Tick 'n' go Birding: Scotland last day. Osprey ( Lady ) returns for the 24th time

Friday, 4 April 2014

Scotland last day. Osprey ( Lady ) returns for the 24th time

Up early for the last day of this trip to Scotland, we head 70 miles up to Loch Garten, a quick look for Crested Tit again in the hope of getting some good snaps of them, no luck this time so after one more drive around the forest in the hope that a Capercaillie might pay us a visit. No luck again so a walk in Abernethy Forest looking for Crested Tit, we found a good spot last year that gave us really great views but the tree is not productive this time, so a bad start to the day.

Scottish Crossbill

Then we hear the call of Crossbill & go in search of them, & this time we are lucky when 3 male & 1 female drop onto a tree not to far away from us. They turn out after we check them out to be Scottish Crossbill another year tick for us all.
So not a wasted visit after all a good reward for driving 70 miles the wrong way from the airport.
Time to go now as we have to get nearer to the airport, but first we pop in to one of our favourite places while we are up here Lochindorb as I got my days mixed up it's on yesterdays page what we saw, unfortunately not a lot this time.But still pleased we visited again.
Time getting on now so we move nearer to the plane. we divert of the main road at Dalwhinnie to get a little top up on petrol, while here some fast flowing water gives us hope of seeing a Dipper, the answer is no but Jimmy & I do get a year tick with a Grey Wagtail, Dippers have proved to be elusive on this trip.
On the road again now we see a sign for Bannockburn & Robert the Bruce Monument, so always up for a bit of history & we still have a couple of hours to kill before we need to be in Glasgow we head there & it's a nice place to visit & nice to improve your knowledge of these matters. We also see the William Wallace Monument that is not far away.

We think that is the trip over then we see a sign for Loch of the Lowes & we hope that the Osprey has returned there, we only have a short time left now so what a bonus when we are told at the visitor centre that the female Osprey had just returned today.
So with the £4 fee paid we are into the hide within minutes & onto the nest that is a lot nearer than the Loch Garten one, at first only the female is in the nest but then the male returned & mates with his wife, everybody in the hide is in a state of excitement at seeing this.
The people that are present in the hide are wardens & professional people plus a camera crew from Scottish TV to record this great return for the 24th time of the female named Lady, she has raised 50 chicks with 3 different males in that time, this is male number 4 for her, quite a remarkable storey & a real local star.
Brian is asked to say a few words for the TV crew & he makes a good fist of it & he appears on the news later that evening along with a lady who also has a say on the subject.
What a great story to finish the trip off with.
Never been to this place before & it's a shame that we have to make a dash for the airport now, so a flying visit this time but we will be back at some time in the future as they also have Beavers that swim about early in the morning in front of the hide & the hide is always open so nothing to stop you seeing them.