Loch Garten - 13 July

A trip to Crieff in Scotland to see some old friends was an opportunity to pop up to a spot I've long had on my list of birding spots I'd like to visit, Loch Garten and Speyside. It's the wrong time of the year for the true stars of the Caledonian Forest to be found, so no Capercailie, but there's plenty other birds of interest. The principal target here for me was Scottish Crossbill, which sadly I dipped on, but the Crested Tit were much more obliging, and I found them in a couple of places. The rest of the day's birding was fairly standard, though it was nice to find a pair of Great Spotted Woodpecker in beech woods along the edge of Loch Insh.

Crested Tit at a bird feeder by the RSPB hut at Loch Garten. Having said good morning to 5 RSPB staff as they arrived, and received 2 smiles, a grunt and a grumpy instruction to stand outside the gate until they were open I'd give the staff here a D+ for politeness.

The Tits on the other hand performed marvellously!

This scruffy Coal Tit got very close. This was by far the commonest of the 4 Tit species at the feeder. (Blue, Great, Crested & Coal)

Male Siskin.

Treecreeper.

Juvenile male Great Spotted Woodpecker at Loch Insh.

Several Red Squirrels were also attracted to the feeder,and were very confiding.