• Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Uganda 2013

Musiewild's blog

~ An occasional blog, mainly photos

Musiewild's blog

Tag Archives: Aigas

Return to Aigas 8

07 Thursday Jul 2016

Posted by Musiewild in Countryside views, Photography, Plants, Travel, Wildlife

≈ 17 Comments

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.

P1230289001P1230294001

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.

P1230306001P1230309001P1230311001The 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.

P1230313001

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.

P1230315001

This is only part of the group of eider

P1230327001

Red-breasted merganser

P1230329001

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:

P1230338001

Roe deer

P1230350001

Meadow pipit

P1230355001

Meadow pipit with insect

P1230359001

P1230362001

Red deer

An after-lunch stroll:

P1230378001P1230389001P1230394001P1230396001

P1230399001

Round-leaved sundew. Each trap is no more than a centimetre across

P1230401001

Primroses -in June!

P1230414001

There are both round-leaved and oblong-leaved sundew here

P1230405001

P1230411001

Grey wagtail

P1230415001

The very same making photos easier

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.

P1230425001P1230429001P1230430001

P1230434001

View from a bridge…

P1230435001

… which was really a hydro-electric barrage

The afternoon’s sightings were completed much nearer our base by some Slavonian grebes and a sedge warbler.

P1230449001P1230450001P1230448001P1230438001P1230445001

P1230451001

Sedge warbler

 

P1230455001

A last drive back to Aigas through the Highlands

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!

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Email

Like this:

Like Loading...

Return to Aigas 7

06 Wednesday Jul 2016

Posted by Musiewild in Cats, Photography, Travel, Wildlife

≈ 12 Comments

Tags

Aigas, Aigas Wildcat Project, Magnus House, Wasp nest

Wednesday was a completely different sort of day.  Firstly, we got up incredibly early to leave for Kessock Bridge where we hoped to see otters.  This is what we saw, in my case from the relative comfort of the bus:

P001001

P002001

Canada geese

No otters.  We felt we had earned the breakfast we returned to.

For the rest of the morning we listened to a couple of talks, on the wildcat project, and moths, each fascinating.  The braver souls  – it was still raining, though not as hard – went out into the grounds to indulge in a bit of pond-dipping.  I’m afraid I chickened out, being very ill-equipped for bad weather.

The afternoon was free to spend exploring where we were living for the week rather more than we’d been able to hitherto.  (Some joined a small group going a very long way, for a very small chance of seeing a ring ouzel or two.  Sadly they had as much luck as we had had in the morning over otters.)

I did indeed spend a lot of time outside exploring Aigas – it had stopped raining by now, and here is a selection of the pictures I took then and at other times during the week, both indoors and outdoors.

P100001

My room

P102001

That’s the entrance to an old ice house seen though one window

P103001

P104001

My lodge

P201001

Ruth showing us where we’re going that day

P202001

P203001

First meal

P205001

The sitting room

P207001

The dining room, shortly to be laid out for a buffet lunch

P208001

A hundred-year-old wasp’s nest

P209001

Our hostess is a very talented lady

P210001

The library and overflow dining room

P212001

The gallery above the dining hall

P213001

The sitting room

P222001P230001P231001P232001P234001P237001

P238001

The Magnus House

P239001P240001P241001

P242001

From the Tower Hide

P243001

P245001

No chance of seeing the wild cats!

P250001

As well as feeding us splendidly, Lady Lister-Kaye is entirely responsible for the garden

P252001P253001P254001P255001P256001It had started raining again before I was safely back in the house.

 

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Email

Like this:

Like Loading...

Return to Aigas 5

27 Monday Jun 2016

Posted by Musiewild in Photography, Wildlife

≈ 13 Comments

Tags

Aigas, jay, Laurie Campbell, pine marten

Monday evening, purely pine marten.  At 8 pm we went up to the (Laurie) Campbell hide, and, once Ruth had placed some strategic honey and peanuts, waited in absolute silence for 50 minutes, at which point a young pine marten appeared, well accustomed to feeding here. He (or she) stayed for about 25 minutes.

One of our number had a coughing fit and we feared this would drive the pine marten off.  But he was not fazed at all.  On the other hand he really started when a jay flew close by him.  Fortunately he decided to stay, to our great pleasure.

