Scottish delights
The third and final part of John Miles’s birding trip around north-west Scotland
’d tried to plan an itinerary for this trip so I wouldn’t miss locations, but my next one nearly slipped by until I saw the large car park and sign for the National Trust for Scotland. I’d read about it in a guide book, but the lack of a grid reference meant I hadn’t found it on my maps. It was Corrieshalloch Gorge, and what a miss it would have been!
Clear felling had taken place all around the Trust’s land, and in the gorge, leaving only one stand of conifers, and while regeneration of some conifers had taken place in the gorge, wind blow would soon sort that out.
There was an amazing flora on some of the ledges. With bins I found Yellow Saxifrage, Alpine Sorrel, hawkweeds and Golden Saxifrage, but I must have missed loads, as I took in the views of this 60-foot chasm. The bridge was fun, trying to spot the classics like Dipper and Grey Wagtail below. The young plantings were full of Willow Warblers and Tree Pipits, and with such big ledges, Peregrines are likely. Ravens were certainly in the area and in the remaining conifers were Crossbill and
Goldcrest. The circular walk gave me a chance to scan the area for raptors – I saw Buzzard and Sparrowhawk, while both eagles could turn up in the area.
Soon, I moved on to Ullapool but missed a Ring-billed Gull, which I was told about later, up the coast. I tried to view the wood pasture on the Achall Estate, driving up a private road as far as the loch. I found intensive heather burning for Red Grouse, and the pasture was a long way up the loch on the far side, away from the road. Maybe another time! No birds were on the moor, other than Red Grouse.
Merlins and ouzels
Back on the road, I had a few locations to look out for, and I was now in the North West Highland ‘Geo-park’. From the road, I could see the Knockan Crag, but it was another walk I was more interested in.
The Bone Caves are rightly renowned. There’s a small car park with a large building beyond it belonging to the Inchnadamph Estate, and a path heading up the Glen allt nan Uamh. You’re greeted by a waterfall, but the main stream was dry on my visit. To help, a large spring was pumping out of the bottom of the limestone, to keep the waterfall going.
You know things are good when the first bird you see is a female Merlin flying over open limestone crags. Next was a male Ring Ouzel alarming at me, and in no time, I had seen at least four pairs. Rich pickings! A Grey Wagtail was feeding in the only water available, while Ravens