Tour Diaries - Cairngorms & Coast Wildlife in Spring

The tour diaries for the 2024 and 2023 group tours to Islay and Jura in Autumn can be found using the buttons below. To give you a taster here is a summary of the tours below…

6th - 12th May 2023

4th - 10th May 2024

The Cairngorms to Coast tour showcases a stunning and varied corner of the Highlands, from mountain summits to seabird cities. Beginning in Upper Deeside before venturing into the Cairngorm mountains, we explored ancient Caledonian pine forests, pristine river valleys and dramatic coasts, in search of everything from Butterworts to Beavers.

At the Cairnwell summit, Ptarmigan challenged our spotting skills with their remarkable cryptic plumage and Mountain Hares hunkered among granite boulders. Red Grouse launched themselves into the air in territorial displays, while lower slopes hosted Black Grouse strutting in their elaborate morning leks.

Ancient Caledonian pine forests at Keiloch, Abernethy, and Muir of Dinnet rang with the sounds of Willow Warblers, Tree Pipits, and Scottish Crossbills. Raptor encounters were exceptional throughout, including: Peregrines, Merlins, Hen Harriers, Ospreys, Short-eared Owls and White-tailed Eagles tending chicks. Along the gin-clear waters of the River Dee, we discovered Dippers nesting beneath bridges while sheltered forest trails revealed basking Adders and rare Kentish Glory moths emerging. Evening hide sessions revealed Pine Martens and Badgers at close range, while on lowland rivers we enjoyed watching reintroduced Beavers constructing lodges.

RSPB Fowlsheugh along the Aberdeenshire coastline brought a sensory overload, where 130,000 breeding seabirds crammed the cliffs. At Ythan Estuary's dunes and mudflats, Grey Seals hauled out while Eiders bobbed in the shallows and four tern species including the rare Gull-billed Tern fished the waters.

Beyond wildlife watching, we also visited local conservation projects. At Lynbreck Croft, we witnessed regenerative farming in action where Highland cattle and rare-breed pigs graze in rotation, supporting biodiversity and helping to producing over 90% of the farm's food needs. At another site, we explored 45 acres being rewilded with over 5,000 planted trees and a nursery propagating 10,000 trees annually. Additionally, this tour directly supports Trees for Life, the Braemar Nature Group's Red Squirrel hide, and Scotland: The Big Picture, a rewilding advocacy charity working to restore Scotland's natural heritage.