P1220886001P1220903001P1220905001P1220908001P1220915001P1220916001P1220918001P1220922001P1220933001P1220941001P1220956001P1220969001P1220993001P1230008001P1230025001P1230028001

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Email

Like this:

Like Loading...

Return to Aigas 3

25 Saturday Jun 2016

Posted by Musiewild in Countryside views, Photography, Travel, Wildlife

≈ 11 Comments

Tags

Aigas, Beauly Firth, Black Isle, Chanonry Point, dolphins, gery heron, lapwing, osprey, shelduck, thrift

Monday, spent on – and off – the Black Isle, and back at Aigas, was the best day, so good that there will be three posts about it.  (By contrast, later in the week, two days may share one post.)

The weather was very grey today, but at least it was mostly dry while we were out. Our first stop was at Redcastle on the Beauly Firth. It wasn’t long before we saw an osprey!  What a sighting.  Indeed – sightings, including seeing them snatch fish from the Firth.  Difficult to tell, but we thought we saw four of these birds in total, which kept us much longer than intended.  Our excellent seasonal ranger, Ruth, was very flexible as to time.

P1220538001

P1220541001

Shelduck

P1220542001

P1220552001

Osprey

P1220563001

With flat fish

P1220567001

P1220583001

Another with a fish-shaped fish

P1220585001P1220591001P1220594001

We drove on and stopped further along the Firth.

P1220597001

Grey heron

P1220609001

Lapwing

P1220614001

The last stop of the morning was at Chanonry Point where – in a gale – we saw a few dolphins, but much too far away for photos. And had our packed lunches.

P1220617001P1220615001

But I liked this thrift.

P1220622001

In the afternoon: we definitely saw dolphins, up close …

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Email

Like this:

Like Loading...

Return to Aigas 2

24 Friday Jun 2016

Posted by Musiewild in Cats, Countryside views, History, Photography, Plants, Travel, Wildlife

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

Aigas, Aigas Field Centre, bronze age huts, Eurasian Beaver, Golden eagle, house martin, iron age fort, John LIster-Kaye, Magnus House, Magnus Magnusson, Meadow pipit, pine marten, Round-leaved sundew, wild cat, wild cat breeding programme

I forgot to say – because I had no photo to remind me – that we had this morning a few seconds’ glimpse of a juvenile golden eagle.  Quite a thrill, if all too brief as it disappeared into the cloud at the top of the mountain.

This afternoon we spent being introduced to the immediate territory that goes with Aigas House.  First of all we had a briefing from seasonal ranger Ben at the front of the house, during which we were entertained by the industrious and fearless house martin parents who were feeding young just over the doorway.

P1220407001P1220408001

Then we walked up to the Magnus House, the educational space named after, and opened just after the death of, Magnus Magnusson, a good friend of naturalist Sir John Lister-Kaye, who, with his wife, Lucy, and his son, Warwick, runs the Aigas Field Centre.  On the way, we noticed, not for the first or the last time, that in Inverness-shire, in mid-June, the bluebells were still in flower.

P1220423001

P1220415001

P1220417001

Boris

Inside we found Boris, the male beaver, who, with his mate Lily, successfully bred for several years as part of an experimental reintroduction scheme. (Pending governmental decision, this scheme is now in abeyance.)  Several of the offspring have been dispersed elsewhere, but Lily and some of her cubs are still seen occasionally on Aigas Loch, which we next visited.

P1220425001P1220427001P1220428001

We saw several signs of beaver activity, including the building of accommodation more to their taste than the artificial lodge which was first provided for them.

P1220429001P1220430001P1220432001P1220433001P1220435001P1220438001P1220440001

P1220462001

One of my favourite photos from the whole week

P1220463001

Round-leaved sundew, insectivorous plant

P1220475001P1220476001

P1220486001

I think this was a meadow pipit

P1220499001

P1220514001

Yes, I know you see chaffinches everywhere

When three-quarters of the way round the loch, we diverted upwards to some heathland, to the location of some bronze age huts.  We had no time to go even further upward to the site of an iron age fort.

