Scotland - 30/04 to 06/05/2018
On 30/04/18 we travelled north from Cumbria, having spent a lovely week in Bampton Grange. The weather was sunny all the way. We made a short diversion to Musselburgh in the hope of seeing a White-winged Scoter (the American version of Velvet Scoter, now split as a separate species). After a few minutes working out where we were supposed to be, we soon found many Common Eider and although the Scoter were quite distant a Surf Scoter was easy to identify. There were ~40 Velvet Scoter and because the differences between this and White-winged Scoter are fairly subtle, we can only say that we were probably able to pick out the target bird - at our distance of view.
We moved on, bypassing Edinburgh, Perth and Dundee and then heading north, on the very scenic B974, just east of the Cairngorms NP, to arrive at our lodge at the Kinord Hotel in Dinnet. We have 4 nights self-catering here, then we move to the glens just south of here - Glen Clova and Glen Esk - where have hotel rooms.
My main targets in this area are to complete the 10 remaining Munros in the Eastern Cairngorms to find the Kentish Glory Moth
We moved on, bypassing Edinburgh, Perth and Dundee and then heading north, on the very scenic B974, just east of the Cairngorms NP, to arrive at our lodge at the Kinord Hotel in Dinnet. We have 4 nights self-catering here, then we move to the glens just south of here - Glen Clova and Glen Esk - where have hotel rooms.
My main targets in this area are to complete the 10 remaining Munros in the Eastern Cairngorms to find the Kentish Glory Moth
Soon after arrival, it being a glorious evening we had a walk from our lodge directly into the Muir of Dinnet National Nature Reserve. I had specified that I wanted a lodge backing directly onto the reserve - so that I could run traps using electricity supplied from the lodge. Unfortunately the clear skies and temperatures dropping to -3℃, the first night was not looking optimistic - and that lack of optimism proved to be well-founded.