March 2025
March 2025 was a very variable month weather-wise in this area, with a mild start, a cold middle, and a very changeable finish.
The overall feel however was definitely one of winter coming slowly, and perhaps somewhat grudgingly, to an end.
However, it should be noted that temperatures can vary from -6c to +20c 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.
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 , Crocuses and daffodils in flower, the first Frogs and Toads emerging, one or two bats, and a few more brave insects on the wing, ...welcome signs that winter is turning into spring...
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.
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....
I always think that wintertime gives some of the best opportunities for scenic landscape photography in this area, and I felt very priviledged to enjoy some beautiful vistas again this month, so I have scattered a few of my photos around this report...
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| Late winter / early spring in the Cairngorms national Park |
To give you an idea of what you may realistically hope to see if you are considering a future March visit, 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.
All photographs of wildlife, especially Schedule 1 and other protected or vulnerable bird species shown on this website 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..
Local speciality/upland bird species seen regularly during the month included:
Black Grouse (dawn or soon after only) , Red Grouse, Dipper, and Goldeneye, we also had several decent views of soaring Golden Eagle and White-Tailed Eagle, and a few brief sightings of Crossbills, and Crested Tits, and from the third week, our first local views this year of Red-Throated Diver and Black-Throated Diver - both coming into their splendid summer breeding plumage - and at the very end of the month, our first Ospreys, Slavonian Grebes and Ring Ouzels joined the ever-increasing numbers of other Summer visiting birds reported locally...
Mammal species seen regularly included:
Red Deer, Roe Deer, Rabbit, Brown Hare, Mountain Hare (still mostly white), Red Squirrel, and the occasional Feral Mountain Goat ....
March 2025 bird sightings in more detail:
Up on the moors....
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| A local upland moor |
Black Grouse are not an easy species to see in most of the UK now, having suffered an 80% decline in numbers over the last 30 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......
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| Lekking Black Grouse |
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| Lekking Black Grouse |
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| Lekking Black Grouse |
Still on the upland heather moorlands, many of our our local Red Grouse 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 cacklking loudly, and occasionally flying aggressively at encroaching competitors.
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| Male Red Grouse |
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| Male Red Grouse by Mick Doyle |
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| Female Red Grouse by Ron Mitchell - Photo from March 2022 |
Upland moorlands can also produce bird of prey sightings, and this month we were lucky enough to see Kestrel, Common Buzzard, and Red Kite reasonably frequently.
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| Red Kite |
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| Common Buzzard |
Up in the glens:
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| A picturesque local U-shaped valley |
As I have mentioned many times before, the shorter days of the winter months (Oct-Feb) give us our best chance of seeing Golden Eagles and White-Tailed Eagles, 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 areas...
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| Golden Eagle by Steve Nicklin |
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| Golden Eagle by Mick Doyle |
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| White Tailed Eagle |
It was a similar story with the other birds of prey, but raptors in general were still fairly well represented this month, with Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Common Buzzard, and Red Kite all being seen regularly, Goshawk and Peregrine sighted a couple of times and the first returning Ospreys have been reported locally in the last few days of the month, though similarly to this time last year, a Merlin sighting has still eluded me...
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| Peregrine Falcon |
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| Kestrel |
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| Red Kite |
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| Goshawk by Steve Nicklin - Photo from March 2020 |
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| Common Buzzard by Steve Nicklin |
In the Caledonian pine forests...
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| A local Caledonian Pine Forest |
Crested Tits 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 when walking in suitable habitat...
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| Crested Tit |
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| Crested Tit by Jan Shields - Photo from March 2019 |
It is well worth noting that the winter months (November-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....
Still in the Caledonian forests, and similarly to Jan and Feb, we actually did ok for Crossbill 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 very unpredictable, and tricky to see during the rest of the year...
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| Female Crossbill |
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| Male Crossbill |
Although I did manage another 'chance' sighting of a Capercaillie this month......in the interests of conservation and to avoid any danger of disturbance, I am inclined to keep the location quiet .... sorry...
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| A Capercaillie poo |
Please note that Capercaillie numbers would still appear to be alarmingly low, they are now very rare and elusive, possibly on the brink of extinction, and I would only rate our chances of seeing one on my safaris as "very slim" at best, and we are now requested not to go in search of them, for fear of disturbing them.....and please be aware that Police Scotland and the Cairngorms National Park Authority Rangers patrol 'known' Capercaillie areas for the first few hours of light throughout the spring/summer in an attempt to dissuade anyone from entering the forest and potentially disturbing the birds during lekking/breeding season.....with prosecution an option if you fail to heed their 'advice'....you have been warned....
https://cairngormscapercaillie.scot/lek-it-be/
On the lochs..
