EP43QvcA/s4320/DSCN3544.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2686" data-original-width="4320" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUchsBVsPabM7NK2DYOvwiw5L3wvpqOn_uHl1OIdqmFmtt75XNz3t_orM9-KlB22EzJs79u9o82pQbTxfEgug-SawWlWEnRhDpspEyYmFaUEMsl3RSZesm91kBpn2oGpFGCHSXxeHOM3TJJgS51xr4ObTasPP_q5D_rPaOLM-pG6EP43QvcA/s320/DSCN3544.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Wigeon</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">The ruggedly attractive Moray coast is only about an hour drive north of Aviemore, and my trips to favourite reserves, lochs, bays and harbours gave good views of wintering birds such as </span><b>Greylag</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> </span><b>Geese</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Pink-Footed Geese</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Brent Geese</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, <b>Barnacle Geese</b>, </span><b>Whooper Swan</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Shoveler</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Wigeon</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Teal</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> </span><b>Pintail</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">,</span><b> </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> </span><b>Bar-Tailed Godwit</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Knot, Dunlin, Golden Plover</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> , </span><b>Grey Plover </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Ringed Plover</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Purple Sandpiper</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, <b>Redshank</b>, <b>Oystercatcher</b>, <b>Turnstone</b>, <b>Curlew</b>, </span><b>Common Scoter</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Velvet Scoter</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Red-Throated Diver</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Long-Tailed Ducks, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Eiders</b></span><b>,</b> <b>Gannets</b>, a few <b>Guillemots</b> and <b>Razorbill</b>s, and even one<b> Green-Winged Teal, </b>and a<b> Ring-Necked Duck, </b>as well as bonus inland sightings of tricky to see birds such as <b>Grey Partridge </b>and<b> Tree Sparrow....</b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>October 2022 mammal sightings in more detail:</b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqkZKhDL9xpwFRdqrrudlGRZQkaCQA9g_IE_L-513f0uElwdKGUZIaZG9TOP7CzajgC36bpjjPJJm_U4MrPa-Uoq_7i7YMkvM1ysRntCiADbtF5WaodxvAitOM5Q05Q3JRY38hq_ys78GUnN-GDzuL-6O22WP8eWTtChZ1EM1HvlxXMN00LQ/s2224/DSCN3449.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="664" data-original-width="2224" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqkZKhDL9xpwFRdqrrudlGRZQkaCQA9g_IE_L-513f0uElwdKGUZIaZG9TOP7CzajgC36bpjjPJJm_U4MrPa-Uoq_7i7YMkvM1ysRntCiADbtF5WaodxvAitOM5Q05Q3JRY38hq_ys78GUnN-GDzuL-6O22WP8eWTtChZ1EM1HvlxXMN00LQ/w400-h120/DSCN3449.JPG" width="400" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A Red Deer stag with his 'harem' of hinds - October is rutting month!</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /><b><br /></b></span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFBE21JRT1LTkDi2K12im4e0YpUgsIZ9EP_g7ZsYKtcaL7Iqte8vkDlVfxxS9tG4Fkm-r1JUIKaGNuzqvVnFwFHrQeexOy8Uhzb8Gq1mTDDQIsPoDHWT2B2r-TK3ysculxL-VXBxPzrp7SBsAqs8j7AQJTxvqJrCojhjMArk2RTyCw09MV1w/s2871/DSCN3064.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1625" data-original-width="2871" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFBE21JRT1LTkDi2K12im4e0YpUgsIZ9EP_g7ZsYKtcaL7Iqte8vkDlVfxxS9tG4Fkm-r1JUIKaGNuzqvVnFwFHrQeexOy8Uhzb8Gq1mTDDQIsPoDHWT2B2r-TK3ysculxL-VXBxPzrp7SBsAqs8j7AQJTxvqJrCojhjMArk2RTyCw09MV1w/w400-h226/DSCN3064.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Deer</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtNzbVxbqKl_JwCo1aDSmkAP0m9j4a5K_SyZQYp3P6N0I4-hoO_099F_KynwFcN-97h5v4iIsmdk3cunLgOcbtO4_sf0BgD7vygmBL-ZinBdwATTj5pL3uyUIQLdieCGVe2sZ72dtSHaQj5RDa4EhTkmlu_uQ1i89fVVHgaG084XJEqzaVkw/s1632/Andy%20Stag.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1245" data-original-width="1632" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtNzbVxbqKl_JwCo1aDSmkAP0m9j4a5K_SyZQYp3P6N0I4-hoO_099F_KynwFcN-97h5v4iIsmdk3cunLgOcbtO4_sf0BgD7vygmBL-ZinBdwATTj5pL3uyUIQLdieCGVe2sZ72dtSHaQj5RDa4EhTkmlu_uQ1i89fVVHgaG084XJEqzaVkw/w400-h305/Andy%20Stag.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Deer stag by Andy Jackson - Photo from Oct 201</b>6</td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /><b><br /></b></span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span style="font-weight: 400;">'Mammal of the month' for October just has to be the </span><b>Red Deer, </b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> with their spectacular annual 'rut' providing my safari clients with some superb entertainment - the fully antlered stags 'bolving' roars echoing through the glens, as they spend much of the month posturing , fighting off rivals and attempting to mate with as many of their 'harem' of hinds as possible - surely one of British nature's 'must-see' experiences? Please be aware though, that we can usually only view the rut from a fair distance away, so photography opportunities are usually limited....</span></b></p><div><b><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Our local </span><strong>Mountain Hares - </strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">Britain's only native lagomorph</span><strong> - </strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">though still mainly in their browny-grey summer coats are gradually turning whiter from their feet upwards as autumn progresses, in preparation for the snow to come, though actual sightings of them were not forthcoming this month... but that is not unusual during the 'milder' months..things should hopefully improve next month as things turn more wintry...</span></b></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg80tBVw2IqzmDwfMB6RPfV4zWMlnOeRwTVOTqBG6GYHoID7MvP26b38QWE9ihE5rIOekUWBKlH5XFf8_zY5qLDlZc5ZDeUHdobJlsj4ppO6QQnUBR5yzLEDXK3zYKHj9E0uWRqUdQnMFar8KKyWhfGddfvmqbi50tbuFGI1pbzFUaDU3mLRA/s3837/DSCN3150.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1516" data-original-width="3837" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg80tBVw2IqzmDwfMB6RPfV4zWMlnOeRwTVOTqBG6GYHoID7MvP26b38QWE9ihE5rIOekUWBKlH5XFf8_zY5qLDlZc5ZDeUHdobJlsj4ppO6QQnUBR5yzLEDXK3zYKHj9E0uWRqUdQnMFar8KKyWhfGddfvmqbi50tbuFGI1pbzFUaDU3mLRA/w400-h158/DSCN3150.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Feral Mountain Goats</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">Still up in the glens</span><b>, Feral Mountain Goats</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> are mainly restricted to a few remote upland areas of the UK, and we are fortunate to have them locally in a few quiet glens, so many of my safari clients get to see them for the first time while out with me, and they proved to be fairly reliable this month...</span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAqdpszh8jxoBMiWj97x9Ud38mdwCzWpm-gmP9pjpN2GVr4SdU3kykHWyHxEFnnOAzgrMRadX9wLergt5h0hE5Fg36ZzOORbO_ip3UasgvwggeR2uqYBwdvPQhKC4u2PnURe-2zkafzObHTYKuf4p3fAkGUTG454Fti1emP_DnfZCSDZWs9Q/s3548/DSCN3373.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3119" data-original-width="3548" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAqdpszh8jxoBMiWj97x9Ud38mdwCzWpm-gmP9pjpN2GVr4SdU3kykHWyHxEFnnOAzgrMRadX9wLergt5h0hE5Fg36ZzOORbO_ip3UasgvwggeR2uqYBwdvPQhKC4u2PnURe-2zkafzObHTYKuf4p3fAkGUTG454Fti1emP_DnfZCSDZWs9Q/s320/DSCN3373.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Squirrel</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk_niLVGjM8LXTTVk3-Bm52tnsGQ6s5rCDWixyg0dH7iqoeAb1j43Nr-SNOMBsk0uZTeQHNAMwjfOap1fgjcOLzjfjAjXtCrh3PJGrWrPDgUgJjgIsDUGrugTfsoLgz1k2BFTcarpfeuMfQzvuQglOlBcvw24omj-7D4Jy44qTwPpjrFITmA/s3433/DSCN3466.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2663" data-original-width="3433" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk_niLVGjM8LXTTVk3-Bm52tnsGQ6s5rCDWixyg0dH7iqoeAb1j43Nr-SNOMBsk0uZTeQHNAMwjfOap1fgjcOLzjfjAjXtCrh3PJGrWrPDgUgJjgIsDUGrugTfsoLgz1k2BFTcarpfeuMfQzvuQglOlBcvw24omj-7D4Jy44qTwPpjrFITmA/w400-h310/DSCN3466.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Squirrel</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><span style="font-weight: 400;">In the forests, our </span><b>Red Squirrels</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> never failed to charm and entertain, with their cute looks, acrobatic leaping from tree to tree , reliable use of peanut feeders, gathering of drey materials and chasing off of rivals, and of course, with them being largely absent from most of the UK now, many of my safari clients were seeing them for the first time....</span></b></span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b></b></span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEAmhdWhQ6LIvxkz2m8Y7EG7S0ge6XPWPhRsOsuv4eQtlSmQ9Ymcx_XD7oboYAi6tVCxFNKIMwhezuHtyL6zvycGmc3_jOUDK-GnZOChNU0vhRt9RAHxtDPf6xB7y147c2RzEhH1fcQQSPldvOTkSAPEK0HeGMhZj2QVzCaeqSsGA0EBJ7UA/s4608/DSCN3431.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEAmhdWhQ6LIvxkz2m8Y7EG7S0ge6XPWPhRsOsuv4eQtlSmQ9Ymcx_XD7oboYAi6tVCxFNKIMwhezuHtyL6zvycGmc3_jOUDK-GnZOChNU0vhRt9RAHxtDPf6xB7y147c2RzEhH1fcQQSPldvOTkSAPEK0HeGMhZj2QVzCaeqSsGA0EBJ7UA/w400-h300/DSCN3431.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Roe Deer</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Roe Deer</b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;">, although relatively common in most of the UK, can actually be quite tricky to see due to their naturally 'nervous' nature, and the fact that they can be very 'crepuscular' - being more active at dawn and dusk...but we managed a few daytime sightings on quiet farmland , marshland and woodland edges this month..</span></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b></b></span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii8CTqcDduwY0j1VHEskVXqt3LMRGdb2LIwMPGdmRdTSKNFCOVf_ADBMn7xcVIA0gxDL0htZ06mTfzwPcSxpsYpqNvaYgY7zVAleGWx8YrfmTm2isRSHmDFpDONZaIT1HRk6G8Uwc5LnhBh3kqZ-qBp-IhAU-WgODFSTq3K63volCLiCj3_Q/s3753/DSCN7451.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2650" data-original-width="3753" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii8CTqcDduwY0j1VHEskVXqt3LMRGdb2LIwMPGdmRdTSKNFCOVf_ADBMn7xcVIA0gxDL0htZ06mTfzwPcSxpsYpqNvaYgY7zVAleGWx8YrfmTm2isRSHmDFpDONZaIT1HRk6G8Uwc5LnhBh3kqZ-qBp-IhAU-WgODFSTq3K63volCLiCj3_Q/s320/DSCN7451.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Brown Hare - Photo from Oct 2018</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><b>Brown Hares</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">, similarly to the Roe Deer, can be very nervous and 'crepuscular' in nature, and most of our best sightings happen in the first hour of daylight, and that proved to be the case again this month, though the light was too poor for decent photos...</span></b></span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCmk48JtgsnAouBQiespRIHffJ_SZVJD7muJaYzpTJ-zoWLUJXwKUDwsjfkoRCK48flmGcxdpI3EaXFtB58pjYR6u9H-ze45_EykqBdmgGmSZaE2fwBz4ULJ3p5OgHoNtlB-_mKqwuhIsLFe4b6Nx8l1K6RFlsaWmAY7aAKg2wxyD8dkIEmQ/s1839/IMG_9912.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1285" data-original-width="1839" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCmk48JtgsnAouBQiespRIHffJ_SZVJD7muJaYzpTJ-zoWLUJXwKUDwsjfkoRCK48flmGcxdpI3EaXFtB58pjYR6u9H-ze45_EykqBdmgGmSZaE2fwBz4ULJ3p5OgHoNtlB-_mKqwuhIsLFe4b6Nx8l1K6RFlsaWmAY7aAKg2wxyD8dkIEmQ/w400-h280/IMG_9912.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Carrot time for Murdo!</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Hairy Highland Coo's</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"> always prove to be popular with my safari clients, especially those who do not have them close to home, so don't be afraid to ask me if you fancy going to see them, and maybe even get to feed and 'pat' them, as I have a couple of great sites....</span></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Rare/nocturnal mammals:</b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">I get a few enquiries about the possibility of seeing </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Badgers</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> and </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Pine Marten</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> from my safari clients, many of whom I suspect are unaware that they are actually a largely nocturnal creature, and although we do get the occasional (maybe one or two a year) dawn glimpse of one, you would definitely have a much higher chance of seeing them at a specific dusk Badger/Pine Marten watching hide - Please contact me for more information.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Similarly, our inland </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Otters</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> too are mainly active during the hours of darkness, and again, although we do get a few early-morning sightings on local lochs and rivers each year, looking for them feeding in a suitably quiet, kelp - filled bay on the coast on a rising tide, but at any time of day, would give you a much better chance.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-family: quot; line-height: 1.4;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: quot; line-height: 1.4;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Whilst we are still on the 'tricky to see stuff', the <b>Scottish Wildcat </b>too, as well as being incredibly rare now, is also generally nocturnal, and the fact that I have had a mere handful of (dawn or dusk) sightings in 18 years of providing wildlife safaris should give you an idea of how difficult they are to see.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Other wildlife:</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgFPbLuvVWQOT0TzVxahZluBHzn11SKsxBGgm0a-iVQrTb8jKKyQBrUq06ZK-m4-Du_xsTenmyqmxpy6RjbLxqXMXehpL61AfYtqn2ECCK03Ki009JSTz6mF0WFDr1qw8kQRmbd11-KECpXoBToZVEEbkDmyBL0I2c4O02Lgmxj1dEmhH0pGw" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1303" data-original-width="2439" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgFPbLuvVWQOT0TzVxahZluBHzn11SKsxBGgm0a-iVQrTb8jKKyQBrUq06ZK-m4-Du_xsTenmyqmxpy6RjbLxqXMXehpL61AfYtqn2ECCK03Ki009JSTz6mF0WFDr1qw8kQRmbd11-KECpXoBToZVEEbkDmyBL0I2c4O02Lgmxj1dEmhH0pGw=w400-h214" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Spawning Atlantic Salmon</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b><br /><br /></b><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;">Mid October-early December is usually the time of year to see our </span><strong style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Atlantic Salmon </strong><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;">spawning. These remarkable and often very large fish spawn in the shallow waters in the upper reaches of our rivers, at the very spot where they themselves were hatched several years before, having originally spent 2-3 years in the river, then another 2-3 years feeding, growing and maturing out in the mid Atlantic, before undertaking a perilous journey many miles upriver, often involving avoiding poachers, anglers and predators and negotiating high falls and rapids on the way , an amazing migration story! However, sightings are very reliant on the rivers water levels - too little water and the Salmon cannot access the upper reaches - too much water, and they can get there... but we can't see them....fortunately, from the 18th onwards it all fell into place and we enjoyed some decent views.......</span></b></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">News:</b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">All tourism/hospitality/activities in Scotland are open , are free of restrictions and I have now completed well over a year of (thankfully!) increasingly busy and extremely enjoyable safaris with clients with no major issues arising.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">With all national travel restrictions lifted too, Scotland is officially 'open for business' for visitors from all over the UK, and from abroad.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">For those considering a visit, these wildlife/outdoor tourism websites may prove useful:</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b>https://www.gov.scot/collections/coronavirus-covid</b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.outdooraccess-scotland.scot/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">NatureScot (outdooraccess-scotland.scot)</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xGdTZcC2ZQ" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-line: none;">Can Nature Help Health? | Nature Prescriptions - YouTube</a></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1HBKnnGr-g" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;">Scotland, Yours to Enjoy. Responsibly. - YouTube</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://cairngorms.co.uk/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">Cairngorms National Park Authority</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.highlandwildlifepark.org.uk/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">Highland Wildlife Park</a></p><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.gov.scot/publications/avian-influenza-outbreaks/" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;">Avian influenza (bird flu) outbreaks - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)</a></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://www.rspb.org.uk/about-the-rspb/about-us/how-the-rspb-is-run/annualreport/annual-report-2022_scotland-news/?utm_source=notes_on_nature_20220903&utm_medium=email&utm_term=notes_on_nature&utm_content=27&utm_campaign=notes_on_nature" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;">Positive prescriptions | The RSPB</a></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfT0lnfCHgK_XkmZP_w_lo2By28reeC1QOypbI2hRAlMZ-_Eq9lKR-pKGbSXzd37hWQADjgteD1js7FQzURMM-YMK_PFC5nbBsDt7zEkdL4i_TgnqXp-YgLCydT2K2jcMeyOLUvhKV3o1U3LUOmk2G4DUrtBXr84sehkwL4XpZ5zeiux6tdA/s1995/IMG_9989.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1206" data-original-width="1995" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfT0lnfCHgK_XkmZP_w_lo2By28reeC1QOypbI2hRAlMZ-_Eq9lKR-pKGbSXzd37hWQADjgteD1js7FQzURMM-YMK_PFC5nbBsDt7zEkdL4i_TgnqXp-YgLCydT2K2jcMeyOLUvhKV3o1U3LUOmk2G4DUrtBXr84sehkwL4XpZ5zeiux6tdA/w400-h241/IMG_9989.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A typical autumn scene in the Spey Valley</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b><br /></b></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>COVID-19</b></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span></span></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b>The Scottish Highlands has had very few COVID-19 cases in comparison to most of the UK, and on my safaris we tend to visit remote , wild habitats well away from the more popular tourist areas, and usually have very little interaction with other people, and this is something that I intend to continue.</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQcQHXYD37G0bFlue9vsrnYXp2Q0xMn25C0iX3YoLVu00E0lWqDOzFMs2vLYQ1P7oyMwYmoxfELgMQT-wROwfjWg7mIKmAzvtQrZq0ixCur_ec10pbbBo4OIU3cZqWOQwwgGA3KdXRKyeoDQEviMA5xzVhWQWWHA6LpMjiAl58FVMwVzsIkQ/s2016/IMG_9923.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQcQHXYD37G0bFlue9vsrnYXp2Q0xMn25C0iX3YoLVu00E0lWqDOzFMs2vLYQ1P7oyMwYmoxfELgMQT-wROwfjWg7mIKmAzvtQrZq0ixCur_ec10pbbBo4OIU3cZqWOQwwgGA3KdXRKyeoDQEviMA5xzVhWQWWHA6LpMjiAl58FVMwVzsIkQ/w400-h300/IMG_9923.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Autumn fungus</b></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Summary:</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>Well, despite the often 'changeable' weather, and aided by the beautiful autumn colours, the influx of birds from further north, the increase in raptor sightings, the spawning Salmon and the Red Deer rut, I reckon October 2022 turned out to be a very good month for wildlife-watching in this area, with a good selection of local specialitiy birds and animals (and fish!) seen, lots of fun had, lots of tea, coffee, hot chocolate and shortbread enjoyed, and lots of safari clients from all over the UK, and all round the world going home with happy memories of their visit to the Cairngorms National park...<br /></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><br /></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><p><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;">Reviews:</b></p><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span face="" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span face="" style="color: #06004c;">I know a lot of visitors to this area very wisely check out reviews of attractions/experiences at </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Tripadvisor</b><span face="" style="color: #06004c;"> before 'taking the plunge' and booking - We now have over 260 reviews online, so if you wish, you can check out our clients comments at the link below....</span></div><p><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><div style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"></span></span><br /><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g186537-d3335134-Reviews-</span></span></span></span></span></div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"></span></span><br /><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Highland_Wildlife_Birdwatch_Safaris-Aviemore_Aviemore_and_the_Cairngorms_Scottish.html</span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div></div></div><p><br /></p><p><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p><b>Buying my photos:</b></p><p><b>Prints of any of the photos (taken by myself) shown on this blog, going right back to 2015, </b><b style="background-color: transparent;">reproduced on high quality photographic paper, </b><b> with a choice of sizes up to A3, and satin pearl or glossy finishes available, </b><b style="background-color: transparent;">can now be purchased from me at very reasonable prices</b><b>. So if you see an image that might look nice in a frame (provided by yourself) on your wall, please make a note of the year and month of my blog in which it appeared, and email me for more information.</b></p><p><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><div style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span face=""><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;">G<b>ift Certificates:</b></span><br /></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; color: #222222; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 5px; position: relative;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T95gARK_lkQ/XAvNUI2tI6I/AAAAAAAADwU/GDPgK9hH9LwgLQ8gPnoaLdf04Yn2BLebwCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_1578.JPG" style="background: none 0% 0% / auto repeat scroll padding-box border-box transparent; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 5px;" width="400" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 10.56px; text-align: center;"><b>Safari gift voucher</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></span></span></div></div></div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><br /></div><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span face="" style="color: #06004c; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;">If you think you know someone who may enjoy a taste of what I do, why not treat them to a safari gift </span><span face="" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;">certificate? They make a thoughtful and imaginative present, are available for any amount as full or part-payment for an excursion, and are valid at any time subject to my availability, with a one year from purchase expiry date.</span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span face="" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><p><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></span></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""><br /></span></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div></span></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br />Highland Wildlife & Birdwatch Safarishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04327130550058794301noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26724394.post-83058817328426791602022-09-30T19:25:00.000+01:002022-09-30T19:25:06.722+01:00<p><b> September 2022</b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>September 2022 </b>was a generally calm month weather-wise in this area. Early autumn can see our weather dominated by Atlantic lows and the accompanying wind and rain, but that was not the case this year, instead, we enjoyed generally light winds, lots of cloud and early-morning mist , the occasional bit of sun, and just the odd rainy or windy day early and late in the month , meaning it was pretty decent for wildlife-watching.</p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">Temperatures ranged considerably, with 18c reached on a few of the sunnier days, but it is noticeably cooler at dawn and dusk now though, and it actually felt quite chilly on some of the windier days, and the first frosts are surely not too far away...</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">The days are shortening noticeably now though, with only around 12 hours (7am-7pm) of usable daylight , but by way of consolation, the heather is still a lovely purple in places, many trees are full of colourful berries, and some of the leaves and ferns are now morphing into their attractive autumnal hues.....</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">With just about all the summer visiting bird species gone by mid-month, and the first of the winter visiting bird species only just arriving in the second half of the month, full-day (6-7 hours) local safari bird lists dropped down to their lowest levels of the year (in the 30's), though this could be upped considerably by a trip to the nearby Moray coast, whilst mammal day lists varied between 3 and 7 species, depending on the time of our start and the number of different habitats visited, with early starts usually proving to be more fruitful...</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">After 5 busy months of 'peak-season' safaris, I took some time off to chill-out and 're-charge my batteries' this month, so my report will be a little shorter than usual .....</span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEC0TKFgLJvkWyEMfKl1WuDF1EgnZW8GYVy1VJlsuwrliEaCTjCdM6K9aDT96hNp9g0ADcMtxkyS5EvXtk0nhQa-vi0LDYJ8A9NNGnIVlGzY3CjMVBk5SkP-zYHkBsCwh-c7wAAmVqBDBwZs3KKRUi4dOAT8BazYyngCXTDnI62E2aAhTDgA/s1909/IMG_9654.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="956" data-original-width="1909" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEC0TKFgLJvkWyEMfKl1WuDF1EgnZW8GYVy1VJlsuwrliEaCTjCdM6K9aDT96hNp9g0ADcMtxkyS5EvXtk0nhQa-vi0LDYJ8A9NNGnIVlGzY3CjMVBk5SkP-zYHkBsCwh-c7wAAmVqBDBwZs3KKRUi4dOAT8BazYyngCXTDnI62E2aAhTDgA/w400-h200/IMG_9654.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>An atmospheric autumnal scene in the Cairngorms National Park</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">To give you an idea of what you may realistically hope to see if you are considering a future September visit, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">I hope the following more detailed information, illustrated with photos taken at sites in and around the Cairngorms National Park, and sometimes further afield, by myself, my friends or my safari clients this month and in previous September's will help....clicking on the picture enlarges it to full-screen. </span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Local speciality/upland bird species seen regularly during the month included</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">:</span></span></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Osprey </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">and</span><b> Black-Throated Diver, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">(both very early in the month only)</span></span></span></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Dipper</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Red Grouse</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Goosander </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">and </span><b>Goldeneye</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, we also had several good sightings of </span><b>Golden Eagle </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">,</span><b> </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">a few brief views of </span><b>Crested Tit, and </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">just a couple of glimpses of </span><b>Crossbill</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">.</span></span></span></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></span></span></div><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Sadly,</span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"> </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">but typically</span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">, Black Grouse </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">or </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Capercaillie</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> were not seen at all this month, though this is not unusual away from late winter/springtime....</span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Mammal species seen regularly included:</b></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Red Squirrel</b>, <b>Red Deer</b>, <b>Reindeer</b>, <b>Roe Deer</b>, <b>Mountain Goat</b> and <b>Rabbit</b>......with just a couple of glimpses of <b>Brown Hare </b>..and one of <b>Bank Vole.... i</b>t should be noted that <b>Mountain Hares</b> are still really tricky to see in September, but should become a little easier as they begin to morph into their white coats next month....</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">September 2022 bird sightings in more detail:</b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="font-size: 14.52px;">Up in the glens...</b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-SY8xOYF02jPt2KyU_0xmu6vnoWFYsRR0izpdIvLr4s3YV-rBie5p49KUzm84bD6fkaxZh1WNTyu8TdnNvejWwkyJ-9JUi2ymHgaHTdbD28-e02D8wUNReHfRKEq3wiejh2zIKb7ZzW4kaDXcHdlCYJl1us19c-QP5zvFuaBqGuNJClu64w/s2940/IMG_1486.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1681" data-original-width="2940" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-SY8xOYF02jPt2KyU_0xmu6vnoWFYsRR0izpdIvLr4s3YV-rBie5p49KUzm84bD6fkaxZh1WNTyu8TdnNvejWwkyJ-9JUi2ymHgaHTdbD28-e02D8wUNReHfRKEq3wiejh2zIKb7ZzW4kaDXcHdlCYJl1us19c-QP5zvFuaBqGuNJClu64w/w400-h229/IMG_1486.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Autumn in a beautiful local upland glen</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvltZXy1GPJJdY4sgJP6-Z7WLdYBljWUy1iEGO5jQTHMtyypL7wHvWNksIUjLyHskNF4Ku0nptXdHNXi0faOspO1V6RuuKebuzI_u7pYNM7qUpOr4yY8UnLGcEvZBdnNSQNhNFeoTCYF8T7XnznIJCZrkUy1XKHw4Oz6QNOCy2j9s6j0UaNQ/s1278/DSCN4822.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="753" data-original-width="1278" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvltZXy1GPJJdY4sgJP6-Z7WLdYBljWUy1iEGO5jQTHMtyypL7wHvWNksIUjLyHskNF4Ku0nptXdHNXi0faOspO1V6RuuKebuzI_u7pYNM7qUpOr4yY8UnLGcEvZBdnNSQNhNFeoTCYF8T7XnznIJCZrkUy1XKHw4Oz6QNOCy2j9s6j0UaNQ/w400-h236/DSCN4822.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Low-flying Golden Eagle - Photo from September 2020</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><br /></b></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXYwt4JzuYxYE99D4z--AmKslyqucDlBcjnkuLgmh5hLcbBieQDEW0VEx4YrUzKF0y5g_-6FperWwwhZdWzYPjNwL45u9lw88EcEMvCft3j35J1WOpTkvUUfJ8tuLb_mdD2MjbREW7wcCul4vJYmEmDXTD1BkaWH413YYR2x-UqI9Q6quhVQ/s969/Rob%20Ellett.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="561" data-original-width="969" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXYwt4JzuYxYE99D4z--AmKslyqucDlBcjnkuLgmh5hLcbBieQDEW0VEx4YrUzKF0y5g_-6FperWwwhZdWzYPjNwL45u9lw88EcEMvCft3j35J1WOpTkvUUfJ8tuLb_mdD2MjbREW7wcCul4vJYmEmDXTD1BkaWH413YYR2x-UqI9Q6quhVQ/w400-h231/Rob%20Ellett.jpg" width="400" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>White-Tailed Eagle by Rob Ellett - Photo from September 2020</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><b style="font-size: 13.2px;">Golden Eagles</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;"> are more commonly seen on my safaris during the shorter days of late autumn and winter, when they have less hours of daylight in which to hunt, and all of the family are actively flying - it takes several months from hatching before the young can fly competently - but we actually had a reasonable 'strike-rate' on my safaris this month, with a favourite upland glen giving us decent sightings on several occasions, and more importantly lots of my clients a much sought-after 'life-tick' of an iconic Highland speciality....and although we didn't see any <b>White-Tailed Eagles</b> this month, I would expect some sightings of them next month as the Atlantic Salmon should start to spawn in the shallow upper reaches of our rivers soon..</span></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl_J_rSI3O5PMwVYuFaFzaWiuSQq_uoWYZLqkNVLhZ3bozEYxaj21rTTHxO97btJz5fNZFcwX-IPfBNFwWvXehon9t9pKf5wi1GnGGnOo3rs5ygNVgo6gXZT94juloz886jt0NWBGyMfClNPkViCIiOrEBt_4WDMM0pEiz2d_Feqz2IB5lWA/s709/120107442_785914832237092_7371309891697529976_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="709" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl_J_rSI3O5PMwVYuFaFzaWiuSQq_uoWYZLqkNVLhZ3bozEYxaj21rTTHxO97btJz5fNZFcwX-IPfBNFwWvXehon9t9pKf5wi1GnGGnOo3rs5ygNVgo6gXZT94juloz886jt0NWBGyMfClNPkViCIiOrEBt_4WDMM0pEiz2d_Feqz2IB5lWA/s320/120107442_785914832237092_7371309891697529976_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Kestrel by Freddie Oxley - Photo from September 2020</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJPBoWUJItbivyAzp_uQX4jKWWPYyXJYQc0XjkIPsDdaoj6cTpMjCIOlnkYWcQ7EEBtUDrJ3JbqBqVh982Ji73G8pTjgYLpj1--k-fNNYeIpzD4e1oDJH23UTiWAzrItaL0GwN8gV4syQwTbh7JyHP8NuEwOt5SqbNbeGcUiQsF5ktFqHwIw/s758/120107001_1206220043165708_6544681412571334351_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="758" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJPBoWUJItbivyAzp_uQX4jKWWPYyXJYQc0XjkIPsDdaoj6cTpMjCIOlnkYWcQ7EEBtUDrJ3JbqBqVh982Ji73G8pTjgYLpj1--k-fNNYeIpzD4e1oDJH23UTiWAzrItaL0GwN8gV4syQwTbh7JyHP8NuEwOt5SqbNbeGcUiQsF5ktFqHwIw/s320/120107001_1206220043165708_6544681412571334351_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Common Buzzard by Freddie Oxley - Photo from September 2020</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX6sjVN-uYDLHdHCXyUMDaxWEWTPZnLpzh76hJdLnYvPC7cvmHgqTVUkYgVLCTcq4765XItOwueE96r8bZxc2wuylcj1cLiMjXhi7rs-0l8V6yzWf884zX4A80yRy939uNCIPwoCWSHZ2ELxCDjxYEgfiE6pdat7yhCysM24zrshazKn08tw/s2035/DSCN4979.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1353" data-original-width="2035" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX6sjVN-uYDLHdHCXyUMDaxWEWTPZnLpzh76hJdLnYvPC7cvmHgqTVUkYgVLCTcq4765XItOwueE96r8bZxc2wuylcj1cLiMjXhi7rs-0l8V6yzWf884zX4A80yRy939uNCIPwoCWSHZ2ELxCDjxYEgfiE6pdat7yhCysM24zrshazKn08tw/w400-h266/DSCN4979.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Young Red Kite</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">In fact, raptors in general were noticeably more active than in the spring and summer months, with us also regularly seeing </span><b>Kestrel,</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> </span><b>Sparrowhawk, Peregrine, Common Buzzard</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> and </span><b>Red Kite , often in family groups, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">and on the 20th of the month I finally got my long overdue 'year-tick' <b>Merlin</b>!</span></p><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">On the lochs...</b></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpR6nzY9EKaxkZwWk0p4LEmCC9RBg3frBiUxu7E0GgSmUMTFB6q8-jXtpTpZN-0oxtR3DENLwAzug95UkLfqJ_Bwcu1qEnFJ-Hq1d7z2cEsEEYgUBDlV6RMmC502w9_fqBCpEOe6ETsgEMUdF_HXXhO06zUdPhd8QwAzmzZIRR_JPF4OUqiA/s2992/LOcal%20loch.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1315" data-original-width="2992" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpR6nzY9EKaxkZwWk0p4LEmCC9RBg3frBiUxu7E0GgSmUMTFB6q8-jXtpTpZN-0oxtR3DENLwAzug95UkLfqJ_Bwcu1qEnFJ-Hq1d7z2cEsEEYgUBDlV6RMmC502w9_fqBCpEOe6ETsgEMUdF_HXXhO06zUdPhd8QwAzmzZIRR_JPF4OUqiA/w400-h176/LOcal%20loch.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Autumn at a picturesque local loch</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;">A few of our local juvenile </span><b>Ospreys</b><b> </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;">lingered around their now redundant nest sites and local lochs and rivers for the first week of the month, giving us our last chance to admire these attractive and impressive raptors and their fishing skills, though it should be noted that seeing them was a bit 'hit and miss'....and sadly, we won't see them any more now, until they return in the spring. It always amazes me to think that these young birds will attempt to undertake a 5,000 odd mile migration to west Africa alone and unassisted by their parents at the age of just 3 months!!</span></b></b></b></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></b></b></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;">Goldeneyes were seen regularly though, occasionally in large family groups, </span></b></b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;">.though it should be noted that the males are still in their brown-grey 'eclipse' plumage which is very similar to that of the females and youngsters...so you will have to wait a while to enjoy them in their dapper breeding plumage...</span></b></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></b></b></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Up on the moors....</b></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFLFucBCneLw2Gu9nMHTWy2pbUH_WgtFcLulCYcp-ls7CzKat5T7SRjAxsSwGrVlKxQi5nN33K7ieFQvZ9JMLSLh_u6UVjm33bzWKkXGdRuRoXx8VBJwZbIqdc1WH__4czMtSqmUqdZKJtNnLX9IyeEND1G8j0FS9aNjYUxmGGHkP-XQ435A/s4360/DSCN7192.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1450" data-original-width="4360" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFLFucBCneLw2Gu9nMHTWy2pbUH_WgtFcLulCYcp-ls7CzKat5T7SRjAxsSwGrVlKxQi5nN33K7ieFQvZ9JMLSLh_u6UVjm33bzWKkXGdRuRoXx8VBJwZbIqdc1WH__4czMtSqmUqdZKJtNnLX9IyeEND1G8j0FS9aNjYUxmGGHkP-XQ435A/w400-h133/DSCN7192.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A local upland heather moorland</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPBw_P1TrxydjWxZ5YKUwQYEApcUMG4E39OzjPv2eq_WrPx8nJ2-XPVn8ZjkuaOoaR1_sL5iE7rDhjly6r8Wq1_yJM7H8tgzTWeufiAUI4Ast2aNGDHJT8LEWtvgoZZU7CzACiDqWdKiMWnyv3aJaGDxsifu9hYDlanMNI1LV4L-8sEafdYw/s3909/DSCN3297.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1416" data-original-width="3909" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPBw_P1TrxydjWxZ5YKUwQYEApcUMG4E39OzjPv2eq_WrPx8nJ2-XPVn8ZjkuaOoaR1_sL5iE7rDhjly6r8Wq1_yJM7H8tgzTWeufiAUI4Ast2aNGDHJT8LEWtvgoZZU7CzACiDqWdKiMWnyv3aJaGDxsifu9hYDlanMNI1LV4L-8sEafdYw/w400-h145/DSCN3297.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Grouse family</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOG7d_2Wkua7Zkr7AC7s5i-3fOvKsd0qq_ZDyKmOOqS6dbMk0WerYYjm7Atqz-UNvU6meBr6TDn03Aqaq6qihZ9iaj1ocyPr6hP5Xu5ckjfmqh1SKba1HgQDrgTqyWNd_K_zWLQgM8WeulQAWU8XiwbGnz1cxJhYF3UxDCe2nTNxGLUByJQA/s4189/DSCN3295.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2795" data-original-width="4189" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOG7d_2Wkua7Zkr7AC7s5i-3fOvKsd0qq_ZDyKmOOqS6dbMk0WerYYjm7Atqz-UNvU6meBr6TDn03Aqaq6qihZ9iaj1ocyPr6hP5Xu5ckjfmqh1SKba1HgQDrgTqyWNd_K_zWLQgM8WeulQAWU8XiwbGnz1cxJhYF3UxDCe2nTNxGLUByJQA/w400-h268/DSCN3295.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Female Red Grouse</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Red Grouse</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> were seen regularly</span><b> </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">on our local upland moors, mostly still in family groups, and they continued to entertain my safari clients with their often very confiding nature (as long as you stay in your vehicle) and 'cackling' calls, and similarly to last year, with seemingly little or no shooting going on in this area this autumn, they were actually easier than usual to see... long may it continue.....</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">Most of the birds of prey that we see in the glens, can sometimes be seen hunting over the moors too, as well as the occasional more typical moorland raptor species like <b>Merlin</b>, <b>Hen Harrier</b> and <b>Short-Eared Owl.</b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></b></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">Although we failed to see any <b>Black Grouse</b> this month, my records for previous years suggest that we may have more chance at dawn in the months to come as the frosts often inspire them to appear...</span></p><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>On the rivers...</b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk1OWIuTSSwoz1KkLUFoDvV2AKm9sVYEgd4uULezioGfEjmKXMBvccFNKQlEeenUlEWZN2BpgzfY7jkAdVpZbIU3H5Xn9ivEU5l_ce2XHnlFO1jf79it1Qo_0xS1UNrVvaZe0w6eGYqSj6Ay8Ia9-VQJcAFUETbkqA89pNY52f2PkKbs3F6A/s4566/DSCN7187.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2521" data-original-width="4566" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk1OWIuTSSwoz1KkLUFoDvV2AKm9sVYEgd4uULezioGfEjmKXMBvccFNKQlEeenUlEWZN2BpgzfY7jkAdVpZbIU3H5Xn9ivEU5l_ce2XHnlFO1jf79it1Qo_0xS1UNrVvaZe0w6eGYqSj6Ay8Ia9-VQJcAFUETbkqA89pNY52f2PkKbs3F6A/w400-h221/DSCN7187.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The River Spey</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /><b><br /></b></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqWBLeCB0JJD5O_0wZlcZNQef87SqV3fqmSNV7rekP7ImH4YxLlGpfIfevXqUekc-2OjL121Wrh0v7rjceKh3p9GLq5pjUlfecOVy_fmfTBbnSVg8LIdJGDkVtmY2_dV1DBa0w0NBk8z4Mpk9v3M_ncu6SE9w9LiCEvqdxH180UgtHfbHObQ/s2423/DSCN2963.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1326" data-original-width="2423" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqWBLeCB0JJD5O_0wZlcZNQef87SqV3fqmSNV7rekP7ImH4YxLlGpfIfevXqUekc-2OjL121Wrh0v7rjceKh3p9GLq5pjUlfecOVy_fmfTBbnSVg8LIdJGDkVtmY2_dV1DBa0w0NBk8z4Mpk9v3M_ncu6SE9w9LiCEvqdxH180UgtHfbHObQ/w400-h219/DSCN2963.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Dipper</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;">As is usual at this time of year, </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Dipper</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> sightings were still a little 'random' this month, as the birds seemed to range wide and far, but later in the month we witnessed some more 'territorial' behaviour (loud singing and aggressive posturing) near to some of their favourite nesting bridges....</span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">We occasionally saw large families of <b>Goosanders </b>on local rivers too, though it should be noted that they are usually very nervous and often fly off when they notice us...</span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">I</span><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">n the forests...</b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgptqWvIYWv5BQ0le02ffvtp_pj3OetckHtV8zk0SQKsxwKq-eFCx2PdVVKnWHGOlxrYm9kAr8ACz8xOu9afVAae8ltJhiF6t-VFb4u2JThIAzSoWDWedRAETBh9ZvpWxSH7G43TGv8uNsTI16uBdHPzMQz340XowfyojfrSVe3y-5dfQzHyA/s3724/Garten%20Woods.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1166" data-original-width="3724" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgptqWvIYWv5BQ0le02ffvtp_pj3OetckHtV8zk0SQKsxwKq-eFCx2PdVVKnWHGOlxrYm9kAr8ACz8xOu9afVAae8ltJhiF6t-VFb4u2JThIAzSoWDWedRAETBh9ZvpWxSH7G43TGv8uNsTI16uBdHPzMQz340XowfyojfrSVe3y-5dfQzHyA/w400-h125/Garten%20Woods.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A local Caledonian forest</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtMle2dRzbwcbpvUsRLVa5mi--rgLQWqZ6EBVkzSoTR9W2p0wGT6XTLwbeNSXX6MLB2Fj-wClankCIsNvTMbXwxh-20qKzHZJowWM2THljYDkmWCX6E8sY7otJDY_gawnIgrlUEyDJF_vloD7h2URULgYDW-CYgySN3FtPjQTdpvXeu5xSBQ/s636/120011558_1619271868255784_5618263974522967434_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="636" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtMle2dRzbwcbpvUsRLVa5mi--rgLQWqZ6EBVkzSoTR9W2p0wGT6XTLwbeNSXX6MLB2Fj-wClankCIsNvTMbXwxh-20qKzHZJowWM2THljYDkmWCX6E8sY7otJDY_gawnIgrlUEyDJF_vloD7h2URULgYDW-CYgySN3FtPjQTdpvXeu5xSBQ/w400-h303/120011558_1619271868255784_5618263974522967434_n.jpg" width="400" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Crested Tit by Freddie Oxley - Photo from September 2020</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b>Crested Tit</b><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: 400;"> is always high on my safari clients 'wish-lists', with it being a UK rarity and Speyside speciality, and it should be noted that they can be a difficult bird to see in spring and summer, but although they are now mainly to be found in mixed flocks roaming around the Caledonian pine forests, and can be tricky to pick out, it can sometimes be possible to get a few decent views of them at feeding stations, especially soon after first light on the colder mornings in the latter part of the month...and they should become a little more reliable in the coming weeks...</span></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYNqBozkbOwao0c_MopJVddnpbRvcfFSIy2CkWKX8JWJuR-inZk0JmE3_afvFldULo5M6ONEMldsqU5_aK6-iDbbTx8RqucfNNa5NWXXxLiIcAZr36x3l8RWo1Bjw1hPPm4BQ4rfaJmsqVdC6ZLZhtU_LHaZXVuowdG2JFQE6DB6Z3JBDQow/s3129/Calais%204.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2341" data-original-width="3129" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYNqBozkbOwao0c_MopJVddnpbRvcfFSIy2CkWKX8JWJuR-inZk0JmE3_afvFldULo5M6ONEMldsqU5_aK6-iDbbTx8RqucfNNa5NWXXxLiIcAZr36x3l8RWo1Bjw1hPPm4BQ4rfaJmsqVdC6ZLZhtU_LHaZXVuowdG2JFQE6DB6Z3JBDQow/s320/Calais%204.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Crossbill by Calais Brown</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXI0xIiXA4fupi9VreXyoD_yycnlkjdhbrLmS8VBMykskwpy6cXHKob2ab1OASwD_VzH_pN0LhN0O65mq_fhGoMeVaWfFRAmFeN7zQpviCNr8j0RiqcHd1WDVU6MzqfvTq8DN3XqX1tCNs6EAG9FnQNFbuRjjfzOuZLv41tdu8DYAAjYjzWg/s3210/Calais%205.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1684" data-original-width="3210" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXI0xIiXA4fupi9VreXyoD_yycnlkjdhbrLmS8VBMykskwpy6cXHKob2ab1OASwD_VzH_pN0LhN0O65mq_fhGoMeVaWfFRAmFeN7zQpviCNr8j0RiqcHd1WDVU6MzqfvTq8DN3XqX1tCNs6EAG9FnQNFbuRjjfzOuZLv41tdu8DYAAjYjzWg/s320/Calais%205.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Crossbill taking a drink by Calais Brown</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-weight: 400;">Still in the forests, despite my best efforts, </span><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">Crossbills</b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-weight: 400;"> sightings were usually of the rather frustrating 'fly-over' variety, with them only being identified by their characteristic 'jip' 'jip' calls as they flew overhead between different parts of the forests...though on a couple of occasions we got lucky when birds actually perched atop a pine long enough for us to view them through my scope and actually grab a few photos...</span></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Up in the mountains....</b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXEiP2b0_Bo6jYwZ4LvkQ6l8Gh63ASnnR2nGlk72jO_xedbqJt42OKe-Oz0Ihtp4IiuXDmp01IakyMsLxdA5DarwKIPPQ_0dNpatJ-CzXF0ohbWKgqYt1EMbFM3KoLucRv1V1-lkvJRNRD6SH8hPUnn3fTgY6VYfjpl-eCuHmpbdtzuVS5CQ/s2004/IMG_9655.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="484" data-original-width="2004" height="96" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXEiP2b0_Bo6jYwZ4LvkQ6l8Gh63ASnnR2nGlk72jO_xedbqJt42OKe-Oz0Ihtp4IiuXDmp01IakyMsLxdA5DarwKIPPQ_0dNpatJ-CzXF0ohbWKgqYt1EMbFM3KoLucRv1V1-lkvJRNRD6SH8hPUnn3fTgY6VYfjpl-eCuHmpbdtzuVS5CQ/w400-h96/IMG_9655.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The Cairngorm Mountains</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Although I did not venture up into the Cairngorms myself this month, a few birders and photographers managed some decent local sightings of <b>Ptarmigan,</b> and <b>a few Snow Bunting</b>s were also reported from the upper areas of local mountains too.</p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Other good/scarce birds seen/reported locally this month included:</b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">A<b> Marsh Harrie</b>r<b>, </b>a<b> Mandarin Duck, </b>a<b> Redwing, </b>2 <b>Ruff, a Nuthatc</b>h<b>, a Guillemot 35 miles inland at Loch Garten!, </b>and a few late<b> Chiffchaffs and Whinchats....</b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span style="color: #06004c; font-weight: 700;">A few photos of more common birds seen locally this month: </span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span style="color: #06004c; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span style="color: #06004c; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOF4wBFdo5wedNNrYJ-FRoFwaDSno7VwtZAM0xQAP-fQLASOBbzFM_qtQldAuNjQVR80092LqUxq1UcAO0NmnvPTSy0C5kjkda2dwn-Ex_5TRTqUqRBfrOYK-UjIj-xdaPJpbF9AmWQ7KkXK8xNix5kz1mfVkt7SUgiCuH7tfo-yzs_udSVw/s4392/DSCN3275.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1679" data-original-width="4392" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOF4wBFdo5wedNNrYJ-FRoFwaDSno7VwtZAM0xQAP-fQLASOBbzFM_qtQldAuNjQVR80092LqUxq1UcAO0NmnvPTSy0C5kjkda2dwn-Ex_5TRTqUqRBfrOYK-UjIj-xdaPJpbF9AmWQ7KkXK8xNix5kz1mfVkt7SUgiCuH7tfo-yzs_udSVw/w400-h153/DSCN3275.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Greylag Geese</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /><span style="color: #06004c; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigTtQQu_Ju9dg-gZk88HUpj8ikKSGpZidSZINdsfy_ejJI4xJzt8kFbRYOsMiZcyRE9VjwIex-EsXqIuoxjRKMkViSB_2sATFjW_1aHmq6IAqrlEV3FBMyJZpBheGBvPSJIZUw-vBwxg_gIikrI7O6TRDh9H3BtMFZuE92ofgoRGZ7_oXQdw/s3642/DSCN3283.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1077" data-original-width="3642" height="119" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigTtQQu_Ju9dg-gZk88HUpj8ikKSGpZidSZINdsfy_ejJI4xJzt8kFbRYOsMiZcyRE9VjwIex-EsXqIuoxjRKMkViSB_2sATFjW_1aHmq6IAqrlEV3FBMyJZpBheGBvPSJIZUw-vBwxg_gIikrI7O6TRDh9H3BtMFZuE92ofgoRGZ7_oXQdw/w400-h119/DSCN3283.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red-Legged Partridges</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /><span style="color: #06004c; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRU6wFf_3rYy2A61_5CxS1-F3oSk-UaZINKvfgQkcvjpmz_0Cmpg3zzwPtAzR2G4TIekKJdYy7LS08MgP7KONo7n6sHmjiCYEEtfwA5KDrsH1XazomyqHWcElnKSLIIu8Id31fzSkQIFuk6G2HCM4v06LEGY-VOcdvEz6Dpadm56Lh_LX3dQ/s3709/DSCN3288.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2692" data-original-width="3709" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRU6wFf_3rYy2A61_5CxS1-F3oSk-UaZINKvfgQkcvjpmz_0Cmpg3zzwPtAzR2G4TIekKJdYy7LS08MgP7KONo7n6sHmjiCYEEtfwA5KDrsH1XazomyqHWcElnKSLIIu8Id31fzSkQIFuk6G2HCM4v06LEGY-VOcdvEz6Dpadm56Lh_LX3dQ/s320/DSCN3288.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Young Grey Wagtail</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span style="color: #06004c; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span style="color: #06004c; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJcz5su7bHo24Bmc7rh8gj4QLoVQMXyjOd84f9i0pBF_w027vAy70aruqJexn5iFePapnL985Z_eGN6nLvUMDiaIuQ8o1Q-6oYuITQ7gPv5VIOpSYVir8e07tpAKN8WkiLAoS6qqtwByhqt8ywvXcute4zBH-x17y24866f0qIzQ89OonU1A/s4608/DSCN3273.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJcz5su7bHo24Bmc7rh8gj4QLoVQMXyjOd84f9i0pBF_w027vAy70aruqJexn5iFePapnL985Z_eGN6nLvUMDiaIuQ8o1Q-6oYuITQ7gPv5VIOpSYVir8e07tpAKN8WkiLAoS6qqtwByhqt8ywvXcute4zBH-x17y24866f0qIzQ89OonU1A/s320/DSCN3273.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Young Robin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /><span style="color: #06004c; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;">Adventures 'out of area':</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"> </span></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;">I didn't manage any wildlife-watching trips away from my local patch this month....</span></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>September 2022mammal sightings in more detail:</b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span style="font-weight: 400;">As I mentioned last month, with the summer visiting local speciality birds departing this area, mammals become more of a focus on my safaris, and we were fortunate to see a good variety again this month. </span></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></p><div><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Xlv4f1moEfEpxPK9q1kQUW85hiQzzDRGvWlEmJi_6EF-NdEg243OHVOIZkf8osz_qZKEWZSTtzSJOy_nVL34GRjM-DL1bHnzFN6KnFG6bldfZe3KFB_Pm4oGFdvRQuNPpFeLKsC-G74fXuWIwf5PuQDi3jbDIVY2ONqAR8tcwfCnMc7YcQ/s4199/DSCN3305.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3179" data-original-width="4199" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Xlv4f1moEfEpxPK9q1kQUW85hiQzzDRGvWlEmJi_6EF-NdEg243OHVOIZkf8osz_qZKEWZSTtzSJOy_nVL34GRjM-DL1bHnzFN6KnFG6bldfZe3KFB_Pm4oGFdvRQuNPpFeLKsC-G74fXuWIwf5PuQDi3jbDIVY2ONqAR8tcwfCnMc7YcQ/s320/DSCN3305.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Squirrel</b></td></tr></tbody></table></b></div><div><b><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRdas8lj-3tsrvsoNy04h9clBUGpOVAhkcjigK3ijqCAb5mbfpEX_lOTkSmXbqBMq04SfGhGGvGR0x1PPm-ddHSR8N1obDEEjaHvj0Gnv4wDbSCaFmMn2zlSM5kMQclnS664vm_4s9uK-zTYK3PfTbi5t1G64DTToViAwe3MPuxqS16BxE0A/s1561/Calais%201.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1164" data-original-width="1561" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRdas8lj-3tsrvsoNy04h9clBUGpOVAhkcjigK3ijqCAb5mbfpEX_lOTkSmXbqBMq04SfGhGGvGR0x1PPm-ddHSR8N1obDEEjaHvj0Gnv4wDbSCaFmMn2zlSM5kMQclnS664vm_4s9uK-zTYK3PfTbi5t1G64DTToViAwe3MPuxqS16BxE0A/s320/Calais%201.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Squirrel by Calais Brown</b></td></tr></tbody></table></b></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-weight: 700;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-weight: 400;">Despite stiff competition from 'Murdo', and the Red Deer, (see below), t</span></span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">he 'mammal of the day' award was still often won by the cute and ever popular </span><b>Red Squirrel</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> - with many of my safari clients seeing these very characterful and attractive 'Highland speciality' animals for the first time, usually at feeding stations, but occasionally on walks/drives through forests too...</span></p></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw9tVYIzLlv15gVuia9POtka_UO50shB7_JCPr-eF2pv6MH5Nd3DkmduZ-YnJqmoHpV2VjuIaVTezx7omYpkxoDxQ_9VKnPmUV94rM7mXGb0BdJmr9VohS2akUt07lDFNke-GFqxL39miwZew54nSp5q8_4eUFkXUQlN5UIacQejqA1G2QMw/s2992/IMG_1397.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1641" data-original-width="2992" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw9tVYIzLlv15gVuia9POtka_UO50shB7_JCPr-eF2pv6MH5Nd3DkmduZ-YnJqmoHpV2VjuIaVTezx7omYpkxoDxQ_9VKnPmUV94rM7mXGb0BdJmr9VohS2akUt07lDFNke-GFqxL39miwZew54nSp5q8_4eUFkXUQlN5UIacQejqA1G2QMw/w400-h220/IMG_1397.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Deer hinds</b></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTeFgt5qYMndaWF072oCx_Z1EcU4Q5hBhaBPcclbQ2iP-S_vDyt-9BwNaswKQdCv5heJADHyaFfkb-NdAGcreKww3TfnAbcOgwUJCeCXd6m3F8_1fkPgclJ_yBsX4hShQrpTyUrs8VYs5DJbzAp7ZpCnBAZpsxR7Kx1W3061PiQLdHr8K1mg/s3705/DSCN3346.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1962" data-original-width="3705" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTeFgt5qYMndaWF072oCx_Z1EcU4Q5hBhaBPcclbQ2iP-S_vDyt-9BwNaswKQdCv5heJADHyaFfkb-NdAGcreKww3TfnAbcOgwUJCeCXd6m3F8_1fkPgclJ_yBsX4hShQrpTyUrs8VYs5DJbzAp7ZpCnBAZpsxR7Kx1W3061PiQLdHr8K1mg/w400-h211/DSCN3346.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Deer stags... the calm before the coming storm....</b></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;">Although there is often little indication of it approaching, the end of September , and the first frosts, usually sees the start of the </span><strong>Red Deer</strong><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"> rut, with the previously quite sociable stags beginning to 'check-out' and assemble their 'harems' of 'in season' hinds, sharpen up the tips of their antlers on rocks and trees, and partake in a little light 'sparring' with likely rivals, often accompanied by a tremendous 'roaring', which echoes round the glens... a marvelously atmospheric spectacle, which is sure to increase in intensity next month...</span></b></p><div><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div></span></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">Still up in the glens, our </span><strong>Mountain Hares, </strong><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">though still in their browny-grey summer coats, are about to turn whiter from their feet upwards as autumn progresses, in preparation for the snow to come, though actual sightings of them were not as frequent, or as good as I would have liked... but that is not unusual outside of the winter months..</span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTND4d831Z1w_yNlnwpx3E2hW_roSjwvJSwURoCBEII954hFSkSzimtdq4d6Eik7RsKndT64i04iiURCJFG7OCSV13BXwJPIRdRGjhTFvPbiJL-0vTPpVKimHO3CbawSkCtT6sS-vod_HxCOJUKZQy9L22RFSOoncz6mKr6x6-XLkAeuqt_w/s3635/DSCN0974%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2726" data-original-width="3635" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTND4d831Z1w_yNlnwpx3E2hW_roSjwvJSwURoCBEII954hFSkSzimtdq4d6Eik7RsKndT64i04iiURCJFG7OCSV13BXwJPIRdRGjhTFvPbiJL-0vTPpVKimHO3CbawSkCtT6sS-vod_HxCOJUKZQy9L22RFSOoncz6mKr6x6-XLkAeuqt_w/w400-h300/DSCN0974%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Feral Mountain Goats</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Our local </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Feral</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Mountain Goats</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> however, were a little more obliging...with plenty of decent views of large family groups being enjoyed, with many of my safari clients seeing them for the first time...</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></span></p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Brown Hares </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">were seen occasionally, but as usual, most of our sightings were early in the morning, and in poor light, so I didn't manage any decent photos of them this month...</span></p><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEharCDgqHeLI5fdgpY9A50jQRiLXq2WNLVLtTaEZz_hthE3ZwpNDQ83HQS2H-1z5DlZwbT_jO-BtjxVk_NA3bTWDoLbe3-gmLgBDR7R9Tpe8q7OKJlK4ODw7Wug89Zekz57HrLgeqLWlg2sNvSSjsRl-hdMG2z-dBkiX22mvDcvcz1qZnDvRw/s4333/DSCN3310.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3251" data-original-width="4333" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEharCDgqHeLI5fdgpY9A50jQRiLXq2WNLVLtTaEZz_hthE3ZwpNDQ83HQS2H-1z5DlZwbT_jO-BtjxVk_NA3bTWDoLbe3-gmLgBDR7R9Tpe8q7OKJlK4ODw7Wug89Zekz57HrLgeqLWlg2sNvSSjsRl-hdMG2z-dBkiX22mvDcvcz1qZnDvRw/s320/DSCN3310.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Roe Deer doe</b></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">Although not as physically impressive as their larger Red cousins, and having a much more nervous disposition, </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">Roe Deer </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">are probably more often described as cute - like Bambi even, but they</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"> always prove popular with my safari clients, and we were fortunate enough to see them on several occasions this month, especially soon after dawn, or in remote, quiet areas...</span></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYHDHicXOKEd8779SogerU6hF3kjCXJ90zfy3MHVY-1XzAjDrPIigH8n7z1tceiDAfEcoeUEEy_NP1SXQ_o8_ZRs1h3yFzO-zJIPrSTNjSgFNx1RMS9xO5JaoyyYHaYtS2Ysho9TgA5gFowQiO8WF_SFAN6p5rmtPLRDSpBDMOD_p5yZuuYg/s1730/IMG_9796.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1407" data-original-width="1730" height="325" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYHDHicXOKEd8779SogerU6hF3kjCXJ90zfy3MHVY-1XzAjDrPIigH8n7z1tceiDAfEcoeUEEy_NP1SXQ_o8_ZRs1h3yFzO-zJIPrSTNjSgFNx1RMS9xO5JaoyyYHaYtS2Ysho9TgA5gFowQiO8WF_SFAN6p5rmtPLRDSpBDMOD_p5yZuuYg/w400-h325/IMG_9796.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Carrot time for Murdo</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Highland Coo's</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"> always prove to be popular with my safari clients, especially those who do not have them close to home, so don't be afraid to ask me if you fancy going to see them, and maybe even get to feed and 'pat' them, as I have a couple of great sites....</span></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Rare/nocturnal mammals:</b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">I get a few enquiries about the possibility of seeing </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Badgers</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> and </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Pine Marten</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> from my safari clients, many of whom I suspect are unaware that they are actually a largely nocturnal creature, and although we do get the occasional (maybe one or two a year) dawn glimpse of one, you would definitely have a much higher chance of seeing them at a specific dusk Badger/Pine Marten watching hide - Please contact me for more information.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Similarly, our inland </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Otters</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> too are mainly active during the hours of darkness, and again, although we do get a few early-morning sightings on local lochs and rivers each year, looking for them feeding in a suitably quiet, kelp - filled bay on the coast on a rising tide, but at any time of day, would give you a much better chance.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-family: quot; line-height: 1.4;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: quot; line-height: 1.4;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Whilst we are still on the 'tricky to see stuff', the <b>Scottish Wildcat </b>too, as well as being incredibly rare now, is also generally nocturnal, and the fact that I have had a mere handful of (dawn or dusk) sightings in 18 years of providing wildlife safaris should give you an idea of how difficult they are to see.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b>Other wildlife:</b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkbck9MVpPj6DkVUlOdEcWHlz7XVmUXOPJb0TuzTX2hQFWFqxQqGIMQrGWgiP1yvmYecwrhP21u4m7ASqieXSgCbueUgjiqTbiDtPL16VpKpDKuX2nlCth9gkD2t73D927RcUHalFjU88CsoexgRjdgM2NmxmRn2LCXmrCuIT9JwHOjwY09g/s926/IMG_1881.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="674" data-original-width="926" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkbck9MVpPj6DkVUlOdEcWHlz7XVmUXOPJb0TuzTX2hQFWFqxQqGIMQrGWgiP1yvmYecwrhP21u4m7ASqieXSgCbueUgjiqTbiDtPL16VpKpDKuX2nlCth9gkD2t73D927RcUHalFjU88CsoexgRjdgM2NmxmRn2LCXmrCuIT9JwHOjwY09g/w400-h291/IMG_1881.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Speckled Wood by Kim Reddick</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiZ5M8Izd3ZVB-PjIAeHxJtZkuAeLMKVa06Idrh5J0zraSJYOiXVnwLmmO3q-Qtlr8vmbRISglL3UmhsdydvN7i8H3IdzLeYXHB5DUSD0GGmW6pyUkCpohRgkHpOcW2_EBx4dAW3EO7AsJQKLlFVf_f-DnwGkCDdy0Pvx05ZyM_ay4DyBdTA/s2527/DSCN4891.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1680" data-original-width="2527" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiZ5M8Izd3ZVB-PjIAeHxJtZkuAeLMKVa06Idrh5J0zraSJYOiXVnwLmmO3q-Qtlr8vmbRISglL3UmhsdydvN7i8H3IdzLeYXHB5DUSD0GGmW6pyUkCpohRgkHpOcW2_EBx4dAW3EO7AsJQKLlFVf_f-DnwGkCDdy0Pvx05ZyM_ay4DyBdTA/s320/DSCN4891.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Small Tortoiseshell</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13.2px;">The warmer and calmer days saw us enjoy a last blast of butterfly action for this year, with a nice selection of common species seen...</span></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9uGDhwgVFZ_CPy9HT69JWV5QOE8I5nKFv1y12BWlvNmMcbtEPK-vBG9E_q4D4-Q4dvCJ4bpAzrCwpLlI9pwVR5g6sp-4w5_ETwK92qQo-XnVM0wYncLFPFM0EHU1aqYZYmhXouAGbOO0XXBvqT4Ekck2dPhLXpGsdcNiIw8Z46xbNQ8Oi5Q/s1749/IMG_9664.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="860" data-original-width="1749" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9uGDhwgVFZ_CPy9HT69JWV5QOE8I5nKFv1y12BWlvNmMcbtEPK-vBG9E_q4D4-Q4dvCJ4bpAzrCwpLlI9pwVR5g6sp-4w5_ETwK92qQo-XnVM0wYncLFPFM0EHU1aqYZYmhXouAGbOO0XXBvqT4Ekck2dPhLXpGsdcNiIw8Z46xbNQ8Oi5Q/w400-h196/IMG_9664.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Fly Agaric</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-7kwcgWf1e_UWd_FGqW0z59oTXXwP3zuev_VazAZhdgdr-_Fy61k4517QMr-gvNA6U3X8kSXzzYUfUf_ACYctbuCN7ClTGECpYTStmq8bxaANBfx7E98J6HSELodA7pZBNcMo69DfhZMjZSyepvsHw17M41thpZwj8j9cqMmwAvyuKPoxDA/s1845/IMG_9667.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1031" data-original-width="1845" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-7kwcgWf1e_UWd_FGqW0z59oTXXwP3zuev_VazAZhdgdr-_Fy61k4517QMr-gvNA6U3X8kSXzzYUfUf_ACYctbuCN7ClTGECpYTStmq8bxaANBfx7E98J6HSELodA7pZBNcMo69DfhZMjZSyepvsHw17M41thpZwj8j9cqMmwAvyuKPoxDA/w400-h224/IMG_9667.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>September is fungus month</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">News:</b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">All tourism/hospitality/activities in Scotland are open , are now free of restrictions and I have now completed well over a year of (thankfully!) increasingly busy and extremely enjoyable safaris with clients with no major issues arising.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">With all national travel restrictions lifted too, Scotland is officially 'open for business' for visitors from all over the UK, and from abroad.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">For those considering a visit, these wildlife/outdoor tourism websites may prove useful:</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b>https://www.gov.scot/collections/coronavirus-covid</b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.outdooraccess-scotland.scot/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">NatureScot (outdooraccess-scotland.scot)</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xGdTZcC2ZQ" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-line: none;">Can Nature Help Health? | Nature Prescriptions - YouTube</a></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1HBKnnGr-g" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;">Scotland, Yours to Enjoy. Responsibly. - YouTube</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://cairngorms.co.uk/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">Cairngorms National Park Authority</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.highlandwildlifepark.org.uk/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">Highland Wildlife Park</a></p><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.gov.scot/publications/avian-influenza-outbreaks/" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;">Avian influenza (bird flu) outbreaks - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)</a></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://www.rspb.org.uk/about-the-rspb/about-us/how-the-rspb-is-run/annualreport/annual-report-2022_scotland-news/?utm_source=notes_on_nature_20220903&utm_medium=email&utm_term=notes_on_nature&utm_content=27&utm_campaign=notes_on_nature">Positive prescriptions | The RSPB</a></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>COVID-19</b></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></span></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b>The Scottish Highlands has had very few COVID-19 cases in comparison to most of the UK, and on my safaris we tend to visit remote , wild habitats well away from the more popular tourist areas, and usually have very little interaction with other people, and this is something that I intend to continue.</b></div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-x9H3vQp8U51OEHFQL2aMybbMKe99FImMxpAWruMtaKuGx2q_Th0cJHSFNjwWrAcXNDlKBfrTTslTnxI24u0H6SM62KoTj3J4mifF_oq3O0uk5YBQgyYLrqfNB_9ykuZjo8OBFHWwudOVY0xLtQuzvjpxxefEu8vp7zoD9FnT5yPbermfyw/s2016/IMG_9749.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1046" data-original-width="2016" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-x9H3vQp8U51OEHFQL2aMybbMKe99FImMxpAWruMtaKuGx2q_Th0cJHSFNjwWrAcXNDlKBfrTTslTnxI24u0H6SM62KoTj3J4mifF_oq3O0uk5YBQgyYLrqfNB_9ykuZjo8OBFHWwudOVY0xLtQuzvjpxxefEu8vp7zoD9FnT5yPbermfyw/w400-h208/IMG_9749.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Early autumn at RSPB Insh Marshes</b></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></div></span></div><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Summary:</b></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;">Being a bit of an 'in between month', with the summer birds mostly gone, and the winter birds yet to arrive, and a limited number of bird species possible, in all honesty it's probably not the best month for the hard-core birder, photographer or 'twitcher' to visit, but September in the Cairngorms National Park would still appear to have plenty to offer the more casual or beginner nature-watcher or those looking for a less intense or 'taster' Highland wildlife safari experience, with the chance of a migrating 'rarity' turning up, a better likelihood of seeing birds of prey and Crested Tit than in the spring and summer, less tourists around to cause disturbance, and no early starts needed, in arguably, one of the most colourfully scenic months of the year...and I will admit to being pleasantly surprised at how well we did for sightings.</span></b></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;">Reviews:</b></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="" style="color: #06004c;">I know a lot of visitors to this area very wisely check out reviews of attractions/experiences at </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Tripadvisor</b><span face="" style="color: #06004c;"> before 'taking the plunge' and booking - We now have over 260 reviews online, so if you wish, you can check out our clients comments at the link below....</span></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><div style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"></span></span><br /><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g186537-d3335134-Reviews-</span></span></span></span></span></div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"></span></span><br /><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Highland_Wildlife_Birdwatch_Safaris-Aviemore_Aviemore_and_the_Cairngorms_Scottish.html</span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div></div></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Buying my photos:</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Prints of any of the photos (taken by myself) shown on this blog, going right back to 2015, </b><b style="background-color: transparent;">reproduced on high quality photographic paper, </b><b> with a choice of sizes up to A3, and satin pearl or glossy finishes available, </b><b style="background-color: transparent;">can now be purchased from me at very reasonable prices</b><b>. So if you see an image that might look nice in a frame (provided by yourself) on your wall, please make a note of the year and month of my blog in which it appeared, and email me for more information.</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><div style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span face=""><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;">G<b>ift Certificates:</b></span><br /></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; color: #222222; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 5px; position: relative;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T95gARK_lkQ/XAvNUI2tI6I/AAAAAAAADwU/GDPgK9hH9LwgLQ8gPnoaLdf04Yn2BLebwCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_1578.JPG" style="background: none 0% 0% / auto repeat scroll padding-box border-box transparent; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 5px;" width="400" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 10.56px; text-align: center;"><b>Safari gift voucher</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></span></span></div></div></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="" style="color: #06004c; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;">If you think you know someone who may enjoy a taste of what I do, why not treat them to a safari gift </span><span face="" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;">certificate? They make a thoughtful and imaginative present, are available for any amount as full or part-payment for an excursion, and are valid at any time subject to my availability, with a one year from purchase expiry date.</span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><br /></span></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p>Highland Wildlife & Birdwatch Safarishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04327130550058794301noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26724394.post-91363450585240806792022-08-31T20:07:00.000+01:002022-08-31T20:07:16.480+01:00<p><b>August 2022</b></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">August 2022 </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">started very warm and summery in this area, but ended with a slightly autumnal feel about it, with average temperatures down on last month and a lot less sun, and though it was generally dry, it was often very cloudy, occasionally showery, and a little breezy at times, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">so a layered approach to clothing and a waterproof/windproof cagoule on stand-by is recommended..</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="">The days are noticeably shortening now as autumn approaches, but we still have 14-15 hours of usable daylight this far north, with dawn at around 5am and dusk at around 9pm...</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="">With many of our summer visiting bird species departing here for their wintering areas from mid month, it was inevitable that local full-day bird lists would reduce down into the 30's , though this could be increased considerably if you included a visit to the Moray coast.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="">Mammal day lists varied between 3 and 7 species, with earlier starts generally proving more successful, especially for the shyer, more crepuscular species.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="">August is often a good month for Butterflies, dragonflies and day-flying moths in this area - weather permitting - and a good variety of species were seen on the calmer, sunnier days, though sightings tailed-off noticeably later in the month...</span><br style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;" /><span face="">The Highland scenery is extremely picturesque now, with the heather at it's beautiful purple best, one or two ferns turning coppery gold, a few leaves beginning to morph into their autumn hues, lots of varieties of fungus appearing, the wild Blaeberries ripe for picking, and the Rowan trees now fully laden with bright red or orange berries.