The ROCK PTARMIGAN of Cairngorm National Park

The early morning mist over Loch Garten.
Photo by Adam Archer

After the rigours of the previous day, it was quite a struggle to roll out of bed this morning, especially as the temperature outdoors was way below zero. To make matters even worse, a quick glance of the early morning news confirmed my worst fears. We were to suffer another five years of tory rule and this time they had even managed a clear majority. I was determined not to let the election result get me down too much and after scraping a thick layer of ice off my windscreen, we carefully made our way south to Loch Garten RSPB. 

From a bitterly cold visitor centre we soon picked up a couple of Osprey perched up near the famous high security nest site, silhouetted against the rising sun. Unfortunately there was no sign of any Capercaillie during our brief visit but we did see an alpha male via the CCTV set up. In order to help thaw out our toes, we decided to take a hike around the woodland adjacent to the loch.    

Nadia freezes in the forest!
Photo by Adam Archer

Despite our best efforts we failed in our quest to find any Crested Tits but it was great to see and hear a couple of Cuckoo around the forest. Unfortunately it is becoming a species we are now very lucky to connect with back home in the west midlands of England. Other species included a few Greylag Geese out on the loch, male and female Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Treecreeper and a displaying Tree Pipit. There were also plenty of Willow Warbler in song and Siskin calling as they flew overhead. Having now worked up a healthy appetite it was now time to head back to our accommodation in Grantown, warm ourselves up a little and tuck into some rather special Highland smoked kippers for breakfast.

Nadia taking a quick breather on the way up.
Photo by Adam Archer

After a hearty feast we were ready for action once more. We decided we would take advantage of the beautiful, clear weather conditions and take a hike around the Cairngorm mountain range. A good proportion of birders tend to cheat a little and take the train up the mountainside from the ski centre. We like to do things the traditional way however, and after making sure we were well wrapped up, commenced our trek up towards the Cairn Lochan area. There were plenty of Northern Wheatear and Meadow Pipit as we made our way along the track together with a few pairs of Red Grouse.

Finally, after about ninety minutes of hard toil, the slopes that were once dominated by the growth of heather further down gave way to a more barren, rock strewn terrain. We had now entered the habitat of our target species. A few moments later whilst pausing for a rest, Nadia frantically waved at me, then pointed to an area just to my left. As I lifted my binoculars I immediately picked up a pair of Rock Ptarmigan slowly picking their way amongst the boulders right next to the hiking trail.  

Rock Ptarmigan (male)
Cairngorm National Park, Highland.
Photo by Adam Archer

Rock Ptarmigan (female)
Cairngorm National Park, Highland.
Photo by Adam Archer

No matter how many times I see these birds it is always a huge thrill just to sit quietly for a while and admire them going about their business, usually at very close range. This a species that seems to ignore any birder or curious walker invading their territory for a short while. They just slowly strut around their bleak surroundings with a certain degree of confidence. They have every right to appear so self assured too as this remarkable animal can withstand weather conditions in winter that would cause the average ill-equipped human to perish within a matter of hours.   

  

Rock Ptarmigan (male)

Cairngorm National Park, Highland.

Photo by Adam Archer

Despite their confiding nature it is always important not to cause any undue disturbance to these birds. I find that if you just position yourself nearby, keep quiet and very still they may even come over towards you, given a little time and patience. There is no other experience quiet like it in British birding just to soak up the sights of such wild scenery and a Rock Ptarmigan or two combined with the sound of the wind, the cronk of a Raven and the croak of this hardy, little grouse.

Pointing out another pair of Rock Ptarmigan!
Photo by Nadia Shaikh

The name ptarmigan originates from the Scottish Gaelic word tarmachan, which actually means croaker. The silent 'p' was added in 1694 by Sir Robert Sibbald, a professor of medicine at the University of Edinburgh through his influence of the Greek language. The first part of its scientific name Lagopus is derived from the Ancient Greek meaning 'hare' (lagos) and 'foot' (pous) in reference to its mammal like legs and feet. The second part muta comes from the modern latin word mute in reference again to croaking song of the male Rock Ptarmigan. 