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| A picturesque local freshwater loch |
Towards the very 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 Red-Throated Diver, Black-Throated Diver and Slavonian Grebe.
Scotland is at the south-westerly edge of the world-wide breeding range for these very sought-after species, and the only reliable place to see them in the UK in their summer plumage, and I am always very happy (and relieved) to see them back on my favoured local waters....
And of course, any day now, we should get our first Ospreys retuning to breed in this area....
Also, we must not forget our resident breeding Goldeneye 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!
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| Male Goldeneye |
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| Female Goldeneye |
A few lingering Whooper Swans were also seen on local lochs..
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Whooper Swan
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Several species of wader also returned inland this month, and Redshank, Oystercatcher and Curlew were all seen on the shorelines of local lochs.....
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| Oystercatchers |
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| Redshank |
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| Curlew |
On the marshes...
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| Insh Marshes |
Alongside a few lingering winter visitors such as Whooper Swans, 'grey' geese and wildfowl, wader numbers increased noticeably, with Lapwing , Curlew, Oystercatcher, Redshank and Golden Plover all noted...
With so many 'prey' birds on the marshes, it can be good for raptor sightings , and it is not uncommon for us to see a good selection of birds of prey, from the tiny Merlin , right up to both types of Eagles, with probably your best chance of a Harrier of either type, in a typical month......
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| Whooper Swans |
On the rivers...
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| A small local river |
Dippers 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....
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| Dipper |
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| Dipper |
We also saw Goosanders and Goldeneyes reasonably frequently on local rivers this month too, and mid-late March usually sees our Grey Wagtails return to Speyside.....
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| Grey Wagtail |
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| Goosanders |
Up in the mountains....
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| Late winter in the Cairngorm Mountains |
Snow Buntings 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 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....Though it should be noted that, as soon as the snowline recedes higher up the mountain , as happened int the middle of this month, the birds usually stop visiting the car park area....
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| Snow Buntings |
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| Snow Buntings |
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| Snow Bunting |
The Cairngorm Mountain Funicular Railway is now (finally) up and running again, though as I write, it is still quite busy with snowsports enthusiasts....
Sadly, from my own experience, and from talking to the Mountain Rangers, Ptarmigan numbers appear to have been very low, and sightings almost non-existent on Cairngorm Mountain in recent times, and a walk up and search around the summit area on the 31st failed to produce a single sighting...
The very end of the month also gives you a chance of seeing the first returning Ring Ouzels to our local mountains, though April is far more reliable for seeing the first arrivals....
On farmland...
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| Typical local farmland |
A few lingering grey geese and Whooper Swans were noted, and lots of waders were seen returning to their spring/summer breeding grounds, with increasing numbers of Oystercatcher, Lapwing, Golden Plover, Curlew and Redshank all being seen.....
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| Oystercatchers |
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| Whooper Swans |
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| Lapwing |
In local gardens:
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| My garden on the outskirts of Aviemore |
Berry bushes, fruit trees and garden bird feeding stations are a real magnet for hungry winter visiting birds from further north, and Redwings, Fieldfares, Redpolls and a few Bramblings were all seen locally alongside the more common tits and finches...
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| Male Blackbird |
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| Bullfinches |
A few photos of more common birds seen locally this month:
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| Singing Song Thrush |
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| Stonechat |
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| Siskin |
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| Greenfinch |
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| Great Spotted Woodpecker |
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| Mistle Thrush |
Other good/scarce birds seen/reported locally this month included:
A Merlin at Dava Moor on the 19th, a Water Rail and 2 Shovelers at Insh marshes on the 22nd, and a Hawfinch near Grantown On Spey on the 23rd....
Adventures 'out of area':
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| Spey Bay on the Moray Coast |
The nearby Moray Coast is always worth a visit, especially in autumn and winter, and although numbers are reducing as they disperse to their breeding grounds, a visit at this time of year should still give a good selection of waders, wildfowl, seaducks, Scoters, Divers, gulls etc, and winter visiting Pink Footed Geese and Whooper Swans, with the chance of rare gulls ..... the first Auks were seen near their nesting sites, with Common Guillemot, Black Guillemot and Razorbill all seen...and the first returning Fulmars, Kittiwakes and Gannets noted....