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdskgRMWpouaXg7dxqJ59P-PE2fYqOYo9L9NCqekRUl4OL9mZNnqIAr8xvqM-5zcFAqW0YpWzIai_jy7gByCUTf-t2n16c0IunNYJ1wtl9o6zzmZKfnfoFZJjQUIpFc0fzpru9xxvNvoZn-3RGLt6tuDIwkYpRsov8GslasqDCoBc4HV27zQ/s1990/IMG_9466.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="867" data-original-width="1990" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdskgRMWpouaXg7dxqJ59P-PE2fYqOYo9L9NCqekRUl4OL9mZNnqIAr8xvqM-5zcFAqW0YpWzIai_jy7gByCUTf-t2n16c0IunNYJ1wtl9o6zzmZKfnfoFZJjQUIpFc0fzpru9xxvNvoZn-3RGLt6tuDIwkYpRsov8GslasqDCoBc4HV27zQ/w400-h174/IMG_9466.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A nice reflection at a picturesque local loch</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">To give you an idea of what you may realistically hope to see if you are considering a future August visit, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">I hope the following more detailed information, illustrated with photos taken at sites in and around the Cairngorms National Park, and sometimes further afield, by myself, my friends or my safari clients this month and in previous August's will help....clicking on the picture enlarges it to full-screen. </span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><b>Local speciality/upland bird species seen regularly during the month included</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">:</span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Osprey,</b> <b>Red Grouse</b>, and <b>Goldeneye, </b>and they are definitely the most reliable local speciality species in August...</span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Red-Throated Diver </b>and<b> Black-throated Diver </b>were both seen a few times, though sightings tailed-off late in the month ....</span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Crested Tit</b> and <b>Crossbill</b> sightings were a bit random and infrequent...</span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Dippers</b> proved frustratingly elusive this month, with just a few brief views...</span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Golden Eagle</b> sightings increased a little, with 4 sightings this month...though we only managed one view of <b>White-Tailed Eagle</b>....</span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; line-height: 18.2px;">Sadly, but not unusually, </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; line-height: 18.2px;">we failed to see <b>Capercaillie</b> or <b>Black Grouse</b> at all this month....</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Mammal species seen regularly included:</b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Red Squirrel, Roe Deer, Reindeer, Red Deer, Rabbit, Brown Hare, </b>and<b> feral Mountain Goat, </b>with just one brief glimpse of <b>a Bank Vole</b>....and typically, we failed to see a <b>Mountain Hare</b> this month...</span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">August 2022 bird sightings in more detail</b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">On the lochs...</b></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuNcGWGp3OGgPNM9vILtSIP0ACvRec6jICDLQ-QrUuGramwrwW9rJzk6H34-FgkBiO6ePgKvwiEC3ufmc9O99p6Un3neYQrdwMy21n5LlHudBbxrLGHnZzyaTAszztKS37Seg0iTTLak9MgJ7lJiJ_o3fodUR7i8girwezLArADdZ0cxWWLg/s2015/IMG_9467.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="977" data-original-width="2015" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuNcGWGp3OGgPNM9vILtSIP0ACvRec6jICDLQ-QrUuGramwrwW9rJzk6H34-FgkBiO6ePgKvwiEC3ufmc9O99p6Un3neYQrdwMy21n5LlHudBbxrLGHnZzyaTAszztKS37Seg0iTTLak9MgJ7lJiJ_o3fodUR7i8girwezLArADdZ0cxWWLg/w400-h194/IMG_9467.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A local loch</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX6oa9bIPFZZ0UveK7bWBs0IOhxc8fLsPLd80Uwbu9NUAjMbNN6hgaAJ__mveChhzcWGqFy67lL0OEqtE4T53qLjfbsQGG54WD4Em3WEE7HrAJjlCWcUZaUdn96diOFWTLZDTh-HoCq1wf-M0Af7zMZ0-vYdcmltShoTX5UL5BGBC2sUHEOA/s4533/DSCN3105.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2964" data-original-width="4533" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX6oa9bIPFZZ0UveK7bWBs0IOhxc8fLsPLd80Uwbu9NUAjMbNN6hgaAJ__mveChhzcWGqFy67lL0OEqtE4T53qLjfbsQGG54WD4Em3WEE7HrAJjlCWcUZaUdn96diOFWTLZDTh-HoCq1wf-M0Af7zMZ0-vYdcmltShoTX5UL5BGBC2sUHEOA/w400-h261/DSCN3105.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Juvenile Ospreys</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg95fDTBBucTYfR8hRXdy9Sqbcuz2-HC0xybrymogHgaatutd6NPOa5MvgNc9tja3e3-zBBa-5a8x5D67L7F_4YLcfTjrJrkhUvlFQjzfILAUu2Y57IgbXARn5DCL2st-PyVQKkwEsX6uoT729OzdcSC9cL4e29N1tDdqwCmbrwT_GflVsjGw/s4608/DSCN3040.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg95fDTBBucTYfR8hRXdy9Sqbcuz2-HC0xybrymogHgaatutd6NPOa5MvgNc9tja3e3-zBBa-5a8x5D67L7F_4YLcfTjrJrkhUvlFQjzfILAUu2Y57IgbXARn5DCL2st-PyVQKkwEsX6uoT729OzdcSC9cL4e29N1tDdqwCmbrwT_GflVsjGw/w400-h300/DSCN3040.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Young Osprey</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE9vF05i244dlJoS006KKMociLinEHFpd8yMwtDYREPbql2_jhYmd7sv7dSa315jZyVAst3ZzMQCZbxtgmwbIevLuv1kW_ZWi8MSnil6mKIBmscnNYh00JsRiOWwVXpfIj9Ltab_6rXCT8evQcpvIboMw2OJsTcjHH8rakAlHUhlJKkJhReg/s1889/DSCN3116.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1169" data-original-width="1889" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE9vF05i244dlJoS006KKMociLinEHFpd8yMwtDYREPbql2_jhYmd7sv7dSa315jZyVAst3ZzMQCZbxtgmwbIevLuv1kW_ZWi8MSnil6mKIBmscnNYh00JsRiOWwVXpfIj9Ltab_6rXCT8evQcpvIboMw2OJsTcjHH8rakAlHUhlJKkJhReg/w400-h248/DSCN3116.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Flying Osprey</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlG42fYJ50q-ux191h2ymHfC8QYB3AjMiV_3_0zRLDd1-usIDk0TxawYY3vglPBGlEsjr0gIEERIs7xDq7SCZ6b7dwqMFxs1HN3S51--nrRNXDRPkvgeuO0SHmztr-EsT_eB_4lKA2TpQp2dFmmdf3nRitwKuGh07tLvgZdXY2LO-61rjTrg/s4608/DSCN3140.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlG42fYJ50q-ux191h2ymHfC8QYB3AjMiV_3_0zRLDd1-usIDk0TxawYY3vglPBGlEsjr0gIEERIs7xDq7SCZ6b7dwqMFxs1HN3S51--nrRNXDRPkvgeuO0SHmztr-EsT_eB_4lKA2TpQp2dFmmdf3nRitwKuGh07tLvgZdXY2LO-61rjTrg/w400-h300/DSCN3140.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Adult Osprey posing beautifully</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieOTivbWNVgUAc1C3C4P1d5VUX8a_rFQ6D1Kv6LveJcZZlFOLNM06aIy58VdkqQIaN1I4EOqqGpcnQtQWFuLBCnfEtmH55j7RktqbKbXvARFUZwfPuANVlk1a2c6eTRd64DIHlucpAntTCbrQa2I1VH28mXO92sQqRHWxgBz65FpKAtQknMw/s4041/DSCN3156.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2636" data-original-width="4041" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieOTivbWNVgUAc1C3C4P1d5VUX8a_rFQ6D1Kv6LveJcZZlFOLNM06aIy58VdkqQIaN1I4EOqqGpcnQtQWFuLBCnfEtmH55j7RktqbKbXvARFUZwfPuANVlk1a2c6eTRd64DIHlucpAntTCbrQa2I1VH28mXO92sQqRHWxgBz65FpKAtQknMw/w400-h261/DSCN3156.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Young Osprey with a Pike</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii-X_ZE3GSFle_oIpFVFnAJTcXPDkvomzKwoJTKvY3_NaZRDWNAUBYVsVlUp5BQuC1CdZmw1L7j5877afIJTN_sa9att2ONXeY_i6LyX-i_g_iu74gPalvQLltrE7nJObo05xT_ddRzPD51rJpXlnKapNuA2TG3n9azjvBf_aHxjrg4nYxbw/s3071/DSCN3083.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1956" data-original-width="3071" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii-X_ZE3GSFle_oIpFVFnAJTcXPDkvomzKwoJTKvY3_NaZRDWNAUBYVsVlUp5BQuC1CdZmw1L7j5877afIJTN_sa9att2ONXeY_i6LyX-i_g_iu74gPalvQLltrE7nJObo05xT_ddRzPD51rJpXlnKapNuA2TG3n9azjvBf_aHxjrg4nYxbw/w400-h255/DSCN3083.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Adult Osprey</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfbXSFDgSwbDm3Q8wk-uahgjJ0bHfduW-5aGCNm41KQNz_DUKJHQ-Vy2uACJ-DQ83VsLXGCNoXJIkPSUkeu-cb2cmHMfvrHpPpF5vfUc9IugslbIq0G5uo6V-7m2iWgomXkGsOr6J76VufsWKolr_Lg8hjDJQaZPpzHWinS_uOjZOVFKQ1bA/s1944/Manda%20Simmons%201.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1663" data-original-width="1944" height="343" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfbXSFDgSwbDm3Q8wk-uahgjJ0bHfduW-5aGCNm41KQNz_DUKJHQ-Vy2uACJ-DQ83VsLXGCNoXJIkPSUkeu-cb2cmHMfvrHpPpF5vfUc9IugslbIq0G5uo6V-7m2iWgomXkGsOr6J76VufsWKolr_Lg8hjDJQaZPpzHWinS_uOjZOVFKQ1bA/w400-h343/Manda%20Simmons%201.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Osprey fish delivery by Manda Simmons</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif">Osprey</span><span face=""> </span></b><span face="">would probably take the crown as 'bird of the month' as voted by my safari clients this month, understandable I guess when you consider that these impressively large and attractive looking raptors can also provide additional "wow" factor when seen plunge-diving, eating or carrying fish!... and although the parent birds appeared to have departed by about the 25th, the now fully independent youngsters could occasionally be seen near the nest site right up to the end of the month, though they too will soon depart for warmer climes, so I am making the most of every sighting now...</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBXuJpoz2u5Y8tTGOcQg4c3U-r1_TdxTxFxlTRroS0ChTPgz6KcHa_Yd_owxMuQwJK7zbi_n-jq-uMLJFmmRr7SI730vL6IQGpNAFkHaHrf4QA2ifH4eyxxmocBHVQC0L3_Pai-bMNuqeH25uhrEz6Y03-Aic_vuk8zAteauiqs5U51T8TLQ/s4218/DSCN3114.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2564" data-original-width="4218" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBXuJpoz2u5Y8tTGOcQg4c3U-r1_TdxTxFxlTRroS0ChTPgz6KcHa_Yd_owxMuQwJK7zbi_n-jq-uMLJFmmRr7SI730vL6IQGpNAFkHaHrf4QA2ifH4eyxxmocBHVQC0L3_Pai-bMNuqeH25uhrEz6Y03-Aic_vuk8zAteauiqs5U51T8TLQ/w400-h244/DSCN3114.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Slavonian Grebe</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></b></b></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Uy3dNR4_K0X_yWl-996KMwsWH40n71ym-CxZxaNC82HFOrhbYtbTKgqFfY7__Y_w2eMgrGblYyDCYFcDIUPNBQLR0_ne7Aso1zkCBNL_4E7LpZJ-vTNvpmhq54hUeIBBQ1m3UBAlOi6008-9Be3NINo3Fos7Jxjz8y-B-LZsFZIguf2aYA/s1235/Manda%20Simmons%204.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1184" data-original-width="1235" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Uy3dNR4_K0X_yWl-996KMwsWH40n71ym-CxZxaNC82HFOrhbYtbTKgqFfY7__Y_w2eMgrGblYyDCYFcDIUPNBQLR0_ne7Aso1zkCBNL_4E7LpZJ-vTNvpmhq54hUeIBBQ1m3UBAlOi6008-9Be3NINo3Fos7Jxjz8y-B-LZsFZIguf2aYA/s320/Manda%20Simmons%204.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Slavonian Grebe by Manda Simmons</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="" style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;">Our small numbers of the very rare </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Slavonian (Horned) Grebes</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"> have usually departed for the coast by late July, but having had their first brood predated, they attempted to nest and raise a second brood, but unfortunately, and rather cruelly, the newly hatched chicks succumbed to a night of unseasonably hard rain and cold temperatures, a sad end for months of effort by the parent birds.....</span></span></b></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="" style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><br /></span></span></b></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="" style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><br /></span></span></b></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="" style="font-weight: 400;"></span></b></b></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjctfsM8HW0CH0_PigSok5dCLEaroGKADnxDrUgAX1VpC4rhSg0Y53m_AUahog0GcuIkYDvjF3H-TjUjXWMukfJOY_2SB0DBbC4jHXxcwBt6xoeo9zjzpzXF1IVzBYkSrmRcqMsYGFzRQPG3y4ZB7IgqhJugy0fufPNpzhvsdry_Wg4-L6oiQ/s2844/DSCN4588.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="837" data-original-width="2844" height="118" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjctfsM8HW0CH0_PigSok5dCLEaroGKADnxDrUgAX1VpC4rhSg0Y53m_AUahog0GcuIkYDvjF3H-TjUjXWMukfJOY_2SB0DBbC4jHXxcwBt6xoeo9zjzpzXF1IVzBYkSrmRcqMsYGFzRQPG3y4ZB7IgqhJugy0fufPNpzhvsdry_Wg4-L6oiQ/w400-h118/DSCN4588.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Goldeneyes (photo from August 2020)</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="" style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;">Our local </span><b style="color: #06004c;">Goldeneyes</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"> seem to have no problems breeding in this area though, the only place in the UK where they do so, and it was good to see them still in family groups on local lochs and rivers, all fishing together throughout the month, though a decent photo escaped me....</span></span></b></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="" style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><br /></span></span></b></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="" style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><br /></span></span></b></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="" style="font-weight: 400;"></span></b></b></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghKu9Q0uS8HvKiuDE8s5vteHTfKkFBKxYTgRiB4cVyDcYxHX4DhgHe3CkOWZtR_HOPpV9C9IrjmEw4LpilZulN25Sr5QsWKDA8dkGJxgSGGHjF6pEHK6Qnk_5DuBwnorKZZsPMPm4-7fyak6RsZyKTLDb2V_tJHXhb8Qv78vSMM4_hD3yGcQ/s4524/DSCN3056.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1822" data-original-width="4524" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghKu9Q0uS8HvKiuDE8s5vteHTfKkFBKxYTgRiB4cVyDcYxHX4DhgHe3CkOWZtR_HOPpV9C9IrjmEw4LpilZulN25Sr5QsWKDA8dkGJxgSGGHjF6pEHK6Qnk_5DuBwnorKZZsPMPm4-7fyak6RsZyKTLDb2V_tJHXhb8Qv78vSMM4_hD3yGcQ/w400-h161/DSCN3056.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Black-Throated Diver family</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="" style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;">Still on the lochs, as I reported previously, <b>Black-Throated Diver</b> bred successfully locally this summer, and although sightings reduced a little and became less predictable as the juveniles became more mobile, we still saw them reasonably regularly until mid-month, when they presumably departed for the coast, where they will stay until next spring....</span><span face=""></span><br style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;" /></span></b></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtdUNgLVbZUuDsLh3ORToX_5yB69SOd39x1MvKfkoHOSLypbAUAXFcMIYHhWWvyMjMy5HsTheuo6-xS7EHiy6DJG3or-ZwScv3srK0BC5q2Jq14QiAWPe3qZIRWsN1TVWrOYYuU7C2rdCIGUN6-iWVax_eJTBkJuwFuUokAN1fxVUOf8nl0g/s3674/DSCN3036.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2275" data-original-width="3674" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtdUNgLVbZUuDsLh3ORToX_5yB69SOd39x1MvKfkoHOSLypbAUAXFcMIYHhWWvyMjMy5HsTheuo6-xS7EHiy6DJG3or-ZwScv3srK0BC5q2Jq14QiAWPe3qZIRWsN1TVWrOYYuU7C2rdCIGUN6-iWVax_eJTBkJuwFuUokAN1fxVUOf8nl0g/w400-h248/DSCN3036.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red-Throated Diver</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Our local </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: bold;">Red-Throated Divers </b><span style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">were seen occasionally too until mid-month, though sadly, I cannot confirm any local breeding success, and they too now appear to have departed for the coast.....</span></span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Up on the moors....</b></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghn8hbJGFaDLiuTKAb0xGHK7ahnDdC0dSBAf4Df21S9coq4HE1f7e0fDpMIWloUOE8GGySzNKt0elJLUuYqaY0wd_mv8ol-KNKBTHTE1yZLuRVKWovyGaOUehjZhAuwVPS3rULZxpKcPV5sfsTtQY8rK454E13Afo-pN1lbQX7hDH7FT8E7Q/s1895/IMG_9508.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1421" data-original-width="1895" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghn8hbJGFaDLiuTKAb0xGHK7ahnDdC0dSBAf4Df21S9coq4HE1f7e0fDpMIWloUOE8GGySzNKt0elJLUuYqaY0wd_mv8ol-KNKBTHTE1yZLuRVKWovyGaOUehjZhAuwVPS3rULZxpKcPV5sfsTtQY8rK454E13Afo-pN1lbQX7hDH7FT8E7Q/w400-h300/IMG_9508.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Purple heather on a local upland moorland</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi1RHFfFw4THEsr7Pr2_UHgtRLXXP38uv4xKZVZ6XfBNUoo2epkhkcmmZwcwLa-YwtlbiAy9BgofRVwZXuPtekASrGGy60qCu4oo3dbdfHfASvt1EID2U17-igabvlwbMNVczXOAo3znDl2Ye3_ukWAESN5WyjRI3eoXBoo-bzg32cRKBZgQ/s3353/DSCN3104.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2017" data-original-width="3353" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi1RHFfFw4THEsr7Pr2_UHgtRLXXP38uv4xKZVZ6XfBNUoo2epkhkcmmZwcwLa-YwtlbiAy9BgofRVwZXuPtekASrGGy60qCu4oo3dbdfHfASvt1EID2U17-igabvlwbMNVczXOAo3znDl2Ye3_ukWAESN5WyjRI3eoXBoo-bzg32cRKBZgQ/w400-h240/DSCN3104.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Adult female Red Grouse with a youngster</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUH0NXB4sdaIQOHOFwy0-42KNzr9TdKjXgB0wNszgC3J_3YcnPxls8JI9TcxjUsJBzEFdFxRPUtBSy9BMYvkAkRWEGRgnrFHZHAtwbwRwG1ZBqHGFRE3O1Q1cTX_Ue1be1eH1DjIO-e9YdytHeGUeZfdrtH7vgMmehgTrPuPNgWc8bZmKgBA/s4246/DSCN3136.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2591" data-original-width="4246" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUH0NXB4sdaIQOHOFwy0-42KNzr9TdKjXgB0wNszgC3J_3YcnPxls8JI9TcxjUsJBzEFdFxRPUtBSy9BMYvkAkRWEGRgnrFHZHAtwbwRwG1ZBqHGFRE3O1Q1cTX_Ue1be1eH1DjIO-e9YdytHeGUeZfdrtH7vgMmehgTrPuPNgWc8bZmKgBA/w400-h244/DSCN3136.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Female Red Grouse in the purple heather</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifU4dz-x26sPZ89t_nXtnYjbMud8n2Sen1Ap0Eg5wUcaKy6yxKm6XAX8HAVHPSRQMxYLkAOEiFFK0143XxSZFt6xaXY-s08pI6P-5-EudIfp5Fk6nbWkwWVwn-I_6rCNlyydXYnRLVP_ReJJIVmCpGYCfeRAWpXMCZLNWkQDUlnBOUP-A-cg/s2048/Jimmy%20Ito%20R%20G.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1284" data-original-width="2048" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifU4dz-x26sPZ89t_nXtnYjbMud8n2Sen1Ap0Eg5wUcaKy6yxKm6XAX8HAVHPSRQMxYLkAOEiFFK0143XxSZFt6xaXY-s08pI6P-5-EudIfp5Fk6nbWkwWVwn-I_6rCNlyydXYnRLVP_ReJJIVmCpGYCfeRAWpXMCZLNWkQDUlnBOUP-A-cg/w400-h251/Jimmy%20Ito%20R%20G.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Young Red Grouse by Jimmy Ito</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Red Grouse</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">, still in family groups, continued to show well on our local heather moorlands, and similarly to last year, with their nesting being a little later than usual due to the cold, wet spring, and brood sizes being smaller than normal, we had the bonus of the start of the shooting season being delayed , or even shooting being cancelled altogether on some estates...</span></b></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">I</span><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">n the Caledonian forests...</b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx7MoC5u3x20Nv6pwwcqFwFx-L65JptWvrawiJ_ldfWtY6ve6gpMo2Y3uDc1VwX0ZxMxr5xeAETEJRlGFRbQ6Nh7PRbHPmsZ4LOHLTY7ULTW99KlrI8qcE0WfLdPrtf4kG9wz6oewajh3DtCHKWHg4pY4z5fFHfJIDdWYxKKtHRa1pOPThSA/s2016/IMG_9503.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx7MoC5u3x20Nv6pwwcqFwFx-L65JptWvrawiJ_ldfWtY6ve6gpMo2Y3uDc1VwX0ZxMxr5xeAETEJRlGFRbQ6Nh7PRbHPmsZ4LOHLTY7ULTW99KlrI8qcE0WfLdPrtf4kG9wz6oewajh3DtCHKWHg4pY4z5fFHfJIDdWYxKKtHRa1pOPThSA/w400-h300/IMG_9503.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Early morning light in a local Caledonian forest</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsnHAHk1zJgW485jBHHHOUSDrHtylNH-ItzVy0xZN8Si2q_CHC1Gt7oNHzQlRmUFMbrqUHj3JpHyfKyTWrIF_6CbddGcVxudJ_N66PjUDRl-jGNklKcLUO8LDnxoMkGuA0b1prSQ3vBCGCFWKNJaU9rRGJXlWk1n_JJOVsr1ORiFIQ1MCznQ/s3619/DSCN3027.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2599" data-original-width="3619" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsnHAHk1zJgW485jBHHHOUSDrHtylNH-ItzVy0xZN8Si2q_CHC1Gt7oNHzQlRmUFMbrqUHj3JpHyfKyTWrIF_6CbddGcVxudJ_N66PjUDRl-jGNklKcLUO8LDnxoMkGuA0b1prSQ3vBCGCFWKNJaU9rRGJXlWk1n_JJOVsr1ORiFIQ1MCznQ/w400-h288/DSCN3027.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Crested Tit</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">Crested Tits </b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-weight: 400;">have now joined the 'mixed winter flocks' of many different bird species 'working' through our local Caledonian pine forests... so... to see the 'Wee Cresties' you first have to find one of these roving flocks , then listen out for their distinctive chuckling trill , then try and pick them out as they move in annoyingly flitty style through the branches - not an easy task! , but, satisfyingly for myself as a guide, we managed it on a good number of occasions, with many of my safari clients obtaining a difficult and much sought after 'life-tick'... and on the cooler mornings there were even a few reports of one or two visiting peanut feeders for the first time since late winter.......</span></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQVtvXnR14cOB9bkwb-S0tjVRmAZ1Z73jFNULjMYcc31FFnLvuhFNs1QIcViwvDcMF16fRmPUgaoG-39ghbL2n2Z4hjnofJCx1063-6xAAzD1zE-bqyvQlKkS2zUGlZ5vJYyE06o4M8mbCyi1ZKl2Jfg3r4WAvKGhKZTnBrao9BtgYZKMxgg/s3093/DSCN3100.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="3093" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQVtvXnR14cOB9bkwb-S0tjVRmAZ1Z73jFNULjMYcc31FFnLvuhFNs1QIcViwvDcMF16fRmPUgaoG-39ghbL2n2Z4hjnofJCx1063-6xAAzD1zE-bqyvQlKkS2zUGlZ5vJYyE06o4M8mbCyi1ZKl2Jfg3r4WAvKGhKZTnBrao9BtgYZKMxgg/w400-h297/DSCN3100.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Female Crossbill with a 'streaky juvenile</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZJCivw3itTYMxqZY2vzG1-M-Hk7n0lfw8tWptJEBJk1Wi57u7C3B3b3Yke5zcr70LtwcQsiD2ahcjMkylngy7mOjEcRJFvDIIF36GasCF9ukxGuAN5Mq4j5HUxEuQtsfCS9RPtYfxEcBgHmI6_WRgUeB7ps63EpTPMKl4zvNPUaXYU7sJYA/s4101/DSCN3096.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2851" data-original-width="4101" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZJCivw3itTYMxqZY2vzG1-M-Hk7n0lfw8tWptJEBJk1Wi57u7C3B3b3Yke5zcr70LtwcQsiD2ahcjMkylngy7mOjEcRJFvDIIF36GasCF9ukxGuAN5Mq4j5HUxEuQtsfCS9RPtYfxEcBgHmI6_WRgUeB7ps63EpTPMKl4zvNPUaXYU7sJYA/w400-h278/DSCN3096.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Crossbill</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-weight: 400;">Still in the forests, with the exception of a couple of reasonable but sadly all too brief views, </span><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">Crossbills</b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-weight: 400;"> sightings were (again!) usually of the rather frustrating 'fly-over' variety, with them only being identified by their characteristic 'jip' 'jip' calls as they flew overhead between different areas of the forests...so sadly, there were very few photo opportunities this month...</span></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>On the rivers...</b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTyJf9FHVMWAJWsaNygoxI2B8Zxou0AMS3hKIaQX9o7RfhQEfXFfFk8ZjMs9SJLpsuDI6vcnttYyN9HMX0iAoP_JDPLgolcvG5-Eb_38US8iRrtDv-3VnA-yUZVpqOZskSPW1F8GFTxwJaCnHjUcbZXzKzFyxMDxP0Lpe5Zw2hff2v73VDiQ/s2016/IMG_9491.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTyJf9FHVMWAJWsaNygoxI2B8Zxou0AMS3hKIaQX9o7RfhQEfXFfFk8ZjMs9SJLpsuDI6vcnttYyN9HMX0iAoP_JDPLgolcvG5-Eb_38US8iRrtDv-3VnA-yUZVpqOZskSPW1F8GFTxwJaCnHjUcbZXzKzFyxMDxP0Lpe5Zw2hff2v73VDiQ/w400-h300/IMG_9491.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A local river</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjDvpaW9m8XAI8Zdxa9fltksOdb8Bk1yZqyMI5G9Yj5XyRSiFvpOhc6eAABSCIC9pKJJJ9lbFuqy3_jEXtYHUcPw2HoFm-fCFf9Cq_i7ZxB3EOXm4jXf54z9lmv5YgGs_L10Tvsw-GicsrfcMSh0ccrQMB7WAgxBR7_8-NRakuIpD7-FvwQw/s3137/DSCN0912.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2018" data-original-width="3137" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjDvpaW9m8XAI8Zdxa9fltksOdb8Bk1yZqyMI5G9Yj5XyRSiFvpOhc6eAABSCIC9pKJJJ9lbFuqy3_jEXtYHUcPw2HoFm-fCFf9Cq_i7ZxB3EOXm4jXf54z9lmv5YgGs_L10Tvsw-GicsrfcMSh0ccrQMB7WAgxBR7_8-NRakuIpD7-FvwQw/w400-h258/DSCN0912.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Dipper</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Sightings of </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Dippers </b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">were a little 'random' this month, as the adults presumably show the youngsters around their territory, so I would recommend familiarizing yourself with their distinctive 'zit zit' calls to give you more chance of spotting them, as they can be frustratingly elusive outside of breeding season...</span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8WgJNNZCpDJ_xDP2Nv5h1NDeC7M5D0euPkettUMkpo5ibE08trWrY9Cn-qtRg-WnwTzrXUznfvZCZGmxCVnKk2kDgDEYJyagrVjOMSpl6ivJpIHBuUoLLJj_bRWiFXAsrc8uSRtYH0dHy_K1m_LupSbXlOxjS5RRH22dSz0C02ZaeJ091gw/s3987/DSCN3107.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2376" data-original-width="3987" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8WgJNNZCpDJ_xDP2Nv5h1NDeC7M5D0euPkettUMkpo5ibE08trWrY9Cn-qtRg-WnwTzrXUznfvZCZGmxCVnKk2kDgDEYJyagrVjOMSpl6ivJpIHBuUoLLJj_bRWiFXAsrc8uSRtYH0dHy_K1m_LupSbXlOxjS5RRH22dSz0C02ZaeJ091gw/w400-h239/DSCN3107.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Goosander family<br /><br /></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Family groups of Goosanders were encountered reasonably frequently, though they are always very wary of humans, and don't usually stick around for too long....</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="font-size: 14.52px;">Up in the glens...</b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzf2RkLh_vg-5fnRkvDJSCo_3s_Xa8jcdvctS2Z56UBkNl82ZBhrU2EiwVRUPlUjICzvmpt8EhD1ThHaLFpueawj3cIbMR9B1DZ-YtalzbjSvcJTiKP11JNaADg9RvFTASLOfpL_F159fXeEHx2Nis33Dye-YsNpdTRA-HztNUMDmpv1GF5g/s1975/IMG_9496.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1240" data-original-width="1975" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzf2RkLh_vg-5fnRkvDJSCo_3s_Xa8jcdvctS2Z56UBkNl82ZBhrU2EiwVRUPlUjICzvmpt8EhD1ThHaLFpueawj3cIbMR9B1DZ-YtalzbjSvcJTiKP11JNaADg9RvFTASLOfpL_F159fXeEHx2Nis33Dye-YsNpdTRA-HztNUMDmpv1GF5g/w400-h251/IMG_9496.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A local upland glen</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><br /></b></span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1L1iYBbjt4t6jercZZ-Aus8emyNorN1crLX3__XenTyhem3HiqEVE6pdaawTKGGNI0t0mHFsRwk_88Bgaha4x9HvHLVoa9WvSK9XtPRK4e2YxfqNX3fpkKHbeCRPF0RtmlTI8jmS44bQtAjGcuWYrXC40YpmMwoEtXYPBswdTR8LAcpdlkA/s2965/DSCN2423.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1755" data-original-width="2965" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1L1iYBbjt4t6jercZZ-Aus8emyNorN1crLX3__XenTyhem3HiqEVE6pdaawTKGGNI0t0mHFsRwk_88Bgaha4x9HvHLVoa9WvSK9XtPRK4e2YxfqNX3fpkKHbeCRPF0RtmlTI8jmS44bQtAjGcuWYrXC40YpmMwoEtXYPBswdTR8LAcpdlkA/s320/DSCN2423.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Common Buzzard</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Qeoxm2FvQbvy5MqEJ93aneoe7vZdK3bOwZ3hfbjpprygDbAy0s7SNcgqcnlbkIwuk0-AY5MWHcoChXQnlnY-EWrsvW1IG6IR_MhJGXs_2UsLar5S86XbgK5qqAZh9uTitawp1ZvAxh4lRMc3QK4pQD1iGqqUJfx0f3UWMC4xfS-dhoVkSw/s3280/DSCN4589.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1798" data-original-width="3280" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Qeoxm2FvQbvy5MqEJ93aneoe7vZdK3bOwZ3hfbjpprygDbAy0s7SNcgqcnlbkIwuk0-AY5MWHcoChXQnlnY-EWrsvW1IG6IR_MhJGXs_2UsLar5S86XbgK5qqAZh9uTitawp1ZvAxh4lRMc3QK4pQD1iGqqUJfx0f3UWMC4xfS-dhoVkSw/w400-h219/DSCN4589.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Kite</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMzjJEG862GiMEtJTgjL8W_Cne3Qk0k5jccg14n_1mvZ38TzfcynYVRgWZb_mXvl2O8ITXEbLyTWfvYDmigmds1ISANaD95_5fsHfufrafy6JUDkuSPHG_qXWg0g7GBsMkqRF-GkUtXjEokJC3q_lRk0g-kryWQqv4NGSoSkjDb8vDMVJVMg/s1604/DSCN6944.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="935" data-original-width="1604" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMzjJEG862GiMEtJTgjL8W_Cne3Qk0k5jccg14n_1mvZ38TzfcynYVRgWZb_mXvl2O8ITXEbLyTWfvYDmigmds1ISANaD95_5fsHfufrafy6JUDkuSPHG_qXWg0g7GBsMkqRF-GkUtXjEokJC3q_lRk0g-kryWQqv4NGSoSkjDb8vDMVJVMg/w400-h234/DSCN6944.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Golden Eagle (photo from August 2018)</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14.52px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #06004c; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;">Birds of prey are always popular with my safari clients, and sightings definitely increased this month, with visits to favourite local glens and moors producing regular encounters with </span><b style="background-color: transparent; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold;">Kestrel</b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #06004c; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;">, </span><b style="background-color: transparent; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold;">Common Buzzard</b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #06004c; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;">, </span><b style="background-color: transparent; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold;">Red Kite</b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #06004c; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;">, <b>Sparrowhawk </b>and </span><b style="background-color: transparent; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold;">Peregrine Falcon</b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #06004c; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;">, often in family groups, and pleasingly, we also managed a handful of views of </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #06004c; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: bold;">G</span><b style="background-color: transparent; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold;">olden Eagle, </b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">and one sighting of a </span><b style="background-color: transparent; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold;">White-Tailed Eagle</b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">....</span></span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Up in the mountains....</b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRacQEsFH-w3NA4Jz_DuO_RbsO8lVSmcyl2i_7lJKNIueGWzpFGD7kwCO1W3da5xOttoN6w4k26Nyw5HlvViw-IMwb8thILsF1TU__VBklzC1X_7nzz8mQq0L2kc4jPt5aggPxpJSxMzAu83VL-BT4edFm1US9lUWDXsMPHE4tvFWKWtUSWQ/s2016/IMG_9289.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRacQEsFH-w3NA4Jz_DuO_RbsO8lVSmcyl2i_7lJKNIueGWzpFGD7kwCO1W3da5xOttoN6w4k26Nyw5HlvViw-IMwb8thILsF1TU__VBklzC1X_7nzz8mQq0L2kc4jPt5aggPxpJSxMzAu83VL-BT4edFm1US9lUWDXsMPHE4tvFWKWtUSWQ/w400-h300/IMG_9289.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Above the clouds on Cairngorm Mountain</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /><b><br /></b></span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Being really busy with safaris, I didn't have time to take a walk up to the mountain tops this month, but I'm not sure I missed much, as it would appear that Ptarmigan and Dotterel were very elusive, and our Ring Ouzels appear to have already departed...</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>On farmland....</b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZk_u5ELfPjN-x4tn6mdhpzcB-lvfYVhOn_bMS76CGd98n4Q2CGjbYxLM5PtAgdu2X3XZnLwzDAV40kYF576prJ-gqhd9a9SCnweVBC_iiozvhX-Iq6o8bbQwME63gWsU-YWeisS-6XM700LvZ6UBhiaQFWy1fK2ysj5Aro1DFGES409e52g/s1924/IMG_9492.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1210" data-original-width="1924" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZk_u5ELfPjN-x4tn6mdhpzcB-lvfYVhOn_bMS76CGd98n4Q2CGjbYxLM5PtAgdu2X3XZnLwzDAV40kYF576prJ-gqhd9a9SCnweVBC_iiozvhX-Iq6o8bbQwME63gWsU-YWeisS-6XM700LvZ6UBhiaQFWy1fK2ysj5Aro1DFGES409e52g/w400-h251/IMG_9492.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Local farmland</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /><b><br /></b></span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Sadly, our local farmland is always a little 'quiet' at this time of year, with most of the summer-visiting waders now returned to the coast, bird sightings were restricted to just the odd Lapwing or Oystercatcher....</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Other good/scarce birds seen/reported locally this month included:</b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>It appeared to be a pretty quiet month for rare birds in this area, with a Lady Amherst's Pheasant at Strathdearn, a Marsh harrier at Insh Marshes, and a Mandarin Duck at Loch G</b>arten being the only rarity sightings of note.... though we did manage a few sightings of <b>Spotted Flycatcher </b>early in the month<b>, </b>and a couple of random views of<b> Bullfinch....</b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span style="color: #06004c; font-weight: 700;">A few photos of more common birds seen locally this month: </span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span style="color: #06004c; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBQRfzFNOv87tLV_460NX6E79aDTnyGxQZyV4wZB73-hC4-3nzl1_0opxBRHiqGe0Xg-8oWGb3lxpHEuZikLpvQnvbU7EiBrb_WT98GOIjZpUIYcOx9QuPUY791_INseWXma74vh1H8Av4yvstE212n8Qc_FOb02PRKJ11W3jhqzSOeWF84w/s3565/DSCN3020.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2531" data-original-width="3565" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBQRfzFNOv87tLV_460NX6E79aDTnyGxQZyV4wZB73-hC4-3nzl1_0opxBRHiqGe0Xg-8oWGb3lxpHEuZikLpvQnvbU7EiBrb_WT98GOIjZpUIYcOx9QuPUY791_INseWXma74vh1H8Av4yvstE212n8Qc_FOb02PRKJ11W3jhqzSOeWF84w/s320/DSCN3020.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Lesser Redpoll</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span style="color: #06004c; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix4jGw26ZNsQoBiaxCK4zHsuW2TXIpdUBUanubFNYhLq2W7daXimdQl3BY5JjLhV7sU8bAr72xiL23AK3X1RnV9pFgVnU-VsLzrDECMtMKWqyZU51gb3PSTESp09m0IRWP9kHtoQlGb9_T-JiBVpgwHk3EwqqJqnxM8XrkV0aWzqJefea6Xw/s4061/DSCN3153.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1735" data-original-width="4061" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix4jGw26ZNsQoBiaxCK4zHsuW2TXIpdUBUanubFNYhLq2W7daXimdQl3BY5JjLhV7sU8bAr72xiL23AK3X1RnV9pFgVnU-VsLzrDECMtMKWqyZU51gb3PSTESp09m0IRWP9kHtoQlGb9_T-JiBVpgwHk3EwqqJqnxM8XrkV0aWzqJefea6Xw/w400-h171/DSCN3153.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Chaffinches</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /><span style="color: #06004c; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIUr1QjqXegBjRWlPSFKlZiZ3qXx4gM0e3tw0eHpBRmdazPTzSOfTMp80XHU33MDxw-uJJW_3BDv3qP1O-gtgLADsKXnm8KQzztFJ0OCS1ItnJ7fAsdfbhgMvU709AiFJhblzIZHtWEdpHjYDCNj8zK935DKwP-8XorEMjdi0uWg4o7m5n3g/s3465/DSCN3085.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2237" data-original-width="3465" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIUr1QjqXegBjRWlPSFKlZiZ3qXx4gM0e3tw0eHpBRmdazPTzSOfTMp80XHU33MDxw-uJJW_3BDv3qP1O-gtgLADsKXnm8KQzztFJ0OCS1ItnJ7fAsdfbhgMvU709AiFJhblzIZHtWEdpHjYDCNj8zK935DKwP-8XorEMjdi0uWg4o7m5n3g/w400-h259/DSCN3085.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Grey Wagtail</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /><span style="color: #06004c; font-weight: 700;"><br /><br /><br /><br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibq6lqU83CmlY68yseN38tM_cbGaWUiZiAVFMcOUmsLztHN-vYsbM-C7SesMlPGFbjdklaHfprboOiR2q8LdoS3R-ppXTEeSAfMdZoZfZ_97OnsiuQpW6FjU2EK3wQrnyRGZdLQ-4Qh7m5czrVHEU6ICf10qr6Q8hDUzBQB-aIWllpUBJ4mw/s4498/DSCN3201.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2262" data-original-width="4498" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibq6lqU83CmlY68yseN38tM_cbGaWUiZiAVFMcOUmsLztHN-vYsbM-C7SesMlPGFbjdklaHfprboOiR2q8LdoS3R-ppXTEeSAfMdZoZfZ_97OnsiuQpW6FjU2EK3wQrnyRGZdLQ-4Qh7m5czrVHEU6ICf10qr6Q8hDUzBQB-aIWllpUBJ4mw/w400-h201/DSCN3201.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>House Sparrows</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span style="color: #06004c; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnWBcc8rlkVioDLcZMNAqoJI21xDBg3V_NZLhA3c3XXslX4tUjpfVMMYh5hl9lFOjSB0DfcKGYs1eybE24wFsEaG6M51XFK9H_QhViQqBD9lscvVPA-A3-QZ6-3u5wGG6Y0OhsiaoqIwpKDbFhn5gA-nRYpFjKlH1KwlCObuJ8h1a-Lz4oWA/s3019/DSCN3146.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1770" data-original-width="3019" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnWBcc8rlkVioDLcZMNAqoJI21xDBg3V_NZLhA3c3XXslX4tUjpfVMMYh5hl9lFOjSB0DfcKGYs1eybE24wFsEaG6M51XFK9H_QhViQqBD9lscvVPA-A3-QZ6-3u5wGG6Y0OhsiaoqIwpKDbFhn5gA-nRYpFjKlH1KwlCObuJ8h1a-Lz4oWA/w400-h235/DSCN3146.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red-Legged Partridges</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></span><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPQchJpmIsgpGRcQf4so5jV9TbS7UkR7Z_ofx4Ga7868s0RQ6WyTd_GWG8Y9iMc5HIfWWBsI-z1D7-OBinPf7OVXL0Nm5SuhhLMcURpxK_BCrybeVg4j0nWTQGkg_ge7O96KhgZqeKcjSc9n-WtbyrFJt2SDwGtsHnwIxGAbxHW9p-Knca5Q/s947/Manda%20Simmons%205.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="874" data-original-width="947" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPQchJpmIsgpGRcQf4so5jV9TbS7UkR7Z_ofx4Ga7868s0RQ6WyTd_GWG8Y9iMc5HIfWWBsI-z1D7-OBinPf7OVXL0Nm5SuhhLMcURpxK_BCrybeVg4j0nWTQGkg_ge7O96KhgZqeKcjSc9n-WtbyrFJt2SDwGtsHnwIxGAbxHW9p-Knca5Q/s320/Manda%20Simmons%205.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Meadow Pipit by Manda Simmons</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;">Adventures 'out of area':</span></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b></b></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoy_uscSU2WWL2iDqRHVH51gFOU5G1P4cQg5ByTZV126T31j-G2u6EhJyJWsVYik-2gLVa0oVfACIR_6LRCv0x3yydr0mr4vrWg7-QaZnQKA211DFGOafyrDeoSvdLbenCCi4M8N1sJZSjf2ortIgTqZnlKv0LvpLQhY2uNzAa7QrwUwSh0g/s3236/DSCN3225.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2220" data-original-width="3236" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoy_uscSU2WWL2iDqRHVH51gFOU5G1P4cQg5ByTZV126T31j-G2u6EhJyJWsVYik-2gLVa0oVfACIR_6LRCv0x3yydr0mr4vrWg7-QaZnQKA211DFGOafyrDeoSvdLbenCCi4M8N1sJZSjf2ortIgTqZnlKv0LvpLQhY2uNzAa7QrwUwSh0g/w400-h275/DSCN3225.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Cory's Shearwater</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b></b></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSNGLcD_8ixwU033-zbFmM0SRy3XIEnasNUvnzOdEn0PDKAOUCQgDEaXsSBN19X013KYVozjoPDTBGB6TCy0BwuZqWtkBKe9-O4CXgLa-PbMkaB6XkKVciVl3uosEYaY5DAuogMHNxSkb25w3sxkRLtGerUAgsetIw__PVSH2DfWsS8mr8TQ/s3148/DSCN3235.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2283" data-original-width="3148" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSNGLcD_8ixwU033-zbFmM0SRy3XIEnasNUvnzOdEn0PDKAOUCQgDEaXsSBN19X013KYVozjoPDTBGB6TCy0BwuZqWtkBKe9-O4CXgLa-PbMkaB6XkKVciVl3uosEYaY5DAuogMHNxSkb25w3sxkRLtGerUAgsetIw__PVSH2DfWsS8mr8TQ/w400-h290/DSCN3235.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Cory's Shearwater</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Being really busy with safaris, I didn't have many opportunities to venture far this month...though a day on the Black Isle on the 30th produced one really good bird in the shape of a Cory's Shearwater at Chanonry Point.</span></span></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>August 2022 mammal sightings in more detail:</b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">With bird sightings 'slowing down' a little, mammal sightings always become more important at this time of year, and we are lucky to have such a good selection to go for in this area....</span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXsMGH06UwHWMnf8RNekKYZPCAaDruUyQ_Xbw1FBA3kqWvFYCM4mqQsUvae3ZXjzsopc4q-OBivsmqKHHkMV8KcW2vs7B8mB677TRV5rF_VQO_j-gMJn1T15FTrTCVoug8pPg7etxf-qy4KRa19xX53tKY6DFBSTtCfhyElAQRQi6TSBtiuw/s2048/Jimmy%20Ito%20R%20S%203.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXsMGH06UwHWMnf8RNekKYZPCAaDruUyQ_Xbw1FBA3kqWvFYCM4mqQsUvae3ZXjzsopc4q-OBivsmqKHHkMV8KcW2vs7B8mB677TRV5rF_VQO_j-gMJn1T15FTrTCVoug8pPg7etxf-qy4KRa19xX53tKY6DFBSTtCfhyElAQRQi6TSBtiuw/s320/Jimmy%20Ito%20R%20S%203.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Squirrel by Jimmy Ito</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP77btGT5V-D9Zsz_FGDj0BDga0ohcjyRNBqWp4gxY7JV8MHWhuXXvWgn1JMR2VH2s0tQNUpG5P0Y85y-cKNsMcgL3uLlOvfDLPE2pd_18Q728G3ChagdIwQ8gjC8mkndeM8X15E3Ti6Ak0b_fXgZJfOGG3UIqp9sKsZiWQoFBCqcyB9fERg/s2048/Jimmy%20Ito%20R%20Squ%205.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP77btGT5V-D9Zsz_FGDj0BDga0ohcjyRNBqWp4gxY7JV8MHWhuXXvWgn1JMR2VH2s0tQNUpG5P0Y85y-cKNsMcgL3uLlOvfDLPE2pd_18Q728G3ChagdIwQ8gjC8mkndeM8X15E3Ti6Ak0b_fXgZJfOGG3UIqp9sKsZiWQoFBCqcyB9fERg/s320/Jimmy%20Ito%20R%20Squ%205.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Squirrel by Jimmy Ito</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpJ6GXEFAe4BRWWbhQ_BwjqXATl8mcvbXXvg-x_64xu1tGYRvtAcliS9zZSpdg2UfLzNQp9oxhYVlUpUskHmiGTUoV49a3UvQ-rnFuguRUey2IqH-2kUcDim2BfEJ1qz8XSEdZW146olJIXuqVBTOSuamp1I8bvbrQs7226qTcW_D8V1YjbQ/s2048/Jimmy%20Ito%20Red%20S%204.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpJ6GXEFAe4BRWWbhQ_BwjqXATl8mcvbXXvg-x_64xu1tGYRvtAcliS9zZSpdg2UfLzNQp9oxhYVlUpUskHmiGTUoV49a3UvQ-rnFuguRUey2IqH-2kUcDim2BfEJ1qz8XSEdZW146olJIXuqVBTOSuamp1I8bvbrQs7226qTcW_D8V1YjbQ/s320/Jimmy%20Ito%20Red%20S%204.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Squirrel by Jimmy Ito</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAANikinSFJAZXpqqwlfSJpVRy7X8vKQHkdQijXxH4bi21vtOBdefi1kSM8YjdCKLANOQB1_pW_jOjeZxHxZaxRYhyffGuAqVRJ38ZXCrHRi4TKPFXy6qkzRMGJg2Bv7uYDFlQr-0OGkURNX2IQIW29yyUlhH0SMO914FQbnnd8z6lrmzMKg/s1837/Jimmy%20Ito%20RS2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1837" data-original-width="1837" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAANikinSFJAZXpqqwlfSJpVRy7X8vKQHkdQijXxH4bi21vtOBdefi1kSM8YjdCKLANOQB1_pW_jOjeZxHxZaxRYhyffGuAqVRJ38ZXCrHRi4TKPFXy6qkzRMGJg2Bv7uYDFlQr-0OGkURNX2IQIW29yyUlhH0SMO914FQbnnd8z6lrmzMKg/s320/Jimmy%20Ito%20RS2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Squirrel by Jimmy Ito</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face="" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">We are fortunate to have</span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> Red Squirrels</b><span face="" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> in our local forests</span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">,</b><span face="" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> a species sadly absent from most of the UK now, due largely to invasion by the introduced Grey Squirrel (and the Squirrel pox virus they carry), so they are always popular with my safari clients - often getting voted as 'mammal of the day', and forest walks and visits to my favourite Caledonian pine forest feeding stations produced lots of good sightings, often with decent photographic opportunities...though we did have a few days when none showed at all...</span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face="" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face="" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face="" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7t8w4f_Dt60CgDCiFVicoO0kx1yAMvIAnEd5AjAGjT9oG8rX9tg9jnbE3itA8M80wWv-8iGYlv6yLzhypU5ElzSwm_XTdgejROQTQqEm4XwETMY7ehLEPAnwYpVCgPWPst4ChhckjP7HIwMw5nChy_bXS5HVew7SOfpnr71RWwdheXGRivA/s2433/DSCN3120.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1345" data-original-width="2433" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7t8w4f_Dt60CgDCiFVicoO0kx1yAMvIAnEd5AjAGjT9oG8rX9tg9jnbE3itA8M80wWv-8iGYlv6yLzhypU5ElzSwm_XTdgejROQTQqEm4XwETMY7ehLEPAnwYpVCgPWPst4ChhckjP7HIwMw5nChy_bXS5HVew7SOfpnr71RWwdheXGRivA/w400-h221/DSCN3120.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Deer stags</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /><span face="" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbJsu8nMNAmTtjVQNSOajU4IjB3ZIpdPese_7OJuPXBr1jlc1--I38sIt2IbUVvrUMqS7peRBhaqhZzyZP0J8QSq0hBSwDU1d10FYPgqcCgVFD1edDjr6h1Z2LkLcwo80kJYQLqoxXEiasZh0QMB-pgGt-AiJc2yxssvS3lwmfVNgs3996Jg/s4396/DSCN3115.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2825" data-original-width="4396" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbJsu8nMNAmTtjVQNSOajU4IjB3ZIpdPese_7OJuPXBr1jlc1--I38sIt2IbUVvrUMqS7peRBhaqhZzyZP0J8QSq0hBSwDU1d10FYPgqcCgVFD1edDjr6h1Z2LkLcwo80kJYQLqoxXEiasZh0QMB-pgGt-AiJc2yxssvS3lwmfVNgs3996Jg/s320/DSCN3115.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Deer hind</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgISWQ1qB9ibCe6iR6p4CryD-yWFkKTUmRiZofKlQLdB0pAl0-QAq4O-maWwziM_ENGBoq4R8gzpX-iQMu-plfqLVrUTHHNwWXK2TpmmNidfqMN3vXkQCNFHpz-p0dlx4sl5xwc2h1cp6LY0aiI640aUp1uk4m2seoCE5oDG6uxO-vgpe_hiA/s2952/Bob%20Stag.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2188" data-original-width="2952" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgISWQ1qB9ibCe6iR6p4CryD-yWFkKTUmRiZofKlQLdB0pAl0-QAq4O-maWwziM_ENGBoq4R8gzpX-iQMu-plfqLVrUTHHNwWXK2TpmmNidfqMN3vXkQCNFHpz-p0dlx4sl5xwc2h1cp6LY0aiI640aUp1uk4m2seoCE5oDG6uxO-vgpe_hiA/w400-h296/Bob%20Stag.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Deer stag by Bob Smith</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face="" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">A frequent winner of my safari clients 'mammal of the day' award is the iconic 'monarch of the glen' - the </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Red Deer,</b><span face="" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> and although they can be seen in more places all round the UK these days, it is still great to see them in their 'proper' home environment of upland glens and mountainsides....and although they are mainly still in their large same-sex groups at the moment, that will be sure to change in a few weeks time....</span></p><div><span face="" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face="" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face="" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face="" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2B8q-FFxhh_2UBslQPWwDaPDuqqiVZrZyX8OypAE4QmXvMtd42kZI30yrAiasqQjj1gFmdzUDH4Vl-b_Dfv6Gt64sP-RavXFbutwLQzQ-1ULlIA1zeYAVal7Zk8q1lH6GF381kJByWEEL_SYjVjGRoI84U8-DVAtLlzcRVSZRS-nqcAslrA/s2800/DSCN3092.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1837" data-original-width="2800" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2B8q-FFxhh_2UBslQPWwDaPDuqqiVZrZyX8OypAE4QmXvMtd42kZI30yrAiasqQjj1gFmdzUDH4Vl-b_Dfv6Gt64sP-RavXFbutwLQzQ-1ULlIA1zeYAVal7Zk8q1lH6GF381kJByWEEL_SYjVjGRoI84U8-DVAtLlzcRVSZRS-nqcAslrA/w400-h263/DSCN3092.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Feral Mountain Goats</b></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div><span face="" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Still up in the glens, we also have feral </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Mountain Goats</b><span face="" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">, interesting animals that come in a wide variety of colours from white, through grey and brown to black, or any combination of some or all of these colours, and many of my safari clients saw them in the wild for the first time whilst out on safari with me this month...</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAZrV_fMPWMRHlEGxpFL90yfvYtb26suuytp2mW-HpBKEh1ez-2DJZoxnTZNcYfisoz4PDox24hGtm9pY2KpFUPcwqhanEggYcC-1IyFG6rI04u1jDkpgpcj6oYaatGp4lqEYunQPE5UUmG7jgqZuYBdgdjrKFQ04emFvev17d5ARZ7W29FA/s3843/DSCN3106.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2791" data-original-width="3843" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAZrV_fMPWMRHlEGxpFL90yfvYtb26suuytp2mW-HpBKEh1ez-2DJZoxnTZNcYfisoz4PDox24hGtm9pY2KpFUPcwqhanEggYcC-1IyFG6rI04u1jDkpgpcj6oYaatGp4lqEYunQPE5UUmG7jgqZuYBdgdjrKFQ04emFvev17d5ARZ7W29FA/w400-h290/DSCN3106.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Roe Deer buck</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Roe Deer</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> are actually fairly common throughout most of the UK, but due to their crepuscular nature, most of my safari clients rarely see them, and they are easily disturbed by human noise and activity...but July and August is their 'rutting' time, and early starts, and quiet drives and walks round secluded areas gave us a few decent views this month..</span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Being largely nocturnal, and with their summer coat perfectly matching their upland surroundings, </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Mountain Hares</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">can prove very difficult to see in the summer months, and so it proved this month, as I don't recall us getting a single sighting .....</span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face="">Thankfully</span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">,</b><span face=""> our local</span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"> Brown Hares</b><span face=""> were a little more obliging, especially early in the morning, though they rarely stick around once they become aware of us watching them, so it's rare to get a decent photo opportunity...</span></span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidzkGQYl4MSPoDqKnBhq16gKOhZNAzFreTCstw4DjLNFbrk5P0xki4PGdfEQRhG2iBoC3FpghlqqhfOAHqrv5cxU4_b2O2PzFfwS193VH6VQk_ITTwn4fM-i3C_OsZXbwp6npnDdBFXaZLJTu_dBywpgGjiTq6j7AWMt0cPnMSlv06OThzsw/s2015/IMG_9526.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1330" data-original-width="2015" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidzkGQYl4MSPoDqKnBhq16gKOhZNAzFreTCstw4DjLNFbrk5P0xki4PGdfEQRhG2iBoC3FpghlqqhfOAHqrv5cxU4_b2O2PzFfwS193VH6VQk_ITTwn4fM-i3C_OsZXbwp6npnDdBFXaZLJTu_dBywpgGjiTq6j7AWMt0cPnMSlv06OThzsw/w400-h264/IMG_9526.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Carrot time for Murdo</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Hairy Highland Coo's</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"> always prove to be popular with my safari clients, especially those who do not have them close to home, so don't be afraid to ask me if you fancy going to see them, and maybe even get to feed and 'pat' them, as I have a couple of great sites....</span></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></span></p><div><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Rare/nocturnal mammals:</b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">I get a few enquiries about the possibility of seeing </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Badgers</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> and </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Pine Marten</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> from my safari clients, many of whom I suspect are unaware that they are actually a largely nocturnal creature, and although we do get the occasional (maybe one or two a year) dawn glimpse of one, you would definitely have a much higher chance of seeing them at a specific dusk Badger/Pine Marten watching hide - Please contact me for more information.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Similarly, our inland </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Otters</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> too are mainly active during the hours of darkness, and again, although we do get a few early-morning sightings on local lochs and rivers each year, looking for them feeding in a suitably quiet, kelp - filled bay on the coast on a rising tide, but at any time of day, would give you a much better chance.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-family: quot; line-height: 1.4;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: quot; line-height: 1.4;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Whilst we are still on the 'tricky to see stuff', the <b>Scottish Wildcat </b>too, as well as being incredibly rare now, is also generally nocturnal, and the fact that I have had a mere handful of (dawn or dusk) sightings in 18 years of providing wildlife safaris should give you an idea of how difficult they are to see.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Other wildlife:</b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuNFmjCj9SCxZOcDjT46CdNFJ_hqYGE79_2gJikcEwpdCSkzKQtg4bM0i6Vfn58WfYm4EisV3AM0Jwtu8-QBR25fGrCRpgBXzXx_qnK-E9FrtSMM_5XkzsenzzAd5RY0iZ2xT1-e_67vCvM1hkL2GkAl7eEOB3ldCsX4Tz5NYrAmDIR8UHHQ/s2991/IMG_1347.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2483" data-original-width="2991" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuNFmjCj9SCxZOcDjT46CdNFJ_hqYGE79_2gJikcEwpdCSkzKQtg4bM0i6Vfn58WfYm4EisV3AM0Jwtu8-QBR25fGrCRpgBXzXx_qnK-E9FrtSMM_5XkzsenzzAd5RY0iZ2xT1-e_67vCvM1hkL2GkAl7eEOB3ldCsX4Tz5NYrAmDIR8UHHQ/s320/IMG_1347.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Small Tortoiseshell</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgslVZ18pVFRabMT1PwIcPWXnKBLDeIUhqRcFFCVg-BI5a2ddxstUbx8uhEIV5K5ZHpXh3QDhLzipnX29i3QZhU4y9XnlH8X6isyhORsCMqqN55YMkmavGsF4-HOt_FNzT_jsRSzSzWY1ol2y5Sbq_4FroBnXMFUFkcjTE2r4Z-RQyIQmqHAA/s4000/IMG_1706.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2664" data-original-width="4000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgslVZ18pVFRabMT1PwIcPWXnKBLDeIUhqRcFFCVg-BI5a2ddxstUbx8uhEIV5K5ZHpXh3QDhLzipnX29i3QZhU4y9XnlH8X6isyhORsCMqqN55YMkmavGsF4-HOt_FNzT_jsRSzSzWY1ol2y5Sbq_4FroBnXMFUFkcjTE2r4Z-RQyIQmqHAA/s320/IMG_1706.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Small Pearl-Bordered Fritillary</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgKT9XpmsPHESD5YaiEVyYGxZGmnu-5bExBYOthDOLbye1bP4KK3fRYmNCkT-H7gYHm6c-NYtSqUv1Aokb10FdmKSy6fAzqQMPJjZdYvp-8xombDpXaNS1hx6BDwpxXetDHS_rly7uB6FjQ90P7G0bm0VaeqV2-mqwHiph5Pgk1DKeF9uEww/s3093/DSCN3052.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2132" data-original-width="3093" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgKT9XpmsPHESD5YaiEVyYGxZGmnu-5bExBYOthDOLbye1bP4KK3fRYmNCkT-H7gYHm6c-NYtSqUv1Aokb10FdmKSy6fAzqQMPJjZdYvp-8xombDpXaNS1hx6BDwpxXetDHS_rly7uB6FjQ90P7G0bm0VaeqV2-mqwHiph5Pgk1DKeF9uEww/s320/DSCN3052.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Scotch Argus</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="">Alongside a few lingering individuals of the more common species, we seemed to have an 'explosion' of our local speciality butterfly - the <b style="background-color: transparent;">Scotch Argus</b> early in the month, when the weather was warm and dry, with some sites having unusually high numbers. It was short-lived however, as the cooler, windier weather later in the month saw them all promptly 'disappear' again....</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj7eRI5ta64uJL1N0-E8EQ6TuM0Y8jQI16Li5xEKbYcc9ICRyKgtwfZZ-ZfNc2GNtHGsdxM6PDYhrybB9RzWcSiFoZxNK7fwQhR-DzPoF3sron0mRuABwdyN3UT32-5sRrlOWBwaRyvv6AmCGsPJroSpniiq8mpAC_AGmRYr2BqxRkx6Ircw/s2574/IMG_0244.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1822" data-original-width="2574" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj7eRI5ta64uJL1N0-E8EQ6TuM0Y8jQI16Li5xEKbYcc9ICRyKgtwfZZ-ZfNc2GNtHGsdxM6PDYhrybB9RzWcSiFoZxNK7fwQhR-DzPoF3sron0mRuABwdyN3UT32-5sRrlOWBwaRyvv6AmCGsPJroSpniiq8mpAC_AGmRYr2BqxRkx6Ircw/s320/IMG_0244.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Scabious or Globe Thistle close-up</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /><b><br /></b></span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">News:</b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">All tourism/hospitality/activities in Scotland are open , are now free of restrictions and that I have now completed well over a year of (thankfully!) increasingly busy and extremely enjoyable safaris with clients with no major issues arising.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">With all national travel restrictions lifted too, Scotland is officially 'open for business' for visitors from all over the UK, and from abroad.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">For those considering a visit, these wildlife/outdoor tourism websites may prove useful:</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b>https://www.gov.scot/collections/coronavirus-covid</b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.outdooraccess-scotland.scot/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">NatureScot (outdooraccess-scotland.scot)</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xGdTZcC2ZQ" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-line: none;">Can Nature Help Health? | Nature Prescriptions - YouTube</a></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1HBKnnGr-g" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;">Scotland, Yours to Enjoy. Responsibly. - YouTube</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://cairngorms.co.uk/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">Cairngorms National Park Authority</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.highlandwildlifepark.org.uk/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">Highland Wildlife Park</a></p><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.gov.scot/publications/avian-influenza-outbreaks/" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;">Avian influenza (bird flu) outbreaks - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)</a></div><p><br /></p><div><b>COVID-19</b></div><div><br /></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></span></p><div><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>The Scottish Highlands has had very few COVID-19 cases in comparison to most of the UK, and on my safaris we tend to visit remote , wild habitats well away from the more popular tourist areas, and usually have very little interaction with other people, and this is something that I intend to continue.</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div></span></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeD1BYsDCI7EneoxKz0gnxrlqaJsoDFlrc8yU2QqQxn9TBTf4PhuG1P0H0xiUXZooPnSnWIiCr3h4Ed-KyOQkv6N5eUd1-w484pIg1tBxuvF_B6w29MwX7-BgvW9mgrVSlRWT5AHPon3UQsOuWqZ0b5VjM7KRkpSyMCL-0q6eq13QrmNiVag/s1993/IMG_9515.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1124" data-original-width="1993" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeD1BYsDCI7EneoxKz0gnxrlqaJsoDFlrc8yU2QqQxn9TBTf4PhuG1P0H0xiUXZooPnSnWIiCr3h4Ed-KyOQkv6N5eUd1-w484pIg1tBxuvF_B6w29MwX7-BgvW9mgrVSlRWT5AHPon3UQsOuWqZ0b5VjM7KRkpSyMCL-0q6eq13QrmNiVag/w400-h225/IMG_9515.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Early morning at a picturesque local loch</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Summary:</b></span></span></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">So, although maybe not the best month for the hard-core birder, 'twitcher' or photographer to visit, August in the Cairngorms National Park would still appear to have quite a lot to offer the more casual beginner or 'improver' nature-watcher, or maybe those with a young family looking for a less intense or 'taster' wildlife safari experience, with no need for a really early start, in arguably, one of the more scenic months of the year.</span></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></span></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Looking back through my notes and photos for this month, I reckon that our sightings were actually very decent for the time of year, with some of the summer species lingering in this area a little longer than normal, one or two rarities turning up, and most importantly of all, my safari clients certainly seemed to enjoy themselves, as did I....</span></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;">Reviews:</b></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="" style="color: #06004c;">I know a lot of visitors to this area very wisely check out reviews of attractions/experiences at </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Tripadvisor</b><span face="" style="color: #06004c;"> before 'taking the plunge' and booking - We now have over 250 reviews online, so if you wish, you can check out our clients comments at the link below....</span></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><div style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"></span></span><br /><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g186537-d3335134-Reviews-</span></span></span></span></span></div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"></span></span><br /><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Highland_Wildlife_Birdwatch_Safaris-Aviemore_Aviemore_and_the_Cairngorms_Scottish.html</span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div></div></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Buying my photos:</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Prints of any of the photos (taken by myself) shown on this blog, going right back to 2015, </b><b style="background-color: transparent;">reproduced on high quality photographic paper, </b><b> with a choice of sizes up to A3, and satin pearl or glossy finishes available, </b><b style="background-color: transparent;">can now be purchased from me at very reasonable prices</b><b>. So if you see an image that might look nice in a frame (provided by yourself) on your wall, please make a note of the year and month of my blog in which it appeared, and email me for more information.</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><div style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span face=""><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;">G<b>ift Certificates:</b></span><br /></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; color: #222222; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 5px; position: relative;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T95gARK_lkQ/XAvNUI2tI6I/AAAAAAAADwU/GDPgK9hH9LwgLQ8gPnoaLdf04Yn2BLebwCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_1578.JPG" style="background: none 0% 0% / auto repeat scroll padding-box border-box transparent; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 5px;" width="400" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 10.56px; text-align: center;"><b>Safari gift voucher</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></span></span></div></div></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="" style="color: #06004c; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;">If you think you know someone who may enjoy a taste of what I do, why not treat them to a safari gift </span><span face="" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;">certificate? They make a thoughtful and imaginative present, are available for any amount as full or part-payment for an excursion, and are valid at any time subject to my availability, with a one year from purchase expiry date.</span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></span></p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""><br /></span></p>Highland Wildlife & Birdwatch Safarishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04327130550058794301noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26724394.post-81734013125548343092022-07-31T21:03:00.000+01:002022-07-31T21:03:47.310+01:00<p><b>July 2022 </b>in this area, in line with most of the rest of the UK, was generally very warm (a slight understatement at times!!) , sunny, calm and dry, with just the odd cooler showery day, with no real extremes except a couple of thunderstorms experienced, making it pretty decent for wildlife watching. </p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Full-day (8 hours) safari bird species day lists dropped a little, down into the 40's or 30's, as some of our wader species moved away from their upland breeding territories to the coasts, and bird-wise things have definitely quietened down , as just about every species seems to have successfully raised and fledged youngsters now, and some will be preparing to leave the area soon...</span></p><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;" /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; text-align: center;"></div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif">Mammal day lists varied between 3 and 8, depending on the length of day, and variety of habitats visited...with early starts generally producing more and closer sightings, with again, many species seen with youngsters..</span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;" /><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif">With plenty of sunshine and warmth and the occasional showers, more heather starting to turn a beautiful vivid purple, and the wild flowers and butterflies at their most abundant, the Cairngorms National Park really was a beautiful and unspoilt place to be this month, and my safari clients certainly seemed to enjoy themselves.....</span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2kndZ8JOxaekfLPAl31fCpaq9qZSIXGJCg8VDkB9z2xZI8KoXWlCzawoi-Hiq4eaGtbgzE0cJgRARW61f09-ICQ3fIcxvCqu_1A0mjDPXqi5py9HSS_RcfMkItaYBmCspAu1dhCaBs4Ntf91lOKDQ9AlteGpP1bBV7srAcZYb2VoKWz42dA/s4608/DSCN6836.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2506" data-original-width="4608" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2kndZ8JOxaekfLPAl31fCpaq9qZSIXGJCg8VDkB9z2xZI8KoXWlCzawoi-Hiq4eaGtbgzE0cJgRARW61f09-ICQ3fIcxvCqu_1A0mjDPXqi5py9HSS_RcfMkItaYBmCspAu1dhCaBs4Ntf91lOKDQ9AlteGpP1bBV7srAcZYb2VoKWz42dA/w400-h217/DSCN6836.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Midsummer on a local upland </b></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">To give you an idea of what you may realistically hope to see if you are considering a future July visit, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">I hope the following more detailed information, illustrated with photos taken at sites in and around the Cairngorms National Park by myself, my friends or my safari clients this month and in previous July's will help....clicking on the picture enlarges it to full-screen. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">I was away for a week mid-month visiting relatives for a 'big' birthday celebration, so my report may be slightly shorter than usual....</span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Local speciality/upland bird species seen regularly during the month included</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">:</span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><b style="line-height: 18.2px;">Osprey, Red Grouse, </b></span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">Goldeneye and</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"> </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><b>Dipper</b></span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">. </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;">We also</span></span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"> </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">enjoyed some decent views of <b>Ring Ouzel </b>early in the month,<b> </b>and <b>Slavonian Grebe</b>, </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"> Red-Throated Diver</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"> and</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"> </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">Black-Throated Diver </b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">were all seen occasionally,</span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"> </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"> </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">a few reasonable , if unreliable, views of</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"> </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 18.2px;">Crested Tit </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">and</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><b> Crossbill </b>were managed<b>, </b></span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"> </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">and we enjoyed a couple of distant <b>Golden Eagle</b> and <b>White-Tailed Eagle</b> sightings ...</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">Sadly, but typically at this time of year, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">we failed to see <b>Capercaillie</b> or <b>Black Grouse</b> at all this month....</span></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Mammal species seen regularly included:</b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Red Squirrel</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">, </span><strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Rabbit</strong><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">, </span><strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Brown Hare</strong><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">, </span><strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Roe Deer</strong><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">, </span><strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Red Deer, Reindeer </strong><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">and feral </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Mountain Goat,</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> with just one sighting of a </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Mountain Hare</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> and one brief glimpse of a </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Bank Vole </b><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif">....</span></b></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">July 2022 bird sightings in more detail:</b></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">On the lochs...</b></b></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSH_kdDzWB5YnQluf780sxWiulmu50GpyEvRauETPhz_R6FGy2WkCrhlwACb_JMz_ojsOzR2tAQfATb3wNcc7sG_YKjKAIFToyla0jMDEZP2Q2pNgt7_lzS27WYRLwt9XfJwm-5kkuZLInPFgNKulBZ4y4IJa0EMKeBazKUrSz9gq7bouw_w/s4600/DSCN2305.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2194" data-original-width="4600" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSH_kdDzWB5YnQluf780sxWiulmu50GpyEvRauETPhz_R6FGy2WkCrhlwACb_JMz_ojsOzR2tAQfATb3wNcc7sG_YKjKAIFToyla0jMDEZP2Q2pNgt7_lzS27WYRLwt9XfJwm-5kkuZLInPFgNKulBZ4y4IJa0EMKeBazKUrSz9gq7bouw_w/w400-h191/DSCN2305.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A picturesque local loch</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXXNHOSSOfGuSaLLQcLZRwkx7rjpcu76JojIFOQHFmPtIzWqIZaRVX3ueDOnaA86DpU39z4JwNXgmEKjszNxU3oA7pr7dJ1xJP17Gj2_0CrhNrIXzR1-pOcJ5Le_WaUsY9l4i04Xl4J2ej1_E1nLokmwSnzrtWADfMLX8a3mKDGhq93CWMSA/s4079/DSCN2876.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2240" data-original-width="4079" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXXNHOSSOfGuSaLLQcLZRwkx7rjpcu76JojIFOQHFmPtIzWqIZaRVX3ueDOnaA86DpU39z4JwNXgmEKjszNxU3oA7pr7dJ1xJP17Gj2_0CrhNrIXzR1-pOcJ5Le_WaUsY9l4i04Xl4J2ej1_E1nLokmwSnzrtWADfMLX8a3mKDGhq93CWMSA/w400-h220/DSCN2876.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>An adult Osprey with a half-eaten Pike</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_2T_bNacDSnk-aeLu6iABysgFZ0bTBHhfqWAA6SZFzq0WYkWBpoo9UqDcnuLyW_WqXP8tSqteeCcz4L3SPsEnr32GTVKsI2WpqWZzW7PrXg6RBugrPV9ew5geBQ020lmLtZntH7Vz4IowZGbGE7jMNEi_7cWdyv_IPjo6o9EgGEHrMBwJZA/s1876/John%20Rogers%20Osp%202.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1388" data-original-width="1876" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_2T_bNacDSnk-aeLu6iABysgFZ0bTBHhfqWAA6SZFzq0WYkWBpoo9UqDcnuLyW_WqXP8tSqteeCcz4L3SPsEnr32GTVKsI2WpqWZzW7PrXg6RBugrPV9ew5geBQ020lmLtZntH7Vz4IowZGbGE7jMNEi_7cWdyv_IPjo6o9EgGEHrMBwJZA/w400-h296/John%20Rogers%20Osp%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Osprey family by John Rogers</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidUpXkR9p2soL_g3e3sBQjWpqzG_HPhJ7W-QG-JHCNslenyscmIRD3TVlZtG5qgIahOENLhu3Isaj302MuMnQfoLM2o5P0QfDYhHX5HEF-Egb4fZIc7Kk0gt7D9wGrbrbsUIyOxcEf0Tv1SM_Xy0wcJmxgBTLyFZL6v6x_2naarkdPFRR6Gg/s3726/DSCN2922.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2511" data-original-width="3726" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidUpXkR9p2soL_g3e3sBQjWpqzG_HPhJ7W-QG-JHCNslenyscmIRD3TVlZtG5qgIahOENLhu3Isaj302MuMnQfoLM2o5P0QfDYhHX5HEF-Egb4fZIc7Kk0gt7D9wGrbrbsUIyOxcEf0Tv1SM_Xy0wcJmxgBTLyFZL6v6x_2naarkdPFRR6Gg/w400-h270/DSCN2922.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Osprey</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbRRFJB71XTuNgtQwyvNXJGn3wmM2mo1E_KivGgz4nTT3h4d3i2JOgm2ERcZ7vFVp67Bu2RO3W2HDG_BiY06dV3dl1poVLKtvCm-l81CC6GgHAXOxDwKRJZkl1gqviJhFbpovrZyPuoLrhyAJJkRR6bStMA7mOACDpFL7NBKFxoKuzXEkgMQ/s4608/DSCN2939.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbRRFJB71XTuNgtQwyvNXJGn3wmM2mo1E_KivGgz4nTT3h4d3i2JOgm2ERcZ7vFVp67Bu2RO3W2HDG_BiY06dV3dl1poVLKtvCm-l81CC6GgHAXOxDwKRJZkl1gqviJhFbpovrZyPuoLrhyAJJkRR6bStMA7mOACDpFL7NBKFxoKuzXEkgMQ/w400-h300/DSCN2939.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Young Osprey- Note the 'scaly' plumage and orange eye...</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;">Our local </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Ospreys</b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"> stole the show again this month, these attractive and impressive raptors were often voted as 'Bird of the day' by my safari clients, with the adult birds seen fishing, delivering fish and feeding and encouraging the fast growing 'scaly' looking , orange-eyed youngsters to take their 'maiden flights', and by late-month they had indeed fledged and could be seen perched in adjacent trees and flying for the first time.. I can therefore highly recommend July as THE month for </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Osprey</b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"> watching and photography in this area...</span></b></b></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0AfwD990uPByw6BZ9I1ISp12jzYdIJLt83LHaAkikbfDT3hRgnVa2vNzwvoNIEK5xC0U_mYlRyWFYD_woqALnPYkWJ-ZhrW9phv5X2o4eki4KXM4KTDI_9r6WLKRRbdyFlwba-kZg5kAK6FiOaef5sdP0jQ-IPwrrA0iQ1ssUNivywIiuWQ/s4608/DSCN3012.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0AfwD990uPByw6BZ9I1ISp12jzYdIJLt83LHaAkikbfDT3hRgnVa2vNzwvoNIEK5xC0U_mYlRyWFYD_woqALnPYkWJ-ZhrW9phv5X2o4eki4KXM4KTDI_9r6WLKRRbdyFlwba-kZg5kAK6FiOaef5sdP0jQ-IPwrrA0iQ1ssUNivywIiuWQ/w400-h300/DSCN3012.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Slavonian (Horned) Grebe</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPVR-5FFKigkdaVBn3I7p9sjdy_K-ShZEEfKdYJlKhupmmZXni--r-8gvEs5I5d8VWgmFA_pkUz91GgZAPS4BtjeMLpcwvu7bzri896jwgJ0R3Y1Nyaror8RI6BIMyaYdnLyC1_QmoycLLtAI9u0VUKSU0LhoZVpuVSrZibBmdF1fiGnwlcA/s2299/Bob%20Slavs.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1578" data-original-width="2299" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPVR-5FFKigkdaVBn3I7p9sjdy_K-ShZEEfKdYJlKhupmmZXni--r-8gvEs5I5d8VWgmFA_pkUz91GgZAPS4BtjeMLpcwvu7bzri896jwgJ0R3Y1Nyaror8RI6BIMyaYdnLyC1_QmoycLLtAI9u0VUKSU0LhoZVpuVSrZibBmdF1fiGnwlcA/w400-h275/Bob%20Slavs.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Adult and young Slavonian (Horned) Grebe by Bob Smith</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><b>Slavonian Grebe </b>is an increasingly rare UK breeding species, with the few pairs that we do have being confined to northern Scotland, and although most seemed to have bred and departed for the coast , we were lucky to have one local pair lingering.....</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHWXejtg6ld9fqlW-fbCwklKTjlayFmUeCxvmLPHZlwMmrTTHxcRV1C5yWhKQUMzvHxgpOzQxlvisrscPY9Kwb3tWJ7nSaz3nFkaRPf5wKBSbtprtPlDwgntjpPOHejbj3nGPetyyLNFkL7AXX3lgPvS7kNKCwIH-e7MtlpuWnVrk7Mv0Gpg/s4100/DSCN6774.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2454" data-original-width="4100" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHWXejtg6ld9fqlW-fbCwklKTjlayFmUeCxvmLPHZlwMmrTTHxcRV1C5yWhKQUMzvHxgpOzQxlvisrscPY9Kwb3tWJ7nSaz3nFkaRPf5wKBSbtprtPlDwgntjpPOHejbj3nGPetyyLNFkL7AXX3lgPvS7kNKCwIH-e7MtlpuWnVrk7Mv0Gpg/w400-h240/DSCN6774.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red-Throated Diver</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiy4U7FTgxiHBDnt4Wb2BiO2nSlJ4134yywskXAIGPAiDP64rPozUUY9Ql3CWE1lqdG3NqscGVU4wAUVc0dRq093OL4e94EKGGzRIyP0T_l-AJzoqbVov41zu5-fSJbk4TTjp2QRXxkBKV4edWxmzyOZOyC8363uB_0A859e_TcgWj-LKw5A/s4154/DSCN2951.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1695" data-original-width="4154" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiy4U7FTgxiHBDnt4Wb2BiO2nSlJ4134yywskXAIGPAiDP64rPozUUY9Ql3CWE1lqdG3NqscGVU4wAUVc0dRq093OL4e94EKGGzRIyP0T_l-AJzoqbVov41zu5-fSJbk4TTjp2QRXxkBKV4edWxmzyOZOyC8363uB_0A859e_TcgWj-LKw5A/w400-h164/DSCN2951.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Black-Throated Diver family</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdiGXZ4c2CPLnl9xHTXMhe-9xdCNDGliXRwxyNkZPDXJ_b_GEN-7LefXYF5Vl4OxbbSeRrNIBBKuzruPuhB7ZCM89ZAxFmBaN8J4pwgRn5SZdPhLXNrkhdmowcRDiqoUQgxjYg4k5rAJYKJJ96WjfqTzyBzrSsfOuVCZPzFtSQAiXLyk-7-w/s3208/DSCN2959.