Scotland Birding!

Yes I'm in Bonny Scotland.

Took the train up here.
Sunny in Edinburgh and lovely till just before the Cairngorms. They are full of snow and it was wet and miserable. Not too bad when I got to Aviemore or Nethybridge where I am staying.

Birds seen on route (in Scotland) Rooks hundreds and hundreds, Pink feet geese, Marsh Harrier and Buzzard - Gulls galore now just checking on a white winged species - will let you know what it might have been!
Chaffinchs around feeders outside a station in the Cairngorms.
Wood pigeons.
Robin singing here!

It will get better!

Brief report on Sunday (full details plus any pics I can rescue!) will be on the blog!
Woke to real snow! Made the trip out magical in the forests and across the moors!
The Bird Race two teams competing against each other in fun! Racing around the Highlands and up(or down?) the Moray Firth!
There should have been a big race with lots of teams but the guy who organises it was away. We didn't mind!

There are 5 of us staying here this week. So its quality not quantity!
Our Team with John P saw 81 species in the day and the other team with Jonny saw 86 species grand total of different birds seen 98!
Highlights?
Scenery! I forget how beautiful the Highlands are!
110 Scaup - I kid you not! Females and males on the Moray Firth.
Eider (year tic) and Long tailed Ducks on the sea
Black and Red grouse (year tics)
and Black Guillemot in scopes from Lossiemouth sea watching!A rare at any time!

Dipper (another year tic - which I had forgotten I hadn't seen this year!) Gannet- way in the distance.
Flocks of mixed finches with brightly coloured Yellowhammers amidst them try as I might I couldn't see a Brambling (must all be down south!)

oh and Pine Marten footprints in the Snow...and a red squirrel!
more later!

The blog will have pics on when I return to London. Some little local technical difficulties here!