Scotland week 2 Part 2

When we pulled up to the lodges at Loch Garten the gentleman who runs the place was there to meet us. He explained all about the lodge but I was more interested in asking about the Pine Marten. He said if we kept the water bowl topped up we would definitely see a female (we would recogniser her by her bent ear). The first few nights came and went and I was beginning to think Pine Martens were only mythical creatures, only ever seen on celluloid or digital pixels, however at 23.01 on our 4^th night we saw the female Pine Marten drinking out of the water bowl, fantastic. Over the next few nights, not only did the female turn up but she also brought her two kits with her, brilliant.

I managed to photograph the Slavonian Grebe early one morning on a Loch when I was the only one there but unfortunately, the light was not very good. I went back to the Loch, however on the afternoon I went I was not the only one there. On the Loch side was a man with a dog and a fisherman, the light was nice but the fisherman was not so nice. Suffice to say I had a bit of a run in with said fisherman. He took exception to me being there to photograph the Grebe. He said he was there to protect the Grebe from people like me? Now I know the Slavonian Grebe is a scheduled one bird and you need a licence to photograph the bird on the nest and you are not supposed to disturb the bird, but I did not know where the nest was and I did not want to know where the nest was. I know some photographers want to get as close as they possibly can but I‘m not one of them. The Grebe was swimming out in the open that would do for me. I can’t even call the fisherman a jobsworth he said he was “protecting” the bird voluntarily. Now it begs the question who was going to disturb the bird more, the man who was letting his dog run around, the fisherman who was fly fishing in waders or me sitting on the Loch side with a 500mm lens and all the gear on to blend into the trees and bushes. Howay man I ask you? Anyway enough of the rant here are some of the images I got.

 

Female Pine Marten just outside the patio doors

Female with one of it’s Kits

With both of them

The female was looking was looking up at me from underneath the steps of the decking. I was only about four foot from her.

Slavonian Grebe

I’d been looking for Crested Tit all week but it was not until our last morning at Loch Garten that I managed to catch up with one. This was the only decent shot I got.

Male Ring Ouzel

Juvenile Ring Ouzel

Two juvenile Ring Ouzel

Red Squirrel

Scotland week 2 Part 1

We spent the second week of our holiday in Scotland at Loch Garten a great place for wildlife. Here are some of the images I captured while there.

My second Dragonfly of the year turned out to be a White-faced Dragonfly (I did not know what it was until I saw a blog I follow, Bobs Butterfly Blog)

Emerging White-faced Darter

This Four Spot Chaser does not look very healthy

Female Redstart

Male Redstart

Siskin

Collared Dove

Great-spotted Woodpecker

Juvenile Great-spotted Woodpecker



A pair of Osprey at Loch Garten (one with a fish)

Posturing Common Sandpiper

Lizard, I love the way they flatten their bodies to get as much heat as they can

Vine Weevil

 

Scotland Week 1

Have been back from a fortnights holiday in Scotland for a few of days now and have just managed to get through the pictures I took during week one ( I will start week two soon). We were stayed for the first week in a fantastic cottage called The Cowshed in Lettoch near Killiecrankie the views were stunning and the owners Steve & Kirsty could not have been more welcoming, have a look at www.lettochcottages.com or www.facebook.com/TheCowShedLettoch, we will be back.
I spent most early mornings and late afternoons trying to get shots of the Swallows, House Martins and Starlings that were all nesting in the eaves of the cottages. Roe Deer were in the field at the back of the cottage and Buzzards flew above it, a great place to spend a holiday.
We did a lot of touristy things visiting Loch of the Lowes, Scone Palace, Glamis Castle and Blair Castle while I tried to sneak a little wildlife photography in along the way.

A panoramic view from the Cowshed



A great view in the summer it must be awesome in the autumn

Buzzard in a tree opposite the cottage

Buzzard

Swallow

House Martin

Starling with grub

Take off

Starling (hard work trying to catch them in flight)

Early morning Roe Buck

Roe Buck

Scone Palace

Glamis Castle

Piper outside Blair Castle

Ospreys at Loch of the Lowes

Great Crested Grebe

Oystercatcher seemed to be everywhere this one was at Scone Palace

This juvenile was at Blair Castle

Tufted Duck

Tufted Duck

This Common Gull was nesting in a bush next to a small bridge across a lake at Blair Castle. Every time visitors went over the bridge, the gull flew up and mobbed them.

It would also land on the railings of the bridge and protest loudly

Coot eating the flowers from Lilly Pads again at Blair Castle

Spotted Flycatcher at Dunkeld

I have not seen a white Deer before, this one was on a shall hillside just outside Dunkeld

This canoeist on the river Tay was training for an upcoming event

Common Sandpiper

My first Dragonfly of the year a Golden-ringed Dragonfly

Loads of Green-veined Whites were around this one had just emerged

A day flying moth (Speckled Yellow?)

I don’t have a clue what type of fly this is but one minute it was happily sitting on a wall the next…..

…..it was in the beak of a Blackbird, it happened so fast and the bird was so close I only manage one shot and its not that sharp but hey.