SPEYSIDE BIRDING WEEKEND 25TH-28TH APRIL

I've just returned from a cracking weekend birding in Speyside with Fred Fearne, Andy Carroll, Dan Pointon and Jonathon Williams. The birding was intense with early starts from 4.30am till dusk, but was well worth it. The following birds were seen:

Red Throated Diver-1 Burghead
Black Throated Diver-2 Lochindorb
White Billed Diver-3 Burghead

The lads watching the summer-plumaged White-billed Diver

Grey Lag Goose
Mute Swan
Whooper Swan-6 Loch Insh
Slavonian Grebe-2 Avielochan

Shelduck
Teal
Mallard
Tufted Duck
Eider
Long Tailed Duck-100+Nairn
Goldeneye
Goosander-1
Red-breasted Merganser
Black Grouse-2-B9007 between Ferness and Carrbridge.

Black Grouse on the list

Red Grouse-Lochindorb

Ptarmigan-Heard only

Capercaillie-2 Males and a Female
Red Legged Partridge
Pheasant
Fulmar
Grey Heron
Gannet
Shag
Cormorant
Western Osprey-2 Loch Insh

Dan with his new wellies on

Red Kite-1
Buzzard
Moorhen
Coot
Oystercatcher
Lapwing
Woodcock-1
Bar Tailed Godwit-6
Curlew
Redshank
Common Sandpiper-5

Turnstone
Dunlin
Black Headed Gull
Common Gull

Lesser Black backed Gull

Great Black Backed Gull
Herring Gull
Sandwich Tern
Razorbill
Guillimot
Rock Dove
Stock Dove
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
Jay
Cuckoo-2
Tawny Owl-1
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Kestrel
Magpie
Rook 
Jackdaw
Carrion Crow
Hooded Crow
Raven
Coal Tit
Crested Tit-4 
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Sand Martin
Swallow
House Martin
Long-tailed Tit
Willow warbler
Chiffchaff
Wood warbler-2 Killiecrankie

Whitethroat

The lads looking for a King Eider, but no sign

Goldcrest
Wren
Nuthatch
Treecreeper

Starling
Ring Ouzel-4 Cairngorm mountain

Blackbird
Song Thrush
Mistle Thrush
Robin
Redstart
Dipper

Stonechat
Wheatear
House sparrow
Dunnock
Pied wagtail
Grey Wagtail
Meadow Pipit
Tree Pipit
Rock Pipit
Chaffinch 
Goldfinch
Bullfinch

Greenfinch
Linnet
Lesser Redpoll
Common Crossbill-Carrbridge

Reed Bunting Sisken
Yellowhammer

Saturday Evening was spent at Loch Eileen, where we met up with our tour leader, who led us to the hide where we had great views of my first Pine Martin and 3 Badgers. Other mammals of note on the trip were Red squirrels and Bottlenose dolphins at Nairn.

The lads in the hide

 Female Pine Martin

3 Badgers showed well

A great trip spent with good friends, and we saw some great birds!