SPECIAL 20TH ANNIVERSARY SAFARI BLOG REPORT
March 2024 was yet another very changeable month weather-wise in this area, with sun rain, sleet, hail, snow and gales all being experienced at some time, and occasionally even in the same day!
The overall feel however was definitely one of winter coming slowly, and somewhat grudgingly, to an end.
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.
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...
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....
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| Early spring at a picturesque local loch |
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.
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 ....
Mammal species seen regularly included:
Red Deer, Roe Deer, Rabbit, Brown Hare, Mountain Hare (still mostly white), Red Squirrel, and Feral Mountain Goat (with young).....
March 2024 bird sightings in more detail:
Up on the moors....
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| Early morning on a local heather moorland |
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 - Photo from March 2020 |
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| Lekking Black Grouse - Photo from March 2022 |
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 cackling loudly, and occasionally flying aggressively at encroaching competitors....
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| Female Red Grouse |
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| Male Red Grouse |
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| Male Red Grouse |
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| A picturesque local glen |
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 glens.
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| Golden Eagle - Photo from March 2018 |
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| White-Tailed Eagle - Photo from March 2021 |
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| Red Kite |
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| Peregrine Falcon - Photo from March 2017 |
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| Common Buzzard |
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| Goshawk by Steve Nicklin - Photo from March 2020 |
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| Male Sparrowhawk |
In the forests...
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| 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 whilst walking in suitable habitat....
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| Crested Tit |
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| Crested Tit by Jan Shields - photo from March 2020 |
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....
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, and mid-month 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..
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| Female Crossbill |
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| Male Crossbill - Photo from March 2022 |
Please note that Capercaillie 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 now requested not to go in search of them, for fear of disturbing them.....
A bonus by-product of regular winter feeding is often (especially on colder days) being able to feed the incredibly confiding Coal Tits and (sometimes) Great Tits by hand, an experience much enjoyed by my safari clients of all ages...
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| Hand-feeding a Great Tit and Coal Tit |
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| a local loch |
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 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 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....
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| Red-Throated Diver |
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| Black-Throated Diver - Photo from late March 2018 |
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| Slavonian (Horned) Grebe |
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| Female Goldeneye |
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| Male Goldeneye |
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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| Redshanks |
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| Curlew |
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| A small local river |
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| Dipper |
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| Dipper |
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| Grey Wagtail |
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
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| Whooper swans |
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 10 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 , 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 |
With the Cairngorm Funicular Railway still out of action, I didn't venture up into the mountain-tops myself this month, but for future reference, a few Ptarmigan , 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...
On farmland....
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| Typical local farmland |
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 noted.....
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| Oystercatcher |
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| Lapwing |
In local gardens...
Berry bushes, fruit trees and garden bird feeding stations are a real magnet for hungry winter visiting birds from further north, and lots of Redpolls and a few Bramblings and were seen locally alongside the more common tits and finches, and for the first week of the month, we continued to enjoy our first proper 'invasion' of Waxwings for some years, with my own garden in Aviemore having up to 5 of these fantastic birds feeding on sliced apples on the lawn, picnic table , and from my garden rake 'apple tree' before they departed for their breeding grounds further north....
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| Lesser Redpolls |
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| Waxwings on my garden rake apple tree |
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| Waxwing |
Other good/scarce birds seen/reported locally this month included:
A Ring-Necked Duck early in the month at Loch Vaa, and a Green-Winged Teal at Boat of Garten, mid-month saw reports of a Snow Goose near Cromdale and a Greenland White-Fronted Goose at Insh Marshes, while late March produced Barnacle Geese at Insh Marshes, and the first returning migrants with several reports of Osprey, Ring Ouzel, Sand Martins and Wheatears from a number of sites....