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2110" data-original-width="3208" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdiGXZ4c2CPLnl9xHTXMhe-9xdCNDGliXRwxyNkZPDXJ_b_GEN-7LefXYF5Vl4OxbbSeRrNIBBKuzruPuhB7ZCM89ZAxFmBaN8J4pwgRn5SZdPhLXNrkhdmowcRDiqoUQgxjYg4k5rAJYKJJ96WjfqTzyBzrSsfOuVCZPzFtSQAiXLyk-7-w/w400-h263/DSCN2959.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Black-Throated Diver</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Divers (Loons), </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">being very rare in summer south of here</span><b style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">and looking resplendent</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> in their dapper summer plumage are always popular with my safari clients, and although <b>Red-Throated</b> proved to be a bit elusive, with just a couple of distant sightings, we were fortunate enough to get some good views of </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Black-Throated </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">through most of the the month </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">on their favoured local lochs, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">with their 2 rapidly growing youngsters</span><b style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">, which is great news</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">. It should be noted however, that they are rarely seen close to the lochside, can be difficult to find in 'choppy' conditions, and are easily disturbed by non wildlife-friendly tourists dog-walking, swimming , fishing and boating etc, so the less windy days and early morning starts in search of them, ahead of the holidaymakers, usually gave us our closest views, and we made sure to savour the moments, as they will soon depart our inland lochs to spend the autumn and winter around the UK coast....</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1qUWAQ8nMwEvZs2JMaKYnVgURm6t2Y5LZu0J3ozl4sf-xza8YVT5965R_b0ogWsI7pRBZXcxEKbzlU-GFhTrnNIzSKkMk8NsiDwMUwkjnmH76TK-b2Tm4nF1abokCg1mbO-lMckcoaJpcD4fOtuIuVkk1VOYkRN3AGGjHKNIjiG7SiX4NPw/s4608/DSCN8957.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2860" data-original-width="4608" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1qUWAQ8nMwEvZs2JMaKYnVgURm6t2Y5LZu0J3ozl4sf-xza8YVT5965R_b0ogWsI7pRBZXcxEKbzlU-GFhTrnNIzSKkMk8NsiDwMUwkjnmH76TK-b2Tm4nF1abokCg1mbO-lMckcoaJpcD4fOtuIuVkk1VOYkRN3AGGjHKNIjiG7SiX4NPw/w400-h249/DSCN8957.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Goldeneyes</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> </span></p><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">Goldeneyes </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">only breed in the UK in northern Scotland, and their numbers have increased greatly in recent years, mainly due to the RSPB providing nest boxes on trees around most local lochs - yes, they really are a duck that nests up a tree! - and we got to see many families of these very attractive little ducks this month...</span></span></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Up on the moors....</b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrRBaIxuilLe4bKUOdAnQRPbVybDljfxP45l_YG8sF6rd656qC61hgpgUFOyXhpKOjv6IviiIKFz9q2MUNZPHFRmKPWthlKxUc68FZf5CZyJDo02fHqR_CAHUpSeh5uxEBo_d9d7BcLW6qOBMnJcRpyS5ayGpyXRswshx_c8ANnMb1GJM3oA/s2016/IMG_9354.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1116" data-original-width="2016" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrRBaIxuilLe4bKUOdAnQRPbVybDljfxP45l_YG8sF6rd656qC61hgpgUFOyXhpKOjv6IviiIKFz9q2MUNZPHFRmKPWthlKxUc68FZf5CZyJDo02fHqR_CAHUpSeh5uxEBo_d9d7BcLW6qOBMnJcRpyS5ayGpyXRswshx_c8ANnMb1GJM3oA/w400-h221/IMG_9354.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A local upland heather moorland</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b><p></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvdMzpORWTgkrAFtdqV8hNfQO6a13jlN0EsVMx5zjOe-8m6tITGP5oGMGOaXzlhnB4HpK1hul4CWAvnjyFSeFAiW9zHxUYHD1V3UWkkiHbLQyGOMIrq0ROvAV9uSXStwvtTYWhIWB-S6UuCe6-WqwKj3_8L1f681Lz5Illa71AmMfLxgFVFQ/s4216/DSCN2907.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2200" data-original-width="4216" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvdMzpORWTgkrAFtdqV8hNfQO6a13jlN0EsVMx5zjOe-8m6tITGP5oGMGOaXzlhnB4HpK1hul4CWAvnjyFSeFAiW9zHxUYHD1V3UWkkiHbLQyGOMIrq0ROvAV9uSXStwvtTYWhIWB-S6UuCe6-WqwKj3_8L1f681Lz5Illa71AmMfLxgFVFQ/w400-h209/DSCN2907.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Young Red Grouse with it's watchful mother</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht7SPD2EO-oMv4Nj6X-bONIqA6CS_-i4UaZJ6gGvipxaVPyBsuaa-1SVAkEGygL1HH-G8poqgWSBcAKHFUJ-H98zSAmIUdidOgWpYow7rSCWhP4a_AfD7Gcl7-VVKGhJ8IXO6kUqPop73pd4Hv4s6qy_3OByQUMoofvGdgOykDKp_Uhg5Qfg/s4261/DSCN0749.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2926" data-original-width="4261" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht7SPD2EO-oMv4Nj6X-bONIqA6CS_-i4UaZJ6gGvipxaVPyBsuaa-1SVAkEGygL1HH-G8poqgWSBcAKHFUJ-H98zSAmIUdidOgWpYow7rSCWhP4a_AfD7Gcl7-VVKGhJ8IXO6kUqPop73pd4Hv4s6qy_3OByQUMoofvGdgOykDKp_Uhg5Qfg/w400-h275/DSCN0749.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Adult female Red Grouse</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b><p></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Red Grouse</b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"> are always popular with my safari parties, as being a bird of largely uninhabited upland heather moorlands, most of my clients do not have them close to home. We, however, are fortunate to have lots of suitable habitat in this area, and although they were sometimes elusive, we often enjoyed good close up views of families of up to 5 of these very characterful and beautifully marked birds, though with the 'glorious 12th' rapidly approaching... I suspect they may not be quite so obliging next month...</span></b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></b></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEsXuJUS6AHGfEX2ZRzQwXoe3FZemQfyt46RXLZhFaYgMyarWiM0urP6Y6VoqI4IPeol4SSjWuCjQGSdBVDMRpsG70tesHhwHJRk7JEJMqDhQg4p9inY-0R5XCxybpahovac9nymCLZelHi1t3xpeLd5gLEcaXRylSuQ89ji5_FYpNF2C8Pg/s6332/John%20Rogers%20SEO.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1853" data-original-width="6332" height="118" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEsXuJUS6AHGfEX2ZRzQwXoe3FZemQfyt46RXLZhFaYgMyarWiM0urP6Y6VoqI4IPeol4SSjWuCjQGSdBVDMRpsG70tesHhwHJRk7JEJMqDhQg4p9inY-0R5XCxybpahovac9nymCLZelHi1t3xpeLd5gLEcaXRylSuQ89ji5_FYpNF2C8Pg/w400-h118/John%20Rogers%20SEO.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Short-Eared Owl by John Rogers</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></b></p><p>Raptor sightings were a little hard to come by on the moors this month, with just the odd <b>Kestrel</b>, <b>Buzzard</b> and <b>Red Kite</b> being seen, and one decent view of a <b>Short-Eared Owl</b>...</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">I</span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">n the Caledonian forests...</b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilmq6eN8WiXvZhrtM9jnHUGCOS2pRKBdelXfxxHxpqBVbJuLmCh0FoFS3ljvpxCraOjT8sU5VloyoIAMqHg2t6AaYGusS46vHUlZhuhm4UL6tg94lO_mxn3VjKStytWtUJtnMPn4ewDtix7EeNK63ADuuw4o_1vw5-269bN2-hFCJAxtzDdQ/s2016/IMG_9426.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilmq6eN8WiXvZhrtM9jnHUGCOS2pRKBdelXfxxHxpqBVbJuLmCh0FoFS3ljvpxCraOjT8sU5VloyoIAMqHg2t6AaYGusS46vHUlZhuhm4UL6tg94lO_mxn3VjKStytWtUJtnMPn4ewDtix7EeNK63ADuuw4o_1vw5-269bN2-hFCJAxtzDdQ/w400-h300/IMG_9426.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A local Caledonian forest</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAL_FCn4uaVJ-sAdUAnqY7hrZm1Cogk2A2JZSacnSkuWANhFlQRI0yaECLjiYSQf4rUyecaXosayWRCI-Y4k_L_Fj8Yg-rDXB6hf7u6PWLoe0JxZz3yWl5KK2-fPshRUYazxNJK0oXyI7PGndx7HHC5IawNwt7Vr8h047OuzukITrkIxQ6Rg/s2831/DSCN2878.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1779" data-original-width="2831" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAL_FCn4uaVJ-sAdUAnqY7hrZm1Cogk2A2JZSacnSkuWANhFlQRI0yaECLjiYSQf4rUyecaXosayWRCI-Y4k_L_Fj8Yg-rDXB6hf7u6PWLoe0JxZz3yWl5KK2-fPshRUYazxNJK0oXyI7PGndx7HHC5IawNwt7Vr8h047OuzukITrkIxQ6Rg/w400-h251/DSCN2878.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Young Crossbill</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Crossbill </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">sightings were a little tricky to come by this month, with most of them being brief fly-overs, us only identifying them by their characteristic 'jip jip' calls, but thankfully we did manage to get the scope on perched birds on a couple of occasions, though photographic opportunities were very limited...</span></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSQYFkNONceTg3WbrXq1jHvZu4J0O4oYs3V8RnzrKpZjI0pxq1u6LlEcllf871YrKSpTr3DTAarE2Zs1hoh2RsJM47Ce5rX_7g1KYeYOfF7s84LOfeoC3tAQNW749MyMuEaxUw3anutwh_hZ1l-u9NPOBv1_vqYHUzMJkjcT4c3MgSWK3N7Q/s1761/DSCN6843.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1247" data-original-width="1761" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSQYFkNONceTg3WbrXq1jHvZu4J0O4oYs3V8RnzrKpZjI0pxq1u6LlEcllf871YrKSpTr3DTAarE2Zs1hoh2RsJM47Ce5rX_7g1KYeYOfF7s84LOfeoC3tAQNW749MyMuEaxUw3anutwh_hZ1l-u9NPOBv1_vqYHUzMJkjcT4c3MgSWK3N7Q/w400-h284/DSCN6843.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Crested Tit</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">Crested Tits</b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-weight: 400;"> were seen occasionally on our walks through Caledonian pine forests, usually in family parties, though there didn't appear to be any 'pattern' to our sightings, and I must stress again, that they can be very elusive in the spring and summer months, and knowing their distinctive rippling trills is a huge advantage in helping you to see these very 'flitty' little local specialities....which are incredibly difficult to see or photograph outside of the winter months, and away from feeding stations by the way...</span></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">In the birch woods:</b></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYjYSchLozMSa3FLODG3GGsEccWPtiaIXW974A8gE-PK9L9-T6ceFdKWc9BehT1m-MjOXP4H1-B8E2qUViohcCYto7464y6PTIC4s4wfeGPajSHDxk37oaaVGQ46EC2BItLzLwoaxDtiutSLE3t2HiiHS2UdibnZpeUuH9hjH8_geg6Yk9rw/s2016/IMG_4885.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYjYSchLozMSa3FLODG3GGsEccWPtiaIXW974A8gE-PK9L9-T6ceFdKWc9BehT1m-MjOXP4H1-B8E2qUViohcCYto7464y6PTIC4s4wfeGPajSHDxk37oaaVGQ46EC2BItLzLwoaxDtiutSLE3t2HiiHS2UdibnZpeUuH9hjH8_geg6Yk9rw/w400-h300/IMG_4885.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A local birch wood</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); font-weight: 400;">A few walks in local birch woods early in the month failed to produce any sightings of </span><b>Pied Flycatcher</b><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); font-weight: 400;"> or </span><b>Wood Warbler</b><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); font-weight: 400;">, though there were plenty of </span><b>Willow warblers,</b><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); font-weight: 400;"> and various</span><b> Tits </b><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); font-weight: 400;">and </span><b>Finches </b><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); font-weight: 400;">and a few </span><b>Spotted Flycatchers,</b><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); font-weight: 400;"> but it was hard work to get decent views or photos, with the trees now in full leaf....</span></b></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">On the rivers...</b></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7CS60Bhfq0tkMwVoZz8zInE8-XK8DLY0SHNcba1vTo6X5UnQ32hpyl8-EMpEhZbddIYtwwOx2EytmEuIM3EpsmZYYyXiyZH_WqBoQIYx1ddzSpTTMXXy5NZVDpcOZ9GpOKPP05UbY6su2M1-3H3FCdvCrAc4WnSyDyZlRbblZMOlvnrlsKQ/s2016/IMG_9271.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7CS60Bhfq0tkMwVoZz8zInE8-XK8DLY0SHNcba1vTo6X5UnQ32hpyl8-EMpEhZbddIYtwwOx2EytmEuIM3EpsmZYYyXiyZH_WqBoQIYx1ddzSpTTMXXy5NZVDpcOZ9GpOKPP05UbY6su2M1-3H3FCdvCrAc4WnSyDyZlRbblZMOlvnrlsKQ/w400-h300/IMG_9271.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The River Spey</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqDKEF5A5Pk93ulf14T5EUj9rMfa8psRtQPuP1DTuZRhZJKDFANjAR_qi3RvoSvnsagy28nzV2FUVUvFQU-K7P9ybq6iTvfA6-fJC3vu2gDtHdj1I3-qOw6PzcJjYnumtOeMN7BeeeWtBRyhlBBynpydIrGyiXjT3b6O0iKrrSQ4CXjg3CUQ/s2494/IMG_1129.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1710" data-original-width="2494" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqDKEF5A5Pk93ulf14T5EUj9rMfa8psRtQPuP1DTuZRhZJKDFANjAR_qi3RvoSvnsagy28nzV2FUVUvFQU-K7P9ybq6iTvfA6-fJC3vu2gDtHdj1I3-qOw6PzcJjYnumtOeMN7BeeeWtBRyhlBBynpydIrGyiXjT3b6O0iKrrSQ4CXjg3CUQ/w400-h274/IMG_1129.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Dipper</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Dipper</b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"> sightings were a bit 'random' this month, with the youngsters fully fledged, the birds were seemingly quite mobile up and down the very low level rivers. On some days, despite our best efforts, we saw none, and on other days we saw one or more on each river we visited! Which just goes to show that although local knowledge and experience are important, nothing is ever guaranteed, and sometimes you need a bit of luck too, as nothing in wildlife can ever be guaranteed...</span></b></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIszqFGbH6i-qm3wKqoZ_U5ndqAZL3M0rnUatNncWQ_I8oEeJY8K0XqGe9Tkj4SnMHyKjgwOXkgEcgP0q6sMgFR2SioSxdSrGt5AUAu3-2JtkW6aU-22SNTgPoj0TOZ0Y20nhXT482LajUpFsW9GY9GaXQc8jPGmKy7u8jnKYPrkv7sJlv8g/s3082/DSCN3047.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1395" data-original-width="3082" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIszqFGbH6i-qm3wKqoZ_U5ndqAZL3M0rnUatNncWQ_I8oEeJY8K0XqGe9Tkj4SnMHyKjgwOXkgEcgP0q6sMgFR2SioSxdSrGt5AUAu3-2JtkW6aU-22SNTgPoj0TOZ0Y20nhXT482LajUpFsW9GY9GaXQc8jPGmKy7u8jnKYPrkv7sJlv8g/w400-h181/DSCN3047.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Goosander family</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p>Families of <b>Goosanders</b> and <b>Goldeneyes </b>were also seen on local rivers on a few occasions...</p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"></span></b></p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;">Up in the glens...</b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;"><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSCwpA6x1ccjYSoC7ETvAWZgTPs60C1aP8IglrNDszpFOHXdfAbo1efHutrE7rHbZejBP-unOPzaIbhhRvMD_8A1G8vcQWtZBulwnRFknoK7MpCvVlJJNebqBG6sHLZSouVCcCwuaa8_JemRhBHhOmcYY4v_B4okwmGCvchZD4-pWpLpSG8Q/s2015/IMG_9348.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1270" data-original-width="2015" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSCwpA6x1ccjYSoC7ETvAWZgTPs60C1aP8IglrNDszpFOHXdfAbo1efHutrE7rHbZejBP-unOPzaIbhhRvMD_8A1G8vcQWtZBulwnRFknoK7MpCvVlJJNebqBG6sHLZSouVCcCwuaa8_JemRhBHhOmcYY4v_B4okwmGCvchZD4-pWpLpSG8Q/w400-h253/IMG_9348.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A picturesque local upland glen</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGC0DQZ-TmVSrSXJfNCCMeS8qtVtZS9PBxq3f0_jXeHbz-zNukK1-d0Dlme_0X0mv3HrqadD7ryezirAGGhQBnIljXDtQ4FvupUgqGFtBBh58d2exK9esjaepSqQYR1SlgS7f7ri8aSuGq2tRLo9PwZEoOBJkUSzNMr7zpVSEzrkwr0R9VRA/s874/IMG_7698.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="874" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGC0DQZ-TmVSrSXJfNCCMeS8qtVtZS9PBxq3f0_jXeHbz-zNukK1-d0Dlme_0X0mv3HrqadD7ryezirAGGhQBnIljXDtQ4FvupUgqGFtBBh58d2exK9esjaepSqQYR1SlgS7f7ri8aSuGq2tRLo9PwZEoOBJkUSzNMr7zpVSEzrkwr0R9VRA/w400-h206/IMG_7698.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Golden Eagle</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">Eagles</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> a</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">re probably hardest to see in mid-summer (in this area at least), as the birds are still concentrating on fledging their young, and have so many hours of daylight in which to hunt, and sadly, but true to form, we only managed a couple of distant </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold;">Golden Eagle </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">and</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold;"> White -Tailed Eagle</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> sightings this month, ......but if previous years are anything to go by, things should improve soon as the youngsters take to the wing for the first time....</span></p><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha28puE9WjsyokDNo0nHqoVjxaINQlgr0tQR5gM-H7xuj6ne-UomHDOV3zof-8ae9goc8T620mFP6b_Olu2F7OTPxYSdmnP3ejG8P5WQYezf66E7pOuKfaATCMqQT58ePOyyKsxVz5gzF0FO3l7ia2spKQXInkox5KyTcLMOY4LD1QWxgF_w/s2259/DSCN4384.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1540" data-original-width="2259" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha28puE9WjsyokDNo0nHqoVjxaINQlgr0tQR5gM-H7xuj6ne-UomHDOV3zof-8ae9goc8T620mFP6b_Olu2F7OTPxYSdmnP3ejG8P5WQYezf66E7pOuKfaATCMqQT58ePOyyKsxVz5gzF0FO3l7ia2spKQXInkox5KyTcLMOY4LD1QWxgF_w/w400-h272/DSCN4384.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Kite</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;">Other birds of prey seen reasonably regularly on my safaris this month included </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;">Osprey</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;">, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;">Common Buzzard</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;">, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;">Kestrel</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;">, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;">Peregrine</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;">, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;">Sparrowhawk</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;"> and </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;">Red Kite</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">.........though a <b>Merlin</b> still eludes me this year!!</span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><br /></span></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Up in the mountains....</b></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd4nKzNnRfHK0WJgsZoHGMyglpxnZHs1-vDpfPyHKZTh0TF2DxJA-7E2wqBeGOnmjuJOXSevTccs-PkhIqYplW9Gxn4Rwx9zplEz8x-JWMb_8kVhM_uDTVmueC3rcNhSDVwnJATikS6mobfHW6bYrG7VOjfSj5c9AwbN6UiHLsgwBFiy_qgA/s2016/IMG_9286.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd4nKzNnRfHK0WJgsZoHGMyglpxnZHs1-vDpfPyHKZTh0TF2DxJA-7E2wqBeGOnmjuJOXSevTccs-PkhIqYplW9Gxn4Rwx9zplEz8x-JWMb_8kVhM_uDTVmueC3rcNhSDVwnJATikS6mobfHW6bYrG7VOjfSj5c9AwbN6UiHLsgwBFiy_qgA/w400-h300/IMG_9286.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Summer in the Cairngorm Mountains</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1GUuP5nCL-jGzImm0xMUliZsBGJOARzC-QVYX95DCICzHIp5JSa3sg1A9Q5R9_wmE7YpkNE3tFwLrFyECZofPq9ahJ4G5YgzFtNf7--wOazFxqxAh6CcTOLPII9xf_Pam7CUw-AgrtJ_JmOjds4lppItAH6tqyKspWkoE6xcd499qEBo05Q/s4130/DSCN2334.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2427" data-original-width="4130" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1GUuP5nCL-jGzImm0xMUliZsBGJOARzC-QVYX95DCICzHIp5JSa3sg1A9Q5R9_wmE7YpkNE3tFwLrFyECZofPq9ahJ4G5YgzFtNf7--wOazFxqxAh6CcTOLPII9xf_Pam7CUw-AgrtJ_JmOjds4lppItAH6tqyKspWkoE6xcd499qEBo05Q/s320/DSCN2334.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Snow Bunting - Photo from July 2017</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI6nKG8-UOk_KSVhE6F0AHXpZQnsOecN3Yn3wrd2qjnpC5CtS3nwmertW2sWO9vWD4lllRWGJfW4WmNg-BmzBXV-SWVa0Z7cSPCpNGIZf5nnHaFuqXGt1J3obSi1Jc6okkcXb4OJRVt69AS_DsXget8wk6MQXcvX34TnneKW5mF34zVAz5Sg/s4608/DSCN2349.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI6nKG8-UOk_KSVhE6F0AHXpZQnsOecN3Yn3wrd2qjnpC5CtS3nwmertW2sWO9vWD4lllRWGJfW4WmNg-BmzBXV-SWVa0Z7cSPCpNGIZf5nnHaFuqXGt1J3obSi1Jc6okkcXb4OJRVt69AS_DsXget8wk6MQXcvX34TnneKW5mF34zVAz5Sg/s320/DSCN2349.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Young Dotterel - Photo from July 2017</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJC-bLCxtxKk3w61KX0_1ZeQIGfGmGkxBJyONo2Gq6-8_ZtG7_B2oCFGcHgW38HDNxEmXBA3-xEbknwwL-_dudkxqZq7PtNPAAF6R8qvV5C74SfSYFEQbRiaZOdO2ChtvNcwFZlh6UPw55u1o9Wg0G8mOFVc-y_04cMCLQLOtVk--awrmu9g/s3605/DSCN0755.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1550" data-original-width="3605" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJC-bLCxtxKk3w61KX0_1ZeQIGfGmGkxBJyONo2Gq6-8_ZtG7_B2oCFGcHgW38HDNxEmXBA3-xEbknwwL-_dudkxqZq7PtNPAAF6R8qvV5C74SfSYFEQbRiaZOdO2ChtvNcwFZlh6UPw55u1o9Wg0G8mOFVc-y_04cMCLQLOtVk--awrmu9g/w400-h173/DSCN0755.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Ptarmigan family - Photo from July 2019</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400;"><span style="background-color: white;">July is 'last chance saloon' for seeing all 3 of our mountain top species ( <b>Ptarmigan, Snow Bunting </b>and <b>Dotterel</b>) in one trip, as the <b>Dotterel </b>often depart in early August , but being pretty busy with safaris, away for a week, and it being so warm, I didn't attempt a mountain top walk myself</span></span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;">...so I have included some photos from July in previous years, to show what is possible ....</span></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></b></p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit72HyZd2x2KwQV8DvzQ3lh_TxCR7-RXO30Onn3j74PwQHJZ1Rz2rZW3zN4hPBkhAGLWM1MmUWKj6rAUkqMQRi2w8ZaK_VfPqUs0Cdfjsu5jRQg0-r2EkskTU9OK2Y4JBKQNJrlO8h2xYbJK0TtOXtX9qIssD-fYY0RUkSu_WOnCf-NRJAQA/s2129/IMG_7642.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1532" data-original-width="2129" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit72HyZd2x2KwQV8DvzQ3lh_TxCR7-RXO30Onn3j74PwQHJZ1Rz2rZW3zN4hPBkhAGLWM1MmUWKj6rAUkqMQRi2w8ZaK_VfPqUs0Cdfjsu5jRQg0-r2EkskTU9OK2Y4JBKQNJrlO8h2xYbJK0TtOXtX9qIssD-fYY0RUkSu_WOnCf-NRJAQA/s320/IMG_7642.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Ring Ouzel</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">At slightly lower levels, but still above 1'500ft, Ring Ouzels </b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;">were seen</span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;">in upland habitats near their nesting and feeding areas, at least early in the month anyway, especially near the wetter areas with most worms, but became noticeably more elusive as the month progressed as these areas dried out, and they and their young began to roam even further afield, and it appeared that some may well have already vacated this area and headed south for warmer climes by the end of the month....</span></b></p><div><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">On farmland....</b></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk0ysZzTwqk-1UsW6MIsErkjBjdsx-yQG7hh3CaUPEx2bF_k8oDd-6OUpp7KXTYJRA-rV-9tWkw5TTk6G6mVMFwnLs3r53DhWwVIvOUOdv3lWVOiBiCgtHPJSeGTHL36AHolDMlkE-OMpfgoj9pU81tGiTwwyd1OKU51uUYKmhafxCmtPWEw/s2016/IMG_9169.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="759" data-original-width="2016" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk0ysZzTwqk-1UsW6MIsErkjBjdsx-yQG7hh3CaUPEx2bF_k8oDd-6OUpp7KXTYJRA-rV-9tWkw5TTk6G6mVMFwnLs3r53DhWwVIvOUOdv3lWVOiBiCgtHPJSeGTHL36AHolDMlkE-OMpfgoj9pU81tGiTwwyd1OKU51uUYKmhafxCmtPWEw/w400-h150/IMG_9169.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Typical local farmland<br /><br /></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>Waders like <b>Oystercatcher</b>, <b>Curlew</b> and <b>Lapwing</b> became noticeably less common on local farmland, as, with breeding now completed, they began to migrate back to the coasts for autumn and winter, leaving <b>Red-Legged Partridge</b> and <b>Common Pheasant</b> as the main attractions...</p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Other good/scarce birds seen/reported locally this month included:</b></p><p>A <b>long-Tailed Skua</b> was reported at Insh Marshes early in the month, but it was a pretty quiet month for rarities in this area....</p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 700;">A few photos of more common birds seen locally this month: </span></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkFRaeyxJrMjtL3MVnaEUOxFx6yWrdmGSwj_wY9nNusDWxGpegEe4Tr3vw9RKexDNApCxjNZkOnengTI2g6mQKoJQklBaODKKggBL4iZoOPD3GM6NQKb2-bWnrRrQUGBdke2LjGcG7tx-EA5fP9FZtpf4ewXCI8T-5nDVTtV3ijMOk0ygtxw/s4177/DSCN2862.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2600" data-original-width="4177" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkFRaeyxJrMjtL3MVnaEUOxFx6yWrdmGSwj_wY9nNusDWxGpegEe4Tr3vw9RKexDNApCxjNZkOnengTI2g6mQKoJQklBaODKKggBL4iZoOPD3GM6NQKb2-bWnrRrQUGBdke2LjGcG7tx-EA5fP9FZtpf4ewXCI8T-5nDVTtV3ijMOk0ygtxw/s320/DSCN2862.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A young Jackdaw</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSCmfNShMeOhHiAoErelXm28jz2sSyh2NOSrwvFHcJ9IiIqrrk9YxPQBMSg5VFt8pgP_2ffmi5oPket7i1jb75Ms802XbW5NnLrIKxWlzmZF9IBPkyj99Uz0wdLz0wvmhoSoHjadCQxuf-Jjs5NctbvudlEvMOn6Vsq_z9KytS_Qe1rBSv7Q/s4275/DSCN2863.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2533" data-original-width="4275" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSCmfNShMeOhHiAoErelXm28jz2sSyh2NOSrwvFHcJ9IiIqrrk9YxPQBMSg5VFt8pgP_2ffmi5oPket7i1jb75Ms802XbW5NnLrIKxWlzmZF9IBPkyj99Uz0wdLz0wvmhoSoHjadCQxuf-Jjs5NctbvudlEvMOn6Vsq_z9KytS_Qe1rBSv7Q/s320/DSCN2863.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Meadow Pipit</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrhV-npLEtNB6ET8zP7L_xXZihuoqBo3Sg3xpi6ajLmrWtAnX3J3On2ieR26iYYvs3JmCcl5TOkAs6oqAGnQEjBPWgIu_3e3ANPTeXKsg9wca9L1BXfHnjZCzLlqk3QsRuX0Uh47jJz_NrqZojdmkM-kRuXfqKG2zm_HlJVSl9Jh4n8VkV7A/s4133/John%20Rogers%20BF.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1579" data-original-width="4133" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrhV-npLEtNB6ET8zP7L_xXZihuoqBo3Sg3xpi6ajLmrWtAnX3J3On2ieR26iYYvs3JmCcl5TOkAs6oqAGnQEjBPWgIu_3e3ANPTeXKsg9wca9L1BXfHnjZCzLlqk3QsRuX0Uh47jJz_NrqZojdmkM-kRuXfqKG2zm_HlJVSl9Jh4n8VkV7A/w400-h153/John%20Rogers%20BF.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Bullfinch by John Rogers</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-iRtGugH2KLMwOFt0aFM6h8vVqRsPFNRvAQ_Y5cWV6Ypnx38MQ5KhU-dfkglNQ9aSTkRouN7x3XOVrrCC7sV7e_h66Gos7mJ6daBgTR309rwe-i3SrYh45xDrL937nmoKvjSTClZk4upUojMsOQYzZpSym9pUaqPm9mLq9fHGFo5ya7mV4w/s4608/DSCN2991.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-iRtGugH2KLMwOFt0aFM6h8vVqRsPFNRvAQ_Y5cWV6Ypnx38MQ5KhU-dfkglNQ9aSTkRouN7x3XOVrrCC7sV7e_h66Gos7mJ6daBgTR309rwe-i3SrYh45xDrL937nmoKvjSTClZk4upUojMsOQYzZpSym9pUaqPm9mLq9fHGFo5ya7mV4w/w400-h300/DSCN2991.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Spotted Flycatcher</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ6cMUZieOomYWgZGuwwqcWGCaTeFj92uqSeU0p1lsFpexFxcOOnf-b2t2MHMsgmDKzv6iYpPEAywguQ8oLE6ytIq-hMXfAfjMzIHfBwxNg87inQNnf2fNptv1nuYVJpxfR4iRsLGOMNlIT2c1EttP2W8FBZO4XiZszny25MsSAChlguNPGw/s2121/John%20Rogers%20C%20S%20!.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1555" data-original-width="2121" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ6cMUZieOomYWgZGuwwqcWGCaTeFj92uqSeU0p1lsFpexFxcOOnf-b2t2MHMsgmDKzv6iYpPEAywguQ8oLE6ytIq-hMXfAfjMzIHfBwxNg87inQNnf2fNptv1nuYVJpxfR4iRsLGOMNlIT2c1EttP2W8FBZO4XiZszny25MsSAChlguNPGw/w400-h294/John%20Rogers%20C%20S%20!.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Common Sandpiper by John Rogers</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Ex4UDV3krOrOyr9rQ_RL7kYpdR352i6aO6Egc2CxZ-k435vfi4mxMlaOWvO70yRC2U_HZ8keJaV0K123fR_uaTJiRTdxaRbcNaNtW4_mUFxD3J2URQ2Ohjp--_O09CZsVWUOFfjI_BrkhZpdYae48x6inXBYiDMWuRZ-apumvRCBLO_8Rw/s4608/DSCN2983.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Ex4UDV3krOrOyr9rQ_RL7kYpdR352i6aO6Egc2CxZ-k435vfi4mxMlaOWvO70yRC2U_HZ8keJaV0K123fR_uaTJiRTdxaRbcNaNtW4_mUFxD3J2URQ2Ohjp--_O09CZsVWUOFfjI_BrkhZpdYae48x6inXBYiDMWuRZ-apumvRCBLO_8Rw/s320/DSCN2983.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A very rare daytime photo of a Woodcock</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;">Adventures 'out of area':</span></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13.2px;">Being quite busy with safaris, and away for a week, I didn't have any opportunities to venture far this month...</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b>t</b>hough it should be noted that July is of course the last month to visit coastal seabird colonies to see all the auk species (Puffin, Razorbill, Guillemot etc), before they head back out to sea in August...</span></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">July 2022 mammal sightings in more detail:</b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0VwS-kNjONZiyyzyzARV4s1jTz1buATP56yl8z8Yn5buGhIdFGBkBcBZ58tPE7CEsdFiWkZplZFg1cHLhbER69EkGAxnLHHNe-5FVWh_6ZpDxnvgp3N79msHcbizVYvmlT-4Br-eHBE2SUm9PEo0fA2jn09JAzTsTMISuafmXrc-_bcB2_A/s3112/DSCN2298.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2948" data-original-width="3112" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0VwS-kNjONZiyyzyzARV4s1jTz1buATP56yl8z8Yn5buGhIdFGBkBcBZ58tPE7CEsdFiWkZplZFg1cHLhbER69EkGAxnLHHNe-5FVWh_6ZpDxnvgp3N79msHcbizVYvmlT-4Br-eHBE2SUm9PEo0fA2jn09JAzTsTMISuafmXrc-_bcB2_A/s320/DSCN2298.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Squirrel</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8oTwOI8j36afAeNHxYEY3bk5a-dbLmtxAdr4UTsW6SpHwvtnYg45bWrhzh6I60GWCx_3nDqZY9Q9KPdcm_qHyvrywGU-WvnDiOsyd7tj8pDkw28j8zeZUFLCufXl7yfg24ZX8odXC2FH70mgtcm1ar3yjBqCYCdq1rDSvA8Suzuhl1gscvw/s4608/DSCN2926.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8oTwOI8j36afAeNHxYEY3bk5a-dbLmtxAdr4UTsW6SpHwvtnYg45bWrhzh6I60GWCx_3nDqZY9Q9KPdcm_qHyvrywGU-WvnDiOsyd7tj8pDkw28j8zeZUFLCufXl7yfg24ZX8odXC2FH70mgtcm1ar3yjBqCYCdq1rDSvA8Suzuhl1gscvw/s320/DSCN2926.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Squirrel</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">Red Squirrel </b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;">was probably voted 'mammal of the day' most frequently by my safari clients this month, with many of them excited to see these charismatic and undeniably cute little animals for the first time, and bringing home to me the fact that, although I am lucky to see them regularly here, they are now very difficult to see in most of the UK, being confined mainly to the northern Scottish Highlands, with just a few small localised populations remaining in other areas...</span></b></b></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj65rw3u7KAs4i3VDqGpYT8VrEKKgvctrTuYG1fUUeqDpzqZJNFV2XSzjDGJCubsShuGA7ESTohZqRRQ36LiWVgbIuinza9vmT9zRMQvAjYf1R4ySc1DJjUl_0WkoIW0kA0g5oIvjDEHtA8xK4CAq87CA_BSWN1z_DShnQOyJ5a95m0__jb4A/s4252/DSCN2931.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2736" data-original-width="4252" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj65rw3u7KAs4i3VDqGpYT8VrEKKgvctrTuYG1fUUeqDpzqZJNFV2XSzjDGJCubsShuGA7ESTohZqRRQ36LiWVgbIuinza9vmT9zRMQvAjYf1R4ySc1DJjUl_0WkoIW0kA0g5oIvjDEHtA8xK4CAq87CA_BSWN1z_DShnQOyJ5a95m0__jb4A/w400-h258/DSCN2931.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Deer stags</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Mc1drQdS3wdtb4khrwlnOrg-mZep-SpLoJOmPBYvDLB1XVIKCNRJRfsybJMZ_KvJiM7o9HIVY1KrbctL5AVN81-YS0ghwAasMkXplbde9wZ95ljzDN8qFJlTs_iOBhpx3Bd8DzJZDLuXw6-2njfMTMjaWT3q5OUjmKaNCBbYhn3TP6uwVw/s4608/DSCN6749.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2018" data-original-width="4608" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Mc1drQdS3wdtb4khrwlnOrg-mZep-SpLoJOmPBYvDLB1XVIKCNRJRfsybJMZ_KvJiM7o9HIVY1KrbctL5AVN81-YS0ghwAasMkXplbde9wZ95ljzDN8qFJlTs_iOBhpx3Bd8DzJZDLuXw6-2njfMTMjaWT3q5OUjmKaNCBbYhn3TP6uwVw/w400-h175/DSCN6749.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Deer hinds with their young</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;">Similarly, another iconic 'Highland speciality', </span><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"> Red Deer </b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;">were seen regularly in local upland glens, usually in large same-sex herds, the stags happily feeding and seemingly relaxing, and the hinds with their fast-growing young always nearby ....</span></b></b></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3cr2ydG1wjiVEwW46s6gkSiMB6M8nAPkC2b70HjoK68xwuHZLGfFynP49kZt9WZugVn2IeGed_7s0t5ppET-hrtSQTmZEe-CZaSvU9BvTcGYqgq8Qd9U6agdLCCz7tqjV65OE31qBPcbS8uGHIw6567RguD6Us-WDBE9PyDBfrP7A8x5HAg/s2742/DSCN4076.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1282" data-original-width="2742" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3cr2ydG1wjiVEwW46s6gkSiMB6M8nAPkC2b70HjoK68xwuHZLGfFynP49kZt9WZugVn2IeGed_7s0t5ppET-hrtSQTmZEe-CZaSvU9BvTcGYqgq8Qd9U6agdLCCz7tqjV65OE31qBPcbS8uGHIw6567RguD6Us-WDBE9PyDBfrP7A8x5HAg/w400-h188/DSCN4076.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Feral Mountain Goats</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">We also have feral </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Mountain Goat </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">locally....i</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">nteresting animals, that seem to like remote upland areas, and come in a wide variety of colours, from white, through grey and brown to black, or sometimes a mixture of all of these...</span></p><div><br /></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgesPm1aFLgn0y-D0OmUu13rn1JwEDgF_n6VpO0Du0DF0AbCclLSElZPzLRjBSkO_uIGMqbuBcQ7UVgH7Py00uu911HoB4FeU7me0mRuYTcvQoWfxxhObWPmKUsiw8r75JbVJnm4JdfitOswA47LhxThXXf2kmTKOaZjg-Fjvf6RKE6zI8yzg/s3838/DSCN2971.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2485" data-original-width="3838" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgesPm1aFLgn0y-D0OmUu13rn1JwEDgF_n6VpO0Du0DF0AbCclLSElZPzLRjBSkO_uIGMqbuBcQ7UVgH7Py00uu911HoB4FeU7me0mRuYTcvQoWfxxhObWPmKUsiw8r75JbVJnm4JdfitOswA47LhxThXXf2kmTKOaZjg-Fjvf6RKE6zI8yzg/s320/DSCN2971.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Roe Deer buck</b></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Though </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Roe Deer</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> are actually quite common and widespread across the UK, their shy, nervous disposition means that they are more frequently found in quieter, less disturbed places, especially at dawn and dusk, meaning that most members of the general public rarely encounter them...but we saw them most days, especially if we made a reasonably early start...</span></span></div><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHO5gCnC_C3utey8kC0XfeyTYtZkIl_n96Z0Tkf0b4cnygL24dSdAZZeiIiBbRd0HGTEuURfPF9ttUIjlkPk_Rft9CfWIPlM-pHP2R-gGfGdfHXKcyTQlO6PKP-dW4s3xLQ9ew2bFXtveNMuCL-Y3TDu4OCb_Wo5Dm_5nZnya-fSKC4Xv5rg/s2459/DSCN0671.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1390" data-original-width="2459" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHO5gCnC_C3utey8kC0XfeyTYtZkIl_n96Z0Tkf0b4cnygL24dSdAZZeiIiBbRd0HGTEuURfPF9ttUIjlkPk_Rft9CfWIPlM-pHP2R-gGfGdfHXKcyTQlO6PKP-dW4s3xLQ9ew2bFXtveNMuCL-Y3TDu4OCb_Wo5Dm_5nZnya-fSKC4Xv5rg/w400-h226/DSCN0671.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Brown Hare</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;">The same could also be said of </span><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">Brown Hares</b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;">, with most of our sightings coming early in the day before too much human disturbance, and generally on the more remote and secluded areas of open farmland...</span></b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"><b>Mountain Hares </b><span face="">too are actually pretty tricky to find, certainly outside of the winter months, especially in their 'summer camouflage' coats of mottled brown and grey, and the few sightings that we did manage this month were brief 'random' encounters on mountainsides or high moorlands, whilst in search of the special birds of those habitats, with no chance of a photo opportunity.</span></span></b></b></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjarqbKjYr-JpZnd5GpGqKgQheI9nTNb0zB_vNig1wEn9gtB-fbF0GRP3Zdo04yifnXyXZ3L2zVvi7NSK3PaWY1wfJsIve-lG_E3CndeKCDnks8uoLGt50nuLCVb1T82oEsneWnkRyG2BffWZJ3-hUZwFayPhc9mtcFhdr4kn_uw0-Cfrh8gg/s1829/IMG_9261.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1082" data-original-width="1829" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjarqbKjYr-JpZnd5GpGqKgQheI9nTNb0zB_vNig1wEn9gtB-fbF0GRP3Zdo04yifnXyXZ3L2zVvi7NSK3PaWY1wfJsIve-lG_E3CndeKCDnks8uoLGt50nuLCVb1T82oEsneWnkRyG2BffWZJ3-hUZwFayPhc9mtcFhdr4kn_uw0-Cfrh8gg/w400-h236/IMG_9261.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Carrot time for Murdo</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Hairy Highland Coo's</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"> always prove to be popular with my safari clients, especially those who do not have them close to home, so don't be afraid to ask me if you fancy going to see them, and maybe even get to feed and 'pat' them, as I have a couple of great sites....</span></b></p><div><br /></div><p><br /></p><p><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13.2px;">Rare/nocturnal mammals:</b></p><p><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUhf3IFakuT6VX4E6UbeGtqi2c19Cl7Rno0Z5vk5UShwrJbmYVWs7KUn-nctb0OFzZHu4guZS3gy-zitRk3aMovnN7_FAhMqUpSsnQ3p674YQvqtUJBZaXCugwkGHzeafNzjnZiPJYqksW1rmPpIJt2GAYU5MZR3ylvajdnagl-zsLAEOOFw/s2007/IMG_9368.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1077" data-original-width="2007" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUhf3IFakuT6VX4E6UbeGtqi2c19Cl7Rno0Z5vk5UShwrJbmYVWs7KUn-nctb0OFzZHu4guZS3gy-zitRk3aMovnN7_FAhMqUpSsnQ3p674YQvqtUJBZaXCugwkGHzeafNzjnZiPJYqksW1rmPpIJt2GAYU5MZR3ylvajdnagl-zsLAEOOFw/w400-h215/IMG_9368.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Badgers - Viewed from a local dusk hide</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">I get a few enquiries about the possibility of seeing </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Badgers</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> and </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Pine Marten</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> from my safari clients, many of whom I suspect are unaware that they are actually a largely nocturnal creature, and although we do get the occasional (maybe one or two a year) dawn glimpse of one, you would definitely have a much higher chance of seeing them at a specific dusk Badger/Pine Marten watching hide - Please contact me for more information.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Similarly, our inland </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Otters</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> too are mainly active during the hours of darkness, and again, although we do get a few early-morning sightings on local lochs and rivers each year, looking for them feeding in a suitably quiet, kelp - filled bay on the coast on a rising tide, but at any time of day, would give you a much better chance.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-family: quot; line-height: 1.4;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: quot; line-height: 1.4;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Whilst we are still on the 'tricky to see stuff', the <b>Scottish Wildcat </b>too, as well as being incredibly rare now, is also generally nocturnal, and the fact that I have had a mere handful of (dawn or dusk) sightings in 18 years of providing wildlife safaris should give you an idea of how difficult they are to see.</span></p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Other wildlife:</b></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbR3PyRpfkPHHS6nhfFHuTEa6mkORGDlvFnkbKpLN8zOvqlFY5zq4OCI7RExvQETe18tuFbdR-HWHy7y5atWGkzba-ypPOEOgH9vJDUK2T2ndngHobM-lJR9TCxbupriqCB-vAagcBD7ZCaFVbPEEQ0RW7-skxN1i2-Wm-DFKPKK9gZhJB9Q/s2425/IMG_1182.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1504" data-original-width="2425" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbR3PyRpfkPHHS6nhfFHuTEa6mkORGDlvFnkbKpLN8zOvqlFY5zq4OCI7RExvQETe18tuFbdR-HWHy7y5atWGkzba-ypPOEOgH9vJDUK2T2ndngHobM-lJR9TCxbupriqCB-vAagcBD7ZCaFVbPEEQ0RW7-skxN1i2-Wm-DFKPKK9gZhJB9Q/w400-h248/IMG_1182.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Wood Ant nest</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p>The warm weather of July usually sees our local <b>Wood Ants </b>at their most active...</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0T5-F3Q2us0LSaIX46T8WgcyccC1gKqsyNoiD2YrrK4lzZdpRNgxeviN42Vc-BSddB41AWgCMdqgLF7MWk_504SxrBhg2np7VOX_Bd66pbOHSfnS5wH61wh5ZSxjesXe962XvTjVPTOrSzJDatqGU73GrJUNx-mqGIdUAPFbUdtUFonPALQ/s1807/IMG_1234.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1411" data-original-width="1807" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0T5-F3Q2us0LSaIX46T8WgcyccC1gKqsyNoiD2YrrK4lzZdpRNgxeviN42Vc-BSddB41AWgCMdqgLF7MWk_504SxrBhg2np7VOX_Bd66pbOHSfnS5wH61wh5ZSxjesXe962XvTjVPTOrSzJDatqGU73GrJUNx-mqGIdUAPFbUdtUFonPALQ/s320/IMG_1234.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Common Blue</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMe8sIk924Ht2l-QP8Ed7U0UfpqH5MaR1rS3q1_c59CfDBJKGZz9F8xK0v_Gg0UhlaAfhx9hRwF9qN5JEmhuoiOdpuKQwRHsciiix--qfiLdHR64lYlmTaFR_0JDRi-Pt7frs9wQDI0jCGmq_ehmOIa7y5jaKijJvlsjIAUWeFmsO4xIFlYw/s802/Blob%20s%20P%20B%20Fr%202.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="655" data-original-width="802" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMe8sIk924Ht2l-QP8Ed7U0UfpqH5MaR1rS3q1_c59CfDBJKGZz9F8xK0v_Gg0UhlaAfhx9hRwF9qN5JEmhuoiOdpuKQwRHsciiix--qfiLdHR64lYlmTaFR_0JDRi-Pt7frs9wQDI0jCGmq_ehmOIa7y5jaKijJvlsjIAUWeFmsO4xIFlYw/s320/Blob%20s%20P%20B%20Fr%202.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Small Pearl-Bordered Fritillary by Bob Smith</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRhqmZlbBKxxJuCvvjso0afVLkwrXJQ5N4fNUUFz-fye0SaJaXmTtVEmLGWaKNX2JCGIfomPUMiukMYedc30O6yZDRbVuKB19mrg-5-hKPCFoccTKrN3AjjSP-g2B6OS9hisM_cyVWz3BcauOCOpwplfqtpgolNfmjuYxMr7w_qD5rNo6rww/s2187/IMG_7694.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2020" data-original-width="2187" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRhqmZlbBKxxJuCvvjso0afVLkwrXJQ5N4fNUUFz-fye0SaJaXmTtVEmLGWaKNX2JCGIfomPUMiukMYedc30O6yZDRbVuKB19mrg-5-hKPCFoccTKrN3AjjSP-g2B6OS9hisM_cyVWz3BcauOCOpwplfqtpgolNfmjuYxMr7w_qD5rNo6rww/s320/IMG_7694.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Small Tortoiseshell</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhip7npX3EZeD5TneW-VxONeARxzYzBBeFq5G_B3FPdFL4oMkhJg2PpnDm5ztDX5CReft3CxURkHCUxUrSuUxj4TI9PDeEwpE8oo8xEpLOjEQO4YS_eItE13x6Z0jKMkX0TOgMzIHvvbvK2o6ChH4grUngeEjMG3IJ0Vd0KN5OpldkwSN-soQ/s1996/IMG_1248.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1285" data-original-width="1996" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhip7npX3EZeD5TneW-VxONeARxzYzBBeFq5G_B3FPdFL4oMkhJg2PpnDm5ztDX5CReft3CxURkHCUxUrSuUxj4TI9PDeEwpE8oo8xEpLOjEQO4YS_eItE13x6Z0jKMkX0TOgMzIHvvbvK2o6ChH4grUngeEjMG3IJ0Vd0KN5OpldkwSN-soQ/w400-h258/IMG_1248.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Scotch Argus</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Butterflies </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">of many different types were seen regularly, on the calmer sunnier days at least, with the more common species now being joined by our 'local speciality' the </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Scotch Argus</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> towards the end of the month...</span><br /><br /><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPdGIj-4eNxM0Xsnj6F1u7tstaTai3GgA81sf6ps-Dv6jfLwcZD9l5wkpld9_2nsYmMJv_8IC1LeHuWufj64YWIMN9F8xpds9wHQCBzNRnebsBsZET8YDab_Fnn4I81W6noqaETB0QUQSMlG8MVDzZ0RbRPfyfFN-RgNS9fAp9ejdDb0iKlQ/s2599/DSCN2411.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1034" data-original-width="2599" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPdGIj-4eNxM0Xsnj6F1u7tstaTai3GgA81sf6ps-Dv6jfLwcZD9l5wkpld9_2nsYmMJv_8IC1LeHuWufj64YWIMN9F8xpds9wHQCBzNRnebsBsZET8YDab_Fnn4I81W6noqaETB0QUQSMlG8MVDzZ0RbRPfyfFN-RgNS9fAp9ejdDb0iKlQ/w400-h159/DSCN2411.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Leaping Atlantic Salmon</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">The occasional rainfall and corresponding rises in water levels allowed the </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Atlantic Salmon </b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">to make their way a little further up our local rivers, and visits to popular local falls and 'leaps' can give great views - and for those with LOTS of patience, even the odd photo opportunity, as these amazing creatures attempted to fight the powerful flows and often steep ascents, to return upstream to their birthplace breeding grounds to reproduce...a highly recommended wildlife experience....</span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqvmD3ilnA4FfV82MzJHOX5fXTAvw61ykzLGul4JMgXRJlLs2epSTFiORAi0_lnNAf45PdWo8mrjr_xrQ2JSwldxDL-q1Yi0Wvvf8TZGIYv9MTYRCi3UchQ63EYkzSlJ1sKpvdPrZ-rNjI9mzSZJ5PW3Mq6w51WaVFwOsw-imm1sXJDOgGAA/s4608/DSCN6744.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqvmD3ilnA4FfV82MzJHOX5fXTAvw61ykzLGul4JMgXRJlLs2epSTFiORAi0_lnNAf45PdWo8mrjr_xrQ2JSwldxDL-q1Yi0Wvvf8TZGIYv9MTYRCi3UchQ63EYkzSlJ1sKpvdPrZ-rNjI9mzSZJ5PW3Mq6w51WaVFwOsw-imm1sXJDOgGAA/w400-h300/DSCN6744.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Rosebay Willowherb in full bloom at a local loch</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">News:</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">I am very pleased to announce that Highland Wildlife & Birdwatch Safaris has recently been awarded a Travelers Choice accreditation from Trip Advisor, for being ranked n the top 10% of visitor attractions worldwide based on customer reviews and feedback.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 4.8pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span lang="EN-US">This achievement would not have been possible without the support of all
my family, friends, safari clients, social media followers, regular blog
readers and everyone else who has helped and encouraged me along the way to
‘living my dream’ of being a wildlife safari guide, since 2004, especially over
the last couple of very difficult years, so a big THANK YOU to you all :)</span><o:p></o:p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">All tourism/hospitality/activities in Scotland are open , are now free of restrictions and that I have now completed well over a year of (thankfully!) increasingly busy and extremely enjoyable safaris with clients with no major issues arising.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">With all national travel restrictions lifted too, Scotland is officially 'open for business' for visitors from all over the UK, and from abroad.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">For those considering a visit, these wildlife/outdoor tourism websites may prove useful:</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b>https://www.gov.scot/collections/coronavirus-covid</b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.outdooraccess-scotland.scot/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">NatureScot (outdooraccess-scotland.scot)</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xGdTZcC2ZQ" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-line: none;">Can Nature Help Health? | Nature Prescriptions - YouTube</a></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1HBKnnGr-g" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;">Scotland, Yours to Enjoy. Responsibly. - YouTube</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://cairngorms.co.uk/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">Cairngorms National Park Authority</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.highlandwildlifepark.org.uk/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">Highland Wildlife Park</a></p><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.gov.scot/publications/avian-influenza-outbreaks/">Avian influenza (bird flu) outbreaks - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)</a></div><p><br /></p><div><b>COVID-19</b></div><div><br /></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><div><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>The Scottish Highlands has had very few COVID-19 cases in comparison to most of the UK, and on my safaris we tend to visit remote , wild habitats well away from the more popular tourist areas, and usually have very little interaction with other people, and this is something that I intend to continue.</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div></span></div><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxVJu8Wqeu4N5EtxqkvVDo81C15incbZMyela9rbcfOtqcmy3L8aPCacaNxTFfYNdDyXmMLbYsg0soUJNQeLehCzLmJKEYUlvvwEtI9DvoTginqN40tXyer6pLBG0JlsuDgabRK63c9rhNEL3jmd1ZjYlzjQfxOAlDh1PGXoIJurnmwqPXYg/s2325/Laggan%201.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1242" data-original-width="2325" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxVJu8Wqeu4N5EtxqkvVDo81C15incbZMyela9rbcfOtqcmy3L8aPCacaNxTFfYNdDyXmMLbYsg0soUJNQeLehCzLmJKEYUlvvwEtI9DvoTginqN40tXyer6pLBG0JlsuDgabRK63c9rhNEL3jmd1ZjYlzjQfxOAlDh1PGXoIJurnmwqPXYg/w400-h214/Laggan%201.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The upper reaches of the River Spey</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Summary:</b></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Although the bird breeding season is almost over, July is still a pretty decent month to see a good selection of birds, animals and butterflies in this area, </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">with no need for a really early start, and it's also good for a mountain-top adventure, or a trip to a seabird colony with (usually) fairly good weather, and all still with plenty of daylight hours....</span></p><p><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">I must confess though, that I always tend to feel just a little sad at the end of every July , as I know that many of our iconic summer visiting birds like Osprey, Slavonian Grebe, Ring Ouzel and the Divers, are soon to vacate our area and fly south to warmer climes as summer turns to early autumn next month.....</span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;">Reviews:</b></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="" style="color: #06004c;">I know a lot of visitors to this area very wisely check out reviews of attractions/experiences at </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Tripadvisor</b><span face="" style="color: #06004c;"> before 'taking the plunge' and booking - We now have over 250 reviews online, so if you wish, you can check out our clients comments at the link below....</span></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><div style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"></span></span><br /><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g186537-d3335134-Reviews-</span></span></span></span></span></div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"></span></span><br /><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Highland_Wildlife_Birdwatch_Safaris-Aviemore_Aviemore_and_the_Cairngorms_Scottish.html</span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div></div></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Buying my photos:</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Prints of any of the photos (taken by myself) shown on this blog, going right back to 2015, </b><b style="background-color: transparent;">reproduced on high quality photographic paper, </b><b> with a choice of sizes up to A3, and satin pearl or glossy finishes available, </b><b style="background-color: transparent;">can now be purchased from me at very reasonable prices</b><b>. So if you see an image that might look nice in a frame (provided by yourself) on your wall, please make a note of the year and month of my blog in which it appeared, and email me for more information.</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><div style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span face=""><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;">G<b>ift Certificates:</b></span><br /></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; color: #222222; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 5px; position: relative;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T95gARK_lkQ/XAvNUI2tI6I/AAAAAAAADwU/GDPgK9hH9LwgLQ8gPnoaLdf04Yn2BLebwCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_1578.JPG" style="background: none 0% 0% / auto repeat scroll padding-box border-box transparent; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 5px;" width="400" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 10.56px; text-align: center;"><b>Safari gift voucher</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></span></span></div></div></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="" style="color: #06004c; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;">If you think you know someone who may enjoy a taste of what I do, why not treat them to a safari gift </span><span face="" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;">certificate? They make a thoughtful and imaginative present, are available for any amount as full or part-payment for an excursion, and are valid at any time subject to my availability, with a one year from purchase expiry date.</span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><p><br /></p>Highland Wildlife & Birdwatch Safarishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04327130550058794301noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26724394.post-8450102403216641552022-06-30T20:00:00.001+01:002022-06-30T20:00:24.976+01:00<p><b>June 2022 </b>saw us enjoy another decent month of weather in this area, with the winds generally light, plenty of dry sunny weather, with just the odd breezy or drizzly day, and with no extremes experienced, it was pretty much ideal for wildlife-watching.</p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">It should be noted though, that it can be pretty cool early in the mornings after a clear night, and we even had a slight ground frost on one occasion, so layers of clothing is still recommended.</span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px;">With nearly 20 hours of usable daylight and all of our summer visiting bird species on territory, bird day-lists are usually just below the highest in the year now, with full-day (8-10 hours with starts no earlier than 6am needed) multi-habitat safaris regularly producing over 50 species - many with youngsters - and June is definitely 'fledgling month' up here - so if you enjoy seeing baby birds, this is definitely the month to visit!</span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px;">A visit to SWT Handa island on the 1st of the month, gave me another chance to enjoy the beautiful west coast scenery, spectacular seabird colonies and add Great and Arctic Skua to my 2022 year-list.</span></p><div style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">The combination of plenty of sun and occasional rain this month gave the spectacular highland scenery a lush, green, almost spring-like appearance, and kept the river levels topped-up, whilst the wild flowers are finally starting to bloom now, and a few patches of purple heather began to appear on south-facing banks towards the end of the month.<br /><br />A few more butterfly and day-flying moth species were noted on the sunnier days,</div><div style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><br /></div><div style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><br /></div><div style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><br /></div><div style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiUiKwT3H4v7izBL6vqtvuzjGK6vO_mj6o8dQs8BAem3fsepqW4VGTQWnTuJ9bc0j6VtwuDzNzSBqXttK9NbKszpejdJaiisSLPzGnTM5Wc8AF_mEY7SOWftMDi4JrbPn8L6raLEbmK4AFpXaYkK5SPsbPSEex9Wn0g2r3n5EdUpBNSxRkZQ/s1948/IMG_9173.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1190" data-original-width="1948" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiUiKwT3H4v7izBL6vqtvuzjGK6vO_mj6o8dQs8BAem3fsepqW4VGTQWnTuJ9bc0j6VtwuDzNzSBqXttK9NbKszpejdJaiisSLPzGnTM5Wc8AF_mEY7SOWftMDi4JrbPn8L6raLEbmK4AFpXaYkK5SPsbPSEex9Wn0g2r3n5EdUpBNSxRkZQ/w400-h244/IMG_9173.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A picturesque Highland loch</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><br /></div><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">To give you an idea of what you may realistically hope to see if you are considering a future June visit, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">I hope the following more detailed information, illustrated with photos taken at sites in and around the Cairngorms National Park by myself, my friends or my safari clients this month and in previous June's will help....clicking on the picture enlarges it to full-screen. </span></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Local speciality/upland bird species seen regularly during the month included</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">:</span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Osprey</b>, <b>Red Grouse,</b> <b>Slavonian Grebe</b>, <b>Red-Throated Diver,</b> <b>Black-Throated Diver, Goldeneye</b> and <b>D|pper,</b> with a few hard-earned sightings of <b>Ring Ouzel</b>, and <b>Crossbills</b>, just a couple of glimpses of <b>Crested Tits </b>and one brief early morning encounter with a female <b>Black Grouse</b> with chicks....sadly, but not unusually, <b>Capercaillie</b> was not seen at all, and , as is normal for this time of year, we only managed a couple of brief distant views of <b>Golden Eagle</b> and <b>White-Tailed Eagle</b>....</span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Mammal species seen regularly included:</b></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Rabbit, </b><b>Red Squirrel, Red Deer, Roe Deer, Reindeer,</b><b style="font-weight: 400;"> </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">and </span><b>feral Mountain Goat</b><b style="font-weight: 400;">, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;">and we also had a few early-morning sightings of</span><b style="font-weight: 400;"> </b><b>Brown Hare </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;">and</span><b style="font-weight: 400;"> </b>one of<b style="font-weight: 400;"> </b></span></span><b style="font-weight: bold;">Mountain Hare , </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;">Whilst a trip to the west coast produced views of both types of <b>Seal.</b></span></span></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">June 2022 bird sightings in more detail:</b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">On the lochs...</b></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgL0Ap8-dW8pRUIT86XA9WWBpLnc9OHPnzPX5W8H9uBMlDor34fF0P0kN75c4Ez3bP2Vy2lsnaVVTgEIPjClaheTCsTol1W8E8ZCGzagWnaurLkw8YUVkquQBslU_vLFZh4lQiGFGyx-OqoGV7nCeVQ4S4Yn21TKdnQD4_IK-zxOu8bSdhmA/s2015/IMG_9207.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1149" data-original-width="2015" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgL0Ap8-dW8pRUIT86XA9WWBpLnc9OHPnzPX5W8H9uBMlDor34fF0P0kN75c4Ez3bP2Vy2lsnaVVTgEIPjClaheTCsTol1W8E8ZCGzagWnaurLkw8YUVkquQBslU_vLFZh4lQiGFGyx-OqoGV7nCeVQ4S4Yn21TKdnQD4_IK-zxOu8bSdhmA/w400-h228/IMG_9207.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Midsummer at a local loch</b></td></tr></tbody></table></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNcr8B-VmJCpwHLcoDL92ERJWKEEQEm2Ip6dpJutFiU0OwyuYED_UX3_D1lJrA2vx59FdnFXVUIrK3zRkLwjo3VDPnHBR8GAAyNcF6xuyzBxJO2lYclJmLTHe0P8RqeFCiyQ07TjxHxb-v-vAyn_lD6o0FxqT3rEtDNSaW07McYSonTLfKjw/s3855/DSCN2780.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2903" data-original-width="3855" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNcr8B-VmJCpwHLcoDL92ERJWKEEQEm2Ip6dpJutFiU0OwyuYED_UX3_D1lJrA2vx59FdnFXVUIrK3zRkLwjo3VDPnHBR8GAAyNcF6xuyzBxJO2lYclJmLTHe0P8RqeFCiyQ07TjxHxb-v-vAyn_lD6o0FxqT3rEtDNSaW07McYSonTLfKjw/w400-h301/DSCN2780.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Osprey family</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b><p></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7vnD2eDyuqdsrlR8NVK8crpfzMwaoPgU_R5OpThw_oPNXB1qey2xRMLzAULoZrep9Y2GdaKbbKG2jEN-VG0jKfP5Kgaf5bJd3vXmj1O9zZWsh8uXKAj8d-2WHvSweoO6jhffHS89vWM8FRNJNwVrjUu7LTUqPFPbMnDmqBcteWFPOurSn4g/s4408/DSCN2744.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3230" data-original-width="4408" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7vnD2eDyuqdsrlR8NVK8crpfzMwaoPgU_R5OpThw_oPNXB1qey2xRMLzAULoZrep9Y2GdaKbbKG2jEN-VG0jKfP5Kgaf5bJd3vXmj1O9zZWsh8uXKAj8d-2WHvSweoO6jhffHS89vWM8FRNJNwVrjUu7LTUqPFPbMnDmqBcteWFPOurSn4g/w400-h293/DSCN2744.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Osprey delivering fish</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4opitAR-6Lv7WIi2LzZsSWDiZfi-LOdjgbgLDkV5b8H7Ven1kEbmTa289_OFQ6vAKaxfMcBYJubLm6Y1rwXHQnWQ5W3KLIoWCSJK11Eo5FuxDCDpiQkUk1fYQoGRw4rjWzhpIksML-exND-OoyP_AopoJSkuatHQWOQ2ppSr8_d3vY2frwg/s755/Chris%20Hole%20Osp%203.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="546" data-original-width="755" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4opitAR-6Lv7WIi2LzZsSWDiZfi-LOdjgbgLDkV5b8H7Ven1kEbmTa289_OFQ6vAKaxfMcBYJubLm6Y1rwXHQnWQ5W3KLIoWCSJK11Eo5FuxDCDpiQkUk1fYQoGRw4rjWzhpIksML-exND-OoyP_AopoJSkuatHQWOQ2ppSr8_d3vY2frwg/w400-h289/Chris%20Hole%20Osp%203.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Osprey by Chris Hole</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2-PxzDmDUDyMa_VEjYtQTYsXXT0IDKnvTWrrEiV9QN54X55tCmv070r-R5Mdq7Euf19YfaZi9HyoweyoPBoJdedMGC1UOEVx1rS6iAzB72NwLmP7bEt364Y5sJgHHMO5jnrF9M0EBt6XRX-7vwI8ldHsbsrkwwm4un2RODtHEvcjEoPgOWg/s4608/DSCN2758.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2-PxzDmDUDyMa_VEjYtQTYsXXT0IDKnvTWrrEiV9QN54X55tCmv070r-R5Mdq7Euf19YfaZi9HyoweyoPBoJdedMGC1UOEVx1rS6iAzB72NwLmP7bEt364Y5sJgHHMO5jnrF9M0EBt6XRX-7vwI8ldHsbsrkwwm4un2RODtHEvcjEoPgOWg/w400-h300/DSCN2758.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Osprey delivering top-up nest material</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjui05GSgRLVoRRneAi1rWV4z5LBh8p0CuaWAmGYz1o5MZ1p2EO8tUS-td4DfQW5_lA7SD_VKKg95XLS7NVQodVD2pZzTqlxW6QkpSvp27kVyKiVpPs7aVPfV0AonEg8twMyYG6j-BUZtLJWmdQIe0he_DdPhrbFmXy4SIq3I3BMcm2l0SAiQ/s3730/DSCN2742.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2476" data-original-width="3730" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjui05GSgRLVoRRneAi1rWV4z5LBh8p0CuaWAmGYz1o5MZ1p2EO8tUS-td4DfQW5_lA7SD_VKKg95XLS7NVQodVD2pZzTqlxW6QkpSvp27kVyKiVpPs7aVPfV0AonEg8twMyYG6j-BUZtLJWmdQIe0he_DdPhrbFmXy4SIq3I3BMcm2l0SAiQ/w400-h265/DSCN2742.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Osprey with partly-eaten Trout</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;">Osprey</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"> is usually the 'star bird' of the mid-summer months up here, and that proved to be the case this month, with my safari parties often fortunate enough to see them sat in, on </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">or around their nest, occasionally plunge-diving spectacularly to catch a fish, or delivering a fish or more nest material to the nest on several occasions, and from mid month we started to see the rapidly growing 'downy' youngsters heads popping up in the nests for the first time this year....a marvelous and heart-warming sight!</span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdgDd61bOPf9iqRNhceteqkO49ewIzLv7lhH0NFecM5Hih0s-qxlQZCYjispa03fWq9GMBep0f-SeWIzof_IzAt9tX11pwn9QDAKYzH-U4uIs0-o1irgYI-_IWOeGKb-rnakKeiVoM-unEYDst9q0hCF7D4H1mshBz-qGAppixNgWBHhvIaQ/s4282/DSCN6572.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2605" data-original-width="4282" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdgDd61bOPf9iqRNhceteqkO49ewIzLv7lhH0NFecM5Hih0s-qxlQZCYjispa03fWq9GMBep0f-SeWIzof_IzAt9tX11pwn9QDAKYzH-U4uIs0-o1irgYI-_IWOeGKb-rnakKeiVoM-unEYDst9q0hCF7D4H1mshBz-qGAppixNgWBHhvIaQ/w400-h244/DSCN6572.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Slavonian Grebe family</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb13-1meTI7PlPEAUJA3k5WuF0DaXKtBxDJKVD7qECkLMAD-ooi7mOUFDf4xxuDErGwZoGJgZCM8QfGi1oA3wKfmvGTBLs9dUWMJHUBWLthf3AiftAHvPpU9BgjUX3ntZUrEF1kOCKQAASpCBmn1pW4H8UnT7rVSICbXqiydFD64WeSMyApA/s2418/IMG_7383.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1924" data-original-width="2418" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb13-1meTI7PlPEAUJA3k5WuF0DaXKtBxDJKVD7qECkLMAD-ooi7mOUFDf4xxuDErGwZoGJgZCM8QfGi1oA3wKfmvGTBLs9dUWMJHUBWLthf3AiftAHvPpU9BgjUX3ntZUrEF1kOCKQAASpCBmn1pW4H8UnT7rVSICbXqiydFD64WeSMyApA/w400-h319/IMG_7383.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Slavonian Grebes</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;">Slavonian Grebes, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">in their beautiful summer plumage, were seen and enjoyed regularly From a safe, legal and respectable distance, on their favoured quiet lochans, the males frequently observed delivering food to the female birds on their nests hidden deep in the sedge beds , and we were delighted to confirm much-needed breeding success for this (UK-wise) rare and threatened species, when we got to see the incredibly cute humbug-striped youngsters early in the month...</span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><br /></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><br /></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvodTudCtrULatwhno92ubHsN9Ak_LK8iYYxpeODvjOEgQMyTdlqn7fDfWw7CZk-LPrTpMmU4eqh9ZXVAsFbX9GlB0K92rf3fF5HQ_B8DrCsAcIFw9yG0P_j_O6wDACe7YC9JiDwY8_p4GhRgeBSYK8Vk-GVMiVRpD3LwprvyAsUwXANsXBg/s4284/DSCN2592.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2561" data-original-width="4284" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvodTudCtrULatwhno92ubHsN9Ak_LK8iYYxpeODvjOEgQMyTdlqn7fDfWw7CZk-LPrTpMmU4eqh9ZXVAsFbX9GlB0K92rf3fF5HQ_B8DrCsAcIFw9yG0P_j_O6wDACe7YC9JiDwY8_p4GhRgeBSYK8Vk-GVMiVRpD3LwprvyAsUwXANsXBg/w400-h239/DSCN2592.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A typically distant view of</b> <b>Black-Throated Diver</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3L6oigxcDj3QwaGgdE1s7O2xNCYvhEkgg5TtHjarTFLBKtxNYvO3nPm5aBj5jZ45qx9_m5wMd3Zr1a9s36YyikM3YsVIuiQn_jUS-8Q1RMC-Wp5Yn6vE6WlpITaOjM_-47KlqPhtdKi3wUlu94mxycFW_Lh8SZgVQV0N7rZCjGLyfjz7_pw/s4085/DSCN2853.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2002" data-original-width="4085" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3L6oigxcDj3QwaGgdE1s7O2xNCYvhEkgg5TtHjarTFLBKtxNYvO3nPm5aBj5jZ45qx9_m5wMd3Zr1a9s36YyikM3YsVIuiQn_jUS-8Q1RMC-Wp5Yn6vE6WlpITaOjM_-47KlqPhtdKi3wUlu94mxycFW_Lh8SZgVQV0N7rZCjGLyfjz7_pw/w400-h196/DSCN2853.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Young Black-Throated Divers</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7tsy5h8uacO3fqFWEJVbWkMPWn1AwTN4z_tph2PzYUjoLWS36g1MKoccQO4XsaSWZcWlEBtIMXLQySr2L-bKtagwKf4-kdBFIjFrnTUlix75mKCpB_hnoR0QM2W1l9r9Mi6Cx42IeB1GFBiNhtfA1FQNfx-OobKVu23chYYzfAhE-eyFjTg/s4005/DSCN2859.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3004" data-original-width="4005" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7tsy5h8uacO3fqFWEJVbWkMPWn1AwTN4z_tph2PzYUjoLWS36g1MKoccQO4XsaSWZcWlEBtIMXLQySr2L-bKtagwKf4-kdBFIjFrnTUlix75mKCpB_hnoR0QM2W1l9r9Mi6Cx42IeB1GFBiNhtfA1FQNfx-OobKVu23chYYzfAhE-eyFjTg/w400-h300/DSCN2859.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A rare close-up shot of a Black-Throated Diver</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><br /></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;">Black-Throated Divers</span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"> in their strikingly beautiful summer plumage, were seen reasonably regularly on suitable secluded local lochs, though they were not totally reliable, and it should be noted that generally we had our best views on calmer days, with little or no ripple on the water, and usually had the closest encounters early in the day, when human disturbance was it it's lowest...and thankfully we were able to confirm local breeding success when one pair were spotted with 2 cute grey chicks on the 11th....</span></span></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpplObItLJ-8Qxei2OZ4WDUaioie0ThHarL7W89nsoqT98W4qw8AbNHzy4q-JxJo2SWre2uaXLIEaCgkrqiWk4I4qwEfJkFucjun4yiyCczB24y7jlSbiRbyTbEDtdu8_Qvfq8mUaF-5C6N7LrNVYstpXTohfHyPRt01Sv-IKSGguqNdABew/s4127/DSCN6345.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1908" data-original-width="4127" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpplObItLJ-8Qxei2OZ4WDUaioie0ThHarL7W89nsoqT98W4qw8AbNHzy4q-JxJo2SWre2uaXLIEaCgkrqiWk4I4qwEfJkFucjun4yiyCczB24y7jlSbiRbyTbEDtdu8_Qvfq8mUaF-5C6N7LrNVYstpXTohfHyPRt01Sv-IKSGguqNdABew/w400-h185/DSCN6345.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red-Throated Diver</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><b>Red-Throated Divers</b>, however, proved to be a bit elusive this month, with just a couple of very distant views achieved, and no evidence of any local breeding success confirmed yet...</span></span></p><p><br /></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9xZlZugKc9lEZ3nFrDRW_yE47YtWwJ6xLB9thQ7IUpwBpRzzYkk2Z11tzvo9rAJyVz1RidErPsk19GfTVwG6x_CIX6QL2Eq4UvpIcydkOQe-1De2E9ZQy_ODA4UYM10YvOIbpibstQbpVLWUxSPg1ySe88ALMGlV5RenB7aX-PC0dRpyKvg/s2776/Goldeneye%20family.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1343" data-original-width="2776" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9xZlZugKc9lEZ3nFrDRW_yE47YtWwJ6xLB9thQ7IUpwBpRzzYkk2Z11tzvo9rAJyVz1RidErPsk19GfTVwG6x_CIX6QL2Eq4UvpIcydkOQe-1De2E9ZQy_ODA4UYM10YvOIbpibstQbpVLWUxSPg1ySe88ALMGlV5RenB7aX-PC0dRpyKvg/w400-h194/Goldeneye%20family.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Goldeneye family<br /><br /></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;">Goldeneye</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"> too are a 'local speciality' breeding bird, with Highland Scotland their only UK breeding area, and our local nest boxes proving popular, we enjoyed good views of families of these very attractive little ducks throughout the month.</span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><br /></span></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Up on the moors....</b></b></p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7vdpuVutrACpojdM5DmmnJC3YcBJvIlDCi76iAfCXP6eFV5extALQHMgwU3m4l83kyfOHH9USmXUtYdTbv3VTbBfDymA3dxpdr6oZteGLrdoJz8g9V9H23DSGBt2mglfH3xHdYtXU1QngzGeXwalPVjhSHYNiTwtSSXflY3hL3Stf1E75fA/s1279/IMG_2428.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="730" data-original-width="1279" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7vdpuVutrACpojdM5DmmnJC3YcBJvIlDCi76iAfCXP6eFV5extALQHMgwU3m4l83kyfOHH9USmXUtYdTbv3VTbBfDymA3dxpdr6oZteGLrdoJz8g9V9H23DSGBt2mglfH3xHdYtXU1QngzGeXwalPVjhSHYNiTwtSSXflY3hL3Stf1E75fA/w400-h229/IMG_2428.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A rainbow over a Cairngorms moorland</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3FbkCOMYzw_fRm14MUcnfO_5HjX0xTkhjrXo7WqCIaZeE8a8P-qOmNgeR2iwXUKlq5sqpNk9CtzhBriowMH5Zo3b5cn0TshE-ONN1uDluZLhuICA39YQs0q9zypZ-Mjuz3-jLynSfBiaiKWOFot0VR5uaLD5Job8wEKU5wnO93V4Ah7Ch-g/s1530/Chris%20Hole%20RG.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1025" data-original-width="1530" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3FbkCOMYzw_fRm14MUcnfO_5HjX0xTkhjrXo7WqCIaZeE8a8P-qOmNgeR2iwXUKlq5sqpNk9CtzhBriowMH5Zo3b5cn0TshE-ONN1uDluZLhuICA39YQs0q9zypZ-Mjuz3-jLynSfBiaiKWOFot0VR5uaLD5Job8wEKU5wnO93V4Ah7Ch-g/w400-h268/Chris%20Hole%20RG.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Female Red Grouse with 3 chicks by Chris Hole</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpHOSjJqTFQOxu4kTBuSDJzBaKKiZ2BPgDoU29HHU7JjKizi2xQRGomFFlGrf8zjEWRTo5TCjsHEL4zW05ZWL1mNKLHrV2qo11Gfz8mXwRTyDS1RJ-T7uo256VmTuY7aAdq68j8qronfuUq4XNHuN1l5gf8M9ILbR2UxUbOTJeW2lHpEywow/s1510/Chris%20Hole%20RG%20M.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1092" data-original-width="1510" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpHOSjJqTFQOxu4kTBuSDJzBaKKiZ2BPgDoU29HHU7JjKizi2xQRGomFFlGrf8zjEWRTo5TCjsHEL4zW05ZWL1mNKLHrV2qo11Gfz8mXwRTyDS1RJ-T7uo256VmTuY7aAdq68j8qronfuUq4XNHuN1l5gf8M9ILbR2UxUbOTJeW2lHpEywow/w400-h289/Chris%20Hole%20RG%20M.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Red Grouse by Chris Hole<br /><br /></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;">Red Grouse</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;"> were not too difficult to find in suitable areas of heather moorland, despite their impressive camouflage, and if you could spot the heads of the adults popping up like periscopes above the dense heather, waited patiently, and looked carefully, you then usually got to see their brood of very cute, fast-growing youngsters too...</span></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTSZ442cBi6S4sSsJVA7Lf2XHfzYjSz2L15ecP9lyNDUBgcC4KLP2--3p1QOW2WL_NnkBhBU6Zj6Ih83__jDT08UUv8Xlyo1jUpzcpTWHG57K159ftowdjVBbBYeXDba0VYPvuKGrw-140H_SPaoJoshZiZg0tPmMYildhorp3pU4DEiPj7A/s3158/DSCN2753.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2109" data-original-width="3158" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTSZ442cBi6S4sSsJVA7Lf2XHfzYjSz2L15ecP9lyNDUBgcC4KLP2--3p1QOW2WL_NnkBhBU6Zj6Ih83__jDT08UUv8Xlyo1jUpzcpTWHG57K159ftowdjVBbBYeXDba0VYPvuKGrw-140H_SPaoJoshZiZg0tPmMYildhorp3pU4DEiPj7A/w400-h268/DSCN2753.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A rarely seen female Black Grouse</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;"><b>Black Grouse</b> generally only show at dawn between midwinter and the end of May, but we got very lucky early in the morning on the 20th, when we happened across a female with 3 chicks crossing a track...</span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">I</span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">n the Caledonian forests...</b></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0oIGtrYz6oze5oWkbv3b5XQ8V8CcTguR9v81yLtBtNmGEpb7F95kL-ngIHQMwGYAxTIiQ6HIc3b7Od1hXhWyKdyPnV6NqgOVxhcdhtFvhXnW2C6hSLaqtMSgfieyQI8TKcbp6TAIUryCIFuLjwMpVpVZjQOIlGGspGtui2h5nwF4CA2G8zg/s2016/IMG_7113.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0oIGtrYz6oze5oWkbv3b5XQ8V8CcTguR9v81yLtBtNmGEpb7F95kL-ngIHQMwGYAxTIiQ6HIc3b7Od1hXhWyKdyPnV6NqgOVxhcdhtFvhXnW2C6hSLaqtMSgfieyQI8TKcbp6TAIUryCIFuLjwMpVpVZjQOIlGGspGtui2h5nwF4CA2G8zg/w400-h300/IMG_7113.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Nice light in a local Caledonian forest</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilEGoWPoNZ0mnAtxggvbT9DaI-u_Xq25uwf5K-UhHqqz__lbRH5JOn8k6q6eJ7ivaRZwD_xkgDOr6xQCRBCvHpYeASn0yNvYcRDPIcc9u7wYdKLwLxfu4c0cMl05Ace_12vG6KqbhSvgykrPPx2LIalcEDeAAfErN6VwQBxBt5qNNTa522aA/s2157/Crestie%202.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2088" data-original-width="2157" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilEGoWPoNZ0mnAtxggvbT9DaI-u_Xq25uwf5K-UhHqqz__lbRH5JOn8k6q6eJ7ivaRZwD_xkgDOr6xQCRBCvHpYeASn0yNvYcRDPIcc9u7wYdKLwLxfu4c0cMl05Ace_12vG6KqbhSvgykrPPx2LIalcEDeAAfErN6VwQBxBt5qNNTa522aA/s320/Crestie%202.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Crested Tit by Bob Smith - Photo from June 2016</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;">Crested Tit</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;"> (finally!!!) became a little less difficult to see on our Caledonian forest walks, though they could still not be described as 'easy', as the recently-fledged youngsters learned to forage for food with their parents in family groups, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">but please be aware that they are extremely 'flitty', rarely sitting still for photo opportunities, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">often only alerting us to their presence in the Caledonian pine forests with their distinctive rippling trills.... and you need to be able to hear and recognise this to have a decent chance....don't worry, I will use the app on my ipad and mobile phone to train you up!!