Late May 2009 saw us enjoy some fantastic dry,hot, sunny weather with temperatures soaring to to 27.5c on the last weekend, and we now have almost 20 hours of daylight - great wildlife watching weather! With all of the Summer visitors now arrived, bird day-lists crept higher up into the 60's, with mammal day-list steady at 6-10.
Wildlife highlights included:
Most of our 'local specialities' - the species that my clients most hope to see (Osprey, Goldeneye, Red-Throated Diver, Black-Throated Diver, Slavonian Grebe, Dipper, Red Grouse, Ring Ouzel, Crested Tit, Crossbill, Red Deer, Red Squirrel, Mountain Hare, etc) continued to show well - though Capercaillie & Black Grouse, with their 'lekking' season over, have become much more difficult to see.
A new 2009 record (so far!) mammal day-list of 10 - Rabbit, Bank Vole, Wood Mouse, Roe Deer, Red Deer, Reindeer, Brown Hare, Mountain Hare, Red Squirrel, & Mountain Goat.
Regular views of our local Ospreys fishing (& sometimes actually catching a fish!) & delivering their catch to the female & chicks at the nest - a wonderful sight!
Great views of a ring-tail (female) Hen Harrier hunting low over heather moorland, impressing us all with it's very buoyant , acrobatic flight - sadly, this is a very rare sight these days.
Super close-ups of one of Britain's rarest & most beautiful birds - Slavonian Grebe, on a lovely secluded local lochan (see pic).
A brief mid-afternoon glimpse of a beautifully marked Woodcock on a quiet track - a rare & enjoyable treat as they are normally only seen at dusk.
Fledglings! First sightings of young Goldeneyes, Red Grouse, Greylag Geese & Ospreys.
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