An early start saw me leave at 5:00 a.m. for the Cairngorm mountain car park, with one particular target firmly in mind. On my previous visit in January, I had missed Ptarmigan, and having gone several years without seeing one, I was determined to put that right.
Despite lingering snow on the ground, conditions were calm as I made my way steadily towards Coire an t-Sneachda. It wasn’t long before my patience was rewarded. A Ptarmigan came into view, perfectly at home in its alpine surroundings — a superb bird and a memorable encounter that more than justified the walk.
What a beautiful sight! It was definitely worth the walk.
The descent back towards the car park produced further highlights, with four Snow Buntings and two Red Grouse adding to an already satisfying morning.
Snow Bunting
Heading back towards Aviemore, I stopped at Loch Morlich. A Crested Tit showed well at the feeding station, offering close views of this charismatic species. The loch itself was looking particularly fine, framed by the snow-dusted Cairngorms rising behind it.
Leaving the mountains behind, I continued north to Alturlie Point on the Moray Firth, near Inverness. Birding here was excellent. A flock of 64 Greater Scaup dominated the scene and showed beautifully at close range. They were joined by 11 Slavonian Grebes, four Red-throated Divers, 11 Long-tailed Ducks, and a single Kittiwake. A Swallow flashing past the point provided a timely reminder of the changing season — my first of the year.
Greater Scaup
Kittiwake
Moray Firth
With a full day’s birding behind me and a fine selection of species recorded, I turned north once more for the two-hour drive to Thurso, bringing another rewarding day in the Scottish Highlands to a close.
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