Scottish Birding in Spring

Day 1:

Meet Glasgow and travel north into the Cairngorms National Park stopping to search for Ring Ouzel, Northern Wheatear, Ptarmigan, Red Grouse and Short-eared Owl. Night in Ballater.

Day 2:

Spend the whole day in Upper Deeside, a stunning glen in the eastern Cairngorms, the home of the royal family (when in residence) and a brilliant place for wildlife. Search for both Golden and White-tailed Eagles, Hen Harrier, Scottish and Parrot Crossbill, Green Woodpecker, Whinchat, Redstart and Tree Pipit. Night Ballater.

Day 3:

Today we will relocate via a coastal route firstly stopping to enjoy a huge ternery where Common, Arctic, Sandwich and Little Terns all breed, Northern Eiders, Red-breasted Mergansers and Goosander can be found and on the mudflats look for Sanderling, Bar-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel and Dunlin. We’ll continue to Loch of Strathbeg where the wetlands are home Common Crane, Great Egret, breeding waders such as Northern Lapwing and Common Redshank as well as passage waders such as Wood Sandpiper. Around the visitor centre we hope to find Tree Sparrow. Our route will take us to the Moray coast where we will look for the impressive White-billed Diver. Night Grantown-on-Spey.

Day 4:

A full day will be spent in the foothills of the Cairngorms and Monadliath Mountains where we hope to find Black-throated Diver, Red Grouse, Golden and White-tailed Eagle, Goshawk, Red Kite, Peregrine and Merlin. Other species such as Siskin, White-throated Dipper, Grey Wagtail, Great Spotted Woodpecker and Lesser Redpoll are all likely. Night Grantown-on-Spey.

Day 5:

We will spend the day in the heart of the Cairngorms National Park where stunning Caledonian Pine forests are home to Crested Tit and Scottish Crossbill as well as many commoner woodland species. Red-throated Diver, Slavonian (Horned) Grebe, Osprey and Goldeneye breed on and around the lochs, and in the marshes we may find Whooper Swan, White-tailed Eagle, Sedge Warbler and Reed Bunting. We will also make a trip up to the tree line where Ring Ouzel and Red Grouse can be found and Golden Eagle is possible overhead. Night Grantown-on-Spey.

Day 6:

The Moray Firth will be our focus today with its rich, shallow, coastal waters that support species such as Common and Velvet Scoter, Long-tailed Duck, Northern Eider, Divers, waders including Purple Sandpiper, Knot and Sanderling. Crested Tit as well as Common Crossbills can also be found in the coastal pine forests. Night Grantown-on-Spey.

Day 7:

Our final day will see us relocating back south to Glasgow. On the way we will stop at a couple of woodland sites where we will look for Redstart, Pied Flycatcher, Wood and Garden Warblers, Long-tailed Tit, White-throated Dipper, Grey Wagtail and Spotted Flycatcher before arriving into Glasgow mid- to late afternoon where you will meet the remainder of the guests of the Wild Scotland voyage.

The itinerary outlined is indicative and Wild Discovery reserves the right to alter the itinerary if conditions require.