Scotland Road Trip Day Seven

Sadly it's our last full day in the Cairngorms today as we start our journey back south tomorrow morning.

We spent the day at the Highland Wildlife Park which was great for the kids and a nice selection of some more unusual mammals too like Mishmi Takin, Bukhara Deer, Turkmenian Markhor, Vicuna, White-lipped Deer and Himalyan Tahr among the more expected zoo mammals and a few Caledonian specialities like Wild Cat and Pine Martin. Sadly we saw a Pine Martin dead on the A9 on the way to the park but this morning we did have Red Squirrel and Roe Deer at the campsite. 

The Cairngrom exlusion zone opened today after three weeks of wild fire control so we took the drive to the Cairngorm ski resort car park. We were able to see some of the burnt area. Will be interesting how this area recolonises in the coming years. Looks a bit bleak at the moment.

I had the Heath trap out at the Ralia Cafe moorland and the lepiled at the campsite last night. Another great night of moth trapping with a few more lifers. I'm getting lifers every night and still got tonight to go so fingers crossed for one or two more. 86 species of moth and butterfly so far HERE. 

Barnacle Geese at the Wildlife Park, apparantely wild. 907 for the year now. A few other bits and bobs there too HERE including Hooded Crow (below). Still hoping that one day I find something good at these wildlife family attractions. I have seen (not found) Black-throated Thrush at Whipsnade Zoo, had a White-tailed Eagle go over Arundel WWT on a family day (and seen a few good local bits like Hen Harrier, White-fronted Goose and Goosander there) and have had Yellow-legged Gulls and Spot Fly at Wolburn Safari Park.  

Scarce Silver-Y, another top of wish list. From the Heath trap. Lifer.

Great Brocade- another top of wish list from the campsite trap. The campsite has been incredibly diverse with a nice mix of riverine birch and rush meadows backed by moorland. Lifer. 

Purple Clay, another hoped for one and a bit late in the season too. Lifer.

Twin-spot Carpet. Lifer. 

Green Arches

Pale Straw Pearl, Udea lutealis - lifer

Large Birch Bell, Epinotia brunnichana- lifer I think

Mirifircama mulinella- an unimpressive lifer.

Agonopterix assimilella- another little lifer

View from Cairngorm

View over our campsite valley at Invernahavon

Scotland Road Trip Day Six

The moth traps were a bit quieter last night with only one new lifer albiet a good one. I'm planning on putting the heath trap out on some moorland habitat nearby tonight to target some of the remaining targets. I've luckily got most of the targets from the campsite so far. As the campervan is out of action at the moment (head gasket waiting for repair) we brought the car up so didn't have much room for moth traps so I just brought the lepiled and an old heath trap up instead of the MV and twin actinic. I'll leave the lepiled at the campsite tonight and put the heath trap up on nearby moorland.

Today we went to Loch Ness and took the kids to the Loch Ness Experience and then came back via a stop at Inverness. There were some Bottlenose Whales in the Moray Firth recently but a quick check revealed nothing obvious apart from lots of Goosanders. 

In the evening I had a stoll by the river near the campsite and had a nice Dipper and lots of Scotch Argus butterflies. 

White-throated Dipper, year tick 906. 

Plenty of Willow Warblers around the campsite. Had a Crossbill and a Hen Harrier go over the campsite and we had Hooded Crow near Loch Ness today too. 

Scotch Argus- lots of these by the river. The only butterfly I've seen up here although it has been raining more or less non-stop until today.

Angle-striped Sallow- top of the wish list. Lifer.

Northern Spinach- a better photo.

Male Anamolous- what a stunner!

Dotted Carpet (above) and Suspected (below). Better photos. 

Plain Clay- last night's catch was basically more of the same from previous nights but most of them lifers before this trip

Loch Ness and Urqhart Castle- the kids enjoyed the Loch Ness Monster Centre. 

Tulloch Moor- unfortunately no sign of any Red Grouse

Dipper habitat near the campsite 

Fortunately the local wildfires are under control and the Glenmore exclusion zone is opening up tomorrow. More from the national park Here.

Scotland Road Trip Day Five

Another interesting night in the moth trap at the Invernahavon Campsite with a few more target species. 

We spent most of the day at the Landmark Adventure Park with the kids before heavy rain started so we went for a drive to Loch Garton and then a bit of charity shop shopping at Aviemore before returning to the cabin. 

A few photo highlights below.

Roe Deer at the Landmark Adventure Park Pine forest area. Also had Crested Tit there which was a year tick (now on 905 for the world year list). There's a few bird year ticks I need round here but not getting anytime for birding in between rain and family stuff unfortunately. The main targets up here for me are all moths anyway.

Cousin German- lifer

Haworth's Minor (above and below)- lifer

Dark Marbled Carpet- lifer

Welsh Wave- lifer

Northern Spinach- lifer. At the Landmark park in the heather and bilberry

Scotch Annulet- lifer

Probably a Crinian Ear- the default ear in these parts.

Clouded-bordered Brindle

Antler moths (presumed female above and male below). Nice to see these daily. 

Black-marked Tortrix .Epinotia ramella

Views over the Abernethy forest (above and below) with the Cairngorms in the background 

Scotland Road Trip Days Two to Four

Catching up with the blog as it's raining hard outside here at Invernahavon Camp Site near Newtonmore in the Cairngorms National Park. There's still a heatwave back down south (it was near 30 C yesterday back home) but its around 17 C max here during the day with overcast skies and rain. It is a bit of a relief from the constant heat and blue skies this summer but if it's too wet here it could scupper our plans for the week. Fortunately the nearby wild fire is under control. 

So we arrived at our cabin yesterday (3rd August) afternoon after the drive north. On Sunday (2nd) we left my sister's house around 9am and following a few coffee stops arrived at Stirling in the evening. It was quite a horrific travel day of motorways, service stations and then a night at the Stirling city centre Travelodge. After the kids were settled I took a short walk along the River Forth but the public footpath was a hang out for the local 'yout'. 

The following morning we took the kids to Blair Drummond Safari Park near Stirling before completing another 2 hour drive north to arrive at the our campsite for the week. 

Today we spent at the Newtonmore Folk Museum with haggis for lunch at the Newtonmore Diner (a Trucker's stop). Not much to report on the bird front- what looked like a Hen Harrier flew over the campsite this evening has been the highlight.  I had two moth traps on last night outside the cabin in rather damp conditions but had an interesting haul with several lifers.   

Antler moth (above and below). The most numerous moth in the trap.

Lempke's Gold spot. A lifer. The blunt ended dorsal apical wedge and the rounded white patches are the main features from Gold Spot. A lifer.

Female Anamolous- incredible moth, the name is spot on

Plain Clay

Suspected- lifer

Triple-spotted Clay- lifer

Beech-green Carpet- lifer

Dotted Clay according to Obsidentify- lots of variable Clays which Obsidentify say are all Dotted but some could be Ingrailed? 

Dotted Carpet- lifer

Dusky Brocade

Minor Shoulder Knot- a cracking specimen 

Golden Rod Pug- lifer

Juniper Pug- lifer

Stirling Castle and surround (below) 

Jacob at the Newtonemore Folk Museum

Our base for five nights- Invernahavon Camp Site