March 2026
March 2026 was an extremely variable month weather-wise in this area, with a cold start, a mild middle, and a very changeable finish.
The overall feel though, 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 +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, and it is not unusual for us to experience what feels like four seasons in one day....
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 middle part 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...
 |
| A typical March scene in the beautiful 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 by myself, my safari clients or friends (thanks all :) 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, the occasional Feral Mountain Goat , and our first glimpse this year of a (still partially white) Stoat.....
March 2026 bird sightings in more detail:
Up on the moors....
 |
| A local upland 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......
 |
| Lekking Black Grouse |
 |
| Lekking Black Grouse |
 |
| Lekking Black Grouse - Photo from March 2025 |
Still on the upland heather moorlands, although numbers seem to be lower than previusly, possibly due to the devaststing local wildlfire last summer, 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.
 |
| Male and female Red Grouse (Photo from March 2020) |
 |
| Male Red Grouse |
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.......
 |
| Common Buzzard |
 |
| Red Kite by Steve Nicklin - Photo from March 2018 |
Up in the glens:
 |
| A picturesque local U-shaped glacial 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...
 |
| Perched Golden Eagle |
 |
| Golden Eagle |
 |
| Immature Golden Eagle |
 |
| White Tailed Eagle |
 |
| White Tailed Eagle - Photo from March 2021 |
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...
 |
| Kestrel |
 |
| Peregrine Falcon |
 |
| Common Buzzard |
 |
| Goshawk by Steve Nicklin - Photo from March 2020 |
 |
| Red Kite |
In the Caledonian pine forests...
 |
| 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..
 |
| Crested Tit by Jan Shields - Photo from March 2020 |
 |
| Crested Tit by Jan Shields - Photo from March 2020 |
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....
Crossbill sightings this month were frustratingly few and far between, with, despite hearing their characteristi 'Jip Jip' calls regularly, most views were restricted to fleeting glimpses of flying birds, however, on the 23rd, a small group finally perched long enough for me to get a scope on them, and to grab a few photos...
 |
| Female Crossbill |
 |
| Male Crossbill |
A bonus by-product of regular winter (Oct-Mar) 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...
 |
| Hand feeding a Coal Tit |
Capercaillie
As is usual, sadly, we failed to manage any sightings of Capercaillie this month, though to be honest, we did not try for them or visit any known sites, and these days I tend to keep any random sightings a bit hush-hush, for obvious reasons.....
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, or even entering Caledonian forests before 09:30am, 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..
 |
| Nice reflections at a picturesque local 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.
 |
| Red Throated Diver |
 |
| Black Throated Diver |
 |
| Slavonian (Horned) 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!
 |
| Male and female Goldeneye |
 |
| Goldeneye in courtship mode |
A few lingering Whooper Swans were also seen on local lochs..
 |
| Whooper Swans |
Several species of wader also returned inland this month, and Redshank, Oystercatcher and Curlew were all seen on the shorelines of local lochs.....
 |
| Oystercatchers |
On the marshes:
 |
| Insh Marshes |
Alongside the regular Grey Herons, 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...and I (finally!) got to see the white morph Snow Goose that had eluded me all year....
 |
| Whooper Swans |
 |
| Snow Goose with Pink Footed Geese |
 |
| Golden Plovers |
 |
| Grey Heron |
 |
| Oystercatcher |
 |
| Lapwing |
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, mid-sized birds such as Sparrowhawk, Common Buzzard, Goshawk and Red Kite, right up to both types of Eagles, with probably your best chance of a Harrier of either type, in a typical month......
 |
| Common Buzzard at Insh Marshes |
On the rivers...
 |
| A local river |
Dippers were seen reasonably 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....
.JPG) |
| Dipper by Steve Nicklin |
.JPG) |
| Dipper by Steve Nicklin |
.JPG) |
| Dipper by Steve Nicklin |
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.....
 |
| Female Goldeneye |
 |
| Goosanders |
Up in the mountains....
 |
| A snowy March scene in the Cairngorm Mountains |
Snow Buntings can often be seen well at relatively low level (around 2'000ft/650m)on local mountainsides 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 early part of the month....though it should be noted that, as the snow line recedes higher up the mountains, so do the Snow Buntings...
 |
| Snow Buntings |
.jpg) |
| Snow Bunting |
I didn't venture up into the mountain-tops myself this month, but for future reference, a few Ptarmigan , some still almost totally white, and some morphing into their 'marbled' grey and white spring plumage, can sometimes be seen, up around the 'snow-line', and in enclosed corries usually sheltering on the leeward sides of ridges, out of the cold wind...
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 local farmland...
 |
| Typical local grazing farmland |
Alongside the ever-present Pheasants and Red Legged Partridges, 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.....
 |
| Lapwings |
 |
| Oystercatchers |
 |
| Red Legged Partridge |
 |
| Curlew |
 |
| Male Pheasant |
In local gardens/At local feeding stations:
 |
| My garden on the outskirts of Aviemore |
Feeding stations are always a magnet for many species of birds at this tough time of year, and well-stocked feeders and a sprinkling of wild bird seed, sultanas and sliced apples for the ground feeders attracted species such as Dunnock, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Siskin, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long-Tailed Tit, Greater Spotted Woodpecker, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Redwing, Fieldfare, and occasionally Bramblings....
 |
| Female House Sparrow |
 |
| Blue Tit and Coal Tit |
 |
| Chaffinches |
 |
| Wood Pigeon |
 |
| Male Blackbird |
 |
| Song Thrush |
 |
| Great Spotted Woodpecker |
Feeding stations, and the large numbers of birds that visit them, inevitably, also attract the attention of Sparrowhawks, and we had several sightings of these impressive and very attractive birds of prey this month...
