At the beginning of the month,we had another trip up to Dumfries and Galloway to try some Spring birding.We had been up last Autumn and were impressed enough for a return visit to the same cottage. The cottage is on the edge of the forest and only a short walk from a Forestry visitor centre and wildlife hide. We had several short walks in this part of the forest during the week and this was great for me with short walks been the limit at the moment. One of our days out was to the Cairnsmore of Fleet NNR,a simply magical place among the hills at the end of a single track road. Here we were met by a couple of Red Kites hunting over the in bye fields and the chance to compare Meadow and Tree Pipits close together and Stonechat and Whinchat in the same patch of rough, In the middle of the area is a large railway viaduct where there was a line to bring the Grouse shooters up for the shooting,long gone thank goodness, but the swifts were using the structure for nesting.
Our trip up the coast was on a very windy day but we did manage Black Guillimot in Port Patrick harbour and the best crab sarnies ever !! The visit to the Wild Goats also gave us Ravens and Buzzards and after lunch overlooking Clatterinshaws Loch we visited the nesting Ospreys on Loch Doon,another magical area.
Our main target birds for the week were upland species and we did well there and being raptor lovers we were pleased with Red Kite,Sparrowhawk,Kestrel,Buzzard and a female Goshawk being bombed by a Raven 500 yards from the cottage,not a sight we will forget for a while.
It's an area we will be going back to,probably the same cottage as it comes with a supply of bird food and peanuts for the Red Squirrels as well as scones,fruit cake and home baked bread for us.Its an interesting for birding being in easy access to hills,forest and coast and little traffic.
Pete
Birding is for everyone no matter how good or bad we are at it,enjoy it while you can
Sounds like you had a great time pete and didn't know where to look next,l can hear why you'd want to go back there again, but if you do get the chance to show some of your photo's would love to see them. Yas
Sorry Yas I gave up on cameras years ago or they gave up on me !!
Right now pete l know that feeling sooooooooo well, the one l have now has a clicking sound when playing back videos, thats why my videos have music BUT l do like using music at times when right. yas
I gave up carrying a decent camera around a number of years ago when my health deteriorated and I could not carry a lot of gear. Scope and tripod is limited to very short distance carries but Chris takes hers so we have one on hand.As most of our birding is on moors a half decent pair of bins and a note book does on the bulk of trips.
lknow what you mean pete through bad health had to give up my heavy marco lense use to love doing closeup's of butterflies ect, my new bridge camera is good but not has sharp or detailed, and if l need to walk much would need to use my wheel chair, so no ruff ground for me. Yas
Not in need of a chair and on good days I can manage 2 to 3 miles on moorland/forest tracks with just bins and a light rucksack. I have a basic shooting stick type walking stick which is a godsend to resting and a quick sit down. It's surprising where we get to so no complaints,see a lot worse off on our travels but a bit frustrating at times when out with our local club.
I have been there!! It is a beautiful part of the world. Up there I managed to see birds like Red Kite, Black Guillemot, Black Tern, Whimbrel, Peregrine, Thousands of Gannets and lots and lots of other birds and wildlife too!
Unknown said: I have been there!! It is a beautiful part of the world. Up there I managed to see birds like Red Kite, Black Guillemot, Black Tern, Whimbrel, Peregrine, Thousands of Gannets and lots and lots of other birds and wildlife too!