Rock Ptarmigan (male)

Cairngorm National Park, Highland.

Photo by Adam Archer

In all we managed to see at least six different birds, including four males. I am sure we could have found many more but unfortunately the icy conditions became pretty dangerous the higher we ascended into the snow. With the breeze picking up slightly and the effects of breakfast starting to fade we decided to slowly edge back down to the ski centre. Once again, we managed to see several Red Grouse at lower altitudes and we were also lucky to chance upon a pair of Ring Ouzel as we approached the car park.  

Nadia with Loch Morlich in the distance.
Photo by Adam Archer

Before embarking on a late afternoon session of woodland birding we made our way to our favourite eating place in the area, The Mountain Cafe in Aviemore. The food there is absolutely amazing and is just what you need after a hard day of Highland birding. We thoroughly recommend it.

Afterwards we made our way over towards Loch Garten and took the long, bumpy track down to Forest Lodge. A long, slow walk around the pristine Caledonian pine forest there finally produced a pair of Crested Tit showing well and constantly calling. Other highlights included a calling Capercaillie (not seen), a handsome male Common Redstart and singing Tree Pipit. Other species included a couple of Cuckoo, several Siskin and over a dozen Willow Warblers.

It was then back to our wonderful home from home, Kinross House in Grantown to enjoy a hot shower, put our feet up and toast the day with a dram of single malt whisky or two.

The HARLEQUIN DUCK & KING EIDER in Aberdeenshire

As a staunch socialist I had feared the worst about todays General Election result for weeks. I had a terrible feeling that those slimy, fox hunt supporting, badger culling, anti 'green crap' Tories would sneak into power for another five, long years. With that in mind, Nadia and I decided to escape the millions of avaricious, self-centred English for a few days and join our more forward thinking brothers and sisters north of the border.

The River Don - complete with Nadia and the Harlequin Duck.
Photo by Adam Archer

We took turns at driving through the night and finally arrived in the granite city of Aberdeen just after 6.30am. Our first port of call was the wonderful Seaton Park in the north of the city where hopefully we would find the long staying first-winter drake HARLEQUIN DUCK. This particular bird had initially been located along this stretch of the River Don back on the 4th January 2015 and since this time had slowly moulted into a handsome looking bird. 

Unfortunately one of our pals Jules Allen had dipped the bird twice in recent days so we prepared ourselves for a long, thorough search despite our tiredness following the long drive north. After an unsuccessful scan of the white water off the old toilet block, we decided to head downstream as far we could and then slowly make our way back. Incredibly though, within minutes of setting off for the hike, our main target was flying upstream towards us. We enjoyed a close pass but then lost the bird as it continued at pace around the corner and out of sight. 

HARLEQUIN DUCK (first-winter male)
River Don, Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire.
Photo by Adam Archer

We then headed back up river towards the recently developed housing estate around Papermill Grove. Despite the construction work going on in the area, most of the riverbank was still accessible and it was not too long until we were watching the bird once again. The HARLEQUIN DUCK then continued to perform like a dream as it dived for food beneath the surface of this fast-flowing river just yards away. The energy it must use whilst swimming against the force of the water must be huge but the morsels of food it was finding were obviously well worth the effort. 

Nadia looks on in amazement!
Photo by Adam Archer

After a thirty minute feeding frenzy the bird had obviously eaten enough for breakfast and started to meander downstream a short distance. It then began to preen in order to ensure its plumage was in tip-top condition for the next strenuous search for food. At this stage the bird just loafed around a short distance away before resting up on the riverbank, completely oblivious to Nadia and I standing there with huge smiles of satisfaction beaming across our faces. We soaked up the views for a short while before taking the decision to let it rest undisturbed.

Other birds along the river included a Dipper feeding nearby, a couple of Common Sandpiper and a Kingfisher flying downstream. In the park itself there were a couple of pairs of Oystercatcher, a single Stock Dove, the odd singing Blackcap and a Treecreeper was also spotted.   