 |
| Female Sparrowhawk in my garden |
 |
| Sparrowhawk close-up - Don't have nightmares! |
A few photos of more common birds seen locally this month:
 |
| Mute Swan |
 |
| Male Mallard |
 |
| Black Headed Gull |
 |
| Mistle Thrush |
 |
| Chaffinch |
 |
| Dunnock |
 |
| Greenfinch |
 |
| Goldfinch |
 |
| Redpoll by Jan Shields |
 |
| Female Siskin by Jan Shields |
 |
| Male Siskin by Jan Shields |
Other good/scarce birds seen/reported locally this month included:
A Snow Goose in the Insh Marshes area on and off in the first half of the month, a female Smew at Loch Insh also for the first 2 weeks, 2 Shoveler at Insh Marshes on the 2nd, the first returning Sand Martin at Loch Insh on the 8th, a male Smew on a small lochan on Dava Moor also on the 8th, a few Bramblings at various sites throughout the month, an Iceland Gull briefly at Insh Marshes on the 14th, a Tundra Bean Goose, also at Insh Marshes on the 18th, a Long Tailed Duck at Loch Insh on the 22nd, a Slavonian Grebe at Lochindorb also on the 22nd, a Waxwing near Lochindorb, 2 Ring Ouzels 'in Badenoch', and 11 Whimbrel at Strathdearn, all on the 26th, a rare inland sighting of 15 Kittiwakes at Loch Insh, and 2 Jack Snipe at Drumguish, both on the 29th, and the first returning Wheatears were reported on Dava Moor on the 31st....
Adventures 'out of area'
 |
| Kessock Bridge near Inverness on the 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, 'grey' Geese and Whooper swans.....
 |
| Cormorants and Shags |
 |
| Eiders |
 |
| Greylag Geese |
 |
| Male Long Tailed Duck |
 |
| Knots |
 |
| Sanderling |
 |
| Greenshank |
 |
| Curlew |
 |
| Purple Sandpipers |
 |
| Turnstone |
 |
| Oystercatchers |
 |
| Common Redshank |
.JPG) |
| Male Red Breasted Merganser by Steve Nicklin |
.JPG) |
| Purple Sandpiper by Steve Nicklin |
Whilst the Moray Coast farmland and hedgerows also give you a chance of seeing birds such as Whooper Swan, 'grey' Geese, Skylark, Linnet, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting, Grey Partridge, and Tree Sparrow.....
 |
| Moray farmland and hedgerow |
 |
| Pink Footed Geese |
 |
| Whooper Swans |
 |
| Grey Partridge |
 |
| Yellowhammer |
 |
| Male Tree Sparrow |
The freshwater lochs and nature reserves just inland from the Moray Coast can be productive too....
.jpeg) |
| The view from the hide at Loch Spynie near the Moray Coast |
 |
| Whooper Swan |
 |
| Canada Goose |
 |
| Moorhen |
 |
| Mallards |
 |
| Female Teal |
 |
| Male Teal |
 |
| Male Wigeon |
March 2026 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....
 |
| Mountain Hare |
 |
| 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 (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 .....
 |
| Red Deer |
 |
| Red Deer Stag - Photo from March 2025 |
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...
 |
| Feral Mountain Goats |
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...
 |
| Red Squirrel |
 |
| 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...
 |
| Roe Deer |
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...and it should be noted that this far north, April/May are more reliable for seeing them chasing around in 'breeding mode'....
 |
| 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....
Our favourite ginger Hairy Highland Coo's - Hamish and Dougal - are proving to be very popular with my safari clients....
 |
| Hamish and Dougal |
 |
| Carrot time!! |
Marine mammals:
The nearby Moray coast , Black Isle and Aberdeenshire Coast are pretty reliable for sightings of Seals, with a decent chance of Harbour Porpoise and Dolphins, and even a slim chance of Whales....
 |
| Grey Seal |
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.
 |
| Otter at the Moray Coast |
 |
| Moray Coast Otter by 'Simon' from Inverness |
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 , on the warmer, sunnier days, even a few brave insects were seen out on the wing for the first time this year....
 |
| Toads |
News:
I am very pleased to announce that Highland Wildlife & Birdwatch Safaris has been awarded - for the fourth 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 advised, 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 are currently using a 2019 Land Rover Discovery5 HSE LUX 7-seater, and this has, along with excellent off-road and all-weather ability. Heated/cooled front and rear 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....
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
https://cairngorms.co.uk/documents/fire-management-byelaw-owner-guidance
 |
| A picturesque local loch |
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 although COVID-19 no longer appears to be a serious problem, we usually have very little interaction with other people anyway, and this is something that I intend to continue.
 |
| March in the Cairngorm Mountains |
Summary:
Although March can be a bit of a 'transitional' month, with winter slowly trying to turn to spring, and the weather often a bit changeable, looking back through my March 2026 sightings log and photos, I reckon that we did pretty well for sightings of birds and mammals this month. Most of the 'winter specialities' continued to show reasonably well, if admittedly not quite as frequently or in as big numbers as last month, the resident species generally cooperated pretty well, and we enjoyed the welcome 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, although this March was quieter than usual for bookings, most importantly, I think my safari clients did too, and with some of them visiting this area for the first time, it was great to see them smiling, see their eyes widen, and hear the sharp intakes of breath and the "wows" when they saw something rare, exciting or new to them..
 |
Ice 'pancakes' on a local river
|
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 well over 400 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.htm
 |
| Mindful moments at a local ancient Caledonian forest.... |
Gift Certificates:
 |
Safari gift voucher
|
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........
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.jpg)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.jpeg)
