October 2024
October 2024 was, with the exception of a couple of very windy days mid-month courtesy of Storm Ashley, fairly calm weather-wise this month. Temperatures ranged between a chilly 0c and an unseasonably mild 15c, with lots of cloudy days, a few sunny ones, and although we had a few rainy days, overall it was drier than average, so actually pretty decent for wildlife-watching, however, any prospective future October visitors would be wise to pack a good variety of clothing, just in case, as it is usually a very 'changeable' month....
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.
The autumn rains have kept the local rivers at their normal levels, allowing the Atlantic salmon to finally reach their spawning grounds in the upper reaches.
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 30'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.
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| Autumn in the Cairngorms National Park |
To give you an idea of what you may realistically hope to see if you are considering a future October 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 October'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:
Red Grouse, Goldeneye, Goosander and Dipper, we also had several good dawn sightings of Black Grouse, some decent views of Golden Eagle and White-Tailed Eagle, and a few fleeting glimpses of Crossbills....
Newly-arrived winter visiting birds were represented by Whooper Swans, several species of 'grey' Geese, and from the first week onwards, good numbers of Redwings, and from mid-month, Fieldfares....
A good variety of sea ducks, geese, waders and wildfowl were seen at the Moray Coast.
Mammal species seen regularly included:
Red Squirrel, Red Deer (rutting for the first 3 weeks), Roe Deer, Reindeer , Mountain Goat , Brown Hare and Rabbit......with a few sightings of Bank Vole at forest feeding stations.
The second half of the month also saw us enjoy views of Atlantic Salmon starting to spawn in the upper reaches of our local rivers....
October 2024 bird sightings in more detail:
Up in the glens:
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| A picturesque local upland glen |
Golden Eagle 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 White-Tailed Eagle more frequently than normal...
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| Golden Eagle |
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| Young Golden Eagle by Steve Nicklin - Photo from October 2018 |
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| Young White Tailed Eagle |
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| Young White Tailed Eagle |
In fact, raptors in general were noticeably more active than in the spring and summer months, with us also regularly seeing Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Peregrine, Common Buzzard and Red Kite, often in family groups....
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| Kestrel |
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| Common Buzzard |
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| Peregrine Falcon |
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| Red Kite |
Up on the moors....
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| A local upland heather moorland |
Red Grouse, though not a 'banker' sighting, and still largely in family groups, were generally reasonably obliging, and by using my vehicle as a 'mobile hide', we achieved a few decent 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....
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| Female Red Grouse by Martin Stillion |
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| Female Red Grouse by Martin Stillion |
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| Male Red Grouse |
Visits to Black Grouse 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. .
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| Black Grouse |
In the Caledonian pine forests...
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| A local ancient Caledonian Forest |
Crested Tits, having been typically 'uncooperative' and elusive through the spring and 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 a few decent and sometimes 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...
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| Crested Tit |
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| Crested Tit |
A bonus by-product of regular winter feeding is sometimes (especially on colder days) being able to feed the incredibly confiding Coal Tits and (sometimes) Great Tits and Robins by hand, an experience much enjoyed by my safari clients of all ages...
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| Hand feeding a Coal Tit by Paul Nelson - Photo from October 2021 |
Still in the forests, Crossbills, sadly, but rather typically, were generally somewhat less obliging , with our views once again usually 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 the 24th, when a family perched long enough for a brief view through my spotting scope....
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| Crossbills |
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| Male Crossbill |
As is usual, sadly, we failed to manage any sightings of Capercaillie this month......
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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| Nice autumn colours at a local loch |
With the summer-visiting water birds all gone now, our resident Goldeneyes and Goosanders are now joined by winter-visiting Whooper Swans, Geese, Teal and Wigeon, alongside the more common species like Mallard and Tufted Duck....
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| Whooper Swans |
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| Goldeneye |
On the marshes...
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| Autumn at RSPB Insh Marshes |
Alongside the ever-present Grey Herons, numbers of newly-arrived Whooper Swans and 'grey' Geese increased throughout the month, raptors such as Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, Red Kite, Marsh Harrier, and Hen Harrier were seen regularly, with the occasional Merlin, Goshawk, Golden Eagle and White-Tailed Eagle also sighted.
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| Grey Heron |
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| Greylag Geese |
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| Male Hen Harrier - Photo from October 2017 |
On the rivers...