</span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg44rA1-HopWWQQ-e4bSr1FLOjA_ja2OOs6mCPrTq1cU9ZNpDYpV8BV9N1pzB9PQzhLg7tAWwjhd2jvchB4kFncDrtbq77vhQmf4db9yCn7WSlcNcu-ZGtwRspfvYAh1Rf6mtrXs4rE1h4UMjQLLsoDBc1F8BWjmHl799wWPg8WHLWjgdpltg/s4018/DSCN2669.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2715" data-original-width="4018" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg44rA1-HopWWQQ-e4bSr1FLOjA_ja2OOs6mCPrTq1cU9ZNpDYpV8BV9N1pzB9PQzhLg7tAWwjhd2jvchB4kFncDrtbq77vhQmf4db9yCn7WSlcNcu-ZGtwRspfvYAh1Rf6mtrXs4rE1h4UMjQLLsoDBc1F8BWjmHl799wWPg8WHLWjgdpltg/w400-h270/DSCN2669.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Female Crossbill</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3SH-odyYuLb7PG75LhbZD9DjtRl5RpQfRu7VqCQLKNmBDR0khmfQyRRvekUCFYNweN9UWO90HTjRJzBzVYj-_7zmYTgHToNI6tD-wPOiBsXWxdRHqzowiKjK3Wi7NQLzxUOoCNybIUm5CKQRWEvoK2-vpmzVq8k1QFo455DCyDLVVaDLwPw/s4211/DSCN2737.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3117" data-original-width="4211" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3SH-odyYuLb7PG75LhbZD9DjtRl5RpQfRu7VqCQLKNmBDR0khmfQyRRvekUCFYNweN9UWO90HTjRJzBzVYj-_7zmYTgHToNI6tD-wPOiBsXWxdRHqzowiKjK3Wi7NQLzxUOoCNybIUm5CKQRWEvoK2-vpmzVq8k1QFo455DCyDLVVaDLwPw/w400-h296/DSCN2737.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Probably my best ever photo of a male Crossbill!<br /><br /></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">The same could definitely be said of </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;">Crossbills</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">, usually one of the more tricky species to see well regularly due to their unpredictable 'irruptive' behaviour, but by listening out for their trademark 'jip jip' calls and for falling pine cones....although most of our sighting were of the frustrating fly-over variety, we actually got lucky and managed decent sightings on a number of occasions this month, and even had a few rare photo opportunities!!</span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">As is usual, we failed to manage any sightings of Capercaillie this month,.....</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-size: 15.972px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-size: 13.2px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;"><span style="font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4;">Please note: In order to help protect them and keep sensitive sites 'off the radar', I no longer take clients on specific Capercaillie-hunting missions, and although we do visit suitable areas of forest, I would only rate our chances of seeing one on my safaris as "very slim" at best, </span></span></span></span></b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400;">and during 'lekking' and breeding season, I will be 'responsible' by staying out of 'sensitive' areas at dawn between April and July to allow this now very rare and elusive bird to (hopefully) lek and breed in peace....</span></b></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>In the birch woods:</b></span></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdudCyulLMiKdEofHAjokIi133RTMKz-vrVLV5ktJgqG1jtXCV485tR-Wzs4Bqk0REJppBqxWXSMQleZW0wuT8X1XgSCL0H-bqe40zwFVGkh7FuvM4WQKSlDNstMxOOQ7UBLTcdG9lIgDGkzgwM0la6q9D9CzvJY4cJmaMOPdSuOryHmCJPA/s2015/IMG_7082.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1348" data-original-width="2015" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdudCyulLMiKdEofHAjokIi133RTMKz-vrVLV5ktJgqG1jtXCV485tR-Wzs4Bqk0REJppBqxWXSMQleZW0wuT8X1XgSCL0H-bqe40zwFVGkh7FuvM4WQKSlDNstMxOOQ7UBLTcdG9lIgDGkzgwM0la6q9D9CzvJY4cJmaMOPdSuOryHmCJPA/w400-h268/IMG_7082.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A local birch wood</b></td></tr></tbody></table></span></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCSFc2wq7bDE1zkLLPSMU2WY2WYlXsfhDamXesqghChwvriMkN8LOjOcH8yuJCe1qxLOEI8kqJcBl12-8PZfERbDC4U1dn6dpy6P9p7Hd4wrcvSzDr_niNX2sSS6qb6_lWk0xKtXP1bh-yte2pxWTG9FbHPbKbgLmZ8Z4CCDaVuNu2VSUKBw/s3409/DSCN2577.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2089" data-original-width="3409" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCSFc2wq7bDE1zkLLPSMU2WY2WYlXsfhDamXesqghChwvriMkN8LOjOcH8yuJCe1qxLOEI8kqJcBl12-8PZfERbDC4U1dn6dpy6P9p7Hd4wrcvSzDr_niNX2sSS6qb6_lWk0xKtXP1bh-yte2pxWTG9FbHPbKbgLmZ8Z4CCDaVuNu2VSUKBw/w400-h245/DSCN2577.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Pied Flycatcher</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1eA2xRCb5RPIgiainLqm2ihhEtWa81_WhAvpKOr4pf-JhE47bJZzQGafdvJCzenmLI-xjF1Rhh4krMCbtxjMQFYvGK4OwTF-vv_ffm47944JD-8pKwSb1PNFDCyzMd5U3ZuVxw7zWLDR4nz_uE0XruLafl7fT5F3jqQLfA-umVjOLM_WsJg/s1922/Steve%20N%20P%20F.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1281" data-original-width="1922" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1eA2xRCb5RPIgiainLqm2ihhEtWa81_WhAvpKOr4pf-JhE47bJZzQGafdvJCzenmLI-xjF1Rhh4krMCbtxjMQFYvGK4OwTF-vv_ffm47944JD-8pKwSb1PNFDCyzMd5U3ZuVxw7zWLDR4nz_uE0XruLafl7fT5F3jqQLfA-umVjOLM_WsJg/s320/Steve%20N%20P%20F.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Singing male Pied Flycatcher by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Although </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Wood Warbler</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> and </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Pied Flycatcher</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> are more usually found in the ancient Atlantic oak woods on the west coast of the UK, we are usually fortunate to get a few in our local birch woods from May-August, and with a bit of persistence, and by using our ears to follow their distinctive calls and songs, we managed to get a few decent views of <b>Pied Flycatcher </b>on and off throughout the month, and although I haven't actually seen any fledglings, their behaviour suggested that they are feeding young...</span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFYnrDpGbqEmH00U-gP3rljLk6_YTdTgBgpQONRQfVIu2ry1nYetuizIBhDqexBXBoeccfXUuGasbUB0_WtJdxYCHyBg3sTASxPg6gjCPGxwHDKP5Ut9ALv8bT8K3PkoR8UEe30WfkSRUNlvV4ekM5bWDAFgMTnaXHMhZMkAZlZpn9ENedlg/s3242/DSCN1942.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2301" data-original-width="3242" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFYnrDpGbqEmH00U-gP3rljLk6_YTdTgBgpQONRQfVIu2ry1nYetuizIBhDqexBXBoeccfXUuGasbUB0_WtJdxYCHyBg3sTASxPg6gjCPGxwHDKP5Ut9ALv8bT8K3PkoR8UEe30WfkSRUNlvV4ekM5bWDAFgMTnaXHMhZMkAZlZpn9ENedlg/s320/DSCN1942.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Wood Warbler - photo from June 2017</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Wood Warbler </b>however, has proved unusually difficult for me, and most other local birders, to find locally this year, and I am sad to say that I have yet to see, or even hear one yet....so I have include a photo from a previous June for illustration purposes...</span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">On the rivers...</b></p><p><br /></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisgKqNcSJ4RjtTM_ZNTrLNVmqjGB2mrCAkvTbxsXN40zR13dKCoj4Dw5NF4F2GhKOc2uHPdJGkIZwGNJ3Co4fDv9du4BpL17rmYzUnt2LY5MIUjSxikJ6uWBbEO-cJgXqgrznENqGosuedOdJ9_6zNRJbc-0jHL7PqB6YGJD7imNmbe3DffQ/s2015/IMG_9272.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1191" data-original-width="2015" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisgKqNcSJ4RjtTM_ZNTrLNVmqjGB2mrCAkvTbxsXN40zR13dKCoj4Dw5NF4F2GhKOc2uHPdJGkIZwGNJ3Co4fDv9du4BpL17rmYzUnt2LY5MIUjSxikJ6uWBbEO-cJgXqgrznENqGosuedOdJ9_6zNRJbc-0jHL7PqB6YGJD7imNmbe3DffQ/w400-h236/IMG_9272.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The River Spey</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihNoCuYZ02ftVBlY484Xm5ivP6yzRYCOCiDP2v4MQ234grbRLrFPmMJ35YJvZt-Fd2rcPqFBkt_J7ZQd2ZzSlujhZM8EtNrCkkuuEf8EL15MDlXBWKtAgsDMUT2jLDPKWTqCcWXJxtYxv2-JlBbZfwmAvIymRehOYpZhIvrFM-AFtWlFHBqQ/s4069/DSCN2823.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2642" data-original-width="4069" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihNoCuYZ02ftVBlY484Xm5ivP6yzRYCOCiDP2v4MQ234grbRLrFPmMJ35YJvZt-Fd2rcPqFBkt_J7ZQd2ZzSlujhZM8EtNrCkkuuEf8EL15MDlXBWKtAgsDMUT2jLDPKWTqCcWXJxtYxv2-JlBbZfwmAvIymRehOYpZhIvrFM-AFtWlFHBqQ/w400-h260/DSCN2823.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Dipper</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizgewYow2ZXg3NStDoKIT1D19oVvG64gntPBzthzv5Hzsdq-Uev5IVLAAgASPL08gAxjKjA0xSxDJfWWnjbjawuCK87gz6uHXYUQHwU6GLdlqZ9GUCjhgxq4TlJ6kwav-GiHUskFQACqJxAJfAf8Cvmchl7swiYiRvlEXH2quiqLK-DZGcww/s3011/Steve%20N%20Dippers.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2007" data-original-width="3011" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizgewYow2ZXg3NStDoKIT1D19oVvG64gntPBzthzv5Hzsdq-Uev5IVLAAgASPL08gAxjKjA0xSxDJfWWnjbjawuCK87gz6uHXYUQHwU6GLdlqZ9GUCjhgxq4TlJ6kwav-GiHUskFQACqJxAJfAf8Cvmchl7swiYiRvlEXH2quiqLK-DZGcww/s320/Steve%20N%20Dippers.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Feeding time for a young Dipper - Photo by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;">Dippers</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"> featured reasonably frequently on my safaris this month, with our local rivers often producing decent close-up views of adults with beaks full of food, and the fast-growing families of these characterful and endearing little birds, that always prove to be popular with my clients, many of whom do not have them on or near their local patch, as they are generally restricted to upland areas in the north and west of the UK.</span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIH2LMlCmJvobYFGE9uC4bLuHQFwi6NVm_l1lOiIHQBjyPpsLeUiRKoSagPLWU2nwLIvsENYcWAOd4Zgha8kKrsbQqRX-buqkvJSq7e2MZBKe-_PUTeiht66IAILtlybCLTCOjaIZ-YtHk0hQE000XNzAUOFMlNBBAPtH-uvau3yaNGsjJqQ/s4388/DSCN2849.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1717" data-original-width="4388" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIH2LMlCmJvobYFGE9uC4bLuHQFwi6NVm_l1lOiIHQBjyPpsLeUiRKoSagPLWU2nwLIvsENYcWAOd4Zgha8kKrsbQqRX-buqkvJSq7e2MZBKe-_PUTeiht66IAILtlybCLTCOjaIZ-YtHk0hQE000XNzAUOFMlNBBAPtH-uvau3yaNGsjJqQ/w400-h156/DSCN2849.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Goosanders</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>With a UK distribution similar to Dipper, Goosanders too, are a bit of a local speciality, and we were fortunate to see some good sized family groups from mid-month...</p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;">Up in the glens...</b></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwPVPKtUqtYDBnbCoZm2RrqipEB9TyR5NlG_SA-vAZ8zgSW38eW4Fs2jEizepPP5UqX8aPDs939Qn6FRiOyrTzMrKLpy6pUOypOcPkaWn-eo5ssgcz9tYoDJdrf-6N2mg9ukeLtbcvn9s8e5HoPlPcC63lDmNVnXypv9KSiwyZO640pW8qcw/s2008/IMG_7167.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1187" data-original-width="2008" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwPVPKtUqtYDBnbCoZm2RrqipEB9TyR5NlG_SA-vAZ8zgSW38eW4Fs2jEizepPP5UqX8aPDs939Qn6FRiOyrTzMrKLpy6pUOypOcPkaWn-eo5ssgcz9tYoDJdrf-6N2mg9ukeLtbcvn9s8e5HoPlPcC63lDmNVnXypv9KSiwyZO640pW8qcw/w400-h236/IMG_7167.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Midsummer in a beautiful local upland glen</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3a1ALc-llOLzPlW0jraYkEPCuL-S7jGnSjAXvf_bl3da471G-O2qTrkSB1APR6rBZ8qH9nScB-B0S0kWV8HHAHpL2KOXKP6zY17wKpQ6xvwsg-CZ7jtyz-CuSetnXsOOJAuN4Zovls6vzNWXGOk8BApB16gjLRqrNxBqy-0zXt2R92ti17A/s1424/IMG_0724.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="913" data-original-width="1424" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3a1ALc-llOLzPlW0jraYkEPCuL-S7jGnSjAXvf_bl3da471G-O2qTrkSB1APR6rBZ8qH9nScB-B0S0kWV8HHAHpL2KOXKP6zY17wKpQ6xvwsg-CZ7jtyz-CuSetnXsOOJAuN4Zovls6vzNWXGOk8BApB16gjLRqrNxBqy-0zXt2R92ti17A/w400-h256/IMG_0724.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Soaring sub-adult Golden Eagle</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIcOVSdmb-LVaJRRpYDfSo9kGsJvckXzq_K8uHnW4PeJzx882gX1fBkHQMTMcLHPB5ywu8N4npdsV_YVllvauapX-b9qjh9cDEflX-D-vmdhpIh0wOZ0vtCw5eAgMLwJ8byEFNR-C3gSNU79SrUQIsZLuh-iUwD1XESJnfNgua0fQODNjjiw/s2494/DSCN2783.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1550" data-original-width="2494" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIcOVSdmb-LVaJRRpYDfSo9kGsJvckXzq_K8uHnW4PeJzx882gX1fBkHQMTMcLHPB5ywu8N4npdsV_YVllvauapX-b9qjh9cDEflX-D-vmdhpIh0wOZ0vtCw5eAgMLwJ8byEFNR-C3gSNU79SrUQIsZLuh-iUwD1XESJnfNgua0fQODNjjiw/w400-h249/DSCN2783.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Perched sub-adult White-Tailed Eagle</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;"><br /></b></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><strong style="line-height: 18.2px;">Golden Eagle </strong><span style="line-height: 18.2px;">and </span><strong style="line-height: 18.2px;">White-Tailed Eagle</strong><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"> are iconic 'Scottish' birds which always seems to be on visiting birders 'wish-lists', and we are fortunate to have a number of suitable upland glens nearby, however.... it should be noted that, with most females still with young chicks, and 20+ hours of daylight available for the males and sub-adults to use for hunting, the chances of us just happening to be in the right place at the right time to see them are fairly low </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13.2px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400;">during spring and summer (when compared to the autumn/winter months) and generally raptor sightings in this area were pretty hard to come by this month...but we did manage to get a couple of distant views of sub-adult examples of both Eagle species..... </span></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEica1F7287537sZJXyTQ_HmlNrETliyS23qh3EmfWMPga5iXhG6jiAbJCI5KxqYyVsXySPjvRdB9rsdmkyrq8iXXN7Nyk1RrGrN2NBeFiAruXIFLKjf0TMaJYQyf_R-reqknOvrtAoxGk5ZiZYbUJEaYek7280nX4Ea5LWtfUSnKgBjwf323w/s2889/DSCN2805.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1392" data-original-width="2889" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEica1F7287537sZJXyTQ_HmlNrETliyS23qh3EmfWMPga5iXhG6jiAbJCI5KxqYyVsXySPjvRdB9rsdmkyrq8iXXN7Nyk1RrGrN2NBeFiAruXIFLKjf0TMaJYQyf_R-reqknOvrtAoxGk5ZiZYbUJEaYek7280nX4Ea5LWtfUSnKgBjwf323w/w400-h193/DSCN2805.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A hunting Short-Eared Owl</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAn2XyKv3upCyx7y40FpvVRhjKBlQ_eKss4jd0qwIvDR9iw6hSgBnKk3YlqNhXeLNzlC96yWURHyn9la2IIk24FY20ceyxWY5un_ODn2q114JL76klD-RD5B8oGIoK5tC74sbfD3YUZWbX4RCQzX_SQAf9n_C_KmjH3JCbjU5OlkvIo5Fv-g/s1017/PHOTO-2020-06-15-14-05-08.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="1017" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAn2XyKv3upCyx7y40FpvVRhjKBlQ_eKss4jd0qwIvDR9iw6hSgBnKk3YlqNhXeLNzlC96yWURHyn9la2IIk24FY20ceyxWY5un_ODn2q114JL76klD-RD5B8oGIoK5tC74sbfD3YUZWbX4RCQzX_SQAf9n_C_KmjH3JCbjU5OlkvIo5Fv-g/s320/PHOTO-2020-06-15-14-05-08.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Kite</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNqDNC9kLme0K4DKIIh5eB3ZCxiVZaVK6ksBwrt7ugkiqt8iDLdcT-NaiTeKWJpxAKXcI0nhk_ZowL4IB5xEcxefwszHVRxtG_U2uPV3lCeexFe1uu49Kh9mfaezEQEkC04v3EhLhq4fIHu39n6nSmw8-gKWok1GH-4iUvsz-SRC_DDcC-Ww/s934/IMG_0588.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="655" data-original-width="934" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNqDNC9kLme0K4DKIIh5eB3ZCxiVZaVK6ksBwrt7ugkiqt8iDLdcT-NaiTeKWJpxAKXcI0nhk_ZowL4IB5xEcxefwszHVRxtG_U2uPV3lCeexFe1uu49Kh9mfaezEQEkC04v3EhLhq4fIHu39n6nSmw8-gKWok1GH-4iUvsz-SRC_DDcC-Ww/w320-h224/IMG_0588.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Common Buzzard</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;">Other birds of prey seen reasonably regularly on my safaris this month included </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;">Osprey</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;">, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;">Common Buzzard</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;">, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;">Kestrel</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;">, <b>Sparrowhawk</b>, and <b>Red Kite , </b>with a couple of glimpse of <b>Peregrine</b>, and just one view of a <b>Short-Eared Owl </b>on the 21st...but I have still yet to see a <b>Merlin </b>this year!!</span></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Up in the mountains....</b></p><p><br /></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1q21MAJCLisXh5TGDw3eRZ3FqEGTs1xFcBpkshyxwO-0z92xEUUjPXlG4X-fILsqcBUV2U4ObLuAONn6Bv6D5veI9cMU-dHwv1DU05xomjcSvCrAHgDddXcT-XuTQJkV-ewNjfQXun8fVzRJpt5XggZ4BRM8zPiu3QMSbV9TfEfUlfzB_xQ/s1973/IMG_9291.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1356" data-original-width="1973" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1q21MAJCLisXh5TGDw3eRZ3FqEGTs1xFcBpkshyxwO-0z92xEUUjPXlG4X-fILsqcBUV2U4ObLuAONn6Bv6D5veI9cMU-dHwv1DU05xomjcSvCrAHgDddXcT-XuTQJkV-ewNjfQXun8fVzRJpt5XggZ4BRM8zPiu3QMSbV9TfEfUlfzB_xQ/w400-h275/IMG_9291.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A spectacular view from Cairngorm Mountain summit</b></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqXZ2ByqSCCT0_Zt6zKchtqakRUWs_GgkTGQFy0xOsKyQdkIt5PD31cnEB2X3wYk2rp3CvKpJVlK_S_Zn4rF6TfbsRFVhg8j4iIBJZeRwXUToRS2veCuD7j5T8dnLsFIE99b-HogA3h7uQgJ6e9o9zag-R2PCpL76qiqzU5uu99SSbPRkSvw/s3856/IMG_9959.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2428" data-original-width="3856" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqXZ2ByqSCCT0_Zt6zKchtqakRUWs_GgkTGQFy0xOsKyQdkIt5PD31cnEB2X3wYk2rp3CvKpJVlK_S_Zn4rF6TfbsRFVhg8j4iIBJZeRwXUToRS2veCuD7j5T8dnLsFIE99b-HogA3h7uQgJ6e9o9zag-R2PCpL76qiqzU5uu99SSbPRkSvw/s320/IMG_9959.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Snow Bunting - Photo from June 2015</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh215nWmXNxHz4jxPCcJUfmLjrT5Vs2UrLaKuFVlGctbJ5ajaawJf0ZtH39074613HeK1dr1Ex5ANGwMkTUyS-Gk0oflsArBSzQO7gaW5XHAffHMPClMYIvrUgVcqMly9XIxvjExPVsAi3i1x1EnkOjq11QGd2jDbiGu4_r0XvXpxeRuPwABA/s2263/Blob%201.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1553" data-original-width="2263" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh215nWmXNxHz4jxPCcJUfmLjrT5Vs2UrLaKuFVlGctbJ5ajaawJf0ZtH39074613HeK1dr1Ex5ANGwMkTUyS-Gk0oflsArBSzQO7gaW5XHAffHMPClMYIvrUgVcqMly9XIxvjExPVsAi3i1x1EnkOjq11QGd2jDbiGu4_r0XvXpxeRuPwABA/w400-h275/Blob%201.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Dotterel by Bob Smith - Photo from June 2016</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4V7o9gBX-UH_ejGD5d2rbAP90Qa3nrI1Jmli1RjmHggcRXdfjOktoQrZr6Of1vS6mSgCmYCqWDriqJP-4waYKSkCZY1EORhxEs27fJPcqV7eOu8eHdh9Ozl8lnJ4tKIbKQijw_CMB_d2L1YFuvswj-rRdwIrXKmfXfD6NzyA7kOJvfobE8Q/s2992/IMG_0937.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2992" data-original-width="2992" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4V7o9gBX-UH_ejGD5d2rbAP90Qa3nrI1Jmli1RjmHggcRXdfjOktoQrZr6Of1vS6mSgCmYCqWDriqJP-4waYKSkCZY1EORhxEs27fJPcqV7eOu8eHdh9Ozl8lnJ4tKIbKQijw_CMB_d2L1YFuvswj-rRdwIrXKmfXfD6NzyA7kOJvfobE8Q/w400-h400/IMG_0937.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Ptarmigan - Photo from June 2016</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;">June is probably the best month to have a chance of seeing all 3 of our mountain top bird species in one trip - </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;">Ptarmigan</span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;">, </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;">Dotterel </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;">and </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;">Snow Bunting</span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;"> - It should be noted though, that the Cairngorm Funicular railway is still out of action </span></span></span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">and is undergoing major repairs , </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;">meaning no Ranger-led Guided walks from the top, </span></span></span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;">which instead, means a long, steep and gruelling walk up from the car park, and I only managed one trek, on the23rd, on which I saw several <b>Ring Ouzels</b> , 2 <b>Snow Buntings</b> and a <b>Wheatear,</b> but sadly , and despite much searching, 'dipped-out' on </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;"><b>Ptarmigan</b></span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;"> And </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;"><b>Dotterel</b></span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;">....similarly to this time last year, it was incredibly dry up there and possibly lacking in suitable food, but I thought I would include a few photos from previous June sightings, to give you an idea of what is (or used to be) possible ...</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;">Please be aware though, that several (5+) miles of strenuous hill-walking is required, so a good level of physical fitness is needed, and some basic survival/navigation skills preferable, as well as suitably friendly weather, </span></b></p><p><br /></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6FFb0Mxyo_Nlg3MTIXtO-4_oF1fiKSMaI3NH4x2jXIfaG91lIF_n6lyvoR9NggBhnhu89eXvwYojXFmgaecOP9mw93LaIg2m5bndlRJitVYW4Nzp7hIARW4-kmRD9-56i0C8GSJuWlhMI8gkwk9cFXc-FZNpl-zokf1OMyM5yduHJU2hHtA/s4608/DSCN2677.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2879" data-original-width="4608" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6FFb0Mxyo_Nlg3MTIXtO-4_oF1fiKSMaI3NH4x2jXIfaG91lIF_n6lyvoR9NggBhnhu89eXvwYojXFmgaecOP9mw93LaIg2m5bndlRJitVYW4Nzp7hIARW4-kmRD9-56i0C8GSJuWlhMI8gkwk9cFXc-FZNpl-zokf1OMyM5yduHJU2hHtA/w400-h250/DSCN2677.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Ring Ouzel</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXenI3-sZn2ovponZ5xlUKMiZS-GxunOu8FEDAg1ohxiBu7XXvcyLVbH0-lXUkQrmBN1KDKqaBHH_RwgC5SvL3_oxpooRys8Dg2sJbT7Cu1CssORhOY76GJV3Lsjpurcy2Q8pHbO7j_Ebk12iCu_klryn4gXYmYQHWZGe1uGI2eoYInn__9A/s3242/Colin%20Mount%20Ringos.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2161" data-original-width="3242" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXenI3-sZn2ovponZ5xlUKMiZS-GxunOu8FEDAg1ohxiBu7XXvcyLVbH0-lXUkQrmBN1KDKqaBHH_RwgC5SvL3_oxpooRys8Dg2sJbT7Cu1CssORhOY76GJV3Lsjpurcy2Q8pHbO7j_Ebk12iCu_klryn4gXYmYQHWZGe1uGI2eoYInn__9A/s320/Colin%20Mount%20Ringos.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Young Ring Ouzels waiting to be fed - Photo by Colin Mount from June 2017</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">At slightly lower levels, but generally still above 1,500ft/450m, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 18.2px;"> Ring Ouzels</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"> </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">can often be seen in their upland and mountainside habitat, especially early in the day before human disturbance, though when compared to April and May they are now definitely harder to find, as most will no longer be singing or calling, and sightings are mainly restricted to adult birds collecting beakfuls of worms to take to their newly fledged youngsters.</span></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">On farmland....</b></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCVzCmxANGNmNQNNfr2taX0wzJxt1gRmNkd5hyVV5AKnm7gfxgVuiN5wcOqpA_RCJJ3NlfhSyABE7w3yfL0Q-qfygeQ2_x4JwiaS4VaHLSCjgK-8Fqn0mQZEWixPfXFCU4bkrlWrr5cbVr6JqIJyiGb_i9eo3DhCQLEFt3ysHTjXNzHGMpwg/s2015/IMG_9171.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1119" data-original-width="2015" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCVzCmxANGNmNQNNfr2taX0wzJxt1gRmNkd5hyVV5AKnm7gfxgVuiN5wcOqpA_RCJJ3NlfhSyABE7w3yfL0Q-qfygeQ2_x4JwiaS4VaHLSCjgK-8Fqn0mQZEWixPfXFCU4bkrlWrr5cbVr6JqIJyiGb_i9eo3DhCQLEFt3ysHTjXNzHGMpwg/w400-h223/IMG_9171.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Typical local farmland</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIyRIZMfJZgvbzVGD8PmVNedG7j3-ptUU075qsY5YrQts3BM1_BGbG1qfd__lLbJKx4MUBB6jy3flKcNefgvVqVUyA74Ua91J0eYGByIKg6fIEdUyCpBaFK4Kc8I3YDj5pRoauVAGJz_oU7bSrCVIEb0VZ5vkUitSp9ao9XtQ6c64V9xw5QQ/s3438/Colin%20Mount%20Curlew%20chick.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2292" data-original-width="3438" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIyRIZMfJZgvbzVGD8PmVNedG7j3-ptUU075qsY5YrQts3BM1_BGbG1qfd__lLbJKx4MUBB6jy3flKcNefgvVqVUyA74Ua91J0eYGByIKg6fIEdUyCpBaFK4Kc8I3YDj5pRoauVAGJz_oU7bSrCVIEb0VZ5vkUitSp9ao9XtQ6c64V9xw5QQ/w320-h213/Colin%20Mount%20Curlew%20chick.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Curlew chick - Photo by Colin Mount from June 2017</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis01k5MxCTq7IBSnsx72kx7dNt-X3bXlYjqETETbmb_aeopEgFswQh4wVfC-RUyA_EvzXOBwMgh4WMaeMA2hRvvopNM1oBooKr77P_1_iGWoaPj1oJmdolLPhaZNakmrMkcuaN9WIX5EMrXG3vox2T4dtA1YUSJOnCmbtKzvjIiFR2WwASrA/s3605/Jan%20Shields%20Lapwing%20chick%201.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="2639" data-original-width="3605" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis01k5MxCTq7IBSnsx72kx7dNt-X3bXlYjqETETbmb_aeopEgFswQh4wVfC-RUyA_EvzXOBwMgh4WMaeMA2hRvvopNM1oBooKr77P_1_iGWoaPj1oJmdolLPhaZNakmrMkcuaN9WIX5EMrXG3vox2T4dtA1YUSJOnCmbtKzvjIiFR2WwASrA/s320/Jan%20Shields%20Lapwing%20chick%201.jpg" width="320" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Lapwing chick by Jan shields - Photo from June 2017</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir-GVDhE06fAhmdfSJeUz-16XxZibyRBngebsR103CKHyoV2TNwyG4kgTf5sPyP1r6g7p00YVpYKQ1hqviTMBAQDGMAJWcqv7pqFi2wMWYQvpokUdlxFi6-aGoNzGBrv6eqqssQTdvdf3j9OzcOQypE9Aq_GZye54X2TCDKFpiMKXbl_KrTQ/s4880/Scotland%20May%202010%20%20021.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3252" data-original-width="4880" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir-GVDhE06fAhmdfSJeUz-16XxZibyRBngebsR103CKHyoV2TNwyG4kgTf5sPyP1r6g7p00YVpYKQ1hqviTMBAQDGMAJWcqv7pqFi2wMWYQvpokUdlxFi6-aGoNzGBrv6eqqssQTdvdf3j9OzcOQypE9Aq_GZye54X2TCDKFpiMKXbl_KrTQ/s320/Scotland%20May%202010%20%20021.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Oystercatcher</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p>Plenty of <b>Oystercatcher</b> and <b>Lapwing</b> families were seen, though <b>Curlews</b> seem to be in smaller numbers than in previous years....</p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Other good/scarce birds seen/reported locally this month included:</b></p><p>A<b> Red-Necked Phalarope, </b>a<b> long-Tailed Skua, </b>a<b> Black Redstart </b>and a<b> Garden warbler....</b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 700;">A few photos of more common birds seen locally this month: </span></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbbrw1GdS7O4EyzSQ_GdXP6sUv8mIYLvcruHWrcWOrX_I7hM4MJopAOIJiVXeLUvIuWWqlrYCCpv4cNwNyJpQII628YKdLeu_Cqdqn9GHr64I_4RVEkUEOqXkk9hb27DMT0IHEoJE5CEp-AcNjTVM5aR1hJkmiImVvqfBt5jfjDfyKaLBkSQ/s3231/DSCN2774.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2276" data-original-width="3231" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbbrw1GdS7O4EyzSQ_GdXP6sUv8mIYLvcruHWrcWOrX_I7hM4MJopAOIJiVXeLUvIuWWqlrYCCpv4cNwNyJpQII628YKdLeu_Cqdqn9GHr64I_4RVEkUEOqXkk9hb27DMT0IHEoJE5CEp-AcNjTVM5aR1hJkmiImVvqfBt5jfjDfyKaLBkSQ/w400-h281/DSCN2774.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Tree Pipit</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4yKFow0OH6HSJlL2XMopBOLoK9O5mHlIvnf0RtILNOwmMdHWhl6fr-_x6I5NlClNQ0ObIdHBlrjqAJSN8MKS2EZCHvWy-3OLOI8ItZWNTcLWn6kiZJ_RwWgLL6dqyRK71SBdmzGiVMaGEiC2PFvJH0BBZ39FQ9ue5uddrK7v8NWAu6V04Gg/s3479/DSCN2716.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2603" data-original-width="3479" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4yKFow0OH6HSJlL2XMopBOLoK9O5mHlIvnf0RtILNOwmMdHWhl6fr-_x6I5NlClNQ0ObIdHBlrjqAJSN8MKS2EZCHvWy-3OLOI8ItZWNTcLWn6kiZJ_RwWgLL6dqyRK71SBdmzGiVMaGEiC2PFvJH0BBZ39FQ9ue5uddrK7v8NWAu6V04Gg/w400-h299/DSCN2716.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Starling</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjZHwCGEGV4lBeAR6Pyywr89_dRI2kJvhNkb2Aj1HSZrIEblZzub1brATsyrMYrDgTsWJ-WzhiGPCrw9e9RjC5VR_f9MABhOIE47Xey8C5xHpuVzou8PAzSWCN5ne7Df39rjPbcUh5iD8n0C0iaPo552-vXqnp7r31G2ujssOGs-u6fkyHUg/s4472/DSCN2777.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2794" data-original-width="4472" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjZHwCGEGV4lBeAR6Pyywr89_dRI2kJvhNkb2Aj1HSZrIEblZzub1brATsyrMYrDgTsWJ-WzhiGPCrw9e9RjC5VR_f9MABhOIE47Xey8C5xHpuVzou8PAzSWCN5ne7Df39rjPbcUh5iD8n0C0iaPo552-vXqnp7r31G2ujssOGs-u6fkyHUg/w400-h250/DSCN2777.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Common Sandpiper</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQRB1yI3wcEJ6n8dYAMEJFXBLBxanOQ1L6wDP8CImWXzZBrjzGMjbhfBkPpW-McTdDE7LskGz_baTv-xgGiI29wTAYyxR_HlsDVNo9_6NJ6vTJHtcw6m_KvB3avy4j9yu5RitqBYFdQ7nrF0bEeiBUmErjaZFQhw-bbv4Ih3syWgsEGHDv1g/s2278/Steve%20N%20Sis.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1518" data-original-width="2278" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQRB1yI3wcEJ6n8dYAMEJFXBLBxanOQ1L6wDP8CImWXzZBrjzGMjbhfBkPpW-McTdDE7LskGz_baTv-xgGiI29wTAYyxR_HlsDVNo9_6NJ6vTJHtcw6m_KvB3avy4j9yu5RitqBYFdQ7nrF0bEeiBUmErjaZFQhw-bbv4Ih3syWgsEGHDv1g/s320/Steve%20N%20Sis.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Siskin by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEEAXcPMYcn7_JI2fgnWIQGKZj71jNnjBAKF14cW-DQ30f_U1xSoimMz6sjlfRukKkfF6-zX3971mc9Qi7LTSPP1TEEFAy388WQbVqhxOj5dSAfbMuHDwA5xHsyymnmMDpXi6gQ5EgRtIqT-yhxS_WTBa5a3RPO3ykK0pSrtElsMejJaOIFg/s1908/Steve%20N%20Spot%20Fly.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1272" data-original-width="1908" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEEAXcPMYcn7_JI2fgnWIQGKZj71jNnjBAKF14cW-DQ30f_U1xSoimMz6sjlfRukKkfF6-zX3971mc9Qi7LTSPP1TEEFAy388WQbVqhxOj5dSAfbMuHDwA5xHsyymnmMDpXi6gQ5EgRtIqT-yhxS_WTBa5a3RPO3ykK0pSrtElsMejJaOIFg/s320/Steve%20N%20Spot%20Fly.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Spotted Flycatcher by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;">Adventures 'out of area':</span></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbVDm6QMwM7WQHG2u5DslF3ApLe1dqYKLQ1W-s81tR_xb1Ip6JYbVCwmbdSFdcWAVkn6lTLSRE3GeQ6zyGFFzXKOcX8BrNvocdaw8vcwmKBG92al5i8bFeh94mOl5P_rbp1R8SkWxLFUMLvLYbUGn3xIMzth1QbECQGXUM1miQ8T0S3U2zaQ/s1977/IMG_9190.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1199" data-original-width="1977" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbVDm6QMwM7WQHG2u5DslF3ApLe1dqYKLQ1W-s81tR_xb1Ip6JYbVCwmbdSFdcWAVkn6lTLSRE3GeQ6zyGFFzXKOcX8BrNvocdaw8vcwmKBG92al5i8bFeh94mOl5P_rbp1R8SkWxLFUMLvLYbUGn3xIMzth1QbECQGXUM1miQ8T0S3U2zaQ/w400-h243/IMG_9190.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Handa Island</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b><p></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnaLExcyS8QvFSmXQmZ7c8VvrzrvxrTy3CMtTrEfgsCcIMPjm-M6qJw7nATpIROMJyI2_NzYG1z0vpaI74Tpmzo8_lOwZT3e7b-q2xI_UvyDCIPqgMg9O8BpUjmxfjA64-c_ltjpUl6--dxkI9s8_3DZH7zYeCRYG0ApNnPZ-n7IygFnvp_w/s1964/More%20Handa.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1964" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnaLExcyS8QvFSmXQmZ7c8VvrzrvxrTy3CMtTrEfgsCcIMPjm-M6qJw7nATpIROMJyI2_NzYG1z0vpaI74Tpmzo8_lOwZT3e7b-q2xI_UvyDCIPqgMg9O8BpUjmxfjA64-c_ltjpUl6--dxkI9s8_3DZH7zYeCRYG0ApNnPZ-n7IygFnvp_w/w400-h261/More%20Handa.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Handa Island</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></b><p></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13.2px;">Being quite busy with safaris, I didn't have too many opportunities to venture far this month, but did manage one trip up to </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">the north-west coast to SWT's wonderfully remote and beautiful </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Handa </b><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Island</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">.</span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8I22kFtfofXws2dn5CKFruiqL54V2Nv7YcL-fdKAkx_TAUs8eHiYj3TljoEhlsZGqa_9LigFftvC-wP72YUlrPXNVJ5y1PVaAWtxHP0ESpUqZCAW0A2l9662beOqhFkw1-MhgkCSXmTRwoq6lzeQjJExDVGtcRaRvZNJGSn8uPEpTQ6IYHg/s4585/DSCN2608.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2054" data-original-width="4585" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8I22kFtfofXws2dn5CKFruiqL54V2Nv7YcL-fdKAkx_TAUs8eHiYj3TljoEhlsZGqa_9LigFftvC-wP72YUlrPXNVJ5y1PVaAWtxHP0ESpUqZCAW0A2l9662beOqhFkw1-MhgkCSXmTRwoq6lzeQjJExDVGtcRaRvZNJGSn8uPEpTQ6IYHg/w400-h179/DSCN2608.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Common Guillemots</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3aiYoToQ_r-Nu5t9QyjDAafx5l4fU_d9_JIiuNXZP0o-qoq0WxrSqO1NOEcu_lZSN4jSFXMszfKWWv_-gUQuV69otpWX6hfO4XpuJV0cGL4_yLOjfddk-XFS79awLIhgQSRAuLasW22B0-jKweaMLkMindhrI8m4cCfHQdOtFaAKeGNoFOw/s2774/DSCN2605.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1708" data-original-width="2774" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3aiYoToQ_r-Nu5t9QyjDAafx5l4fU_d9_JIiuNXZP0o-qoq0WxrSqO1NOEcu_lZSN4jSFXMszfKWWv_-gUQuV69otpWX6hfO4XpuJV0cGL4_yLOjfddk-XFS79awLIhgQSRAuLasW22B0-jKweaMLkMindhrI8m4cCfHQdOtFaAKeGNoFOw/w400-h246/DSCN2605.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Razorbill</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOj9hp5PkAGmRFkITyUgt-bpwCm_n3PBCkOhbAOepMqPPZfQHq_w0y7tSzMqr-lml40SNx8bCeZAuTrHX2H9XjSzlpxUYaWmXf1ypTgbro3ceFxjPZTU-Q51Un5lny9eP0R77ipgwC1UKQETs_-HFJqkBz9C1q2Xf_pYrHQsnJkfI3PcA_ug/s4226/DSCN2604.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3008" data-original-width="4226" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOj9hp5PkAGmRFkITyUgt-bpwCm_n3PBCkOhbAOepMqPPZfQHq_w0y7tSzMqr-lml40SNx8bCeZAuTrHX2H9XjSzlpxUYaWmXf1ypTgbro3ceFxjPZTU-Q51Un5lny9eP0R77ipgwC1UKQETs_-HFJqkBz9C1q2Xf_pYrHQsnJkfI3PcA_ug/w400-h285/DSCN2604.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Puffin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV27aHhhZJRCsCv4j9u3-VJesQaNn0fd73_EN8IaSM8s9nujYSRqySJffOugXFfO2oebUpsvX0UfZS9zXk0G0bF2X4w09mVmJp08Mcu8-Bqq3ytaPUqTJZ3vPG2r1ES699zry6zWErc95jzlLbo8LBre88VM0TI-rqqoUW7do1DWmOZYz1-A/s3757/DSCN2600.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2523" data-original-width="3757" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV27aHhhZJRCsCv4j9u3-VJesQaNn0fd73_EN8IaSM8s9nujYSRqySJffOugXFfO2oebUpsvX0UfZS9zXk0G0bF2X4w09mVmJp08Mcu8-Bqq3ytaPUqTJZ3vPG2r1ES699zry6zWErc95jzlLbo8LBre88VM0TI-rqqoUW7do1DWmOZYz1-A/w400-h269/DSCN2600.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Arctic Skua</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBkrfNQ7x1MDMz8cw3eYg1UZMBkBKrIWf6-Vy_8TMBalITbgMFe8jZM-aZ90TcAw5S2xqaBXbdwocHkX9A2JL0pncJglDhcSJ0-MvMjkzNC4vyfYeD8LL_pL6mjG0VaN2dAhWu5p0qDnQobHFGe9-hTEWdofIF-n-QATClWSk601y0-cXLTQ/s4455/DSCN2615.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2839" data-original-width="4455" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBkrfNQ7x1MDMz8cw3eYg1UZMBkBKrIWf6-Vy_8TMBalITbgMFe8jZM-aZ90TcAw5S2xqaBXbdwocHkX9A2JL0pncJglDhcSJ0-MvMjkzNC4vyfYeD8LL_pL6mjG0VaN2dAhWu5p0qDnQobHFGe9-hTEWdofIF-n-QATClWSk601y0-cXLTQ/w400-h255/DSCN2615.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Great Skua<br /><br /><br /></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Black-Throated Divers </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">and</span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"> Red-Throated Divers </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">were seen on lochans en route, and </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"> Ringed Plovers </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">and</span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"> Common Sandpipers </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> were seen feeding around Tarbet harbour car park, and even the short ferry crossing gave us super close-up views of <b>Arctic Terns</b>, </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Seals</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, and </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Common Guillemot </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, and once on the island, we went on to see more </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Red-Throated Divers, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Snipe</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, <b>Red</b> <b>Grouse</b>, </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Wheatears</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Skylarks</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Arctic</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> <b>Skuas</b> and </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Great Skuas</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> nesting on the moors. </span></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;" /><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif">Once at the impressively high (350ft+) cliffs and coastal stacks, we were treated to the unique sights, sounds (and smells!) of a seabird city, with good numbers of </span><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">Fulmars</b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">Kittiwakes</b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">Razorbills</b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">Guillemots </b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif"> and yes, a few of everybody's favourite - </span><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">Puffins</b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif">!</span></div><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">June 2022 mammal sightings in more detail:</b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn3b3QbtrdBZ297j-BDyWIGGQYmOLKO2Y5Oq5huk2iSl3-SVPxFFZ3vKU4mw7MM9bB2635cKz8e198K0K2wvMA6EB_TUDDZwAnyS0uzjzJ4PdJQMPHMpc36N_ZLwxe1DS5Cf0zn3UERVta1APvKmNx0hwg_5WWu3crwhbgmp2ZXKegqhP_4g/s3701/DSCN2851.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1794" data-original-width="3701" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn3b3QbtrdBZ297j-BDyWIGGQYmOLKO2Y5Oq5huk2iSl3-SVPxFFZ3vKU4mw7MM9bB2635cKz8e198K0K2wvMA6EB_TUDDZwAnyS0uzjzJ4PdJQMPHMpc36N_ZLwxe1DS5Cf0zn3UERVta1APvKmNx0hwg_5WWu3crwhbgmp2ZXKegqhP_4g/w400-h194/DSCN2851.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Squirrel</b></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p><br /></p><p><b>Red Squirrels</b> always prove to be popular with my safari clients, with many seeing them for the first time while out with me. Feeding stations well stocked with peanuts always give you the best chance, but we often get a few random sightings whilst walking or driving through suitable forest habitat too...</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBpCEwq1PbcN9o1AEffXk5FM0Zu_tsI8K5b-lOiNaL2RNsq3lUERlaTD_93XVxdEzeqXRax7t5ZCZ0fMh89_HkS0Fs4tcJIOWeJENYG5TFed2o4vZSBU2NiTzPcxZzywNNMTvds2uNKYkTmBarILDZKZpAQZSXOcmBdGzRbkOxKAEXrIZAMQ/s2957/IMG_7481.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1190" data-original-width="2957" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBpCEwq1PbcN9o1AEffXk5FM0Zu_tsI8K5b-lOiNaL2RNsq3lUERlaTD_93XVxdEzeqXRax7t5ZCZ0fMh89_HkS0Fs4tcJIOWeJENYG5TFed2o4vZSBU2NiTzPcxZzywNNMTvds2uNKYkTmBarILDZKZpAQZSXOcmBdGzRbkOxKAEXrIZAMQ/w400-h161/IMG_7481.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Deer stags</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguXaDk5OuEniKyRG5Y24j59VfqFHTYthGLFPQrs50NIawNq7IXd60t_Vc3ab4e5Cy2C0aqdeATKOQUOC5AIRavisSqHW5SCl2jpF_fp97j0wMNRcxByXZ2WlXFdy8wqkn6Bi6lFUpnxO25jTwBiZstfS9EFfBAqZE-yVQu11RoS2aaHIY57w/s3671/DSCN0659.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1796" data-original-width="3671" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguXaDk5OuEniKyRG5Y24j59VfqFHTYthGLFPQrs50NIawNq7IXd60t_Vc3ab4e5Cy2C0aqdeATKOQUOC5AIRavisSqHW5SCl2jpF_fp97j0wMNRcxByXZ2WlXFdy8wqkn6Bi6lFUpnxO25jTwBiZstfS9EFfBAqZE-yVQu11RoS2aaHIY57w/w400-h196/DSCN0659.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Deer hinds with a youngster - Photo from June 2020</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">My clients always love to </span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">see</span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold;"> Red </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Deer</b><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> too, with the iconic 'Monarch of the glen' stags being a sought-after sighting, and although they are not at their magnificent best as they are still growing new antlers at this time of year, they still proved popular, as did the large groups of hinds gathered in their favourite birthing areas, with the first new-born youngsters.... </span></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi80V-Oarjyd4Z9VkmDmNbHmbWV0-pe1V3sE4NtA08dExlJZj2FAN7oxjSzu-rOvMtvWyNY_bmQa_IUg8ZxI2UsA-w_8btfghu57W111hRbQ13tKTWkDm3mQF_qF50A_vqJuxBwl2MfvQtIEd8lj_g9lbSfFni_Ac4iK9xtDzHVYH6I6vrw9A/s2992/IMG_0863.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2028" data-original-width="2992" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi80V-Oarjyd4Z9VkmDmNbHmbWV0-pe1V3sE4NtA08dExlJZj2FAN7oxjSzu-rOvMtvWyNY_bmQa_IUg8ZxI2UsA-w_8btfghu57W111hRbQ13tKTWkDm3mQF_qF50A_vqJuxBwl2MfvQtIEd8lj_g9lbSfFni_Ac4iK9xtDzHVYH6I6vrw9A/s320/IMG_0863.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Feral Mountain Goats<br /><br /></b></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Feral Mountain Goats </b><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">are rare across much of the UK, being a living remnant from the crofting age, and largely confined to remote upland areas, but we managed to see them on a good number of our trips this month</span></p><p><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbLMm_UhskPJPv-BdRap0kWLCDBGCP1GhCrW6F6jbh5UaDt140IxvwJxCdS5dhSkLrI4QEFieU56QdwuKIJDAi0TeXjpBnAkcBy3G2uObDApoTnUchLlO6KomLpPJORTd3XMTdVZzGYqf2LWODmrX7CNcHn6AR_H9OsuwDQgI200FLR7MFGA/s4608/DSCN2704.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2942" data-original-width="4608" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbLMm_UhskPJPv-BdRap0kWLCDBGCP1GhCrW6F6jbh5UaDt140IxvwJxCdS5dhSkLrI4QEFieU56QdwuKIJDAi0TeXjpBnAkcBy3G2uObDApoTnUchLlO6KomLpPJORTd3XMTdVZzGYqf2LWODmrX7CNcHn6AR_H9OsuwDQgI200FLR7MFGA/w400-h255/DSCN2704.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Roe Deer Doe with youngster<br /><br /></b></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Roe Deer</b><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> are actually reasonably common across much of the UK, but their nervous, wary, crepuscular nature, means that they are rarely seen well, unless you are out and about early or late in the day....</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Hl0kDFBsw0du9o9W64SkS4qhk_qTOFSB1RqPL25pYf6YUoe5wxbyc8HKx90ACq3egOAZRVh5ppjR9x-4lWUVdbp62T308vATiVVrFxmCSjc335_JkFv-kouXEjTsDQiw5c-QaM0DV-USTtIqS5AzPE0Qur3vK0XBM3WsrjJEAd3ArmBOPg/s4185/DSCN1902.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2781" data-original-width="4185" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Hl0kDFBsw0du9o9W64SkS4qhk_qTOFSB1RqPL25pYf6YUoe5wxbyc8HKx90ACq3egOAZRVh5ppjR9x-4lWUVdbp62T308vATiVVrFxmCSjc335_JkFv-kouXEjTsDQiw5c-QaM0DV-USTtIqS5AzPE0Qur3vK0XBM3WsrjJEAd3ArmBOPg/s320/DSCN1902.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Brown Hare</b></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Brown Hare</b><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> sightings were a little less frequent this month, probably because we were not out and about quite as early as in April and May, but we still managed a few decent views in quieter locations...</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBXZlvTE1_unPrIMcQC1qqUHkiHJo2AJmLbSw0sgbmdIfcfiLOCmGxqSwTiSvMf_yMzm6kky1JaD8NssA3lLpENjpubxEpJ28FP8CMCuK58gwWRI9K2FUz7Ks2HjmwHXOIepsPUXlFxg-3eWob0AZRWN1l614WVfiyZMgXJN97CWVk2d6okw/s3841/DSCN2153.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="2115" data-original-width="3841" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBXZlvTE1_unPrIMcQC1qqUHkiHJo2AJmLbSw0sgbmdIfcfiLOCmGxqSwTiSvMf_yMzm6kky1JaD8NssA3lLpENjpubxEpJ28FP8CMCuK58gwWRI9K2FUz7Ks2HjmwHXOIepsPUXlFxg-3eWob0AZRWN1l614WVfiyZMgXJN97CWVk2d6okw/w400-h220/DSCN2153.JPG" width="400" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Mountain Hare</b></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Mountain Hare</b><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> sightings too, were largely restricted to early mornings, and it doesn't help that their mottled blue-grey, brown and white coats provide great camouflage against the lichen-covered rocks in their upland habitat..</span></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivGrYijDJ8sxzs4UKiJp2D8uI2scQB7jb4XNY3J-_Dg07h5HihURuEW55srjJWrgjddecJwLyTAT1sB2I0RKCor1lQudrBUxLW33e_mMMFcCuIAonKw8xtY1s8I0gYKJ0nlKwRPeDksfxbhDqvh0_sVyjepsf7dggZAeVDX3L6MTpVR5wtPA/s3545/DSCN2641.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2572" data-original-width="3545" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivGrYijDJ8sxzs4UKiJp2D8uI2scQB7jb4XNY3J-_Dg07h5HihURuEW55srjJWrgjddecJwLyTAT1sB2I0RKCor1lQudrBUxLW33e_mMMFcCuIAonKw8xtY1s8I0gYKJ0nlKwRPeDksfxbhDqvh0_sVyjepsf7dggZAeVDX3L6MTpVR5wtPA/w400-h290/DSCN2641.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Carrot time for Murdo!</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Hairy Highland Coo's</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"> always prove to be popular with my safari clients, especially those who do not have them close to home, so don't be afraid to ask me if you fancy going to see them, and maybe even get to feed and 'pat' them, as I have a couple of great sites....</span></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Rare/nocturnal mammals:</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8PwjV_ZlsWzn-2MiQnbSy-OFNr1xc1NWdxiI181DViezJyPZaVrHi1ItX4irPhi7ON7Cjz3IsPmSnleP1f4dm6oCHQK7a68B-6l63mxpKFtNszsFPM8WmOKwmq9CTdVUxBwOZFjtIq4yMjwtnIui_qJG48ZqOMFxYSvq53cxQmf9mFOj4ig/s2016/IMG_9302.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8PwjV_ZlsWzn-2MiQnbSy-OFNr1xc1NWdxiI181DViezJyPZaVrHi1ItX4irPhi7ON7Cjz3IsPmSnleP1f4dm6oCHQK7a68B-6l63mxpKFtNszsFPM8WmOKwmq9CTdVUxBwOZFjtIq4yMjwtnIui_qJG48ZqOMFxYSvq53cxQmf9mFOj4ig/s320/IMG_9302.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Badgers - Seen at a local dusk hide</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">I get a few enquiries about the possibility of seeing </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Badgers</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> and </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Pine Marten</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> from my safari clients, many of whom I suspect are unaware that they are actually a largely nocturnal creature, and although we do get the occasional (maybe one or two a year) dawn glimpse of one, you would definitely have a much higher chance of seeing them at a specific dusk Badger/Pine Marten watching hide - Please contact me for more information.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Similarly, our inland </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Otters</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> too are mainly active during the hours of darkness, and again, although we do get a few early-morning sightings on local lochs and rivers each year, looking for them feeding in a suitably quiet, kelp - filled bay on the coast on a rising tide, but at any time of day, would give you a much better chance.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-family: quot; line-height: 1.4;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: quot; line-height: 1.4;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Whilst we are still on the 'tricky to see stuff', the <b>Scottish Wildcat </b>too, as well as being incredibly rare now, is also generally nocturnal, and the fact that I have had a mere handful of (dawn or dusk) sightings in 18 years of providing wildlife safaris should give you an idea of how difficult they are to see.</span></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Other wildlife:</b></p><p><br /></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifU4QFebLdCcTynZPga0kMrqG5FVL8L0d5JwJGR1Dh1P0Y-Wk-mWc8PRZITi7cTXTziUHd4GW3K22qu7tPlRsbb26CcX1OVSg7LyufHeIWYhIKSzUjhBZuYDCyB1s3RYi0eKFVUS2bRu96CEWoRM2vQBqjRkBW1zJ_o-pliXunScViPkwpOQ/s1565/Blob%20Small%20Copper.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1171" data-original-width="1565" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifU4QFebLdCcTynZPga0kMrqG5FVL8L0d5JwJGR1Dh1P0Y-Wk-mWc8PRZITi7cTXTziUHd4GW3K22qu7tPlRsbb26CcX1OVSg7LyufHeIWYhIKSzUjhBZuYDCyB1s3RYi0eKFVUS2bRu96CEWoRM2vQBqjRkBW1zJ_o-pliXunScViPkwpOQ/s320/Blob%20Small%20Copper.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Small Copper by Bob Smith</b></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIJ0r5KjOafwECgtdLq7XMX58LJGfXpD1JSiatrpdGfvhnYscNXyFDcQX5JvcxnLjP3oQ5JsjUli8wSwdbauFDiu3SBUGj8JN2cVKdtFPZOJYY_KaPd2zODx4OziowVdeYLgObQorFhdhHoMV4WnFa5sn5nAAhAd--McqBxEOt_-lrT7Ph3g/s1580/Blob%20Pearl%20Bordered%20Fritillary.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="892" data-original-width="1580" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIJ0r5KjOafwECgtdLq7XMX58LJGfXpD1JSiatrpdGfvhnYscNXyFDcQX5JvcxnLjP3oQ5JsjUli8wSwdbauFDiu3SBUGj8JN2cVKdtFPZOJYY_KaPd2zODx4OziowVdeYLgObQorFhdhHoMV4WnFa5sn5nAAhAd--McqBxEOt_-lrT7Ph3g/w400-h226/Blob%20Pearl%20Bordered%20Fritillary.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Small Pearl-Bordered Fritillary by Bob Smith</b></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZKI1m3U7DQfeJWvNR4eS_05Lr5m2F1IZL2iEdiMcy9O2Os9BEatiQRNIMOb3o6nbaiByPjmGlyiYuWVc-2oav8uXf5sAr_BSgkDot3-KGNgTppIZ2zkPohQJAfP7rJUZHUJ3W7mEBXs6_o3YEkkbX61w3FTeljf_S28vLhsTVuIwGoq3uJg/s2139/DSCN1961.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2139" data-original-width="2101" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZKI1m3U7DQfeJWvNR4eS_05Lr5m2F1IZL2iEdiMcy9O2Os9BEatiQRNIMOb3o6nbaiByPjmGlyiYuWVc-2oav8uXf5sAr_BSgkDot3-KGNgTppIZ2zkPohQJAfP7rJUZHUJ3W7mEBXs6_o3YEkkbX61w3FTeljf_S28vLhsTVuIwGoq3uJg/s320/DSCN1961.JPG" width="314" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Admiral</b></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEil-Eynrau8cWidUDJKcmAgb-OjCywyCY4bX7RtaLbGotF1ciZkprnpMJcf32oHYK3pjZXFF5xf4vl8PjjGjaAAOr5sXwweoImHEsC1BK-8WqKU9aX8ckR3ybveXBhh8M5CYuDnxxN9ZNq6Y5P57dPYaAzOLN8PsSJtN1VWnGwP1SjyZkF6Ig" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="260" data-original-width="320" height="325" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEil-Eynrau8cWidUDJKcmAgb-OjCywyCY4bX7RtaLbGotF1ciZkprnpMJcf32oHYK3pjZXFF5xf4vl8PjjGjaAAOr5sXwweoImHEsC1BK-8WqKU9aX8ckR3ybveXBhh8M5CYuDnxxN9ZNq6Y5P57dPYaAzOLN8PsSJtN1VWnGwP1SjyZkF6Ig=w400-h325" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Common Spotted Orchid</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /></b></p><p><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;">Midsummer is peak time for butterflies and wild flowers in this area, and a typical June, given some sunny and calm days, usually sees us enjoying sightings of </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;"> Red Admiral</b><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;">,</span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;"> Peacock</b><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;">. </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;">Pearl-Bordered Fritillary</b><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;">, </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;">Small Copper</b><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;">, </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;">Common Blue </b><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;">and </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;">Orange Tip </b><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;">among others, ...and a splendid range of wild flowers including several types of </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;">Orchids</b><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;">....</span></p><p><br /></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZl68ymUvJzq14nJ0ujLXb_7R6cGGxiIX21XcRHhj1BGnFNWoaw5SREdGHCSkgo1eN4t8fAcemQiItpr4TULsLt_cz2XoERrLANgiPXvAnGhoEJD3Bf2YRQ5BqunV5bvjf2hr0Eq3mwJIPod-FaLk6R_6XHKcdlXgWy9v36RMaQr477kcBsg/s960/M%20Holland%20Salmon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="960" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZl68ymUvJzq14nJ0ujLXb_7R6cGGxiIX21XcRHhj1BGnFNWoaw5SREdGHCSkgo1eN4t8fAcemQiItpr4TULsLt_cz2XoERrLANgiPXvAnGhoEJD3Bf2YRQ5BqunV5bvjf2hr0Eq3mwJIPod-FaLk6R_6XHKcdlXgWy9v36RMaQr477kcBsg/s320/M%20Holland%20Salmon.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Leaping Atlantic Salmon - Photo by Margaret Holland from June 2016</b></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p>Midsummer is also a good time to witness leaping <b>Atlantic Salmon</b> making their way up to the spawning grounds in the upper reaches of Highland rivers. They can be seen well at a number of well known sites...</p><p><br /></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicuBh0zWkHs-_4iUc1TXyKpesHGSghvcRFWwk61NMW6vgXbr3DB_Rz10zstIHYfrIr7vfHGkx4K250eLxxHgN8U8iZi51HqBUL4O4xcIXtxCDGrM8f24ZdEt7IzJfZO3L1-IkRsoQvRrBwSSu5xDY1p0d_7BxARrlODQX2q-Z3Y6GJU1k17w/s1889/IMG_7137.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1181" data-original-width="1889" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicuBh0zWkHs-_4iUc1TXyKpesHGSghvcRFWwk61NMW6vgXbr3DB_Rz10zstIHYfrIr7vfHGkx4K250eLxxHgN8U8iZi51HqBUL4O4xcIXtxCDGrM8f24ZdEt7IzJfZO3L1-IkRsoQvRrBwSSu5xDY1p0d_7BxARrlODQX2q-Z3Y6GJU1k17w/w400-h250/IMG_7137.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The iconic Scottish Thistles are now beginning to look their best</b></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">News:</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">The BIG news is that all tourism/hospitality/activities in Scotland are open , are now free of restrictions and that I have now completed over a year of (thankfully!) increasingly busy and extremely enjoyable safaris with clients with no major issues arising.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">With all national travel restrictions lifted too, Scotland is officially 'open for business' for visitors from all over the UK, and from abroad.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">For those considering a visit, these wildlife/outdoor tourism websites may prove useful:</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b>https://www.gov.scot/collections/coronavirus-covid</b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.outdooraccess-scotland.scot/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">NatureScot (outdooraccess-scotland.scot)</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xGdTZcC2ZQ" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-line: none;">Can Nature Help Health? | Nature Prescriptions - YouTube</a></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1HBKnnGr-g" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;">Scotland, Yours to Enjoy. Responsibly. - YouTube</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://cairngorms.co.uk/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">Cairngorms National Park Authority</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.highlandwildlifepark.org.uk/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">Highland Wildlife Park</a></p><div><br /></div><p><br /></p><div><b>COVID-19</b></div><div><br /></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><div><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>The Scottish Highlands has had very few COVID-19 cases in comparison to most of the UK, and on my safaris we tend to visit remote , wild habitats well away from the more popular tourist areas, and usually have very little interaction with other people, and this is something that I intend to continue.</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div></span></div><p><br /></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb9zN7rsyjDzVJ1IXzvxBfYmgNZnzbxAJQOr_MuK08TjLPKaflK3G0aQKvNNJqR4kb2zAM0mIcbhwn9b_sCmQw6KGIlFp0QUS_RBUhdrTVbFzlBlADQCR6x-uALENmbOqyKOGuPhq9vNpjsN9sfQo5m0LE7hKh-prYnCe-PbhIiSTZMmjZww/s2016/IMG_7119.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb9zN7rsyjDzVJ1IXzvxBfYmgNZnzbxAJQOr_MuK08TjLPKaflK3G0aQKvNNJqR4kb2zAM0mIcbhwn9b_sCmQw6KGIlFp0QUS_RBUhdrTVbFzlBlADQCR6x-uALENmbOqyKOGuPhq9vNpjsN9sfQo5m0LE7hKh-prYnCe-PbhIiSTZMmjZww/w400-h300/IMG_7119.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Midsummer in the Cairngorm Mountains</b></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Summary:</b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;">Looking back through my photos whilst compiling this blog report, I think it is fair to say that June 2022 was certainly another excellent month of wildlife watching, with a splendid variety of wildlife seen, and mostly in good weather. </span></b></b><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;">It was certainly great to see the much-needed breeding success of some of our rarer bird species , to utter a few "ahhhs" at the cute fledglings of so many more common birds, and enjoy the feelgood factor of just spending time out and about enjoying the long summer days in the beautiful Cairngorms National Park among all the lovely wild flowers and spectacular scenery.... but... the real highlight for me , as always, was sharing it with other like-minded people from all round the world, seeing their smiles and hearing the occasional sharp intake of breath, or "wow" as they saw something special.....</span></b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;">Reviews:</b></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="" style="color: #06004c;">I know a lot of visitors to this area very wisely check out reviews of attractions/experiences at </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Tripadvisor</b><span face="" style="color: #06004c;"> before 'taking the plunge' and booking - We now have over 250 reviews online, so if you wish, you can check out our clients comments at the link below....</span></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><div style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"></span></span><br /><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g186537-d3335134-Reviews-</span></span></span></span></span></div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"></span></span><br /><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Highland_Wildlife_Birdwatch_Safaris-Aviemore_Aviemore_and_the_Cairngorms_Scottish.html</span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div></div></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Buying my photos:</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Prints of any of the photos (taken by myself) shown on this blog, going right back to 2015, </b><b style="background-color: transparent;">reproduced on high quality photographic paper, </b><b> with a choice of sizes up to A3, and satin pearl or glossy finishes available, </b><b style="background-color: transparent;">can now be purchased from me at very reasonable prices</b><b>. So if you see an image that might look nice in a frame (provided by yourself) on your wall, please make a note of the year and month of my blog in which it appeared, and email me for more information.</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><div style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span face=""><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;">G<b>ift Certificates:</b></span><br /></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; color: #222222; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 5px; position: relative;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T95gARK_lkQ/XAvNUI2tI6I/AAAAAAAADwU/GDPgK9hH9LwgLQ8gPnoaLdf04Yn2BLebwCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_1578.JPG" style="background: none 0% 0% / auto repeat scroll padding-box border-box transparent; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 5px;" width="400" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 10.56px; text-align: center;"><b>Safari gift voucher</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></span></span></div></div></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="" style="color: #06004c; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;">If you think you know someone who may enjoy a taste of what I do, why not treat them to a safari gift </span><span face="" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;">certificate? They make a thoughtful and imaginative present, are available for any amount as full or part-payment for an excursion, and are valid at any time subject to my availability, with a one year from purchase expiry date.</span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span face="" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p>Highland Wildlife & Birdwatch Safarishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04327130550058794301noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26724394.post-69009987864998707722022-05-31T19:47:00.000+01:002022-05-31T19:47:07.953+01:00<div class="separator"><br /></div><p><b>May 2022 </b>was a pretty decent month for wildlife watching in this area weather-wise. It was relatively calm throughout , often sunny, with just a few windy or wet days towards the end , and no real extremes experienced - which was a bit of a relief , as it's always the best, and my busiest month of the year for safaris.</p><p><span style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 15.972px;">With around 18 hours of usable daylight, and all of our summer visiting birds arrived by mid-month, our local full-day bird species day-lists climbed ever higher, with 50+ species a regular occurrence, and the early starts - when mammals are more active - (now 4am or earlier) for the Black Grouse 'leks', also helped us to see up to 8 different mammals in a day too!!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 15.972px;"><br style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;" /></span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 15.972px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;">With the 'dawn chorus' still in full swing, the wild flowers in full bloom, and butterflies, bees and other insects on the wing, a day out in the wilds, visiting a huge variety of habitats, in May in this area really could honestly be described as a 'whirlwind of wildlife'</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 15.972px;"><br style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;" /></span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 15.972px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;">A few day-trips further afield to various favourite places, including the Isle of Mull, and RSPB Fowlsheugh , gave me my annual 'fix' of seabirds , including <b>Terns</b>, <b>sea ducks</b> and <b>Auks</b> including <b>Puffins</b>, and some decent raptor and mammal sightings.</span></p><p><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 15.972px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><br /></span></p><p><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 15.972px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><br /></span></p><p><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 15.972px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWCLQmAay2w3en4gPskI9w9ygXS0mejfk8163XGad5Q2Pe_hcl7I8GgxxjqCsYXJZyqAir96WiTTvsCa9zo6tjWFRqOhqbBkA0rvOlb1c-CFPtIUr7BoFxbBQdVV5MkLvpf9RXTtufW3SLtYUTQpPmGmNM7NdVRXtmK0pcLV6JuKB0jqTqEA/s1979/IMG_9049.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1011" data-original-width="1979" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWCLQmAay2w3en4gPskI9w9ygXS0mejfk8163XGad5Q2Pe_hcl7I8GgxxjqCsYXJZyqAir96WiTTvsCa9zo6tjWFRqOhqbBkA0rvOlb1c-CFPtIUr7BoFxbBQdVV5MkLvpf9RXTtufW3SLtYUTQpPmGmNM7NdVRXtmK0pcLV6JuKB0jqTqEA/w400-h204/IMG_9049.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Spring at a picturesque local loch<br /><br /></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">To give you an idea of what you may realistically hope to see if you are considering a future May visit, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">I hope the following more detailed information, illustrated with photos taken at sites in and around the Cairngorms National Park by myself, my friends or my safari clients this month and in previous May's will help....clicking on the picture enlarges it to full-screen. </span></p><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Local speciality/upland bird species seen regularly during the month included</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">:</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><b>Black Grouse </b>(at or soon after dawn only), </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Red Grouse</b><b style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">, Osprey, Ring Ouzel</b><b style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">, Slavonian Grebe</b><b style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">, Red-Throated</b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Diver</b><b style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">, Black-Throated Diver</b><b style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">, Goldeneye</b><b style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">and</span><b style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> Dipper, </b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">with a chance of </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Wood Warbler </b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">and </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Pied Flycatcher.</b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">..</span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;"></span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;">We also had a few</span></span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> decent local sightings of</span><b style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> Golden Eagle </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">and</span><b style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> White-Tailed Eagle - </b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">usually sub-adult birds</span><b style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">though, as is normal for this time of year, they are definitely getting harder to see...</span><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-size: 15.972px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-size: 17.5692px; line-height: 1.4;"></span></span></span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><div class="separator" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); clear: both; color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: center;"></div><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-size: 15.972px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-size: 17.5692px; line-height: 1.4;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;">It should be noted that, due <span style="font-weight: bold;">to </span>their very secretive and almost silent nature at nesting time<span style="font-weight: bold;"> ,</span><b> Crested Tits</b><b> </b>continue to be extremely difficult to see during their breeding season (April-May), and we usually struggle to see them until they fledge their young late in the month....and <b>Crossbill</b> sightings, are usually largely restricted to brief fly-over glimpses...</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;"></span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"></span></span></span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-size: 15.972px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></span></span></span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-size: 15.972px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;">With the snow largely restricted to the mountain tops by May, that's where you have to go to have a chance of seeing <b>Snow Bunting</b>, <b>Ptarmigan</b> (and from mid-month) <b>Dotterel</b>....please be aware that this would usually take a good part of a day, and a lot of strenuous hill walking to achieve, and would need to be a separate adventure from a 'normal' safari excursion.....</span></span></span></span><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-size: 15.972px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></span></span></span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-size: 15.972px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Summer migrant birds continued to flood in throughout the month, with <b>Common Swift,</b> <b>Spotted Flycatcher, Pied Flycatcher , Wood Warbler, Common Whitethroat</b>, <b>Sedge </b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><b>Warbler,</b> and<b> Whinchat,</b> joining <b>Wheatear</b>, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;">Common Sandpiper</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;">Sand Martin</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;">House Martin</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;">Swallow</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;">Willow Warbler</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;">Chiffchaff</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;">Blackcap</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">, <b>Redstart</b>, and<b> Tree Pipit,</b> to name just a few....</span></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Mammal species seen regularly included:</b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Rabbit, Brown Hare (mainly very early in the day) , </b><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Red Squirrel, Red Deer, Roe Deer, Reindeer, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>and</b> </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">feral Mountain Goat, with just a couple of views of </b><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Mountain Hare </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">(now a mottled blue-grey), </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">and we also had a few sightings of</span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"> Sika Deer, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">and one brief glimpse of a</span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"> </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Bank Vole</b></span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">....</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Whilst trips to the coas</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">t usually provided both types of</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Seal.</b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">May 2022 bird sightings in more detail:</b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">On the lochs...</b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAb3LCSqFU1ZfBwrtywU52bv7EPoEpnQqHXH4uq58CgW6MnPfWWQ4rAHM9BtcjBMqUBoJ36F24EI1LZJyftWywdW3Ko64Gq1Jta7a2Gss5x6CqIwTlbvEmMhkbvvb_Y0g0cuqluqxnhyFgbeqWAfHL2RiDGP9dYywoINnJi7fH-6gWmM2swg/s1835/IMG_9050.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="896" data-original-width="1835" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAb3LCSqFU1ZfBwrtywU52bv7EPoEpnQqHXH4uq58CgW6MnPfWWQ4rAHM9BtcjBMqUBoJ36F24EI1LZJyftWywdW3Ko64Gq1Jta7a2Gss5x6CqIwTlbvEmMhkbvvb_Y0g0cuqluqxnhyFgbeqWAfHL2RiDGP9dYywoINnJi7fH-6gWmM2swg/w400-h195/IMG_9050.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A local loch</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBr_d-F_CLp5z1vPTJ0yBuN5o4-cgZo0w10iGzgjJY2WbvYQDirc6cUTrhJ2ForRj8DVKMG7Vo-8mH10-iNq10Q6mIG8iaxUDGVvSGBoM-lKbpOBcfn6aAMmvqv_TMgSKVAmOtLuOvFjesTPDElPU4ONXmBbk0yKvTBTHZdyUpVbvMeJP_kg/s4608/DSCN2148.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBr_d-F_CLp5z1vPTJ0yBuN5o4-cgZo0w10iGzgjJY2WbvYQDirc6cUTrhJ2ForRj8DVKMG7Vo-8mH10-iNq10Q6mIG8iaxUDGVvSGBoM-lKbpOBcfn6aAMmvqv_TMgSKVAmOtLuOvFjesTPDElPU4ONXmBbk0yKvTBTHZdyUpVbvMeJP_kg/w400-h300/DSCN2148.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A pair of Ospreys in their impressive nest</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivXo6YVI8U2-DYXx6QJnhi8iDUHBdbWh6B72AYSOizHbZOwlqi_EiReEzken-yrUI3pnzGL56LU7BhDDCxFn8hbBzKLyS9DVK9LpNSVs2A66qddLvALmN-TuVKDtf7ENVgQnXqj_qhuOs_epGLmdeJHp4f2XZLGR-KGsLnImW_w5c0B5fzSA/s4159/DSCN2421.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2501" data-original-width="4159" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivXo6YVI8U2-DYXx6QJnhi8iDUHBdbWh6B72AYSOizHbZOwlqi_EiReEzken-yrUI3pnzGL56LU7BhDDCxFn8hbBzKLyS9DVK9LpNSVs2A66qddLvALmN-TuVKDtf7ENVgQnXqj_qhuOs_epGLmdeJHp4f2XZLGR-KGsLnImW_w5c0B5fzSA/w400-h240/DSCN2421.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Osprey with a fish</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPgpr6UhPN3fo_OonBE4YXDxZw32lLPViVkV8Mlw1RVs0FUtsQiyYa2z2kSLn64ZivOSWczgqWyngubHqwMq1k6TkZXiba2x5-rSKC-R-san_PcHavSDOWkk1XaKFMpnts6fpcVIRDyThO0zhYJkjk0hP6zRhQKY3Lfc7sjc37R3DgR6hHrA/s3910/DSCN2537.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2438" data-original-width="3910" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPgpr6UhPN3fo_OonBE4YXDxZw32lLPViVkV8Mlw1RVs0FUtsQiyYa2z2kSLn64ZivOSWczgqWyngubHqwMq1k6TkZXiba2x5-rSKC-R-san_PcHavSDOWkk1XaKFMpnts6fpcVIRDyThO0zhYJkjk0hP6zRhQKY3Lfc7sjc37R3DgR6hHrA/w400-h250/DSCN2537.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Nesting material delivery</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbOBCCJt-mdeFLru7aQX3eYmsH3PzmvBKMvbV3FsvJaQAxiX4mcMB5Yeo9RY2OH7t11hUhJo0LZ_SZN_UClMW_uf_kRqKdV1NEODL2Isf00HhM1-Yw-mdpdD_cigMr8M4BBUfrKQJK0brW_k8I6MFhsfIRcbLtnuBeO6z1lQeBkTofikhjBQ/s4489/DSCN2427.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2724" data-original-width="4489" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbOBCCJt-mdeFLru7aQX3eYmsH3PzmvBKMvbV3FsvJaQAxiX4mcMB5Yeo9RY2OH7t11hUhJo0LZ_SZN_UClMW_uf_kRqKdV1NEODL2Isf00HhM1-Yw-mdpdD_cigMr8M4BBUfrKQJK0brW_k8I6MFhsfIRcbLtnuBeO6z1lQeBkTofikhjBQ/w400-h243/DSCN2427.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Osprey with a good sized trout</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;">Our local </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="line-height: 18.2px;">Ospreys</span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="line-height: 18.2px;"> </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;">continued to entertain and excite my safari clients, often being voted as 'Bird of the day', though it should be noted that, with the female birds spending much of the month deep in their nests incubating eggs with just their heads visible, and later in the month, brooding young, sightings could be a bit frustrating, as we needed a bit of luck to coincide our visit with the male birds being 'at home' or delivering a fish or more nest-building materials.....though we did also see birds fishing local lochs and rivers on a few occasions...one bird 'seeing-off' an intruding Common Buzzard, and sometimes we even witness a successful 'plunge-dive'!! always a treat....</span></b></b></b></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></b></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhriQ9kCEgXTXG0foyiw9AJsdGolxWNyMxxXMVxANEh8CTNU4n0cqBTeJwNOqnty_l_aP4hP874jlozpaLkm0-oZODGwtjORxoP4lgsUtN3zbjlAn4w5JvUBYwPCK2goF5FMkW9WjEIcD-djId5ucBJVTyRmAeNqqMfthjsIXLG-y74dJFgJQ/s4583/DSCN2340.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2465" data-original-width="4583" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhriQ9kCEgXTXG0foyiw9AJsdGolxWNyMxxXMVxANEh8CTNU4n0cqBTeJwNOqnty_l_aP4hP874jlozpaLkm0-oZODGwtjORxoP4lgsUtN3zbjlAn4w5JvUBYwPCK2goF5FMkW9WjEIcD-djId5ucBJVTyRmAeNqqMfthjsIXLG-y74dJFgJQ/w400-h215/DSCN2340.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red-Throated Divers</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></b></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmafsE-yIYM7rGG0GGRA8JG0gVtQJd7tm3mmaU2CjWSdHji_8VLJrPG85Z9QvtuIF2rn1PSlV2JSWZdmvhfylVBQxyxZ2T3gQx2btmsSMg5UyQqvVaLt7hOsjqzwcAdCMU5PVEZohfqTayVESlCjJdYXk82OSzz3ZE1NnE9L4deB_KJxDcRQ/s3695/DSCN2211.