Birdwatching in Easter Ross by Bob Swann, from Scottish Bird News No 46 (June 1997)

The Highlands offer superb scenery, at least when the weather and the midges allow you to enjoy it. The area is also rich in wildlife. In this article, SOC Council member Bob Swann suggests some good places to see birds, and other creatures, in Easter Ross, an area that has a variety of habitats and, compared to the west coast, a relatively low rainfall.

Heading north from Inverness up the A9 you cross the Kessock Bridge and you are immediately into Ross-shire. Head up to the Tore roundabout, keeping a look out for soaring Buzzards or Kites, and then strike east along the A832 and you will eventually arrive at a large car park at the head of Munlochy Bay. It's another good spot to watch Kites and you can scope the bay, although you are still quite a distance from it. In late autumn the fields around here can have good flocks of Greylag Geese. Continue along the main road and you will eventually reach Fortrose. From the centre of town turn right down to Chanonry Ness. The car park by the lighthouse is a good birding spot. Sea watches can reveal skuas, all four species are regular, and shearwaters in late summer and autumn, especially after north-easterly winds. In winter you can get excellent views of Long-tailed Ducks, divers and auks. At high tide, large numbers of Dunlin, Ringed Plover and Turnstone roost around the point. In summer it is an excellent site to watch Bottle-nosed Dolphins.

Moving on

Moving on from Fortrose you reach Rosemarkie. The road turns left and starts to follow a steep valley known as the Fairy Glen. This is a small woodland RSPB reserve. A path leads up it from a small car park. It has a wide range of the usual woodland passerines and Dippers breed along the river. At the time of writing an Eagle Owl has taken up residence! Fulmars nest on the steep upper slopes of the glen. The A832 continues north to Cromarty, passing through plantations and then large open fields, which can hold large numbers of Greylag and Pink-footed Geese in late winter and spring. Park your car at the harbour in Cromarty and walk east along the beach, looking out to the Sutors of Cromarty. In winter you can get excellent views of Long-tailed Ducks, Eiders, divers and Red-breasted Mergansers offshore. In summer terns and dolphins are the main attraction. Cruise boats operate from Cromarty which almost guarantee sightings of Bottle-nosed Dolphins in summer and also give you excellent views of the seabird colonies on the North Sutor with nesting Guillemots, Razorbills, Kittiwakes, Shags, Fulmars and, if you are lucky, Black Guillemots. It is also one of Scotland's largest Cormorant colonies with about 250 nesting pairs.

Waders and ducks

From Cromarty you can head back down the B9163 along the south side of the Cromarty Firth. It's worth stopping just before Jemimaville and scanning the firth as Slavonian Grebes and Scaup regularly winter here. The best site for waders and dabbling duck is the RSPB hide which you will find at the side of the road at Udale Bay. Arrive here just before the high tide and you will witness large flocks of Oystercatcher, Redshank, Curlew, Dunlin, Knot and Bar-tailed Godwit all assembling to roost on the saltmarsh across the river in front of the hide, as well as large numbers of feeding Wigeon. It's also an excellent spot to see geese in late autumn and spring. Carry along the road to a T junction, turn right and follow the signs to Newhall Point. This gives you good views of the north side of the bay. The hawthorn hedges are very good for winter thrushes, finches and buntings and, as you pass Newhall Point, it's worth scanning the firth for Goldeneye and other ducks.

Complete the loop back onto the B9163 and head west back down the Black Isle to the Cromarty Bridge. Cross the bridge and head back north up the A9. If it is low tide it is often worth stopping in the first layby to scan the mud flats for ducks and waders. Common Seals haul out on the rocks.

The road heads north passed AIness Bay, another good wader and Wigeon site in winter. Turn of the A9 and follow the B817 to Invergordon. This road follows the shore of the Cromarty Firth and gives you lots of opportunities to stop and scan the firth. The B817 eventually rejoins the A9 at Kildary but it is worth leaving it straight away and following the minor road to Arrabella. The fields around here can hold hundreds of Pink-footed Geese and large herds of Whooper Swans while Buzzards and Sparrowhawks hunt overhead. Turn right at Arrabella and follow the B9175 round towards Nigg Bay. The road gets very close to the bay and, at high tide, gives excellent views of vast flocks of a wide range of wintering ducks and waders. It is a particularly good site for Pintail, with over 200 birds regularly wintering. In spring the saltmarshes and surrounding fields often hold thousands of Pink-footed Geese.

