Tuesday, March 14, 2023
There was a fresh fall of snow overnight but the roads were clear as we drove up to the dam, where our usual walk brought only a pair of ravens. Later, from the intake tower on the loch, I watched the approach of a red kite from the south against the backdrop of a white Ben Wyvis.
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The kite eventually drifted up the hillside towards the wind-farm - which was lucky for us because it flushed four black grouse from somewhere in the plantations.
It's great to know there are still black grouse in the area; it was our first sighting for ages, but then we've only been scanning the plantations from the road. I no longer venture up beyond the gate because of this sign - which has appeared, confusingly, next to the old sign that tells you the usual stuff about not littering and so forth, which suggests you're allowed to walk there.....talk about mixed messages!
Greger reckons it was there when we walked the ridge last year, but as I didn't seem to notice it, he didn't say anything and we continued with our walk. LATER: I think it was a temporary sign and is similar to others I've now seen on building sites and forestry roads during timber operations.
There were no crossbills to be seen at Braemore Junction, but siskins were twittering sweetly as they fed in one of the larches.
The larch trees seem to have loads of cones at the moment, as do many spruce and pine; this might be the trigger for crossbills to start breeding, and would explain why they seem to be flying around in pairs.
// posted by Christine @ 11:14 AM 