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1905" data-original-width="3695" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmafsE-yIYM7rGG0GGRA8JG0gVtQJd7tm3mmaU2CjWSdHji_8VLJrPG85Z9QvtuIF2rn1PSlV2JSWZdmvhfylVBQxyxZ2T3gQx2btmsSMg5UyQqvVaLt7hOsjqzwcAdCMU5PVEZohfqTayVESlCjJdYXk82OSzz3ZE1NnE9L4deB_KJxDcRQ/w400-h206/DSCN2211.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red-Throated Diver</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></b></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX7bt-pXY7A3ofO1zj5yiL6AOlNc43d-ywUW3sSsJR7V3h3MiIbplQBxYxNVbhdnF9JFYnmazD4gUXMbm0AkMZSQ-AVbW8iJf-oR1M1ni1DqvCpbb-lMMNTOJNTdp4cs9NmJy79WnbLrzN_EOt55gE_I7TuuiZ38eQpZ1iKoIPPcYf5eYO-g/s4486/DSCN2124.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2434" data-original-width="4486" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX7bt-pXY7A3ofO1zj5yiL6AOlNc43d-ywUW3sSsJR7V3h3MiIbplQBxYxNVbhdnF9JFYnmazD4gUXMbm0AkMZSQ-AVbW8iJf-oR1M1ni1DqvCpbb-lMMNTOJNTdp4cs9NmJy79WnbLrzN_EOt55gE_I7TuuiZ38eQpZ1iKoIPPcYf5eYO-g/w400-h217/DSCN2124.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Black-Throated Divers</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></b></b></b><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></b></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtjgdHGiWnyKu2ZZ1yUW6IOwOhI2htzs2nVvwloZqqHIcAl-ELNHXv0blRw9HNL8HQeqAr5xOKxVr6-A2VyvgWGmwOJUeLViGhWOxxlpGeFX4-086pyjoFzKmEPLAt8WoBG6J2TZvXnGnlsFsyP-VvWq69DLquDKCaZY8UfQxk7cJttfYW3w/s754/Chris%20Ballance%202.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="503" data-original-width="754" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtjgdHGiWnyKu2ZZ1yUW6IOwOhI2htzs2nVvwloZqqHIcAl-ELNHXv0blRw9HNL8HQeqAr5xOKxVr6-A2VyvgWGmwOJUeLViGhWOxxlpGeFX4-086pyjoFzKmEPLAt8WoBG6J2TZvXnGnlsFsyP-VvWq69DLquDKCaZY8UfQxk7cJttfYW3w/s320/Chris%20Ballance%202.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Black-Throated Diver by Chris Ballance</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></b></b></b><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></b></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsL9vEx3DnsiZiqkmDRMhft_48t3uPuS5PvMAVx2C71TzwIW07zy89MLKDteYbiA2ciobTMT812YssY0gj9e7SLbYWa-TPMH_cmtsGP0tbF_lxBAKCgONWtjblGffEZMyv7XmaYyTBkYleclYHMUD34XwWavg7US0blX-WFj2e2XmyxeLPOQ/s1475/Ian%20dennis%20Slav.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1090" data-original-width="1475" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsL9vEx3DnsiZiqkmDRMhft_48t3uPuS5PvMAVx2C71TzwIW07zy89MLKDteYbiA2ciobTMT812YssY0gj9e7SLbYWa-TPMH_cmtsGP0tbF_lxBAKCgONWtjblGffEZMyv7XmaYyTBkYleclYHMUD34XwWavg7US0blX-WFj2e2XmyxeLPOQ/w400-h295/Ian%20dennis%20Slav.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Slavonian (Horned) Grebe by Ian Dennis</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></b></b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></b></b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></b></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcvJkrzwaCC3HV9zEEBqCvAW7SOvGrHj7zeWLJv02Z7E1xzC1pUaxwdYQQDTlFsiM3uwXyGW5nB9vXKS_vUnbmDQEeZtdUWrB1HXxZfgwXiVaJtMYy8DAGkvjp1WMTFm6tfP719M6riMjIJ99YudkSYTC0HoDKmgLbHhJuEYu9W4A6xfEUWg/s4521/DSCN1534.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2753" data-original-width="4521" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcvJkrzwaCC3HV9zEEBqCvAW7SOvGrHj7zeWLJv02Z7E1xzC1pUaxwdYQQDTlFsiM3uwXyGW5nB9vXKS_vUnbmDQEeZtdUWrB1HXxZfgwXiVaJtMYy8DAGkvjp1WMTFm6tfP719M6riMjIJ99YudkSYTC0HoDKmgLbHhJuEYu9W4A6xfEUWg/w400-h244/DSCN1534.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Slavonian (Horned) Grebe</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-weight: 400;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><b>Slavonian Grebe</b>, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 18.2px;">Red-Throated</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"> <b>Diver</b> and </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 18.2px;">Black-Throated Diver</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"> UK-wise, are only usually found breeding, and in their dapper summer plumage, on suitable secluded lochs in northern Scotland and it's islands, and we are very fortunate to get a handful of nesting pairs locally.</span></span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"> Though the Slavonian Grebes can be quite obliging, due to the Divers' general wariness of humans, most of the views we get of them are through a scope at a fair distance, and any decent ripple on the water makes finding them very difficult to find, but on a few occasions, and with a little persistence, we got lucky and obtained a slightly closer look, without risk of disturbing them, and even managed a few rare photo opportunities....</span></b></b></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj77laIClfgJVrknpo2zXAnwwYZrUjhf0W_QaVVt6CISDwkyo428aWqgBjDAOpCI0C5Oj1zDJQpnliYSrI4lLDtPF7E-qkxCiTLWY_Cnd8HXFGmbbggukR13Gq5VApvz47fP4ftJoEoxgv97niDsYMGgWftkOItdD-rWKSINw8H3HroJ0B8ag/s3993/DSCN3501.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1591" data-original-width="3993" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj77laIClfgJVrknpo2zXAnwwYZrUjhf0W_QaVVt6CISDwkyo428aWqgBjDAOpCI0C5Oj1zDJQpnliYSrI4lLDtPF7E-qkxCiTLWY_Cnd8HXFGmbbggukR13Gq5VApvz47fP4ftJoEoxgv97niDsYMGgWftkOItdD-rWKSINw8H3HroJ0B8ag/w400-h160/DSCN3501.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Female Goldeneye with cute youngsters (photo from May 2020) </b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8q6BDcUaqE-1D8M83WJPmX8S4XR26YJZee2Rif5eonefZS1oWT52BDzPzpgTDzpnbZvYSO6FktIRoeln5iU3VzOYUQNOGCp7cWDtvWXuni95PZeviB2bEEJd6gnP6w35M3ISYzVEwP-KwK7Wim6K3SFNzKUFwJOdnsJy3Wk3MYHfefSMTLw/s2362/DSCN1563.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1660" data-original-width="2362" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8q6BDcUaqE-1D8M83WJPmX8S4XR26YJZee2Rif5eonefZS1oWT52BDzPzpgTDzpnbZvYSO6FktIRoeln5iU3VzOYUQNOGCp7cWDtvWXuni95PZeviB2bEEJd6gnP6w35M3ISYzVEwP-KwK7Wim6K3SFNzKUFwJOdnsJy3Wk3MYHfefSMTLw/w400-h281/DSCN1563.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Goldeneye</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">The same could be said of our </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">Goldeneye</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">, with this attractive tree-nesting duck (yes, really!!) being a north of Scotland breeding speciality too, and late in the month we often get to see a few females with their ridiculously cute youngsters too... nice!</span></p><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK30QLyosf1U4772okGYL23nMZpWiMLx2fo1tAPjC2P0auqvDrEvq7HJKlJ3H0riXNkcSc9423BG1_jYqAJxe34TEINa38KyADEhR1pHffUzKhflFaIAFYHKnfXllznrbGvlb9ClpyxrkUGEk9vuUZe9Bal-OcywlXd793w0t1VHzIITIcFg/s3196/DSCN2474.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1823" data-original-width="3196" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK30QLyosf1U4772okGYL23nMZpWiMLx2fo1tAPjC2P0auqvDrEvq7HJKlJ3H0riXNkcSc9423BG1_jYqAJxe34TEINa38KyADEhR1pHffUzKhflFaIAFYHKnfXllznrbGvlb9ClpyxrkUGEk9vuUZe9Bal-OcywlXd793w0t1VHzIITIcFg/w400-h229/DSCN2474.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Goosander</b></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><p><b>Goosanders</b> too, are a bit of a northern/upland UK speciality, and we managed a few decent sightings this month.</p><p><br /></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Up on the moors....</b></b></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM3Kqo03krKTQOVyU8eKT1E1lX7oRrmp7il0ZnXdEJLUpmkPIU56zjCzIdOcyjVpgTrM42rFOHY_gyifpNhaMy0rlVGCdRCent4snhdHJG7D5jVpLb9DJu6FNUxokg3bOBdLF4Xp3p5KwTcKsJCVAezktfIL7pmiJyhq9VpmiO_IYT8RCBDA/s1762/IMG_4729.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="892" data-original-width="1762" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM3Kqo03krKTQOVyU8eKT1E1lX7oRrmp7il0ZnXdEJLUpmkPIU56zjCzIdOcyjVpgTrM42rFOHY_gyifpNhaMy0rlVGCdRCent4snhdHJG7D5jVpLb9DJu6FNUxokg3bOBdLF4Xp3p5KwTcKsJCVAezktfIL7pmiJyhq9VpmiO_IYT8RCBDA/w400-h203/IMG_4729.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A local upland heather moorland</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPD-0C6wUexSOMY2nciithQ8HpAcqb5w5INmnMojvB1dWFQhd5dG_MymmscdBnqePsmKjN0s8q2z-y8BODbuWS1ryO4dgEgb4wyxf8zXG7Sk-9z9gM75321LEd8R6ziIvYDu1qEk524GaewaQwyOajB3tFc7axKFGVzRc79DOs75B-cUit5Q/s4123/DSCN2294.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1422" data-original-width="4123" height="138" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPD-0C6wUexSOMY2nciithQ8HpAcqb5w5INmnMojvB1dWFQhd5dG_MymmscdBnqePsmKjN0s8q2z-y8BODbuWS1ryO4dgEgb4wyxf8zXG7Sk-9z9gM75321LEd8R6ziIvYDu1qEk524GaewaQwyOajB3tFc7axKFGVzRc79DOs75B-cUit5Q/w400-h138/DSCN2294.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Lekking Black Grouse</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhOzUsicStJ0Tlv7Q3iVecjQhjRpDZfanssXa6ztVA1lQcKrUYHUZQIWd9ywRXbB1wTd2nzVVbZ7N09gL0Fmw8l0DmQ72JZyyO2kq0qBbGBsPaBpwA6TBHWgd3PQLsr1VowY0ysDQkYHhx6tJk5CBJSf31juw0QxaDedG_p3x9qImfzYRNyA/s4315/DSCN2359.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2559" data-original-width="4315" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhOzUsicStJ0Tlv7Q3iVecjQhjRpDZfanssXa6ztVA1lQcKrUYHUZQIWd9ywRXbB1wTd2nzVVbZ7N09gL0Fmw8l0DmQ72JZyyO2kq0qBbGBsPaBpwA6TBHWgd3PQLsr1VowY0ysDQkYHhx6tJk5CBJSf31juw0QxaDedG_p3x9qImfzYRNyA/w400-h238/DSCN2359.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Lekking Black Grouse</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b><p></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><b>Black Grouse</b><b> </b>'lekking' is surely one of British wildlife's top 10 sights (and sounds), and our local birds continued to 'perform' throughout the month, with up to 8 cock birds seen fighting it out, though usually not quite as vigorously as in April, except for when female birds were seen 'checking out' the lek, though with dawn at around 4 am, and the performance only lasting for around 90 minutes on average, it should be noted that a </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">very</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"> early start is needed if you want to see them...and please be aware that we have to view from a respectful distance to avoid disturbance........but with a quality spotting scope, this is still a highly recommended and memorable experience, especially as on a few occasions whilst watching the lek, we can have a supporting cast of hunting raptors, displaying <b>Curlew</b> and <b>Snipe </b>and calling <b>Cuckoo,</b> and up to 5 different mammal species including Mountain Hare , all in the first hour and a half of daylight!!</span></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></b></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="trebuchet ms, trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-size: 15.972px; line-height: 1.4;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;">Please note though, that by the end of May the <b>Black Grouse </b>lekking season is usually over, with the birds seemingly losing interest, numbers at the lek decreasing, and them then generally 'disappearing' until the winter....</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYhBVFjbuHzUCbXvVnE741uzStB0w9RhDUfXB6cx3Z_uZjX4g7Z92V6R2wQNuiLbRM4UTxE3UEzSiNHsTSeoUtIITApqdQqA-mFuTbHJ4jz7XtQwHBF7uEoFKFB-Gz4t_pty_R7_g-4NLzzulkATC4cM7hC1F8iyhy7yahTHg4SpTAAoowow/s1672/Ian%20Dennis%20R%20G%201.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1254" data-original-width="1672" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYhBVFjbuHzUCbXvVnE741uzStB0w9RhDUfXB6cx3Z_uZjX4g7Z92V6R2wQNuiLbRM4UTxE3UEzSiNHsTSeoUtIITApqdQqA-mFuTbHJ4jz7XtQwHBF7uEoFKFB-Gz4t_pty_R7_g-4NLzzulkATC4cM7hC1F8iyhy7yahTHg4SpTAAoowow/w400-h300/Ian%20Dennis%20R%20G%201.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Red Grouse by Ian Dennis</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3XoIneaX98Aki1o_03xoUE_g_y2DB0eok2s_RqhPKbnDcGiGhEziFqlSxxJPQuGypd4NSLG5dg8f6iFkMywBRX3vAJIIUeIn7Si3w1esyEqNFZgmVXf5advcT5vyb5bCDAhVlLk4QuMz6Sd3yvDQ74EoE2Qh-QZ3gQzU8SzwXVMEKUlmRYg/s1672/Ian%20Dennis%20RG%202.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1254" data-original-width="1672" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3XoIneaX98Aki1o_03xoUE_g_y2DB0eok2s_RqhPKbnDcGiGhEziFqlSxxJPQuGypd4NSLG5dg8f6iFkMywBRX3vAJIIUeIn7Si3w1esyEqNFZgmVXf5advcT5vyb5bCDAhVlLk4QuMz6Sd3yvDQ74EoE2Qh-QZ3gQzU8SzwXVMEKUlmRYg/w400-h300/Ian%20Dennis%20RG%202.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Female Red Grouse by Ian Dennis</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkifHJhIgCerCN4USsfsd5q-MILuPPIUSdG0hjpYjicHdzM07FOXx2HekLTbyt0qIlSzfWWvAw7R7TjlRpv_c4EtWKxV1szR3Dgnv1HECDQB9xaqMgKfnXgAknwRvsTycC-sj3iunuuMuSEUTL1LapLxQe3jRs5wH74u3r4SjEHzZ_YklJhA/s754/Chris%20Ballance%203.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="503" data-original-width="754" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkifHJhIgCerCN4USsfsd5q-MILuPPIUSdG0hjpYjicHdzM07FOXx2HekLTbyt0qIlSzfWWvAw7R7TjlRpv_c4EtWKxV1szR3Dgnv1HECDQB9xaqMgKfnXgAknwRvsTycC-sj3iunuuMuSEUTL1LapLxQe3jRs5wH74u3r4SjEHzZ_YklJhA/w400-h266/Chris%20Ballance%203.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male and female Red Grouse by Chris Ballance</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">Also on our local upland heather moorlands, the much more common and 'birder-friendly' </span><strong style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">Red Grouse</strong><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"> continued to show well, with some cock birds even still displaying and calling whilst defending their territory and nesting female, their guttural 'go bak go bak' calls echoing across the moor, and late in the month we began to see the hen birds with their newly fledged families of very cute fluffy youngsters...</span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmJX3a7Ou5lTSi9KUQyg01Ip8ozNqjJ1prpNSSzuut83FYWI19LZeG3CVp0_JWWuPt4-cvet1rRaNe-h3QWGSVwF10QJ3H4cVoVhd30Dz9t8KYJ5-RG7wu7Y0hvJqHVlmCcyEQP4375tXCxbYQqpzv3M8BOPk0Rt1R7jZqYCSw5o1m8khEmA/s4227/DSCN2288.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3066" data-original-width="4227" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmJX3a7Ou5lTSi9KUQyg01Ip8ozNqjJ1prpNSSzuut83FYWI19LZeG3CVp0_JWWuPt4-cvet1rRaNe-h3QWGSVwF10QJ3H4cVoVhd30Dz9t8KYJ5-RG7wu7Y0hvJqHVlmCcyEQP4375tXCxbYQqpzv3M8BOPk0Rt1R7jZqYCSw5o1m8khEmA/w400-h290/DSCN2288.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Short-Eared Owl</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>Still on the moorlands, we occasionally see birds of prey taking advantage of the abundant prey items to be found there, with the raptor highlight this month, being a splendid <b>Short-Eared Owl</b>.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">I</span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">n the Caledonian forests...</b></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmTuo9zTEoHZ0EId27-ezdZMrQlpQypqOWjmKzIUg5cO0ryDYX60xORz6Q-CBBDa3BBnSI1-RkLcupsEqz2ZCkHEzFHQ-lU0jsnDIyKAxjrWfUUGFDrRSsEKbLSzisuh1SCe7PdPpht6wV_IbpJfWECHmli-o8f_ff4-qOINIteAiUlqdbiw/s2016/IMG_9039.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1330" data-original-width="2016" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmTuo9zTEoHZ0EId27-ezdZMrQlpQypqOWjmKzIUg5cO0ryDYX60xORz6Q-CBBDa3BBnSI1-RkLcupsEqz2ZCkHEzFHQ-lU0jsnDIyKAxjrWfUUGFDrRSsEKbLSzisuh1SCe7PdPpht6wV_IbpJfWECHmli-o8f_ff4-qOINIteAiUlqdbiw/w400-h264/IMG_9039.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Early morning in an ancient Caledonian forest</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxLfQZ2PbeXBsDvWAX1f7Bu7EL-is0fQhB3uAky_EA90g_AjD4qtqQWRspUyLAqm-EN3tCO6_HVNXFLtXXZof-HnVS_p4C5cvwepRWMlskFZ_uL8ZxHfQDT-eQPFaB_eueGq75jnE8QB7kjGXdzc0XFsEbDkFVrMdPmo-bDLbTrEi56wUv1Q/s2053/Paul%20Hodgson%20Crestie.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1369" data-original-width="2053" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxLfQZ2PbeXBsDvWAX1f7Bu7EL-is0fQhB3uAky_EA90g_AjD4qtqQWRspUyLAqm-EN3tCO6_HVNXFLtXXZof-HnVS_p4C5cvwepRWMlskFZ_uL8ZxHfQDT-eQPFaB_eueGq75jnE8QB7kjGXdzc0XFsEbDkFVrMdPmo-bDLbTrEi56wUv1Q/s320/Paul%20Hodgson%20Crestie.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Crested Tit by Paul Hodgson</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b><p></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b>Crested Tit </b>sightings are usually very difficult to obtain in May, with the birds nesting very secretively, rarely visiting feeders, and only occasionally heard singing or calling. To give you an example, one May we spoke to a party of birders who had spent 10 hours one day, walking round several local pine forests without a hint of a sighting...though with a lot of persistence, we can sometimes manage a </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">glimpse, though you really do need to be familiar with their distinctive calls and song...</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.3px; line-height: 1.4;"></span></span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46;"></span><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46;" /></span></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><b>As I have mentioned previously, it is well worth noting that the colder winter months (October-Feb), when they regularly visit feeding stations, are actually the best time of year for seeing the 'wee Cresties', as these characterful little birds can be frustratingly secretive, unobtrusive and almost silent during the breeding season, with sightings being much more difficult to obtain between March and September....</b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFFq31M8SiRSy2zuzLf7M-jg9EdgRVsd6eH_85taljPfH1FnhGy3BbW63Fr-qwsRM3q2DSkI4b_WbhOV-mLu7CTwSlGG6jRBBQTGxVSJHTX5yOA3hzA2j5oaKnEDU6rCprWml9gG6-NkYUEiGDHNbAP-igQV7TDoJCctgELg6mubM41mz-iA/s1755/DSCN2344.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1215" data-original-width="1755" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFFq31M8SiRSy2zuzLf7M-jg9EdgRVsd6eH_85taljPfH1FnhGy3BbW63Fr-qwsRM3q2DSkI4b_WbhOV-mLu7CTwSlGG6jRBBQTGxVSJHTX5yOA3hzA2j5oaKnEDU6rCprWml9gG6-NkYUEiGDHNbAP-igQV7TDoJCctgELg6mubM41mz-iA/w400-h278/DSCN2344.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Female Crossbill</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR251twDrQVn4y0dH5eb6NMuS-obiR3gQWetr0AQzrYVZIXpN2KuA-UOo8Kde4WZxa1stqiBIvfkjbZUQj3vgWIcefwVAiswB-TDRw7cae1VE3h54w9gvUX5olC52kZ0t9Fl8fFXkKHGH6PwDsJD9byS27ogiqHTiiq1TXjPdMEuaB6_k7-g/s2549/DSCN2353.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1470" data-original-width="2549" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR251twDrQVn4y0dH5eb6NMuS-obiR3gQWetr0AQzrYVZIXpN2KuA-UOo8Kde4WZxa1stqiBIvfkjbZUQj3vgWIcefwVAiswB-TDRw7cae1VE3h54w9gvUX5olC52kZ0t9Fl8fFXkKHGH6PwDsJD9byS27ogiqHTiiq1TXjPdMEuaB6_k7-g/w400-h231/DSCN2353.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Crossbill</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">Continuing the forest theme, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 18.2px;"> Crossbills</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"> are all too often the cause of much frustration on my safaris, with me regularly hearing their distinctive 'jip' jip' jip' calls overhead, and my safari clients getting just a brief glimpse of the birds flying away, usually never to be seen again! But occasionally they can actually be more obliging, with us getting some good views, sometimes even through the scope, of family parties feeding together on pine cone seeds, giving us the chance to admire the brick-red males, greeny-yellow females and streaky youngsters, Photographic opportunities are usually a rare occurrence though...</span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">As is usual, we failed to manage any sightings of Capercaillie this month, though we did find a Caper poo on one of our forest walks...</span></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-size: 15.972px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-size: 13.2px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;"><span style="font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4;">Please note: In order to help protect them and keep sensitive sites 'off the radar', I no longer take clients on specific Capercaillie-hunting missions, and although we do visit suitable areas of forest, I would only rate our chances of seeing one on my safaris as "very slim" at best, </span></span></span></span></b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400;">and during 'lekking' season, I will be 'responsible' by staying out of 'sensitive' areas at dawn through April and May to allow this now very rare and elusive bird to (hopefully) lek and breed in peace....</span></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></p><p>In the birch woods:</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhULhqpt2I0_4iMTkTn_lybD2oaYoMb4GZWJvpt6Wex4ds_Ky93qB3HGdrFSIU7Kq_vBW2yYOtf_ILd2_q19kCU7x6tsw3xKVp_7RACMRYZwrnau798DBDwj1hPoRCqNgyzaR-Ju00ouivydeTVS21Vzb0Bg5UlZgYhxwhpQCd2X0iLDIHK8g/s2016/IMG_9079.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhULhqpt2I0_4iMTkTn_lybD2oaYoMb4GZWJvpt6Wex4ds_Ky93qB3HGdrFSIU7Kq_vBW2yYOtf_ILd2_q19kCU7x6tsw3xKVp_7RACMRYZwrnau798DBDwj1hPoRCqNgyzaR-Ju00ouivydeTVS21Vzb0Bg5UlZgYhxwhpQCd2X0iLDIHK8g/w400-h300/IMG_9079.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Spring in a local birch wood</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGyZrg3ARhQn6eCQAIC03sAUjmBMPZ0p2_TUN4ipNbR7aXFVpRHtz_fJ9Fr7uun72Syv5JC_poh8eM7K412EXVNVQQc6In8hNZEU5kUYf5YQkrf-W8SDny3nubXiw-96eFbsaMcQPI2ewp_XZn2-nTJgmbNL_Vu0XNLfvOBfcmrqGnBdpRtw/s3187/DSCN2525.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2068" data-original-width="3187" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGyZrg3ARhQn6eCQAIC03sAUjmBMPZ0p2_TUN4ipNbR7aXFVpRHtz_fJ9Fr7uun72Syv5JC_poh8eM7K412EXVNVQQc6In8hNZEU5kUYf5YQkrf-W8SDny3nubXiw-96eFbsaMcQPI2ewp_XZn2-nTJgmbNL_Vu0XNLfvOBfcmrqGnBdpRtw/w400-h260/DSCN2525.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Female Pied Flycatcher</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ7-mm2DincqZdySe3EGe0mJeq6F7hpisKj-0uJXzo-CpflpdLX8nMLRkwR2oNnofhl7yrHYTpSOYM98iOcPeYZauPWdjtsGS7w_PgRHoZqFIoW3U8m_72ZXNJuIq_63zXxtxuDyH5OK0zhQcSKgIAq-BN0TCSO0SaqiXqad7HPeVEiFLNdA/s2709/DSCN2521.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1783" data-original-width="2709" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ7-mm2DincqZdySe3EGe0mJeq6F7hpisKj-0uJXzo-CpflpdLX8nMLRkwR2oNnofhl7yrHYTpSOYM98iOcPeYZauPWdjtsGS7w_PgRHoZqFIoW3U8m_72ZXNJuIq_63zXxtxuDyH5OK0zhQcSKgIAq-BN0TCSO0SaqiXqad7HPeVEiFLNdA/w400-h264/DSCN2521.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Pied Flycatcher</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHkVzahFxToovjgjQbNU4tNO5Ey-972DMaGnK6ON593h1exRqXi1kP_79NxXNYmTSvIBWv417ahVVfFOZZee9k2RsKIZFDsbcYf0rk-Z8WPzdUVdNBmrZAgu7PoFJ314J_G58519GUdNaOd0Bbdd6gW4tpXE-k2umflHoaWYMF3XHElhk7Pw/s3132/IMG_8840.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1856" data-original-width="3132" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHkVzahFxToovjgjQbNU4tNO5Ey-972DMaGnK6ON593h1exRqXi1kP_79NxXNYmTSvIBWv417ahVVfFOZZee9k2RsKIZFDsbcYf0rk-Z8WPzdUVdNBmrZAgu7PoFJ314J_G58519GUdNaOd0Bbdd6gW4tpXE-k2umflHoaWYMF3XHElhk7Pw/w400-h238/IMG_8840.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Wood Warbler</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Although </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Wood Warbler</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> and </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Pied Flycatcher</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> are more usually found in the ancient Atlantic oak woods on the west coast of the UK, we are usually fortunate to get a few in our local birch woods from May-August, and with a bit of persistence, and by using our ears to follow their distinctive calls and songs, we managed to get some decent views and even a few photos this month. We also get decent numbers of the slightly more common, but still very attractive <b>Spotted Flycatcher , Tree Pipit, </b>and <b>Common Redstart</b> too...</span></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">On the rivers...</b></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6W2BuiACdOxgMHZS_HTXwXG462S-dRIpcg8bWz_8x-puV0YAzSDvbkFGFO64GsdD-s-tLGnO0salSFrpcnalDCPLchweMgfVRDtl0JVouc_spbv-Zo8bVR1l32TsU-lJkbaa-RbkG2VK-xzsd2eZf1sDuii_-4lV5u4fysNaRnhx-PeYRJg/s1983/IMG_9010.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1232" data-original-width="1983" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6W2BuiACdOxgMHZS_HTXwXG462S-dRIpcg8bWz_8x-puV0YAzSDvbkFGFO64GsdD-s-tLGnO0salSFrpcnalDCPLchweMgfVRDtl0JVouc_spbv-Zo8bVR1l32TsU-lJkbaa-RbkG2VK-xzsd2eZf1sDuii_-4lV5u4fysNaRnhx-PeYRJg/w400-h249/IMG_9010.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The River Spey</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9T8qZrU3vBS0KLwRWhijKjoJaSdpQMi2ExGzdW0IuqpI8V5-iT4D_NhabmzrdlMPOROiEcZ8vmWO-1MFNFKGn4mnivqcZoFHCUAb7C0QoKZQgvsFzwbf3UbJb8PCK62XyalxTA-Uckpe91Xl6Gzjq3p2OrVUQAAcK2BKgkt7UfdKWQer5Kg/s4396/DSCN2451.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3232" data-original-width="4396" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9T8qZrU3vBS0KLwRWhijKjoJaSdpQMi2ExGzdW0IuqpI8V5-iT4D_NhabmzrdlMPOROiEcZ8vmWO-1MFNFKGn4mnivqcZoFHCUAb7C0QoKZQgvsFzwbf3UbJb8PCK62XyalxTA-Uckpe91Xl6Gzjq3p2OrVUQAAcK2BKgkt7UfdKWQer5Kg/w400-h294/DSCN2451.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Dipper</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 18.2px;">Dippers</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"> always prove to be popular with my safari clients, being absent from large parts of the central, eastern and southern UK, many struggle to see them, but we are fortunate to have healthy populations in this area. Most of our sightings recently, were of males collecting and delivering food for the females in the nest, but towards the end of the month, we got to see the first newly-fledged, pale looking youngsters being fed by both parents.</span></p><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></div><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;">Up in the glens...</b></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSr3DwMz4dNbodfqlj3acKkzS2sqGV9G4XI0yE3qgZj6U8N6K7V4SBsGNhn62qTsFvB_LjzLlaXD6QwSc3nyVvaCCuaxqHj1pK02uOAVJVniw16GANpgLI9LodYGLyGQHVDlWb1f_EbArE2hfTP1azenYVb4JWSVjBBUkYWEgYqLUxkIfNcQ/s2015/IMG_9052.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1511" data-original-width="2015" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSr3DwMz4dNbodfqlj3acKkzS2sqGV9G4XI0yE3qgZj6U8N6K7V4SBsGNhn62qTsFvB_LjzLlaXD6QwSc3nyVvaCCuaxqHj1pK02uOAVJVniw16GANpgLI9LodYGLyGQHVDlWb1f_EbArE2hfTP1azenYVb4JWSVjBBUkYWEgYqLUxkIfNcQ/w400-h300/IMG_9052.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Springtime in a beautiful local upland glen</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVNm41ue4PnesWDZ-HUwzRq7aXJ3HVufNzW7m1bMzoRG2-xKelDTFzGT7YdBT-WMTspqgpJLyTIB8ZYfKFgkRSJTRzgTJpiM95bQeXnyxCFPacLL6nJKLocQgCKc-bWSDLVAtcSlm5_ulpbtVVlNfO4EqFB3kasS-CGrlIifdGHd1lEMYhQg/s3088/DSCN2517.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1769" data-original-width="3088" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVNm41ue4PnesWDZ-HUwzRq7aXJ3HVufNzW7m1bMzoRG2-xKelDTFzGT7YdBT-WMTspqgpJLyTIB8ZYfKFgkRSJTRzgTJpiM95bQeXnyxCFPacLL6nJKLocQgCKc-bWSDLVAtcSlm5_ulpbtVVlNfO4EqFB3kasS-CGrlIifdGHd1lEMYhQg/w400-h229/DSCN2517.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Common Buzzard</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjLT_FzjGZWqq1QFXuxui703GjTBEEiKCv9Jow3z4zbNd_xr7guSP8UFUHfJ1ToV-7kfl_M6zY_x7dxqZO-ZogIEXnUcF0ksbNNX4yrD_BD8PEbO0XB2ggIbUAG-zt6INPEo0rx2Ed6nKOLLOqCq_lr5NV8Cgl0tiLXDSQPiz8A1CZzMI8Zw/s1970/DSCN2292.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1970" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjLT_FzjGZWqq1QFXuxui703GjTBEEiKCv9Jow3z4zbNd_xr7guSP8UFUHfJ1ToV-7kfl_M6zY_x7dxqZO-ZogIEXnUcF0ksbNNX4yrD_BD8PEbO0XB2ggIbUAG-zt6INPEo0rx2Ed6nKOLLOqCq_lr5NV8Cgl0tiLXDSQPiz8A1CZzMI8Zw/w400-h243/DSCN2292.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Kite</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGwn-buBDp2jHihw29wEYdWh_cLDRG_yqfIofmgcJ9GjZ-5FNNyKeQq4OblCPMX6ce4jUd_hAtUYJoh5B1NLlz-LLKzNzjueWbPn7PVmNBcBEXRd82QhBBTHM3chIRssgueoWUlXiXFrxEqUfWx_VefCNMgdAu3WGe67S15KfnE0LDkE-5CA/s2869/DSCN2181.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1577" data-original-width="2869" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGwn-buBDp2jHihw29wEYdWh_cLDRG_yqfIofmgcJ9GjZ-5FNNyKeQq4OblCPMX6ce4jUd_hAtUYJoh5B1NLlz-LLKzNzjueWbPn7PVmNBcBEXRd82QhBBTHM3chIRssgueoWUlXiXFrxEqUfWx_VefCNMgdAu3WGe67S15KfnE0LDkE-5CA/w400-h220/DSCN2181.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Golden Eagle</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8pIH-I_6Lb37veC3FgxGJLpoWBMILHnEDbZee24A5FaH-r2LIXTop2GXoIEWFE8dp0GGJ-UfPbxO7owJtkBk4_vRS1--u7qCo3CP9IuLj-uPgfTl1dtSvU0CfLDAp7IHJN0-rsdO79aXVavRUS6JTDDJlyPF2eHGaELMSeBtYCfYwrTbJQA/s3447/DSCN2307.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1659" data-original-width="3447" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8pIH-I_6Lb37veC3FgxGJLpoWBMILHnEDbZee24A5FaH-r2LIXTop2GXoIEWFE8dp0GGJ-UfPbxO7owJtkBk4_vRS1--u7qCo3CP9IuLj-uPgfTl1dtSvU0CfLDAp7IHJN0-rsdO79aXVavRUS6JTDDJlyPF2eHGaELMSeBtYCfYwrTbJQA/w400-h193/DSCN2307.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>White-Tailed Eagle</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px;"><b style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;">Bird of prey sightings usually become less frequent during the longer days of spring and early summer, with many of the adult female birds now nesting, often with the adult males in close attendance, and many more hours of daylight available for hunting, and that proved to be the case this month. H</span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;">owever, we still managed reasonably regular sightings of </span><span style="font-size: 13.2px;">Osprey</span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;"> , </span><span style="font-size: 13.2px;">Common Buzzard </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;">,</span><span style="font-size: 13.2px;"> </span><span style="font-size: 13.2px;">Red Kite, Peregrine, Kestrel and Sparrowhawk, </span></b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;">and there is always a chance of </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: bold;">Goshawk</span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;">, </span><span style="font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: bold;">Golden Eagle </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;">and </span><span style="font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: bold;">White-Tailed Eagle</span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">, and maybe even a </span><b>Merlin</b><b style="font-weight: 400;"> - </b>though I have still yet to see one this year!</span></span></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;"><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Up in the mountains....</b></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvpQGw0YLTEkwRqEUetLYIVM_tNa0hDWd7fSAg4P4DtMWG2IX8vqe4ucdQRkOOujTIaUE2G0AIvcE2wTqZI93qgad-S4irBM1eUSMkZLKIv9dinCqgDnCb2BRzTqz2WqnOW2M4Sz2NUH7-2qHDs0gUw99hpebM58GtJHsiITk0YdHwubTERA/s2016/IMG_9042.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="729" data-original-width="2016" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvpQGw0YLTEkwRqEUetLYIVM_tNa0hDWd7fSAg4P4DtMWG2IX8vqe4ucdQRkOOujTIaUE2G0AIvcE2wTqZI93qgad-S4irBM1eUSMkZLKIv9dinCqgDnCb2BRzTqz2WqnOW2M4Sz2NUH7-2qHDs0gUw99hpebM58GtJHsiITk0YdHwubTERA/w400-h145/IMG_9042.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Spring in the Cairngorm Mountains</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLkGOFrAPmFvh1xTcA4u3UNxEOpgX20FD_oytAygqz3O5rdUHsydRxSw2NPUJc8trk4V3slmKbUDYI03z8o7ZPHOpHUmpF6AmHWtqzHKdKdI7MryrsWMSdx3gq_WA_uhuGwKvKxdv4WyY-xRYrRfskd_ErX0_FV7rUufW5RnmOeLNmbWFrgg/s1686/DSCN5850.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1100" data-original-width="1686" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLkGOFrAPmFvh1xTcA4u3UNxEOpgX20FD_oytAygqz3O5rdUHsydRxSw2NPUJc8trk4V3slmKbUDYI03z8o7ZPHOpHUmpF6AmHWtqzHKdKdI7MryrsWMSdx3gq_WA_uhuGwKvKxdv4WyY-xRYrRfskd_ErX0_FV7rUufW5RnmOeLNmbWFrgg/s320/DSCN5850.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Snow Bunting - photo from May 2018</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwLogwM2pSeVbnuG0dWJujRB5vORGB8mYmSwGNb7TcsN70awBmI24twsvKMrTtvw2qWLuZ7jwVHzvij2Xrb1SwPrR21mewwvq0lkZcoFBFDkcdxtSXvvoTZIZFJzo7envto1cU5aH3Ty6-j-sXe8T1o97a8X6mCFd3BaJo8PkqHQGkk_fhbA/s3780/DSCN1617.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2033" data-original-width="3780" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwLogwM2pSeVbnuG0dWJujRB5vORGB8mYmSwGNb7TcsN70awBmI24twsvKMrTtvw2qWLuZ7jwVHzvij2Xrb1SwPrR21mewwvq0lkZcoFBFDkcdxtSXvvoTZIZFJzo7envto1cU5aH3Ty6-j-sXe8T1o97a8X6mCFd3BaJo8PkqHQGkk_fhbA/w400-h215/DSCN1617.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Dotterel - Photo from May 2017</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix7skNzeXywWcKtaQo4K4EZOlQFRU6b3lnuVPrjKWBeSLzDClfvsU1Adfe_qfskBs2rnfV3upKKTCYndNUhS5zdvMiN7a02o0DjFvgpZCTW2WEUbjHHrsR9LuIzHhG0FtH7quHxOnICcqhTmEnph4-9LW3xild4sy3BxFHqIjVXkEDEcxqfQ/s3089/DSCN5845.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1899" data-original-width="3089" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix7skNzeXywWcKtaQo4K4EZOlQFRU6b3lnuVPrjKWBeSLzDClfvsU1Adfe_qfskBs2rnfV3upKKTCYndNUhS5zdvMiN7a02o0DjFvgpZCTW2WEUbjHHrsR9LuIzHhG0FtH7quHxOnICcqhTmEnph4-9LW3xild4sy3BxFHqIjVXkEDEcxqfQ/w400-h246/DSCN5845.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A pair of Ptarmigan - photo from May 2018</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">Although I did not walk up to the the summit area myself this month - the Cairngorm Funicular railway is still out of action and the ATV not running - fellow birders who made the effort, sadly, usually reported struggling to find the target species, which is a little worrying...so I have include a few photos from previous May visits...</span></span></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">I am planning to have a couple of walks up myself in June, hopefully with better luck... watch this space...</span></span></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;">Please be aware though, that several miles of strenuous hill-walking is required, so a good level of physical fitness is needed, and some basic survival/navigation skills preferable, as well as suitably friendly weather, </span></b></p><p><br /></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfJb-6Ly-oqaRfUnsxUZKL060-8M2qEHoIlBXmY9oM6piEKNWMoeWq_fPSgU1c_4i2mJ_FfYVQ4sUBirs9QT7HwS8rCbn6n9HWXG2qOMze_kNny43lwTKlk6fEzDjoA_ePv_XAFHktQRbANzAD0DqMHKQDmMkxf2y-nEGchbUJN9cOglL1ZQ/s849/Zayn%20Sargent%20Ringo%202.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="669" data-original-width="849" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfJb-6Ly-oqaRfUnsxUZKL060-8M2qEHoIlBXmY9oM6piEKNWMoeWq_fPSgU1c_4i2mJ_FfYVQ4sUBirs9QT7HwS8rCbn6n9HWXG2qOMze_kNny43lwTKlk6fEzDjoA_ePv_XAFHktQRbANzAD0DqMHKQDmMkxf2y-nEGchbUJN9cOglL1ZQ/s320/Zayn%20Sargent%20Ringo%202.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Ring Ouzel by Zayn Sargent</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKuK5rP0UUXzftnd-MLUdG8Q6HLB8XOVgo7l4NPBMlj0Cr2KB_ZaO9lQ4RN07yCSzW5FX4YWpaYsyonBShIWjVQfkGF4XMyqWjAL1yldBvHHzLY03wjH9ZLDfxSaXrVXkId5wBCTedOAuqX6KW8YSLt6NZ5uQtzJxWS629t3dMyNKXvMeYYg/s664/Paul%20Hodgson%20Ringo%201.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="443" data-original-width="664" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKuK5rP0UUXzftnd-MLUdG8Q6HLB8XOVgo7l4NPBMlj0Cr2KB_ZaO9lQ4RN07yCSzW5FX4YWpaYsyonBShIWjVQfkGF4XMyqWjAL1yldBvHHzLY03wjH9ZLDfxSaXrVXkId5wBCTedOAuqX6KW8YSLt6NZ5uQtzJxWS629t3dMyNKXvMeYYg/w400-h266/Paul%20Hodgson%20Ringo%201.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Ring Ouzel by Paul Hodgson</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRc-zpLbxagzUFI4WOHcDFCipe6Uv6PJuG5YzNMG9csmBMXyqebPpP8ivaVvjxUINVTjeK57QolduJRskQ-x5cqXOTA0szHBbPWuxFb2s4ZNRKmq1ERLyL6VQLbJHQ4HX5WtFZbh-h2wWbxF01AgVxLYHwD8jBVtLAZd8qWJoAC5nUULq5Yg/s754/Chris%20Ballance%201.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="503" data-original-width="754" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRc-zpLbxagzUFI4WOHcDFCipe6Uv6PJuG5YzNMG9csmBMXyqebPpP8ivaVvjxUINVTjeK57QolduJRskQ-x5cqXOTA0szHBbPWuxFb2s4ZNRKmq1ERLyL6VQLbJHQ4HX5WtFZbh-h2wWbxF01AgVxLYHwD8jBVtLAZd8qWJoAC5nUULq5Yg/w400-h266/Chris%20Ballance%201.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Ring Ouzel by Chris Ballance</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">At slightly lower levels, but generally still above 1,500ft/450m, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 18.2px;"> Ring Ouzels</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"> </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">can often be seen in their upland and mountainside habitat, especially early in the day, though when compared to April, they now become a little harder to find, as most will no longer be singing or calling, and sightings are mainly restricted to male birds collecting beakfuls of worms, as the females will presumably mostly be still on nests.....</span></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">On farmland....</b></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCB27ViiSaJkXKoi2LaoLI876mDqIrjDPXXsAYlTi3FG9aKIZG8cYxWbaNY5zK8iDuJFjjkM5Sz5namSVGG1HenDjBdns1ahNnL5sSsH1zWTP4DDg2u9Xma6yXa8yk6yiIHcvfTrcPftOdqAiyO2KltPDcXaR0xdmHfc7j0brC1Gj5z-s6IA/s2015/IMG_9171.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1119" data-original-width="2015" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCB27ViiSaJkXKoi2LaoLI876mDqIrjDPXXsAYlTi3FG9aKIZG8cYxWbaNY5zK8iDuJFjjkM5Sz5namSVGG1HenDjBdns1ahNnL5sSsH1zWTP4DDg2u9Xma6yXa8yk6yiIHcvfTrcPftOdqAiyO2KltPDcXaR0xdmHfc7j0brC1Gj5z-s6IA/w400-h223/IMG_9171.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Typical local farmland</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIrzMjemmTXkFgyIdNcdcQBM4fHGu551GQCxe3EHUzOV3ai-Bagknw_W7mLc2TTvHthT-fmOA9U71PoTUTLni4wvDSELhpusLw_gpxLk84x4LXmFzKSBmZyD-w7HuTruEAoiOJGLXGJNIusqj81d-ZgyjtYRYam1Bk6OcUaoK7qIU6rMZGXw/s3909/DSCN2533.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2290" data-original-width="3909" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIrzMjemmTXkFgyIdNcdcQBM4fHGu551GQCxe3EHUzOV3ai-Bagknw_W7mLc2TTvHthT-fmOA9U71PoTUTLni4wvDSELhpusLw_gpxLk84x4LXmFzKSBmZyD-w7HuTruEAoiOJGLXGJNIusqj81d-ZgyjtYRYam1Bk6OcUaoK7qIU6rMZGXw/w400-h234/DSCN2533.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Curlew</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWtm2J-pQ_D_tZmHWGGYH2eH2ww_OF-1IXxiPwJkPXH_6iZWZMqwB7gy4WGhjs-w_eyFwaYfOOT-eg88Ntiwt0rXBnkC5I0C5mLyQUlDrBFz5eMWSu1EN3z9zjcnOyF_t93XA-H64__qiLNzaTgBLhgj2QWuqsSQKakFzL0iyFp455zDUNUQ/s2924/IMG_7066.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2159" data-original-width="2924" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWtm2J-pQ_D_tZmHWGGYH2eH2ww_OF-1IXxiPwJkPXH_6iZWZMqwB7gy4WGhjs-w_eyFwaYfOOT-eg88Ntiwt0rXBnkC5I0C5mLyQUlDrBFz5eMWSu1EN3z9zjcnOyF_t93XA-H64__qiLNzaTgBLhgj2QWuqsSQKakFzL0iyFp455zDUNUQ/s320/IMG_7066.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Oystercatcher</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimwmwLm9qFGIb-fOU7wVs_oPJUB_DxgAjUk29xqoznY0zB7nFQocaNGfrN7lCU-lOniDObi7hkRzPYKWU7ZYyA_5VpOnUgxXxOXcXe6ByD_4oTzsz_K3MQyHi6iUuuMXcHEcWbCs28rWxFWYvUcVzItnq5irqCy7CKXAiHyUnj5azbAyiQVg/s4160/Kieviet.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="4160" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimwmwLm9qFGIb-fOU7wVs_oPJUB_DxgAjUk29xqoznY0zB7nFQocaNGfrN7lCU-lOniDObi7hkRzPYKWU7ZYyA_5VpOnUgxXxOXcXe6ByD_4oTzsz_K3MQyHi6iUuuMXcHEcWbCs28rWxFWYvUcVzItnq5irqCy7CKXAiHyUnj5azbAyiQVg/s320/Kieviet.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Lapwing by Herman De Vries</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Lots of waders have now returned to their spring/summer breeding grounds on local farmland, with </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Oystercatcher</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Lapwing</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> and </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Curlew</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> all being noted.....</span></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c;">A few more newly-arrived migrant birds:</b></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC0yLSMVGZALiSQDz8naQ9IAPERDIYOU3amB9bkTN8BIaEd9moSjyAvzy3xTRslimeZNs4-JghtPIWOcYI9meZABMbP74jkTsmo4ds0KvGIdE7L6N4CU0LWm__e0F723MGDyRWNAKis34txqjzyCbAPo985p4rL3cso2i0JTScVaAWc6RHWw/s4098/DSCN2502.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2773" data-original-width="4098" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC0yLSMVGZALiSQDz8naQ9IAPERDIYOU3amB9bkTN8BIaEd9moSjyAvzy3xTRslimeZNs4-JghtPIWOcYI9meZABMbP74jkTsmo4ds0KvGIdE7L6N4CU0LWm__e0F723MGDyRWNAKis34txqjzyCbAPo985p4rL3cso2i0JTScVaAWc6RHWw/s320/DSCN2502.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Common Whitethroat</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7jux2ITNACiBA7dmK4GmajSRCZa6R0CfQWcqbzDHJxsVsMjAfJIpnL5H_iwAOJbTlHtez4LklX-hwar8FJkDjc09NuR5WyDRowbiTifeggAtKigVVymlNE7ElU17CT0HLlZQZIvuS6jCK1fx1y4C8z7G4cPYPW81WF-00f81P2FyV8CFvcg/s2428/DSCN2518.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1572" data-original-width="2428" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7jux2ITNACiBA7dmK4GmajSRCZa6R0CfQWcqbzDHJxsVsMjAfJIpnL5H_iwAOJbTlHtez4LklX-hwar8FJkDjc09NuR5WyDRowbiTifeggAtKigVVymlNE7ElU17CT0HLlZQZIvuS6jCK1fx1y4C8z7G4cPYPW81WF-00f81P2FyV8CFvcg/w400-h259/DSCN2518.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Barn Swallow</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-DmkwYV-a0ZclkekfmeAymLZqz6Zs11gjyJcoJ8WB8wrpXIEP24ERTwMvAP1lSuvu2pWfStoQ2izMZ6jw7_2YpjGCndoVBFJyzFIfGgxejwiXes8MjozYBUv5ssiYERNPbigSz1TEAiIuObZwWd3dGj6oQXbz5_oICfsi2fpeL4RRKgk7Ew/s2816/IMG_8239.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1880" data-original-width="2816" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-DmkwYV-a0ZclkekfmeAymLZqz6Zs11gjyJcoJ8WB8wrpXIEP24ERTwMvAP1lSuvu2pWfStoQ2izMZ6jw7_2YpjGCndoVBFJyzFIfGgxejwiXes8MjozYBUv5ssiYERNPbigSz1TEAiIuObZwWd3dGj6oQXbz5_oICfsi2fpeL4RRKgk7Ew/s320/IMG_8239.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Wheatear</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn2foZwZD__HWxf67HBLh64m1WIiIsrlovhTcnW6bFzgofLsk-tEg8ib0oWIVofnCJK_CC_7EDxZFkKNlCqBxXjlRyDFrPJ9JKMqL2Lqtm-je5e3gh1xTM_11MbIIeVMFe9JY9-6IKNCEHrcsoI81ADdaFG5Djp-zOY2Di83KKw0oAdRkuQA/s3978/DSCN2191.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2769" data-original-width="3978" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn2foZwZD__HWxf67HBLh64m1WIiIsrlovhTcnW6bFzgofLsk-tEg8ib0oWIVofnCJK_CC_7EDxZFkKNlCqBxXjlRyDFrPJ9JKMqL2Lqtm-je5e3gh1xTM_11MbIIeVMFe9JY9-6IKNCEHrcsoI81ADdaFG5Djp-zOY2Di83KKw0oAdRkuQA/w400-h279/DSCN2191.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Common Sandpiper</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Other good/scarce birds seen/reported locally this month included:</b></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmwhGMFbpgNbuBFPC0-OZsfN0-D98tu-ZmmpnKhPYOjlBLirSJyL0mWf0gxxBimznFI_D7-cDXFVDdBAbE2h5XLp7p_NrVqlqhzMWAm-wmbv31d1AAMXcfy0L79G9Bx29m5OZWVo442rMkdScKsn2E0HDprlz3masNTlF010xtvFstAda-lA/s4479/DSCN2207.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3108" data-original-width="4479" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmwhGMFbpgNbuBFPC0-OZsfN0-D98tu-ZmmpnKhPYOjlBLirSJyL0mWf0gxxBimznFI_D7-cDXFVDdBAbE2h5XLp7p_NrVqlqhzMWAm-wmbv31d1AAMXcfy0L79G9Bx29m5OZWVo442rMkdScKsn2E0HDprlz3masNTlF010xtvFstAda-lA/w400-h278/DSCN2207.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Mandarin Duck</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p>A <b>Turtle Dove, a Mandarin Duck, </b>and at the end of the month, a calling<b> Quail... </b>though I'm not sure anyone actually saw it...</p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 700;">A few photos of more common birds seen locally this month: </span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY8vcMAONrl9zXlpTWJ5WLqf-uLUSbPPbxHyFQ-xCoor6DplGB_20zwURHKXzE_Ju_RvZ5wVMnQLJaWsKLTlck9eKL46Gh84My877ikxwYRFVekDowoOkrYkUjzc3v_nW2RB3LMaxVo7PS7lkcNsSaW82WbcPENJpNgNGR7p2UtlUWE1eNSQ/s4185/DSCN2146.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3021" data-original-width="4185" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY8vcMAONrl9zXlpTWJ5WLqf-uLUSbPPbxHyFQ-xCoor6DplGB_20zwURHKXzE_Ju_RvZ5wVMnQLJaWsKLTlck9eKL46Gh84My877ikxwYRFVekDowoOkrYkUjzc3v_nW2RB3LMaxVo7PS7lkcNsSaW82WbcPENJpNgNGR7p2UtlUWE1eNSQ/s320/DSCN2146.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Goldfinch</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCdCllqM7qbj8_MLaapZphEzDPf9Wq9iMdCVEj7QvWiFXsrldT35pJp0NU62AqUdWe0bBifNh3n1wJT39hdlKbzjagGhv2tWfey6Uh_07vqFXot2H3FnGynuKCN1ScW1i9xCopD9ro57Vc2gl1VFfwv119ofJ7ZI6YUg5zOjCwttnDiSyVQg/s4317/DSCN2326.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3134" data-original-width="4317" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCdCllqM7qbj8_MLaapZphEzDPf9Wq9iMdCVEj7QvWiFXsrldT35pJp0NU62AqUdWe0bBifNh3n1wJT39hdlKbzjagGhv2tWfey6Uh_07vqFXot2H3FnGynuKCN1ScW1i9xCopD9ro57Vc2gl1VFfwv119ofJ7ZI6YUg5zOjCwttnDiSyVQg/w400-h290/DSCN2326.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Stonechat</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV50MSHC7VhTPFrtr71l6_3yM1vsfAwE5-fLcfn2ZPtwHp-kMT-kCPv8v1BNq21ivPmo80s9PYqVCp39dlW1b5357MnQEhaAgeRTKSwFoJyAemRXUr65OALFEISmKr9cCqSp57tgGeg5LQg6THoXIk4h9hikWxITBLhIvELZAIoH0ThNGo7Q/s3278/DSCN2397.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2056" data-original-width="3278" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV50MSHC7VhTPFrtr71l6_3yM1vsfAwE5-fLcfn2ZPtwHp-kMT-kCPv8v1BNq21ivPmo80s9PYqVCp39dlW1b5357MnQEhaAgeRTKSwFoJyAemRXUr65OALFEISmKr9cCqSp57tgGeg5LQg6THoXIk4h9hikWxITBLhIvELZAIoH0ThNGo7Q/w400-h251/DSCN2397.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Pied Wagtail</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyFmcYFe4xshx7aHOUE7_kAlndhrUkhM3aiNxZpW9mhjoHZXzfjeu9BbWkJNifyHva0KNGiqYc35YIRo_csmBa7u_woHMa41BlZ8tQtbVeui5Dk9Tgeo6O5-a9Yu_kA7amCElq97A7Wb89apoFLRW5AGdiW4f-iVZMamkHXA0bspNSxCw6fg/s4607/DSCN2413.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2405" data-original-width="4607" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyFmcYFe4xshx7aHOUE7_kAlndhrUkhM3aiNxZpW9mhjoHZXzfjeu9BbWkJNifyHva0KNGiqYc35YIRo_csmBa7u_woHMa41BlZ8tQtbVeui5Dk9Tgeo6O5-a9Yu_kA7amCElq97A7Wb89apoFLRW5AGdiW4f-iVZMamkHXA0bspNSxCw6fg/w400-h209/DSCN2413.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Greylag Goose</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX8aUvBDA64I9cc4F95NcKNX-Y3ts6a-K4TZ8_mnUqH_J1eFgtSr7e6WgaHbLRYVtu4HtsBifxebRwG6nEI5q2LpAtujj7ppDDFgW8C-qPNjudjl58vpmgveNPpsimE-pidAucDH2dxD9aCuLVeYrkm3fXFxXnFVfkTHSkn5mrkjIM_v1ldA/s4608/DSCN2486.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX8aUvBDA64I9cc4F95NcKNX-Y3ts6a-K4TZ8_mnUqH_J1eFgtSr7e6WgaHbLRYVtu4HtsBifxebRwG6nEI5q2LpAtujj7ppDDFgW8C-qPNjudjl58vpmgveNPpsimE-pidAucDH2dxD9aCuLVeYrkm3fXFxXnFVfkTHSkn5mrkjIM_v1ldA/s320/DSCN2486.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Grey Wagtail</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;">Adventures 'out of area':</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"> 1) Aberdeenshire coast:</span></b></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcTVZ8Nc64etj-4n4g5CdvsAd0qSdunjugk04jP_na22ETBUwFYsNaidhEl1bylnYWVfJYvIjOJFGVRqDeXsnUKmeojT0lsYxGzEnEUJRcvfoMHwjZn7Yw--1hagZexoCqh5JxCMcbmyk4YY3zmPniB8ljX8glaWkJLZ63S9TABWaSTVUgjw/s2016/IMG_9121.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcTVZ8Nc64etj-4n4g5CdvsAd0qSdunjugk04jP_na22ETBUwFYsNaidhEl1bylnYWVfJYvIjOJFGVRqDeXsnUKmeojT0lsYxGzEnEUJRcvfoMHwjZn7Yw--1hagZexoCqh5JxCMcbmyk4YY3zmPniB8ljX8glaWkJLZ63S9TABWaSTVUgjw/w400-h300/IMG_9121.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>RSPB Fowlsheugh</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Ozet7sSmBpVUkh756r8jWaRdOG2IdGGtGoNPy_Iw5iwSnmQaSRxbLf1L9J0ZMniXcG0W8Wp_flhii0pS2T8sAcP-slpYSfj57sQv8jgbISk0faFiD6Duv5gbupiLy1yCBw1a4QwlfM4-s7L7y4M61n7jvtSDvMlBZZjZFvJJVtUj5ojkfA/s4083/DSCN2488.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2342" data-original-width="4083" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Ozet7sSmBpVUkh756r8jWaRdOG2IdGGtGoNPy_Iw5iwSnmQaSRxbLf1L9J0ZMniXcG0W8Wp_flhii0pS2T8sAcP-slpYSfj57sQv8jgbISk0faFiD6Duv5gbupiLy1yCBw1a4QwlfM4-s7L7y4M61n7jvtSDvMlBZZjZFvJJVtUj5ojkfA/s320/DSCN2488.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Razorbill</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUvTQV_b8aLK67mDxEXfWhy7Np1OWh546ASl7G_yBmdn5ETzGP5oDJ95CokwXykjpa9HFr_eIs2A4_iXSUwQfeG8EznpMh0tRLEZ_YIRTRxOJIZY2X7bOTN6NhcOkQDK3njE1yMbTolpCnw-MLU8ROnW_SbbncLykTz9pe1IaUDgWMPr6bHg/s4173/DSCN2491.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2712" data-original-width="4173" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUvTQV_b8aLK67mDxEXfWhy7Np1OWh546ASl7G_yBmdn5ETzGP5oDJ95CokwXykjpa9HFr_eIs2A4_iXSUwQfeG8EznpMh0tRLEZ_YIRTRxOJIZY2X7bOTN6NhcOkQDK3njE1yMbTolpCnw-MLU8ROnW_SbbncLykTz9pe1IaUDgWMPr6bHg/w400-h260/DSCN2491.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Common Guillemots and Razorbills</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p>A day-trip east to the RSPB's Fowlsheugh reserve on the Aberdeenshire coast on the 17th, initially looked set to be a failure, as the coast was enveloped in a thick sea fog when we arrived mid-morning, but thankfully, it soon cleared, and the very enjoyable walk along the scenic cliffs amongst <b>Yellowhammers, Skylarks </b>and<b> Stonechats</b> to the seabird stacks gave us good sightings of <b>Fulmar</b>, <b>Kittiwake</b>, <b>Guillemo</b>t, <b>Razorbil</b>l, <b>Gannet</b>, and thankfully, a solitary <b>Puffin</b>!</p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b>Adventures 'out of area' 2): Isle of Mull:</b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_5ciXJopJFjNiy66S2uYBySCLsml_3-UDGAe5q8M1QC6if4rw4EKQOcGreJfOUTZeQ9ZBRv0ObZdILjRCslp1chPFAu6r3WOk_FdR23bLzMBLSzzYLrPHPiwCftsuWwVh_XyGabpCjCwVIRKiV3Ifl0NN4mjpJDOUjVTjPShemECmmpFUNw/s2008/IMG_9143.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1167" data-original-width="2008" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_5ciXJopJFjNiy66S2uYBySCLsml_3-UDGAe5q8M1QC6if4rw4EKQOcGreJfOUTZeQ9ZBRv0ObZdILjRCslp1chPFAu6r3WOk_FdR23bLzMBLSzzYLrPHPiwCftsuWwVh_XyGabpCjCwVIRKiV3Ifl0NN4mjpJDOUjVTjPShemECmmpFUNw/w400-h233/IMG_9143.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Loch Scridain on the Isle of Mull</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM5XxrCFe1KVuSS8XzbcVYlB2FoeAGxS3PWgLTtYxDLpengAgkKGzzaBsX6HZaUJVgOX-I6_dgYZhbxxqsTgYHKpVMUA9tVCVnBqM1V3jk2XzD7ww2L7d-1E3502kEJcf0wZCE2qcjPcF3C9z20cof44eQgWw9S7vOYRvYjgj-OAtokfhSUQ/s2950/DSCN2506.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1396" data-original-width="2950" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM5XxrCFe1KVuSS8XzbcVYlB2FoeAGxS3PWgLTtYxDLpengAgkKGzzaBsX6HZaUJVgOX-I6_dgYZhbxxqsTgYHKpVMUA9tVCVnBqM1V3jk2XzD7ww2L7d-1E3502kEJcf0wZCE2qcjPcF3C9z20cof44eQgWw9S7vOYRvYjgj-OAtokfhSUQ/w400-h189/DSCN2506.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>White-Tailed Eagle - seen on the Isle of Mull</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdFfikbE2tqSbM_JrpVFKFFOsyq1kZ1GdCOf1uKq4PnnlFP-FpS-VxeoYCPc8KdeMBayLzFP-KrzwEzXRxTV08bXLuPUe-QnMGJeHqQLfRbq-9pRKfxGoEH5DHo2TsCUG4DUWPPb-gjij9S7ugR7AYOJ96vIvm8IadVgF-GWSQuKHzOtT4tw/s3352/DSCN2242.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1756" data-original-width="3352" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdFfikbE2tqSbM_JrpVFKFFOsyq1kZ1GdCOf1uKq4PnnlFP-FpS-VxeoYCPc8KdeMBayLzFP-KrzwEzXRxTV08bXLuPUe-QnMGJeHqQLfRbq-9pRKfxGoEH5DHo2TsCUG4DUWPPb-gjij9S7ugR7AYOJ96vIvm8IadVgF-GWSQuKHzOtT4tw/w400-h210/DSCN2242.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Short-Eared Owl - Seen on the Isle of Mull</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKGyx_TjEv4jVR1uCKGGptDFO7EOyHEoQi-iYDnFEK57UdF6kRMMp0Wo0U7cNEfRPVTie_1TpYBLen7RWZuQyeeN35ZmuNobjLpaEpKbYhoijuKg8BvYqr0YsFSrOihjwIB3caDP0rU9kCdF9NoP4wkPt98Yhbh-1UQ-ROaGey5uClTRlD5A/s2333/DSCN2515.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1509" data-original-width="2333" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKGyx_TjEv4jVR1uCKGGptDFO7EOyHEoQi-iYDnFEK57UdF6kRMMp0Wo0U7cNEfRPVTie_1TpYBLen7RWZuQyeeN35ZmuNobjLpaEpKbYhoijuKg8BvYqr0YsFSrOihjwIB3caDP0rU9kCdF9NoP4wkPt98Yhbh-1UQ-ROaGey5uClTRlD5A/s320/DSCN2515.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Hen Harrier - seen on the Isle of Mull</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p>An epic day trip over to the magnificent Isle of Mull on the 18th went really well, with all 4 of the target raptors - <b>White-Tailed Eagle</b>, <b>Golden Eagle</b>, <b>Hen Harrier</b> and <b>Short-Eared Owl</b> - being seen and enjoyed, along with lots of good sea birds such as <b>Black Guillemot, Arctic Tern, Gannet, </b>and<b> Eider</b>....</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">May 2022 mammal sightings in more detail:</b></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5DzT4jy5zaMcH3ijw6seV6aGSjB0kXfRn5D6iGs8MION-Txup17DInlmBLscf0IIGE2ohgNDM8Fb-IETFSykpj_0cKRhH_wOHO40BrRoNNoKeMXAaa3a3oE5MYopWQyxuKxLApRt_YHM_MeLGP75iFDJleYlNXQKqespPKFLer2oPr0oUWg/s3485/DSCN2458.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2529" data-original-width="3485" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5DzT4jy5zaMcH3ijw6seV6aGSjB0kXfRn5D6iGs8MION-Txup17DInlmBLscf0IIGE2ohgNDM8Fb-IETFSykpj_0cKRhH_wOHO40BrRoNNoKeMXAaa3a3oE5MYopWQyxuKxLApRt_YHM_MeLGP75iFDJleYlNXQKqespPKFLer2oPr0oUWg/w400-h290/DSCN2458.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Squirrel</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGll2svc2L9PVL7nfFLllcEapa9gGHsoliTCYDOmgfHR177gud13ViKasHiSMRs-yxh_BIFvoVNB_2IxeVkaoaX_GNK57HHYoHbJqUxXrIKTSS-kncBJryo5XttTQlvpQDsD3rgKlWVE1j2CKPtmoeLOKelxc9a0jBBTBD3SH4jjYd460JDw/s4068/DSCN1832.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2908" data-original-width="4068" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGll2svc2L9PVL7nfFLllcEapa9gGHsoliTCYDOmgfHR177gud13ViKasHiSMRs-yxh_BIFvoVNB_2IxeVkaoaX_GNK57HHYoHbJqUxXrIKTSS-kncBJryo5XttTQlvpQDsD3rgKlWVE1j2CKPtmoeLOKelxc9a0jBBTBD3SH4jjYd460JDw/w400-h286/DSCN1832.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Squirrel</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); line-height: 18.2px;"><b>Red Squirrels</b> can be surprisingly elusive, but a walk or slow drive through Caledonian forest always give you a chance, and we did manage a few 'random' sightings this month, though perhaps unsurprisingly, feeding stations still tend to be a 'hotspot'....</span></span></span></span></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;"></span></span></span></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf5wH0F92oRwNVcHbqjt7mOC1QOV6kSNqwDxVUpnpVIZoWhLqRst21YGda09IVWd88IZOWj9Zzi8Cc2zrQyQ4wUnDRrR-oo1NV5VlyQG5l1lDx0MCHqz3tTCicNPzQVen0q-mWpE8KSxenRTJ-fwmGFx6cCzGDaVSa8Xear7LIIqzUvvMkpQ/s4608/DSCN2186.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2573" data-original-width="4608" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf5wH0F92oRwNVcHbqjt7mOC1QOV6kSNqwDxVUpnpVIZoWhLqRst21YGda09IVWd88IZOWj9Zzi8Cc2zrQyQ4wUnDRrR-oo1NV5VlyQG5l1lDx0MCHqz3tTCicNPzQVen0q-mWpE8KSxenRTJ-fwmGFx6cCzGDaVSa8Xear7LIIqzUvvMkpQ/w400-h224/DSCN2186.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Deer hinds</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Red Deer</b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"> are most commonly encountered up in the hills and glens, but during late May it is not uncommon to see the hinds (females) assemble in rough fields with long grassy tussocks, in preparation for giving birth soon. Here, the new-born youngsters can be hidden, making them much less likely to fall prey to patrolling Eagles, who tend to stick to higher altitudes.</span></b></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY4aQLJyXAK7vPNAXN4R1Z8VqxT2a3h0Rebwo6_SxLYA6RNjc7MzV-z3BlxternIQ4ffxxrWa30bHvyCXtmuknoKQOvjbmgR_T5dQbTNvCcjF1MDrzul0s4Gvrl87IakDJscyN0EsWavZDEL4iLZyP-R27pVQ5jm3HylFsI3MgfEqQGbwLAQ/s4115/DSCN2580.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1957" data-original-width="4115" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY4aQLJyXAK7vPNAXN4R1Z8VqxT2a3h0Rebwo6_SxLYA6RNjc7MzV-z3BlxternIQ4ffxxrWa30bHvyCXtmuknoKQOvjbmgR_T5dQbTNvCcjF1MDrzul0s4Gvrl87IakDJscyN0EsWavZDEL4iLZyP-R27pVQ5jm3HylFsI3MgfEqQGbwLAQ/w400-h190/DSCN2580.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Deer stags</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;">We also saw several large herds of stags, most 'in velvet', with their new antlers growing rapidly.</span></b></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisluiB30k_xndpof1KBNfLIN9jzEBohMtd4xULHjr3AlNszYGS0iQLwlzyy0tb-ROYIFtqnTnSmg_Lg_DvnUbEN8L4kt654jgCTsOSLfSLSvHjJO_RJa3usArvigOYcDscu8cDMZrrSRYcrDmfZJCIM8t1jdr5jhW0t0b4Mnbo937WvGYmyg/s4608/DSCN6284.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2116" data-original-width="4608" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisluiB30k_xndpof1KBNfLIN9jzEBohMtd4xULHjr3AlNszYGS0iQLwlzyy0tb-ROYIFtqnTnSmg_Lg_DvnUbEN8L4kt654jgCTsOSLfSLSvHjJO_RJa3usArvigOYcDscu8cDMZrrSRYcrDmfZJCIM8t1jdr5jhW0t0b4Mnbo937WvGYmyg/w400-h184/DSCN6284.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Feral Mountain Goats<br /><br /></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Feral Mountain Goats</b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"> too, can often be seen in my favourite upland glens, often in large extended family groups, and always prove to be popular with my safari clients, as, being largely a remnant of the 'crofting' communit</span></b><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;">ies,</span></b><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"> they are not found in many places in the UK...</span></b></p><div><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7dMpnSO7hClm8zd2oQ4dKSuN3IHxbGI65u5W4lQKmcVUsumfTwlCPwe1rLQ_6zoz9WQEdAJTPPbqtxI9MJZ3L-RmaN2RUJpxp5HqWGHbkvTjo2fXhXpLeuhug6X5GPhKNEgH78g0-l1dbsR84Y_F0Ap7yjqI0p4wx7G0KX7qqWGysNhAGdQ/s3770/DSCN1638.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2769" data-original-width="3770" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7dMpnSO7hClm8zd2oQ4dKSuN3IHxbGI65u5W4lQKmcVUsumfTwlCPwe1rLQ_6zoz9WQEdAJTPPbqtxI9MJZ3L-RmaN2RUJpxp5HqWGHbkvTjo2fXhXpLeuhug6X5GPhKNEgH78g0-l1dbsR84Y_F0Ap7yjqI0p4wx7G0KX7qqWGysNhAGdQ/s320/DSCN1638.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Mountain Hare</b></td></tr></tbody></table></b></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Mountain Hare</span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"> sightings tend to be few and far between in the spring and summer months, and true to form, we only managed a couple of brief glimpses on local upland moorlands - although I must say, I'm very pleased with the one photo I managed!</span></b></div><div><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWRMsXcUT_3OjWuk2Qzcj41_kwJCEkToKHtnxAZ-4QoWNNb8hMDc8U7Sdq1l6WMIStZeLdAbruCLpoEheQMzWG4u0HcSxJsIz0x6CCxteD-9Suuy9b7qUDCE0ENDQh05-FseG-B3h-XK7NBIDkrMpdm2ELZdKuVAroaVKpLxw8y_pMBE3yMQ/s3968/DSCN2471.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2508" data-original-width="3968" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWRMsXcUT_3OjWuk2Qzcj41_kwJCEkToKHtnxAZ-4QoWNNb8hMDc8U7Sdq1l6WMIStZeLdAbruCLpoEheQMzWG4u0HcSxJsIz0x6CCxteD-9Suuy9b7qUDCE0ENDQh05-FseG-B3h-XK7NBIDkrMpdm2ELZdKuVAroaVKpLxw8y_pMBE3yMQ/w400-h253/DSCN2471.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Roe Deer</b></td></tr></tbody></table></b></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Roe Deer </b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;">can be encountered just about anywhere, except for the high tops, but b</span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;">eing very</span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"> </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;">wary, nervous animals, they </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;">are usually quite 'crepuscular' in their behaviour, but we saw plenty whilst out on our early morning adventures...</span></b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizQIuMKrmuT0XMEu1mOsYlEsYtgEG_gv6WHUvEmRSay_XVPYJqWa2LWEtqc40ReTx87kb8fMAHh1DjqycuQztgw862owR4LgSrmyC0EPtAzTUoOp9qUrdleGI9xQk0idui8ILuy_efxrV-UMMfWLbBuOFmmQRyuzmaLu9fX_bT_2yzobK-7g/s4608/DSCN6332.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizQIuMKrmuT0XMEu1mOsYlEsYtgEG_gv6WHUvEmRSay_XVPYJqWa2LWEtqc40ReTx87kb8fMAHh1DjqycuQztgw862owR4LgSrmyC0EPtAzTUoOp9qUrdleGI9xQk0idui8ILuy_efxrV-UMMfWLbBuOFmmQRyuzmaLu9fX_bT_2yzobK-7g/s320/DSCN6332.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Brown Hare - Photo from may 2018</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Brown Hares </b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;">too can be a bit elusive away from dawn and dusk, and tend to 'spook' easily, so, as usual, most of our sightings this month, were during the first couple of hours of daylight..</span></b></div><div><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA48ZfRWQL5cuW1n0B15pAOWkErlIWtrpW0BwM6_vbFniImZ_gAJOviwZ17Q7aSvEjaXoi4Y4xQgNKVyIlQ6hodx4Q2irCCXZR_J4WAcMG3u69UI-aCjZWLfxtrRDSNWyyh39fxvoVob0AJgwABg-LpcYQL8nRocWbqX2m6Amj4UFuGzsbGQ/s1744/IMG_9067.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1253" data-original-width="1744" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA48ZfRWQL5cuW1n0B15pAOWkErlIWtrpW0BwM6_vbFniImZ_gAJOviwZ17Q7aSvEjaXoi4Y4xQgNKVyIlQ6hodx4Q2irCCXZR_J4WAcMG3u69UI-aCjZWLfxtrRDSNWyyh39fxvoVob0AJgwABg-LpcYQL8nRocWbqX2m6Amj4UFuGzsbGQ/w400-h288/IMG_9067.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Carrot time for Murdo</b></td></tr></tbody></table></b></div><div><br /></div><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Hairy Highland Coo's</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"> always prove to be popular with my safari clients, especially those who do not have them close to home, so don't be afraid to ask me if you fancy going to see them, and maybe even get to feed and 'pat' them, as I have a couple of great sites....</span></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Rare/nocturnal mammals:</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">I get a few enquiries about the possibility of seeing </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Badgers</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> and </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Pine Marten</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> from my safari clients, many of whom I suspect are unaware that they are actually a largely nocturnal creature, and although we do get the occasional (maybe one or two a year) dawn glimpse of one, you would definitely have a much higher chance of seeing them at a specific dusk Badger/Pine Marten watching hide - Please contact me for more information.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Similarly, our inland </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Otters</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> too are mainly active during the hours of darkness, and again, although we do get a few early-morning sightings on local lochs and rivers each year, looking for them feeding in a suitably quiet, kelp - filled bay on the coast on a rising tide, but at any time of day, would give you a much better chance.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-family: quot; line-height: 1.4;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: quot; line-height: 1.4;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Whilst we are still on the 'tricky to see stuff', the <b>Scottish Wildcat </b>too, as well as being incredibly rare now, is also generally nocturnal, and the fact that I have had a mere handful of (dawn or dusk) sightings in 18 years of providing wildlife safaris should give you an idea of how difficult they are to see.</span></p><p><br /></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Other wildlife:</b></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">The sunnier days saw lots more butterflies out on the wing, and we saw <b>Comma,</b> <b>Peacock</b>, <b>Small Tortoiseshell</b>, <b>Painted lady</b> and <b>Orange Tip</b>....</span></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHuEXZgLVISoT8gUlE-ZwuKJ8NaDe8U2UI0tHNSgoq1KRLq64vtPuQnQHHqYqF2QlpRuMSg9KtwAHP6tjduELO5dUJDs37w3_GbkYmyJArak2_y8Y31AXim6UneZnUq9EdA9k6N52HVaaS3l934M4Ahr4G2jVaMH_l-zLA9U2Tr02TeIutWw/s1969/IMG_9055.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="1262" data-original-width="1969" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHuEXZgLVISoT8gUlE-ZwuKJ8NaDe8U2UI0tHNSgoq1KRLq64vtPuQnQHHqYqF2QlpRuMSg9KtwAHP6tjduELO5dUJDs37w3_GbkYmyJArak2_y8Y31AXim6UneZnUq9EdA9k6N52HVaaS3l934M4Ahr4G2jVaMH_l-zLA9U2Tr02TeIutWw/w400-h256/IMG_9055.jpg" width="400" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Daffodils still in full bloom - Spring arrives late in the Highlands</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">News:</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">The BIG news is that all tourism/hospitality/activities in Scotland are open , are now free of restrictions and that I have now completed a full year of (thankfully!) increasingly busy and extremely enjoyable safaris with clients with no major issues arising.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">With all national travel restrictions lifted too, Scotland is officially 'open for business' for visitors from all over the UK, and from abroad.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">For those considering a visit, these wildlife/outdoor tourism websites may prove useful:</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b>https://www.gov.scot/collections/coronavirus-covid</b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.outdooraccess-scotland.scot/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">NatureScot (outdooraccess-scotland.scot)</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xGdTZcC2ZQ" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-line: none;">Can Nature Help Health? | Nature Prescriptions - YouTube</a></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1HBKnnGr-g" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;">Scotland, Yours to Enjoy. Responsibly. - YouTube</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://cairngorms.co.uk/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">Cairngorms National Park Authority</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.highlandwildlifepark.org.uk/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">Highland Wildlife Park</a></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><div><b>COVID-19</b></div><div><br /></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><div><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>The Scottish Highlands has had very few COVID-19 cases in comparison to most of the UK, and on my safaris we tend to visit remote , wild habitats well away from the more popular tourist areas, and usually have very little interaction with other people, and this is something that I intend to continue.</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div></span></div><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7EukdUhVOijadsS5UdJ53-mLhEBYeTcHOsWdQ5gVuJXw8rScu9sqxGyTMKUPA6QOG0czVRCMprHtw5MgUKFdmO4QiXgUkLkFyKi3FSzNpz7Jk-A4eCGyiVTxELcWAymZBSKQDRgE7GvUUabsHySjuWog3T24AzZAp3rPuluK8YY2otfBEwg/s2016/IMG_9158.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1421" data-original-width="2016" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7EukdUhVOijadsS5UdJ53-mLhEBYeTcHOsWdQ5gVuJXw8rScu9sqxGyTMKUPA6QOG0czVRCMprHtw5MgUKFdmO4QiXgUkLkFyKi3FSzNpz7Jk-A4eCGyiVTxELcWAymZBSKQDRgE7GvUUabsHySjuWog3T24AzZAp3rPuluK8YY2otfBEwg/w400-h283/IMG_9158.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Bluebells</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Summary:</b></p><p><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Wow!! What a month that was! </span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;">After all those early starts, epic adventures and long days, I think it is definitely fair to say that I am feeling mentally and physically tired... but also very happy that by being out almost every day, I definitely feel that we managed to really make the most of my favourite month of the year!</span></span></p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;">As well as being one of my busiest ever months for safaris (a big thank you to all my clients!) in mostly decent weather, now I have finally had time to sit back and reflect, whilst putting together this report, I reckon that it will definitely rate as one of my most memorable too... for the sheer enjoyment of being in such a beautiful part of the world, at (in my opinion) the best time of year, in majestic , incredibly varied, and largely unspoilt scenery, sharing marvellous wildlife sightings with fellow wildlife enthusiasts and photographers from around the globe... as far as 'job - satisfaction' goes, I may never be a rich man, but this'll do very nicely for me, thank you!</span></span></p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;">Reviews:</b></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="" style="color: #06004c;">I know a lot of visitors to this area very wisely check out reviews of attractions/experiences at </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Tripadvisor</b><span face="" style="color: #06004c;"> before 'taking the plunge' and booking - if you wish, you can check out my clients comments at the link below....</span></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><div style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"></span></span><br /><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g186537-d3335134-Reviews-</span></span></span></span></span></div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"></span></span><br /><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Highland_Wildlife_Birdwatch_Safaris-Aviemore_Aviemore_and_the_Cairngorms_Scottish.html</span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div></div></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Buying my photos:</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Prints of any of the photos (taken by myself) shown on this blog, going right back to 2015, </b><b style="background-color: transparent;">reproduced on high quality photographic paper, </b><b> with a choice of sizes up to A3, and satin pearl or glossy finishes available, </b><b style="background-color: transparent;">can now be purchased from me at very reasonable prices</b><b>. So if you see an image that might look nice in a frame (provided by yourself) on your wall, please make a note of the year and month of my blog in which it appeared, and email me for more information.</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><div style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span face=""><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;">G<b>ift Certificates:</b></span><br /></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; color: #222222; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 5px; position: relative;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T95gARK_lkQ/XAvNUI2tI6I/AAAAAAAADwU/GDPgK9hH9LwgLQ8gPnoaLdf04Yn2BLebwCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_1578.JPG" style="background: none 0% 0% / auto repeat scroll padding-box border-box transparent; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 5px;" width="400" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 10.56px; text-align: center;"><b>Safari gift voucher</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></span></span></div></div></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="" style="color: #06004c; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;">If you think you know someone who may enjoy a taste of what I do, why not treat them to a safari gift </span><span face="" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;">certificate? They make a thoughtful and imaginative present, are available for any amount as full or part-payment for an excursion, and are valid at any time subject to my availability, with a one year from purchase expiry date.</span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Highland Wildlife & Birdwatch Safarishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04327130550058794301noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26724394.post-50059080768112933012022-04-30T19:30:00.000+01:002022-04-30T19:30:33.979+01:00<div class="separator"><br /></div><p><b>April 2022 </b>saw spring finally reach the Cairngorms National Park. Similarly to March, high pressure dominated, and although it was a little cool initially, we enjoyed lots of sunshine and blue skies, with generally light winds, and just a few cloudy, drizzly days, and with temperatures often creeping up into the teens, and just a few overnight frosts, it was a near perfect wildlife-watching month.</p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px;">The days really are lengthening nicely now, with around 14 hours of usable daylight, but dawn (for the Black Grouse lek) is now a slightly less sociable 5:30 am, so if this species is on your 'wish-list', be prepared for an early start...</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.972px;">Although many of the winter visiting birds had departed by mid-month, the ever increasing influx of summer migrant birds north into this area helped bird species day-lists creep ever higher, and 40+ species would not be uncommon on a full day (10 hours+) local safari, or considerably more if you include a visit to the nearby Moray coast, whilst full day mammal species day-lists can creep up towards double figures, with early starts usually providing best results for the shyer ones.</span></p><div><br /></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">The dawn chorus is at it's best in April, and it is always great to have your early start rewarded by getting to enjoy hearing the resident birds being joined by the newly arrived migrants like Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Blackcap and Tree Pipit.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">Add to this the first butterflies and bees on the wing, the explosion of spring flowers into full bloom and frogs and toads on the move, and the feelgood factor of this time of year is hard to beat...</span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4O5UR4T96pma-DebSKOUjVcVGCqiFez51Up77KaudVfZg-zSXV_Z1rbVPh_903FvWOA0HdgHMIVfLTuaXl-PteG1woftGGItiYeJ48nDnWDzPovD5xNxHxXUUeV0-idclKTZzD_gqjpgVk5CJ0gQ6agelQWGipqKUNf3jMwpZIp-SHxNycg/s1893/IMG_8945.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1188" data-original-width="1893" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4O5UR4T96pma-DebSKOUjVcVGCqiFez51Up77KaudVfZg-zSXV_Z1rbVPh_903FvWOA0HdgHMIVfLTuaXl-PteG1woftGGItiYeJ48nDnWDzPovD5xNxHxXUUeV0-idclKTZzD_gqjpgVk5CJ0gQ6agelQWGipqKUNf3jMwpZIp-SHxNycg/w400-h251/IMG_8945.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Early spring at a picturesque local upland loch</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">To give you an idea of what you may realistically hope to see if you are considering a future April visit, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">I hope the following more detailed information, illustrated with photos taken at sites in and around the Cairngorms National Park by myself, my friends or my safari clients this month and in previous April's will help....clicking on the picture enlarges it to full-screen. </span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Local speciality/upland bird species seen regularly during the month included</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">:</span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Black Grouse </b>(at, or soon after dawn), <b>Osprey</b>, <b>Red Grouse</b>, <b>Ring Ouzel</b>, <b>Slavonian Grebe</b>, <b>Red-Throated Diver,</b> <b>Black-Throated Diver</b>, and <b>Dipper</b>, with several decent sightings of <b>Golden Eagle</b> and <b>White-Tailed Eagle </b>, just a few brief glimpses of <b>Crested Tit </b>and <b>Crossbill.