Tags
Aigas, Arctic skua, eider, Gairloch, Golden eagle, greenfinch, grey wagtail, Loch Ewe, Meadow pipit, oblong-leaved sundew, primrose, red deer, red-breasted merganser, roe deer, Round-leaved sundew, sea eagle, sedge warbler, Slavonian grebe, Strathconon
The two final days at Aigas in one post. Accounting for Thursday will very be short. We drove over to the West Coast of Scotland, to the Loch Ewe and Gairloch areas, returning by way of Loch Maree. Here are a couple of views we saw on the way there, and a very short video.
From these it can be seen that the weather was not exactly ideal, and I have already indicated that I was not well-equipped with bad weather gear. Having had our lunch we walked along the seashore for a while, in a howling gale, hoping to see sea eagles.
The sea and the grass show how windy it was, and I chickened out again, being absolutely frozen, and made my way back to the bus.
It was quite a time before my colleagues returned and I hoped they were having luck with the eagles. They weren’t, but they did see a ‘bonxie’, an Arctic skua, which was a plus.
On the way back to Aigas, we had two unexpected sightings at the same place. The stop was for reasons of nature other than wildlife, and we weren’t expecting to see anything special, but to our surprise we saw there a large group of eider duck, and a red-breasted merganser, swimming on the sea.
And it was a treat to see a greenfinch, that increasing rarity in our gardens because of a rapidly spreading disease.
Friday was our last day, and was spent along Strathconon. A pleasant morning:
An after-lunch stroll:
But the best was yet to come. I wasn’t able to get pictures of an osprey perched in a tree, because sadly someone had not understood the instruction to keep within the outline of the bus when we got out, so it was spooked and flew off. But I had been able 30 minutes earlier to get a few pictures of – at last – two golden eagles! Sadly, in terms of wildlife the fact that we saw two of them flying around was not a good thing, because it meant there were no chicks on the nest to be looked after by one parent. But it was a thrill for us.
The afternoon’s sightings were completed much nearer our base by some Slavonian grebes and a sedge warbler.
Up very early on the Saturday morning for the 8.55 flight from Inverness to Bristol. What will be the next photographic experience I post here? At present I have no idea!
susanpoozan said:
Well you certainly covered a lot of ground. I loved the scenic views.
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Musiewild said:
The West Coast day was very literally a lot of ground.
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Olive Simpson said:
The scenery (and weather) remind me very much of Donegal – rather bleak and remote but so beautiful!
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Musiewild said:
Perhaps I should visit Donegal!
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tootlepedal said:
You saw some of the best of the Highlands but it was a pity that your weather wasn’t better for the West Coast trip.
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Musiewild said:
I was very disappointed as the week had been building to this.
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tootlepedal said:
You will just have to go again.
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Musiewild said:
Yup. And do a series of posts, ‘Rereturn to Aigas’.
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tootlepedal said:
It would be no hardship to look at any such posts.
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Deb said:
Beautiful country!!
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Musiewild said:
Even in bad weather.
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maryhutton2 said:
Beautiful surroundings. I particularly liked ‘view from a bridge’.
Sorry about the inclement weather.
Good that you rounded off such an excellent holiday with a sighting of golden eagles.
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Musiewild said:
Yes, it meant we finished on a high.
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Lavinia Ross said:
A wonderful trip this was! Enjoyed all the photos and the accounting of what you experienced there. Is this normal weather for this time of year there, or are you having unusual weather patterns like we are having over here in the Pacific northwest?
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Musiewild said:
The first thing I should have borne in mind is that I live in the relatively balmy south west of the UK, and Aigas is in the cold and damp Scottish northern part. Even in June I should have been prepared for less good weather than we have here. But, as you suggest, we are indeed having an exceptionally grey and unsummery summer this year – a bit like last year – all over the country.
Thank you for following, and I’m glad you like the posts Lavinia.
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Christine said:
Thank you so much for all those wonderful photos, very atmospheric. You’ve strongly tempted me to discover this part of Scotland. Blue and grey mistiness suits Scotland and your photos (says she comfortably seated and dry !)
Thanks also to the grey wagtail for cooperating. I hadn’t spotted it at first glance in the previous picture.
Oh, and you definitely should visit Donegal (and Connemara) 😉
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Musiewild said:
They’re now on my (rather long!) list…
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