HARLEQUIN DUCK (first-winter male)
River Don, Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire.
Photo by Adam Archer

HARLEQUIN DUCK (first-winter male)
River Don, Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire.
Photo by Adam Archer

After a celebratory breakfast we then continued north to the village of Newburgh for our next main target of the day. Despite the glorious sunshine there was a strong north-westerly breeze to contend whilst I scanned the Ythan Estuary from the end of Inch Road. There were plenty of Common Eider feeding as the water drained from the estuary on the ebbing tide, as well as the odd group of Red-breasted Merganser. Shorebirds included a couple of Whimbrel and Bar-tailed Godwit along with larger numbers of Oystercatcher, Redshank and Curlew. In addition there was a large gathering of Arctic Tern towards the inlet with smaller quantities of Common Tern amongst them.

I was just about to throw in the towel and head over to an alternative viewpoint when I finally spotted the species we were both hoping for, a stunning, summer-plumaged drake KING EIDER. This species of the Arctic coastline of Europe, Asia and North America has been making regular appearances in this particular area of Aberdeenshire since 1967. I have called in to see this very same bird before during previous trips to Scotland but never had I enjoyed such fantastic views. Usually it just seems to sit there asleep on a distant sandbank but on this occasion it showed just fifty yards away feeding well on small crustaceans.

KING EIDER (summer-plumaged adult male)
Ythan Estuary, Newburgh, Aberdeenshire.
Photo by Adam Archer

Whilst soaking up the rare sea duck from further north, a trio of Long-tailed Duck flew in to feed at the waters edge. Upon closer inspection the group consisted of two, full summer plumaged males, complete with their flamboyant tail plumes and a single female. To be quite honest I could have stood there watching the constantly changing scene for the rest of the day but with the winds getting stronger we decided to continue our journey further north once more.

  

A view looking north from Portsoy harbour.
Photo by Adam Archer

After a short journey towards the northern coast of Aberdeenshire we arrived in the former fishing village of Portsoy around lunchtime. After a quick nap on the quayside we braved the blustery conditions to scan for our final rarity of the day. This location has been a regular spot for WHITE-BILLED DIVERS over the past few years and only last month, numbers reached double figures. It is usually best to view the birds from one of the boat trips that are organised occasionally but there was no way any small boat was leaving the harbour today. Despite a few hours meticulously scanning the rolling swell I failed in my quest to find a single bird. The only divers I saw was an extremely distant Great Northern Diver and the odd Red-throated Diver flying past. 

Common Eider (summer-plumaged adult male)
Portsoy, Aberdeenshire.
Photo by Adam Archer

Seabirds offshore included many Gannet and Fulmar, Shag and Cormorant. There were also small numbers of Common Eider, Guillemot, Razorbill and three Sandwich Terns flew west. There were also a couple of pairs of Rock Pipit singing their hearts out and showing well around the harbour. The only wader species noted was a mobile flock of Turnstone. With the conditions refusing to settle down and with Nadia threatening to spend a fortune in a local pottery shop it was time to make a move.

Sea Thrift along the harbour walls.
Portsoy, Aberdeenshire.
Photo by Adam Archer

Around tea time we eventually arrived at our cosy bed & breakfast in Grantown-on-Spey. Despite us both being pretty exhausted, we decided to take advantage of the long, spring days and after guzzling a quick brew, we headed out into the nearby Anagach Woods. It is always a privilege to take a relaxing stroll through such pristine ancient woodland with its incredible sights, sounds and smells. Sometimes actually pinning down a few birds to see comes second to just absorbing the atmosphere of such wonderful surroundings. 

After a bite to eat in Grantown, the day ended with our final species of the day, three fantastic Woodcock spotted displaying from our bedroom window as we prepared for a well deserved night of slumber. It was to be another early start for us the following day.