Further along the road an old RAF observation tower can be an excellent viewpoint for the entire bay, Peregrines, Buzzards and Kestrels regularly hunt in front of the tower. Flocks of Linnets and Yellowhammers feed amongst the gorse, while small Twite flocks can still be found out on the saItmarsh. Follow the road round to Nigg Ferry. In summer terns and Ringed Plovers nest on the reclaimed land round the oil terminal and broods of Eiders and Mergansers can be seen feeding just offshore. Nigg Ferry is a good spot for a bit of Firth watching at any time of year, with dolphins and terns in summer and seaducks in winter.

Ospreys and Otters

Head back to Arrabella and turn right towards Hill of Fearn, where you should turn left following the B9165 towards Tain. After crossing the railway at Fearn Station turn right and follow the minor road till you come alongside Loch Eye. The loch is probably at its best at dusk in late autumn when thousands of geese and hundreds Whooper Swans come into roost. Duck numbers are highly variable and the large size of the loch makes close viewing difficult though, during strong south westerly winds, large numbers often gather at the SW end of the loch. In late summer it is a site for fishing Ospreys and Otters.

Seawatching

Follow the minor road past the cross roads to a T junction. You can now go east heading for Portmahomack and Tarbat Ness. Around the lighthouse is a good place for seawatching, especially in late summer and autumn after north-easterly gales. Huge numbers of Gannets, Kittiwakes and auks, with smaller numbers of shearwaters and skuas, can be seen. It's a particularly good spot for Little Auks after strong northerly winds. It is also the best autumn migration site in the area, though the conditions have to be just right with a strong ENE-NE wind. Warblers, Redstarts, Pied Flycatchers are regular with the occasional rarity like a Black Redstart, Red-breasted Flycatcher, Red-backed Shrike, Wryneck or Rosefinch.

Ducks and whisky

Follow the road back into Tain and head west along the A9 towards the Dornoch Bridge. As you pass Glenmorangie distillery (always worth a visit) the road comes close to the south side of the Dornoch Firth. From late September to early December this is an excellent area for ducks with several thousand Wigeon and hundreds of Teal feeding just off shore. Both Blue-winged and Green-winged Teal have turned up in recent years. In summer it is another good spot to look for fishing Ospreys.

Heading home

If it's summer head home by continuing west along the old A9 towards Ardgay. The Mere at mid Feam is worth a quick look for Tufted Duck, Goosander, Red- breasted Merganser or Osprey. Turn sharp left up a steep road that takes you over the Struie. The laybys at the top give panoramic views of the Dornoch Firth and Kyle of Sutherland and are a good place to scan for raptors and Ravens. Head on over the Struie looking out for Short-eared Owls and Hen Harriers, especially as you drop into Strath Rory, where they often hunt over the old glacial melt water channels. There is a car park by the river in Strathrory where you can walk up stream, accompanied by Common Sandpipers and wagtails. It is also a good spot for Adders! The main road will eventually take you back onto the A9 just passed Alness.

By doing this loop you have missed out on the pine woods and plantations which stretch south from Tain towards Scotsburn. They hold the usual woodland species along with small numbers of Crossbills, Crested Tits and Capercaillies. The forest walk at Glen Aldie, just south of Tain, makes a good starting point. Pine Martens are plentiful in these woods, though you are more likely to see their distinctive droppings than the animals themselves.

I have missed out the glens like Strath Rusdale and Glen Glass. As well as being scenic they hold good numbers of birds. There is always a chance of seeing Peregrine, Osprey or even Golden Eagle. The woods in summer are home to Redstarts, Tree Pipits and Wood Warblers.

Easter Ross is a superb birding area at any time of year. In a fairly small area there are a wide variety of habitats sup- porting a large number of species. Even on farm land many species, like Grey Partridge. Skylark, Linnet. Yellowhammer and Tree Sparrow, which are in severe decline elsewhere, still remain abundant. Corn Bunting and Quail are still found in small numbers each year. Bird watching at any time of year will not disappoint you and you may well find that, at many of these sites, you are the sole birder. As usual, always try and keep disturbance to a minimum and, if you do come across any thing unusual, please inform our Local Recorder.