A few Days Around Glencoe

Following our exhausting trip around India, we decide to head up to Scotland for a bit of R&R. We found ourselves a great hotel in Ballachulish at the bottom of the Glencoe Valley with lovely views over Loch Leven and the mountains.

Of course we did go out every day, starting with a couple of short walks from our hotel, on what were a couple of gloomyish mornings, that did provide a chance for a bit of birding:
Grey Heron,

 Hooded Crow,

 a magnificent Dipper on the river,

 a few Wigeon

 and another (same?) Dipper,

 and some Long-tailed Tits.

We had driven through this area many a time on the way elsewhere, Mull, Glenuig and Wester Ross  to name a few, but thought it would be  a nice place to explore a little bit. We did a circular drive around Loch Leven, spotting Oystercatcher and Curlew along with Gulls, but no divers, we thought there might be a chance, but alas no!

We also drove up to the Corran Ferry which we have used in the past seeing Black Guillemots but not this time! Driving back Tina remembered a name that she had read in some recommended places to visit from the hotel. Inchree, where at the back of the village was a forestry car park and walks, we decided not to do the walks, but adjacent to the car park was a screen, so we stayed a while and this letter fella turned up:

It's always a joy to see Red Squirrels, we had two visit the feeders, but they couldn't share so ended up having a bit of a scrap and chase around the trees.

We finished the day with some Red Deer up in the mountains on the Loch/River Etive track:

Another day saw us explore the Appin area, again some great scenery, with a view over to Castle Stalker:

 and our first Redwings of the Winter.

Also seen were Goosander, Merganser, Goldeneye, Buzzard, Cormorant, various Gulls (no rarities) and Fieldfare.

Now when looking at Google Maps the night before I came across a nature reserve that I hadn't noticed before, the Highland Titles NR, so on the way back to the hotel we called in as it was right off the main road. It's actually a reserve called Glencoe Wood, but owned and managed by Highland Titles. It transpires that the reserve is funded by selling 1ft square plots to people for £30 (larger plots are available for more cash of course) You get a certificate and the title of Lord/Lady or Laird of your plot. Very popular with Americans and as it happens Australians! Who come and visit their plot. We found this out after a lengthy chat with one of the volunteers. Otherwise access to the reserve is free.

After learning that there were two hides over looking a couple of Lochins, where Otters are seen, we decided to come back the following day and try it out. By the way during our brief time in the car park and chatting we added Great Spotted Woodpecker to our tally, as well as the usual woodland birds.

So we went back the next day, first visiting according to the map the waterfall, just a few minutes from the car park. Whilst pretty it was a tad underwhelming, it was only 6ft high!

From there we proceeded up what was billed as a gentle slope up to the hides. But as Jim Royle would say "Gentle slope my ar*e" Actually it wasn't that steep, but seemed to gone forever. Anyway we persevered and found the hides. A big disappointment!

They were basically two small garden sheds with very small UPVC windows at about 6ft, if I stood on my toes I could see out. There were two stools in each, which if you sat on them you couldn't see out of the windows! There were benches outside so we sat on those and had a coffee. There were few birds about, a Buzzard on the ridge, some Coal Tit, Great Tit, Robin, Woodpigeon, a Raven and Wren.

The views were great though.

We stayed a while but nothing much to report, so we wandered back down, had another coffee by some feeders. Then back to the car park, where we used the facilities and added Goldcrest and Treecreeper to the list. So back to the hotel for another swim and sauna, which we did every day, lovely!

On the way up from Edinburgh to Glencoe after we noticed that the route took us within 2 miloes of the Agarty Red Kite centre, so on the way back to Edinburgh we decided to drop in. (we did phone beforehand and booked into the hide for the 1:30pm feeding.)

The weather was glorious and we got there early, seeing plenty of Red Kite gathering, plus Redwing, Fieldfare, Great Spotted Woodpecker and Wren. We wandered up to the hide after 'checking in' and had a treat with plenty of Tree Sparrows about:

plus Blue Tit, Great Tit, Coal Tit, Chaffinch and Dunnock. Then it was Red Kite Time:

Then a surprise was a Lesser Redpoll turning up in bush to the left of the hide, hiding it's head from the camera before flying off!

A lovely couple of hours before heading to Leith and a fabulous weekend with our daughter!