The RED-THROATED PIPIT in Derbyshire

Yesterday, whilst down in Somerset, our relaxing meander around the wonderful Avalon Marshes was rudely interrupted by some snippets of pesky bird news. Firstly, the gentleman who stood next to us whilst we were watching the HUDSONIAN GODWIT announced there was a WHISKERED TERN at Draycote Water, a long overdue 'Warwickshire tick' for me. Later in the morning, surprising news emerged from the border of Derbyshire and Greater Manchester that a summer-plumaged RED-THROATED PIPIT had been located by a birder surveying Northern Wheatears on Ludworth Moor. 

RED-THROATED PIPIT (summer male)
Ludworth Moor, Derbyshire.
Photo by Dave Hutton.

We were having a great time in the west country though, so there was no way we would be making a move back north until sundown. There was simply far much to enjoy around Ham Wall RSPB and Shapwick Heath NNR with booming Bittern, bubbling Whimbrel and hawking Hobby just a few of the highlights. It was also great to enjoy a laugh or two with a few familiar faces from the East Midlands, West Midlands, Devon and Lancashire while were down there too.

Obviously with birding, there are many ups but inevitably there will be the occasional down. Unfortunately I missed out on a Kentish Plover in the high tide wader roost at Stert Point at dusk. This was probably due to a couple of twonks disobeying instructions and disturbing the shorebirds earlier on in the day. Due to my insatiable appetite for dirty 'aviphoric' fixes I needed a positive to cancel out this minor negative. It seemed as though the aforementioned RED-THROATED PIPIT had gone to roost. Surely it was worth a punt on paying it an early morning visit? 

Ludworth Moor, Derbyshire/Greater Manchester
Photo by Adam Archer

At 6.30am, Dave Hutton and his lovely birding companion Donna picked me up and we were off. I had a feeling we were in for a pretty good day as a female Peregrine followed us down our street. Following a leisurely drive through the rolling Derbyshire landscape and such picturesque towns as Ashbourne and Matlock we arrived and Ludworth Moor in under a couple of hours. Just a few minutes previously we had received the news we had all been waiting for, the bird was still present. To be honest I had visions of it awaking from its roost amongst the sedge and continuing with its northerly migration as soon as the sun was up.

RED-THROATED PIPIT (summer male)
Ludworth Moor, Derbyshire.
Photo by Dave Hutton.

Within minutes of strolling up to the birds favoured sheep field I heard the distinctive drawn out 'peeeez' call but where on earth was the bird? I looked around skyward but failed to see any pipit in flight, only for another birder to shout out that it was perched on the drystone wall just a few yards away. The bird then flew a short distance and began feeding amongst a couple of Northern Wheatear. There it was, a stunningly beautiful summer-plumaged RED-THROATED PIPIT. The bird then performed like a star in front of no more than twenty other mesmerised birdwatchers.

RED-THROATED PIPIT (summer male)
Ludworth Moor, Derbyshire.
Photo by Dave Hutton.

As a few other cars pulled onto Gun Road the bird flew once more and disappeared out of sight. It was then over a hour before it was relocated again much to the relief of those latecomers who had waited on positive news before making the trip. As before, the bird showed very well indeed as it picked around for morsels of food amongst a small flock of Meadow Pipit. At one stage it even sat stationary for about ten minutes and appeared to utter a quiet sub-song, confirming my suspicions that it was indeed a male bird.

Although not a new British species for me it did almost feel like one. I had only seen one other RED-THROATED PIPIT well before, a first-winter individual on Mainland Shetland during October 2008. I had also heard other birds in flight on the Isles of Scilly and Shetland over the years. This really goes to show that it is far from being an easy species to see in Britain these days despite it breeding as close to us as northern Scandinavia.

RED-THROATED PIPIT (summer male)
Ludworth Moor, Derbyshire.
Photo by Dave Hutton.

Thanks to Dave and Donna for putting up with me for the day and for the lift up north. A big sloppy kiss to Dave too for letting me use his excellent photographs of such a stunning rarity.

The RED-THROATED PIPIT in Derbyshire by Pete Hines