</b>..and on the 17th, a mid-morning forest drive produced a fortuitous first sighting this year of a male <b>Capercaillie</b>...</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 700;">Snow Buntings</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> were seen at low level sites early in the month when there was snow about, but seemed to retreat high up to the mountain tops, as the snow line receded...where </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 700;">Ptarmigan</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> can also sometimes be seen...</span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Winter visiting birds were represented by a few remaining family groups of <span style="font-weight: 700;">Whooper Swans</span>, flocks of <span style="font-weight: 700;">Greylag</span> and <b>Pink-Footed</b> <span style="font-weight: 700;">Geese, </span>wildfowl such as<span style="font-weight: 700;"> Wigeon and Teal, </span>and a few lingering <b>Bramblings</b>, but most had departed by mid-month...</span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Summer migrant birds flooded in throughout the month, with the first sightings this year of <b>Osprey</b>, <b>Wheatear,</b> </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Common Sandpiper</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">, </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Sand Martin</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">, </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">House Martin</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">, </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Swallow</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">, </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Willow Warbler</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">, </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Chiffchaff</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">, </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Blackcap</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">T</span><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">ree Pipit, Redstart </b><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">and </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Cuckoo, </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> to name just a few...</span></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">A good variety of</span><b> seabirds</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, <b>auks,</b> </span><b>waders, </b><b>w</b><b>ildfowl </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">and</span><b> Geese </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">can be enjoyed at the</span><b> Moray Coast </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">or the nearby inland lochs...</span></span></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Mammal species seen regularly included:</b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Red Deer, Roe Deer, Reindeer, Rabbit, Brown Hare, Red Squirrel, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">and</span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"> Feral Mountain Goat,</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> whilst </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Mountain Hare </b>w</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">ere seen a few times,</span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"> </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">but</span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"> </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">became a little trickier as they morphed into their spring coat..and both types of</span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"> Seal</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> were seen at the nearby Moray coast...</span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">April 2022 bird sightings in more detail:</b></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Up on the moors....</b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjowDLBfxIayuMiLAzK0rplk4r9Yp1c1exJ0p4QZ20HArwiA1Jskp1lo-y9OBb8mmx9H58Dzs6BKADWFsT6P05k1xQy6pq8qDnZhqv8N4OdMwGYxxFBc9ELbN7ciugsJSwspftpItvhOLlndVX4D5zq6AzK5w2EBRiglwL98ez1yuth_SRM2w/s2016/IMG_8925.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjowDLBfxIayuMiLAzK0rplk4r9Yp1c1exJ0p4QZ20HArwiA1Jskp1lo-y9OBb8mmx9H58Dzs6BKADWFsT6P05k1xQy6pq8qDnZhqv8N4OdMwGYxxFBc9ELbN7ciugsJSwspftpItvhOLlndVX4D5zq6AzK5w2EBRiglwL98ez1yuth_SRM2w/w400-h300/IMG_8925.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A local upland heather moorland</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3_jJYRHlEj8SnJjq1WaO04eK4ezjJaYGHrJecW2kBS9rdeQ5fEK2xPVhaLSiIDAjCtUyJPuk5EAqz3n1GwTAQSgDBijvlFD9q-EsqmV6-OUwD8b5VFsb6LqdFqMvTqKdURm2ThzWPFa1jJkvFIsvyMVPqb9QLzYUol4Z4kGAgGfKTJ2n3Tw/s3860/DSCN1707.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1311" data-original-width="3860" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3_jJYRHlEj8SnJjq1WaO04eK4ezjJaYGHrJecW2kBS9rdeQ5fEK2xPVhaLSiIDAjCtUyJPuk5EAqz3n1GwTAQSgDBijvlFD9q-EsqmV6-OUwD8b5VFsb6LqdFqMvTqKdURm2ThzWPFa1jJkvFIsvyMVPqb9QLzYUol4Z4kGAgGfKTJ2n3Tw/w400-h136/DSCN1707.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Lekking Black Grouse</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Yr_0Dsp8WPq-xpNjJsBtqhq9IIL4xc6UIzCo_YtNAfPVc3AvoL5EfnPGoBX6ugJojlivyVLmXXxbHfcrHsfwKhwsV8xKkgJHfGQfEEWK6aj9naGB7977zUj_W8pSszG0WdqFkmvgFMo-wLkTki6zTA_8dXpNlD06Lv_KXkl6GNM2ZheMnQ/s3526/DSCN1718.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2169" data-original-width="3526" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Yr_0Dsp8WPq-xpNjJsBtqhq9IIL4xc6UIzCo_YtNAfPVc3AvoL5EfnPGoBX6ugJojlivyVLmXXxbHfcrHsfwKhwsV8xKkgJHfGQfEEWK6aj9naGB7977zUj_W8pSszG0WdqFkmvgFMo-wLkTki6zTA_8dXpNlD06Lv_KXkl6GNM2ZheMnQ/w400-h246/DSCN1718.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Lekking Black Grouse</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;">April is definitely THE month to see <b>Black Grouse</b>, and dawn (now around 5:30am) visits to local </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">Black Grouse </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;">leks usually delight and amaze my safari clients with as many as 8 blue-black cock birds seen 'performing' in spectacularly aggressive fashion, their incredible bubbling and whooshing sounds drifting across the moor, and late in the month, we are often lucky to witness the hen birds walking among them, watching the action, and presumably 'rating' the contestants, only around 20% of whom will 'get lucky', and previously we have even been lucky enough to see them mating with their chosen partner - a truly fantastic wildlife spectacle and a great way to start the day! </span></b></b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></b></b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></b></b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"></b></b></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJMNSU3wpmRl7YpHktYRlMHCW9LidJ3A7_kw_kxumiUlp7NZK_YLOHbGn8WpP63gHAOefdgILKTPqhUovN3srdU3NbVImOdGOpLqqE_-dAzv8LLj1FONUe8T-TSrapzZCPX_gkWj_9k_DO1Da2fb_WNUjdK66aBYC8ViV9va6CvfYsFOq44g/s3608/DSCN1404.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2419" data-original-width="3608" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJMNSU3wpmRl7YpHktYRlMHCW9LidJ3A7_kw_kxumiUlp7NZK_YLOHbGn8WpP63gHAOefdgILKTPqhUovN3srdU3NbVImOdGOpLqqE_-dAzv8LLj1FONUe8T-TSrapzZCPX_gkWj_9k_DO1Da2fb_WNUjdK66aBYC8ViV9va6CvfYsFOq44g/w400-h269/DSCN1404.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Female Red Grouse</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></b></b></b><p></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></b></b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"></b></b></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDBqohpFnBaPmdHbzF3YcbeO23guTDDSlsfoE8wULvvyEc9X0mSk4SvpGVOowc-CC67Bnnr5YNcOUOrtf3IVh_cngLESA0ffrM0C8cwjeICWIPC771bwUrOs-jaqsvLnzr0j8Q32Bxjh4-sdwIIaQtznnQ9JH4ZzfFTU9BBB4BLVOtwBdVig/s2963/DSCN1471.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1965" data-original-width="2963" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDBqohpFnBaPmdHbzF3YcbeO23guTDDSlsfoE8wULvvyEc9X0mSk4SvpGVOowc-CC67Bnnr5YNcOUOrtf3IVh_cngLESA0ffrM0C8cwjeICWIPC771bwUrOs-jaqsvLnzr0j8Q32Bxjh4-sdwIIaQtznnQ9JH4ZzfFTU9BBB4BLVOtwBdVig/w400-h265/DSCN1471.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Red Grouse<br /><br /></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;">Our local moorlands continued to echo with the characteristic cackling calls of the cock </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">Red Grouse</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;">, many of whom were seen still actively displaying</span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"> from raised positions, with red 'eyebrows' aglow, presumably 'guarding' their territory and nesting female, and from mid-month I saw very few hen birds, suggesting that many may already be incubating eggs.....</span></b></b></b></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">On the lochs...</b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQWTP6mWbRE4ILAPKS535XyYBacvOvD4jmKYUVgnqAjclf4g2dKoyoSBLBAVj7KhKumRgIZ_k5Vtz-gVY0Kx-hvCQU8k3yL8zio6Y-8gSCUfAixB9a6iTCG0z5rIXRYuwvcfrWGhCHPhqndbWhoJB2Ka0I4yTD-BsvOMrqOPbADBXP_zxtzQ/s1981/IMG_8898.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="985" data-original-width="1981" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQWTP6mWbRE4ILAPKS535XyYBacvOvD4jmKYUVgnqAjclf4g2dKoyoSBLBAVj7KhKumRgIZ_k5Vtz-gVY0Kx-hvCQU8k3yL8zio6Y-8gSCUfAixB9a6iTCG0z5rIXRYuwvcfrWGhCHPhqndbWhoJB2Ka0I4yTD-BsvOMrqOPbADBXP_zxtzQ/w400-h199/IMG_8898.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A local loch</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b><p></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBqG5hiGOfH3TV3JoAkEriaHMlRGAvjgkFzP3xrc39LWF9nHEPTNl5SAB48gsSbXSqfvYXFAFGvVwMbUw4PY1tB7QGIw5Kp3J5bx2JPbhicWLTP9195NrEe7ENjvCFR8zLA-Xf921bXMpznr72yNLdzC-o_dzeypFLSvIoPU5ylA6XQkvAwg/s4105/DSCN1682.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2877" data-original-width="4105" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBqG5hiGOfH3TV3JoAkEriaHMlRGAvjgkFzP3xrc39LWF9nHEPTNl5SAB48gsSbXSqfvYXFAFGvVwMbUw4PY1tB7QGIw5Kp3J5bx2JPbhicWLTP9195NrEe7ENjvCFR8zLA-Xf921bXMpznr72yNLdzC-o_dzeypFLSvIoPU5ylA6XQkvAwg/w400-h280/DSCN1682.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A local pair of Ospreys reunited</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b><p></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></div><p></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpdg5SLmTkUof_hqItizoFr-_5suV4-azyCx5ehqWN5TDs6GfSco0TosbkggVdI3oN3NLuyHruOykKEdjfHNvSocjqHMlhkezeJNcxhb-c2Pz669His-GaTXHum6e5svTw6go0IshcCAfUm8MRXus8fcdMQtJDfEmBhguAYE-WjIsSfgfjJw/s4098/DSCN1686.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3433" data-original-width="4098" height="335" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpdg5SLmTkUof_hqItizoFr-_5suV4-azyCx5ehqWN5TDs6GfSco0TosbkggVdI3oN3NLuyHruOykKEdjfHNvSocjqHMlhkezeJNcxhb-c2Pz669His-GaTXHum6e5svTw6go0IshcCAfUm8MRXus8fcdMQtJDfEmBhguAYE-WjIsSfgfjJw/w400-h335/DSCN1686.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Osprey</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIFnWI7sXGA9luSmLpuYBAUMizcVTZGiFTZJDIrZXa96f8mrXkHFoc3v78hUz7A5NRqYenaAiFSYhkQZrRw6XYkSG3MsmtihzToNyKAB99JtsKyVJ7SGfr8W8aBPktPM55MKNX-KW4vk9eEB00SC_40bPGGSG4z9I-VoeqBrXPE_YTKHhHkQ/s3633/DSCN1695.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1917" data-original-width="3633" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIFnWI7sXGA9luSmLpuYBAUMizcVTZGiFTZJDIrZXa96f8mrXkHFoc3v78hUz7A5NRqYenaAiFSYhkQZrRw6XYkSG3MsmtihzToNyKAB99JtsKyVJ7SGfr8W8aBPktPM55MKNX-KW4vk9eEB00SC_40bPGGSG4z9I-VoeqBrXPE_YTKHhHkQ/w400-h211/DSCN1695.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Osprey</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></b></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;">One of my most eagerly-awaited wildlife moments every year, is the return of our local </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.2px;">Ospreys</span><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"> to their nesting sites, and </span><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;">these impressive birds of prey are always popular with my safari clients, with their dashing good looks, large size, aerial acrobatics and spectacular plunge diving to catch fish. Many of our local pairs were reunited by mid-month after a winter apart in West Africa, and were soon seen building up their nests with sticks, chasing off intruders and mating frequently, and by the very end of the month some of the hen birds appeared to be incubating eggs as the cock birds began to perform all of the fishing duties, whilst the females presumably carried out brooding duties..</span></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidXQFFZkbrBYsYFi097iwBpt9i3vZo_zT9e2cMrAMCgGP6pE7oNT4vuwRqh_l84UyN2eBegiMqJDO4aZhctE_t6HkFCDLhF767g4DkVVErI61Er5vyr60lJO3sBjFl7mAHGfh_66OgLlkxkNwgfMFb-6zcCZ1U7fNqeOXo7olwSGBL2Rj9Sg/s3191/DSCN9593%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1769" data-original-width="3191" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidXQFFZkbrBYsYFi097iwBpt9i3vZo_zT9e2cMrAMCgGP6pE7oNT4vuwRqh_l84UyN2eBegiMqJDO4aZhctE_t6HkFCDLhF767g4DkVVErI61Er5vyr60lJO3sBjFl7mAHGfh_66OgLlkxkNwgfMFb-6zcCZ1U7fNqeOXo7olwSGBL2Rj9Sg/w400-h221/DSCN9593%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red-Throated Diver</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGCI0aBYmLJuNWDTUt_ywTdWSw8JXrBQn5BrF5S6VT2YUAgj5NMpww491XrhR1T120vkGPY5XehjqV_-_17Cjo7R5k2JGZKOFLrPkFMIOGTQJ1qHaizCcd5bgFeZIZaqiaA2_of1fNN2XOqyNp9accxc1BWOrTbzA36VGDgcTF_t4BqXzaxw/s4325/DSCN2129.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2375" data-original-width="4325" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGCI0aBYmLJuNWDTUt_ywTdWSw8JXrBQn5BrF5S6VT2YUAgj5NMpww491XrhR1T120vkGPY5XehjqV_-_17Cjo7R5k2JGZKOFLrPkFMIOGTQJ1qHaizCcd5bgFeZIZaqiaA2_of1fNN2XOqyNp9accxc1BWOrTbzA36VGDgcTF_t4BqXzaxw/w400-h220/DSCN2129.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Black-Throated Divers</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></b><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCOfOY9k_6T5eN1b6ACxZaT0bOTdKFfrEQU9-f3_2xEu8VH9Qt7pz04k-9z6h_ZOYwr6cLoru5Z07F_P6lCvogv67KVfH8O5yJCCuDqjlu7LrOmAxRnEz4LdYEqyR1xg8olGKOyK_3GcMpAlvhwSUvcfA7_AV_xJu2LgB8nT_TvZR-RgPkbA/s3084/DSCN2122.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1942" data-original-width="3084" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCOfOY9k_6T5eN1b6ACxZaT0bOTdKFfrEQU9-f3_2xEu8VH9Qt7pz04k-9z6h_ZOYwr6cLoru5Z07F_P6lCvogv67KVfH8O5yJCCuDqjlu7LrOmAxRnEz4LdYEqyR1xg8olGKOyK_3GcMpAlvhwSUvcfA7_AV_xJu2LgB8nT_TvZR-RgPkbA/w400-h253/DSCN2122.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A very rare close-up photo of a Black-Throated Diver</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirdAKTfp3CO42RFEMS_CxCe4ITxX9RbKHgHaK2LclJ-gECaqNvj47Ny_2fqjEbP67VZ_yLtyGf6wg6pnDtXuk1B6pk0QxhOox6uTJ4JyvH5GYlpTM7cTM1ywb62RH6zzuxVr4aq-h7kTNFBqZYoE28EVmm0AbsorBJMKBdPKBEFtAYeWwvNg/s3986/DSCN1882.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2272" data-original-width="3986" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirdAKTfp3CO42RFEMS_CxCe4ITxX9RbKHgHaK2LclJ-gECaqNvj47Ny_2fqjEbP67VZ_yLtyGf6wg6pnDtXuk1B6pk0QxhOox6uTJ4JyvH5GYlpTM7cTM1ywb62RH6zzuxVr4aq-h7kTNFBqZYoE28EVmm0AbsorBJMKBdPKBEFtAYeWwvNg/w400-h228/DSCN1882.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Slavonian (Horned) Grebe</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Now the local lochs are no longer in danger of freezing over, some of our highly prized local speciality water birds are back on their summer breeding territories, and we managed to see some of the most attractive and rare examples regularly this month - namely</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 700;"> Slavonian (Horned) Grebe</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 700;">Red-Throated Diver</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> and </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 700;">Black-Throated Diver</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">, all in their splendid summer plumage.</span></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ylKNxC3YsjrbxqoSrDQn66KD0FFRvYtRxpEaKe1yOcDsEwv_vWxwg3mA150noCEwPC9dUPX-byusVufRmYU6AK_DG7EBz8ZTHrz6_gxdFaNavOCVpRc8F_kAFI1h9Bl6wC6NG5MxfE1maPPUm5nqAgX9GC2Ct0ErxDNNpzSY_4IZ3w6Z1Q/s3939/DSCN1571.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1879" data-original-width="3939" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ylKNxC3YsjrbxqoSrDQn66KD0FFRvYtRxpEaKe1yOcDsEwv_vWxwg3mA150noCEwPC9dUPX-byusVufRmYU6AK_DG7EBz8ZTHrz6_gxdFaNavOCVpRc8F_kAFI1h9Bl6wC6NG5MxfE1maPPUm5nqAgX9GC2Ct0ErxDNNpzSY_4IZ3w6Z1Q/w400-h191/DSCN1571.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A pair of Goldeneyes</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">Also on the lochs (and rivers), we must not forget our breeding </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 700;">Goldeneye</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"> population , and I was fortunate enough to see them regularly this month, with many of the dapper males still performing their unique and spectacular 'head-banging' mating display!</span></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;">Up in the glens...</b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;"><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH5Di7msi1e0YbcarsNLnVokiaIutgBeZj4maakqg3KPEpSmoDs80VbWgaScK_vE0SteHDYk5mMPQUy4qTPpHj_EIOhqDKJQ9JDyHUe6kFpBtLMgE6DrsedRx-PK95_IxR_zVTwUEktaZ3WhtaFMGndPjmdpMqEOsrswKAevGPMwahLMKLYA/s4479/DSCN1997.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2199" data-original-width="4479" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH5Di7msi1e0YbcarsNLnVokiaIutgBeZj4maakqg3KPEpSmoDs80VbWgaScK_vE0SteHDYk5mMPQUy4qTPpHj_EIOhqDKJQ9JDyHUe6kFpBtLMgE6DrsedRx-PK95_IxR_zVTwUEktaZ3WhtaFMGndPjmdpMqEOsrswKAevGPMwahLMKLYA/w400-h196/DSCN1997.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>On safari in a beautiful local upland glen</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrkWFnVM1pyhYgGbmBJFKG56MuMQS-G38f4bklh1oWRRAP7IzOUb7WzGIwHc6usbJEIRHUAhElAWnzhV--ajvp2a2WcilEqGnpbFNMAAVmQ8-QZYL_jwE1SQE9KAtlcQIM3kwA7Eq2Q22vOk_t-O5r6StFG0eqIZBd9TtC1ectlWlgZ6uidw/s3141/DSCN1900.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1849" data-original-width="3141" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrkWFnVM1pyhYgGbmBJFKG56MuMQS-G38f4bklh1oWRRAP7IzOUb7WzGIwHc6usbJEIRHUAhElAWnzhV--ajvp2a2WcilEqGnpbFNMAAVmQ8-QZYL_jwE1SQE9KAtlcQIM3kwA7Eq2Q22vOk_t-O5r6StFG0eqIZBd9TtC1ectlWlgZ6uidw/w400-h235/DSCN1900.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Common Buzzard</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLKsx52iMslo4rBhDxq1Ek4O7NZ1799Tq_wFRZQjCQ0LmrEoGK1vitCzeD3v9ZY3mWd837QuCdrexlHPH9frbDRrsHo7KeOnsoj35g7WKFJPWpR-crhYBZLLBuiNzmYUI1qxpTpBaTzsrsrPS_BOijlvtHrwWYu7QgzptASiIz4Fim33UG_g/s3185/DSCN2000.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1642" data-original-width="3185" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLKsx52iMslo4rBhDxq1Ek4O7NZ1799Tq_wFRZQjCQ0LmrEoGK1vitCzeD3v9ZY3mWd837QuCdrexlHPH9frbDRrsHo7KeOnsoj35g7WKFJPWpR-crhYBZLLBuiNzmYUI1qxpTpBaTzsrsrPS_BOijlvtHrwWYu7QgzptASiIz4Fim33UG_g/w400-h206/DSCN2000.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Kite</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGt_g5KkbZMnfUYmUseWVYyUvf1U9BW9VIXK0FC2ONkGOpdSxSWFg0nesWRjLFNT19cynyvtBTuWlsHZSwAyAJi-2XijFgCFtNIxKzV6rPbj5tpI1i1P_VrIBQ_81GqG-rv1V9v_qW784cwYig6WyJ8hoo5BxydZexY4XLwRVMNEBEneUY0g/s1878/Goldie.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1035" data-original-width="1878" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGt_g5KkbZMnfUYmUseWVYyUvf1U9BW9VIXK0FC2ONkGOpdSxSWFg0nesWRjLFNT19cynyvtBTuWlsHZSwAyAJi-2XijFgCFtNIxKzV6rPbj5tpI1i1P_VrIBQ_81GqG-rv1V9v_qW784cwYig6WyJ8hoo5BxydZexY4XLwRVMNEBEneUY0g/w400-h220/Goldie.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Golden Eagle</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv5XJ1sC9wERR5NJBrwvVAurmWH_KPICE8SjtLKnlpfSfx3uO9xz9hOFnYEM9WMFuOeqhQebgR5tVxLQUsvkOOm0Ilpbo3t1YXmMFx2szDS5WalIw5HhyHQQhflp0btclsIduRj3gqr8x2-Pvy9QMnTAqpenmUpipibBuwMjioLlTPx0AUqA/s1782/DSCN1936.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1108" data-original-width="1782" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv5XJ1sC9wERR5NJBrwvVAurmWH_KPICE8SjtLKnlpfSfx3uO9xz9hOFnYEM9WMFuOeqhQebgR5tVxLQUsvkOOm0Ilpbo3t1YXmMFx2szDS5WalIw5HhyHQQhflp0btclsIduRj3gqr8x2-Pvy9QMnTAqpenmUpipibBuwMjioLlTPx0AUqA/w400-h249/DSCN1936.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>White-Tailed Eagle</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;">Up in the local glens, it is worth noting that </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">bird of prey sightings usually become less frequent during the longer days of spring and early summer, with many of the female birds nesting and many more hours of daylight available for hunting meaning that our chances are reduced. </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">However, we still managed reasonably regular sightings of <b>Osprey</b>, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold;">Common Buzzard</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold;">Red Kite</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">, <b>Peregrine</b>, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold;">Kestrel</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> and </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold;">Sparrowhawk</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">, and also a few views of </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold;">Goshawk</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold;">Golden Eagle</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> and </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b>White-Tailed Eagle, </b>though I am still yet to see a <b>Merlin </b>this year...</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">I</span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">n the forests...</b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwjbU0Op9b2i84g44G_H5pUZBB9eIFOZg0HtqlVwdnfDwe37W6pU_Rzr6higSmPZwQWOZltb7RTtS7Y6_uaDKh2b0OUByHpKbe6DYP-H_FR1OtOZJ7HIaZOeBpzogdowy7hwD8WmQDq5NNI4zWz8BNnGuscFSlf1j-wasgfL8oyq19sJffGw/s2000/IMG_8948.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1213" data-original-width="2000" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwjbU0Op9b2i84g44G_H5pUZBB9eIFOZg0HtqlVwdnfDwe37W6pU_Rzr6higSmPZwQWOZltb7RTtS7Y6_uaDKh2b0OUByHpKbe6DYP-H_FR1OtOZJ7HIaZOeBpzogdowy7hwD8WmQDq5NNI4zWz8BNnGuscFSlf1j-wasgfL8oyq19sJffGw/w400-h243/IMG_8948.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Nice morning light in a local ancient Caledonian pine forest</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7nZdYrLhOh_ueYhNzIO9PQWjgtouKyzoLVxGNg0KQ_3Wk0N8QNA_GfVcqmCOv50mqzbuAj2qJqdC5F6EAlJO7o08rX6xt_F7SPeJ0AnunNiGhAUZOEreNvID9Kf1h09CO_PwDhAYK-M6p1-UT2qNYm9h1UP9b0pzO8YmiOXiHLjV-jcbSfw/s3429/DSCN1842.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2145" data-original-width="3429" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7nZdYrLhOh_ueYhNzIO9PQWjgtouKyzoLVxGNg0KQ_3Wk0N8QNA_GfVcqmCOv50mqzbuAj2qJqdC5F6EAlJO7o08rX6xt_F7SPeJ0AnunNiGhAUZOEreNvID9Kf1h09CO_PwDhAYK-M6p1-UT2qNYm9h1UP9b0pzO8YmiOXiHLjV-jcbSfw/w400-h250/DSCN1842.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Capercaillie</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZqLdCZyAWuYAeVmEswg1THJZH90Gb8F3Wy3TKY1prITiJhSJwbnAI2NsiBJqV5MNNEs8UvBW4CwIUqJp_foi3YFAUQNCPpyTdS0kBhJQpAzDtNblslquxyqmklx6L9ACuYZenNbXCw8YBgjxwTOHL1ALWE2n0sssSTpyBKVYqO24Bm3i6RQ/s3954/DSCN1848.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3005" data-original-width="3954" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZqLdCZyAWuYAeVmEswg1THJZH90Gb8F3Wy3TKY1prITiJhSJwbnAI2NsiBJqV5MNNEs8UvBW4CwIUqJp_foi3YFAUQNCPpyTdS0kBhJQpAzDtNblslquxyqmklx6L9ACuYZenNbXCw8YBgjxwTOHL1ALWE2n0sssSTpyBKVYqO24Bm3i6RQ/w400-h304/DSCN1848.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Capercaillie</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;">With no 'rogue' birds in this area to go for currently, and numbers confirmed to be declining to dangerously low levels, </span>Capercaillie<span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"> sightings are now much more difficult to come by, and sadly, we only</span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-weight: 400;"> managed a single, very brief mid-morning sighting of one male bird this month, despite many walks and slow drives through suitable Caledonian forest habitat, where we had been successful before...</span></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-size: 15.972px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-size: 13.2px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;"><span style="font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4;">Please note: In order to help protect them and keep sensitive sites 'off the radar', I no longer take clients on specific Capercaillie-hunting missions, and although we do visit suitable areas of forest, I would only rate our chances of seeing one on my safaris as "very slim" at best, </span></span></span></span></b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400;">and now we are into 'lekking' season, I will be 'responsible' by staying out of 'sensitive' areas at dawn through April and May to allow this now very rare and elusive bird to (hopefully) lek and breed in peace....</span></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbHkxBpiHdFCWcUlZ6dSKGMaVoJ6vFPrS-c6ZD9lb6NHrHoVMkhjyLoV0voq46bxOmZwgZvR0MoqbOV32E22ygHcE8bPURPFQ2QHXsACaXK2cEa6bJICVyOEUwJxHv5ARV7IXa3NWjwXN9qDkrMbk4DdxXWKT-kTDEuJoItEEu-rop16e8Qg/s1190/IMG_6777.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="806" data-original-width="1190" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbHkxBpiHdFCWcUlZ6dSKGMaVoJ6vFPrS-c6ZD9lb6NHrHoVMkhjyLoV0voq46bxOmZwgZvR0MoqbOV32E22ygHcE8bPURPFQ2QHXsACaXK2cEa6bJICVyOEUwJxHv5ARV7IXa3NWjwXN9qDkrMbk4DdxXWKT-kTDEuJoItEEu-rop16e8Qg/w400-h271/IMG_6777.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Crested Tit - Photo from April 2020</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;">Still in the forests, </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white;">Crested Tit</span><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: 400;"> sightings became much more difficult to obtain this month, with one or two birds seen early on using forest feeding stations on the colder mornings, but generally they were pretty elusive, seemingly quietly going about their business breeding.....and I should point out that you really need to be familiar with their 'chuckling trill' of a song to have a realistic chance of seeing them... but I usually plan a short Caledonian forest walk in order to give us a chance...</span></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh74YBJDhS0_InPzFYdVslMZC8fFmQVtRB0rASpWzKh_QpJsjVK0kkNK-M60hVE9Fyn-kqFI83fJ_shtQNb8uM9wl4xf2YWLoBSobi8I4jtVfGQfoDrJLx0wYFfAvrkKs4cFE97ZnVX0PjKnbcho0mDgXbzN_apjVfC2PGGXTfenHZX5vlreA/s2423/DSCN1507.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1711" data-original-width="2423" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh74YBJDhS0_InPzFYdVslMZC8fFmQVtRB0rASpWzKh_QpJsjVK0kkNK-M60hVE9Fyn-kqFI83fJ_shtQNb8uM9wl4xf2YWLoBSobi8I4jtVfGQfoDrJLx0wYFfAvrkKs4cFE97ZnVX0PjKnbcho0mDgXbzN_apjVfC2PGGXTfenHZX5vlreA/w400-h283/DSCN1507.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Crossbill</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUym5SGGZ0SRj3Fd5Il5XFIiqru5xK3PnlZ838wnLl9zr87mXYAJPfyXFKQ6e6D9Ma_yB212ZgD-V5Y8EjJGKU36fp4DHb0ItPFLnSJslk55S9OlDxf-qftVVFSpvc6Ok5MoDvy0nwYajNhY1c5LIl3U-DOzCYS2PwOGNAf07HJOj_lfarwA/s4608/DSCN1856.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUym5SGGZ0SRj3Fd5Il5XFIiqru5xK3PnlZ838wnLl9zr87mXYAJPfyXFKQ6e6D9Ma_yB212ZgD-V5Y8EjJGKU36fp4DHb0ItPFLnSJslk55S9OlDxf-qftVVFSpvc6Ok5MoDvy0nwYajNhY1c5LIl3U-DOzCYS2PwOGNAf07HJOj_lfarwA/w320-h240/DSCN1856.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Female Crossbill</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;">Continuing the forest theme, unusually, we actually did pretty well for </span>Crossbill<span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"> sightings , though most of them were of the typical and rather annoying fly-over variety, we also had a couple of better views, and (unusually!) on the 1st and the 17th, we even managed a few photos, when birds perched obligingly for a few seconds!</span></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">On the rivers...</b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkHenaHO6PWxuYd7kRGHq_o-3GeKlUNOccVmU36TJdjCDlkedOYZq0EteG2Dbkm9uT9to6x2LwRMkrHh3ZpzqrGHNQHlHN8HMeRZszdza3NnuYQZe4oQmlwMroobdcfNRCH0issEpe-GMpforaytWnwUJjLmWGTMmAaMXmASXbEVs-_IMNgQ/s1995/IMG_9026.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1224" data-original-width="1995" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkHenaHO6PWxuYd7kRGHq_o-3GeKlUNOccVmU36TJdjCDlkedOYZq0EteG2Dbkm9uT9to6x2LwRMkrHh3ZpzqrGHNQHlHN8HMeRZszdza3NnuYQZe4oQmlwMroobdcfNRCH0issEpe-GMpforaytWnwUJjLmWGTMmAaMXmASXbEVs-_IMNgQ/w400-h245/IMG_9026.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A local river</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOealKPwjwltMCiPU75AIRY3r7BVqh0eWzFOEWfYxZ1ITjN2HeA_OWFW1DCdYY0TkQ0jckGQ3ILwC2WyWhDRRwM7vmGzPDl-7nndxCfQNKdcLnpJcDG_vZqKfDi1y2Q-EAvaS6dBUENJuIIYbOQOB_gaJWn8rCNSFbbvafET_OWoJPAyI2kA/s2192/DSCN1834.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1309" data-original-width="2192" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOealKPwjwltMCiPU75AIRY3r7BVqh0eWzFOEWfYxZ1ITjN2HeA_OWFW1DCdYY0TkQ0jckGQ3ILwC2WyWhDRRwM7vmGzPDl-7nndxCfQNKdcLnpJcDG_vZqKfDi1y2Q-EAvaS6dBUENJuIIYbOQOB_gaJWn8rCNSFbbvafET_OWoJPAyI2kA/w400-h239/DSCN1834.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Dipper</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;">It was noticeable that there were increased occurrences of male </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Dippers</span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"> seemingly delivering food and additional nest material to the now well hidden female birds at their nest sites , usually underneath bridges or under high , overhanging banks...and we also witnessed a few instances of rival males having territorial disputes....</span></b></b></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Up in the mountains....</b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEo9IJ6_cGIdAGAI0Mlj8Phr7-2FYNxehLwbVPCLxXM5kWhP3_FD0iO5nMRvV2b5nP16nFowMtwc9ejYXBWI2QjVay39aLcPAGhOJ7IPVmdmtdjGWdKr-vQgdC6332TUPp8N9SzO-ZFfl_braWPe1rGf1pKnqMeH6ReV0_vLpxjMKNHBJDug/s1990/IMG_8878.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1341" data-original-width="1990" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEo9IJ6_cGIdAGAI0Mlj8Phr7-2FYNxehLwbVPCLxXM5kWhP3_FD0iO5nMRvV2b5nP16nFowMtwc9ejYXBWI2QjVay39aLcPAGhOJ7IPVmdmtdjGWdKr-vQgdC6332TUPp8N9SzO-ZFfl_braWPe1rGf1pKnqMeH6ReV0_vLpxjMKNHBJDug/w400-h270/IMG_8878.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The Cairngorm Mountains can still be snowy in April</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">Although I did not walk up to the the summit area myself this month - the Cairngorm Funicular railway is still out of action - visits to the ski centre car park early in the month, while the snow was still down to lower levels, gave us</span></span></b><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 400;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"> some good views of a few lingering </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 700;">Snow Buntings</span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">, </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;">but they seemed to retreat high up to the mountain tops as the snow line receded....</span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"> Those that do walk up though, can get some decent sightings of </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Ptarmigan</span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"> as well, with both species now morphing into their summer plumage...</span></b></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV_AONmKa2sQTvdBBnSMAO2-xUeg8dN3-u-rfJlf60hLMdg8iX6cSabbqcJO7Boe9VeNKr2imjActKG6G1aDr4a1Ex29pa9dbdH0mOSyP0f4HGm_KF3D37u_Ur4jCwSh122ifLthbBgDfSoab8HxXjHZSanepBa22hZLTF6iiJ2aefIEE3ig/s2404/DSCN1815.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1347" data-original-width="2404" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV_AONmKa2sQTvdBBnSMAO2-xUeg8dN3-u-rfJlf60hLMdg8iX6cSabbqcJO7Boe9VeNKr2imjActKG6G1aDr4a1Ex29pa9dbdH0mOSyP0f4HGm_KF3D37u_Ur4jCwSh122ifLthbBgDfSoab8HxXjHZSanepBa22hZLTF6iiJ2aefIEE3ig/w400-h224/DSCN1815.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Ring Ouzel</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /><br /><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRsPQ8UP_VQih1JIScLma4przfFdQtHxX2Zgp4MNQOgFO5uxz4alRc_QdbXN6Jhd9FEtnW2GFs26pyQjSaw7IVRANqe8zu8jKaSOCjbZsLR9TjKovIhoqK4UMsiBEr61SCVtDukK9vAuZfL-K6d2Pt0KgfccdW56iNE3YfVwrjV7aKRDBwMA/s3707/DSCN9819.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2153" data-original-width="3707" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRsPQ8UP_VQih1JIScLma4przfFdQtHxX2Zgp4MNQOgFO5uxz4alRc_QdbXN6Jhd9FEtnW2GFs26pyQjSaw7IVRANqe8zu8jKaSOCjbZsLR9TjKovIhoqK4UMsiBEr61SCVtDukK9vAuZfL-K6d2Pt0KgfccdW56iNE3YfVwrjV7aKRDBwMA/w400-h233/DSCN9819.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Ring Ouzel</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;">At slightly lower levels ( but still generally at 1,500ft/450m +) </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 18.2px;">Ring Ouzels - </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 18.2px;">sometimes called the Blackbird's mountain dwelling cousin -</span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 18.2px;"> </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 18.2px;"> always prove to be popular with my safari clients, presumably because not many will have seen them locally, as they tend to breed only in remote upland areas well away from human disturbance, and can be quite tricky to find. We are fortunate in having plenty of suitable habitat for them in this area though, and we are often able to get decent views and sometimes photographs of newly-arrived male and female birds .....</span></span></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">On farmland....</b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD_6VIdfLflGhytnk2M8d8dlgn-jWq03SZZSGcFoIDAhQH3ov095kkel6xpBSLBy9vGiV77L1MalsQUHJSLtOQIG3HfGUFpRd6B_l3kaNv5hJ8O-ZUFjql41JJfNqd6aoGC-eegYCxwwrsMm59t2mEhALVPXFYuO47PyPinMbUrhGJKRi8Vg/s4417/DSCN7200.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2422" data-original-width="4417" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD_6VIdfLflGhytnk2M8d8dlgn-jWq03SZZSGcFoIDAhQH3ov095kkel6xpBSLBy9vGiV77L1MalsQUHJSLtOQIG3HfGUFpRd6B_l3kaNv5hJ8O-ZUFjql41JJfNqd6aoGC-eegYCxwwrsMm59t2mEhALVPXFYuO47PyPinMbUrhGJKRi8Vg/w400-h219/DSCN7200.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Typical local rough farmland</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9R9L-1WX8yPbtcSoon3jfVzK8DcWLyuYfl-NNYzrHb748ZjC67QyIYCVwr4iy8YciaIca2wNhYRip6-KTkqs4DQ1tDGU6vnjuNueSHoIrPC8FNvM5NDlttocE1ZHDVKwkkhvL2QCImzMbWXR1KbgC3xhG77pND1qnJLpXG8wZEZRYXQI85g/s2012/IMG_9802.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1473" data-original-width="2012" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9R9L-1WX8yPbtcSoon3jfVzK8DcWLyuYfl-NNYzrHb748ZjC67QyIYCVwr4iy8YciaIca2wNhYRip6-KTkqs4DQ1tDGU6vnjuNueSHoIrPC8FNvM5NDlttocE1ZHDVKwkkhvL2QCImzMbWXR1KbgC3xhG77pND1qnJLpXG8wZEZRYXQI85g/w400-h293/IMG_9802.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Curlew</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzkQIC-SWgiac6eR7r0HrPEfB26VWuEE3SLQosGham3-MvuVkpeXR3cONViSI1YLKkoJAibguv8-jY0t8gTV8Y-tX9QsjcVQrb6_vikAuSl7Q942TYJhiXXYFRqWPOZJwFaUgNOb2lz9WD__3HsHd1UQhg8HoUvYaHBGlRYvgA2ZvqAIOJuA/s2992/IMG_0093.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2992" data-original-width="2992" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzkQIC-SWgiac6eR7r0HrPEfB26VWuEE3SLQosGham3-MvuVkpeXR3cONViSI1YLKkoJAibguv8-jY0t8gTV8Y-tX9QsjcVQrb6_vikAuSl7Q942TYJhiXXYFRqWPOZJwFaUgNOb2lz9WD__3HsHd1UQhg8HoUvYaHBGlRYvgA2ZvqAIOJuA/s320/IMG_0093.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Lapwing</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9DLWNyhLwL_ZDx_CAtNffCPX4yPE2YA4udAJrMyrVngBZ9Tef_xkZmkMZUeLCbgf4_khE4cQDGkNCDk3m7dHdGW3KlCInzBMXnc2hMi4V7yv2uMKEHITaV6cAF3ZWFfYWdMMlvcDvHZgc1Xx-qsy_cBGyn3XPaS3FtIjaWxyTIWANEe_aBg/s2442/IMG_6413.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1578" data-original-width="2442" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9DLWNyhLwL_ZDx_CAtNffCPX4yPE2YA4udAJrMyrVngBZ9Tef_xkZmkMZUeLCbgf4_khE4cQDGkNCDk3m7dHdGW3KlCInzBMXnc2hMi4V7yv2uMKEHITaV6cAF3ZWFfYWdMMlvcDvHZgc1Xx-qsy_cBGyn3XPaS3FtIjaWxyTIWANEe_aBg/w400-h259/IMG_6413.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Oystercatcher</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Lots of waders have now returned to their spring/summer breeding grounds on local farmland, with </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Oystercatcher</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Lapwing</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Golden Plover</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> and </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Curlew</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> all being noted.....</span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Lingering winter-visiting birds seen in our area this month included:</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> </span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUrHYpzhqocu4BaEQyHVFd3AkiOr4eoiDo-7igZHyVk0OALQz3LlX3PLlxuAg30fshv5TV-mzki6TTYLfB94haPIqX460VceyDMoUqk8uoLZadg7ERj3yYJmeW16DoEAgLuXVBtT0nQmdtmCDcZGstPbfzmY0wsLvsm7vH3nVpjxQO6EPi0g/s4608/DSCN1741.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUrHYpzhqocu4BaEQyHVFd3AkiOr4eoiDo-7igZHyVk0OALQz3LlX3PLlxuAg30fshv5TV-mzki6TTYLfB94haPIqX460VceyDMoUqk8uoLZadg7ERj3yYJmeW16DoEAgLuXVBtT0nQmdtmCDcZGstPbfzmY0wsLvsm7vH3nVpjxQO6EPi0g/w400-h300/DSCN1741.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Whooper Swan</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4tMdrSnLeXfKcEmJCiq2czg1iW959TOow2WDcjijcgNwKFy_YngQrqlfxXk6tQhxkq1X9qBWVcd1mSrBgASTXs8TyFgMgDKSgajn0uunJg7ss9LD4cV5mt6N-oRUubUkbqmUwFx-jRhrDJ0UZy7ecRR7GVXWevoornAi5vLvPxuhXFz8Z_g/s4557/DSCN1787.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1962" data-original-width="4557" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4tMdrSnLeXfKcEmJCiq2czg1iW959TOow2WDcjijcgNwKFy_YngQrqlfxXk6tQhxkq1X9qBWVcd1mSrBgASTXs8TyFgMgDKSgajn0uunJg7ss9LD4cV5mt6N-oRUubUkbqmUwFx-jRhrDJ0UZy7ecRR7GVXWevoornAi5vLvPxuhXFz8Z_g/w400-h173/DSCN1787.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Pink-Footed Geese</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbwlsEHjPFoVj4rlqeJYxyuDyJTM423nnh8OSPo7zzWYCXWbmzvoGS4gYl3NxaeM2-CiLcRGJNWYBi-xYCIefMgAps3g5pLazU0YbhDVUPvCrMh2WhIuDZFjy0ooV0WJEKlAdKmeugCU6E4toiiqCTWeJQNqcUV6h10ORdD-zdkuhFH3--og/s4160/DSCN1635.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2827" data-original-width="4160" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbwlsEHjPFoVj4rlqeJYxyuDyJTM423nnh8OSPo7zzWYCXWbmzvoGS4gYl3NxaeM2-CiLcRGJNWYBi-xYCIefMgAps3g5pLazU0YbhDVUPvCrMh2WhIuDZFjy0ooV0WJEKlAdKmeugCU6E4toiiqCTWeJQNqcUV6h10ORdD-zdkuhFH3--og/s320/DSCN1635.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Greylag Goose</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;">A few Whooper Swans</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;">Grey Geese (Greylag and Pink-Footed), and </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> <b>Bramblings</b> ..though these are all likely to depart this area soon....</span></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Other good/scarce birds seen/reported locally this month included:</b></p><p>A <b>Glaucous Gull</b>, a <b>Green Woodpecker</b>, a <b>Black Redstart,</b> and a few <b>Whimbrel</b>....</p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 700;">A few photos of more common birds seen locally this month: </span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCm9X1UDqoZgXLEyq3_dfpmY6_-NMH-Nk8reC8xFn4ISa-gDEiO7LYUzhu_1zHBw2wJempupwPUZxBA5F2U35zvQvq2PxqCxBfj8lHcVA625i7Lk8gX_Ezs2S8vLw2vQNv6N-vl5uFVPOEe0jvtoYYcxdnvOLJjF__dxl_U1jkXVb9bjmmOw/s3799/DSCN1562.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="3799" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCm9X1UDqoZgXLEyq3_dfpmY6_-NMH-Nk8reC8xFn4ISa-gDEiO7LYUzhu_1zHBw2wJempupwPUZxBA5F2U35zvQvq2PxqCxBfj8lHcVA625i7Lk8gX_Ezs2S8vLw2vQNv6N-vl5uFVPOEe0jvtoYYcxdnvOLJjF__dxl_U1jkXVb9bjmmOw/s320/DSCN1562.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Pheasant</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirE6agRR5BiED9rnCZkV57OocjNuNSke-t1RBI5R7vjHFv1gGADf6srz8Uqhgk81v0zkroxHsuUqFcR7ySf8XldEcxJjICexXrsZXDTJMAf-4Tq7RrdCI0FJvme6VMezYhR29CdUGb5q2hllUKwsxCqI8A7yCbKh-dmRM-21g2UgBxvfD30A/s4608/DSCN1566.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirE6agRR5BiED9rnCZkV57OocjNuNSke-t1RBI5R7vjHFv1gGADf6srz8Uqhgk81v0zkroxHsuUqFcR7ySf8XldEcxJjICexXrsZXDTJMAf-4Tq7RrdCI0FJvme6VMezYhR29CdUGb5q2hllUKwsxCqI8A7yCbKh-dmRM-21g2UgBxvfD30A/s320/DSCN1566.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Robin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihvH1cDQ6hsfqMJoZKQVBtyNV8HmdS4jFmnnEyziypOJEQWjjjTvTvo46gcuBBLyOUMqzAFRTRosQf0KgzhA5P0bkka0rvLIFOdruyAIHnNC7Ij_ZX-gHey7aPe14iQ-ogzyrnBoVS99HYVyXBGi989l9xfLvwXGKVWoe73mhMcf9jctwjeA/s4608/DSCN1568.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihvH1cDQ6hsfqMJoZKQVBtyNV8HmdS4jFmnnEyziypOJEQWjjjTvTvo46gcuBBLyOUMqzAFRTRosQf0KgzhA5P0bkka0rvLIFOdruyAIHnNC7Ij_ZX-gHey7aPe14iQ-ogzyrnBoVS99HYVyXBGi989l9xfLvwXGKVWoe73mhMcf9jctwjeA/s320/DSCN1568.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Song Thrush</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ar1LEq5qBtdzoOU0ElRQUN1i3cNxjybwXt0SV31tWTaET6rVQe4-wW4lCBPGCo4ra2b_4iA7coRgimnjVA2BKxw1XTQY-Bm4A5yYCyJIVHsZAe-21NyJDYLBKwFalKw5GyqMYIVIPPnqo5YeI4BA47L4xJuQFq_dOSICj-duo9MZueNRCQ/s3808/DSCN1744.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2530" data-original-width="3808" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ar1LEq5qBtdzoOU0ElRQUN1i3cNxjybwXt0SV31tWTaET6rVQe4-wW4lCBPGCo4ra2b_4iA7coRgimnjVA2BKxw1XTQY-Bm4A5yYCyJIVHsZAe-21NyJDYLBKwFalKw5GyqMYIVIPPnqo5YeI4BA47L4xJuQFq_dOSICj-duo9MZueNRCQ/w400-h266/DSCN1744.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Common Gull</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCcfOE7kZ1w2Rw3Pk22Nwi1q08d9Ky4PORhmgid5BNcYlJXzpPGrcoH92ywV7PV8-FJxWGaud4ADvw1w4g9Rx-wt22TissCkK9DsitbauVxqB6E7OB0S43ue2Voy6-THRa0iochwl8uNQLGJki7xTZrJmVwi4iV3MdRfPwsEPtSZNmqeMerw/s4218/DSCN1747.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2873" data-original-width="4218" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCcfOE7kZ1w2Rw3Pk22Nwi1q08d9Ky4PORhmgid5BNcYlJXzpPGrcoH92ywV7PV8-FJxWGaud4ADvw1w4g9Rx-wt22TissCkK9DsitbauVxqB6E7OB0S43ue2Voy6-THRa0iochwl8uNQLGJki7xTZrJmVwi4iV3MdRfPwsEPtSZNmqeMerw/w320-h218/DSCN1747.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Chaffinch</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9JUknKoWUw0Q2kwDJKfukJV2_-r2SM_2AKR6pNE_Q1vGlASRnqDsVWg77hA6XxuZcdDmok9tLi-Su7-HIuTnn7X4nuDNT_OqndJc0fHd08Wm6tw0ukgDDScL-Vyx7mlFUrG1NEGfV8OdSOC-V1dVyrSgGK2gfBmpz1KwhlssG__WEmtcGJQ/s4608/DSCN1748.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9JUknKoWUw0Q2kwDJKfukJV2_-r2SM_2AKR6pNE_Q1vGlASRnqDsVWg77hA6XxuZcdDmok9tLi-Su7-HIuTnn7X4nuDNT_OqndJc0fHd08Wm6tw0ukgDDScL-Vyx7mlFUrG1NEGfV8OdSOC-V1dVyrSgGK2gfBmpz1KwhlssG__WEmtcGJQ/w400-h300/DSCN1748.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Great Tit</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2lglY960vkZqMKwcXRHFvOwSL8Zn39XdBVAg8LkT5MgpPbCRnVY_C9D0CYh02nQAvg12dkRlS1T4qaHoAZCyJXVtTL1ymavQSdcIPFY2599Fwq76gLwhHOUQmSsO_3Cbq8aZ-CJ5vxM-LGYQEZnuNe54LxIIIc9kLlUAB3wOI9CJHD5uW8A/s4608/DSCN1825.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2lglY960vkZqMKwcXRHFvOwSL8Zn39XdBVAg8LkT5MgpPbCRnVY_C9D0CYh02nQAvg12dkRlS1T4qaHoAZCyJXVtTL1ymavQSdcIPFY2599Fwq76gLwhHOUQmSsO_3Cbq8aZ-CJ5vxM-LGYQEZnuNe54LxIIIc9kLlUAB3wOI9CJHD5uW8A/w400-h300/DSCN1825.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Great Spotted Woodpecker</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinp0x1TmB-1x-OpR8Tn_YGym2PE8tNMpXqLSU4WLODWyAyk7WM63zvamKENbykrrfM8VWxyFeMj_VAvJnLGcJcBOADp-qrIL-kK8rlVEEHWP6Mq8v2aDWEqEhUUjqZST9PviiPR6o6xIh51bZpBijsjz4xw-TMHEehe7pQKNq8swajapaSRg/s4608/DSCN1948.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinp0x1TmB-1x-OpR8Tn_YGym2PE8tNMpXqLSU4WLODWyAyk7WM63zvamKENbykrrfM8VWxyFeMj_VAvJnLGcJcBOADp-qrIL-kK8rlVEEHWP6Mq8v2aDWEqEhUUjqZST9PviiPR6o6xIh51bZpBijsjz4xw-TMHEehe7pQKNq8swajapaSRg/s320/DSCN1948.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Common Sandpiper is seen regularly by water here from April -August</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR86LZ4xJ5mwV0BEq8PI1lxvZFlbbGuLOUW0g4cfUnPcyQCMHpIIlTmjPhWgB6PTqO2CXmTIQDseLS6XJiRe9K20qER2XjdjtjvIZ6e0bgDvjCfKudu1tojZapB4G0n1MOZDUcLUdjx49XbQ83vgfIBOxol07xNfX1KYRpt3iFnaay6Pey3Q/s3981/DSCN1983.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2790" data-original-width="3981" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR86LZ4xJ5mwV0BEq8PI1lxvZFlbbGuLOUW0g4cfUnPcyQCMHpIIlTmjPhWgB6PTqO2CXmTIQDseLS6XJiRe9K20qER2XjdjtjvIZ6e0bgDvjCfKudu1tojZapB4G0n1MOZDUcLUdjx49XbQ83vgfIBOxol07xNfX1KYRpt3iFnaay6Pey3Q/w400-h280/DSCN1983.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Grey Wagtail</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKfza6378YAVBnN26mU0cgQ3qa_IKefNHrH6nirz7V-9bQfWxqKrIMyw0rEb-xcMXbzYXRGZkso8tcM4Gelg-zQqYHFAPrYQiq5hFNqFdPsG2dt9KB6zReAgmWqYTnoi0NV1P5lp2yu0XZiJLXhuuAZIaA8JD8ye4UkzkHCzajBv9DJlmijg/s4123/DSCN1990.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2551" data-original-width="4123" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKfza6378YAVBnN26mU0cgQ3qa_IKefNHrH6nirz7V-9bQfWxqKrIMyw0rEb-xcMXbzYXRGZkso8tcM4Gelg-zQqYHFAPrYQiq5hFNqFdPsG2dt9KB6zReAgmWqYTnoi0NV1P5lp2yu0XZiJLXhuuAZIaA8JD8ye4UkzkHCzajBv9DJlmijg/w400-h248/DSCN1990.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A pair of Goosanders</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-jJ30ebkvbPYiXVT27zPfMTllu83qQnIQ7pUkwm8OLV_rrzEIKK5KwJI5EKsKvhGyTfaPABQZLRScEwLcouL7XgJdxgZK3Blve5oVyQIeuBqMko3sRYiZJ1MXSuAwTyDriwLibq6vUtUQCQFmusHgB8pTrEVsI5Uc5r2vfSGiZ0fB5m46rg/s4215/DSCN2047.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2319" data-original-width="4215" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-jJ30ebkvbPYiXVT27zPfMTllu83qQnIQ7pUkwm8OLV_rrzEIKK5KwJI5EKsKvhGyTfaPABQZLRScEwLcouL7XgJdxgZK3Blve5oVyQIeuBqMko3sRYiZJ1MXSuAwTyDriwLibq6vUtUQCQFmusHgB8pTrEVsI5Uc5r2vfSGiZ0fB5m46rg/w400-h220/DSCN2047.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Common Redshank</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjChm-SVSD7I2aBmNoGwFe6NtAZesDEQLIVDeVuwdWY09GRlKsH_n6Ncibl19V89D6O05zT3aAPaJ2aoZ0MxxF9caLP2XKxE3OM_6ekAGlEXC3fv2x2GkPAnQjk1LstjE10Y2mW1qK4HyqPg8L9hm2H1GThGzXBPqTUd58Xm1O_Ovr8EhCX2g/s1672/Ian%20Dennis%20M%20P.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1254" data-original-width="1672" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjChm-SVSD7I2aBmNoGwFe6NtAZesDEQLIVDeVuwdWY09GRlKsH_n6Ncibl19V89D6O05zT3aAPaJ2aoZ0MxxF9caLP2XKxE3OM_6ekAGlEXC3fv2x2GkPAnQjk1LstjE10Y2mW1qK4HyqPg8L9hm2H1GThGzXBPqTUd58Xm1O_Ovr8EhCX2g/w400-h300/Ian%20Dennis%20M%20P.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Meadow Pipit by Ian Dennis</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRzBALa3BaYI6-7bcp7aZk1vp6FtUT-g2I-BNGZWNADuYhsLBIgTZJUr_6agf-3KIbukTxKuZBiJONRrhjfZR_B9Q_aGiCXpzk7-9zH9cAfxAwwH8ksU7qQ_IlOFlL6XmkWV5N1r0V8PkASEG5_5lpawKZxN9ThdhP0nGgq7l9-tZJabsq6A/s4285/DSCN2103.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2794" data-original-width="4285" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRzBALa3BaYI6-7bcp7aZk1vp6FtUT-g2I-BNGZWNADuYhsLBIgTZJUr_6agf-3KIbukTxKuZBiJONRrhjfZR_B9Q_aGiCXpzk7-9zH9cAfxAwwH8ksU7qQ_IlOFlL6XmkWV5N1r0V8PkASEG5_5lpawKZxN9ThdhP0nGgq7l9-tZJabsq6A/w400-h261/DSCN2103.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Tree Pipit</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3fbLgFBvrOGxG6ZJVLbFCKd_y4xDji6HmArJ2fM839Qrm2xDEG0_M_Mr7aD8H8dZUPqCOE1YxsO72RaYM6ffl7kgi5etzEvIFLGPoYvtwMKLJZSU0OsmULlTl1x05SRHzMuBquFHLKGJ4EWv-O5o5N6xuDEsAePdqJbNIjg0UPRDp8tTnIQ/s2648/Chiffchaff.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1765" data-original-width="2648" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3fbLgFBvrOGxG6ZJVLbFCKd_y4xDji6HmArJ2fM839Qrm2xDEG0_M_Mr7aD8H8dZUPqCOE1YxsO72RaYM6ffl7kgi5etzEvIFLGPoYvtwMKLJZSU0OsmULlTl1x05SRHzMuBquFHLKGJ4EWv-O5o5N6xuDEsAePdqJbNIjg0UPRDp8tTnIQ/s320/Chiffchaff.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Chiffchaff by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;">Adventures 'out of area':</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"> </span></b></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJPH5BsphAmcR0oNGjQtMybFq4zq6euxaff-cKU7U5DnnnV3Kma61B6-VdJAY5TsGZntc8m-Wt--IVb6n1vcpMvN6u-2BzgXb0ELBeaoLm3lc9fanhKMi4yhsz0H6m1LQIrcJKPMHGst060vhgA0mIlZ1XS28uqdtZ98o7EDlaV3H8LKX61g/s2015/IMG_8955.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2015" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJPH5BsphAmcR0oNGjQtMybFq4zq6euxaff-cKU7U5DnnnV3Kma61B6-VdJAY5TsGZntc8m-Wt--IVb6n1vcpMvN6u-2BzgXb0ELBeaoLm3lc9fanhKMi4yhsz0H6m1LQIrcJKPMHGst060vhgA0mIlZ1XS28uqdtZ98o7EDlaV3H8LKX61g/w400-h300/IMG_8955.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Birding at the ruggedly beautiful Moray coast</b></td></tr></tbody></table></b></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSMDfA0bDvFOsgZhubXB5LAQVLkBId52bjFGfuhMwVlPtTUluNsYWP_DXjobaqob-wQGWYT84Ri_OsGXvBjZUqFkVUcyCWqjXspLOqAmPJsGKwt_y2eubeBW-Od9mGOGBLsJiFio9TaFPQ8ZwH90yUbAnbb3mmLNGDqESZi0YQAPRnvQspdA/s3311/Fulmar%2015.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2207" data-original-width="3311" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSMDfA0bDvFOsgZhubXB5LAQVLkBId52bjFGfuhMwVlPtTUluNsYWP_DXjobaqob-wQGWYT84Ri_OsGXvBjZUqFkVUcyCWqjXspLOqAmPJsGKwt_y2eubeBW-Od9mGOGBLsJiFio9TaFPQ8ZwH90yUbAnbb3mmLNGDqESZi0YQAPRnvQspdA/s320/Fulmar%2015.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Fulmar by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHPqUpSogGnNNR8ZATOg3BBsob0xZA46d5fcSNfDKDrxYalLWwlLg-vnVEP8SoeiasLNt-9RDdjmPDwMoYxjxHIhPSIy_LD_H-6fOncGo4YmPAsAf7Nqqo1x9N5xmkycWVjhR-F7u5o9e_Nvd_Nu4PZEYGei_TmXCa8ClnDjqx2A0OoKzD5Q/s3960/Gannets.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2640" data-original-width="3960" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHPqUpSogGnNNR8ZATOg3BBsob0xZA46d5fcSNfDKDrxYalLWwlLg-vnVEP8SoeiasLNt-9RDdjmPDwMoYxjxHIhPSIy_LD_H-6fOncGo4YmPAsAf7Nqqo1x9N5xmkycWVjhR-F7u5o9e_Nvd_Nu4PZEYGei_TmXCa8ClnDjqx2A0OoKzD5Q/w400-h266/Gannets.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Gannets by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_krm7hTH8Omzt3j_JkS14VpaiCprEWWy46ZBHcvbs_7gzcacjV7swiLdPw0nLiNGXMUL9Ua4loSFNQUeGwkNvoCgZekzC9G9PLN85U4Mlw1gNb9bmA2ns6HLnyzpQMX_pB4bG789yfNDcSJU_I1HbAesXtjC_mXqWR4h2rTihEpCUaR7bNQ/s4440/Kittiwake%2014.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2960" data-original-width="4440" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_krm7hTH8Omzt3j_JkS14VpaiCprEWWy46ZBHcvbs_7gzcacjV7swiLdPw0nLiNGXMUL9Ua4loSFNQUeGwkNvoCgZekzC9G9PLN85U4Mlw1gNb9bmA2ns6HLnyzpQMX_pB4bG789yfNDcSJU_I1HbAesXtjC_mXqWR4h2rTihEpCUaR7bNQ/s320/Kittiwake%2014.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Kittiwake by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH1dOj25eB5QWM-iVGPpqruUwh_fRDBybEWaBPch-elBCNkNLkN9CxDS6UgRoXvkL1uffGVttC117Wn2_LYA_bmnjRtPcm6LwVDKqbC-6WtCJOzO_PyAqM11IlkZHFJ-_18ZQ4XJj6BKLU4ojQqIMF_MtUHNDw8Pv6WcnT879mDfxbrUpG7A/s2242/DSCN1765.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1272" data-original-width="2242" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH1dOj25eB5QWM-iVGPpqruUwh_fRDBybEWaBPch-elBCNkNLkN9CxDS6UgRoXvkL1uffGVttC117Wn2_LYA_bmnjRtPcm6LwVDKqbC-6WtCJOzO_PyAqM11IlkZHFJ-_18ZQ4XJj6BKLU4ojQqIMF_MtUHNDw8Pv6WcnT879mDfxbrUpG7A/w400-h228/DSCN1765.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Razorbills and Shag</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcJVlRLIMwZSLZR50gktXfCfTE0ARNz6DVwSMSHIQnCf8QU15bZ_WaY0sME3j3GvfuX3zOyIFoWU_q4keuF6xxk6SiCl31RjRRiCoSyvu4ruLPMIJo8qgIUBaiFpqXEaKTl407T1NBg3AZ3nn2K997sYiCwxxhOuK_LN14u2wcdx-6wXU7-Q/s4608/DSCN1769.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcJVlRLIMwZSLZR50gktXfCfTE0ARNz6DVwSMSHIQnCf8QU15bZ_WaY0sME3j3GvfuX3zOyIFoWU_q4keuF6xxk6SiCl31RjRRiCoSyvu4ruLPMIJo8qgIUBaiFpqXEaKTl407T1NBg3AZ3nn2K997sYiCwxxhOuK_LN14u2wcdx-6wXU7-Q/w400-h300/DSCN1769.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Shags</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUowi2KN7wWBVuKKIxybp-h-JIFvmap8f94XJ4orwp7j2rwvY3snWMoNbPPk2wNRh7yK9-2LIycHvQXnWYtyUu6CU4f48lWkMzT_uqyBB61S5ivu2NI96e2mqq0lnGJKWFOoPsCx35I_vj9MwUBOh7TvNQvo598ypYIDbkfXRFBKDGsZGBWQ/s3889/DSCN1773.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3889" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUowi2KN7wWBVuKKIxybp-h-JIFvmap8f94XJ4orwp7j2rwvY3snWMoNbPPk2wNRh7yK9-2LIycHvQXnWYtyUu6CU4f48lWkMzT_uqyBB61S5ivu2NI96e2mqq0lnGJKWFOoPsCx35I_vj9MwUBOh7TvNQvo598ypYIDbkfXRFBKDGsZGBWQ/w400-h251/DSCN1773.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Black Guillemots</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOU7Zpn0o0G1ujEfELTlkq7fpZ3SmwxdwFVP2FXxVHaq62wi1Eis-QWR-lP9r-Z0g_NTYnlnG67amAV1TjIQwinIKG2GrcmOBtSlaUW1cZI3MhOvmkRYM5PCHkHnTkWNg8cBQJyWwdnt2MkHuEqkafGlCZyPukDlOhMm1EVMRKM80R3OpF2Q/s3984/DSCN1810.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2289" data-original-width="3984" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOU7Zpn0o0G1ujEfELTlkq7fpZ3SmwxdwFVP2FXxVHaq62wi1Eis-QWR-lP9r-Z0g_NTYnlnG67amAV1TjIQwinIKG2GrcmOBtSlaUW1cZI3MhOvmkRYM5PCHkHnTkWNg8cBQJyWwdnt2MkHuEqkafGlCZyPukDlOhMm1EVMRKM80R3OpF2Q/w400-h230/DSCN1810.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Wigeon</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwKOtdYV5XxerGui40jwOEmHK1cPA3KayVLIUBCliDBarwHJ6kQItW2bN49FJx2bfdba1mm0BuNFzzZZcTvXKBOWzDDCULmpLfCf3O5nb0s-NjWxrLZAFtfZWQj-Rz0lSswrXWRSsyCE70t8pxQxeVrqYzZVFU7IUSjV9BupllY_5Y6m2KwQ/s4608/DSCN1757.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwKOtdYV5XxerGui40jwOEmHK1cPA3KayVLIUBCliDBarwHJ6kQItW2bN49FJx2bfdba1mm0BuNFzzZZcTvXKBOWzDDCULmpLfCf3O5nb0s-NjWxrLZAFtfZWQj-Rz0lSswrXWRSsyCE70t8pxQxeVrqYzZVFU7IUSjV9BupllY_5Y6m2KwQ/s320/DSCN1757.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Little Grebe</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitTBMDlIQ1gGwunj9lqnmAq-nJAm8NTWUurTKsRrwuIuDi3ncA8wN3knQ4cVFB6CIm27UK6dzXwaomWSB3MYNIdtVM8Hmp0MolJJlcYM4oTwW_0vhum92wkhP3izRkXm-em7NScmnPnViK2DrefM-3TOYtGrHSgJqubviFtB0XJ_T3lslRPg/s3498/DSCN1805.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2057" data-original-width="3498" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitTBMDlIQ1gGwunj9lqnmAq-nJAm8NTWUurTKsRrwuIuDi3ncA8wN3knQ4cVFB6CIm27UK6dzXwaomWSB3MYNIdtVM8Hmp0MolJJlcYM4oTwW_0vhum92wkhP3izRkXm-em7NScmnPnViK2DrefM-3TOYtGrHSgJqubviFtB0XJ_T3lslRPg/w400-h235/DSCN1805.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Ring-Necked Duck</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">The very scenic Moray coast is only about a one hour drive north of Aviemore, and my April trips to favourite reserves, lochs, bays and harbours provided good views of resident and wintering birds such as </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Greylag</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Geese</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Pink-Footed Geese</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Whooper Swan, Wigeon, Teal, </b><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Scaup</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Pintail</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">,</span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"> </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Bar-Tailed and Black-Tailed Godwit</b><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><span style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> Golden Plover</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> , </span></b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Rock Pipit, </b></span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Redshank, Oystercatcher, Turnstone, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Curlew</b>, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Dunlin</b>, <b>Eider</b>, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Red-Throated Diver,</b><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> and </span></b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b> Ringed Plov</b></span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>er, </b>and a good selection of scarcer birds in the form of a few <b>White-Billed Divers</b>, a <b>King Eider,</b> a summer-visiting<b> Garganey </b>and a <b>Ring-Necked Duck. </b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Whilst on the 'stacks' , Shag, Gannet, </b></span><b>Fulmar</b>, <b>Kittiwake ,</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Razorbill, Common Guillemot and Black Guillemot were all seen to be nesting already. </b></span><b> </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">It was noticeable though, that some of the winter -visiting species were in smaller number than last month</span><b>, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">and of course, many of these birds will disappear off north to their breeding grounds soon...</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_3JPKNijmrrrsqTfQ2pN-LPMlTBAwV2Y0shUtJnAtdviZdkXxbhz8PXeqHxUpeD5FZ-hFFJToTU4Pj4H5cjgZCZxvveELUAly8KTAMoDxDMNBDjHzSN1u8pkuv-mldBb4Gb2c7dgygWft5hyt7WbNwPd6oT_ktiwneddgLBS6ybMJHt3z5A/s4144/DSCN1784.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2479" data-original-width="4144" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_3JPKNijmrrrsqTfQ2pN-LPMlTBAwV2Y0shUtJnAtdviZdkXxbhz8PXeqHxUpeD5FZ-hFFJToTU4Pj4H5cjgZCZxvveELUAly8KTAMoDxDMNBDjHzSN1u8pkuv-mldBb4Gb2c7dgygWft5hyt7WbNwPd6oT_ktiwneddgLBS6ybMJHt3z5A/w400-h239/DSCN1784.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Yellowhammer</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">The Moray coast also gives you more chance of seeing birds like <b>Yellowhammer</b> and <b>Tree Sparrow</b>, that are less common on Speyside....</span></div><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">April 2022 mammal sightings in more detail:</b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDHgP8z-5M_e4dE7f3EV0fepeaEoJ98ilAAr0oX9pzEkpH5aNm-xjYXwsq0ADoJ6bQmDJkMgtVKLltCgmYE2ERLbUgiJ5TO-Wlws5-_5xmRS3MvSCjuBJD8QTulT2bGaQ3KVti10Rh81SADRt4GMLCkcHe8MXcLGCkBC3_xXvqdyxb65spwg/s2992/IMG_0274.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1404" data-original-width="2992" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDHgP8z-5M_e4dE7f3EV0fepeaEoJ98ilAAr0oX9pzEkpH5aNm-xjYXwsq0ADoJ6bQmDJkMgtVKLltCgmYE2ERLbUgiJ5TO-Wlws5-_5xmRS3MvSCjuBJD8QTulT2bGaQ3KVti10Rh81SADRt4GMLCkcHe8MXcLGCkBC3_xXvqdyxb65spwg/w400-h188/IMG_0274.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Deer stags<br /><br /></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif">Red Deer</span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.3px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4;"> always prove popular with my safari clients. Being an iconic animal of the Scottish Highlands, the 'Monarch of the Glen' is on most visitors 'wish-lists', and we usually manage to see them regularly in large same-sex herds in upland glens this month, though views are usually quite distant, and many of the stags have now lost their old fully-grown antlers, and are growing a new set...</span></b></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMQsrlXtUCDNl2mCoYpj8rHGuzhZwO0MEQ1Ovjp8hJqyNFX-dkdGEi_uHVxKeZhPWFu6N3FueOFjRNb3KJibGQBqoaw74ohOg-du5jqo9SZKKWoywpkjbF41sVV2_UmwVNOlePOmVuA1qo71lrG47aZIXKEtqPwyEua5td3mSfODGAq4CiAA/s3882/DSCN1640.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2682" data-original-width="3882" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMQsrlXtUCDNl2mCoYpj8rHGuzhZwO0MEQ1Ovjp8hJqyNFX-dkdGEi_uHVxKeZhPWFu6N3FueOFjRNb3KJibGQBqoaw74ohOg-du5jqo9SZKKWoywpkjbF41sVV2_UmwVNOlePOmVuA1qo71lrG47aZIXKEtqPwyEua5td3mSfODGAq4CiAA/w400-h276/DSCN1640.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Mountain Hare<br /><br /></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Despite most of them now sporting their mottled white and blue-grey spring outfits,</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 700;"> Mountain Hares</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> usually seem to be the one to beat in our 'mammal of the day' awards in April - if we get to see them - far from guaranteed- as they certainly become tricky to find among the mottled white and blue-grey rocks of their upland homes!!</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.3px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4;"></span></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;">It should be noted though, that most of our views are at range through my telescope, and that a closer view or photographic opportunity usually involves some considerable amount of rough uphill walking, sometimes on snow, yes, even in April!</span></span></span></span></span></b></span></b></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu6HJRQOdHBDi3ajrRlxMf4faWhTbcAy3NtswVCQgarBez3XRF6U3SFQZMcUEUJTqHk89phMjh30V5h3pHOeGkR_2ITfBT_H57cPMqxD0qO5tLruSjdFtwHvGMIcm3DYtVPli7vIARWyeOQKK0uWxpB0UMf_Z3v_LgQsGAYP9lIkf31cHZXg/s4475/DSCN2072.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2594" data-original-width="4475" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu6HJRQOdHBDi3ajrRlxMf4faWhTbcAy3NtswVCQgarBez3XRF6U3SFQZMcUEUJTqHk89phMjh30V5h3pHOeGkR_2ITfBT_H57cPMqxD0qO5tLruSjdFtwHvGMIcm3DYtVPli7vIARWyeOQKK0uWxpB0UMf_Z3v_LgQsGAYP9lIkf31cHZXg/w400-h231/DSCN2072.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Feral Mountain Goats</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 18.2px;">Feral Mountain Goats </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;"> too are only found in a few remote upland areas of the UK, and we are often fortunate enough to have good views of these wild looking, multi-coloured creatures, with the fast-growing youngsters now almost as big as the adults...</span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu7Z_C0gM3gY018gsSuRc4X9x6ggLdcPK8Cyzq2QDACyPmPpVs8-OiULGag2IBT2o0gR6vBvtd8Ivx9cYZy6z39fWv5EtPDGc0JhgD42D8CZ1SGU6wpRzirXDHoIBkSySO0NrmAVkA4BVNZd_SVQiZg7CdWUM5aGVleQcz9DBhGwWAnXfigQ/s4053/DSCN1631.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3058" data-original-width="4053" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu7Z_C0gM3gY018gsSuRc4X9x6ggLdcPK8Cyzq2QDACyPmPpVs8-OiULGag2IBT2o0gR6vBvtd8Ivx9cYZy6z39fWv5EtPDGc0JhgD42D8CZ1SGU6wpRzirXDHoIBkSySO0NrmAVkA4BVNZd_SVQiZg7CdWUM5aGVleQcz9DBhGwWAnXfigQ/w400-h301/DSCN1631.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Squirrel</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Seeing a</span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"> Red Squirrel</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> is always a treat, especially for those who don't have them locally - sadly, most UK residents - but we have good numbers here, and we were fortunate enough to see them regularly this month, sometimes at forest feeding stations, and sometimes running around or climbing trees...</span></p><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRBfER61HJ1rR1PkmzgY64mpAVkNoy6qNVSRhM0bh1WbFwgXUgrvDMMI9_kDFoRJfiVFK5Y_Ua42KN3LRIsoOmlnpczRTj9HePdz3L_g0RWYgeRjoQTo4lwxBnfqjVYMTYXx0RcQoz_NiyB4ohxF__gP09PvlkigZk39U0CcYMkwiQuLkWwA/s3891/DSCN1629.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2105" data-original-width="3891" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRBfER61HJ1rR1PkmzgY64mpAVkNoy6qNVSRhM0bh1WbFwgXUgrvDMMI9_kDFoRJfiVFK5Y_Ua42KN3LRIsoOmlnpczRTj9HePdz3L_g0RWYgeRjoQTo4lwxBnfqjVYMTYXx0RcQoz_NiyB4ohxF__gP09PvlkigZk39U0CcYMkwiQuLkWwA/w400-h216/DSCN1629.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Roe Deer</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 700;">Roe Deer</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> however, are common and numerous over most of the UK, but due to their nervous nature and crepuscular habits, they are rarely seen well unless you are out and about early or late, or in a really quiet place, well away from human disturbance..</span></div><div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl8Sjvx9Yl0yPYPwEAQwjmzsTCec69QvGGxV41hym5hggfRatYl6hcfJ_84BL26S4IFy_uBmE40iC54RmMZGzPjT1qRMGOXm6_En6qROUI5_LzAks7bOdieh3B4GmFVRWpZluUDxUCrhqce-ge60-3I5IySqlezdJxLhI6miKejY9GyXGMoQ/s2794/Steve%20Nicklin%20Brown%20Hare.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="1863" data-original-width="2794" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl8Sjvx9Yl0yPYPwEAQwjmzsTCec69QvGGxV41hym5hggfRatYl6hcfJ_84BL26S4IFy_uBmE40iC54RmMZGzPjT1qRMGOXm6_En6qROUI5_LzAks7bOdieh3B4GmFVRWpZluUDxUCrhqce-ge60-3I5IySqlezdJxLhI6miKejY9GyXGMoQ/s320/Steve%20Nicklin%20Brown%20Hare.JPG" width="320" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Brown Hare by Steve Nicklin - Photo from April 2018</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">As spring tends to reach us a little later this far north, where <b>Brown Hares</b> are concerned, we tend to get 'Mad April Hares' rather than 'Mad March Hares''</span><b style="background-color: transparent; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"> , </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">and that proved to be the case this month, with lots of frisky behaviour being witnessed.</span></p></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiur4YE25oZbX8wFOn4mpGQ0F4XUYBsOLI0nYXhBbB1WxZ18xoszqjRJja2MDfLVpPAZ1jdwDNY8iiOaE-xhYDKin65Gm65z5FYvzYaQf6NWuMxAwQ-NUeta53zbpVAFV2A-q7wED75fjGHYQwQALM9ohyPn68VmX18W8NLqEASD7zyBniQNw/s4498/DSCN1785.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2453" data-original-width="4498" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiur4YE25oZbX8wFOn4mpGQ0F4XUYBsOLI0nYXhBbB1WxZ18xoszqjRJja2MDfLVpPAZ1jdwDNY8iiOaE-xhYDKin65Gm65z5FYvzYaQf6NWuMxAwQ-NUeta53zbpVAFV2A-q7wED75fjGHYQwQALM9ohyPn68VmX18W8NLqEASD7zyBniQNw/w400-h219/DSCN1785.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Seals at the Moray coast</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>As I mentioned earlier, both types of <b>seal</b> can be seen at the nearby Moray coast at a number of well known 'haul-out' sites. Please give them plenty of space though, and avoid disturbing them....</p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxiLvvNBRyfNtFkqHzIIpUHGRJ4b9aCu3KX8KnqF14z-jkgDi_oz1OuLAkyz2JCsEUVeHj0OT2f33R2nCkmGxZxqTB_bLjoTlNkxWKuStOJpch8pZDmOxHg1n0TnQipd3w4E0ypy25acfcsz781oyU_y8QMGwRRW1VCazElwuB9KNFnWEilg/s2016/IMG_8963.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxiLvvNBRyfNtFkqHzIIpUHGRJ4b9aCu3KX8KnqF14z-jkgDi_oz1OuLAkyz2JCsEUVeHj0OT2f33R2nCkmGxZxqTB_bLjoTlNkxWKuStOJpch8pZDmOxHg1n0TnQipd3w4E0ypy25acfcsz781oyU_y8QMGwRRW1VCazElwuB9KNFnWEilg/w400-h300/IMG_8963.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Carrot time for Murdo</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Hairy Highland Coo's</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"> always prove to be popular with my safari clients, especially those who do not have them close to home, so don't be afraid to ask me if you fancy going to see them, and maybe even get to feed and 'pat' them, as I have a couple of great sites....</span></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Rare/nocturnal mammals:</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">I get a few enquiries about the possibility of seeing </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Badgers</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> and </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Pine Marten</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> from my safari clients, many of whom I suspect are unaware that they are actually a largely nocturnal creature, and although we do get the occasional (maybe one or two a year) dawn glimpse of one, you would definitely have a much higher chance of seeing them at a specific dusk Badger/Pine Marten watching hide - Please contact me for more information.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Similarly, our inland </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Otters</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> too are mainly active during the hours of darkness, and again, although we do get a few early-morning sightings on local lochs and rivers each year, looking for them feeding in a suitably quiet, kelp - filled bay on the coast on a rising tide, but at any time of day, would give you a much better chance.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-family: quot; line-height: 1.4;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: quot; line-height: 1.4;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Whilst we are still on the 'tricky to see stuff', the <b>Scottish Wildcat </b>too, as well as being incredibly rare now, is also generally nocturnal, and the fact that I have had a mere handful of (dawn or dusk) sightings in 17 years of providing wildlife safaris should give you an idea of how difficult they are to see.</span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Other wildlife:</b></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaw0GjnqD9dsa285w1wkOK4ReZ0pQjIhZouMiZyeMSGLjoAODZ8wnvM77VsbAEaIha4Iwh21AYuOLvXizxKtIB34w9MkukVoJH7-GB-5gRhPYyk5DaWlR42TgF61Sy5esUPUPMnUtbfMFFVdCAV7olrWb9XLbgGBiOgw49TuCFO84RmZB1_Q/s4608/DSCN2059.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaw0GjnqD9dsa285w1wkOK4ReZ0pQjIhZouMiZyeMSGLjoAODZ8wnvM77VsbAEaIha4Iwh21AYuOLvXizxKtIB34w9MkukVoJH7-GB-5gRhPYyk5DaWlR42TgF61Sy5esUPUPMnUtbfMFFVdCAV7olrWb9XLbgGBiOgw49TuCFO84RmZB1_Q/s320/DSCN2059.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A Wood Ant nest</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Some of the warmer days saw a few pioneering butterflies - <b>Small Tortoiseshell</b>, <b>Peacock</b>, <b>Comma</b> and <b>Small White</b> - on the wing, joining the increasing numbers of bees, the first activity this year was noted in the <b>Wood Ant</b> colonies, and a few Bats were seen hawking insects over water at dusk....</p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQMRWMiKPtoMGiFmbKGeKQS0gVVNTH4CWR8HJ2mtIZBD-pxSXI3JER_coAA-o7LAD3Np4SM9OuKRIGDEIG2jiR6VJtGlJL-AQ1UENSLHUm-r-KnuzE5ANm7ihhTA9l4ZuvrimTjaup4UAcCmEzWex-Yzhioo5VnUjvu3f5goEdxE8vK30Opg/s3755/DSCN1633.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2653" data-original-width="3755" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQMRWMiKPtoMGiFmbKGeKQS0gVVNTH4CWR8HJ2mtIZBD-pxSXI3JER_coAA-o7LAD3Np4SM9OuKRIGDEIG2jiR6VJtGlJL-AQ1UENSLHUm-r-KnuzE5ANm7ihhTA9l4ZuvrimTjaup4UAcCmEzWex-Yzhioo5VnUjvu3f5goEdxE8vK30Opg/w400-h283/DSCN1633.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>April is lambing time in this area</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><p><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">News:</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">The BIG news is that all tourism/hospitality/activities in Scotland are open , are now largely free of restrictions and that I have now completed a full year of (thankfully!) increasingly busy and extremely enjoyable safaris with clients with no major issues arising.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">With all national travel restrictions lifted too, Scotland is officially 'open for business' for visitors from all over the UK, and from abroad.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">At the time of writing, as COVID is still around, and as restrictions have only recently been relaxed, we are still operating at reduced capacity, and are still trying not to mix unconnected groups unless this is unavoidable, so we are currently recommending 'exclusive' safaris, at a small extra cost.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">For those considering a visit, these wildlife/outdoor tourism websites may prove useful:</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b>https://www.gov.scot/collections/coronavirus-covid</b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.outdooraccess-scotland.scot/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">NatureScot (outdooraccess-scotland.scot)</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xGdTZcC2ZQ" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-line: none;">Can Nature Help Health? | Nature Prescriptions - YouTube</a></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1HBKnnGr-g" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;">Scotland, Yours to Enjoy. Responsibly. - YouTube</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://cairngorms.co.uk/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">Cairngorms National Park Authority</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.highlandwildlifepark.org.uk/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">Highland Wildlife Park</a></p><p></p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><p><br /></p><div><b>COVID-19</b></div><div><br /></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><div><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b>The Scottish Highlands has had very few COVID-19 cases in comparison to most of the UK, and on my safaris we tend to visit remote , wild habitats well away from the more popular tourist areas, and usually have very little interaction with other people, and this is something that I intend to continue.</b></div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b>I intend to provide my wildlife safaris subject to the following conditions/changes:</b></div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">1) Parties will generally be limited to pre-booked small, preferably connected groups - so no mixing of unconnected parties unless we can do it safely and legally.</div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">2) There will additional COVID-19 related health questions asked at the time of booking.</div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">3) My safari vehicle will be deep cleaned before and after each safari.</div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">4) We will use the middle and rear rows of seats in my vehicle (a spacious Land Rover Discovery 7-seater) in preference to the front passenger seat where possible.</div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">5) Any parties uncomfortable with travelling in my vehicle will have the option to follow me in their own vehicles.</div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">6) Whilst on board my safari vehicle your guide and all clients will be asked to consider wearing face coverings. </div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">7) We will adhere to Government social distancing recommendations where possible.</div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">8) All surfaces/equipment touched frequently will be cleaned regularly by your guide.</div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">9) Hand sanitizer will be provided for guide and client use.</div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">10) Clients will be asked to bring their own optical equipment where possible - any loaned/communal equipment will be cleaned regularly.</div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">11) Clients will be asked to provide their own food/drink as we cannot do so at present.</div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">12) Public toilets will be used where possible, with the option to return to client accommodation for comfort stops if required, and 'bush-toilets' only being used as a last resort.</div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">13) If first aid is required, I may need to ask other members of the party to assist.</div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">14) I will require all clients to complete a COVID-19 disclaimer/ infection declaration form.</div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">15) A Health and Safety Executive risk assessment form has been completed and will be displayed in my vehicle..</div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">If you have any questions/queries, please feel free to contact me.</div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;" /></div></span></div><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEideWlzekRTI1hml43m9LdDyyQwfDxH-lm4YGi2ddcuEFNIi4D5Jl0eQ0ASXDQcy6reQFbktDpbupFSjjvoQleenKhS5WlvtptouGxsptQM-YGx3qYIh1O9b67ww1Da7vtx-vyihmaBYEdJc2w07hti4_9GE9lLh6glVvCFu7Or7gg5lDkbqQ/s2016/IMG_4531.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1313" data-original-width="2016" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEideWlzekRTI1hml43m9LdDyyQwfDxH-lm4YGi2ddcuEFNIi4D5Jl0eQ0ASXDQcy6reQFbktDpbupFSjjvoQleenKhS5WlvtptouGxsptQM-YGx3qYIh1O9b67ww1Da7vtx-vyihmaBYEdJc2w07hti4_9GE9lLh6glVvCFu7Or7gg5lDkbqQ/w400-h260/IMG_4531.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>This far north, April sees our Daffodils still in full bloom.</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Summary:</b></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">I apologise for repeating myself, but It is only when I have time to sit down and compile my monthly wildlife sightings blog and look back through my notes and the photos that I and my safari clients have taken during the month that I really become aware of what a great time we have had, appreciate how lucky I am to live and work here, and see how successful our safaris have been.... and it would appear that</span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> April 2022</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">, turned out to be a really excellent and very enjoyable month for wildlife watching in and around the Cairngorms National Park.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> With the returning summer visiting birds flooding northwards to join our local speciality resident species, the dawn chorus, the days lengthening, flowers (finally!) blooming, the huge variety of unique and stunning scenery and the weather ( generally! ) improving, I can honestly say that I would not want to be anywhere else in the world than here in the majestic Scottish Highlands at this time of year, and it was especially nice this month to be able to show it all off to my first overseas clients for over 2 years, many of whom were visiting Scotland for the first time... happy days!</span></p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;">Reviews:</b></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="" style="color: #06004c;">I know a lot of visitors to this area very wisely check out reviews of attractions/experiences at </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Tripadvisor</b><span face="" style="color: #06004c;"> before 'taking the plunge' and booking - if you wish, you can check out my clients comments at the link below....</span></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><div style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"></span></span><br /><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g186537-d3335134-Reviews-</span></span></span></span></span></div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"></span></span><br /><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Highland_Wildlife_Birdwatch_Safaris-Aviemore_Aviemore_and_the_Cairngorms_Scottish.html</span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div></div></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Buying my photos:</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Prints of any of the photos (taken by myself) shown on this blog, going right back to 2015, </b><b style="background-color: transparent;">reproduced on high quality photographic paper, </b><b> with a choice of sizes up to A3, and satin pearl or glossy finishes available, </b><b style="background-color: transparent;">can now be purchased from me at very reasonable prices</b><b>. So if you see an image that might look nice in a frame (provided by yourself) on your wall, please make a note of the year and month of my blog in which it appeared, and email me for more information.</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><div style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span face=""><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;">G<b>ift Certificates:</b></span><br /></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; color: #222222; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 5px; position: relative;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T95gARK_lkQ/XAvNUI2tI6I/AAAAAAAADwU/GDPgK9hH9LwgLQ8gPnoaLdf04Yn2BLebwCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_1578.JPG" style="background: none 0% 0% / auto repeat scroll padding-box border-box transparent; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 5px;" width="400" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 10.56px; text-align: center;"><b>Safari gift voucher</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></span></span></div></div></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="" style="color: #06004c; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;">If you think you know someone who may enjoy a taste of what I do, why not treat them to a safari gift </span><span face="" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;">certificate? They make a thoughtful and imaginative present, are available for any amount and are currently valid at any time, with no expiry date........</span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><p><br /></p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Highland Wildlife & Birdwatch Safarishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04327130550058794301noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26724394.post-44350955565314931962022-03-31T19:45:00.000+01:002022-03-31T19:45:10.276+01:00<p><b>March 2022, </b>in stark contrast to last month,<b> </b>saw us enjoy some very pleasant spring-like weather in this area. With high pressure largely dominating, the month was generally very dry, with lots of sunshine , blue skies , light winds and frosts overnight - pretty much perfect for wildlife-watching. The only exception being a mini arctic blast at the very end of the month that gave us a few days of snow and frosts.</p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">It should be noted that temperatures can vary from -6c to +16c in the same day at this time of year, so I would recommend bringing a good selection of clothing if you are planning a future March visit as the weather is often very changeable.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">The warm, sunny weather really got the birds active, and it was great to hear the ever-increasing dawn chorus, with lots more bird species heard singing for the first time this year , Woodpeckers drumming, Snowdrops and Crocuses in flower, the first Frogs and Toads emerging, and a few more brave insects on the wing, ...welcome signs that winter is turning into spring...</span></p><p><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">The days are really lengthening noticeably now, with up to 12 hours of usable daylight, and dawn (for the Black Grouse) is still a relatively sociable 6 am, with dusk at around 7 pm.</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Full-day local safari bird lists usually top-out in the 30's or 40's at this time of year, helped by the returning waders and first early spring migrants, though a trip to the nearby (one hour by car ) Moray Coast can boost this total considerably, whilst mammal day lists can vary between 3 and 8 species, depending on the time of our start and number of habitats visited, with early starts usually proving to be most productive.</span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEils-7ofm6m7HG9VecJLpiVYlWpWk-vckbHR_wQ9D80NW-xUZqNwvj3RYa--DFULD1zKmo1AQpD3QqGKcZK4VHk7dVMFGtWTYBUDAZZ8q4L_yPpEJlozpP0RRaSu11o3AJpkM_oCTjaC1F6IMK1D5EHCgRkOHVszVAdz8ISevs-Au7YO8_4aw/s2008/Spey%20valley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="851" data-original-width="2008" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEils-7ofm6m7HG9VecJLpiVYlWpWk-vckbHR_wQ9D80NW-xUZqNwvj3RYa--DFULD1zKmo1AQpD3QqGKcZK4VHk7dVMFGtWTYBUDAZZ8q4L_yPpEJlozpP0RRaSu11o3AJpkM_oCTjaC1F6IMK1D5EHCgRkOHVszVAdz8ISevs-Au7YO8_4aw/w400-h170/Spey%20valley.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Late winter in the Spey Valley - viewed from Cairngorm Mountain</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">To give you an idea of what you may realistically hope to see if you are considering a future March visit, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">I hope the following more detailed information, illustrated with photos taken at sites in and around the Cairngorms National Park by myself, my friends or my safari clients this month and in previous March's will help....clicking on the picture enlarges it to full-screen. </span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p>I was away visiting relatives for the third week of the month, and out of action due to illness for the 4th week, so my report may be a little shorter than usual, and may include some photos from previous March's for illustration purposes....</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Local speciality/upland bird species seen regularly during the month included</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">:</span></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Black Grouse</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> (dawn or soon after only) , </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Red Grouse</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">,</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Dipper</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, and <b>Goldeneye</b>, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> we also had several decent views of soaring </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Golden Eagle</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> and <b>White-Tailed Eagle</b>, and a few brief sightings of </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Crossbills</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, and <b>Crested Tits</b>, and from the third week, our first local views this year of</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Red-Throated Diver</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">,</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Black-Throated Diver</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">and</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Golden Plover</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">- all coming into their splendid summer breeding plumage - and at the very end of the month, our first</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Ospreys</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">,</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Slavonian Greb</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">es and</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Ring Ouzels</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">joined the ever-increasing numbers of other Summer visiting birds , such as</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Lapwing</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">,</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Oystercatcher</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">and</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Curlew.</b></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Sadly though, my 'year-tick' <b>Capercaillie</b> sighting still escapes me, despite my best efforts....</span></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Mammal species seen regularly included:</b></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Red Deer, Roe Deer, Rabbit, Brown Hare, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Mountain Hare</b></span><b> (still mostly white), Red Squirrel, and Feral Mountain Goat (with young), </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">whilst both types of </span><b>Seal </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">were seen at the nearby Moray coast.</span></p><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb5t7uppp477YG_TDx0SEXdMdhyOie8jtSIoChz-XPIWRQVKph7yhPztBI0rdrMx_J3Yc7LadJnXb3QJQu8OOuqM2RVeyak7DZP8BQvF_JtUhtHVqeOyPlYzX6XO0GiILxOgzPwCKNPcEGUQuZLHW4jmmuUD66GjfCCL1Yq8pkXTHc-v5ssg/s2016/IMG_8784.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1218" data-original-width="2016" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb5t7uppp477YG_TDx0SEXdMdhyOie8jtSIoChz-XPIWRQVKph7yhPztBI0rdrMx_J3Yc7LadJnXb3QJQu8OOuqM2RVeyak7DZP8BQvF_JtUhtHVqeOyPlYzX6XO0GiILxOgzPwCKNPcEGUQuZLHW4jmmuUD66GjfCCL1Yq8pkXTHc-v5ssg/w400-h241/IMG_8784.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Nice morning light in an ancient Caledonian forest</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><p><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">March 2022 bird sightings in more detail:</b></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Up on the moors....</b></b></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbqRIhbWg1WQAR4inGl2cgDxNbGDPQYevq83RKlnjb17bhtFgh-a1l0FEMci1onjYbDZstBO6B54aIKPvFkdFrtTj_F9wEOR_0mBakDPeU5f3P1jQowugxXppFCalIkuzrSW74PyQshD4_wUmC3yZGuLx2Fys0ZfVG2_GBFdRc-R6lUjtV_w/s2016/IMG_8853.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbqRIhbWg1WQAR4inGl2cgDxNbGDPQYevq83RKlnjb17bhtFgh-a1l0FEMci1onjYbDZstBO6B54aIKPvFkdFrtTj_F9wEOR_0mBakDPeU5f3P1jQowugxXppFCalIkuzrSW74PyQshD4_wUmC3yZGuLx2Fys0ZfVG2_GBFdRc-R6lUjtV_w/w400-h300/IMG_8853.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A local upland heather moorland</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNXGnOAE6bL12ZodrGy1hWrwTg4Msavz-Too-ffG0ZzGe6nimrCIro_ztFR8TrdEfMxKohWEc086ZnE8jcxvykZfeQQFdRxBvWqJIlK6eQllzAXBykzCABd8KlkJTm9lq1ErzTko3eqIHzuT-yYk04K92PlXB2D_73VDzvZ9ZIeAziEfTtjA/s2652/DSCN1191.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="932" data-original-width="2652" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNXGnOAE6bL12ZodrGy1hWrwTg4Msavz-Too-ffG0ZzGe6nimrCIro_ztFR8TrdEfMxKohWEc086ZnE8jcxvykZfeQQFdRxBvWqJIlK6eQllzAXBykzCABd8KlkJTm9lq1ErzTko3eqIHzuT-yYk04K92PlXB2D_73VDzvZ9ZIeAziEfTtjA/w400-h140/DSCN1191.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Lekking Black Grouse</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf-w1Ajwzv7bE18B7D_6_z9ebBUXDaYjKqlPTTiGMSUcIDnX4xV_8wtl6RcGqi-QiD0D0tGXUAFYTzaf4ah_nGDy0Y_dZK0NXuRGbp80XXAgWME-I7vb6jxp76jEtNQZpKKOBOHFlIrXf8k13Vjw07qdR8QTYFaqJZSKnI-DeIPdeknpo71g/s4169/DSCN1197.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2032" data-original-width="4169" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf-w1Ajwzv7bE18B7D_6_z9ebBUXDaYjKqlPTTiGMSUcIDnX4xV_8wtl6RcGqi-QiD0D0tGXUAFYTzaf4ah_nGDy0Y_dZK0NXuRGbp80XXAgWME-I7vb6jxp76jEtNQZpKKOBOHFlIrXf8k13Vjw07qdR8QTYFaqJZSKnI-DeIPdeknpo71g/w400-h195/DSCN1197.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Aggression levels increasing....</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Black Grouse</span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400;"> are not an easy species to see in most of the UK now, having suffered an 80% decline in numbers over the last 20 years, with their range contracting northwards. They are birds of remote upland moors, preferably with forests and a grassy 'lekking' patch nearby, a very specific combination of habitats that is not so common nowadays. Fortunately, the Scottish Highlands still has a decent number of active 'lek' sites, where the cock birds gather to 'strut their stuff', and dawn (about 6 am in March) on my safaris in the first five months of the year is usually spent enjoying this memorable experience. 'Performances' were noticeably better on calm, frosty mornings.... but please be aware that to avoid disturbance, we have to view from a respectful (and legal) distance, that sightings are not guaranteed, and the birds can fail to show , sometimes without any obvious reason, or if disturbed by a predator or wandering sheep, cattle , horses.... or inconsiderate birders/photographers...... </span></b></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjSK3pUI2mEqp4Cfm9BHs8938NWlyFQNU3KcYO0qzb1oLa1DfaxhrJwgNiMc41I3kCgsoAQGATAV-fSFoPeIiDRpOb5-_5TIl74HbvGKFGFIReyJ947Fa1SUzOJn9hwP4xwaL68opbpHKgOljxPgOVU2wX1crivdSboGeFs08Y1UHSHKM3UMw" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1910" data-original-width="2861" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjSK3pUI2mEqp4Cfm9BHs8938NWlyFQNU3KcYO0qzb1oLa1DfaxhrJwgNiMc41I3kCgsoAQGATAV-fSFoPeIiDRpOb5-_5TIl74HbvGKFGFIReyJ947Fa1SUzOJn9hwP4xwaL68opbpHKgOljxPgOVU2wX1crivdSboGeFs08Y1UHSHKM3UMw=w400-h268" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Female Red Grouse by Ron Mitchell</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjnRU0wkNmTcj8jyAuzNeId2SZiieV-7Yh0fFvLVbVQLu9XUum3Y-oNrxTPQxVHbgmzwg_HeMk2H4D5YLhQrJNgGv4GPv7gDEYAJUVWy8uGJO2mm-vqJqti2BhrpjnI5Hp7ddsi6crzDPdHDyb-6M9gROHpNso2bPRParYFpXQWfAMihs8Ww/s4731/Ron%20mItchell%205.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3156" data-original-width="4731" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjnRU0wkNmTcj8jyAuzNeId2SZiieV-7Yh0fFvLVbVQLu9XUum3Y-oNrxTPQxVHbgmzwg_HeMk2H4D5YLhQrJNgGv4GPv7gDEYAJUVWy8uGJO2mm-vqJqti2BhrpjnI5Hp7ddsi6crzDPdHDyb-6M9gROHpNso2bPRParYFpXQWfAMihs8Ww/w400-h266/Ron%20mItchell%205.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Red Grouse by Ron Mitchell</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Still on the upland heather moorlands, many of our our local </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;">Red Grouse</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"> have most definitely already paired-up, and the cock birds, with red 'eyebrows' aglow, now seem to be concentrating more on defending their territory and partner from rival birds, often posturing aggressively from the higher parts of the moor whilst cackling loudly, and the 'disappearance' of some of the hen birds late in the month suggests that a few may already be on nests...</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">I</span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">n the forests...</b></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAnWCfu_MFeutHmZckEP68xZ0snqBAPhhq_B9x2HJI-IgnBiUMYwEVfpFW6sP9d6s2cIo4KaORNhwkZSY3fegSAeiOTNfnypZ3u_r7O-fb7SErxWSKoCrNKBTxIsF5U46gI4_OWxprPAUEja3ihnrnrI2udXrZOwx11TZq81LDJp9f6UIntQ/s1961/IMG_8786.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1471" data-original-width="1961" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAnWCfu_MFeutHmZckEP68xZ0snqBAPhhq_B9x2HJI-IgnBiUMYwEVfpFW6sP9d6s2cIo4KaORNhwkZSY3fegSAeiOTNfnypZ3u_r7O-fb7SErxWSKoCrNKBTxIsF5U46gI4_OWxprPAUEja3ihnrnrI2udXrZOwx11TZq81LDJp9f6UIntQ/w400-h300/IMG_8786.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A local Caledonian pine forest</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRZk5bBUh6jch0Vfwzuxi5hGhc9e6uYX4oi0bGzBnChA6EgqhYpr8F2x4TQ5ddSSzZNx2bEopHoj3tROJGI0c0d-EV6rboUEwyqE_Minv8uyNuH_0iTkCirxsi-bP91K0JCEf4LOvfWoes8gL36klgCRCj3LygrxudeopC1YgB56_NFwfQcg/s2928/Jan%20S%20Crestie%205.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1784" data-original-width="2928" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRZk5bBUh6jch0Vfwzuxi5hGhc9e6uYX4oi0bGzBnChA6EgqhYpr8F2x4TQ5ddSSzZNx2bEopHoj3tROJGI0c0d-EV6rboUEwyqE_Minv8uyNuH_0iTkCirxsi-bP91K0JCEf4LOvfWoes8gL36klgCRCj3LygrxudeopC1YgB56_NFwfQcg/w400-h244/Jan%20S%20Crestie%205.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Crested Tit by Jan Shields - photo from March 2020</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCOFBQuiIFgZq2aTotwZE0-KClOKIdW3iiESr4fD748gwR6WTBtnJGtUBIRQFTEdYLfgJy6GBk6eFXaed4kOSRE8wchQaVW9pg8OUKibmrEwGv2qm_AjeDVMUhrTwsh3mFZ_KhJeVKB7coxq8Ogv1RQR_-rGKhqhxU-z_Epu6_snk0c3QeLw/s2538/Jan%20S%20Crestie%203.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2187" data-original-width="2538" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCOFBQuiIFgZq2aTotwZE0-KClOKIdW3iiESr4fD748gwR6WTBtnJGtUBIRQFTEdYLfgJy6GBk6eFXaed4kOSRE8wchQaVW9pg8OUKibmrEwGv2qm_AjeDVMUhrTwsh3mFZ_KhJeVKB7coxq8Ogv1RQR_-rGKhqhxU-z_Epu6_snk0c3QeLw/s320/Jan%20S%20Crestie%203.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Crested Tit by Jan Shields - photo from March 2020</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Crested Tits</b><span style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400;"> were occasionally seen at and around my favourite feeding stations , at least early in the month anyway, but sadly they often failed to show and when they did, they didn't stay for long and rarely called, suggesting perhaps, that they are now concentrating on breeding rather than feeding.....but if you can familiarise yourself with their distinctive calls and song, you always have a chance of seeing them whilst walking in suitable habitat....</span></b></p><p><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4;">It is well worth noting that the colder winter months (October-Feb) are actually the best time of year for seeing the 'wee Cresties', as these characterful little birds can be frustratingly secretive, unobtrusive and almost silent during the breeding season, with sightings being much more difficult to obtain between March and September....</span></b></p><p><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRAN7XM7jFvGQ2J1LC69AInfJW8gG7y_nolvlkj_rmgfqv5Af_xwtKS3JPo9GT0cxoCNjpHJaQF5k4VISJE_wWAWzekMowrHR-MANy8ykC8tBi9Pj4GlyPbL6DjOTVvdPt4gGLnCghrFEFvRp6jk2IHS8jQJpq2NWvn889Km59p2dvzdusfQ/s1420/DSCN1495.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="940" data-original-width="1420" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRAN7XM7jFvGQ2J1LC69AInfJW8gG7y_nolvlkj_rmgfqv5Af_xwtKS3JPo9GT0cxoCNjpHJaQF5k4VISJE_wWAWzekMowrHR-MANy8ykC8tBi9Pj4GlyPbL6DjOTVvdPt4gGLnCghrFEFvRp6jk2IHS8jQJpq2NWvn889Km59p2dvzdusfQ/w400-h265/DSCN1495.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Crossbill</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFrZGPqliJZN1rHQ80N7K6yGUt4GUQLa05hl_x9X66qwhDL4HUWCIbe66OVjWHN6ZLjsQ77wAcSdOwwFlYoggg8dBfh0fz58ex-rqRe8T0Ps9yqKu94pgffSDEx3OH_OINfuWvonhSACSXLyr_SnyxA-cDSVO4oGVSMvsug29bDIYCd5l_cQ/s1211/Scottish%20Crossbill%20(F)%2010.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="807" data-original-width="1211" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFrZGPqliJZN1rHQ80N7K6yGUt4GUQLa05hl_x9X66qwhDL4HUWCIbe66OVjWHN6ZLjsQ77wAcSdOwwFlYoggg8dBfh0fz58ex-rqRe8T0Ps9yqKu94pgffSDEx3OH_OINfuWvonhSACSXLyr_SnyxA-cDSVO4oGVSMvsug29bDIYCd5l_cQ/w320-h213/Scottish%20Crossbill%20(F)%2010.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Female Crossbill by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAeimprEjKh4LE-CEwAkoofawzD0HpS_MxkUWpwY4oAY8MZkfi1T1-Aqfh_Gb0fMFgDCMtmhUvwyhEHXEC4Ud_NvBYonQIZiYkHy3otRaarsHCNPOsMWliS-NH3fFdslgCMBblhIvEkKhlP1Aj9LovQjSdbWTh9nqlaHAIfP6ZQUEd8QoHVA/s4305/DSCN1302.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3150" data-original-width="4305" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAeimprEjKh4LE-CEwAkoofawzD0HpS_MxkUWpwY4oAY8MZkfi1T1-Aqfh_Gb0fMFgDCMtmhUvwyhEHXEC4Ud_NvBYonQIZiYkHy3otRaarsHCNPOsMWliS-NH3fFdslgCMBblhIvEkKhlP1Aj9LovQjSdbWTh9nqlaHAIfP6ZQUEd8QoHVA/w400-h293/DSCN1302.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Possible male Parrot Crossbill</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75);"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-size: 15.972px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-size: 13.2px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;"><span style="font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="line-height: 1.4;">Still in the Caledonian forests, and similarly to Jan and Feb, we actually did ok for </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 700;">Crossbill </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="line-height: 1.4;">sightings again this month, with some decent views...mainly because the period between December and March is breeding season for them, which means that this is your best chance to see them perched in treetops, often singing to defend a territory and attract a mate....whereas they can be pretty tricky to see for the rest of the year..</span></span></span></span></span></b></b></p><p><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75);"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-size: 15.972px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-size: 13.2px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;"><span style="font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="line-height: 1.4;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></b></b></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">As I mentioned earlier, I have still yet to get even a glimpse of a Capercaillie this year, despite many hours spent walking quietly round suitable forest areas....In all of my previous 19 years living here, I have always seen one by now....</span></p><p><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75);"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-size: 15.972px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-size: 13.2px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;"><span style="font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4;">Please note that Capercaillie numbers would still appear to be declining alarmingly, and I would only rate our chances of seeing one my safaris as "very slim" at best, </span></span></span></span></b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400;"> </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400;">and now we are into 'lekking' season, I will be 'responsible' by staying out of 'sensitive' areas at dawn through April and May to allow this now very rare and elusive bird to (hopefully) lek and breed in peace....</span></b></p><p><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;">Up in the glens...</b></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;"><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHGRmfNLEZm4i-qSQAOF9B-hXtDyWIjHii-o9ROUH9Xk_eY86njE0ArTvElmbPgPGa8tsGLXXJY1OMchrCETw5TDRFG4f2iBabNgyS_OEC5Mboixx9ugxTgH4PVdXnMgCMUfmJ8UfrWHqru04qtBe7r7f_icemaU3J7jdok34GMJ-DY9rJ7Q/s2016/IMG_8749.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHGRmfNLEZm4i-qSQAOF9B-hXtDyWIjHii-o9ROUH9Xk_eY86njE0ArTvElmbPgPGa8tsGLXXJY1OMchrCETw5TDRFG4f2iBabNgyS_OEC5Mboixx9ugxTgH4PVdXnMgCMUfmJ8UfrWHqru04qtBe7r7f_icemaU3J7jdok34GMJ-DY9rJ7Q/w400-h300/IMG_8749.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A favourite local upland glen</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;"><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqBv3qRx9pZPUWT0RYpKi8We7kNDdj6UB9IRnorUb82ILuScqNOqEOqcABbrt5Vxvo58fbQm4vJeCWWE5r_-_O7aTHprJlC8CSQGrNRWC7bkPIdvQHD2HKq2XSdkYEm2xRpUikx7pL1EyTfxRGFKnsjaWeB82YhT7_j39Viy-F6HdeEo3r2g/s3670/DSCN1462.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2065" data-original-width="3670" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqBv3qRx9pZPUWT0RYpKi8We7kNDdj6UB9IRnorUb82ILuScqNOqEOqcABbrt5Vxvo58fbQm4vJeCWWE5r_-_O7aTHprJlC8CSQGrNRWC7bkPIdvQHD2HKq2XSdkYEm2xRpUikx7pL1EyTfxRGFKnsjaWeB82YhT7_j39Viy-F6HdeEo3r2g/w400-h225/DSCN1462.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A soaring Golden Eagle</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;"><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfbWcp5lYrPnKoAUUpfl2I3A0M1gzrO9THrrojQkVF-OJOhTj0uj8aLp99HO0StbcVh3CWmI0w9rI11e5nTW8SCBSP_fBTkrfiOV_Bvbg_or_jRRGhMfY9rmBj0CLjXaygVimfSPN-BJE8SgOBlnIM2M3-AgVHUyZnuH0nmDfNc9dHog1bYQ/s2734/DSCN7152.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2734" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfbWcp5lYrPnKoAUUpfl2I3A0M1gzrO9THrrojQkVF-OJOhTj0uj8aLp99HO0StbcVh3CWmI0w9rI11e5nTW8SCBSP_fBTkrfiOV_Bvbg_or_jRRGhMfY9rmBj0CLjXaygVimfSPN-BJE8SgOBlnIM2M3-AgVHUyZnuH0nmDfNc9dHog1bYQ/w400-h211/DSCN7152.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>White-Tailed Eagle</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;"><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;">As I have mentioned many times before, the shorter days of the winter months (Oct-Feb) give us our best chance of seeing </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;">Golden Eagles </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;">and</span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;"> White-Tailed Eagles</span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;">, as when the days lengthen and breeding season commences, the frequency of sightings definitely reduces, but despite the adult females presumably nesting by now, we were still fortunate enough to enjoy a few decent sightings of these majestic birds hunting in my favourite upland glens.</span></p><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsx_mf463JbL3lBPLxauyrvlerRJizrT8Uj3SGonJSt0ajIZ_8miOSM8VVrAcNcU9H2-D_iNFd8HuYSopDOcThOJfsMYlxkwpqbXi2yH0O_fMXuKOflr5_HSIQhd-jcoCmc3M_EkoLmaxB0MWXNcll5ORN9HnpSx3qjPnNzqSDSR1OaxTFpw/s3058/DSCN1245.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1666" data-original-width="3058" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsx_mf463JbL3lBPLxauyrvlerRJizrT8Uj3SGonJSt0ajIZ_8miOSM8VVrAcNcU9H2-D_iNFd8HuYSopDOcThOJfsMYlxkwpqbXi2yH0O_fMXuKOflr5_HSIQhd-jcoCmc3M_EkoLmaxB0MWXNcll5ORN9HnpSx3qjPnNzqSDSR1OaxTFpw/w400-h217/DSCN1245.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Common Buzzard</b></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj60csDvzQ7nSDL9i4cCuXzz44_LKrAoJwF-52iOqmB5vt0SuJtXURZto1PW6VDZvum1Sfi4cRL7MrSWsPG5JV4st1VLvarAG0nZvMqblGYqbGdZG9vRAmC9O4hnP5O1yzAja4UZHxGLq-YQQy7YzQn2vB_TdIboPwiPBFdG6KMFfvSWDAngw/s2958/DSCN1248.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1739" data-original-width="2958" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj60csDvzQ7nSDL9i4cCuXzz44_LKrAoJwF-52iOqmB5vt0SuJtXURZto1PW6VDZvum1Sfi4cRL7MrSWsPG5JV4st1VLvarAG0nZvMqblGYqbGdZG9vRAmC9O4hnP5O1yzAja4UZHxGLq-YQQy7YzQn2vB_TdIboPwiPBFdG6KMFfvSWDAngw/w400-h235/DSCN1248.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Kite</b></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3gvlx5Qrf5tmy0d2gtzoWgzJk1cOrDSjCKqp2_C5V65rK9m90mFpA0CktqkrzrYMpMWBV5YrEm6w73jQ5fB8A2vYeord7KEYZFaGxeDmaAE-d6TO0h3YssIdJtYdTx_rfgVEJTBNTqUeOeyXsdnykmgYJqM_2DCF7UMuSAGxZ3rrUURvYUw/s1263/Goshawk%202022.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="843" data-original-width="1263" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3gvlx5Qrf5tmy0d2gtzoWgzJk1cOrDSjCKqp2_C5V65rK9m90mFpA0CktqkrzrYMpMWBV5YrEm6w73jQ5fB8A2vYeord7KEYZFaGxeDmaAE-d6TO0h3YssIdJtYdTx_rfgVEJTBNTqUeOeyXsdnykmgYJqM_2DCF7UMuSAGxZ3rrUURvYUw/w400-h268/Goshawk%202022.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Goshawk by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; line-height: 1.4;">It was a similar story with the other birds of prey, but raptors in general were still fairly well represented this month, with </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 700;">Kestrel</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; line-height: 1.4;">, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 700;">Sparrowhawk</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; line-height: 1.4;">, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 700;">Common Buzzard, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; line-height: 1.4;">and</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 700;"> Red Kite </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; line-height: 1.4;"> all being seen regularly, <b>Goshawk </b>and<b> Peregrine</b> sighted a couple of times and the first returning </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Ospreys </b></span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; line-height: 1.4;">have been reported locally in the last few days of the month....</span></span></div><p><br /></p><p><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">On the lochs...</b></b></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeyqQqtBAIoRY4RPF6mpPouYysIq2onUQn5f4cjoy94lTIOA27YX0GPMANsGh0KuXgG0Ur3RxmtuVHtf3_oli07TtM0s_lmEUMVrzRkA4fUQRvF1sUiGVr_KJI53fMYQTEV8WZGy24ByKXZjuOfhA5hH9DWuz33QH-K1OrI6pExl0n8zPk4w/s1997/LOch%20Insh.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1063" data-original-width="1997" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeyqQqtBAIoRY4RPF6mpPouYysIq2onUQn5f4cjoy94lTIOA27YX0GPMANsGh0KuXgG0Ur3RxmtuVHtf3_oli07TtM0s_lmEUMVrzRkA4fUQRvF1sUiGVr_KJI53fMYQTEV8WZGy24ByKXZjuOfhA5hH9DWuz33QH-K1OrI6pExl0n8zPk4w/w400-h213/LOch%20Insh.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A favourite local loch</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvolQ1Wu0YE_cZ4QMNCV0gewbJjuwsK1gQbSfJA-Y_Ak60Mta5MASrZP99gPrP3OfMysIPF0TCoGGj0Ygr5EuWinN8CUfZWCUoE9nO44PfIRPH3lAAMBSb6uIqxVnAy8g3mIdhyq1_RwfNoOgU-sN8XihvNIMDqADwktmEr0E4bW7JXb5TMA/s1146/DSCN1468.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="664" data-original-width="1146" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvolQ1Wu0YE_cZ4QMNCV0gewbJjuwsK1gQbSfJA-Y_Ak60Mta5MASrZP99gPrP3OfMysIPF0TCoGGj0Ygr5EuWinN8CUfZWCUoE9nO44PfIRPH3lAAMBSb6uIqxVnAy8g3mIdhyq1_RwfNoOgU-sN8XihvNIMDqADwktmEr0E4bW7JXb5TMA/w400-h231/DSCN1468.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A distant view of Red-Throated Divers</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSA2C-gpYb2x4zpGL0aSy06zvopkP_VaVg0qoNb8jfdODrJ8UgEOAZG3CyqYVbHCnXvNbdSc9lNEi7o8OTbHiLNb7w8DydUtxWJDpsLOMmRh5WqAY9NTWxP0L_ry3HwMvvj9-MnszBzwxnNeNoWeoeO_WXnwiNZQY2lP2TZsQt4gp7YiO9GQ/s3909/DSCN1474.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1914" data-original-width="3909" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSA2C-gpYb2x4zpGL0aSy06zvopkP_VaVg0qoNb8jfdODrJ8UgEOAZG3CyqYVbHCnXvNbdSc9lNEi7o8OTbHiLNb7w8DydUtxWJDpsLOMmRh5WqAY9NTWxP0L_ry3HwMvvj9-MnszBzwxnNeNoWeoeO_WXnwiNZQY2lP2TZsQt4gp7YiO9GQ/w400-h196/DSCN1474.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Black-Throated Diver</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJTGK1G5M9BZ1xb2GeYagI5Th-3Sb6eFajwzDbfoZl2_9vD07AGMYo7Fe9OOetleZWgU_oIgHKuOMbJJ5T4WT4BIWDtGf_GjedP-wFSc5HAKUktnB1iL1oayYh8aud1u6jv5qXK2ngj2RNtxoE5aCYIRZISvevxgz6YBl1jysSHGISEyNYWA/s3508/DSCN1497.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2535" data-original-width="3508" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJTGK1G5M9BZ1xb2GeYagI5Th-3Sb6eFajwzDbfoZl2_9vD07AGMYo7Fe9OOetleZWgU_oIgHKuOMbJJ5T4WT4BIWDtGf_GjedP-wFSc5HAKUktnB1iL1oayYh8aud1u6jv5qXK2ngj2RNtxoE5aCYIRZISvevxgz6YBl1jysSHGISEyNYWA/w400-h289/DSCN1497.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Slavonian Grebe</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 17.5692px;">At the end of March, it is always great to see the return inland of some of our rarest and in my opinion, most beautiful local speciality birds, namely </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 17.5692px;">Red-Throated Diver, Black-Throated Diver </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 17.5692px;">and </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 17.5692px;">Slavonian Grebe. </b></p><p><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"></b></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 17.5692px;">Scotland is at the south-westerly edge of the world-wide breeding range for these very sought-after species, and the only place in the UK to see them in summer plumage, and I am always very happy (and relieved) to see them back on their favoured waters....</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 17.5692px;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 17.5692px;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGtrvN3GnwY6aK0n_KMMyEVxcJUpivRYUGNFYDY2kbo6SRcAQhOGngS4yy_H9TMTjM_G_NHiDIbSbdQP1Dm9D91fGb_omQTxoyvzwrRhx2j-zSFVj2JBoXQjTXlveIAmN3q6302y7Cq1zARnMBBatk-e-ANykW0U4b3yS6p4-MnyVgGokSSA/s1560/Goldeneye%20(M)%209.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1041" data-original-width="1560" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGtrvN3GnwY6aK0n_KMMyEVxcJUpivRYUGNFYDY2kbo6SRcAQhOGngS4yy_H9TMTjM_G_NHiDIbSbdQP1Dm9D91fGb_omQTxoyvzwrRhx2j-zSFVj2JBoXQjTXlveIAmN3q6302y7Cq1zARnMBBatk-e-ANykW0U4b3yS6p4-MnyVgGokSSA/s320/Goldeneye%20(M)%209.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Goldeneye by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 17.5692px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 19.3261px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;">Of course, we must not forget our resident breeding </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13.2px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;">Goldeneye</span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 19.3261px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"> population , and we were fortunate enough to see them regularly this month, with many of the males now performing their unique and spectacular 'head-banging' mating display!</span></span></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">On the rivers...</b></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNcfXvtEU6yEoF6NcKj7VH5RJ71LbvOaAfuI91G7YRSJ0KZ3SvHvgqnhC9K7tm-vdmbnKZFX3dJzbxcUO36mM0rkk2HIPcJBze0Cr0i4sDgZQ5QgamICdkYk4S4ORA0iKBLERJzWj_2UOM53OC2WRwUhdaPuN1jY31DepuF67GV5qDz-lUIw/s2952/IMG_9748.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1789" data-original-width="2952" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNcfXvtEU6yEoF6NcKj7VH5RJ71LbvOaAfuI91G7YRSJ0KZ3SvHvgqnhC9K7tm-vdmbnKZFX3dJzbxcUO36mM0rkk2HIPcJBze0Cr0i4sDgZQ5QgamICdkYk4S4ORA0iKBLERJzWj_2UOM53OC2WRwUhdaPuN1jY31DepuF67GV5qDz-lUIw/w400-h243/IMG_9748.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A local river<br /><br /><br /></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1CwbgMMNCpdRkMXWut271BhQD-XUOSY1WgwtNVf07CdD7WZS1R4Xxrx4nAsuhAVMXWBvJMBrPt1AVUsQVDZU4zgpangUdJN1YRIvumZc8-IO3pLrs5w8MLZ5W3XdLhImJtM86JyJnx7Upfu-HrFKFX4ppXmlRoDr-ZVCY-Ri2Mg5gck_dUQ/s3760/DSCN1275.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1812" data-original-width="3760" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1CwbgMMNCpdRkMXWut271BhQD-XUOSY1WgwtNVf07CdD7WZS1R4Xxrx4nAsuhAVMXWBvJMBrPt1AVUsQVDZU4zgpangUdJN1YRIvumZc8-IO3pLrs5w8MLZ5W3XdLhImJtM86JyJnx7Upfu-HrFKFX4ppXmlRoDr-ZVCY-Ri2Mg5gck_dUQ/w400-h193/DSCN1275.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Dipper<br /><br /></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJlAzbIQpygg2XNnkIGs5v9yMhkgS9S0iPDuwNWQWPXU6Q5yilFsGfaXfx_sDaaxw5h2JpnRdYg6SDIn9SomY0WlnpWQeKiGST7LEOHNWpZexambwG565z-emlva4V-S8wuAdwICy2D2srPVA10AyyQojMjYz_QfTO5ojHiwu_wcje58Rzlg/s2669/Dipper%2018.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1779" data-original-width="2669" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJlAzbIQpygg2XNnkIGs5v9yMhkgS9S0iPDuwNWQWPXU6Q5yilFsGfaXfx_sDaaxw5h2JpnRdYg6SDIn9SomY0WlnpWQeKiGST7LEOHNWpZexambwG565z-emlva4V-S8wuAdwICy2D2srPVA10AyyQojMjYz_QfTO5ojHiwu_wcje58Rzlg/s320/Dipper%2018.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Dipper with nesting material by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;"><br />Dippers </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 19.3261px; line-height: 1.4;">were seen frequently on local rivers this month, and they seemed to have procreation on their minds, as I am now (presumably) only seeing male birds, and they appear to be delivering nesting material to their mates, and defending territory near their favourite nest sites of old bridges....</span></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">On farmland....</b></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLJohvdx4W4ejPoWGcaIw8PVnHX3NGbpCr3BIOTBS_YFzH0oCZ_LGNtEKgegHx-77qaAenkzh1Cw3XRNIKCLQ5LPjiZbnbnhdbr-KQWHStVvjf8nXlzS0fHrrazQmDniZFgFajKvGwLPTbwICmKENmTZVw_ML9lkvN5CNtKcWYqH3XShasTQ/s4566/DSCN1277.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1928" data-original-width="4566" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLJohvdx4W4ejPoWGcaIw8PVnHX3NGbpCr3BIOTBS_YFzH0oCZ_LGNtEKgegHx-77qaAenkzh1Cw3XRNIKCLQ5LPjiZbnbnhdbr-KQWHStVvjf8nXlzS0fHrrazQmDniZFgFajKvGwLPTbwICmKENmTZVw_ML9lkvN5CNtKcWYqH3XShasTQ/w400-h169/DSCN1277.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Typical local farmland</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHk7_I7NRHem4RGtrHrhfex3tU7yrCgvJXX0zcWNXeH3ytRuG6l2NXrTVnf30Mx1UbZ0eAQCiLbKuL35TEFZldufZs7F3UHKmmL6_C5p9etnnHXbwnHbcslQHgbUFNUS5YJ1xILe7FZdRnN43l2k9G5wgskYQ0Son6AvQDwlpcpp5Lv4cmIA/s4608/DSCN1279.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2628" data-original-width="4608" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHk7_I7NRHem4RGtrHrhfex3tU7yrCgvJXX0zcWNXeH3ytRuG6l2NXrTVnf30Mx1UbZ0eAQCiLbKuL35TEFZldufZs7F3UHKmmL6_C5p9etnnHXbwnHbcslQHgbUFNUS5YJ1xILe7FZdRnN43l2k9G5wgskYQ0Son6AvQDwlpcpp5Lv4cmIA/w400-h229/DSCN1279.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Newly returned Oystercatchers</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWhSNiwCZwhlFadUGrgxJnWbyLpfOAWQD8VnrLjp-8vm199-QQ-3VWZOfgFlGqeWpJwZDNEUK3BC-Gs6VqD-_t5EqYDEIo5kK1H-_V5I7ChHMGsQIC1LTXdUR181noci3P6SC9yvU2Z3lBgoHFZcRXQGXC2kUfyGvS35oSpSVaZd3mgFRKxQ/s2578/DSCN1490.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1557" data-original-width="2578" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWhSNiwCZwhlFadUGrgxJnWbyLpfOAWQD8VnrLjp-8vm199-QQ-3VWZOfgFlGqeWpJwZDNEUK3BC-Gs6VqD-_t5EqYDEIo5kK1H-_V5I7ChHMGsQIC1LTXdUR181noci3P6SC9yvU2Z3lBgoHFZcRXQGXC2kUfyGvS35oSpSVaZd3mgFRKxQ/w400-h241/DSCN1490.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Lapwing</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5rLDenco1kl8KV0cHuRrEDhAUo3nsIB-AVlzao0psYNs10xhZQHSly3y9YdtP8EsAzVIEgN41ZxmpBZNtKb_EXa299M3te6dITtUVjjXw73jXv9znd7WEeH03lNuQmgcD-hQI-wNUCM2AH5OGFRvcgTc7UQCmBSsrDNIMKwYDJ2m5hlXhPg/s2377/DSCN1486.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1352" data-original-width="2377" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5rLDenco1kl8KV0cHuRrEDhAUo3nsIB-AVlzao0psYNs10xhZQHSly3y9YdtP8EsAzVIEgN41ZxmpBZNtKb_EXa299M3te6dITtUVjjXw73jXv9znd7WEeH03lNuQmgcD-hQI-wNUCM2AH5OGFRvcgTc7UQCmBSsrDNIMKwYDJ2m5hlXhPg/w400-h228/DSCN1486.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Oystercatcher</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Lots of waders were seen returning to their spring/summer breeding grounds, with increasing numbers of </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Oystercatcher</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Lapwing</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Golden Plover</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> and </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Curlew</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> all being noted.....</span></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Up in the mountains....</b></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-p64x7ZDPljm39z6E82XRQ8adEqlm_FaxfMWMz-zHz-dUmJ-8Fgxf7CYetyicsc2pU6wpxQuqxLnAjEMWoYNhtJ538l0hDA5L067VL5t3UjLUfM6Bgibl5C-SJMGlsb9kT31_TJSF7dVgTqu5Co1S4jpDCDjnR-21gwVfur7ZDW20bDo5qg/s2015/Cairngorms.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1144" data-original-width="2015" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-p64x7ZDPljm39z6E82XRQ8adEqlm_FaxfMWMz-zHz-dUmJ-8Fgxf7CYetyicsc2pU6wpxQuqxLnAjEMWoYNhtJ538l0hDA5L067VL5t3UjLUfM6Bgibl5C-SJMGlsb9kT31_TJSF7dVgTqu5Co1S4jpDCDjnR-21gwVfur7ZDW20bDo5qg/w400-h228/Cairngorms.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The Cairngorm Mountains </b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI1Lxj7ETt7w7NA0lFT_4PuyB7pYHnua4OuAa3177qZ7SiAev5_Ytsil3hZaSYK6lq1gjsZqg5ezUxW9Dcjxfh95UvIQtfUPSXpEyM0iTAtcyjA8Lyn47sRrpAm1CrmPtnD3YaMGkrN5KYOQbLOBYekkNVnQKv7dnyHmTJ9DiWLf0TfckjtA/s3557/DSCN1420.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2228" data-original-width="3557" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI1Lxj7ETt7w7NA0lFT_4PuyB7pYHnua4OuAa3177qZ7SiAev5_Ytsil3hZaSYK6lq1gjsZqg5ezUxW9Dcjxfh95UvIQtfUPSXpEyM0iTAtcyjA8Lyn47sRrpAm1CrmPtnD3YaMGkrN5KYOQbLOBYekkNVnQKv7dnyHmTJ9DiWLf0TfckjtA/w400-h250/DSCN1420.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Snow Buntings</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6t8ud6ASND1x5663U9Dhn9OEyuaCjIrkVXyBl-4H39Ov2BWjgThqkrwMB3eJ7lRCCEMngMx6bOuBYABhwzPQ0UZMYNbdL-3YUGvryVpfn76zYqamAkhbqHC2BaN_fxF-XywO58IgzMVrkdvJ2uoTJMGCmU2P9EQxCaaoABY8mBk3k9sTvTA/s4500/DSCN1221.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3009" data-original-width="4500" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6t8ud6ASND1x5663U9Dhn9OEyuaCjIrkVXyBl-4H39Ov2BWjgThqkrwMB3eJ7lRCCEMngMx6bOuBYABhwzPQ0UZMYNbdL-3YUGvryVpfn76zYqamAkhbqHC2BaN_fxF-XywO58IgzMVrkdvJ2uoTJMGCmU2P9EQxCaaoABY8mBk3k9sTvTA/w400-h268/DSCN1221.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Snow Bunting</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiRd7Xts4-ui5CPDp7eDjyc-GQ-SEbUkPN2BhoxmGTf_av2JUj1xH1Fyy87k-qoMxxDSVPz2DUfs9ndWvYLxlycab_7Y9Tww6DyeiSdR4Ku1DvFLCWOsl5v6OvCJIvB70Aoh4gTvjFwao-UOR51fHe9FjtMEZbJmt7HfFjmpIbhZ7dm5AdSA/s3710/Ron%20Mitchell%204.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2473" data-original-width="3710" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiRd7Xts4-ui5CPDp7eDjyc-GQ-SEbUkPN2BhoxmGTf_av2JUj1xH1Fyy87k-qoMxxDSVPz2DUfs9ndWvYLxlycab_7Y9Tww6DyeiSdR4Ku1DvFLCWOsl5v6OvCJIvB70Aoh4gTvjFwao-UOR51fHe9FjtMEZbJmt7HfFjmpIbhZ7dm5AdSA/w400-h266/Ron%20Mitchell%204.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Snow Bunting by Ron Mitchell</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Snow Buntings</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> can often be seen in and around the Cairngorms Ski Centre car park in the winter months, and that was the case on a few occasions early this month, with up to 12 of these attractive and characterful little birds being seen. Their confiding nature means that you can sometimes creep reasonably close for photos too, especially if you put some wild bird seed out to attract and distract them....Though it should be noted that, as soon as the snowline recedes higher up the mountain , as it did from mid month, the birds stop visiting the car park area....</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">With the Cairngorm Funicular Railway still closed for major repairs, and the days still quite short , I didn't venture up into the mountain-tops myself this month, but for future reference, a few </span><b>Ptarmigan</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> , still totally white, can sometimes be seen, up around the 'snow-line', usually sheltering in corries or on the leeward sides of ridges, out of the cold wind...</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">And towards the end of the month there was another report of the elusive <b>Snowy Owl</b> on Ben Macdui....</span></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Winter-visiting birds seen in our area this month included:</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> </span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPzQcbHIvUkNRJhDR7SoXApMEihqn_BNzyHsrMBgL_mYYvvEKQG47vxonIYjtcGTzdpD3wNGJG9db2QZxviGdabFCfFGhxjlbsnhyW6cVPRTpu8PnfNcIYIpdYiMnDR-Ian2RIGZTYzhcH0tOLTTz0aAQzeY09CUYfjKdsauZCXVl_QOl7YA/s2994/DSCN1426.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="774" data-original-width="2994" height="104" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPzQcbHIvUkNRJhDR7SoXApMEihqn_BNzyHsrMBgL_mYYvvEKQG47vxonIYjtcGTzdpD3wNGJG9db2QZxviGdabFCfFGhxjlbsnhyW6cVPRTpu8PnfNcIYIpdYiMnDR-Ian2RIGZTYzhcH0tOLTTz0aAQzeY09CUYfjKdsauZCXVl_QOl7YA/w400-h104/DSCN1426.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Whooper Swans</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghp1ZcQDqGk76on2X1IbNFiGlvHdJouxt0QjGhKKjEr_-2BeMdErYh1OWZ9V7XtiIdR8qGA6iuFHKb8YSFCavGOHjskBZ9_PoGxgJQbMsOT3lITnX_PL0szpL8uEnMSKUjxvAYO-QjU-DtD3aa9-CtnCJiTt7yvu1VOgx8i-fV7Z4RwN-SVw/s3815/DSCN7174.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1405" data-original-width="3815" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghp1ZcQDqGk76on2X1IbNFiGlvHdJouxt0QjGhKKjEr_-2BeMdErYh1OWZ9V7XtiIdR8qGA6iuFHKb8YSFCavGOHjskBZ9_PoGxgJQbMsOT3lITnX_PL0szpL8uEnMSKUjxvAYO-QjU-DtD3aa9-CtnCJiTt7yvu1VOgx8i-fV7Z4RwN-SVw/w400-h148/DSCN7174.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Pink-Footed Geese</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCquIlPS6M7SfPZApfGwMgSdA-YLUCNrqRiR2kScBTeNEy-SDhDpQqJGykggUGasLnjiXZ2RURMlc3y3QR6jyNsScVTX7Q-2MSydOrrpY767681AYHG24zgd1-FS5vVadyZJ2PweID9mfJkYO1OKBi3Su9OSNvZl7w_Fr0gSdVqUX0QQC0_A/s4547/DSCN1433.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2355" data-original-width="4547" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCquIlPS6M7SfPZApfGwMgSdA-YLUCNrqRiR2kScBTeNEy-SDhDpQqJGykggUGasLnjiXZ2RURMlc3y3QR6jyNsScVTX7Q-2MSydOrrpY767681AYHG24zgd1-FS5vVadyZJ2PweID9mfJkYO1OKBi3Su9OSNvZl7w_Fr0gSdVqUX0QQC0_A/w400-h208/DSCN1433.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Waxwings</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzMalOv0QBpBh1CYrq7twZfHlOruR9rVVEv5r17TwyzcSniPK-bKETyPC8x5FbX7XZZswv1YZL6VT8feu4bd4j-KevqEAocZ_vBuf-gYKAI0ZPSBQl_rMv5GWIWabqiLLP-sJ4gdEaF7PUwXt_FDuNnvdfaUwZ8UB4En2ey8jyTPtZo5qDSQ/s2728/Ron%20mitchell%202.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1820" data-original-width="2728" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzMalOv0QBpBh1CYrq7twZfHlOruR9rVVEv5r17TwyzcSniPK-bKETyPC8x5FbX7XZZswv1YZL6VT8feu4bd4j-KevqEAocZ_vBuf-gYKAI0ZPSBQl_rMv5GWIWabqiLLP-sJ4gdEaF7PUwXt_FDuNnvdfaUwZ8UB4En2ey8jyTPtZo5qDSQ/w400-h266/Ron%20mitchell%202.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Brambling by Ron Mitchell</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Whooper Swans</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Grey Geese (Greylag , Pink-Footed </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">and a few <b>Barnacle)</b>, <b>Redwings</b>, <b>Fieldfares,</b> <b>Bramblings</b> , <b>Redpolls</b>, and a few <b>Waxwings</b>...though these are all likely to depart this area soon....</span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Other good/scarce birds seen/reported locally this month included:</b></p><p>A <b>Hawfinch</b>, a <b>Nuthatch</b>, a <b>Green Woodpecker</b>, and the previously mentioned <b>Snowy Ow</b>l....all very rare in this area.....</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #06004c; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 700;">A few photos of more common birds seen locally this month: </span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJRc3I-oBen1uJwvMfzdHL-qcqcjrk-w7Ieb7yJBCCpbFfM9u8rLkzWY36Vw-3u2YUuiYN1TIDRgOXXwRtKqiE4HQ9uextJDJW3Jc_gSN_JtmLhRZWor7bGKi3mC0MLEmfg2XdFv0J_Jyg8dnWase90AE1ZC1C42c5gBW4bLPcGwNBUd0SWA/s3571/Coal%20Tit%2011.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2381" data-original-width="3571" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJRc3I-oBen1uJwvMfzdHL-qcqcjrk-w7Ieb7yJBCCpbFfM9u8rLkzWY36Vw-3u2YUuiYN1TIDRgOXXwRtKqiE4HQ9uextJDJW3Jc_gSN_JtmLhRZWor7bGKi3mC0MLEmfg2XdFv0J_Jyg8dnWase90AE1ZC1C42c5gBW4bLPcGwNBUd0SWA/s320/Coal%20Tit%2011.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Coal Tit by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggELMmpUQonJCL7Zki4oFUXk1uRdtuwy-V_poxljOwnicU5KvV7lCplyviz7sFXCI42_KXrKbVgvgJLwDMG6DwCx0Xk4dq-vgTnzySBpvZXp_bbBljHZfEdVArfFS2ZwB863V7_zYvtYuKcGCVSqDzrn-IiwC4JDyqbWmpXl3R2fydRFBkJg/s2756/Siskin%20(F)%201.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1838" data-original-width="2756" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggELMmpUQonJCL7Zki4oFUXk1uRdtuwy-V_poxljOwnicU5KvV7lCplyviz7sFXCI42_KXrKbVgvgJLwDMG6DwCx0Xk4dq-vgTnzySBpvZXp_bbBljHZfEdVArfFS2ZwB863V7_zYvtYuKcGCVSqDzrn-IiwC4JDyqbWmpXl3R2fydRFBkJg/s320/Siskin%20(F)%201.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Female Siskin by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsvm8TuIPYteLvD1-vD-XsWBBGO8CE2soWFKzMoFye9FRd2xEgUsu8tjvmS6tLtNTcbK8vE_ceYDRUZF-DY3A2pSMyFGf30ttTfE6x8edtOMF69jzVChlIRR7wxKPafL16fm6G4Dl0c0aG5gvYResBXUP83amEPVpFv9T3ek1-gd1C4AVRGQ/s3394/Chaffinch%20(M)%2010.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2263" data-original-width="3394" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsvm8TuIPYteLvD1-vD-XsWBBGO8CE2soWFKzMoFye9FRd2xEgUsu8tjvmS6tLtNTcbK8vE_ceYDRUZF-DY3A2pSMyFGf30ttTfE6x8edtOMF69jzVChlIRR7wxKPafL16fm6G4Dl0c0aG5gvYResBXUP83amEPVpFv9T3ek1-gd1C4AVRGQ/s320/Chaffinch%20(M)%2010.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Chaffinch by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;">Adventures 'out of area':</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"> </span></b></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyr6VUuKE0Q--5K1lcMw18H1F7fIG1O-djz3l3q2AMjrrXXOcAQkEUX1FcPp7hjSIyPHdvkt4MT7ILmZdXunE51KD1E9cvDTpceqGALusrm1JVxmg99H0ZyJaaaCfEC39a2mabdvnWDDytABqKTjdIl6stf9UxAn3svkQzFU7ORhY9axkwPw/s1921/IMG_8797.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1290" data-original-width="1921" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyr6VUuKE0Q--5K1lcMw18H1F7fIG1O-djz3l3q2AMjrrXXOcAQkEUX1FcPp7hjSIyPHdvkt4MT7ILmZdXunE51KD1E9cvDTpceqGALusrm1JVxmg99H0ZyJaaaCfEC39a2mabdvnWDDytABqKTjdIl6stf9UxAn3svkQzFU7ORhY9axkwPw/w400-h269/IMG_8797.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The ruggedly beautiful Moray coast</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvTGJJjn2_JMt0QPhtZrf9fOCbdmegVjsDMjFkj1fZwhXZ8cLcZDohSxzEi26SdvgqcemgTDPiADxUX_U6cImuyUvqQyso0mC0fSXTg1BShe7MxQTjDhDe7W9m12NTRiilJ3nBNvmBRshPlZcKgUAWgrpCNnD7yAKxijhg9HJePwMQJlZR-A/s3686/DSCN1325.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1352" data-original-width="3686" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvTGJJjn2_JMt0QPhtZrf9fOCbdmegVjsDMjFkj1fZwhXZ8cLcZDohSxzEi26SdvgqcemgTDPiADxUX_U6cImuyUvqQyso0mC0fSXTg1BShe7MxQTjDhDe7W9m12NTRiilJ3nBNvmBRshPlZcKgUAWgrpCNnD7yAKxijhg9HJePwMQJlZR-A/w400-h146/DSCN1325.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A pair of Goosander</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqFzFzp3NAOzybexZBrvNv9KkJISPOr-oXEeg6sqcUc7PvpzgmGgGDTX62OXT31GKrW5nEpI-sjjPuVc0zEKeB96vTOy9RRZUX9wQ-Ly2_aVDubWIC6Vi5lXpVFuCoUahs0NWcQSFUuNdgEmnUV4vvk7cGqzPyxLAMGO-HsfLPxoGt_rC3Cw/s4462/DSCN1362.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2969" data-original-width="4462" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqFzFzp3NAOzybexZBrvNv9KkJISPOr-oXEeg6sqcUc7PvpzgmGgGDTX62OXT31GKrW5nEpI-sjjPuVc0zEKeB96vTOy9RRZUX9wQ-Ly2_aVDubWIC6Vi5lXpVFuCoUahs0NWcQSFUuNdgEmnUV4vvk7cGqzPyxLAMGO-HsfLPxoGt_rC3Cw/w400-h266/DSCN1362.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Purple Sandpiper</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRjukyUBGjal7_Tol3f-t2H6FitIl8kcliLoaHqMkH6yicAw87uXEdBQPvYPrydQg3XYsmPhE60n5oidv06av7fmqeHmCkFjhsFdbAJRlaLPhnYQn9uOkOyX4j9jRgQL_Ngt2dYH8TD3De0167fxdsUyEllAFkT4T35GhDpXpAgRgHgcaYPg/s4546/DSCN1328.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2247" data-original-width="4546" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRjukyUBGjal7_Tol3f-t2H6FitIl8kcliLoaHqMkH6yicAw87uXEdBQPvYPrydQg3XYsmPhE60n5oidv06av7fmqeHmCkFjhsFdbAJRlaLPhnYQn9uOkOyX4j9jRgQL_Ngt2dYH8TD3De0167fxdsUyEllAFkT4T35GhDpXpAgRgHgcaYPg/w400-h198/DSCN1328.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Wigeon</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUtIsOHHcKRN_4fGIRo7RehL7cQmZnBgtWnZg_W49XPco8_zkw1nnHblkQVQ8pKQuzEAVEoJva0itT7x-uCukfH0RwcBQQFk1jbBvWVzJgGLC_POjtiyTKp1z1mH3-HrOjp9MFkTVNxWaYYkYAxEE1byqEjtV253NpeOgQ3X9_iZ7C_2v__g/s4608/DSCN1339.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUtIsOHHcKRN_4fGIRo7RehL7cQmZnBgtWnZg_W49XPco8_zkw1nnHblkQVQ8pKQuzEAVEoJva0itT7x-uCukfH0RwcBQQFk1jbBvWVzJgGLC_POjtiyTKp1z1mH3-HrOjp9MFkTVNxWaYYkYAxEE1byqEjtV253NpeOgQ3X9_iZ7C_2v__g/s320/DSCN1339.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Greater Black-Backed Gull</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpibAXoZdArJCNz_ZO6QMygW59EkEcrI3SojdQNtiY0z6MyH2MXASSEhs6hGruiHghn0QmXrJfR00fS_Wer_GfIED8OPKZld9ncaN9O-hMiDOmyeApRQs8ZwGuctxDTg5s_9yzahQY-it61VO0KNuAb02epaAIHQ69_64v2jHA2KNF_34cgw/s3684/DSCN1344.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2514" data-original-width="3684" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpibAXoZdArJCNz_ZO6QMygW59EkEcrI3SojdQNtiY0z6MyH2MXASSEhs6hGruiHghn0QmXrJfR00fS_Wer_GfIED8OPKZld9ncaN9O-hMiDOmyeApRQs8ZwGuctxDTg5s_9yzahQY-it61VO0KNuAb02epaAIHQ69_64v2jHA2KNF_34cgw/s320/DSCN1344.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Curlew</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguqTmBvztAbTs7iPgdtQRq8sZ_puZcVVFROdULGTR7QfbOgh-jwjuqoDHqUoEe_RDM-RE21CjRYWKQFMMx7jmMkhwkJNQMria_uKgmU8fhALjPRvjAiXjdJ65tpiA4OMtNvnWJ2cQ2jOVzg5BY7FtQLsff4pdMc5Yh44fVeFR3WjpNyuOCLQ/s3791/DSCN1351.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="3791" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguqTmBvztAbTs7iPgdtQRq8sZ_puZcVVFROdULGTR7QfbOgh-jwjuqoDHqUoEe_RDM-RE21CjRYWKQFMMx7jmMkhwkJNQMria_uKgmU8fhALjPRvjAiXjdJ65tpiA4OMtNvnWJ2cQ2jOVzg5BY7FtQLsff4pdMc5Yh44fVeFR3WjpNyuOCLQ/w400-h254/DSCN1351.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Long-Tailed Duck</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt9JOeDXkx16XNovg64lMLlUgZKhSBy1S1sBgyPJdOJiWx7uUuKuoUlSodUIOzEeb6WBO0ln1bguXz3k_4-8R2CF-cpSwGoeqHYVdDfJEr3tOGmHQZXpiAj0aZyfMvXIcKljoAlQXsQfsPmWkpWE-TEgjwXua2R7OS3PGKguiFggN3_Bv6WA/s1468/Iceland%20Gull%2013%20(J).JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="979" data-original-width="1468" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt9JOeDXkx16XNovg64lMLlUgZKhSBy1S1sBgyPJdOJiWx7uUuKuoUlSodUIOzEeb6WBO0ln1bguXz3k_4-8R2CF-cpSwGoeqHYVdDfJEr3tOGmHQZXpiAj0aZyfMvXIcKljoAlQXsQfsPmWkpWE-TEgjwXua2R7OS3PGKguiFggN3_Bv6WA/s320/Iceland%20Gull%2013%20(J).JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Iceland Gull by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDS_Q5sCyE9SLE-5TTfigZA_-T2gCLsn7NRUI_O3sWBt8cN1XyLJXjyjR42k6FcioaLYDgXrCEz74tJrUu3x7e6TgEAaelsA6U1rKk74heNR8zCboTBl9MIMIggjaO3jWmFwGAst1yX38dawvGrU-LRrfvR6Hhrke0cBynqsBfJBNL1yKsDA/s1426/Glaucous%20Gull%2014.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="952" data-original-width="1426" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDS_Q5sCyE9SLE-5TTfigZA_-T2gCLsn7NRUI_O3sWBt8cN1XyLJXjyjR42k6FcioaLYDgXrCEz74tJrUu3x7e6TgEAaelsA6U1rKk74heNR8zCboTBl9MIMIggjaO3jWmFwGAst1yX38dawvGrU-LRrfvR6Hhrke0cBynqsBfJBNL1yKsDA/s320/Glaucous%20Gull%2014.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Glaucous Gull by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvYokZFE0z-pk5ItjHYgNQ4uJ1nGeaAAt1lX1906mhFKlswRHRhx9qXFWSiOZP77jS1jpTF_lNM-9hM4W5qdVxkxvvJOYAhuaNuDC396OMtJdcmnCn8mf8uJWmXjJK87Hdd9ma6xVg0oFedhcfCZO52KtFKUmDj96mHNssTguBtll3IXSYhw/s2009/Ringed%20Plover%201.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1340" data-original-width="2009" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvYokZFE0z-pk5ItjHYgNQ4uJ1nGeaAAt1lX1906mhFKlswRHRhx9qXFWSiOZP77jS1jpTF_lNM-9hM4W5qdVxkxvvJOYAhuaNuDC396OMtJdcmnCn8mf8uJWmXjJK87Hdd9ma6xVg0oFedhcfCZO52KtFKUmDj96mHNssTguBtll3IXSYhw/s320/Ringed%20Plover%201.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Ringed Plover by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3XLRAn4je83I_XY6wMGIEq7pM2CDv5BHcOqUZc--lUtyeYrLSz7vZ6Mywc4Gfur3cZPC1jZM02H3VYJ7wy_Q35Qo_6J6l0xmJoEqf6ApuEsZABZsoM5YYnS2UpQ3q1XgYU-nAd7oVCKW57jOaI6y6StDfl1JojZT1cv3NPIyyrKci3kfmyg/s5472/Hooded%20Crow%2010.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3XLRAn4je83I_XY6wMGIEq7pM2CDv5BHcOqUZc--lUtyeYrLSz7vZ6Mywc4Gfur3cZPC1jZM02H3VYJ7wy_Q35Qo_6J6l0xmJoEqf6ApuEsZABZsoM5YYnS2UpQ3q1XgYU-nAd7oVCKW57jOaI6y6StDfl1JojZT1cv3NPIyyrKci3kfmyg/s320/Hooded%20Crow%2010.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Hooded Crow</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">The Moray coast is only about a one hour drive north of Aviemore, and a couple of trips to favourite reserves, lochs, bays and harbours gave good views of wintering birds such as </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Greylag</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Geese</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Pink-Footed Geese</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Brent Geese</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, <b>Barnacle Geese</b>, </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Whooper Swan</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Shoveler</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Wigeon</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Teal</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Pintail</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">,</span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"> </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Bar-Tailed Godwit</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Knot, Golden Plover</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> , </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Grey Plover </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Ringed Plover</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Purple Sandpiper, Redshank, Oystercatcher, Turnstone, Curlew, </b><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Common Scoter</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Velvet Scoter</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Long-Tailed Ducks, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Eiders</b></span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">, Red-Throated Diver, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">and</span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"> Slavonian Grebe, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">with the chance of scarce birds such as <b>Tree Sparrow</b>, and rarities such as</span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"> </b><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Snow Geese,</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> rare</span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"> Scoters, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">rare</span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"> Gulls, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">and</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"> </span><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">King Eider.....</b></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">March 2022 mammal sightings in more detail:</b></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiacuozVoJeFHp3ewiLHXdsECcecakRe-Htp-dfGX9CSI5ThQeSu1QSbS8j0g8Mr93Ys4XEKICJArItBj5hF1i8jEWBJ9WhkEuwZUWmwOAEGPfl3iDY4NiH1e_pdbUL16ZB860b7CxfX_h7zqVM22iJqLXuC0YlFYhCKz2UbK8B9pWUBw5OCw/s4444/DSCN1172.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3161" data-original-width="4444" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiacuozVoJeFHp3ewiLHXdsECcecakRe-Htp-dfGX9CSI5ThQeSu1QSbS8j0g8Mr93Ys4XEKICJArItBj5hF1i8jEWBJ9WhkEuwZUWmwOAEGPfl3iDY4NiH1e_pdbUL16ZB860b7CxfX_h7zqVM22iJqLXuC0YlFYhCKz2UbK8B9pWUBw5OCw/s320/DSCN1172.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Mountain Hare<br /><br /></b></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;">March is the last month to see our local </span><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Mountain Hares</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"> in their beautiful all-white winter coats, though a few are usually starting to morph into their spring blue/grey colours by now, and a few may have grey-brown faces, but they still usually get voted as 'mammal of the day', with many of my safari clients in previous years delighted to see them, often for the first time, and if their upland habitats remain relatively snow-free , they can actually be reasonably easy for me to find, and can often be quite confiding, occasionally allowing a reasonably close approach for photography....</span></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;">It should be noted though, that most of our views are at range through my telescope, and that a closer view usually involves some considerable amount of rough uphill walking, often on snow.</span></span></span></span></span></b></span></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPjZ5GFb0w8SElImsd7J7GBLPkSeWVsRKI6BkaufUj3Heap1Ipwg5jXO_9yKWBM3MLQgV3G6tKvN6fINw1DnD_gn8r2QhINQa8CATOtIfvzbWGQji7WlZUeNzR2Vi1NT8qCuw_SXxn-5mEfst_Jp9e2mtfZRiir1I4dZKQIg0vf-M9bH4bXQ/s4329/DSCN1155.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2855" data-original-width="4329" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPjZ5GFb0w8SElImsd7J7GBLPkSeWVsRKI6BkaufUj3Heap1Ipwg5jXO_9yKWBM3MLQgV3G6tKvN6fINw1DnD_gn8r2QhINQa8CATOtIfvzbWGQji7WlZUeNzR2Vi1NT8qCuw_SXxn-5mEfst_Jp9e2mtfZRiir1I4dZKQIg0vf-M9bH4bXQ/w400-h264/DSCN1155.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Deer stag</b></td></tr></tbody></table></span></span></span></span></b></span></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Red Deer are obviously an iconic Highlands animal, often featuring on the wish-list of my safari clients, and visits to suitable upland areas usually result in us getting to see them, often in large same-sex herds, though again, it should be noted, that most of our views are from a fair distance and that many of the stags have now shed their old antlers, and are growing new sets, and are therefore not quite as impressive as they look in autumn.</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibBVLG6ivBXS8NCD54_krlKI-JylB24PwmtJnu72QvOZC419nGhKacrVelQu_EUM2Tvwa44r0UIAw3VTOvXp2rU9in4OBq0xQbzR03X-FuaNAbJpafshb8cJt6jsF5XMSDPxKHeoKOlOtEjXCKUrzbyBRcfcoc7UqvNlTsKAFC6c3DC2FdMQ/s4147/DSCN1446.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2717" data-original-width="4147" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibBVLG6ivBXS8NCD54_krlKI-JylB24PwmtJnu72QvOZC419nGhKacrVelQu_EUM2Tvwa44r0UIAw3VTOvXp2rU9in4OBq0xQbzR03X-FuaNAbJpafshb8cJt6jsF5XMSDPxKHeoKOlOtEjXCKUrzbyBRcfcoc7UqvNlTsKAFC6c3DC2FdMQ/w400-h263/DSCN1446.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Feral Mountain Goats</b></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Still up in the glens, our local feral<b> Mountain Goats can sometimes be seen too, and at this time of year, they often have very cute , fast-growing youngsters with them, that always prove popular with my safari clients.</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe4PQHw-Ts2GZlDvQSgVQNLDbhiEnllw_YfSYNPzcklUVgNFmvRA8i-Krq3lVWIELjwl1iPmqU5z0gi8AtfaX5h32vhhHU3FFybmNPRh9mSkNvUumahUazoMVV_YRsMfAstwUsNe1PjWj_ZmugTFC4axmguPOHAao-talTYtPKwh_04Nf1Gg/s4489/DSCN1436.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2864" data-original-width="4489" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe4PQHw-Ts2GZlDvQSgVQNLDbhiEnllw_YfSYNPzcklUVgNFmvRA8i-Krq3lVWIELjwl1iPmqU5z0gi8AtfaX5h32vhhHU3FFybmNPRh9mSkNvUumahUazoMVV_YRsMfAstwUsNe1PjWj_ZmugTFC4axmguPOHAao-talTYtPKwh_04Nf1Gg/s320/DSCN1436.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Squirrel<br /><br /></b></td></tr></tbody></table></span></span></span></span></b></span></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif">Red Squirrels</span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4;"> are pretty reliable visitors to the quieter forest feeding stations, especially during the colder weather, and I saw them regularly on my adventures this month, and I also had some nice random sightings in more natural settings too...</span></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4;"><br /></span></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4;"><br /></span></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgchTyF2oVyWau6FU0_IVt2JdNnfnWQSXzdQswiE_cWv0SEnxsPpi50MJp66MqyCOe4RJA1JxyuU3mIoRnR6nA4xLUwnjf7cnfarlt2gnEuBmP52LLNHKLmq4A1Fml0T4h0RIJjsq8G8wb-GC5zFoLbgomYDqUrB3kDI8wM4E3smJhtM_nBRA/s2992/DSCN7403.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1339" data-original-width="2992" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgchTyF2oVyWau6FU0_IVt2JdNnfnWQSXzdQswiE_cWv0SEnxsPpi50MJp66MqyCOe4RJA1JxyuU3mIoRnR6nA4xLUwnjf7cnfarlt2gnEuBmP52LLNHKLmq4A1Fml0T4h0RIJjsq8G8wb-GC5zFoLbgomYDqUrB3kDI8wM4E3smJhtM_nBRA/w400-h179/DSCN7403.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Roe Deer</b></td></tr></tbody></table></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Roe Deer, despite being common and widespread throughout the UK, due to their crepuscular nature and slightly nervous disposition, can actually be surprisingly difficult to see. However, if you are out and about early or late in the day in suitably quiet areas, you always have a chance...</b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Brown Hares</b></span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"> too, are a bit shy and nervous, and although I did see a few early in the morning on quiet local farmland this month, sadly, they didn't stick around long enough for me to grab any photos...</b></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUJ5TGT-WXL3EN6luD2EesB369mdaN4JC08lFE8A1Ks2Lw-cSbIvl2kJMd34MukkcL_vfQYOHLA23kYA1kSTaTTUJNdtJ2DzqfOS52J2_7j2L4GM6kFBi5qIkeSDxpj5jAi6CsxQQWrFZo2mq1RLTBReXt8AB_nsFMTL6PgOwT2PoaOF-umA/s2016/IMG_8742.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUJ5TGT-WXL3EN6luD2EesB369mdaN4JC08lFE8A1Ks2Lw-cSbIvl2kJMd34MukkcL_vfQYOHLA23kYA1kSTaTTUJNdtJ2DzqfOS52J2_7j2L4GM6kFBi5qIkeSDxpj5jAi6CsxQQWrFZo2mq1RLTBReXt8AB_nsFMTL6PgOwT2PoaOF-umA/w400-h300/IMG_8742.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Carrot time for Murdo</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Hairy Highland Coo's</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"> always prove to be popular with my safari clients, especially those who do not have them close to home, so don't be afraid to ask me if you fancy going to see them, and maybe even get to feed and 'pat' them, as I have a couple of great sites....</span></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Rare/nocturnal mammals:</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">I get a few enquiries about the possibility of seeing </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Badgers</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> and </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Pine Marten</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> from my safari clients, many of whom I suspect are unaware that they are actually a largely nocturnal creature, and although we do get the occasional (maybe one or two a year) dawn glimpse of one, you would definitely have a much higher chance of seeing them at a specific dusk Badger/Pine Marten watching hide - Please contact me for more information.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Similarly, our inland </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Otters</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> too are mainly active during the hours of darkness, and again, although we do get a few early-morning sightings on local lochs and rivers each year, looking for them feeding in a suitably quiet, kelp - filled bay on the coast on a rising tide, but at any time of day, would give you a much better chance.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-family: quot; line-height: 1.4;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: quot; line-height: 1.4;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Whilst we are still on the 'tricky to see stuff', the <b>Scottish Wildcat </b>too, as well as being incredibly rare now, is also generally nocturnal, and the fact that I have had a mere handful of (dawn or dusk) sightings in 17 years of providing wildlife safaris should give you an idea of how difficult they are to see.</span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Other wildlife:</b></p><p><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimc-Gg_abDALgq-r9MQxAPab7tmts33NzAUOE5QUhX4tPMiUKOZoAza9bqw17PY9Ts1zvwPiLC0z_Sujv1twVZFbpvB3kSY6UVuw_a2Gk6CIA_mz34BMvpcfsK8lZHo26F5gl16FLlqsLeF071rYnsiQK0QtIwnCK6FJBuAkuUSvGS67adyw/s4081/DSCN1379.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2329" data-original-width="4081" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimc-Gg_abDALgq-r9MQxAPab7tmts33NzAUOE5QUhX4tPMiUKOZoAza9bqw17PY9Ts1zvwPiLC0z_Sujv1twVZFbpvB3kSY6UVuw_a2Gk6CIA_mz34BMvpcfsK8lZHo26F5gl16FLlqsLeF071rYnsiQK0QtIwnCK6FJBuAkuUSvGS67adyw/w400-h229/DSCN1379.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Common Toad</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></p><p><b>Frogs</b> and <b>Toads</b> were seen for the first time this year, as well as the first few brave <b>Butterflies</b> and <b>Bees</b>....</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhQtbpB7Ud_F1ndr_qCqEeGt19p-47xDy8BWmC8W8PmCXwzJyQCN5KkJLH1bIa1HBstx5y6hqNUwHKx0ZbFzHgsn9JAvnXahXhWN-EulekuE2Z_KJ3hKIlSXthX8rsqBSvo32gKm8N7fFdSiwH2oAcWO6gRg2qIhaDQUTVk0Qw6cfaNiW8Eg/s2016/IMG_8868.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1289" data-original-width="2016" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhQtbpB7Ud_F1ndr_qCqEeGt19p-47xDy8BWmC8W8PmCXwzJyQCN5KkJLH1bIa1HBstx5y6hqNUwHKx0ZbFzHgsn9JAvnXahXhWN-EulekuE2Z_KJ3hKIlSXthX8rsqBSvo32gKm8N7fFdSiwH2oAcWO6gRg2qIhaDQUTVk0Qw6cfaNiW8Eg/w400-h256/IMG_8868.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Daffodils thriving, despite the snow....</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">News:</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">The BIG news is that all tourism/hospitality/activities in Scotland are open , are now largely free of restrictions except for the wearing of a mask recommendation, and that I have now completed eleven (thankfully!) increasingly busy and extremely enjoyable full months of safaris with clients with no major issues arising.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">With all national travel restrictions lifted too, Scotland is officially 'open for business' for visitors from all over the UK, and from abroad.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">At the time of writing, due to COVID distancing rules, as COVID infection levels are still high, and as restrictions have only recently been relaxed, we are still operating at reduced capacity, and are still trying not to mix unconnected groups unless this is unavoidable, so we are currently recommending 'exclusive' safaris, at a small extra cost.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">For those considering a visit, these wildlife/outdoor tourism websites may prove useful:</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b>https://www.gov.scot/collections/coronavirus-covid</b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.outdooraccess-scotland.scot/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">NatureScot (outdooraccess-scotland.scot)</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xGdTZcC2ZQ" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-line: none;">Can Nature Help Health? | Nature Prescriptions - YouTube</a></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1HBKnnGr-g" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;">Scotland, Yours to Enjoy. Responsibly. - YouTube</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://cairngorms.co.uk/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">Cairngorms National Park Authority</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.highlandwildlifepark.org.uk/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">Highland Wildlife Park</a></p><p></p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><p><br /></p><div><b>COVID-19</b></div><div><br /></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><div><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b>The Scottish Highlands has had very few COVID-19 cases in comparison to most of the UK, and on my safaris we tend to visit remote , wild habitats well away from the more popular tourist areas, and usually have very little interaction with other people, and this is something that I intend to continue.