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| Pink Footed Geese |
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| Red Breasted Mergansers |
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| Bar Tailed Godwit |
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| Black Guillemots |
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| Common Eiders |
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| Shag |
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| Wigeon |
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| Teal |
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| Knots |
The freshwater lochs , nature reserves and farmland just inland from the Moray Coast can be productive too....
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| Loch Spynie |
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| Little Grebe |
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| Coot |
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| Yellowhammer |
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| Tree Sparrows |
March 2025 mammal sightings in more detail:
March is the last month to reliably see our local Mountain Hares 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....
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| Mountain Hare |
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| Mountain Hare |
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| Mountain Hare |
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| Mountain Hare by Mick Doyle |
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 (1-2 miles) of rough uphill walking, often on snow.
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 .....
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| Red Deer |
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| Red Deer Stag |
Still up in the glens, our local feral 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, but sightings were again very hard to come by this month...
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| Feral Mountain Goat |
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| Feral Mountain Goats - Photo from March 2017 |
Red Squirrels 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...
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| Red Squirrel |
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| Red Squirrel - Photo from March 2018 |
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...
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| Roe Deer Buck |
Similarly, Brown Hares too, are a bit shy and nervous, but we did see a few early in the morning on quiet local farmland this month...
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| Brown Hare |
Hairy Highland Coo's 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....though sadly, lovely old Murdo, and his mate Buster the friendly Sheep, are now no longer with us, having both succumbed to old age and poor health late last year...
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| Hamish and Dougal looking peckish.... |
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| Carrot time for Hamish and Dougal means smiles all round! |
Marine mammals:
The nearby Moray coast and Black isle are pretty reliable for sightings of Seals, with a decent chance of Harbour Porpoise and Dolphins, and,even a slim chance of Whales....
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| Bottlenose Dolphin seen at the Black Isle |
Rare/nocturnal mammals:
I get a few enquiries about the possibility of seeing Badgers and Pine Marten 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.
Similarly, our inland Otters 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.
Whilst we are still on the 'tricky to see stuff', the Scottish Wildcat 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 over 20 years of providing wildlife safaris should give you an idea of how difficult they are to see.
Other wildlife:
The first Frogs and Toads 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....
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| Common Toads |
News:
I am very pleased to announce that Highland Wildlife & Birdwatch Safaris has been awarded - for the third 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.
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 financial recovery years, so a big THANK YOU to you all :)
We have also upgraded our safari vehicle to a slightly newer Land Rover Discovery5 HSE LUX 7-seater, and this one has, along with excellent off-road and all-weather ability. 7 heated seats, and 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 (ULEZ compliant) ultra-low emissions and improved fuel economy....
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| My new(er) safari vehicle on it's 'debut' outing in February 2024 |
All tourism/hospitality/activities in Scotland are open, are free of restrictions and I have now completed well over three years of (thankfully!) increasingly busy and extremely enjoyable safaris with clients with no major issues arising.
With all national travel restrictions lifted too, Scotland is officially 'open for business' for visitors from all over the UK, and from abroad.
For those considering a visit, these wildlife/outdoor tourism websites may prove useful:
June - September is midge season - But thankfully, this area is not usually affected too badly - This link explains why:
Bumper midge hatch alert after warm spell - BBC News
https://www.gov.scot/collections/coronavirus-covid
NatureScot (outdooraccess-scotland.scot)
Can Nature Help Health? | Nature Prescriptions - YouTube
Scotland, Yours to Enjoy. Responsibly. - YouTube
Cairngorms National Park Authority
Highland Wildlife Park
Positive prescriptions | The RSPB
www.scotlandbigpicture.com
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| A distant view of the Cairngorm Mountains |
COVID-19
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
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| Snowdrops |
Summary:
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 or in as big a number 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.
I certainly enjoyed my times out in the wilds this month, and most importantly, I think my safari clients from all over the world 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..
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| The Old Drover's Bridge at Carrbridge |
Reviews:
I know a lot of visitors to this area very wisely check out reviews of attractions/experiences at TripAdvisor before 'taking the plunge' and making a booking - We now have over 350 reviews online, so if you wish, you can check out our clients comments at the link below....
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g186537-d3335134-Reviews-
Highland_Wildlife_Birdwatch_Safaris-Aviemore_Aviemore_and_the_Cairngorms_Scottish.html
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| A picturesque local lochan |
Gift Certificates:
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Safari gift voucher
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If you think you know someone who may enjoy a taste of what I do, why not treat them to a safari gift certificate? They make a thoughtful and imaginative present, are available for any amount and are valid for a whole year from date of purchase........
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