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Autumn on the local River Spey
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Dipper 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 ,
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| Dipper |
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| Dipper |
With a similar UK distribution to Dipper, Goosander 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.
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| Goosander |
Up in the mountains....
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| Above the clouds in the Cairngorm Mountains |
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.....and I will be honest and say that it is usually pretty quiet for birds up there in autumn...though with snow returning to the hills, it shouldn't be too long before we start seeing Snow Buntings at lower levels....
On farmland...
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| Typical local farmland |
Although all the waders have gone to the coast, 'grey' Geese and Whooper Swans can often be seen on local farmland, and big flocks of winter Thrushes were also noted, along with the more common Pheasants and Red-Legged Partridges....
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| Whooper Swans |
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| Male Pheasant |
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| Red Legged Partridge by Martin Stillion |
In local gardens:
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My garden on the outskirts of Aviemore
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Berry-bearing trees and bushes and garden bird feeding stations are a real magnet for hungry newly-arrived winter visiting birds from further north, with Redwings and Fieldfares seen locally from mid-month...
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| A Redwing eating Rowan berries |
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| Fieldfare |
Other good/scarce birds seen/reported locally this month included:
A few late House Martins and swallows were noted locally throughout the month, a Green Sandpiper on the 17th, a Jack Snipe on the 22nd, and a Great White Egret on the 28th, were all reported from Insh Marshes....and a Great White Egret and a Scaup were both reported at loch Insh on the 31st...
A few photos of more common birds seen locally this month:
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| Coal Tit |
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| Male House Sparrow |
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| Female Stonechat |
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| Male Chaffinch |
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| Greenfinch |
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| Young Starling |
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| Collared Dove |
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| Long Tailed Tit |
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| Greater Spotted Woodpecker |
Adventures 'out of area':
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| The ruggedly attractive Moray Coast |
The nearby Moray Coast is always worth a visit, especially in autumn and winter, and a visit at this time of year should give a good selection of auks, waders, wildfowl, seaducks, Scoters, gulls , a few lingering terns, and newly arrived Pink Footed Geese and Whooper swans,.....
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| Pink Footed Geese |
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| Gannets |
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| Knots |
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| Oystercatchers |
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| Bar Tailed Godwit |
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| Ringed Plovers |
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| Purple Sandpiper |
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| Eiders |
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| Cormorants |
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| Common Redshank |
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| Curlew |
The freshwater lochs and nature reserves just inland from the Moray Coast can be productive too....
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| The view from the hide at RSPB Loch Spynie |
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| Whooper Swan |
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| Mute Swan |
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| Goosanders |
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| Little Grebe |
October 2024 mammal sightings in more detail:
'Mammal of the month' for October just has to be the Red Deer, 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....
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| Red Deer Stag with his 'harem' of hinds by Ann Stillion |
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| Red Deer Stag with hinds |
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| Red Deer hind |
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| Red Deer Stag |
In the Caledonian forests, our Red Squirrels 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....
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| Red Squirrel |
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| Red Squirrel by Ann Stillion |
Feral Mountain Goats 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, and although they proved to be a bit elusive this month... a few of my safari clients get to see them for the first time while out with me,
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| Feral Mountain Goats |
Our local Mountain Hares - Britain's only native lagomorph - 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...
Roe Deer, 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..
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| Roe Deer |
Brown Hares, 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...
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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....
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| Sliced apple time for Murdo |
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| Carrot time for Murdo |
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| Murdo The Magnificent |
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.
Marine mammals:
The Moray coast is pretty reliable for sightings of Seals,, with a decent chance of Harbour Porpoise and Dolphins, and, in the summer months, even a slim chance of Whales.....
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| Grey Seal by Steve Nicklin |
Other wildlife:
Mid October-early December is usually the time of year to see our Atlantic Salmon 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 20th onwards it all fell into place and we enjoyed some decent views.......
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| Spawning Atlantic Salmon |
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 recently (late January) 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 |
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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| Nice autumn colours at a local lochan |
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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| Autumn floods at Carrbridge |
Summary:
Well, aided by the reasonable weather conditions, the beautiful autumn colours, the influx of winter-visiting birds from further north, the increase in raptor sightings, the spawning Salmon and the Red Deer rut, I reckon October 2024 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...
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| Autumn near the source of the River Spey |
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
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........