P1220519001

There was broom and/or gorse nearly everywhere we went

On the way down we were told a little about the wild cat breeding programme of which the Centre is part.  In due course, in a few more generations, it is hoped that some kittens may be reintroduced into the wild, well away from where any domestic cat can be found, in order to ensure the purity of the genetic stock.

P1220526_modifié-1001

Apart from the two people who look after the cats, no-one is allowed to visit the cats. so that they do not become habituated to humans. They must remain truly wild.  Frustrating to be so near and not see, but at the same time a privilege even to be near the project.

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Email

Like this:

Like Loading...

Return to Aigas 1

23 Thursday Jun 2016

Posted by Musiewild in Countryside views, Geology, Photography, Plants, Travel, Wildlife

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

Aigas, bog plant, Inverness-shire, oystercatcher, red deer, song thrush, Strathfarrar

Ever since October 2104, when I had done a photography course, far too high-powered for me, at the Aigas Field Studies Centre in Inverness-shire, I had wanted to return there to do one of their basic wildlife courses.  I succeeded in doing so last week, and was not disappointed – apart from the weather for which, soft Southerner that I am, I was stupidly ill-equipped.  I hadn’t realised that up there if it isn’t raining they reckon it’s fine.  When out in the field I was cold, expecially for the second part of the week, but I’ll try not to go on about that too much in this series of blogs, because otherwise I had a great time, with some lovely fellow wildlife enthusiasts.

Sunday morning was spent in Glen Strathfarrar.  Much of it was pretty boggy, and acidic.

P1220270001P1220271001

Wherever we went, there were masses of wild flowers, pretty small most of them but oh so pretty.  Some of my companions took their identification very seriously.  I just enjoyed looking at them. If anyone wishes to tell me any names, I will add them and credit the source!

P1220277001P1220278001P1220279001

P1220284001

Bog cotton.  This was everywhere, all week, and very pretty it was too.

Those were all taken at our first stop.  Our second stop also had its boggy plants…

P1220301001

… though it paid to look around as well.  And the sun’s come out for a few minutes.

P1220302001P1220304001P1220319001P1220323001

Our third stopping place was less boggy, but had a great view at the end of a loch, and was a little more lively as far as wildlife was concerned.

P1220325001P1220328001

P1220343001

The first of many troops of wild red deer we saw in the week, not to mention those being farmed.

P1220357001

Song thrush

P1220368001

Oyster catcher and cuckoo

P1220369001

The remains of the winter’s snow

P1220376001

Two cuckoos and two oystercatchers

Back for an excellent buffet lunch, looking forward to the afternoon’s activities.

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Email

Like this:

Like Loading...

Gallery

Photography course at Aigas

14 Tuesday Jul 2015

Posted by Musiewild in Photography, Wildlife

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Aigas, Easyjet, Inverness-shire, John LIster-Kaye, pine marten, salmon

This gallery contains 15 photos.

I’d long wanted to visit the nature centre, Aigas, in Beauly, Inverness-shire, founded and run by the wonderful naturalist/author John …

Continue reading →

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Recent Posts

  • Cornwall 2022 – 11. Castle Drogo
  • Cornwall 2022 – 10. Trencrom and Trelissick
  • Cornwall 2022 – 9. A long, open-top bus ride
  • Somerset Lavender
  • Cornwall 2022 – 8. Frenchman’s Creek, and the Minack Theatre
  • Cornwall 2022 – 7. St Ives, Pt 2
August 2022
M T W T F S S
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
293031  
« Jul    

Archives

  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015

Blogroll

  • Avalon Marshes 'Hands on Heritage'
  • Londonsenior
  • Salmon Brook Farms
  • The Jaguar
  • Tootlepedal's blog

Recent Comments

Musiewild on Cornwall 2022 – 8. Frenc…
Hazel Priestley-Hobb… on Cornwall 2022 – 8. Frenc…
Musiewild on Cornwall 2022 – 7. St Iv…
Musiewild on Cornwall 2022 – 6. St Iv…
Musiewild on Cornwall 2022 – 5. Tresc…

Meta

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.com

Blog at WordPress.com.

  • Follow Following
    • Musiewild's blog
    • Join 193 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • Musiewild's blog
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...
 

    %d bloggers like this: