Caryl and I began Heatherlea way back in 1991, and in the early years I did almost all the guiding myself. Once I worked for fourteen consecutive weeks without a day off, and by the time that stretch was over I felt I knew the birdlife of the Scottish Highlands like the back of my hand.
Things changed as we got bigger, however, and our guiding team grew to where we now have five guides working on rotation for 41 weeks of the year, and none of these people is me. I get to go overseas regularly, so I’m having plenty of fun watching wildlife, but in Scotland I’m a stranger beyond my doorstep.
Until our High Season across the Highlands week beginning Sat 5 June, that is. For one reason or another all our guides were busy doing other trips, and Jonny and I were the only two qualified Heatherlea guides available, so on Sunday morning I jumped in the minibus and began a full week guiding, my first for over ten years. Within a very short period, I experienced a strange sensation; what could it be? It dawned on me slowly …… I was enjoying myself!
Here are a few of the highlights as mentioned by our guests at our Friday round-up.
Highlights
- Mist-waterfall at coire an Lochan on Cairngorm
- Ring Ouzel family, with red deer running across the skyline behind
- Boat ride around Handa giving unique views of the bird cliffs
- Capercaillie hen with six chicks in private estate
- Single dotterel in the mist as a reward for tremendous effort
- View down Little loch Broom just before sunset
- Crested Tit with begging chick very close to our bins
- Moulting Cock Capercaillie at close quarters in our private estate
- Male Ptarmigan on Cairngorm plateau posing for photos
- Auk cliffs at Handa
- Osprey catching a fish at spey bay
- Slavonian Grebe in beautiful breeding plumage
- Dunlin in beautiful breeding colours on west coast
- Osprey on the nest, flying to see off an intruder bird, and eating fish
- ‘Totally impressed with the whole event’
My own stock rose in value within ten minutes on the first morning, as driving in the pouring rain through the Abernethy Forest, I was lucky enough to see a hen Capercaillie standing on a log about 80 feet into the trees. I was extra vigilant here because I knew that we were passing a known lekking area, and birds sometimes return just after the mating period in the hope of finding a partner. This small female was probably unmated, and having checked in my bins, I called Jonny and the two buses carefully reversed so everyone could see. The bird was not for moving, and we all enjoyed great views.
What was happening here? The bird was probably sitting up to avoid the wet berry-strewn forest carpet, was no doubt cold, and perhaps preferred relying on camouflage to flying away.
My other highlight? Although everyone loved this bird, by the end of the week no-one mentioned it at the round-up! We had seen so much, including another hen Caper with six chicks and a moulting cock bird, everyone had different things to talk about. I was left with the clear impression that everyone else had enjoyed the week as much as I had, and that, after all, is why we started Heatherlea all those years ago. Above all I enjoyed the pleasure of spending time with those who have trusted us to deliver their holiday, and the delight of finding the birds such nice people came here to see.
I must do this again ……
Kevin