</b></div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b>I intend to provide my wildlife safaris subject to the following conditions/changes:</b></div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">1) Parties will generally be limited to pre-booked small, preferably connected groups - so no mixing of unconnected parties unless we can do it safely and legally.</div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">2) There will additional COVID-19 related health questions asked at the time of booking.</div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">3) My safari vehicle will be deep cleaned before and after each safari.</div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">4) We will use the middle and rear rows of seats in my vehicle (a spacious Land Rover Discovery 7-seater) in preference to the front passenger seat where possible.</div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">5) Any parties uncomfortable with travelling in my vehicle will have the option to follow me in their own vehicles.</div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">6) Whilst on board my safari vehicle your guide and all clients will be asked to consider wearing face coverings. </div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">7) We will adhere to Government social distancing recommendations where possible.</div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">8) All surfaces/equipment touched frequently will be cleaned regularly by your guide.</div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">9) Hand sanitizer will be provided for guide and client use.</div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">10) Clients will be asked to bring their own optical equipment where possible - any loaned/communal equipment will be cleaned regularly.</div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">11) Clients will be asked to provide their own food/drink as we cannot do so at present.</div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">12) Public toilets will be used where possible, with the option to return to client accommodation for comfort stops if required, and 'bush-toilets' only being used as a last resort.</div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">13) If first aid is required, I may need to ask other members of the party to assist.</div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">14) I will require all clients to complete a COVID-19 disclaimer/ infection declaration form.</div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">15) A Health and Safety Executive risk assessment form has been completed and will be displayed in my vehicle..</div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">If you have any questions/queries, please feel free to contact me.</div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;" /></div></span></div><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2IOsYzp3yxRqQjWZaxoWKzqQECPeDOmTtMXwZq4_YmKppJMYXrMaJW-FnBCZBUX_HScPPoyLXQXVTC7xKWPbsG5bmuy6Zcx9kMZwjOK8XoNcrIq8GUpH4bWKE4vRNQCfJM4LsJwla56X6k1GTnrjUlNQ10dvCn0o0OECUQRdAVI5DX04omw/s1264/Kinrara.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="663" data-original-width="1264" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2IOsYzp3yxRqQjWZaxoWKzqQECPeDOmTtMXwZq4_YmKppJMYXrMaJW-FnBCZBUX_HScPPoyLXQXVTC7xKWPbsG5bmuy6Zcx9kMZwjOK8XoNcrIq8GUpH4bWKE4vRNQCfJM4LsJwla56X6k1GTnrjUlNQ10dvCn0o0OECUQRdAVI5DX04omw/w400-h210/Kinrara.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A picturesque local loch</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Summary:</b></p><p>Well, looking back through my photos for the month certainly put a smile on my face, as despite only having a handful of safari bookings, and missing much of the second half, I reckon we did pretty well for wildlife sightings. A good selection of local specialities, plenty of lingering winter visitors and at the end of the month, the first newly arrived spring visitors were all seen, and combined with the generally pleasant weather, this made for some very successful and enjoyable outings.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;">Reviews:</b></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="" style="color: #06004c;">I know a lot of visitors to this area very wisely check out reviews of attractions/experiences at </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Tripadvisor</b><span face="" style="color: #06004c;"> before 'taking the plunge' and booking - if you wish, you can check out my clients comments at the link below....</span></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><div style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"></span></span><br /><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g186537-d3335134-Reviews-</span></span></span></span></span></div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"></span></span><br /><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Highland_Wildlife_Birdwatch_Safaris-Aviemore_Aviemore_and_the_Cairngorms_Scottish.html</span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div></div></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Buying my photos:</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Prints of any of the photos (taken by myself) shown on this blog, going right back to 2015, </b><b style="background-color: transparent;">reproduced on high quality photographic paper, </b><b> with a choice of sizes up to A3, and satin pearl or glossy finishes available, </b><b style="background-color: transparent;">can now be purchased from me at very reasonable prices</b><b>. So if you see an image that might look nice in a frame (provided by yourself) on your wall, please make a note of the year and month of my blog in which it appeared, and email me for more information.</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><div style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span face=""><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;">G<b>ift Certificates:</b></span><br /></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; color: #222222; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 5px; position: relative;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T95gARK_lkQ/XAvNUI2tI6I/AAAAAAAADwU/GDPgK9hH9LwgLQ8gPnoaLdf04Yn2BLebwCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_1578.JPG" style="background: none 0% 0% / auto repeat scroll padding-box border-box transparent; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 5px;" width="400" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 10.56px; text-align: center;"><b>Safari gift voucher</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></span></span></div></div></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="" style="color: #06004c; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;">If you think you know someone who may enjoy a taste of what I do, why not treat them to a safari gift </span><span face="" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;">certificate? They make a thoughtful and imaginative present, are available for any amount and are currently valid at any time, with no expiry date........</span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Highland Wildlife & Birdwatch Safarishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04327130550058794301noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26724394.post-40089919077079340662022-02-28T20:01:00.000+00:002022-02-28T20:01:53.026+00:00<div class="separator"><br /></div><p><b>February 2022</b> saw us suffer a serious backlash weather-wise, after that unusually mild, calm and kind January! With low pressure systems from the west dominating, it meant that we experienced generally wet and breezy conditions, occasionally very high winds, several named storms, , heavy snow, sleet, hail and rain, but thankfully, also the occasional sunny day, though I'm not going to lie, it was definitely a far from perfect month for wildlife-watching, and was often a bit of a struggle....</p><p>However, despite sadly having to cancel one or two excursions when conditions were just TOO ridiculous, by being flexible, and with a bit of shuffling of booking dates, and adjusting start and finish times, despite the often unhelpful weather - a big thank you to all my clients for being so flexible and understanding - we actually managed to get out and about in the often beautiful winter scenery and see some pretty good wildlife on plenty of occasions..</p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">The days are really lengthening noticeably now, with up to 10 hours of usable daylight, and dawn (for the Black Grouse) is still a relatively sociable 7 am, with dusk at around 6 pm.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">Full-day local safari bird lists usually top-out in the 30's or 40's at this time of year, helped by the first returning waders, though a trip to the nearby (one hour by car ) Moray Coast can boost this total considerably, whilst mammal day lists can vary between 3 and 8 species, depending on the time of our start and number of habitats visited, with early starts usually proving to be most productive.</span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg3FAgTZcUl-_-HUhum9XQJC5_dde8gbuMXQRssaq-4tU8Bkepvh13RiLMemPRpHWsZL82T8XDDg48ysWBAiRm9fVMGxBDAbas7Ww2z0fyUpXplNaMsYi9bkP6xksm4Ek-K8CBpT0_9qTO4nNKXpnVm10W2aUmDJ6C_cYl_Mamr2YBzKM2cug=s2007" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1199" data-original-width="2007" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg3FAgTZcUl-_-HUhum9XQJC5_dde8gbuMXQRssaq-4tU8Bkepvh13RiLMemPRpHWsZL82T8XDDg48ysWBAiRm9fVMGxBDAbas7Ww2z0fyUpXplNaMsYi9bkP6xksm4Ek-K8CBpT0_9qTO4nNKXpnVm10W2aUmDJ6C_cYl_Mamr2YBzKM2cug=w400-h239" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>On safari in a beautiful local upland glen</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">To give you an idea of what you may realistically hope to see if you are considering a future February visit, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">I hope the following more detailed information, illustrated with photos taken at sites in and around the Cairngorms National Park by myself, my friends or my safari clients this month and in previous February's will help....clicking on the picture enlarges it to full-screen. </span></p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Local speciality/upland bird species seen regularly during the month included</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">:</span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Black Grouse </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">(usually first hour of light only), </span><b>Red Grouse</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, <b>Snow Bunting</b>, </span>and<b> </b><b>Dipper, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">we also managed </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">a few decent views of</span><b> </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Crossbills </b>on our forest walks a</span>nd a few reasonable <b>Golden Eagle </b>and<b> White-Tailed Eagle </b>sightings up in the glens...sadly, <b>Crested Tit</b> proved very elusive, and despite many hours spent walking and driving around local Caledonian forests searching for<b> Capercaillie, </b>I failed dismally, and had to settle for seeing the odd Caper poo on forest tracks...</span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">A good variety of</span><b> seabirds</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>waders, </b><b>w</b><b>ildfowl </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">and</span><b> Geese </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">were seen at the</span><b> Moray Coast </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">and the nearby inland lochs...</span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Mammal species seen regularly included:</b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b>Red Deer, Roe Deer, Red Squirrel, Rabbit, Mountain Goat, Mountain Hare </b>(still white)<b>, and Brown Hare...</b>.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg5vKg7vWeou-OBzRIPN-dxr-DVIDWPA9rEy6zGm3yoW7HG-e1Vol_7D9Hd9PgcnIr6HC6xydpj_MaUfmWt8w1PwfkVcvqRg2YKLfTU8QczXj-Y4ktVwYzKQoTjIIN7ddhxJxjAGDdou9qaAlU6YWJDDVRl0QCjrK5QHQhNRfYlZQNyOHrP6g=s1933" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1449" data-original-width="1933" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg5vKg7vWeou-OBzRIPN-dxr-DVIDWPA9rEy6zGm3yoW7HG-e1Vol_7D9Hd9PgcnIr6HC6xydpj_MaUfmWt8w1PwfkVcvqRg2YKLfTU8QczXj-Y4ktVwYzKQoTjIIN7ddhxJxjAGDdou9qaAlU6YWJDDVRl0QCjrK5QHQhNRfYlZQNyOHrP6g=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A snowy Caledonian forest</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">February 2022 bird sightings in more detail:</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Up on the moors....</b></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjBRVC4_YCp17EvzV9FHt5I96McA-49NDMOdpSb9LS7HDTEEfxDMUfcHGg8MKBVaR_rHAhHKdJyPxWBd4J5r1Gu16trlLN710Xo0aXblrrfDAW6dWtgbcxV4lLX-Csv9zZ-JpdRJrQY89CFof0mG99yowZ-lql3AKwXbmOz_ONQoK6OTTM-GQ=s1988" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="825" data-original-width="1988" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjBRVC4_YCp17EvzV9FHt5I96McA-49NDMOdpSb9LS7HDTEEfxDMUfcHGg8MKBVaR_rHAhHKdJyPxWBd4J5r1Gu16trlLN710Xo0aXblrrfDAW6dWtgbcxV4lLX-Csv9zZ-JpdRJrQY89CFof0mG99yowZ-lql3AKwXbmOz_ONQoK6OTTM-GQ=w400-h166" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A local upland heather moorland</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiiNaQuO9QE1QiandujP5d4qevh9RONizCQKm6PP5jx9yG_qVSMq81x8J33Kof8gd2qE_s2Med7b08TxFjv0ZInjYsLEMGxvJp7pyGJkUvwXXWHZLaNPIhliMWMZQW1ii-Q6ax4xN4W0r8YwAZhxb_iJuZi-kpBylGsqBrqiipRqyKnW2Ygeg=s3973" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2116" data-original-width="3973" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiiNaQuO9QE1QiandujP5d4qevh9RONizCQKm6PP5jx9yG_qVSMq81x8J33Kof8gd2qE_s2Med7b08TxFjv0ZInjYsLEMGxvJp7pyGJkUvwXXWHZLaNPIhliMWMZQW1ii-Q6ax4xN4W0r8YwAZhxb_iJuZi-kpBylGsqBrqiipRqyKnW2Ygeg=w400-h213" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Displaying Black Grouse </b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400;">Dawn in February (still a pretty user-friendly 7 am) on my safaris is usually spent visiting one (or more if needed!) local </span><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.52px;">Black Grouse</b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400;"> lek sites, usually a flat, grassy area on an upland heather moorland, where we often enjoy the spectacle of up to a dozen of these attractive, but sadly now increasingly rare, blue-black cock birds displaying, posturing aggressively and flutter-jumping in a bid to out-display and intimidate their opponents in a bid to secure their little patch of the 'arena' for the forthcoming breeding season, all accompanied by their distinctive bubbling and whooshing calls drifting across the moor... surely one of British wildlife's 'must-see' (and 'must hear') experiences? 'Performances' are usually noticeably better on cold, still mornings.... but please be aware that we have to view from a respectful (and legal) distance, and that sightings are not 'guaranteed' as the birds can fail to show for no apparent reason, as was the case on a few occasions this month...</span></b></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgNIy6ncMlBPOcD4AXboenBONgCvnCFcMtbj5gOOB3oJlJzo5tRl8VORoh-O1TtvyeCjc_GsTciYJrLK-9zt3xTV62uiR17Bh3gw6wJtwOKlCtU-7Z2yq4hTEy0e26QWhCPsHsCBzA_Kf7x2VO6w-bTJwmIGb4EdTDv1fBASTBCVFY1XHA9cA=s4608" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgNIy6ncMlBPOcD4AXboenBONgCvnCFcMtbj5gOOB3oJlJzo5tRl8VORoh-O1TtvyeCjc_GsTciYJrLK-9zt3xTV62uiR17Bh3gw6wJtwOKlCtU-7Z2yq4hTEy0e26QWhCPsHsCBzA_Kf7x2VO6w-bTJwmIGb4EdTDv1fBASTBCVFY1XHA9cA=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Red Grouse</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 17.5692px;">Still on the moors, the cock </span><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 17.5692px;">Red Grouse</b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 17.5692px;"> are now becoming very territorial and full of aggression , as they defend their chosen 'territory' from rivals and try to attract a mate </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 19.3261px; line-height: 1.4;">with much calling and posturing and their red eye wattles aglow, usually from one of the few higher vantage points, making them nice and easy for us to find!</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-size: 14.52px;">Up in the glens...</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiPmZRr7-bZHY68obhp8nIcvgaxIif0KbX_mjHlKbeWDtvkgUNEmM9u51xkJuyE-Mkh2rBbpsE86CNZU0ie0rnKhpheCp--cYxxLHNXx85GdXXTez1uoP20aA9YaBHYk1oHGwW59w7YnYquZuBJqSw2XbdDFMNG1bpabJYDsnD8kARb9WBijw=s1992" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="982" data-original-width="1992" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiPmZRr7-bZHY68obhp8nIcvgaxIif0KbX_mjHlKbeWDtvkgUNEmM9u51xkJuyE-Mkh2rBbpsE86CNZU0ie0rnKhpheCp--cYxxLHNXx85GdXXTez1uoP20aA9YaBHYk1oHGwW59w7YnYquZuBJqSw2XbdDFMNG1bpabJYDsnD8kARb9WBijw=w400-h198" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A local upland glen</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi_0PlI7jHtCWF1z4Nf-jFPX6aQ2EjE9x7aoMyhlgWDQZMB9qEH2GYyJ6Ku7YcAu7tAp_hRFl2O-xvRiCVJQjXS5McnKpy-6s7f1Oj5GVBSvuJxLcRGycO3gyPqb59E1RAwwh_XUZDmtt8Dlm_K37WS048ds0M811EbSDJyhP1WpI14iAjNkA=s2050" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1205" data-original-width="2050" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi_0PlI7jHtCWF1z4Nf-jFPX6aQ2EjE9x7aoMyhlgWDQZMB9qEH2GYyJ6Ku7YcAu7tAp_hRFl2O-xvRiCVJQjXS5McnKpy-6s7f1Oj5GVBSvuJxLcRGycO3gyPqb59E1RAwwh_XUZDmtt8Dlm_K37WS048ds0M811EbSDJyhP1WpI14iAjNkA=w400-h235" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Golden Eagle</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="font-size: 14.52px;">Golden Eagle </b><span style="font-size: 14.52px;">and</span><b style="font-size: 14.52px;"> White-Tailed Eagle</b><span style="font-size: 14.52px;"> are nearly always on my safari clents' "wish-lists", and as I have said before, the shorter days of the winter months definitely give us the best chance of seeing them. That trend was continued this month, with several sightings of <b>GE</b> and a couple of <b>WTE</b> being achieved, though not as frequently as we had enjoyed in the 3-4 months before this...</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhtAsfdYK8z5wxvGi3CC21hGz9nYw004PDsBBnlsUlk0-qHs1K6nsUNWidyuZtFLDeynPEft4bY1AxMJSGH2wbG1fXalH29yYY8wye1vO_a24LIL4cxyKWFT6xMAoDoYTXWhtHNfsNe6cg7sgnBeSMGKfdEtWPlBudfBhkGFaMG8ig997-E2A=s1372" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="884" data-original-width="1372" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhtAsfdYK8z5wxvGi3CC21hGz9nYw004PDsBBnlsUlk0-qHs1K6nsUNWidyuZtFLDeynPEft4bY1AxMJSGH2wbG1fXalH29yYY8wye1vO_a24LIL4cxyKWFT6xMAoDoYTXWhtHNfsNe6cg7sgnBeSMGKfdEtWPlBudfBhkGFaMG8ig997-E2A=w400-h258" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Goshawk (photo from Feb 2021)</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhJSqYjj0byvF-yvVsuDVThRndVmKPUtUqOOPGyN0A-JZHgrK8gHSuCxW3-Lc8G6fN1-pjw0_J-2wzjdoPxcHAmJv8jmRwEISNts184XafZPnGsVf898o1hrOc6kKqGLi5gfGW0T7On4FU3VwiQ2_76G0xDlu8s02c_fi765e5qfL0cG4ydGw=s2423" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1475" data-original-width="2423" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhJSqYjj0byvF-yvVsuDVThRndVmKPUtUqOOPGyN0A-JZHgrK8gHSuCxW3-Lc8G6fN1-pjw0_J-2wzjdoPxcHAmJv8jmRwEISNts184XafZPnGsVf898o1hrOc6kKqGLi5gfGW0T7On4FU3VwiQ2_76G0xDlu8s02c_fi765e5qfL0cG4ydGw=w400-h244" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Kite</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEijPFlhKHqPACkTL_i_qzMztEGnG_a9jZW7G720MckYsZWpIflQJSXITMMUZgzXLOccUWBQjyt4MkU57b_VUl_GkTP4a-O8TrCVjMHTOtuoRW3VSwYRxQnWhYihKl5rp85g7uJJ4LcN6VT7_rfOXJxJzMyBAn2ZigEfYnQC-cJ1dcigU-V6KQ=s1434" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1084" data-original-width="1434" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEijPFlhKHqPACkTL_i_qzMztEGnG_a9jZW7G720MckYsZWpIflQJSXITMMUZgzXLOccUWBQjyt4MkU57b_VUl_GkTP4a-O8TrCVjMHTOtuoRW3VSwYRxQnWhYihKl5rp85g7uJJ4LcN6VT7_rfOXJxJzMyBAn2ZigEfYnQC-cJ1dcigU-V6KQ=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Common Buzzard</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 14.52px;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 14.52px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13.2px;">Should the <b>Eagles </b>fail to show, the regular 'raptor back-up cast' of <b>Kestrel</b>, <b>Sparrowhawk</b>,<b> </b></span><strong style="font-size: 13.2px;">Buzzard</strong><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13.2px;"> , </span><strong style="font-size: 13.2px;">Red Kite, </strong><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13.2px;">and the chance of even the occasional <b>Peregrine</b>, </span><b style="font-size: 13.2px;">Merlin</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13.2px;">, </span><b style="font-size: 13.2px;">Hen Harrier</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13.2px;"> or </span><strong style="font-size: 13.2px;">Goshawk </strong><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13.2px;">often provide good entertainment by way of consolation though, and some of these species seemed to be performing courtship displays, another sign that breeding season will soon be upon us... </span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">I</span><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">n the forests...</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhoVgZo8GsCauQ4YbKyZju2D4QU2vSacoXrgixgJ_0rwfyVObbhVNYwxVKcSvF2CGCSLINN9k-w54vcU1-0t2h_IieyJMx007sj71OcdKCq8TJn1dGXn3VGfHp414fbnpq4-YSEtK__hzO7ZeLntTJjTvBzFyN7HAoS3JkG7Q1xuDcV7PrIxw=s2016" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhoVgZo8GsCauQ4YbKyZju2D4QU2vSacoXrgixgJ_0rwfyVObbhVNYwxVKcSvF2CGCSLINN9k-w54vcU1-0t2h_IieyJMx007sj71OcdKCq8TJn1dGXn3VGfHp414fbnpq4-YSEtK__hzO7ZeLntTJjTvBzFyN7HAoS3JkG7Q1xuDcV7PrIxw=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A snowy sunrise in a local Caledonian forest</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj-CS7lrs0wKuTOX_5K8UkDqP4aDDaGteUhBFe-9w8IF1ZZL4Z_BTF0yiDwrFwN3hAKf5yfnCGvZFg3hoL6_6bWlCcOb5c70bR3ttwY73JY09I2rKBQkL7z_m7-ashG27vRsPekq85T9BOZo-fmkqgAlA8WotSgwy-SQqKmGMJ6Q49UuVtYrA=s2992" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2992" data-original-width="2992" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj-CS7lrs0wKuTOX_5K8UkDqP4aDDaGteUhBFe-9w8IF1ZZL4Z_BTF0yiDwrFwN3hAKf5yfnCGvZFg3hoL6_6bWlCcOb5c70bR3ttwY73JY09I2rKBQkL7z_m7-ashG27vRsPekq85T9BOZo-fmkqgAlA8WotSgwy-SQqKmGMJ6Q49UuVtYrA=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Crested Tit (photo from Feb 2016)</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Rather strangely, <b>Crested Tits</b> proved to be very elusive this month, with barely a sighting achieved, though thankfully, it wasn't just me, as guides from other safaris experienced the same disappointment, with the favourite theory as to why, being that the incredibly mild and spring-like weather in January may have made feeding stations less attractive, and prompted them to begin courtship and nesting season very early....</p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 19.3261px;">Generally though, it is well worth noting that the colder winter months (October-Feb) are actually the best time of year for seeing the 'wee Cresties', as these characterful little birds can be frustratingly secretive, unobtrusive and almost silent during the breeding season, with sightings being much more difficult to obtain between March and September....</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgUAiOdOe4_Eq4UGyNirP8aphC07uK-Vy9Vt7lBX3EbgYgVeccbSwgTavAr2XKMPLrq2SH6ssaR6i63fL-hhR06LuabGbURl_MImQ2YIjYr7nXEwG0piUpEm7td5yQ3K-gZIrbliyLI1U2Mm78-pIPsZbO9jZh5YLpq1Ly3ZtTjAnG4g9Xh9Q=s1679" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1050" data-original-width="1679" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgUAiOdOe4_Eq4UGyNirP8aphC07uK-Vy9Vt7lBX3EbgYgVeccbSwgTavAr2XKMPLrq2SH6ssaR6i63fL-hhR06LuabGbURl_MImQ2YIjYr7nXEwG0piUpEm7td5yQ3K-gZIrbliyLI1U2Mm78-pIPsZbO9jZh5YLpq1Ly3ZtTjAnG4g9Xh9Q=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Hand-feeding a Coal Tit in the Caledonian forest</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">A bonus by-product of regular winter feeding is often (especially on colder days) being able to feed the incredibly confiding </span><b>Coal Tits </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">and (sometimes) </span><b>Great Tits</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> and <b>Robin </b>by hand, an experience much enjoyed by my safari clients of all ages...</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiN6wszsitS9Ft5Z-9I6FczLpWiPUO1iXIQ28Sb41mz27JnM1ENybTmus7RhkbwqorlaZItBXHe8gFnxllFY6nkFGrAAb-OHnpBmIZ22nBb0is2RUOqknVlMNtmnAwX-giP9IFkOxE63XCFriJuI_l8kWMaW-FnSQ12RSSXqs_hc1z7CB2C4g=s3137" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2492" data-original-width="3137" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiN6wszsitS9Ft5Z-9I6FczLpWiPUO1iXIQ28Sb41mz27JnM1ENybTmus7RhkbwqorlaZItBXHe8gFnxllFY6nkFGrAAb-OHnpBmIZ22nBb0is2RUOqknVlMNtmnAwX-giP9IFkOxE63XCFriJuI_l8kWMaW-FnSQ12RSSXqs_hc1z7CB2C4g=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Crossbill</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;">Still in the Caledonian forests, and similarly to last month, we actually did ok for </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 700;">Crossbill </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;">sightings again this month, with some decent views...mainly because the period between December and March is breeding season for them, which means that this is your best chance to see them perched in treetops, often singing to establish a territory and attract a mate....whereas they can be pretty tricky to see (apart from flyovers) for the rest of the year...</span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;">Despite numerous dawn walks in my local Caledonian forests again this month, sadly, I failed to see a single <b>Capercaillie</b> , though I did spot a few Caper poos, so there is still hope of a sighting in the future...</span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13.2px;">Please note that </span><b style="font-size: 13.2px;">Capercaillie</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13.2px;"> numbers would still appear to be declining alarmingly, they are now very rare and elusive, and I would only rate our chances of seeing one on my safaris as "very slim" at best...</span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>On the rivers...</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhSmLtpIvYjDLRPaxS7OZfeAfdmpmC4mjPf5h4NWccIreStcqa4vNs_yD-mcFCugfQunqgCMzC5-Wfo_0Drye6dFxyoG1d3sDzrHjTllOCy8jWt1QcfPiCf-YFpmfrAcR4vnVBNNEwTK-jwz92vpt948tje3LXl4o9oJlNAm_EI0wlFYso68w=s2016" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhSmLtpIvYjDLRPaxS7OZfeAfdmpmC4mjPf5h4NWccIreStcqa4vNs_yD-mcFCugfQunqgCMzC5-Wfo_0Drye6dFxyoG1d3sDzrHjTllOCy8jWt1QcfPiCf-YFpmfrAcR4vnVBNNEwTK-jwz92vpt948tje3LXl4o9oJlNAm_EI0wlFYso68w=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A typical local river</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjX0y8lax4tNHZZJ0NHe6_a_Klleg81hYJH_RrlrlKeHxO64EGy_Q57lCmQ8SEMgPZ59lqqg5DE0UE5yT3manZoSmbW3om0YRyG1KISJADbddtauiJ9fjkdHdbfGuuQ2bNY1-rIPihhX9fQEOFZZtiDuz1ThrbpwltJLveyHjL3YqPSuQTmaw=s3975" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2229" data-original-width="3975" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjX0y8lax4tNHZZJ0NHe6_a_Klleg81hYJH_RrlrlKeHxO64EGy_Q57lCmQ8SEMgPZ59lqqg5DE0UE5yT3manZoSmbW3om0YRyG1KISJADbddtauiJ9fjkdHdbfGuuQ2bNY1-rIPihhX9fQEOFZZtiDuz1ThrbpwltJLveyHjL3YqPSuQTmaw=w400-h224" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Dipper</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b><br /></b><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 19.3261px; line-height: 1.4;">Our </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700;">Dippers</span><span style="font-size: 19.3261px; line-height: 1.4;"> are in full 'breeding season mode' now, and early morning visits to known favourite nesting sites (keeping a respectful distance of course) usually give us great views of these characterful and hardy little birds singing their hearts out, with wings back and chests pushed out... and towards the end of the month we often see one or two carrying nesting material....and it still makes me shiver every time I see these tough little birds submerge themselves when feeding in the freezing winter months...</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">We also occasionally see <b>Goosander </b>and<b> Goldeneye </b>on our local rivers too....</p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">On the lochs...</b></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj4UW6n5X3TN_vKFAdGk3p5OzIx-zVsADz_tDWLKfzJD1M7uuRFkBrkpAWvmq8xa3DgAPNq_1ZoyUlCfQxQPkp90yKUGi1J1GiZODX5JgOKFIceNVKmQp5i18SAOPUwCOQNDVf7rAEKBHF2SwZlosTqvZTzoxwuf_YFE28HjtPp3n0u5yqUGw=s2009" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1234" data-original-width="2009" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj4UW6n5X3TN_vKFAdGk3p5OzIx-zVsADz_tDWLKfzJD1M7uuRFkBrkpAWvmq8xa3DgAPNq_1ZoyUlCfQxQPkp90yKUGi1J1GiZODX5JgOKFIceNVKmQp5i18SAOPUwCOQNDVf7rAEKBHF2SwZlosTqvZTzoxwuf_YFE28HjtPp3n0u5yqUGw=w400-h246" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A picturesque local loch</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgx970SqxYytCdmH9OkNuIrC0C8VFCNJUMPp3UTMtUGoPoFYxvfumvxO7CeHV3ZHvskvYZ9EEcSxWva13LANElPJm262CSAh8VqMHBO1Fq-Icnes5YMhOICquPkb5wUljeDDbj2MHR01sIdG7jKuMu9IjjbcpP6FffghkC8BUGEs3SYqRfYhw=s4120" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2880" data-original-width="4120" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgx970SqxYytCdmH9OkNuIrC0C8VFCNJUMPp3UTMtUGoPoFYxvfumvxO7CeHV3ZHvskvYZ9EEcSxWva13LANElPJm262CSAh8VqMHBO1Fq-Icnes5YMhOICquPkb5wUljeDDbj2MHR01sIdG7jKuMu9IjjbcpP6FffghkC8BUGEs3SYqRfYhw=w400-h280" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Drake Goldeneye</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjDm8I_DbTukYvyEB9fVminGGHJfyTnRRwEkQj7y8U0o-yz8ejYZ1_-WPwv1UVW6MrKt81R-TqUKUIsj5l4W_rAqU0yiIr4YeJnmUKoAqKiDPZ5rhgTS3pTn9ikdrvmVqawiG63yauzjJfwjsa58t3zb2FLmKU-aI2Ugq4UdajAwuCG-f4brA=s4608" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjDm8I_DbTukYvyEB9fVminGGHJfyTnRRwEkQj7y8U0o-yz8ejYZ1_-WPwv1UVW6MrKt81R-TqUKUIsj5l4W_rAqU0yiIr4YeJnmUKoAqKiDPZ5rhgTS3pTn9ikdrvmVqawiG63yauzjJfwjsa58t3zb2FLmKU-aI2Ugq4UdajAwuCG-f4brA=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Whooper Swans</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">Star birds on the lochs during the winter are probably the </span><b>Goldeneyes</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, with the males now in their dapper breeding plumage and some displaying, and the winter-visiting </span><b>Whooper Swans,</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> with a back up cast of </span><b>Goosander</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Teal</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Wigeon </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">and </span><b>Tufted Ducks</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>On farmland....</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgSOtEkb9u0GSX-rYp_e67-qUDXScbFd-8PEdPR_VcbaE6VcvKlQXercgAu3eYViiI7l0gJY3wuBHQKmstiZiAsmK2fRmlm7VOFpCB64yP_idxg9WwpgXHpLPlsxgmyTW4yNfXFoSh3ly6QTz7r2DOsw9l_7has2WZ38cMucOq_3nFQugIYHg=s4608" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2307" data-original-width="4608" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgSOtEkb9u0GSX-rYp_e67-qUDXScbFd-8PEdPR_VcbaE6VcvKlQXercgAu3eYViiI7l0gJY3wuBHQKmstiZiAsmK2fRmlm7VOFpCB64yP_idxg9WwpgXHpLPlsxgmyTW4yNfXFoSh3ly6QTz7r2DOsw9l_7has2WZ38cMucOq_3nFQugIYHg=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Oystercatchers</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh_vpHVXFqv3miDs1G85VaPrPZtWbxZDQ9sV8zaLuN2gBNiLYf1foDEp86WgCWfU7raHPXrHVUrOP_MttI3lMUenompBGygtPWQDumR-WllkrJIDBedxgvS5knNVqy23gC3HC8H9bp9Ut8nXoXBiJlSsND5fUomf9qwz56baqB-QPGLGiUUOA=s4306" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3027" data-original-width="4306" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh_vpHVXFqv3miDs1G85VaPrPZtWbxZDQ9sV8zaLuN2gBNiLYf1foDEp86WgCWfU7raHPXrHVUrOP_MttI3lMUenompBGygtPWQDumR-WllkrJIDBedxgvS5knNVqy23gC3HC8H9bp9Ut8nXoXBiJlSsND5fUomf9qwz56baqB-QPGLGiUUOA=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Curlew</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">The first waders were seen returning to their spring/summer breeding grounds, with <b>Oystercatcher</b>, <b>Lapwing</b>, <b>Golden Plover</b> and <b>Curlew</b> all being noted.....</p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Up in the mountains....</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj0Q64-O8DpuJ6zu-2er_99vrH8rvNSjt_3OEI8J53R_mEYPrn5h7MTf0RHE4y4p2Bo7mREZHOuOP3bz_hLYnQqdnUcVwYwu0NIOfREjkGOOrV56JWam0pg61rRP3ZYlbrvBZcWEmkl2I2TV6N8fM3ZryzpYgEppEm3Yd63nPlQJDRtJO7XAw=s1946" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1309" data-original-width="1946" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj0Q64-O8DpuJ6zu-2er_99vrH8rvNSjt_3OEI8J53R_mEYPrn5h7MTf0RHE4y4p2Bo7mREZHOuOP3bz_hLYnQqdnUcVwYwu0NIOfREjkGOOrV56JWam0pg61rRP3ZYlbrvBZcWEmkl2I2TV6N8fM3ZryzpYgEppEm3Yd63nPlQJDRtJO7XAw=w400-h269" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The Cairngorm Mountains</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjdeYiK9YlJPAyeFtEvO_mNck_JEs_lvsT99YSjvgQ8g-X0QCi8gkO_I6DdCSCaGJ9U6XkglwAQHUGe6fNmKhXDrONQs36NPFgsqkN2LtIQDIywk0p01yoVCcL_AixgMwKHitlS98AJMFwuJ6uTqcQz4zkaGDS88daZtQRVq2uEh0743rLNmQ=s4563" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2814" data-original-width="4563" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjdeYiK9YlJPAyeFtEvO_mNck_JEs_lvsT99YSjvgQ8g-X0QCi8gkO_I6DdCSCaGJ9U6XkglwAQHUGe6fNmKhXDrONQs36NPFgsqkN2LtIQDIywk0p01yoVCcL_AixgMwKHitlS98AJMFwuJ6uTqcQz4zkaGDS88daZtQRVq2uEh0743rLNmQ=w400-h246" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Snow Buntings</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b><br /></b><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj3okY9Wm1_ROotEv2Y2w9_oraSnl_d_n7tDUS5YSBMH22d48rxYPIeFKHFZymiPiX7XT-fAFxwHiZZBbjtBYhAGmA0rQGi4SOyR2MtlX8IoTq-AeOgy7vV80o-42Rm0fefLO2_dOTMtCVW-juf-jnAmByqOLBBBE12rxoxufLw4RnZI7oGVA=s4435" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2657" data-original-width="4435" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj3okY9Wm1_ROotEv2Y2w9_oraSnl_d_n7tDUS5YSBMH22d48rxYPIeFKHFZymiPiX7XT-fAFxwHiZZBbjtBYhAGmA0rQGi4SOyR2MtlX8IoTq-AeOgy7vV80o-42Rm0fefLO2_dOTMtCVW-juf-jnAmByqOLBBBE12rxoxufLw4RnZI7oGVA=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Snow Bunting close-up</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Snow Buntings</b> can often be seen in and around the Cairngorms Ski Centre car park in the winter months, if it can be accessed in the often heavy snow and high winds, and that was the case on a few occasions this month, with up to 20 of these attractive and characterful little birds being seen. Their confiding nature means that you can sometimes creep reasonably close for photos too, especially if you put some wild bird seed out to attract and distract them....</p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">With the Cairngorm Funicular Railway still closed for major repairs, and the days still quite short , I didn't venture up into the mountain-tops myself this month, but for future reference, a few </span><b>Ptarmigan</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> , still totally white, can sometimes be seen, up around the 'snow-line', usually sheltering in corries or on the leeward sides of ridges, out of the cold wind...</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Winter-visiting birds seen in our area this month included:</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> </span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiHLh6zkAwuB1OdNRCtaP9nfbEb9bnUvjTW7qvgRH92dVplposibaOjf7JRRK09kOnWsDglFTuBVBoMsDZNgGF_wRo9aD5l334cieM0EzPMLw6jy8A2UZ88nrrR3nq5eh-CJw_XKz0asRp5uzSa24oQraOZWzv345klMWT_RPHpUh4Ru_4LJQ=s2991" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="877" data-original-width="2991" height="118" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiHLh6zkAwuB1OdNRCtaP9nfbEb9bnUvjTW7qvgRH92dVplposibaOjf7JRRK09kOnWsDglFTuBVBoMsDZNgGF_wRo9aD5l334cieM0EzPMLw6jy8A2UZ88nrrR3nq5eh-CJw_XKz0asRp5uzSa24oQraOZWzv345klMWT_RPHpUh4Ru_4LJQ=w400-h118" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Whooper Swans</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh8ielHOIRu-pFalaSgwDY9M0wGUNop-aweQxRJNpx7gnfuxMmb9fHAhvZkp8p-mKH7UGRK5UytgV_tSlXLnA1azTOWkySunX-Ji7d-Q1Ip1EAeZ6hvMNGNQ1fqBnihpxw9kzTsaJj8d_oJZMwLFaX-0-NUl8qLkxVnH9LKJ-ww3i9HCLzshg=s3940" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2892" data-original-width="3940" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh8ielHOIRu-pFalaSgwDY9M0wGUNop-aweQxRJNpx7gnfuxMmb9fHAhvZkp8p-mKH7UGRK5UytgV_tSlXLnA1azTOWkySunX-Ji7d-Q1Ip1EAeZ6hvMNGNQ1fqBnihpxw9kzTsaJj8d_oJZMwLFaX-0-NUl8qLkxVnH9LKJ-ww3i9HCLzshg=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Brambling</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgEGo3-FMMQt0ZANvGUGk0vWJo5aaNT7DD4WrN3ROOGWwhoUgufjiY6IDfAm47_gVDfNBnBz2dki7twdgLyIEFznE4Xf6kCtnyGaLFQQyHfXQWLqt5sQ_lEyqiDLUIYo86JbkFGTH3t4LBngShoF_iEjTznIwFCMkICAxQfq9EQhXhWO6eS6w=s2096" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1363" data-original-width="2096" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgEGo3-FMMQt0ZANvGUGk0vWJo5aaNT7DD4WrN3ROOGWwhoUgufjiY6IDfAm47_gVDfNBnBz2dki7twdgLyIEFznE4Xf6kCtnyGaLFQQyHfXQWLqt5sQ_lEyqiDLUIYo86JbkFGTH3t4LBngShoF_iEjTznIwFCMkICAxQfq9EQhXhWO6eS6w=w400-h260" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Waxwing</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjeeFI-ubcDzgvDIt6ND4G7FnVwwq3Wn_jU2Hw83CSkpbYH2L3JJys9odxEsbSRjNrDc8HI67pl9rq6oqSthT27GxspOOiqCpTOxB6EeyxBcfK-Td3r72YxLeatZBiTrXMnl1F1HGQDxt4gtvD9fcipc1yU_PA46mmJ3PFIDN1puDG3X1Ppag=s3252" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1657" data-original-width="3252" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjeeFI-ubcDzgvDIt6ND4G7FnVwwq3Wn_jU2Hw83CSkpbYH2L3JJys9odxEsbSRjNrDc8HI67pl9rq6oqSthT27GxspOOiqCpTOxB6EeyxBcfK-Td3r72YxLeatZBiTrXMnl1F1HGQDxt4gtvD9fcipc1yU_PA46mmJ3PFIDN1puDG3X1Ppag=w400-h204" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Waxwing</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Whooper Swans</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Grey Geese (Greylag , Pink-Footed </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">and a few <b>Barnacle)</b>, <b>Redwings</b>, <b>Fieldfares,</b> <b>Bramblings</b> , <b>Redpolls</b>, and a few <b>Waxwings</b>...</span></p><p><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Other good/scarce birds seen/reported locally this month included:</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">The <b>Great Grey Shrike</b> lingered for just a couple of days at the start of the month, a <b>Glaucous Gul</b>l was reported mid-month, and a few <b>Hawfinches</b> were seen on and off throughout the month...</p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-weight: 700;">A few photos of more common birds seen locally this month: </span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgnkD_RcA3X-4FpXJ92N4pB4qMLck9VUVqi8Wv5yRy27Mfn7Ph5OySB0BxvWVk0A3-BvQC_OAj1sYV3YfOtt8AuadLcA6TuPtdn2a4409HNvhD1vunBwmwUGN-Gr1fHFEEvF1CWpITUAnXVfWEroSdKssLKHfdvRfdProRFlX9lpuZtgTEmYg=s1424" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1424" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgnkD_RcA3X-4FpXJ92N4pB4qMLck9VUVqi8Wv5yRy27Mfn7Ph5OySB0BxvWVk0A3-BvQC_OAj1sYV3YfOtt8AuadLcA6TuPtdn2a4409HNvhD1vunBwmwUGN-Gr1fHFEEvF1CWpITUAnXVfWEroSdKssLKHfdvRfdProRFlX9lpuZtgTEmYg=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Greater-Spotted Woodpecker by Denis Thame</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhWKUrVEYBm9cBfARHeYgCCneuZdKzsGnEhX-naIcwRe66rhUGffjr_S-yU4MLcPD5PvDaGCuDTHvJcQLIWvU7jZ3KJ_Rfhf4xEFfPFeFo9t5RG44cvmavS0sPpxE5PBRD-W-CRK17k5lX0L_0iAC1zJmf5HKePqY-YHI0JyaWgyo0nXusc-g=s4608" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhWKUrVEYBm9cBfARHeYgCCneuZdKzsGnEhX-naIcwRe66rhUGffjr_S-yU4MLcPD5PvDaGCuDTHvJcQLIWvU7jZ3KJ_Rfhf4xEFfPFeFo9t5RG44cvmavS0sPpxE5PBRD-W-CRK17k5lX0L_0iAC1zJmf5HKePqY-YHI0JyaWgyo0nXusc-g=w320-h240" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Siskin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhb5vf-gV3ptQL6rUT4lgq7_BB8BCp0mspNq2yqQjoFNmzzJysWCd25qtYStf-cUQ3jqLrHEsm29hKCBVcBl3yDv7H5fnE-TTicjhZYwGAboLccebO6XLu1YTFVhHZwgA3l1BXMeCKPqtkqOZZGQI0SSzY-c3691amy24ly4KOFVboQLp-OdA=s4608" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhb5vf-gV3ptQL6rUT4lgq7_BB8BCp0mspNq2yqQjoFNmzzJysWCd25qtYStf-cUQ3jqLrHEsm29hKCBVcBl3yDv7H5fnE-TTicjhZYwGAboLccebO6XLu1YTFVhHZwgA3l1BXMeCKPqtkqOZZGQI0SSzY-c3691amy24ly4KOFVboQLp-OdA=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Great Tit</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhHOdfc8Rte-CEYA5ZSg7zH3K9Sf5xvS_Um06MlR17TuNDSzbKOa3zBLNE8f1HFAmw2XJMma1LP2AjNaJ4qYlo_njJSH0gws-7n_H3vkEM1D_rIazDLP9rFgNx62RB7wCnhL6x3F09VeXDcNV-sRQlqTQOHb9_sYO8QRYwN_OwFyp7n-jEVcg=s3501" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1815" data-original-width="3501" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhHOdfc8Rte-CEYA5ZSg7zH3K9Sf5xvS_Um06MlR17TuNDSzbKOa3zBLNE8f1HFAmw2XJMma1LP2AjNaJ4qYlo_njJSH0gws-7n_H3vkEM1D_rIazDLP9rFgNx62RB7wCnhL6x3F09VeXDcNV-sRQlqTQOHb9_sYO8QRYwN_OwFyp7n-jEVcg=w400-h208" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red-Legged Partridges</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;">Adventures 'out of area':</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"> </span></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi23ghkXAAMjxUgoXumOExr9vlr7WjJ80bB09JlKFbRWsGPgFw4IicDeV5bKOzwTy3p8O9wWR2yaYQuXM69BuBIDVVoKFk8f2LxCHFMwuqzpykI9Jy_gxIv7xWReJ-sVDbjs_rDbRB0DqYlDqyciAMG08U2C1kG05G6tqBPy7AFMTphxdGMNQ=s1829" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1315" data-original-width="1829" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi23ghkXAAMjxUgoXumOExr9vlr7WjJ80bB09JlKFbRWsGPgFw4IicDeV5bKOzwTy3p8O9wWR2yaYQuXM69BuBIDVVoKFk8f2LxCHFMwuqzpykI9Jy_gxIv7xWReJ-sVDbjs_rDbRB0DqYlDqyciAMG08U2C1kG05G6tqBPy7AFMTphxdGMNQ=w400-h288" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Hopeman Bay on the picturesque Moray coast</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjdt9jNGV-lIFH6P7f1cARVd2YswNZF1wEPn7LMSqEyAceD1VIg8evPYhCq0xf4l12YJBDRzxtCZqI4lbtGWUt8SmMSio2v3dafXOvYYkW8GhHpAK9WxdL6X4eh7z-AKL5lDaZIxPE2cjStfQ54ExBXDrdvw6gASsqFrDzxge0gLIjDDW4Elg=s4103" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2382" data-original-width="4103" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjdt9jNGV-lIFH6P7f1cARVd2YswNZF1wEPn7LMSqEyAceD1VIg8evPYhCq0xf4l12YJBDRzxtCZqI4lbtGWUt8SmMSio2v3dafXOvYYkW8GhHpAK9WxdL6X4eh7z-AKL5lDaZIxPE2cjStfQ54ExBXDrdvw6gASsqFrDzxge0gLIjDDW4Elg=w400-h233" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Snow Geese (with Greylag Geese)</b></td></tr></tbody></table></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgaW9tiGV-e_ht0wi6efTes7PfxlePcTDW-8CfrpVTlA431DFqZ-7nGHg_FrRpvkJUZaErEoTR1gFPhKbuv9WmIU-WTTOwN38zxgDIWmug_xs9ts8RI7L7KWE1rlpvHhI2HsOpSmMPups9mPm58GNVkl1ST5FdY2x3BGAl_pJPlDykY5wIq8w=s3949" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1900" data-original-width="3949" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgaW9tiGV-e_ht0wi6efTes7PfxlePcTDW-8CfrpVTlA431DFqZ-7nGHg_FrRpvkJUZaErEoTR1gFPhKbuv9WmIU-WTTOwN38zxgDIWmug_xs9ts8RI7L7KWE1rlpvHhI2HsOpSmMPups9mPm58GNVkl1ST5FdY2x3BGAl_pJPlDykY5wIq8w=w400-h193" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>'Elvis' the King Eider</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgh2qzFlM9xpq1JE3Bo0Cthf9dqAUI3f9zAgVW2wiBtEQfj-z148NnoKdAHW_UpeX2A3kC2Ds2tZU0X1Lx9cQUNbTSxtZiO6NKacg3661-ghl6LkWOBDpdEclIqQHbttFlwlHhYLScKmtjhVM3aaLindcL98pieh03SOq914z9tkAWkXtRXKA=s3115" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1430" data-original-width="3115" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgh2qzFlM9xpq1JE3Bo0Cthf9dqAUI3f9zAgVW2wiBtEQfj-z148NnoKdAHW_UpeX2A3kC2Ds2tZU0X1Lx9cQUNbTSxtZiO6NKacg3661-ghl6LkWOBDpdEclIqQHbttFlwlHhYLScKmtjhVM3aaLindcL98pieh03SOq914z9tkAWkXtRXKA=w400-h184" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Scaup</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEipYFVF7CQDynGHbVTnwvWBjEJ234fB3q3Tm3XWFbGSWLaWrhWU8uo_zd9lyROStjRmbyO7IBrccyxnDD1HRBMjnyOKWYCrLnjx8XLkDZp1lux8Bx3AOS8oZLVU03TNjuYXJOSAzoGVtP-gNLK57Xe6MyHtw6WYDX5lJHkN-WwdTvNU8FlleA=s4608" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1733" data-original-width="4608" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEipYFVF7CQDynGHbVTnwvWBjEJ234fB3q3Tm3XWFbGSWLaWrhWU8uo_zd9lyROStjRmbyO7IBrccyxnDD1HRBMjnyOKWYCrLnjx8XLkDZp1lux8Bx3AOS8oZLVU03TNjuYXJOSAzoGVtP-gNLK57Xe6MyHtw6WYDX5lJHkN-WwdTvNU8FlleA=w400-h150" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Eiders</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhqbhb-hP85-SMYbtvPR91f3SA2uaNoyDk0Hm8KyRPVFkirW-nwvwNW4PV_1WgByrvzY7BlztAc-SfbK3TfKlOEqHxTxWvFcD7WrRAXX02ULoh8cehGGRdMMEespCapTiaYHiSX0H3dy_0JlXia1Nteh_kjue_5nFMCJIsS_rZww6UAdxGwHw=s1151" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="766" data-original-width="1151" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhqbhb-hP85-SMYbtvPR91f3SA2uaNoyDk0Hm8KyRPVFkirW-nwvwNW4PV_1WgByrvzY7BlztAc-SfbK3TfKlOEqHxTxWvFcD7WrRAXX02ULoh8cehGGRdMMEespCapTiaYHiSX0H3dy_0JlXia1Nteh_kjue_5nFMCJIsS_rZww6UAdxGwHw=w400-h266" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Sanderling by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh3jTSnb5XILPYXG7R570MtMitiL8Rafp6DUT3iFRCV_8r9RzJN_zwq9ycI3oM1u-LuZHwJxWLxY1gVkcnuRgf_qqTItA4feyQ0RIo1PMWKoXNlu_aJz05FdM_4tzmRJpgmiUR2iIbpi7Hq8vDq01GEnYehFJaBd6ZDTvzt2inO4y7Q1pdMXw=s2235" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1491" data-original-width="2235" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh3jTSnb5XILPYXG7R570MtMitiL8Rafp6DUT3iFRCV_8r9RzJN_zwq9ycI3oM1u-LuZHwJxWLxY1gVkcnuRgf_qqTItA4feyQ0RIo1PMWKoXNlu_aJz05FdM_4tzmRJpgmiUR2iIbpi7Hq8vDq01GEnYehFJaBd6ZDTvzt2inO4y7Q1pdMXw=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Bar-Tailed Godwit by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgE7IBpUwTm0us7ox-yV-Om4wOyJa2rLxqXFey72nKRSsZ9kX0dQzyX9MsZ3o0M_2fFqkQ9v2b1rNpNQIIiQImJ0cHFwlB1aJsi8HbWN4p48ti_kj0MN8a5KyFFiMRZP0FJb-ZpaCudH60Qz7M0H1nY74gzfbxUmuVpIIBGtdLTEG6hOif26A=s1768" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1179" data-original-width="1768" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgE7IBpUwTm0us7ox-yV-Om4wOyJa2rLxqXFey72nKRSsZ9kX0dQzyX9MsZ3o0M_2fFqkQ9v2b1rNpNQIIiQImJ0cHFwlB1aJsi8HbWN4p48ti_kj0MN8a5KyFFiMRZP0FJb-ZpaCudH60Qz7M0H1nY74gzfbxUmuVpIIBGtdLTEG6hOif26A=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red-Breasted Mergansers by Steve Nicklin</b><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjc__v1egZszKGP9LUQ2nIL_lOCJcb0FMwsN2kBtOp32IOIT1_ryHA9Aeuzv6UTNwscWhKqv6m_kwZnF_t5OSagmGw7cLzOFd5_MJztlCB6RcjL2xVD9a-EIrZg58DMGWAJLvX8Q-l54sRRNAJ-TI-gvM3w-RtmwDeGyus3ZvBgUGmrDh3ANg=s1780" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1187" data-original-width="1780" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjc__v1egZszKGP9LUQ2nIL_lOCJcb0FMwsN2kBtOp32IOIT1_ryHA9Aeuzv6UTNwscWhKqv6m_kwZnF_t5OSagmGw7cLzOFd5_MJztlCB6RcjL2xVD9a-EIrZg58DMGWAJLvX8Q-l54sRRNAJ-TI-gvM3w-RtmwDeGyus3ZvBgUGmrDh3ANg=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Redshank by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgJVY4oOpZUl2i7bXehtvRjG1FcCVu77_ULtQgbjXKUXe2tiKVnReNFrBA00YhXbJXjhGaidG2TyLG3ed3as_KKBo6SlO04Y2ZypoWn7JbDNaSeG7x1U7yEOclXxJygkpdjcoVGhMVs-9D3jgFBk5QS3Z4pA5Q8umbhpOdZDXCSduOz7yYHOQ=s2201" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1467" data-original-width="2201" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgJVY4oOpZUl2i7bXehtvRjG1FcCVu77_ULtQgbjXKUXe2tiKVnReNFrBA00YhXbJXjhGaidG2TyLG3ed3as_KKBo6SlO04Y2ZypoWn7JbDNaSeG7x1U7yEOclXxJygkpdjcoVGhMVs-9D3jgFBk5QS3Z4pA5Q8umbhpOdZDXCSduOz7yYHOQ=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Drake Wigeon by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiFuya87zZ6rrmyyFZOTE6XRxd0iMLnlbmL7EM5WTD2K4-mibHT8PT2ZPiU4uZTQ-aGf1l1HaVSykQt9QhaOh8UvZkBI2LyRsjniGc8Q6xeJkhUvCdZwXN8SdGGLuiClRRx2Gx6ERQiHDIUrVsOitViQID_UBBSKeCUvVGVNVML6P2UruLFgA=s1420" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="947" data-original-width="1420" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiFuya87zZ6rrmyyFZOTE6XRxd0iMLnlbmL7EM5WTD2K4-mibHT8PT2ZPiU4uZTQ-aGf1l1HaVSykQt9QhaOh8UvZkBI2LyRsjniGc8Q6xeJkhUvCdZwXN8SdGGLuiClRRx2Gx6ERQiHDIUrVsOitViQID_UBBSKeCUvVGVNVML6P2UruLFgA=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Drake Teal by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgE30-wcfjbA35i3XZ7rsocyIyMYyJA3__qfZ4LfPjqEhrAQDtEvSmpyM-ygiqKfA9yBldUEQ5SjSWBwscuf-eoZzLOQHFd_HxqrlsIy869EahOE9jFcORsd_zDmis_u22x-GRKBqglW4fYuJfFacPZ3qUqGy_-d0G-SAF4p22Ev_59CcdIBQ=s2205" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1470" data-original-width="2205" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgE30-wcfjbA35i3XZ7rsocyIyMYyJA3__qfZ4LfPjqEhrAQDtEvSmpyM-ygiqKfA9yBldUEQ5SjSWBwscuf-eoZzLOQHFd_HxqrlsIy869EahOE9jFcORsd_zDmis_u22x-GRKBqglW4fYuJfFacPZ3qUqGy_-d0G-SAF4p22Ev_59CcdIBQ=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Glaucous Gull by Steve Nicklin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">The Moray coast is only about a one hour drive north of Aviemore, and a couple of trips to favourite reserves, lochs, bays and harbours gave good views of wintering birds such as </span><b>Greylag</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> </span><b>Geese</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Pink-Footed Geese</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Brent Geese</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, <b>Barnacle Geese</b>, </span><b>Whooper Swan</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Shoveler</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Wigeon</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Teal</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> </span><b>Pintail</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">,</span><b> </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> </span><b>Bar-Tailed Godwit</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Knot, Golden Plover</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> , </span><b>Grey Plover </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Ringed Plover</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Purple Sandpiper, Redshank, Oystercatcher, Turnstone, Curlew, </b><b>Common Scoter</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><b>Velvet Scoter</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">, </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> </span><b>Long-Tailed Ducks, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Eiders</b></span><b>, Red-Throated Diver, </b>and<b> Slavonian Grebe, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">with the chance of scarce birds such as <b>Tree Sparrow</b>, and rarities such as</span><b> </b><b>Snow Geese,</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> rare</span><b> Scoters, </b>rare<b> Gulls, </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">and</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"> </span><b>King Eider.....</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>February 2022 mammal sightings in more detail:</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjA-S5nAerDUP28ZKU9O0rvaeHzcb01pwgAErFawvfHJiZkbd4Bx5zRTZzxPT3VREJGNAgdmJvTyL0LfH6t4FyTodVhahzsfsnSwuZdL68WNxLv2q2XE7HQQfPhvH1cf4A-6IgqNiS7Lx5rCYDbn3_y2JC1Vy_ekxulpjjHt4F0gQbeML-rVA=s4114" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2750" data-original-width="4114" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjA-S5nAerDUP28ZKU9O0rvaeHzcb01pwgAErFawvfHJiZkbd4Bx5zRTZzxPT3VREJGNAgdmJvTyL0LfH6t4FyTodVhahzsfsnSwuZdL68WNxLv2q2XE7HQQfPhvH1cf4A-6IgqNiS7Lx5rCYDbn3_y2JC1Vy_ekxulpjjHt4F0gQbeML-rVA=w400-h268" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Mountain Hare</b></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.3px; line-height: 1.4;">Our local </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif"><b>Mountain Hares</b></span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.3px; line-height: 1.4;"> usually 'steal the show' this month, and it is very hard to argue against that when you take into account their gorgeous looks in their winter white coats, their relative scarcity in the UK, and the often spectacularly scenic upland habitat in which they are found. </span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.3px; line-height: 1.4;">However, in contrast to the snowless conditions of last month, the all white backgrounds this month made their camouflage very effective, and we often struggled to find them...</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.3px; line-height: 1.4;"><b style="font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;">It should also be noted , that most of our views are at range through my telescope, and that a closer view usually involves some considerable amount of rough uphill walking, often on snow.</span></span></span></span></span></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgXv2LswSYCUs_2LGZmgN7X_vDMyHf_lso4ZBxgH2T_YDItTYW7y74OYT9S-tcvCzGmVAfjAhIVrscCMvH9tEskCS4inbh2SZJS4I2cNh5Ae2NEm6lDNRzDaMBnY69e9mW7P9inr9fVNzeMCXyrMLW9ORGtIL3myS36sjayTxImgx9ziV-aOg=s4549" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2289" data-original-width="4549" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgXv2LswSYCUs_2LGZmgN7X_vDMyHf_lso4ZBxgH2T_YDItTYW7y74OYT9S-tcvCzGmVAfjAhIVrscCMvH9tEskCS4inbh2SZJS4I2cNh5Ae2NEm6lDNRzDaMBnY69e9mW7P9inr9fVNzeMCXyrMLW9ORGtIL3myS36sjayTxImgx9ziV-aOg=w400-h201" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Deer stags</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; text-align: justify;">Still up in the glens</span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; text-align: justify;">,</span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; text-align: justify;"> </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="text-align: justify;">large same-sex herds of</span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 700; text-align: justify;"> </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="text-align: justify;"><b>Red Deer</b></span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4; text-align: justify;"><b> </b>can often be seen well, but only if you used a bit of fieldcraft, and concentrated on looking for them on the leeward side of the hills, as although they are pretty hardy animals, they are clearly sensible enough not to stay exposed to strong winds or blizzards, of which we had plenty this month! </span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi9STnhvpAcvEeOUHhkksLLvema_F-jBJbC5MBMTLbLHbm_c4aYx2DuYTCXfIPTYg1Qy1Ofd93z7NAt6FWAk1ilLMGlhVwSDjocCq34vV_RkkxonhcjJBzG6REFoArEg-tUYXoPPr2R4faSeJj57ksXLXpNrIDjBRNXwk-M8iSQsVTxJaw2gg=s3780" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1579" data-original-width="3780" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi9STnhvpAcvEeOUHhkksLLvema_F-jBJbC5MBMTLbLHbm_c4aYx2DuYTCXfIPTYg1Qy1Ofd93z7NAt6FWAk1ilLMGlhVwSDjocCq34vV_RkkxonhcjJBzG6REFoArEg-tUYXoPPr2R4faSeJj57ksXLXpNrIDjBRNXwk-M8iSQsVTxJaw2gg=w400-h168" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Feral Mountain Goats<br /><br /></b></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4;">Also sharing the same upland habitat are our local </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif">Feral Mountain Goats</span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4;">, and we did pretty well this month, seeing them on most occasions that we visited the glens where they live, and although they seemed keen to keep their distance, we noted that there were now some very cute recently born youngsters among them...</span></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4; text-align: justify;"><b style="font-size: 13.2px; text-align: start;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgZwOzPH-fD_Tk1pzJ_9HebfHFteF5__pQU1JwWnsHZOcSvjfF5MhUyFTueIr8XbU9cNh14pEjeV5Fwki-f_ulGMnz9m-mBTvCWrV-CWXEQd0xQwz3M3YEIeASdyx54mh-my0hkuAD25Y-_xWUXRqMPY1kKmugmnTfxxJ9cp9meQLdOlkiR7A=s1882" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="995" data-original-width="1882" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgZwOzPH-fD_Tk1pzJ_9HebfHFteF5__pQU1JwWnsHZOcSvjfF5MhUyFTueIr8XbU9cNh14pEjeV5Fwki-f_ulGMnz9m-mBTvCWrV-CWXEQd0xQwz3M3YEIeASdyx54mh-my0hkuAD25Y-_xWUXRqMPY1kKmugmnTfxxJ9cp9meQLdOlkiR7A=w400-h211" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Squirrel by Denis Thame<br /><br /></b></td></tr></tbody></table></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;">In our local Caledonian forests,</span><span style="font-weight: 700;"> Red Squirrels always </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;">put big smiles on my safari clients faces, with many of them seeing these rare, cute and characterful little animals for the first time. Although most of our sightings are at feeding stations - they love peanuts! - we also had plenty of 'chance' sightings of them whilst driving or walking along the quieter forest tracks...</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4; text-align: justify;"><b style="font-size: 13.2px; text-align: start;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4; text-align: justify;"><b style="font-size: 13.2px; text-align: start;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4; text-align: justify;"><b style="font-size: 13.2px; text-align: start;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi3kUWmsJoyn9al_kO8SR7FZ9hTdyES4nC4hdqG1JpE75RlRetBMd4x0ZBNyNHcLwKcI-9eLPTzLk4kWIn63KRWW_tuCXRgAUktDCAjFoV2KxMDn0JqSv2k3ouJ1dvjX0eNyPdWIEqXHbxd7pwyu3mp2DM8_lNs2Um08h2ZEiaTz6bEbfKUsg=s4608" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3208" data-original-width="4608" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi3kUWmsJoyn9al_kO8SR7FZ9hTdyES4nC4hdqG1JpE75RlRetBMd4x0ZBNyNHcLwKcI-9eLPTzLk4kWIn63KRWW_tuCXRgAUktDCAjFoV2KxMDn0JqSv2k3ouJ1dvjX0eNyPdWIEqXHbxd7pwyu3mp2DM8_lNs2Um08h2ZEiaTz6bEbfKUsg=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Roe Deer (photo from Feb 2019)</b><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-weight: 700;">Roe Deer</span><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;"> however, can be a little trickier to see, being more wary of human disturbance, and most of our sightings were at dawn or in very quiet or remote areas, and were usually of the 'brief' variety, as they ran away on becoming aware of us...</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgP7rGNCTz4ZA2PZe4wFIJRt2gi6TI5zJL6zh7VfG4uY8HsgUQ7T-DHVcAaZThQ_yJsYFHX40q1VQoXj51ySd5B3AidFQAsHXJMEmbVnF9krahE22i60SIt1S8S4OQIH5MP7qr3UA0yB6jHQHdsfANVkMo04F0JLMf2mS--fL182xOYgvY-Zw=s2990" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2117" data-original-width="2990" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgP7rGNCTz4ZA2PZe4wFIJRt2gi6TI5zJL6zh7VfG4uY8HsgUQ7T-DHVcAaZThQ_yJsYFHX40q1VQoXj51ySd5B3AidFQAsHXJMEmbVnF9krahE22i60SIt1S8S4OQIH5MP7qr3UA0yB6jHQHdsfANVkMo04F0JLMf2mS--fL182xOYgvY-Zw=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Brown Hare (photo from Feb 2021)</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Brown Hares</b> have proved very elusive for me so far this year, and I'm not sure I can recall a solitary decent sighting of one this month </p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEivdyLYUd1RR5UPzuFNvP4xz4UfNmwQBFl58r08veawi5jbbB7uQUvXpVaaT6rNd3Iq6OFKfhxw6nlw-_Qf_4f8Kk5qGZKIu559i5KuGux0JKXdXSkldyWfQu4sm0m9MZbD88M4-7BS8KMDqJBhUJjqESdg0V09toSPLOtbAZwDT2IVLr0J6A=s2016" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEivdyLYUd1RR5UPzuFNvP4xz4UfNmwQBFl58r08veawi5jbbB7uQUvXpVaaT6rNd3Iq6OFKfhxw6nlw-_Qf_4f8Kk5qGZKIu559i5KuGux0JKXdXSkldyWfQu4sm0m9MZbD88M4-7BS8KMDqJBhUJjqESdg0V09toSPLOtbAZwDT2IVLr0J6A=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Carrot time for Murdo</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Hairy Highland Coo's</b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400;"> always prove to be popular with my safari clients, especially those who do not have them close to home, so don't be afraid to ask me if you fancy going to see them, and maybe even get to feed and 'pat' them, as I have a couple of great sites....</span></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Rare/nocturnal mammals:</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">I get a few enquiries about the possibility of seeing </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Badgers</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> and </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Pine Marten</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> from my safari clients, many of whom I suspect are unaware that they are actually a largely nocturnal creature, and although we do get the occasional (maybe one or two a year) dawn glimpse of one, you would definitely have a much higher chance of seeing them at a specific dusk Badger/Pine Marten watching hide - Please contact me for more information.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Similarly, our inland </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Otters</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"> too are mainly active during the hours of darkness, and again, although we do get a few early-morning sightings on local lochs and rivers each year, looking for them feeding in a suitably quiet, kelp - filled bay on the coast on a rising tide, but at any time of day, would give you a much better chance.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-family: quot; line-height: 1.4;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: quot; line-height: 1.4;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Whilst we are still on the 'tricky to see stuff', the <b>Scottish Wildcat </b>too, as well as being incredibly rare now, is also generally nocturnal, and the fact that I have had a mere handful of (dawn or dusk) sightings in 17 years of providing wildlife safaris should give you an idea of how difficult they are to see.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><div><br /></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Other wildlife:</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif">Nothing to report in this category this month, I'm afraid....</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi0Ju__05Bl8o14Yz8A4kgF07gFsnrXXLOOu0gZKzHXqxoq00VPcc1_VJ9PzyI99FHVU6KLdGmPrBBx687tIfeo0Vb1THDGkqCo3G2d_DP6OsJCd0-53L2MCb2GlNYFML1qv3v751EktiihrmS8jyUpDgRAQjb-NWjhh4VDSWo61tF4mkxoKQ=s1925" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1274" data-original-width="1925" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi0Ju__05Bl8o14Yz8A4kgF07gFsnrXXLOOu0gZKzHXqxoq00VPcc1_VJ9PzyI99FHVU6KLdGmPrBBx687tIfeo0Vb1THDGkqCo3G2d_DP6OsJCd0-53L2MCb2GlNYFML1qv3v751EktiihrmS8jyUpDgRAQjb-NWjhh4VDSWo61tF4mkxoKQ=w400-h265" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The first brave Snowdrops have emerged</b></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">News:</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">The BIG news is that all tourism/hospitality/activities in Scotland are open , are now largely free of restrictions except for the 1 metre social distancing recommendation, and that I have now completed ten (thankfully!) increasingly busy and extremely enjoyable full months of safaris with clients with no major issues arising.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">With all national travel restrictions lifted too, Scotland is officially 'open for business' for visitors from all over the UK, and from abroad.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">At the time of writing, due to COVID distancing rules, and as restrictions have only recently been relaxed, we are still operating at reduced capacity, and are still trying not to mix unconnected groups unless this is unavoidable, so we are currently recommending 'exclusive' safaris, at a small extra cost.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">For those considering a visit, these wildlife/outdoor tourism websites may prove useful:</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b>https://www.gov.scot/collections/coronavirus-covid</b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.outdooraccess-scotland.scot/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">NatureScot (outdooraccess-scotland.scot)</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #06004c;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xGdTZcC2ZQ" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-line: none;">Can Nature Help Health? | Nature Prescriptions - YouTube</a></b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1HBKnnGr-g" style="color: #0e2b46; text-decoration-line: none;">Scotland, Yours to Enjoy. Responsibly. - YouTube</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://cairngorms.co.uk/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">Cairngorms National Park Authority</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.highlandwildlifepark.org.uk/" style="color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">Highland Wildlife Park</a></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><p><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiW-YsxiJlKf1f3Ynlhlqel3uEPSiovSv3rFfgIzXlQtKK4u36sW0abLAiYv7mnSZLA5_YCmxX_-ljWVW1vp3mWsob21pbUAcy-SxaFYycNLkYuB7hMeKM2Nb6k2asAKwuW31t3o6hAjfLvw6g_dQRomYNmG1XlHrnjL6tu5Ef85HM4q0MAMQ=s1913" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1435" data-original-width="1913" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiW-YsxiJlKf1f3Ynlhlqel3uEPSiovSv3rFfgIzXlQtKK4u36sW0abLAiYv7mnSZLA5_YCmxX_-ljWVW1vp3mWsob21pbUAcy-SxaFYycNLkYuB7hMeKM2Nb6k2asAKwuW31t3o6hAjfLvw6g_dQRomYNmG1XlHrnjL6tu5Ef85HM4q0MAMQ=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A walk in the ancient Caledonian forest</b></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><div><b>COVID-19</b></div><div><br /></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><div><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b>The Scottish Highlands has had very few COVID-19 cases in comparison to most of the UK, and on my safaris we tend to visit remote , wild habitats well away from the more popular tourist areas, and usually have very little interaction with other people, and this is something that I intend to continue.</b></div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b>I can advise that I have not had COVID-19, have no symptoms, and have not knowingly been in contact with anyone who has.</b></div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><b>I intend to provide my wildlife safaris subject to the following conditions/changes:</b></div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">1) Parties will generally be limited to pre-booked small, preferably connected groups - so no mixing of unconnected parties unless we can do it safely and legally.</div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">2) There will additional COVID-19 related health questions asked at the time of booking.</div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">3) My safari vehicle will be deep cleaned before and after each safari.</div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">4) We will use the middle and rear rows of seats in my vehicle (a spacious Land Rover Discovery 7-seater) in preference to the front passenger seat where possible.</div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">5) Any parties uncomfortable with travelling in my vehicle will have the option to follow me in their own vehicles.</div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">6) Whilst on board my safari vehicle your guide and all clients will be asked to consider wearing face coverings. </div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">7) We will adhere to Government social distancing recommendations where possible.</div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">8) All surfaces/equipment touched frequently will be cleaned regularly by your guide.</div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">9) Hand sanitizer will be provided for guide and client use.</div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">10) Clients will be asked to bring their own optical equipment where possible - any loaned/communal equipment will be cleaned regularly.</div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">11) Clients will be asked to provide their own food/drink as we cannot do so at present.</div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">12) Public toilets will be used where possible, with the option to return to client accommodation for comfort stops if required, and 'bush-toilets' only being used as a last resort.</div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">13) If first aid is required, I may need to ask other members of the party to assist.</div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">14) I will require all clients to complete a COVID-19 disclaimer/ infection declaration form.</div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">15) A Health and Safety Executive risk assessment form has been completed and will be displayed in my vehicle..</div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">If you have any questions/queries, please feel free to contact me.</div><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;"><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;" /></div></span></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEidJVuXsacYXpu_LQcg1z7s_q17SCK8FA0bG7dyjrv_Xy26JCBIe6AMP9nuqIQaBlDk_3IurSOxCbbv9qUg_KcvnNOPmyi6vCP0pYrxGaJ1OXxMEhgcKyyTIAGMBi3LrCjhANDQO2ivM3HgI78aJu7BTDxtxvSaNuwHblKT2TOuC56qdpyb_A=s1913" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1369" data-original-width="1913" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEidJVuXsacYXpu_LQcg1z7s_q17SCK8FA0bG7dyjrv_Xy26JCBIe6AMP9nuqIQaBlDk_3IurSOxCbbv9qUg_KcvnNOPmyi6vCP0pYrxGaJ1OXxMEhgcKyyTIAGMBi3LrCjhANDQO2ivM3HgI78aJu7BTDxtxvSaNuwHblKT2TOuC56qdpyb_A=w400-h286" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A snowy scene on a local upland river</b></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;">Summary:</b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 14.52px; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-size: 15.972px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-size: 17.5692px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;">Well, despite the often wild and wintry weather turning many of our safaris this month into a bit of an 'adventure', I certainly relished braving the elements, as did most of my safari clients, and on reflecting on my notes and photos whilst compiling this report, considering the conditions, I reckon we actually did pretty well for wildlife sightings too, with plenty of upland and local speciality birds and animals seen, though I have to say that I won't complain if the weather was to calm down and turn a little more spring-like soon...</span></span></span><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-size: 13.2px;" /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiO-oaM_1L_rE2kwlmkNB6FvG2ZqOH353wpMIkRvUHFxYjhcA-udnVd8Bhkgkt6aazi-cHhC-92n7BQdiAyxdT_4ScSedLAAlKGQ6pWDOxZM8_k2OgGwfyCkaWXbXCv3b1eI3aOk_di2ds0ApqktJ-kJGA8RCaVOfyFDbor8yAGLmPalVceQQ=s1927" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1445" data-original-width="1927" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiO-oaM_1L_rE2kwlmkNB6FvG2ZqOH353wpMIkRvUHFxYjhcA-udnVd8Bhkgkt6aazi-cHhC-92n7BQdiAyxdT_4ScSedLAAlKGQ6pWDOxZM8_k2OgGwfyCkaWXbXCv3b1eI3aOk_di2ds0ApqktJ-kJGA8RCaVOfyFDbor8yAGLmPalVceQQ=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The 18th century packhorse bridge at Carrbridge</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot; font-size: 13px;">Reviews:</b></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="" style="color: #06004c;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="" style="color: #06004c;">I know a lot of visitors to this area very wisely check out reviews of attractions/experiences at </span><b style="color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;">Tripadvisor</b><span face="" style="color: #06004c;"> before 'taking the plunge' and booking - if you wish, you can check out my clients comments at the link below....</span></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><div style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"></span></span><br /><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g186537-d3335134-Reviews-</span></span></span></span></span></div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"></span></span><br /><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;">Highland_Wildlife_Birdwatch_Safaris-Aviemore_Aviemore_and_the_Cairngorms_Scottish.html</span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #06004c; font-family: quot;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div></div></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Buying my photos:</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>Prints of any of the photos (taken by myself) shown on this blog, going right back to 2015, </b><b style="background-color: transparent;">reproduced on high quality photographic paper, </b><b> with a choice of sizes up to A3, and satin pearl or glossy finishes available, </b><b style="background-color: transparent;">can now be purchased from me at very reasonable prices</b><b>. So if you see an image that might look nice in a frame (provided by yourself) on your wall, please make a note of the year and month of my blog in which it appeared, and email me for more information.</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><div style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span face=""><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;">G<b>ift Certificates:</b></span><br /></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; color: #222222; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 5px; position: relative;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T95gARK_lkQ/XAvNUI2tI6I/AAAAAAAADwU/GDPgK9hH9LwgLQ8gPnoaLdf04Yn2BLebwCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_1578.JPG" style="background: none 0% 0% / auto repeat scroll padding-box border-box transparent; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 5px;" width="400" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 10.56px; text-align: center;"><b>Safari gift voucher</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></span></span></div></div></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="" style="color: #06004c; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 18.2px;">If you think you know someone who may enjoy a taste of what I do, why not treat them to a safari gift </span><span face="" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;">certificate? They make a thoughtful and imaginative present, are available for any amount and are currently valid at any time, with no expiry date........</span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span face="" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #06004c;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75); color: #0e2b46; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #06004c; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Highland Wildlife & Birdwatch Safarishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04327130550058794301noreply@blogger.com0