I have recently spent a week in the Scottish Highlands staying at Kindrogan one of the centres operated by The Field Studies Council an organisation devoted to bringing people and our natural environment closer together. Like the course I attended last year at Flatford Mill Suffolk when the course leader was Richard Lewington the Kindrogan course leader was Russell Nisbet both these characters are very knowledgable and Russell displayed an amazing gift of mimicking bird song and displaying oodles of patience to the many questions asked of him by the eleven strong band of strangers brought together by a common thirst for improving our knowledge of the great outdoors in general and the avian and floral species in particular that are to be found in the Highlands. The food and facilities at the Kindrogan centre were impressive to say the least but the real icing on the cake was the easy going attitude of Russell with nightly informative discussions on our subject.
The special birds seen were Crested Tit, Ptarmigan, Osprey, Redpoll, Red Grouse, Black Grouse , Whinchat, Woodcock, Dipper, Slavonian Grebe and Ring Ouzel. In fact we ticked some 107 species in our time there and the week went so quickly due to the action filled days including climbing most the way up a mountain where I had the good fortune to photograph that iconic Scottish bird the Ptarmigan.
Ptarmigan
Siskin with young
Black Grouse at Lek
Crossbill
Red Grouse
Mountain Hare
Osprey
Larch in flower
Fallow Deer
Russell on left
Goldeneye
Golden Plover
Willow Warbler
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