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| Mistle Thrush |
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| Male Blackbird |
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| Male Chaffinch |
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| House Sparrows |
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| Dunnock |
Adventures 'out of area':
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| The Moray Coast |
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 Greylag Geese, Pink-Footed Geese, Whooper Swan, Shoveler, Wigeon, Teal, Pintail, Black-Tailed Godwit, Bar-Tailed Godwit, Knot, Golden Plover , Grey Plover , Ringed Plover, Purple Sandpiper, Redshank, Oystercatcher, Turnstone, Curlew, Common Scoter, Velvet Scoter, Long-Tailed Ducks, Eiders, Divers, and Slavonian Grebe, with the chance of rare/scarce birds such as American Wigeon, Green-Winged Teal, Tree Sparrow , Grey Partridge, and rare gulls.....
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| Pink-Footed Geese |
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| Red-Breasted Mergansers |
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| Male Eider |
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| Male Long-Tailed Duck |
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| Loch Spynie |
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| Whooper Swans |
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| Male Goosander |
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| Male Goldeneye by Steve Nicklin - Photo from March 2022 |
March is the last month to 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 |
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.
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 some 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.
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| Red Deer Stags - Photo from March 2018 |
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| Red Deer Stag - Photo from March 2018 |
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| Feral Mountain Goats |
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| Feral Mountain Goats by Steve Nicklin - Photo from March 2018 |
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 Squirrels |
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| Red Squirrel |
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 |
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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| Carrot time for Murdo |
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 17 years of providing wildlife safaris should give you an idea of how difficult they are to see.
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| A hint of spring...... |
Other wildlife:
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| Frog |
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| Toads |
News:
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.
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 :)
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| My new(er) safari vehicle on it's 'debut' outing |
All tourism/hospitality/activities in Scotland are open , are free of restrictions and I have now completed well over two 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
Positive prescriptions | The RSPB
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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| A rainbow over the River Spey |
Summary:
As hinted at by the heading at the top of my report, April 1st 2024 will mark the 20th anniversary of my first ever professional wildlife safari in Aviemore!!
I can still remember how nervous I was the night before my first safari, and my anxiety levels weren't helped when I accidentally set off the car fire extinguisher in the vehicle, filling it with foam, requiring a massive clean-up operation!!
Although it may be a bit of a cliche to say the last 20 years have been a real journey, it most certainly feels that way!
From just 8 safaris in my first trading year, in my old Vauxhall Zafira or in a hired minibus, no website, no vehicle signage, no corporate clothing, no health and safety laminates, no hot drinks etc etc, and running the safaris part-time alongside my driving school, and a measly and harsh-feeling (but in retrospect, correct) 2 star grading from VisitScotland, and even now I am cringing at how 'amateur' it must have all looked....
However, good advice was received and acted upon, lessons were learned, new skills were mastered, knowledge levels increased, confidence grew, a website was introduced, vehicle and equipment improvements were made, gradings improved, and client numbers and bookings increased enough for me to 'take the plunge' and go 'full-time' in early 2020.......just before COVID arrived, and nearly killed my dreams.....
Thankfully, with much-appreciated help and encouragement from family, many of my regular clients, Visit Scotland and Wild Scotland, I managed to 'muddle through' the awful 'lockdown years' to 'bounce back' and have a very busy 2022 and 2023 , and this year's bookings are looking very healthy...
So at this 20 year milestone, I think my overriding feeling is one of immense joy and gratitude that I have managed to turn my passion for wildlife and wild places into a viable and award-winning business... Add to this the many memorable wildlife encounters my clients and I have enjoyed, and all the friends that I have made through a shared joy of all things wild, and I really do honestly feel like I have been , and still am, 'living my dream', and if anything, I feel like I am actually enjoying my safari guiding more now than ever before.....
So it's a big "Thank you" to everyone who has helped along the way - you know who you are - and here's to the next 20 years!!
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| Early spring in a picturesque local glen |
Reviews:
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g186537-d3335134-Reviews-
Gift Certificates:
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| Safari gift voucher |
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