Trip Report - Speyside 24/7
- Speyside Wildlife
- May 9
- 2 min read
By Jane Atkins
Springtime is always beautiful in Speyside and this year was especially so, with fabulous blue skies all week, the Cairngorms still topped with snow and the majestic River Spey flowing down the valley. The birds were singing constantly, especially the Willow Warblers and the trees had that lovely fresh look as the leaves were just beginning to emerge.
We enjoyed a beautiful early morning watching Black Grouse bubbling away as they strutted their stuff, their iridescent plumage glinting in the sunshine, followed by views of Golden Plover. On other mornings, we soaked up the peace of flat calm lochs with Slavonian Grebes in full breeding plumage, the mesmerising courtship display of a pair of Goldeneye and elsewhere, a beautiful pair of Black-throated Divers.
Our evenings were just as memorable, watching Badgers from our mammal hide and a pair of recently introduced Beavers at a local loch. We were also treated to the remarkable sight of a female Goldeneye defending her six gorgeous chicks from a male. A full-on underwater battle followed, but she appeared to win and escaped unharmed with all the ducklings safely in tow.
The outstanding weather even held for our trip out west where, amidst the stunning west coast scenery, we enjoyed excellent views of Great Northern and Red-throated Divers in summer plumage. Arctic Tern, Black Guillemot and wild Rock Doves were among the specialities added to our list, along with distant but rewarding views of a Short-eared Owl and a male Hen Harrier.
Along the Moray and Black Isle coast we watched Dolphins playing with a Salmon (poor fish!) and saw Whimbrel, Rock Pipit, Purple Sandpiper, Dunlin, Scaup, Eider and Long-tailed Duck in summer plumage. We were also treated to the sight of an Osprey, beautifully lit from below, scattering all the birds we had been watching. Elsewhere, we enjoyed brief but good views of Crested Tits.
One very special moment that really stood out was seeing two Water Voles high up in the Cairngorms - completely unexpected and such a rare and wonderful sight.
What a brilliant week. To top it all off, we stayed in a gorgeous guest house and ate like royalty. Maybe we’ll see you next year?
If you would like to join the next Speyside 24/7 trip, please email us or phone 01479 812498 if you have any queries.
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