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Monday 22nd June 2026: Isles of Muck and Eigg

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 We started our morning with a short walk along the road to Loch Shiel, waters still as a millpond. There were four Tufted Duck here together with a few Mallard, but none very close. A Common Sandpiper posed beautifully on a nearby post as it bobbed its tail and gave its soft piping call - typically photogenic on the one occasion when Tim had not brought his camera out! In the shrubs nearby a Reed Bunting was quietly singing, while nearby a Siskin perched up boldly, its green tones and golden wing flash beautifully enhanced by the early morning sun. A Grasshopper Warbler was heard at some distance, but we couldn’t locate it. Today’s outing was another boat ride and we headed out to the islands of Eigg and Muck. We got off to a cracking start with a huge White-tailed Eagle sat majestically on a rock as we left the harbour. The sea was very calm, and we spotted a number of  Black Gillies floating on the water. We took a short walk on Eigg, exploring a bay adjacent to the harbour...
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Sunday 21st June 2026: Ardnamurchan Peninsula

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We had a leisurely day today, driving through wonderful scenery, and pausing at lochs to scan for birds. We picked up our first Common Terns of the trip, although somewhat distant, scanned from the shore of Loch Sunart. We stopped for a brew and a walk at RSPB Glenborrodale, where we clambered up the footpath through a typical western rainforest landscape, trees dripping with lichen and the woodland floor clothed in moss and bilberry, reminiscent of Dartmoor woodland. It was pretty quiet, apart from several families of Great Tit and Blue Tit flitting noisily amongst the branches, a silent Willow Warbler foraging in the leafy canopy and a Treecreeper spiralling up the trunk of a dead tree.  After a drive through stunning, green landscapes, with boulder-strewn high hills silvery lochs and tumbling rivers, we took the ferry across the water, where we were treated to an impressively close fly past from an immature White-tailed Eagle, a huge and powerful bird,  before arriving at t...
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Saturday 20th June 2026: Isle of Canna

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 Departing from Mallaig, we positioned ourselves strategically for some onboard seawatching, aiming  to be sheltered from the wind and on the right side of the boat, where the light conditions would be most helpful. We had several hours on the boat, and had a steady enough trickle of species to keep us interested. Guillemots were scattered randomly across the sea, with a few Razorbills about too. A few Kittiwakes flew past, then as we approached Rum, a few Arctic Terns came into view. We pulled into the harbour for others to board or disembark, and here found a Common Sandpiper on the rocks, together with a noisy pair of Oystercatchers. Two Grey Herons were on the shoreline, and in the harbour a group of Eiders, moulting out of breeding plumage, loafed offshore and a pair of Red-breasted Mergansers drifted lazily,  before taking off and heading out to sea. But the star attraction was a summer-plumaged Red-throated Diver which Tim managed to get in the scope. Continuing on...
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Friday 19th June 2026: Scotland mainland birding

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 It was a damp morning when we woke, so we abandoned the idea of a pre-breakfast walk, but enjoyed watching screaming Swifts and House Martins disappearing into the eaves of our hotel. Our first stop of the day was at Broomhill Bridge, where a large colony of Sand Martins filled the skies, skimming over the river chasing insects, and busily back and forth to nest holes in the sandy bank. A Dipper with a mouthful of food sat bobbing on a small boulder, and a Common Sandpiper peeped across and settled on a large rock. A pair of Curlew called then flew overhead and a couple of Oystercatchers were in the field.  We continued on to Garbole in the Findhorn Valley, stopping beside a stand of larches overlooking a shallow, rocky brook, with green fields and hills fading to the distance. We were now acclimatising to the sightings of Oystercatchers away from the coast, and Curlew were again found here. Around twenty Lapwings wheeled above a field of sheep and a Redshank posed atop a pos...
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Thursday 18th June 2026: Bonnie Scotland!

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 We arrived at Nethy Bridge around 4PM, dumped our bags at the hotel and set off for a local walk. At the bridge, I spotted the back of a Dipper as it disappeared upstream. Siskins were everywhere, constantly calling, crossing the river and dropping down to the water to drink. Overhead and around the village plenty of House Martins and Swallows swooped and dived. We wandered into the woods, where a Spotted Flycatcher looping from the trees was a pleasing find, and we spent some time enjoying its antics. A good number of Song Thrushes were seen, some carrying food, and baby Robins seemed to be everywhere.  Spotted Flycatcher On the playing fields a pair of Pied Wagtails were feeding, and we were surprised to find an Oystercatcher foraging on the field, with another found peeping loudly from our hotel roof as we returned. A single scything Swift flew around at roof height. As we headed up to the Mountview Hotel for dinner, a Red Kite drifted across the field, and we finally mana...
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Friday 29th May 2026: Farne Isles

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 Today we took the boat trip out to the Farne Isles, the highlight of the week, and Emilie dressed in her special Puffin dress for the occasion. The weather conditions were unfortunately a bit blowy, making it hard to observe birds on the sea, although a few Guillemots, Terns and Puffins were seen as we approached the Farnes. At the back of the islands we observed plenty of Gannets diving into the water, and a few elegant Fulmars drifted past. Moving close to the cliffs we enjoyed our first views of a colony of nesting Guillemots, Kittiwakes and Puffins, plus a few Razorbills. As we approached the Inner Farnes, a raft of Kittiwakes and some terns were feeding on the water. But of course, once we arrived on the islands, we were able to get up close to all these species and study their plumage features and behaviour more fully.  The first birds we encountered were the Arctic Terns noisy, but mostly calm and unbothered by passing humans. It was only when people lingered and raise...
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Thursday 28th May 2026: Harthope Valley

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We headed inland today to the beautiful Harthope Valley. Our main target bird was the Dipper, so we parked close to a bridge crossing the river, enjoying a pair of a Mistle Thrushes in a nearby bush, and a bobbing Grey Wagtail which flew onto a rock below us. Taking a short walk along a riverside path, we quickly stumbled across our target bird, standing on a rock with a mouthful of insects. We spent several minutes watching, noting the nictating membrane resembling a blinking white eyelid.  Dipper Continuing on into the valley, we heard the distinctive call of Curlew, and noted a couple of birds fly overhead. Elsewhere, we encountered a pair of Oystercatcher. It always seems a surprise to encounter these wading birds so far from the estuary on their upland breeding territories.  We parked up and took a walk along the track. Highlights seen were a Spotted Flycatcher, a frequently heard but only briefly seen Cuckoo, and a similarly fleeting view of a Siskin.  Spotted Flyca...
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