Yesterday morning I got up at six and jumped in the car and headed from the croft up to the Cabrach, which is only a ten minute drive. The Cabrach is quite a high plateau of land, straddling the Aberdeenshire/Morayshire border, just on the eastern edge of the Cairngorm NP. My first stop was near the edge of the Clashindaroch Forest. A plantation consisting mainly of Spruce Larch and Native Scots Pine. Willow Warbler song could be heard from the forest but I was more interested by a buzzing sound from a stand of damp grass on the forest edge. It took a few seconds before I twigged I was listening to a Grasshopper Warbler. After a good search through the bins I found the songster perched about thirty yards away. I had just not thought about the possibility of this species so far north.

Grasshopper Warbler, Cabrach, 3 Aug 2009

Meadow Pipits are abundant in the Cabrach literally hundreds perched on the roadside fences. Also seen were plenty of Corvids. Mainly Jackdaws and Carrion Crows although plenty of Cronking Ravens were overhead. Waders were also much in evidence. Numerous Lapwings and Curlews were in the fields with smaller numbers of Oystercatcher. Buzzards are the number one raptor, feeding on the thousands of rabbits in the uplands. I hope to pay a few more early morning visits up the Cabrach over the next few days.

Common Buzzard and Chaffinch, Cabrach, 3 Aug 2009

Common Buzzard, Cabrach, 3 Aug 2009

Wheatear, Tap o Noth, 3 Aug 2009

The Wheatear is one of the classic upland birds. This individual was one of a family party on the Tap o Noth. A good sized hill behind the croft, visited later in the day.

Steve Copsey